LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mails which left Wellington on August 2, per s.s. Tahiti, via ’Frisco, arrived in London on September 9.

London advices state that mails for New Zealand were dispatched via Panama on ‘August 31 by s.s. Waimana, and on September 8 by s.s. Tainui.

At the Masterton stock sale, a Carterton dealer purchased eight two-year-old Hereford cross bulls at 9s per head. Commissioner control of a town or borough still has its advocates in New Zealand. In connection with the coming Municipal Conference, the Hastings Borough Council has forwarded the following remit: "That legislative authority be secured whereby it will be possible for municipalities at their option to place their affairs under the control o-f commissioners, as is frequently done in the United States.”

Parties to the dispute in the freezing •industry, which was discussed before »the Conciliation Council at New Plymouth yesterday could not agree on the -clause respecting preference to unionists. In reply to an inquiry from Commissioner Newton as to whether the assessors would mutually agree to drop Jthis clause, one of the employees’ representatives said preference would be secured alright.' “They’ll join the •union before they get a job,” he added, Evidently referring to new applicants.

“You have been 50 years on the same business, begging and an incorrigible rogue,” said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at Wellington on Wednesday, when an old man of 77, Frederick Lyness, was charged with begging alms on the previous day. “Give me another chance," was the plea of Lyness, but his list revealed the fact that he had 135 previous convictions for every description of offence. “If you let me go this time. Your Worship, I promise that I will not appear before you again,” said Lyness. “No, you won’t for three months,” said the magistrate; “take liim away.” The question of whether freezing companies should supply their works employees with steels, knives, overalls, and other appurtenances in the- occupation was before, the Conciliation Council at New Plymouth yesterday. The employers proposed to supply certain goods to the employees at cost price, contending that when they provided the articles free of cost the concession was often abused. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) remarked that he had had many complaints of this kind in cases where materials were supplied to the worker by local bodies and others.

A horse fair'at Okato hae been rranged for Wednesday, September 28, and the auctioneers, Newton King, Ltd., will be pleaeed io receive entries at once.

The New Plymouth Borough Council is to move at .the coming Municipal Associations’ Conference:“That a further .sub-section be added to section 267 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, empowering borough councils to accept agencies for the sale of vehicles or machinery driven by gas or electrical power.” The work of the Beautifying Society on Baines’ Terrace is progressing favorably. On Thursday last a commencement was made with cutting down the acacia trees and other rank growth between the Carrington Road and the Huatoki stream, and a good start was made in cleaning up the entrance to the terrace from Vivian Street. Mr. Horne, of Westown, kindly brought a fine selection of plants. These were put in under his direction. Much remains to be done, and fencing should be erected, but there are no funds for material. Mrs. Richard Cock, assisted by her daughter, Mrs. Williams, kindly provided afternoon tea. It was reported to the Eltham police yesterday morning that a married woman, Mrs. Albert Wynwood, has been missing from her home at Moeroa since Wednesday morning. It was ascertained that Mr. Wynwood had been into Eltham, leaving his wife and four children at home. He returned to Moeroa on Wednesday morning at about 11 o’clock. The children met him and told him that their mother had gone out some time before to get the cows. As the hours passed and Mrs. Wynwood did not appear, her husband became anxious and set out upon a search for his wife. So far this Jias proved unsuccessful, and yesterday a large search party was organised to make a complete investigation oi t»e surrounding country.

When the hours of work for chamber hands were under discussion in the freezing works’ dispute at the Conciliation Council proceedings at New Plymouth yesterday morning, Mr. F. J. Niall an assessor for the employees, contended that the meaning of the companies’ proposals was that chamber hands could be called on to work any eight hours in any 24, not necessarily consecutive, for the ordinary rate of pay. “I did not ex«pect anything different in Taranaki; they work any old hours, wives and children and all. They don’t know what ‘hours of work’ are,” remarked Mr. Niall. It was pointed out by Mr. H. B. Gray, manager of the Smai*t Road works of the Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Company, that it was necessary to have the cooling chambers cleared, or practically cleared, by 8 a.m., and chamber* hands were required to work during the night when a liner was being loaded.

“Everyone belonging to this country —and most educated people outside it —knows that the Maoris are not of negroid extraction, but are of Caucasian descent,” says Te Rangi Hiroa (Dr. P. H. Buck) in the Auckland Herald. “Their history and traditions are such that even South Africans, of whatever white mixture, might well be proud of them. Their conduct during the troublous times of conflict with the, ■British was such as earned them the admiration and respect of the white colonists. They were never conquered and subjugated like menial races, but by treaty were admitted to full and equal citizenship with their white neighbours. Some of their statesmen have been deemed worthy of being honored at the hands of the King. Some of the most respected white families in ■this Dominion have not deemed it unworthy to become united in happy alliances with members of the Maori race’ There arc people in this country in the best social position who have Maori blood in their veins. They deem it no 'disgrace, but are proud that the history and glorious record of the ancient Maori are their heritage.”

“Watching the football match recently, Springboks v. Wellington, I remarked: ‘I wonder how many foot pounds of energy will be expended by the players in this match.’ not that I was deprecating such expenditure, as I consider it a magnificent thing that our brothers across the sea should come and try conclusions with our best,” said Dr. H. J. McLean in a lecture to the Wellington Red Cross Society last week. “Such contests, apart from the physical side, have a strong social and political result. But some might ask whether a great deal of the energy used in recreation could not be diverted into a channel which would produce something material while still getting the physical effect? My answer to that question is ‘No.’ Supposing that energy was turned into digging a drain, repairing a road, or any public utility, you at once lose the moral and recreational effect (and perhaps the Unions might kick). Man needs, recreation, and it is tall very well to say that recreation is only a change of occupation. The master of one of the large English institutions tried to combine physical exercise and utility, but it did not succeed. No doubt, where interest is combined with exercise, as in gardening, you do get the happy combination. Huckleberry Finn, when he had to whitewash the back fence, convinced his mates that whitewashing a fence was beter than going fishing, or anything like that, and even got them to pay for it, but I think this was simply a case of a strong mind dominating weaker ones,”

The New Zealand Meat Packing and Bakon Company desire to call the attention of farmers to an alteration in their Waitpva dates.

