LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

According to reports made at yesterday’s meeting the New Plymouth Harbor Board have made arrangements in regard to finance which will enable loan works to be carried on for a further three months.

At New Plymouth Police Court yesterday, when hearing a charge of riding a bicycle on the footpath, the Magistrate (Mr. Orr Walker) said that in future he would inflict heavier fines for this offence. In fining an offender £1 His Worship pointed out that this amount was by no means the maximum fine which could be inflicted.

“This dangerous practice of riding bicycles on footpaths will have to be put down,” commented Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., at yesterday’s sitting of the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court. Magistrates, he said, had been too lenient in the past and in future the fines for such offences would be considerably extended.

The lady was giving evidence in a case, and was particularly anxious to fully explain the position to the Court (states the Star). Her own counsel failed to stem the steady torrent of words, so the gentleman appearing for the other side intervened. “Perhaps, Your Worship, I could shorten matters by an explanation. lam afraid the witness is wound up to go.” “Even if she is,” remarked Mr, E C. Cutten, S.M., “it is no use trying to stop her. Let her run down.”

It is interesting to note' that twentythree of the twenty-nine South African footballers saw service in the Great War, mostly in France. The band will play selections on the ground prior to the match on Saturday, and for this purpose is asked to assemble at the band-room af, 12.30 p.m.

“I strongly hold the opinion that every book should be provided free to State school children,” said Mr. C. J. Ward at. a recent meeting of the council of the Central Chamber of Commerce at Wellington. “What is the position? The more children a man has the more he is taxed through the school books. Yet we are asking for big families!” At a meeting of delegates of North Island Caledonian Societies at Palmerston North yesterday, it was resolved to form an association to be called the North Island Association of Caledonian Societies. Mr. MaeKenzie Forbes (Wanganui) was elected the first president. —Press Association.

“Many of the motorists agree to pay a tyre tax,” said a member of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce. “They want to know how much, and are prepared to dump it down, for they believe that as they are wearing out the roads they should pay for them. But 1 think the other way about. I hold that 'the ratepayers’ money is being wrongfully used in bad construction, and as it is pool* construction that causes pot-holes, which wear out a car, the car-owners should be compensated rather than taxed by the local body.” At the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court the other day a Maori girl of about 17 years was charged with having attempted to commit suicide at Frankton. It was stated that the girl’s father had married again, and the girl, being greatly upset, had taken half a packet of a poisonous substance. A doctor who had immediately been called in used the stomach-pump successfully, and the girl soon recovered. She then expressed sorrow at her action. The police stat, ed that there was not likely to be any further attempt at. suicide on the part of the girl, and accordingly she was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. A new suggestion for the consideration of the Harbor Board in the breakwater extension scheme was contained in a letter received at yesterday’s meeting from a Waitoitoi resident (Mr. P, R. Spurr) who wrote as follows: “Having in common with the majority of Taranaki residents followed the trials of your board’s efforts to make bricks without straw, both in the matter of finance and material, together with the strong opposition shown to your using the only available rock suitable for the object you wish to attain, I respectfully forward you a suggestion which, if carried out, may complete the breakwater scheme more cheaply than even putting in a rubble mole. Instead of solid blocks why not construct concrete shells or cases of a size suitable for handling with your present cranes? A box 15ft square and 10ft high, din. thick, stayed inside with two vertical pillars and one lengthwise would require about 19yds. of metal and 3 tons of cement, a total of about 25 tons weight. That, of course, would not be sufficient of itself; the bulk would not balance the weight. But why not make a servant of your enemy and fill it -with sand? Wet sand runs about two tons to the yard; the case would hold 83 yards, giving a grand total of 191 tons for the 3 tons of cement. The case would require an inlet at the top to put the sand in and a trap to seal it, with a removable funnel to pour the stuff through, but this should not be a very difficult engineering feat. If the outer ends were stopped it would give a better surface and greater stability, but at the Fame time 191 tons would take a lot of stopping. It is of course generally acknowledged that the greater bulk the more resistance to wave pressure and no other known means could give the same cubical content that this would.” The board decided to thank the writer for his suggestions, and referred the matter to the engineer. \

The management of Everybody’s Theatre have completed arrangements to show a motion picture of the football match “Possibles v. Probables” at Everybody’s to-night. As followers of the game will remember this match was played in Wellington last week as an opportunity for the selectors to pick the New Zealand team to meet the “Springboks” in tty first test game. Gents who have old felt hats should not throw them over. McCullough, Devon Street East (opposite McNeill’s), will reblock and make the headgear good as new. Also old and soiled suits, costumes, coats, etc., can be cleaned and pressed and thoroughly renovated.