LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An Auckland Press message states that the retail price of beef has been reduced a penny per lb, except rump steap, fillet steak and sirloin. A serious accident happened on Monday to a railway workmail named William Mather. During blasting operations near Waipuku, a premature explosion occurred, Mather receiving serious and extensive injuries to his face. He was removed to the Stratford Hospital.

A Press message from Wellington states that Mr. Justice .Salmond has granted a decree nisi to Oscar Johnson. Decision in this application (which was heard at the recent sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth), was reserved, the result being as above stated.

Some witnesses, in giving their evidence at Court, often lose sight of the fact that the Magistrate can verify or disprove their statements by his own observance. An instance was given at the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when witness and counsel were arguing as to whether there was good or bad weather at a certain date. The argument was cut short when the Magistrate remarked, drily, that he would ’take judicial notice of the fact that the weather at the time stated was good. ‘•'Has this man been served with an interpretation of the summons?” asked Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court at Hawera yesterday, when a by-law charge was preferred against »a Native interpreter. “*No, your Worship,” said the sergeant, ‘’it would be hard if he had to translate his own summons.” ‘‘That is so,” said the Magistrate, “but the law provides that he must be served with a translation of the summons and the case must stand down until this is done.

After a comparatively quiet spell the New Plymouth harbor will again become busy shortly. In addition to the ordinary coastal trade several overseas vessels will be in port this month. The liner Dorset, due to arrive on Monday, will lift 10,000 boxes of butter, and the Port Lyttelton, due on September 20, will take 5000 boxes of butter and 4000 crates of cheese from this port. The Kurow is now loading coal and timber at Newcastle for New Plymouth, and should arrive here next week.

Inspector Murray, of the Taranaki police district, has been informed that a Ford motor car was stolen from Blake’s garage at Hawera at about 9 pan. The car was the, property of Mr. G. E. Mortimer and valued at about £3OO. The only description of the miscreant given was that he was a young man about 22 years of age. He apparently walked into the garage and took the car away as if he had been the owner of it.

A young man named James Paulsen died in the New Plymouth Hospital about 9 o’clock on Monday night from injuries received through being kicked by a horse. Paulsen, who was about 21 years of age, was employed on Mr. -E. Falsham’s farm at Te Kiri, and received a kick from a horse on September 1. which caused injuries to his head and abdomen. He was admitted to the hospital on the 3rd inst. Very little appears to be known about deceased’s relatives, but he asked that his grandmother. who lives at Papanui Road, Christchurch, should, be communicated with.

Tlie circular letter from the Eketahuna County Council, pointing out that it is practically impossible to collect rates from assisted soldier settlers, should they not wish to pay, came before the Inglewood County Council at yesterday’s meeting. In reply to question, the clerk, Mr. S. Neilson, stated that there were no soldier settlers’ rates outstanding in the county this year. Last year none were levied, as at that time the lands concerned were Crown property. The council decided to support the Eketahuna Council in moving to secure an alteration in the regulations concerning the collection of this class of rates.

The -Saturday’s mart sale at Inglewood is a well recognised weekly event, one which could not comfortably be foregone, and last Saturday, being a fine day, saw a very good gathering of earnest seekers for actual requirements, as well as bargain hunters, and they had their day out. If the races'at New Plymouth reduced the competition, which may or may not have been the case, at any rate there was no reduction in prices to indicate a drop of any gi-eat moment. Little pigs sold at from 22s 6d to 42s Gd, and small stores up to £2 13e. Calves sold at Is to 2s for bulls and 3s to 5s for fair heifers; while aood class heifer calves made from Jss to 21s. The usual assortment of fruit and vegetables hardly needed putting up, as the buyers were so eager, and resulted in apples selling at 5s to Ils Gd, pears ss, onions Gs. Other prices were: Goose 4s 6d, cockerel Is 6cl, and sundries at good prices. The Scottish Society’s concert committee report a phenomenal sale of tickets for their concert and dance at Stratford on Thursday, and a packed house is assured. Ticket holders will be well advised to reserve their seats if they desire comfortable accommodation. For Coughs and Colds, never fails. .Wood*’ Great Peppemiat Cure

It is stated that a big American syndicate is contemplating exploiting the mineral resources of the Nelson district.

