LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A line of Canadian cement was sold at auction in Wanganui on Friday, and realised £8 per ton.

A young man named James Walter Cowley was arrested at Auckland last week on a charge of having posed as a detective. .

Opossum skins sold at 5s 9d at the Wellington hide and skin sale on Friday last.

The Auckland City Council intends raising a loan of £125,000 for tramway extension purposes.

The best price that can be obtained by Canterbury potato-growers just now is from £2 10s to £2 15s per ton at country stations. For issuing “dodgers” which were calculated to influence electors in a recent election, David Alexander Pickering has been fined 4Os and costs at Masterton. The Y.W.O.A. Clarke Memorial Hostel Committee wish to acknowledge donations from: “'Answer to Challenge” £l, W. J. Martin £1 Is.

The timber for the goods shed at Lepperton Junction arrived at the yards on Monday and it is understood the erection of the building will be proceeded with immediately.

The result of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight is said to have reached New Zealand within eleven minutes of the termination of the fight—a tribute to the enterprise of the Press Association, whose news service is unexcelled in any part of the world.

The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) intimated at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council that negotiations were in progress for the raising of a loan for the completion of the council’s hydro works, but no definite statement would be made until next Monday night. It was reported to last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council that the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley) was negotiating for Jlie transformation of the council’s electric truck into a passefiger ’bus, but no material solution of the problem had yet been effected.

In illustrating the growth of New Plymouth, a member of the Taranaki Education Board stated, in the course of yesterday’s conference with the Hon. C. j. Parr, that while the roll number in the primary schools in 1916 was 1268, it had increased to 1607 in 1921. Allowing for other schools about another two hundred scholars might be added to the total in the elementary classes.

Speaking of the fertility of the unfit at a meeting on the subject of “The Feeble-minded.” at Christchurch, Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M., instanced the case of the notorious American family—the Dukes. The founders of this family, Mr. McCarthy said, were , two criminals who, in the course of 106 years, produced 1200 descendants. Of these, 1000 passed through the courts, at a cost to the State of £390,000.

A good deal of sickness among children is affecting the attendances at schools at present, and the position has been aggravated by the boisterous weather prevailing of late. During the visit of the Minister of Education to various New Plymouth schools yesterday one headmaster stated there were 73 pupils away, and of these about half were in the infant classes. At another school the number of absentees was 90.

The Gaming Commission, which was appointed to' prepare recommendations for the Government regarding the allocations of additional totalisator permits has presented its report to the Minister of Internal Affairs. The report may not be made public until after the meeting of the Racing Conference later in the month.

Ideal walking weather, if you have a suitable walking stick or cane. There are suitable sticks for ladies and gents of all ages, at W. H. Preece’s shop, Devon Street Central. All reliable woods, and canes nicely finished and mounted at prices that will please. Owing to the high cost of new suits, costumes, 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., d.y 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 .s to renovate from ah parts of the country. At the. cost of r. few shiUi'igs soiled and faded garments can be made equal jo new. Now is the time to economise—so have a look ever your wardrobe,—Adv*

The condition of the main xuad between Inglewood and Make.d,wa is desperately bad at present. A motorist coming through the other day hit a series of holes, and was bumped right out of the car. Happily the man at the wheel retained his position. The Inglewood County Council workmen are coming towards the bad stretch, and an improvement in the near future may be anticipated. Just now the road is in a really dangerous condition. Admiral De Roeheck, who was in command of the Allied fleets at the Dardanelles, has sent to the Rev. Mr. Askew a large Union Jack, a large white ensign, his own flag as Admiral of the fleet, and four small white ensigns. These seven flags, all flown during the war, will be a very valuable addition to the wonderful collection of flags and trophies already presented to the memorial military chapel in connection with the proposed cathedral for Wellington.

The Minister of Education told a New Plymouth deputation yesterday that the applications at present in the hands of the department in connection with elementary schools (buildings, sites, etc.), represented nearly £500,000, while at least another quarter of a million would be needed to cover demands in respect to high schools, technical schools, and extensions of universities.

