LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Rarawa brought 80 tons of sugar yesterday morning for Taranaki.

The Inglewood County Council has resolved to join the. proposed Taranaki Local Bodies r Association.

The Miners’ Federation has accepted the mine-owners’ suggestion to hold a conference on the loth inst. to discuss the miners’ claims for a new agreement. The Tahiti, which returned to Wellington on Sunday night owing to a fire amongst part of the cargo, sailed from Wellington at 10.15 last night for San Francisco.

Mr. W, Eva, of Frankley Road, met with an accident yesterday morning when cycling to his work. The fork of his bicycle suddenly snapped, and Mr. Eva was thrown heavily to the ground, being badly cut about, the head and face, necessitating medical attention.

Mr. J. L. Weir, of Eltham, has just retured from a motor trip to Napier and Gisborne. He says that in. the Napier district the country is dried up and parched, the trees being the only visible patches of green. Between Napier and Gisborne the country looks greener, there having been some good rainfalls. A considerable part of the road between Napier and Gisborne, he says, is over a very narrow track with precipitous cliffs. Sometimes the road is on the top of a sharp spur with cliffs on either side, calling for very careful driving.— Argus. In connectioii_witb the conversazione which is to be held in the Town Hall, Stratford, on Thursday evening, in honor of Dr. Steven on the eve of his departure for England, all wishing to contribute to the presentation can leave donations with the-following:—Messrs. J. McAllister (secretary), J. W. McMillan, W. H. H. Young, S. Ward and D. J*

On the Feilding racecourse last week a man was arrested and charged with attempting to pick another man’s pocket.

Generally the Saturday half-holiday has made no difference to business in Manaia (says the local Witness). Business men state they are doing just as mudi business as previously, and more on :-ati;!-d;>.y mornings. On Friday night there are as many people about town as.there used to be on Saturday nights, and farmer’s appear to come to town as much as they ever did. There was a large attendance at the municipal band recital at the Breakwater last night, and although there was no collection taken to indicate the number present the tramways report heavy raffle. The music was much appreciated, and at the conclusion of the programme the bandsmen were entertained at supper by Mrs. Bartholomew, to whom a vote of thanks was passed. The engineer to the Inglewood County Council at yesterday’s meeting reported that a bridge on the Junction Road near the Upland Road had been damaged, apparently as the result of larrikinism, the wings having been pulled adrift and other damage done. The council instructed the engineer to place the matter in the hands of the police. Labor is offering a lot cheaper this last three weeks than I have seen it for the last four years,” remarked a member of> a deputation to the Inglewood County Council yesterday. Later another member said that very soon the council would be able to get plenty of labor at its own price.

A farmer at Morrinsville, who died in the Waikato Hospital from a gunshot wound, left the following pathetic letter: —“Doctors say I must have this operation every three weeks. I can’t stand it. I am helpless, paralysed, getting worse every day, in spite of care. It is not sin to die under these circumstances. Nobody wants a helpless old man. My head is going mad. Better dead than in an asylum. I cannot live to be a burden to anyone. God have mercy on me.” While Mr. B. J. Dolan, of Napier, was in the west of Ireland for two. months, Mrs. Dolan stayed at Abergavenny with relatives. Sligo was Mr. Dolan's headquarters, and the times there were occasionally lively, for out of the population of abgut 11,000, probably 9000 of the people are Sinn. Feiners. The Sinn Fein flag was flying from the town hall and public buildings, and their own courts were in session. Mr. Dolan attended them. Also he was on the Bench at the Quarter Sessions Courts, presided over by His Honor Judge J. Wakely. Mr. and Mrs. Dolan are now on their way back to New Zealand.

“This is one of the most important pieces of business ever faced by the farmers of the Dominion,” remarked Sir Walter Buchanan, M.L.C., when discussing shipping freights at the meeting of producers in Masterton. “Prices have tumbled down in other parts, and they will tumble down here. Coal is a case in point. The value of holding the fort until the shipping companies come down cannot be over-estimated. If we resist them for some time, at any rate, I feel certain that the result will be very valuable indeed to the farmers of t/hi* country-” The* Pukekura Park Board met last night. Present: Mr. C. E. Bellringer (chairman), Mrs. C. H. Burgess, Messrs. V. Griffiths, H. Ford* R. C. Hughe*, W. F. Short, W. C. Weston and P. Stainton (secretary). The chairman reported that the lake had been cleared of weed, the work having been done thoroughly by the park staff, and a considerable improvement had been effected. It was decided to hold 1 a meeting of the grounds committee shortly to decide what planting work is to be done this season, and the chairman expressed the opinion that every opportunity should be taken to get as much planting done as was possible.

Last week one of the worst gales that has ever been experienced blew iw Waipukurau. The wind blew all day with cyclonic force, damaging trees and buildings. The roof of the engine-shed at the railway station was badly damaged, many sheets o' iron being blown off. During the height of the storm a white pine bush, situated close to the town, caught fire and the outbreak rapidly assumed large dimensions. The fire spread to the adjoining sheep land, and devastated hundreds of acres of dry grass, and also a considerable amount of fencing. The grass fires have now subsided, but the bush is still burning in many parts. According to the Dannevirke News, of which Mr. A. McNicol, M.P., is editor, Mr. Statham is likely to have amongst his- followers a number of members who have been elected as Independents. They are feeling their political loneliness, and they are drifting about in the hope of adhering themselves to some cohesive personality. Messrs. W. Veitch (Wanganui), S. G. Smith (New Plymouth), E. Kellett (Dunedin North), and G. Mitchell (Wellington South) form one little group, while Messrs. J. Vigor Brown (Napier), G. Witty (Riccarton) and R. McCallum (Wairau) are an offshoot from the party that they describe as the Wil*ford Liberals. Mr. J. Craigie (Timaru) and the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) have each ploughed a separate lonely furrow, while Mr. Statham’s own position in the House can only be defined as one of isolation, in which he has had the political companionship of Mr. J. McC. Dickson (Chalmers). “We have no donut,” says the News, “all these Independents would gladly subscribe to any platform ‘broad-based on the principles of justice, humanity and brotherhood.’ ”

This afternoon, in the interests of the there will be a sale of flowers and produce (cakes, potted meat, tongue, jam, chutney, and vegetables of all kinds), in St. Mary’s Sunday School, Vivian Street. There will also be a good musical programme and afternoon tea.

On Friday, at 2 p.m., L. A. Nolan and Co. will sell the stock in trade of the Coronation Store on the premises at Bell Block. The sale is being conducted under instructions from the Deputy Official Assignee.

These at the Melbourne, Ltd.:—Men’s striped neglige shirts 10/6; men s allwool cashmere socks 4/6men’s genuine Shirley President braces 5/6: men’s Irish lawn handkerchiefs, plain or hemstitched, 1/- each; men’s mercerised bordered handkerchiefs 1/-; men’s strong grey denims only 13/6 pair.

Ladies, don’t go on using washing powders which necessitate the use of extra soap which adds considerably to the cost. “Fairy Wonder” does the washing without the use of extra soap, and, moreover. Fairy creates no nasty scum or sickening siid-steam. Try a packet. All grocers stock it. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to draw clyents’ attention to their Matau sale which they are holding in their Matau saleyards on Friday, April 8, p,t 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will me found on page 8 ■nf this issue