LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Efforts are being made by Mr. R. Day to secure a visit of Miss Shand (New Zealand, lady champion swimmer) and Miss Bristed (champion diver) to New Plymouth to take part in a carnival to be held at the municipal baths shortly. *‘l did not know there were any men who would work that time,” commented Mr. T. A. B. 'Bailey, S.M., in the New Plymouth Court yesterday morning when a witness (a plasterer’s laborer) said he had worked ten hours a day for some time.

Ten cases against motorists for alleged breaches of the motor by-laws are set down for hearing at Thursday’s sitting of the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court. Quite a number relate to “speeding,” and in three instances the charge is one of turning corners on the wrong side.

Word has been received from Awakino that the five-year-old daughter of Mr. L. R. Jones was fatally poisoned on Saturday. It appears that the child’s father was giving sheep tablets to some lambs/ and while his attention was distracted the girl secured and ate several tablets, dying of arsenical poisoning about 12 hours later. An inquest was to have been held yesterday. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., speaking at the opening of the Whangamomona Show held last week in aid of the funds of the local medical association, stated that he believed in the nationalisation of the medical profession, because it would mean that, instead of the settlers in the back-blocks having to raise funds, in order to get medical attention in their districts, the Government would provide doctors where they were most needed, and instead of doctors working to cure diseases, they wouuld be working hard to prevent it.

Judgement, for plaintiff by default was given in the following civil cases in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning : W. Russell (Mr. H. Billing) v. Percy Clifton and Bprt Balchin £8 6s, costs £2 15s fid ; Mansell and May (Mr. Billing) v. R. Wallace £7 ss, costs £2 10s. In the judgement summons case of Fitzlierbert and Fitzherbert (Mr. Etherington) v. Mauretehiakina, or Fred Tapihi, debtor, was ordered to pflft the amount of the claim £l9 9s forthwith, in default nineteen days imprisonment.

Plaintiff in a tenement case hoard in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday, stated that she was paying thirty shillings for the rent of one room, and desired to get into her own house (which she had been renting for £1 per week). In reply to counsel for the defence witness said she was renting the room from, her maimed daughter, and on counsel attempting to discredit the idea of the plaintiff paying such a sum to her own daughter she affirmed that it was quite correct. Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., recently wrote to the Minister of Lands enclosing and supporting a request by the Ohurq, Returned Soldiers' Association for some concession to settlers this year by way of postponement of 'rent, etc. In reply, the Hon. Mr. Guthrie says it has been decided that applications to the Commissioner of Crown will be considered immediately by the Land Board, and any recommendation by the board will be sympathetically dealt with by the Minister. Mr. Guthrie adds that any postponement which may be granted will not prejudice the right of the lessees or mortgagors to obtain the usual rebate for prompt payment, provided such payment is made within the statutory time from the date to which rent or instalments are postponed. He also advises that arrangements have been made to release the liens held by the Lands Department over wool clips for the current season, in order that discharged soldiers might have an opportunity of obtaining advances on their clips elsewhere, provided that upon realisation the resulting balances, after repaying the advance, is paid over to the Receiver of Land Revenue. Settlers desiring to obtain release from their liens must apply to the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

When the Customs officials made an examination of the steamer Joan Craig, which arrived at New Plymouth yesterday morning from Newcastle, the officers reported that they had a stojtfiway on board, and as a result the police later arrested a man named W. H. Tressider, who was brought before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., on a charge of leaving Australia and entering New Zealand without a passport. He pleaded guilty and explained that he had previously been up in Queensland, and thought the passport regulations had been abolished. Senior-Sergeant McCorrie, who appeared for the’police, stated that the prosecution was brought under the War Regulations, and also informed the court that the captain did not desire to proceed against Tressider for stowing away. Tressider told the court that he had been working every day on board ship. Tn reply to His Worship he said he had received no wages. “You have got no money then?” inquired !Tis Worship. “No, but there is plenty of work about,” was the confident reply. A fine of 10s and costs 7s was imposed, Tressider being given a fortnight to pay, and was advised to get work and also to report to ths solice.

For the position of principal of the New Plymouth Girls’ High School the Board of Governors has received eight applications, and these will be considered at a meeting to be held to-mor-row night.

The practice carried out by a number of persons of using electric torches for lighting purposes instead of lamps when riding bicycles at night constitutes a breach of the New Plymouth borough by-laws, and action is to be taken,by Inspector Day with a view to securing a discontinuance of the custom.

A deputation of electrical contractors recently waited on the. New Plymouth Borough Council urging that the council should withdraw from the electrical contracting business. The association is to be informed, in accordance with a resolution passed at last night’s meeting of the council, that the council cannot see its way to alter its present policy in regard to undertaking the work of wiring buildings. On Sunday an explosion occurred in the Patea gas power house by which Mr. S. Crowley and Mr. Mdßobbie, engineers, were injured. The compressed aid cylinder used in connection with the gas plant exploded without warning. The building was badly shattered, and both men had a narrow escape from'being killed outright. Mr. Crowley was taken to the hospital and is progressing satisfactorily. The Government chief electrical engineer (Mr. L. Birks) will pay a visit to New Plymouth on Wednesday, March 9, to confer with the New Plymouth Borough Council and other local authorities interested, in regard to the hy-dro-electric scheme. In telegraphing to. the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) Mr. Birks states that he will have to return to Wellington by Saturday at the latest or possibly earlier, owing toi the Parliamentary session. When matter was before the meeting of the Borough Council last night, the general manager was delegated to make arrangements regarding the conference with Mr. Birks.

A plan showing the position of the proposed toll-gates, which have been applied for in the Taranaki provincial dis. trict, was received at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council from the Public Works Department. In the Taranaki county the proposed gates (four in number) are to be situated on the Devon Road, Junction Road, South Road, near Omata, and also one near Puniho. Three gates in the Egmont county were shown on the plan, the locations being on the Skeet Road, and at Oeo and Awatuna. The department’s letter stated that permission for the erection of the gates would not be granted until the council had an opportunity of having its objections considered.

The annual conference of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society is to be held this year at Christchurch, commencing on March 8. Many important matters relating to pharmacy are to come up for discussion, the most important being the question of a School of Pharmacy. Opinions are somewhat divided upon this subject. It is evident that there is a general deisire to do the best for students. As to whether the best interests will be served by having a school established in Wellington, or that arrangements be made with the Universities in the four centres, will be decided at this Conference. The work of organising the Conference is in the hands of Mr. L. Bennington, who has undertaken the duties of Organising Secretary. .Complete arrangements have been made for enter*, t/iinment of visitors. A reception and ball will be held, and a motor trip will be taken to Kaiapoi in order to view the local mills.