A short sitting of the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court was held yesterday, before Mr. On Walker, S.M. Judgment by default was given in the following cases:—Rollo and Millar (Mr. A. A. Bennett) v. J. Robson (17s court costs only); .Catherine A. Corbett (Mr. F. E. Wilson) v. Motu Wipite ( £lO, costs £2 Ils); E. D. Hammond (Mr. T. P. Anderson) v. Bruce .Toll ( £2, costs £1 4e 6d); Fitzherbert and Fitzherbert (Mr. L. Etherington) v. Puhi Tama tea (£l5l Bs, costs £8 18s); Newton King, Ltd., (Mr. A. C. Lawrey) v. Stanley Stevens (£8 4s sd, costs £2 12s). In remarking that the continuance of an active programme of new buildings has been halted, for the time being, owing to the financial stringency, the Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr), Th speaking to members of the Taranaki Board yesterday, proceeded to refer to another method by which boards might improve school facilities in the meantime. He stated that there were quite a number of school buildings which though old were sound, and he had proposed to other boards that these schools could be remodelled with advantage, the cost being met out of the replacements fund. No doubt the boards had hoped to get new buildings in many cases, but as this could not be achieved they should improve the old schools in the meantime and make them more comfortable and better for teachers and scholars. Mr. Parr said the replacement funds would not be required for new works and it would be quite proper for the board to use some of the accumulated moneys for the time being; He was prepared to help as far as possible, and the boards would be subsidized, so that their fund would not suffer in the long run. Addressing the scholars of Standard Six at the Central School, New Plymouth, yesterday, the Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) impressed on the class the importance of hard work in achieving success. “No one," he said, “can accomplish anything worth while unless they put their shoulders to the wheel, and it is wonderful how far a little work will carry one. . . . Don’t forget that those who work quietly’ on towards their goal are the ones who will win out.” The Minister pointed out that it was hoped to make big improvements in the educational system of New Zealand, so that it would give any boy or girl an opportunity to attain to the highest position. Ho also wanted the girls to look forward to the time when they would have their own homes, as every girl ought to be a home-keeper, and* if they were good in this sphere they would make for the happiness of the family. In wishing the scholars all success, Mr. Parr concluded: “Taranaki has turned out good boys and girls in the past and 1 want you to grow up just as good, if not better, than your forebears. If you do achieve that you will have done well.”

“Will your council take anj steps to have these gate-openers brought to justice?” This was a question put before the Taranaki County Council yesterday by a ratepayer in the Okato riding, who wrote stating that numbers of farmers are being put to the risk of being fined for allowing their stock to wander, through the action of some persons who persisted in deliberately opening gates. The letter added: “A few weeks ago a farmer was fined over £2 and costs for thirty head if cattle being on a county road, although his excuse was that someone had opened his gate. Well, Sir. my two road gates were pulled down—not only opened, but taken off the hinges and thrown down —and when I got up next morning, as luck would have it, no cattle were on the road,, although our bull was only a chain away from one open gateway, and there were thirty cows in the paddock besides. No doubt if he and the cows had got on the road, and your inspector saw thf • , it would have cose, me £4 or £5.” The council decided io write informing the ratepayer in question that the matter was not one coming under their jurisdiction. In this issue Messrs. Griffiths and Co., land agents, of Customs Street, Auckland, advertise a property which should well repay inspection.

Messrs. Webster Bros, advertise details of a sale of furniture to be held at their new mart to-morrow (Wednesday), at 2 p.m. Messrs. Martin and Co. advertise some special bargains in high-class furniture during their great alteration sale. Mr. J. B. Marsh’s clearing sale, to be held to-day, at Hillsborough, commences at 12 noon sharp.

The British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John meeting will take place on Thursday, not Wednesday, as advertised in yesterday’s issue. Dr. Collins, the President of the N.Z. Society, will arrive by mail train on Wednesday evening.

The tremendous drop initiated by the Melbourne Clothing Co. has resulted in record business. When prices have been reduced, in some cases to less than half, it is not to be wondered at that the public have “loosened up” andbought in large quantities. The sale is a veritable bargain feast. “Fairy Wonder” washing powder is extremely pleasant to use. It creates no nasty evil-smelling scum necessitating frequent rinsings, nor does it require the use of extra soap. “Fairy” is competent to do the weekly wash “off its own bat.” Try it. Be sure and ask your grocer for it. He stocks it.

To the tired, nothing is so refreshing as a cup of delicious Tea. Nelson Moate’s teas, flavoury and choice, are refreshing to those jaded nerves. Always ask for Nelson Moate’s. k