LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday, on a judgment summons issued by P. T. Donnelly, G. Blane was ordered to pay the amount of claim, £4 4s 6d, on or before March 21, in default four days’ imprisonment. “Is there any progress as regards tram shelters?” inquired Cr. J. Kibby at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council. The electrical engineer (Mr. Bartley') replied that the plans and estimates of the costs had been got out, but no money had been raised for the work.

Reporting to the New Plymouth Borough Council in regard to the supply of labor at the hydro-electric works, the resident engineer (Mr. R. L. Pearless) states in his February communication that applications for employment have been coming in well, and at present there were forty-five men engaged on the work, while two more were on contract.

The remission of duty 1 which has been allowed since February 9 on pork, bacon, ham and lard imported from Australia, is to cease as regards* goods shipped after March 19. Information to this effect has been received by the Customs Office, New Plymouth, from the Controller of Customs.

At last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee, the secretary reported that the number of men on the vocational training list had been reduced to 12. 67 men had completed their courses of training, of whom 53 were well on the way to becoming skilled tradesmen. Such a satisfactory result speaks well for the efficiency of the committee, and has been commended by the Ministerial Repatriation Board.

The half-holiday question was again discussed by the Stratford Borough Council at the ordinary meeting last night, when a notice of motion , tabled by Cr. W. H. Young, that the resolution fixing Saturday as the day of the weekly half-holiday be rescinded, came up for discussion. All the councillors adhered to the opinion they had expressed previously, and the motion was defeated, the voting being the same as at the last meeting.

A charge of indecently assaulting a girl of eight years at East End beach on February 19 was preferred against a young man, Stuart John Delacourt Russell, at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon. On the application of DetectiVe-Sergeant Cooney, Mr. T A. B. Bailey, S.M., granted a remand till the 28th instant, bail being allowed in accused’s own recognisance of £lOO and a surety for a similar amount.

Possession of a beacji cottage was the subject in dispute in the ease of Alfred Ernest Surrey (Mr. H. R. Billing) v. Bert Standring (Mr. C. H. Croker), which came before Mr.' T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Plaintiff was a builder and merchant at Inglewood, and was in the habit of coming into New Plymouth to the beach for the summer months. He had found another house that the defendant could have, but the latter had refused to go into it. While the plaintiff was giving evidence. Mr. Croker said his client was ignorant of there being another house available. In view of this apparent misunderstanding, the Magistrate adjourned the case until after lunch, so that the defendant might be shown the house. When the court resumed it was announced that the defendant had agreed to vacate the cottage by Saturday. The case was adjourned, an order to be made in case of failure to vacate.

Tn the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, George Inman Blacker appeared on remand before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., for sentence on charges of fraudulently converting to his own use several sums of money received on behalf of his employer, L. T. Cress well. After considering a report from the probation officer concerning previous offences of the, accused, the Magistrate decided to grant probation for a term of three years, the conditions’ being that Blacker should refrain from drinking and gambling and make full restitution. It was mentioned that since the last appearance before the Magistrate the misappropriation of a further sum of £7 0s lid received from Mr. McGinty, of the Grosvenor Hotel, had been discovered.. Mr. A. A. Bennett, who appeared on behalf of the accused, said that £2O had been paid into court, and the full amount involved had been guaranteed.

Entries closed last night for the New Plymouth Horticultural Society’s show, which is to be held in the Coronation Hall on Thursday, and. the large number of competitors indicates a very successful show. The gardens of New Plymouth have at present a wealth of color, with a great variety of choice blooms, and when the best flowers are gathered on Thursday morning and grouped at the show they should combine to provide a wonderful display. In addition to the competitive classes, there wilj be special displays by wellknown growers, and these alone provide a rare opportunity of seeing a rich collection of blooms. There will also be sections for fruit, vegetables, and home industries, so that altogether the show will be full of interest to everyone. The shotf will be open both on Thursday afternoon and evening.

A letter was received at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council from the Tana-nakl Counties Conference inviting the Council to appoint a delegate to a meeting of all local bodies to be held at Eltham tomorrow, to consider the formation of a local bodies’ association for Taranaki province, so that wheneyer necessary all might speak with one voice and carry some weight in regard to labor matters before the Arbitration Court. The communication referred to the fact that the New Plymouth Borough and Taranaki County Councils had been cited before the Conciliation Council by labor unions, and expressed the opinion that it was areatly against the interests of local bodies that its employees should become members of any labor union, and every effort should be made to prevent such' a state of affairs being brought about After discussion, in which the opinion was expressed that the council, even if it desired, could not prevent its employees from joining unions, it was decided that no action be taken.

Acceding to numerous enquiries and entreaties on the part of their patrons, the Melbourne, Ltd., have decided to extend the closing date of their gigantic Reduction Sale to Saturday, the 26th mst. Buyers will have the choice of many further reductions in addition to the sensational bargains being sold. The following are the entries received for the Clifton Football Club's sports at Waitara on March 3rd:—loo yards, 2i; 2 9 0vds 26; 440vds, 26; 880yds, -1; one mile bievfile, li; one and a half mile biayclt, 14 •. two miles bicycle; IS