LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Taranaki Daily News will be published as usual on Monday next (Anzac Day). At the monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday increases in salaries for the coming year, amounting to about £525, were granted to the staff. The New Plymouth Patriotic Committee held a meeting on Tuesday, when inward correspondence and other matters were dealt with. It was resolved that Mr. W. J. Chaney be their representative on the executive committee of the Taranaki War Relief Association for the year 1921-22.

In connection with the bequest of £lO,OOO made by the late Mrs. Rhodes for the encouragement of the study of home science, the Council of Victoria College decided on Tuesday night to establish in connection with the college a fellowship of the value of £4OO per annum and one or more scholarships of t» 4 uftK? imtoua,

The New Plymouth tramways made a profit of £4OOO during the last financial year, according to a statement made by the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) id addressing ratepayers last night. A telegram from Greymouth says reports show that numbers of unemployed are going to the West Coast to work in the mines and the mills, but it is pointed out that some prove not suitable for this work. The New Plymouth Patriotic Committee held a meeting on Tuesday. Inward correspondence and other matters were dealt with, and it was resolved that Mr. W. J. Chaney be their representative on the executive committee of the Taranaki War Relief Association for the year 1921-22.

“Carpenters are now seeking employment,” stated a report received at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board from the architects for the nurses’ home. The report added, however, that the men offering were not skilled tradesmen, and therefore unsuitable for finishing work. An inquest into the circumstances connected with the death of the late Mr. H. A. Coward, who died as a result of injuries received in a collision at Stratford on Tuesday evening, was opened by Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. (coroner) yesterday afternoon. After evidence of identification was given the inquiry was adjourned until to-morrow. “In spite of the great production and consumption of margarine, there is a keen demand for butter, because the public are very tired of fnargarine,” writes an English friend to a Taranaki settler. “It was thought at one time that people, having been introduced to margarine, would continue its use, but that is not going to be the case. There is, therefore, a very considerable future still for New Zealand butter in the British market. The existing shortage of butter at Home will continue for some time.” The second auction sale of fresh meat in New Plymouth Look place at Messrs. Webster Bros.’ mart yesterday morning when there was again a large attendance of buyers, and the whole offerings, comprising over OO lots was quickly disposed of. The prices were about on a par with those of Saturday last. Legs of mutton made from 6d to lOd per lb, forequarter 6(1, loins to Bd, hindquarters of lamb 7d to 9d, forequarters 7d to Bd, sirloins of beef Cd to 9d, ribs fid to 7d, topside sjd to 7%d, rumpsteak fid to Bd, oxfails Is each, kidneys 9d. Sales are to be held regularly on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

An example of enthusiasm for a political cause was’ evidenced by a motor car that passed through Dannevirke at an early hour several days ago. The car contained three votes for the Reform candidate in the Patea by-election. The party secured absent voters’ permits, but subsequently found that they were defective through some slight informality. The party —a father, mother, and son—were then at WaipuEurau, but feeling that every vote might be needed, they decided to motor through and register their votes at the nearest booth in the electorate. They faced a drive of some 200 miles on a bleak day.—Napier Telegraph. A whale, 57ft Gin in length, was washed ashore last week on the Ninetymile Beach, about two. miles south of the outlet of Lake Forsyth. It was discovered by a Maori, who informed the other inhabitants of the nearby native settlement. The whale was alive when found, and struggled considerably, lashing the beach with its tail till Friday, when it died. The Maoris waited till life was extinct, and then lost no time in removing the blubber, which they sold for a substantial sum to a Christchurch firm of soap and candle manufacturers. They algo removed a fair quantity of whalebone. The whale, in fact, has been quite a little windfall to the settlement. It is the first that lias come ashore in that neighborhood within the memory of the oldest inhabitant.

A statement made recently by Mr. C. D. Sole (chairman of the Stratford Hospital Board) in a letter to the Daily News to the effect that it cost 2d per bed per day less at Stratford than in New Plymouth for the administration of the hospital, was the subject of comment at the monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday. In reply, the chairman of the finance committee (Mr. E. R. Gilmour) quoted the following figures in respect to the Taranaki, Hawera, and Stratford hospitals. The average occupied bed per day is: Taranaki 93; Hawera 38; Stratford 17.8, and the amount of levy per occupied bed was respectively: Taranaki £GG.77, Hawera £119.08, and Stratford £86.74. Taranaki administration cost £12.52 per occupied bed and Stratford £15.39. The speaker pointed out that the capital value of the Taranaki district was £7,370,400 and that of Stratford £3,060,053. As the average occupied bed per day in the Taranaki Board’s hospital was five times that of Stratford, it would be five times as much as that of the Stratford district, namely £15,300,263. which would produce the amount of the Taranaki levy, viz. £6210 at a rate of 9.75 pence in the £lOO. Stratford would need to levy at 12.1 pence in the £lOO to produce their amount, £1544.

An exhibition chop will be given at Pukekura Park this afternoon at 2.30 by J. E. She wry (world’s champion axeman) and W. Green. A contest had been arranged between Shewry and J. E. Richardson (of the Waikato), but this match has had to be postponed and will take place at Taihape at a later date. To-day’s exhibition should be well worth seeing. 1

Residents of the Inglewood district will have an opportunity of hearing the Labor Party’s policy explained by Mr. L. Mcllvride to-night at the Parish Hall. Mr. Mcllvride is said to be one of the best speakers in the ranks of the Labor Party, and this opportunity of hearing him should not be missed.

The dance which was advertised to take place in the East End Pavilion tonight has been postponed till to-morrow night. The dance committee had promised to assist at the Central School “At Home” to-night and the date of the dance had been arranged by mistake. Webster Bros, wish to notify arrangements for regular consignments of prime table potatoes for auction each Saturday after arrival.

Owing to the high cost of new suits, costuibes, dresses, etc., thousands of people are now having their garments renovated, thereby saving the cost of new ones. The firm of J. K. Hawkins and Co., dry cleaners and steam dyers, have one of the most up-to-date plants in New Zealand for doing this class of work, and they receive goo is to renovate from all parts of the country. At the cost of a few shillings soiled and faded garments can be made equal io new. Now is the time to economise—so have