In this issue Mr. R. M. Lockhart announces that he is now prepared to supply best bricks in any quantity at reasonable rates from his brick works . at Patea, delivered on rail or steamer. Brick buildings or dwellings can be built at a price equal to that of wooden houses nowadays, and considerably cheaper than concrete, whilst the i advantages of brick over wood -from a maintenance point of view are well known. Mr. Lockhart has engaged as manager his brother, Mr. S, Lockhart, of Hawera. who is well known as a contractor of many years’ experience in i Taranaki, where, he has erected numerous buildings.

The housewife who uses the old-fash-ioned method of washing clothes with bar soap, washing soda, lots of fuel, and a tremendous amount of elbow greafic, is a rara avis, thanks to that great new scientific household help, "Fairy Wonder.” This wonderful washing powder, when soaked with the soiled linens over-night,-practically does the washing by itself. Give it a trial. Of all grocers.

LOOK! State Express No. 333 Cigarettes in boxes of 50 for 2/6. These cigarettes are guaranteed fresh stock, and make a cool, fragrant smoke. To the cigarette smoker these boxes are very economical. Remember, you get 50 smokes of choice tobacco for 2/6. —W. H. Preece, Devon Street Central. New Plymouth.

! Little things often change the current of men’s lives, and a worker employed at I the Small Arma Factory at Lithgow owes his diamissal to a cigarette (says the Sydney Sun). “Coffin nails,” as they are called among the employees, for more reasons than one, are strictly taboo either in the factory or on the immediate premises. It is alleged that there is generally a “round-up” for cigarette fiends when dismissals are on hand. As a result the “old hands” are scrupulously careful. A returned soldier, however, was caught with the weed “out back,” and was immediately dismissed. There is said to be no appeal from the decision, although the man is reported to be an excellent worker with a good war record, and, in addition, is a married man. Further, he was not a habitual smoker. The following extract from a New Zealand lady’s letter has found ite way into the Blackwood Gazette and Herald:— “Wool and meat are unsaleable—literally. I Beard of a man selling 20 fowls, and with the proceeds buying 200 sheep. Ewes cannot be given away in Marlborough! To make matters worse, we are having as serious a drought as has been known in Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu. Yesterday my stud manager told me a cow giving a gallon of milk a day was sold for ss, the owner having only a comparatively small paddock, and being unable to keep it any longer. He also told me of a number of pigs being offered for sale at Te Horn without eliciting a bid. The owner then turned them loose on the road and whoever got them could have them. These sound like fairy tales, don’t they, but they are nevertheless true.”

The coast of Ireland at present appears to be an unhealthy place for mariners. The current New Zealand Gazette, with characteristic official reticence, thus deals with what is probably the latest Sinn Fein protest against the sea patrol maintained there by the Admiralty:—

"Mariners are hereby warned that, until further notice, too much reliance should not be placed in the maintenance of the lights and fog-signals on the coast of Ireland. Notice wiR in each case be given when it is known that an important light or fog-signal has been discontinued or is unreliable, but attention is called to the liability of these aids to navigation being temporarily discontinued without warning.” The Lyttelton Times, referring to the case of the yotlng man Butler, who stole over £2600 from the State Coal Office in Christchurch, is expressing an opinion that is widely held when it says:— There must surely be something seriously wrong in the management, lax in the methods and lacking in the supervision when thefts are possible day after day, and running eventually into more than £2OOO. We are not blaming local officers nor attempting to apportion responsibility. Probably the same methods and systems are used here in State Coal Depots throughout the Dominion, and in. other Government trading departments, but if that be so they all are obviously defective. No doubt an occasional act of dishonesty would be impossible to avoid under the strictest supervision, whether in a Government or private business, but the simple manner in which Butler was able to get away with money, and the long time it took to discover the leakages, does not suggest the employment of a sensible system. All this young man had to do was to turn a. handle backwards—to bring his recording machine back to zero—and he was able to help himself to money day after day, week after week, month after month. Surely a machine that is capable of being worked in this fashion needs to be closely examined quite frequently. Probably this point has now occurred to the authorities.

The most particular tastes can be satisfied in the splendid showing of apring dress fabrics at Morey’s. Call and .view these lovely- goods so moderately priced.

A sale by auction of the whole of Messrs. Shuttleworth Bros.’ stock will take place to-day, commencing at 1.30 p.m. sharp.

Inglewood residents, don’t forget the Spring Flower Show at the Town Hall. Last day to-day. A final'reminder is given of the I'eoondhand clothes sale in the Workers’ Hall at 1 p.m. to-morrow. Inspection is invited in the morning between 10 a,m. and noon, but absolutely nothing will be sold until one o’clock. These money-saving Iwirgains are obtainable only at the Melbourne:—Kaiapoi saddle tweed trousers, 27/6; linen collars, best quality, 1/4; Shirley President braces, medium or heavy weight. 4/6; pure wool cashmere socks, 2/11; Petone and Kaiapoi flannels, 7/11; “Doctor” flannels, 12/6, and scores of other bargains.