LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Plymouth police have received advice to the effect that the request by the Mokau settlers to have the telephone installed in the Mokau police station has been granted by the Minister. The installation will be made at once.

A fact not generally known is that soldier settlers desirous of planting trees on their farms are supplied with .trees, free of charge, by the Forestry Department The maximum number grafted under this scheme is limited to 1000 trees to each applicant. On the application of the police Jack Austin,, who was brought before Justices at the, New Plymouth Court yesterday for a breach of his probation order, in connection with a Supreme Court sentence, was remanded to appear before the Magistrate this morning. Another case of pilfering was revealed at New Plymouth yesterday. A boot retailer when taking into stock a consignment of high-grade boots and shoes, one' of the packing cases it was found had been pillaged, half the goods it was supposed to have contained being stolen, a large iron casting and a block of wood having been substituted.

The demand for seats on the occasion of the Springboks v. Wellington match next Saturday has been three times greater than the available accommodation. A Palmerston North enthusiast endeavored to procure seats, but had been informed that he could not, under any circumstances, get one even if he offered £3 for it.

At the Eltham Magistrate’s Court yesterday Philip Alma ■ Bulmer, of Wanganui, was fined £5 for driving a motor ear along the Mountain Road, Eltham, on Wednesday, July 6, at a speed which was dangerous yto the public. At the same sitting James Bossom, of Mangatoki, who did not appear, was fined Ids and costs (7s) for riding a bicycle without a light on Eltham Road on July 2, between the hours of sunset and sunrise.—Argus. . The G'punake railway at the present time affords a telling argument against the nationalisation of industries'. Not only has the line cost more than it would, had it been carried out by private enterprise, but it has taken far longer to construct. On Saturday, passengers by train to the football match at New Plymouth had the pleasure of seeing how the line was being constructed. One man and one horse were to be seen dragging a truckload of earth whilst three men were employed filling another truck. Truly a fine example of railway construction in an up-to-date country in the twentieth century! Patea Press.

The second of Mr. Bottrill’s lectures on the ownership of land, given to the New Plymouth workers’ educational class, proved even more interesting than the first. Among other things, the lecturer dealt with what is commonly known as the “unearned increment,” and stressed the fact that it is at least community earned, but was unable to show how it could be equitably taxed. In dealing with the question of the single tax, the lecturer pointed out that the contention of the physiocrats, that as land was the only source of wealtji, it alone should be taxed, was faulty, because as Henry George says, “Land may be the mother, but labor is the father of wealth.” The next of the series.

“The ownership of capital,” should prove interesting to at least one section of the community, and so the committee anticipate a big audience.

All Scots in New Plyouth will be interested in the meeting to ho held at the Soldiers’ Club to-night at. 8 p.m., when the formation of a Scottish Society will be formally proposed. Some enthusiasts have worked hard to get the matter taken up, and whatever the decision arrived at, a most interesting discussion is assured.

Elaborate preparations have been made for the Coronation ball to be held in the Opunake Town Hall on Friday night, indications pointing to a most successful function.

Tariki residents are requested to note that the Football Ball has been postponed from the 23rd to the 27th inst.

I Mr. C. H. Bould, of Levin, who was a member of a party of trappers -in .the Paraparaumu district during uhj recent opossum season, in x rmed a Chronicle reporter that ne estimated that on an averred live opossums were trapped to the acre, which, at 5s per skin, gave a return of 25s per acre. If the whole of the Jiigh bush country from the lower extremity to the Manawatu Gorge were properly stocked with these little animals, the land would give a better return per acre than under ordinary conditions. In the bush in and around New Plymouth the opossums should average 150 to the acre, judging by the amount of damage they do to orchards and gardens.

Arising out of a disturbance between some young men in Devon Street on Tuesday night, a youth aged 18, named A. W. Blane, was brought before Messrs. F. E. Wilson and J. S. S. Medley, J.P.’s, in the New Plymouth Court yesterday, a nd pleaded guilty to assaulting Wm. Ayres by kicking him. SeniorSergt. McOrorie, who appeared for the police, said all the men in the group were apparently more or less under the influence of liquor, which they had got notwithstanding some of them were very youthful. Ayres, who appeared with his head bandaged up, said he and hi,s friends had been in a fish shop for a “feed.” They had had a few drinks, but were not drunk. He slipped down, and when he was lying on the ground someone kicked him. He could not say whether the wound was caused by a kick or the contact with the pavfement. The {Senior -Sergt. pointed out that the appearance of Ayres’ face and head suggested that he had suffered something more than contact with the pavement. The Bench warned Blane that he might have found himself in the det’k on a much more serious charge. He was convicted and fined 20s and ordered to pay costs, including medical expenses, in default seven days’ imprisonment. Francis Doherty pleaded guilty at the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday to a charge of having stolen a pair of boots and an overcoat of a total value of £4 IDs, the property of Thomas Chambers, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Sergeant Henry stated that the barman of the Egmont Hotel, Thomas Chambers, left his overcoat and boots in a room upstairs in the hotel, and accused went into the room and stole Them. Later he left the boots with Mr. Burgess, from whom he received 10s, on the understanding that he was to receive the boots back again. The overcoat was dealt with in the same way at Normanby, the accused lifting Lss on it. The offence with which accused was charged was becoming far too common, and only last week two men were sentenced to three montns' imprisonment for a similar offence. Beyond convictions for drunkenness and wilful damage m New Plymouth in 1919, nothing was known against accused. He had been drinking for several days about Hawera. and no” doubt this was'the cause, though not an excuse for the crime. An order was made for the restoration of the stolen property.

A preliminary advertiscipent of Mr. Iruhe Rangitaawa’s clearing sale, to be held at Oiionui, appears in thi” j.ssuc As the vendor is giving up dairying, everything is to be sold, the cows being a very good lot, and the implements, etc., are in excellent repair. Mrs. Hodson’s clearing sale at Waitara on Wednesday next should attract keen attention from those in search of good cows, horses and farm implements. A preliminary advertisement of the sale appears in this issue,.,and a detailed advertisement will appear at an early date.

Ratepayers of the Rahotu Riding (Northern) are requested to note the alteration in date of the meeting fixed for Monday next. It will be held on Wednesday, 27th inst., in the Warea Hall, at 7.30 p.m.