LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Patea Hospital has been fitted with an X-ray plant. The fact that the New Plymouth town clock stopped at 10.27 yesterday morn- a ing was either a strange* cojncidence or the effects of the explosion *in Paritutu were far-reaching, the time mentioned being the precise moment of the explosion.

The kumara is generally supposed to be a non-flowering plant so far as New Zealand is concerned. Though rare, kumara flowers are not unknown. A vine grown at Henderson has just blossomed, producing two faintly pink blooms, in appearance very similar to small convolvulus flowers.

The opinion is freely expressed by prominent Manawatu farmers that owing to the poor returns from sheepfarming there will be a big increase in the butter-fat suppliers next season. This will mean a demand for good milking cows as spring approaches.

At a meeting of the council of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce yesterday, reference was made to the discussion on hydro-electricity at the recent meeting of the Progress League at Stratford, and it was decided that the chamber be represented if at all possible at future meetings. The opinion was expressed that some of the statements made at last meeting showed a lack of knowledge of the actual position, and could have been easily corrected had New Plymouth been represented at the meeting.

A Chrischurch lady has informed a local paper, that at a picture theatre the other night she was wearing a coat with a new fur collar which cost £ 10. During the performance she heard a sound behind as of something being cut, but thought very little about it at the time. A couple of days later, however, when about to wear the coat again, she discovered that some contemptible person had cut the fur collar with scissors and badly damaged it.

The prices that houses have recently been sold for in Eltham are a matter for surprise to Mr. McMechan, who is spending a short holiday there. A great many of Eltham’s cottages were built by the firm of Baker and McMechan, and the latter remembers what they cost. One cottage which was sold not long ago for £lOOO cost £250 to build.— Argus. As the result of reports received of thefts from the grocery premises of Messrs. Bent arid Turnbull, opposite the hospital gates, New Plymouth, Detec-tive-Sergt. Cooney and Senior-Sergt. MeCrorie arrested two men named Frank (alias Percy Faulkner) and Joe White, at a house in Gilbert Street in the early hours of yesterday morning. The accused appeared before Mr. H. R. Cattlev, J.P., at the Magistrate’s Court and were charged with stealing goods valued at £4 15s, the offence it was alleged having been comftiitted on March 19. On the application of the police a remand till Monday was granted. Among articles found in the possession of the accused was a'large Union Jgck, which they said they had found on the beach. The police are seeking the owner of the flag. An interesting point cropped up at yesterday's sitting of the Court at Strhtford, when a conviction was recorded in g,bs<mce of both the informant and the defendant. The information was laid by the borough inspector, and Mr. T C. Jookes (borough solicitor), who was present, mentioned that the inspector was laid up as a result of an accident which occurred while he was carrying out his duties The defendant also failed to appear, but iii a letter to the Magistrate he admitted the offence. The Magistrate said that although defendant’s admission of the offence was plain enough, a conviction could not be recorded on that admission only. At this stage the difficulty was overcome by the police sergeant going into the witness box and giving evidence of an interview with defendant in which defendant admitted his guilt. In. view of this evidence the (Mr. T. A. B. Bailey) recorded a conviction against defendant.

The local Maoris were greatly disturbed yesterday when a part of Paritutu was blasted away. This sugar-loaf figures largely in their legends and traditions, being the rallying point of the Ngatiawa tribe in pre-European days, and serving as a look-out tower when the fertile fields and good fishing waters were the objects of neighboring tribes’ covetousness. “When I see ti Paritutu he make me ‘ngakau pouri’ (sick at heart),” said one old Maori, who vowed to News reporter that he would never again go to the Breakwater or look towards the sugar-loaf that modern needs demands should be disfigured, if not entirely'destroyed. The Maoris’ regret is shared by many a pakeha, who, however, cannot have an improved harbor and unimpaired sugajr-Joaves at the same time. The more utilitarian, indeed, affirm that these pinnacles were purposely placed where they are to help man to protect and build a harbor that will serve the needs of the whole of the West Coasts of both islands, there being no other harbor except bar harbbrs, which cannot be made suitable for ocean-going ships.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd,, wish to draw clients’ attention to their Stratfqrd sale which they are holding in their Stratford yards on Tuesday, April 12, at 12.30. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.

