LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the meeting of the Paten Harbor Board on Monday a letter was received from Messrs. Brown, and Duncan, Ltd., mercantile brokers, stating that the managing director was at present in London, and in a letter had requested them to obtain and forward to the London principals half a hundred-weight of black iron ore sand. The board was asked to forward this quantity as soon as possible and the firm would meet the erpenses. The secretary stated that he was complying with the request.

A meeting of about twenty ratepayers of Fitzroy was held last night to discuss a proposal to raise money to assist the Borough Co|ineil in marketing some debentures in the streets loan in order that certain work might be carried out in Sackville Street. It was stated that the debentures could not be sold at less than seven per cent., and the proposal was for the Sackville Street ratepayers to raise the difference in interest to enable the debentures to be taken at 5| per cent., the rate to which the council is limited. Two debentures are needed for the Sackville Street work and the amount required from the rate, payers in interest is £3O. After discussion the meeting decided to leave the canvassing of Sackville Street in the hands of Mr. Seed to arrange.

Some discussion arose at yesterday’s meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board when an invoice was received from an English firm covering eleven cases of X-ray apparatus shipped through New Plymouth from London. The total charge for freights, insurance, etc., on the 11 cases, after leaving the factory, was £7*2 IGs 9d. Commenting on these charges, the chairman, Mr. C. D. Sole, said that the freights from the United States or Canada were about half this amount. Britain, he said, could not hope to regain her place in the world trade while these exorbitant rates were allowed to continue.

At the meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board yesterday the chairman expressed dissatisfaction at the departmental delay in issuing the plans for the proposed maternity block at the hospital. He said he did not wish to make any alarming statements, but the infant maternal mortality figures were certain, ly reaching an intolerable height, especially in Taranaki, and it waS high time that a maternity ward was established at the Stratford hospital. “We have a duty to perform to our women,” said Mr. Sole, “and the establishment of a maternity block is part of it.”

At yesterday’s meeting of the Egmont County Council, Cr. Chapman again brought up the question of straying cattle. He stated that, members of the council were .at the north end the previous evening and must be convinced from what they saw of the necessity for some steps being taken. Cr. Tosland favored having a cattle drive two or three days a month and prosecuting the owners. After some discussion it was resolved that the ranger should put in a couple of days each month in each riding, and that the owners of cattle found straying should be prosecuted. Cattle whose owners are not known are to be impounded. The pilot reported to the Patea Harbor Board on Monday that the channel over the bar was straight, with about 13 feet at high water spring tides and about 8 feet 6 inches at high water neap tides. He sounded the bar on the 21st and got 11 feet between the walls, 17 feet ji)st outside the walls, and 13 feet on the bar, with 8 feet showing on the tide gauge. On June 9, when the s.s. Hawera was entering the port she touched the end of the eastern wall and stove her side in, but by the good judgment of the captain of the boat was got safely alongside the wharf. She was making water fast, but by the prompt action of Mr Grainger the cargo was discharged and the steamer beached for temporary repairs. She got away to Wanganui on the 7th to go on the slip. At the time of the accident it was blowing hard from the west and there was a considerable sea running at the time, but not sufficient to stop a boat from coming in. He had 9 feet 3 inches on vhe tide gauge and about 13 to 14 feet on the bat, and the Hawera was drawing 9 feet 8 inches. Everything was done by the crew of the dredge to assist the Hawera, and, by pumping, did good work. There had been 20 arrivals and 20 departures ty.nce his last report.

An interesting point was raised at. the meeting of the Patea Harbor Board on Monday. The board was pnder the impression that it could use any balance that remained out of rates after meeting interest and sinking fund charges for maintenance work, and was inclined to act to this assumption when Mr. Hemingway, who was present at the meeting and has had a good deal of experience in matters of this kind, assured the board that the rate struck must not be more than was necessary to meet interest and sinking fund charges. If the rate struck brought in more than was necessary for these purposes a lower rate must be struck for the following year, and if any portion of the money so raised was spent on maintenance the auditor would tag it as illegal expenditure. There is a clause in the Harbors Act under which additional money can be raised for maintenance works by increasing the wharfage charges, which members agreed would be fairer than an increased rate, which hit the country people unduly hard and did not place a fair share of the burden on the townspeople. As there was some doubt as to the extent the board could go in increasing wharfage charges further consideration was deferred till a legal opinion had been obtained.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to draw clients’ attention to their Te Wera sale, which they are holding in their Te Wera saleyards on Friday, July 16, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.

