LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is reported that not a few Wairarapa settlers information concorning the financial legislation before it was introduced and withdrew the

money they had at call with various firms.

The benefit concert given by the IJew Plymouth Citizens’ Band in Devon Street on Saturday night will result in an .addition of £9 3s to the fund which is being collected to help a New Plymouth family who suffered considerable loss by fire some weeks ago.

Apparently dairy stock are the only stock worth marketing at present. At Wanganui East yards on Wednesday dairy heifers nearing profit .sold at £ll 15s to £l3, and others at £7 to £B. The top price for fat wethers was 12s Gd.

Something of a fracas is understood to have occurred at the Dunedin Defence Office on Wednesday afternoon between a military officer and a relative who called to see him (sj.ys the Otago DailyTimes). It is alleged that blows were exchanged with a heavy ruler and an old revolver, as a result of which the officer was admitted to the hospital.

The Main South. Road between New Plymouth and OpTrhake is in a better state at present tham it ever has been. The Taranaki Council; which administers the road as far as Puniho, is busy tarsealing stretches, and re-making and improving other parts preparatory to tarsealing, the work being carried out in a manner that rejects credit on all concerned. That portion under rhe Egmont County’s jurisdiction has also been greatly improved, the metal being blinded where needed, and parts 'being remetajled and rolled in. It is a pity the road is not tar-sealed, for such macadam work deserves to be preserved, and the only way to do so is to tar-seal it.

During the Eastei holidays about thirty boy scouts from St. Mary’s, and New Plymouth troops have been camped at Kawaroa Park, and tAe time has been spent in various scout drill and tuition. A cup is to be presented for the best-kept tent, and judging in connection with this competition has been carried out daily. The decision will be announced to-day. when the camp breaks up. Scoutmaster. Hopkins and assistant Scoutmasters Webb and Blackball have been in charge of the camp.

St. John’s College, West Tamaki, Auckland, which was closed in 1915 for the reason that all available students and the Warden had volunteered for the war, has been re-opened. Maori divinity students, formerly educated at Te Rau, Gisborne, have been brought to St. John’s. There are seven pakeha and ten Maori students at present. The present Warden is Canon P. T. Williams, M.A., Cambridge. The assistant tutors are the Rev. J. T. McWiUiam, 8.A., New Zealand, a Maori scholar, and the Rev. E. Chitty, M.A., New Zealand.

The Dunedin Star states that two of the largest hoot factories in Dunedin are Wonting little more than half time. It is hoped, however, that this state of affairs will not last very long. The present heavy stocks must get into wear; Australian makers who have been dumping surplus goods into the Dominion are likely, one would think, to call a halt when they find the demand life r Jefs; and at the beginning of the wintryweather boots always sell quickly—so that the outlook, though not exactly cheerful, is by no means hopeless.

Speaking at Wellington last week, M. Henri Segaert, Consul-General for Belgium in Australia, compared the size of Belgium with New Zealand, his country having an area of but half the size of Otago, but carrying a population of 7% millions of people. Even so, agriculture was considered as of more importance in Belgium than any other industry. Of those on the land —n umbering 1,200,000, equal to the population of New Zealand—there were 16 per cent, working for wages and 84 per cent were working for themselves. The productivity of the 'Belgian soil exceeded that of any other civilised country in the world. Conditions were hard, however, for the people, brxt_ they were naturally industrious. If many of them knew of the fine returns with less work that obtained in New Zealand, he feared they would come out to New Zealand to help in developing the copntrjgand to share. in its- riches.

The lessee of a. Palmerston hotel recently retired, receiving £6OOO from his fsnccessOcE. The latter, after ©ix months’ occupation, has now been bought out and is said to 'have netted £4OOO over the deal.

A Martinborough, sheep farmer obtained £3 damages from one of his hands for leaving the farm without notice, which seriously affected the sowing of rape for his sheep. The Magistrate (Mr. Free) indicated that the man’s conduct was petty and perverse, his complaints were not justified, and that he had left without due notice because his employer had upbraided him for his go-slow tactics. The Magistrate refused defendant leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.. Surprise that the price of tobacco has not yet fallen was expressed by Mr H. Copeland, consul for the Netherlands, stationed at Auckland. He stated that the stores in Java \Vere over stocked, and there was little demand. During the first half of last year 9,640,000 kilos of Java and Madiera tobacco had been exported from Java, as compared with only 182,000 kilos in 1918, and 5,7'82,000 in 1919. Tobacco in Kros-sock was exported from Java last year to the extent of 48,083,000 kilos, against 2,800,000 in 1918, and 19,580,000 in 1919.