‘ Primary school teachers are reminded of the meeting to be held in Stratford at 2.15 p.m. to-day to consider the question of this season’s football. It is hoped that as a result of to-day’s meeting teachers and their boys from all over the province will become better acquainted to the ultimate benefit of football and the boys generally

An outbreak of fire occurred at the New Plymouth public hospital shortly before one o’clock yesterday afternoon, through the ignition of a mixture of turpentine and beeswax, which was being heated in the kitchenette of No 3. ward. The nurse in charge succeeded in removing the blazing mixture to an adjoining passage, to which the flames were confined. The Central Fire Brigade quickly responded to the alarm, but owing to the building being of noninflammable materials there was no danger of the outbreak spreading. The flames caused damage to the extent of between £2O and £3O to t*he plaster on the walls and ceiling.

Thirty-five sittings for criminal and civil business were held at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court during the last quarter, ended March 31. Twenfyeight were presided over by the Stipendiary Magistrate, the number of cases heard being sixty-four. The aggregate amount sued for was £2184 17s 4d, of which £lOB6 was recovered. Twelve distress warrants were issued. The returns in connection with criminal business show that 23 arrests were made (all males) and 74 person® aopeared on summons, including five juveniles and three females. The amount paid in fines was £75. Jn the pensions branch •70 old age and 16 widows’ allotments were renewed* and of new applications 21 old age, and 4 widows’ pensions were granted. The electrical contrivance used for the purpose of exploding the blast in Paritutu yesterday was a former German patent with a unique history. It was captured by a New Zealander from the Germans in a village in where it was connected with a mine all ready to explode, while a German soldier who had evidently been left behind to fire the mine, was found wounded in a cellar near by. The patent, which consists of* a dynamo driven by clockwork, was retained by. the New Zealander as a souvenir and subsequently secured by the New Plymouth harbor officials, who have diverted its once sinister energy to a useful purpose.

I Mr. D. C/ Evans, hon. secretary of the South African War .Veterans’ Association, Taranaki section, has received the following letter from headquarters:—l have to advise you that all members of the New Zealand Contingent that served in the South African War of 1899-1902 were issued with medals and clasps there were entitled to receive. During the last few years there have been numerous enquiries from ex-con-tingentors relative to the King’s South African Medal, the conditions governing the issue of which do not appear to be generally known. To be eligible for the King’s South African Medal, a soldier must have served actually in South Africa for eighteen months, and a part of that period, must have been on or after the Ist January, 1902. If any of the members of your association consider they have fulfilled the above conditions, but have not received the medal, I shall be glad to have enquiries made into their claims.

Attention is drawn to an advertisement appearing elsewhere in this issue relative to the forthcoming census From this it will be seen that householders are requested to notify the Chief Postmaster at New Plymouth, who is also the enumerator for the counties of Taranaki, Inglewood and Clifton, should they not receive a schedule by April 16. The nineteen sub-enumerators these counties are now engaged in the work of delivering schedules in their respective districts, and they will be pleased to give information to persons enquiring. The council of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution yesterday favoring the Government setting up a commission to enquire into the reform of the conditions of employment of waterside labor in the Dominion, with a view to putting it on a more stable and permanent basis. Canadian blankets at half price is this week’s remarkable offering made by the Big Store, Waitara. Such soft, light, fleecy blankets in pale greys and fawns, with attractive borders. Last season’s price was 39/6; now 19/6. Hurry!

To-morrow a recital will be given by the New Plymouth Citizens’ Band at the sports- ground, Inglewood. As the band’s programmes are always much appreciated there should be a large attendance.