At last night’s meeting of the Pukekura Park Board it was decided to call tenders for the tenancy of the tea kiosk in the park for the coming season. Under the auspices of the Alliance of Labor, a conference of representatives of the various Labor organisations in the Dominion is to be held at Wellington to-day to consider the questions of unemployment and immigration. According to an Invercargill business man who employs a number of skilled artisans, the Saturday half-holiday has resulted in a 25 per cent, increase in efficiency as compared with the break in mid-week.—Southland News. It is stated that Ratana receives an average of about 250 to 300 letters a day. Since the middle of January last to the middle of the present month some 51,000 letters have been received from all parts of the world, including the United States, Honolulu, Cuba, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, India, Ceylon, Samoa, Tonga, ard Australia. Mr. C. E. Daniell, who returned to Master ton this week from a visit to the United States, commented to an Age reporter upon the appalling ignorance prevailing there with reference to tlie Dominion. One person believed that it might be a portion of the State of California, while another imagined it to be some forgotten corner in Denmark. The party were everywhere taken for English visitors.

Some time ago there was published an extract from the well-known American periodical Literary Digest, which referred to New Zealand as a reformed convict colony. Tn a later issue o-f that paper appears the following further reference to the subject: “New Zealand has been accused of similar colonial torbears, but the island nation was settled in large part, by younger sons of the English nobility, and boasts one of the purplest-blooded population in the world.”

At the meeting of the Pukekura Park Board last night a letter was received from the New Plymouth Sports C.ub offering the board further representation on the sports committee. The letter also stated that an offer had been received from a New Plymouth genUeman. to defray the cost of ereeHng a stone wall along the lower tar race at the sports ground. The offer had been accepted, subject to confirmation !»y the board. It was stated that a comprehensive scheme for the permanent protection of the terraces was contemplated. Mr. V. Griffiths was appointed the board’s representative on the sports committee.

Giving evidence in the Supreme Court at Wanganui on the cost of reclaiming drift sand by means of marram grass, Mr. Marchant provided an interesting estimate of the cost. He said that planting marram grass, a piece in every square yard, and allowing a man to plant four a minute, would cost £4 13s 0d an acre. His Honor thought four a minute was a fair amount to expect from a man these days, but witness said he had estimates of ten a minute. “I found everywhere that New Zealand was regarded as one of the most loyal of the Dominions, and all people were loud in their praise of the New Zealand soldiers,” said Sir W. H. Kerries, who returned to Wellington from England. “I had a good opportunity of meeting most of the principal men in political and financial circles, and with all of them I’found a general feeling that Mr. Massey had made good and he was looked upon as a safe and sound man for the Empire.”

“There seems to have been some doubt as to whether we are fully aware of the position of trade generally,” Mr. Justice Frazer remarked at the conclusion of the hearing of the shop assistr .ants’ dispute recently. “We are quite aware of the position. It has been said more than once by financial experts that no one is going to make any money out of the war when all has been washed up. Some men have made money for a while, but they really only had . the money on loan. The only person who made money through the war was the man who sold at the top and put his money into war bonds, and he lost 17 per cent., as tjiey are at 85 now.”

Residents of Rahotu and district are reminded by advertisement in this issue of the grand ball to be given by the Rahotu Bowling Club to-night. This is the club’s first ball, and it is hoped to make it a very successful conclusion to the series of euchre and dancing parties which have been held during the past winter.

Enthusiasm let loose may become a fad, and the person thus afflicted is not always the one of our choice. What would you say of anyone who gave £25 for a daffodil’bulb? You would dub him jnore than an enthusiast, but don’t he hasty in your judgment. Just see for yourself what pleasure-you can get out of tlie daffodil display at Whiteley Hall on September 8, 9th and 10th.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., wish to draw clients’ attention to their T.c Wera sale which they are .holding in their Te Wera yards on Friday, September 9, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.

The Melbourne, Limited, is the place for men’s working gear, especially just now in grey denims, hard-wear trousers and saddle tweeds. These goods all show solid reductions off the prices ruling for similar goods a few weeks ago. Quality is guaranteed in every case.