News of cheaper coal is contained in an advertisement elsewhere by Mr, Jack Hoskin, coal merchant, New Plymouth. Mr. Hoskin has been authorised by the Huntly mines to reduce the price of household and kitchen coal by 5s a ton and steam coal by 6s a ton. He offers special quotations to dairy factories and other large consumers.

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., cLy 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 shillings-soiled and faded garments can be made equal to new. Now is the time to economise—so have a look over your wardrobe.—Advt

If was stated at a meeting at Fending that it was reported the Main Trunk train service was to he re-organised. One of the daily through passenger trains was to be substituted by a limited express, taking passengers for the cities only, and not stopping at Feilding. Two Patea youths, named C. F. Elliott and O. W. Tristram, recently commandeered a car belonging to Mr. R.. Hunger, of that town, and proceeded on a trip to Norse wood. On the journey they damaged the gears, a door, and the radiator, returning a day or two afterwards, when they were apprehended by the police. They duly came before the Court, and were called upon to pay damages to the extent of £5O and costs, and admitted to probation—a very light penalty and one that is not calculated to put down this growing class of crime.

The takings at the Dominion Winter Show at Hawera last week, amounted to £994, compared with £872 for the previous year. The weather was good throughout. The company are considering the extension of the building (for next show. Sufficient exhibits were offering for last week’s show to take up double the present accommodation. Whilst, they continue to cater in the way they do for the public’s interest and profit, the company can depend upon the public’s support and patronage, and the extension comtemplated can therefore be confidently entered upon. When Mr. T. B. Pienaar, captain or the Springboks spoke at the first reception tendered the team in Sydney, his language, wide know-ledge of international affairs, and general tone of scholastic attainment surprised the company. Not that football captains, or even footballers are always the “muddied oafs” intellectually, of Kipling's conceptions, but hearing one discourse ou the national significance of sport, as Mr. Pienaar did, was unique, at least. Subsequently it transpired that he was a Batchelor of Arts and headmaster of Caledon High School in South Africa, and that his reading on international affairs was extensive and varied. He struck a fine note in his reference to the similarity of sentiment disclosed in the speeches of Smuts and Hughes. A clearing sale of particular interest is that on account of Mr. G. G. Black, at Pungarehu on Monday next. The herd is a real good one (strong strain of Jersey), and buyers can be recommended to attend with every confidence. Extraordinary hosiery bargains are being sold at the Melbourne’s great midwinter sale. Women’s grey all wool knitted hose 3s fid pair. Pure all wool fine cashmere hose 3s fid pair. Llama hose 6s 11 pair. Best quality yellow label Llama hose 7s lid pair. Men’s pure wool cashmere socks 2s lid pair.

“Fairy Wonder” Dry Soap powder softens the hardest water and makes washing easy. Fairy also prevents chapping and reddening of hands as it con-, tains ingredients which being highly emollient, leave the hands nice and soft even after the hardest winter’s day wishing. Purchasable, at all grocers.

All who admire high class photography wilb be interested in an announcement in this issue that the Crown Studios will be opened next week in the premises next to the Empire Theatre, over Mr. Abbott’s.

Messrs. Archibald and Stuck advertise in this issue particulars of a special bus service from Inglewood in connection ■with the international football match next Saturday.

The Okato and Warea Dairy Companies had the misfortune to have their 5-ton Truck slightly damaged by fire. In order to facilitate the winding up of their agreement, they have decided to dispose of it by auction, a notice of which appears elsewhere. A sale of purebred poultry is being conducted by L. A. Nolan and Co., at their mart on Friday next. This will afford fanciers an opportunity of securing breeding birds for the coming season.

A final reminder is given of the sale by auction on Friday, at Newton King, Limited’s mart of a particularly well situated 50 acre dairy farm. The auctioneers will, be pleased to supply full particulars and arrange that intending buyers may inspect the property.