LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. W. M. Hughes has appealed to the shopkeepers and employers of Victoria to observe Anzac Day as a holiday (says a cable message). The people of the Waimate Plains are thorough going as- a rule, particularly in regard to public matters. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Waimate County proposal to borrow £25,000 for roads and bridges was carried on Wednesday last by 105 to 6. Collection of the census schedules in New Plymouth borough is still proceeding, and this work will occupy probably till the end of next week. Minor mistakes made by householders in filling up the papers have been encountered on a number of occasions, and as these have

to be corrected by the canvassers naturally cause delay on the rounds. The Wanganui Borough Council, by

way of an experiment, has completed the erection of several municipal dwellings. The cost of a four-roomed dwelling built with hollow concrete blocks is

£745 and the cost of a four-roomed dwelling in solid concrete is £698, the costs in hoth instances- including plumb* ing and fittings.—Press Association. The question of infection by means of hawthorn hedges was referred to at Nelson the other day by Dr. Tillyard. He said that after his experiences in the Waikato district he had altered his former opinion as to the efficacy of only cutting the hedges back. He now considered that the only possibility of saving orchards if fire blight did come was to completely cut out hawthorn hedges. The hedges would have to go in any case, if the fire blight came to a district. <

In connection with the general observance of Anzac Day, the question has been ah.ucd: Is it correct to put flags at halfmast or full mast high? The correct procedure is to fly flags at full mast. In the case of the death of a soldier, the flag is flown at full mast, except when the cortege passes the saluting base, when it is lowered. There appears to be no fixed rule governing Anzac Day, and it seems to be much a matter of sentiment. If people wish to 'fly their flags at halfmast on account of the loss of relatives at the front there is no regulation preventing them.

With the objeqt of organising for Wednesday’s municipal poll a meeting of New Plymouth ratepayers’ organisations was held last night, when delegates were present from the town and suburban associations, and also from the sports committee. It was decided to work the town in blocks, a canvasser being appointed to each, and motor cars will be provided to work the respective areas. A committee room is to be established

at the expressmen’s’ office in Currie Street, where a representative will be in attendance on tha day of the poll to answer enquiries from ratepayers, and where copies of the roll will also be available. The meeting appointed an executive to attend to further details of the work.

Anzac Day falling this year on a Mon. day, the services at St. Mary’s Church in connection with this annual commemoration will be held to-morrow. The celebration of Holy Communion at 8 a.m. will be in memory of the fallen, and the names on the Church’s Roll of Honor will be read; the evening service will also be in keeping with the occasion, and the preacher will be the Venerable Archdeacon Evans, who returns to New Plymouth this week after several months absence in Auckland. There will also be a celebration of Holy Communion on Monday at 8 a.m.

What closer settlement means to the country was put in a unique manner by Mr. A. P. Whatman at a returned soldiers’ re-union at Carterton on Saturday night. Mr. Whatman said he was glad to know that his gift of the Ahikouka property for soldier settlement was appreciated. When he had the land it was running a fat bullock to the acre. “It is now carrying,” said Mr. Whatman, amid loud laughter and applause, “almost a baby to the acre. Every time I visit the soldier settlers there is word of a new arrival. A baby to the acre is a greater asset to the country than a bullock to the acre.’’

“To anyone who has visited South Africa and Australia the possibilities of New Zealand seem wonderfully attractive,” said Dr. J. O. Miller, of Toronto, before leaving Auckland by the Niagara for Vancouver. “You have great belts of fertile land, and even where the soil is

less rich your abundant and well distributed rainfall is ample compensation. But a Canadian is surprised at the high prices of land in this country. I am not far out in saying that your lands—grain, dairy, fruit, and pastoral—are held at prices in pounds that Canadian lands fetch in dollars. This must be a serious factor in deterring the immigration of agriculturists. In Canada we have been brought up on the gospel of cheap land for the settler. According to Canadian standards there is no cheap land in New Zealand.”

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., draw attention to their Stratford sale on Tuesday, April 2'6,Mt 12.30 p.m. Full particulars of entries on page 8.

The rat nuisance is again in evidence in Auckland. The rodents are said to be eating late apples on the trees, and tunnelling into pumpkins for the purpose of eating the seed. During this week Captain Green has been holding early morning prayer meetings in the local Salvation Army Hall. These have been well attended, and the series is to be brought to a close by an early morning meeting this Sunday. A full band and a record attendance is expected. On Sunday afternoon Captain, Green (who, as is well known served for some three years with the N.Z.E.F.), is to give a recital of his experiences. On Sunday evening he is to conduct an Anzac memorial service, and a special feature of this service will be the singing of, as he describes them, “The Diggers’ favorite songs.” Captain Green is only in New Plymouth for a few weeks, and, judging by the attendance at the Salvation Army Hall lately, his services are evidently being appreciated. Full particulars of Mr. H. J. Major’s clearing sale are advertised in our auction columns. The cows are an exceptionally good lot, and the implements, etc., are in first-class order. Everything is to be sold without reserve.