A 'business man of Wanganui received a business letter from Germany ostensibly from a philatelist, asking for an exchange of stamps, “which unfortunately, diuriug the past few years ihas been practically impossible” says the correspondent with unconscious humor. Accompanying the appbal for stamps was an elaborate catalogue drawing the recipient’s attention to the benefits to be obtained from importing a few illustrated ' lines from Germany. Among these is a field pump “of inestimable worth in emptying trenches on farms which are honeycombed with them.”

Mi'. H. J. Jennings, once editor of the Birmingham Mail, claims to have written the shortest draimiatic criticism ever penned: “Last night a play called Pure as Snow was produced at the Blank Theatre. It is not as pure as snow.” His assertion has been disputed, and a correspondent attributes the following very brief notice to an American, critic: ‘‘A play by Ulysses S was played last night. Heaven will judge him.” Equally pointed was a criticism which once appeared in a Manchester journal: “Last night Mr. W’s play was produced. Quite a number of people stayed to the end.”

,The [prestige of Parliament |woukl require to be much higher than it actually is to withstand many such incidents as the bungling of the Shops and Offices Bill. A careless and unintelligent amendment of the law in one session andi thq modtfraa-fiion of the amendment in a second session, so that the whole matter may be considered de novo in a third, with the Arbitration Qdurt meantime administering the law, constitute a comedy of errors with which a Parliament that did not desire to appear ridiculous might well dispense. It creates a very strong imprisißion that' Parliamentary efficiency has reached a low ebb.—Auckland Herald.

Taranaki anglers have reason to be satisfied with trout fishing in the various streams this season. The trout have been in excellent condition right through and good bags have been fairly frequent. Last week Messrs. W. Bell and C. M. Hill, of New Plymouth, and Mr. Bert Bennett, of Hawera, tried several of the coastal streams and met with fair sport. Most days the wind was very troublesome and the fish were off the feed. .On Friday, however, the conditions were perfect and a splendid bag was secured, numbering some thirty fish, ranging from two to four pounds. One rod, that of Mr. Bell, accounted for sixteen perfect fish. Only fly-fishing was indulged in, the “Bradshaw Fancy” being the most deadly. The “Jessie” *nd “Red Tipped Governor” also proved a good lure. “Turning away work,” was the statement. of a leading New Plymouth builder when spoken to on the state of the building industry in the town. His firm had a great deal more work on hand than they could encompass, and just now were not looking for more. The financial stringency so far had not seemingly affected building in New Plymouth, more houses and other buildings being projected or actually commenced than ever. There was also no indication of a drop in the price of houses, either of those built or to be built. A leading plumber, when seen, had the same story to tell. His firm were picking their work, and could not possibly undertake all that was offering. In his opinion the •building trade in the town was as brisk now as ever it was, and there was every sign that the activity would be maintained. '

“There have been more young fellows after a job this week than I have known for ten years,” said the manager of a city firm to la Dominion reporter at Wellington on .Wednesday. “Some of them seemed very decent fellow's, who seemed to be keen on getting work, not the sort who are riot particular whether they get it or not.” Acting on the above hint, a call was. made on the officer in charge of the Labor Department’s employment bureau. He at once endorsed the view that the spectre of unemployment had already shown its head in Wellington. “There have been lots in t*o see me during the past week—any amount of them —mostly looking for farm work or general laborers’ jobs; and there is no work for them. I still have a few tradesmen’s jobs if I could get hold of the men, but there is nothing doing for general' laborers and farm workers. --About forty of these must have been in to see me to-dlay.”

The latest evidence of the success of the faith healing by the Maori "Miracle Man,” Katana, cornea from Ta radale, Hawke’s Bay, and is supplied by the Presbyterian missionary there, Mr. A. H. Norrie. Miss Ruth Lynn, of Dunedin, a school teacher, had the misfortune to have a leg amputated as the result of an accident in Samoa. During the last three years Miss Lynn suffered untold pain which confined, her to bed for the greater part of the time, the trouble being the outcome of a nerve complaint caused by the amputation. After being unsuccess fully treated Miss Ly nn got into communication with Ratana and as a result an impression grew on her that she would be cured on St. Patrick’s Day. On receiving a letter that morning Miss Lynn immediately got out of bed and was able to move about quite well with the aid of her artificial limb but without crutches, which she had been quite unable to do before on account of the intense plain.—Napier Telegraph.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., and Newton King, Ltd., advertise their monthly sale at Kohu-fto-jjftoixo.v- .V/ednesday, March 30.