LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A recital given in Pukekura Park yesterday by the 4th Battalion, Wellington Regiment (Taranaki Rifles) Band was well patronised, and a collection in aid of the contest expenses fund brought £27 12s. The programme contained test numbers, including the marching competitions, and the work of the band created a very favorable impression. The pand, numbering 28, leave to-day for Thames, where they will compete in the contest, which opens o- Wednesday. A number of friends, including members of the citizens 1 committee, are also making the trip.

A fire in a small shed at the rear of Messrs. Collier and Co.’s premises in Devon Street necessitated the calling out of the New Plymouth brigade shortly before nine o’clock on Saturday night. The outbreak was quickly suppressed, having been noticed in its early' stages by Constable Parkinson, and little damage resulted. Tile building- was alight in two places, the western corner and on the eastern side, but the origin remains unexplained, as the two points at which the fire apparently commenced were some feet above the flooring. After a social at Eltliam on Friday evening a motor car owned by Mr. Harry Belcher was missing, and after communicating with the police the car was found about a mile and a half from Eltham on the Mountain Road, towards Ngaere and on further investigation it was discovered that several other care had been tampered with and the keys were missing. The police were able to track the missing car on the wet road, and found it had collided with a pole by the Chinaman’s shop in High Street, the collision evidently putting the steering gear out of order; hence the ear had to be abandoned a little outside of Eltham. In consequence of the above, two Ngaere youths will be’charged with the thefts.—Star.

Repair works to the old forebay at the New Plymouth hydro station, Mangorei, which were put in hand yesterday, necessitated the cutting ofl of power during the morning. Current was switched on at a quarter to one, but an interruption was caused through trouble being experienced with a valve. Later in the afternoon, however, power was again available 'permanently. The damage to the forebay, which was recently reported on by the electrical engineer (Mr. R. I-I. Bartley), consisted of a- number of cracks, and four buttresses are being put in, which it is hoped will prove a permanent remedy. The work is in the course of completion, but it is not anticipated there will be any further necessity te out off the aavtT.

Large quantities of railway material for the New Zealand Government are being brought from England. The Shaw, Savill and Albion steamers Kumara and Corinthic between them landed over 120 railway waggons in parts at Auckland last week, and the Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Raranga left Middlesborough for Auckland on September 25 with a large shipment of rails.

A theory commonly held in regard .to patients suffering from tuberculosis is that optimism is a part of the disease. According to a pamphlet on sanatorium treatment, issued by the Victorian Repatriation Department, optimism is part of the cure —and a very important part, too. “’With the exception of fresh air,” the pamphlet states, “optimism is probably one of the best and greatest aids to recovery that we have.” The chairman of the Taranaki Jockey Club (Mr. L. A. Nolan) recently received a letter from the president of the racing conference asking for an opinion on the Racing Commission’s report, and in reply Mr. Nolan hae expressed entire approval of the commission’s recommendations. Sir George Clifford, in his circular, intimated his intention of communicating with the Premier advising that he is fully in accord with the main features of the report. Twenty-six of the Union Company’s steamers are now laid up on account of the slackness of the passenger and cargo trade, reports a Dunedin paper. Thirteen red funnel vessels are at Port Chalmers, live at Wellington, four at Auckland, one at Lyttelton, one at Newcastle, and two at Melbourne. In most cases the crews of these steamers belonged to Nei# Zealand. Besides the Union Company’s steamers other New Zealand coastal vessels are laid, up, and their crews have helped to swell the ranks of unemployed seamen. It is estimated that there are over one hundred seamen in Dunedin out of employment, with very little prospect of an. early improvement in the situation.

An Auckland resident has received a letter from the East, showing that the' slump in staple products which has so seriously affected New Zealand is even more pronounced there. In the pre-war boom time rubber went as high as 12/6 per lb; now, in Singapore, which virtually controls the rubber market of the world, it is being sold as low aa Bd, while the average plantation cost of production is about 1/0. There were some weeks ago no less than £150,000 worth held, in atore in the Straits Settlement. Local authorities at Home had contracted for several thousand tons for roadmaking purposes.

Special services in connection with the national prohibition campaign were held in some of the churches in New Plymouth yesterday. Speaking at Whiteley Mr. W. Dobbs said that English citizenship demanded the elimination of all that made for the injury of the people. The Rev. Grinstead, who spoke at St. Andrew’s dealt with the moral aspect of prohibition. In the evening Mr Dobbs addressed the congregation at Fitzroy Methodist Church, Mr. Grinstead spoke at the Baptist Tabernacle, and Mr. W. H. Hawkins and the Rev. Martin at St. Aubyn’s. At the close of the addresses an appeal waa made for promises to the campaign fund, which was very liberally responded to. To-night at 7.30 a rally of workers and sympathisers will be held in Whiteley Memorial Hall, when addresses will be delivered by Messrs. Dobbs, Grinstead and Hawkins.

Five hundred and twenty-eight scenic reserves, comprising a total area of 313,233 acres, have now been set aside for scenic, historic and thermal purposes since the passing of the Scenery Preservation Act, 1903. In addition to this large area, some 50,000 acres had previously been reserved for similar purposes under the provisions of the Land Act, and these will be brought under the provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act. Although these reserves contain some of the most beautiful and unique scenery of the Dominion, seven national parks, comprising 2.771,202 acres, have also been set apart for the preservation of scenery. Two of these extensive reservations —namely, the Egmont and Tongariro National Parks —are situated in the North Island, and are amongst the most popular resorts bf pleasure-seek-ers and mountain-climbers. The other five comprise the Hooker Glacier, the Tasman Park (around Mount Cook), Arthur’s Pass and the Otira Gorge, and the West Coast Sounds National Park.

Representatives in New Zeaand of the American Legion have written from Auckland to the New Plymouth Returned Soldiens’ Association conveying appreciation of their action in connection with the funerals of the late Messrs. Lindsay and Landers, two of the crew oT the steamer Easterner who met their deaths by drowning at New Plymouth. The letter is as follows: The representatives of the American Legion in New Zealand in this manner desire to extend their sincere thanks to the members of the New Plymouth branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association for their muster at the funerals of Comrades Lindsay and Landers. The New Zealand. R,S.A. maj’ rest assured that reciprocal action will be taken in the United States in the ease of men “going west in a strange land/’ and that the relatives of the victims of the unfortunate accident will be deeply appreciative of the attention shown. — (Signed) Marshall I. Mays, American Legionnaire. Capitol, Post No. 1. Topeka, Kansas; George H. Richardson, American Legionnaire. Daylight Post No. 229, San Francisco, California.

One of the most popular features of the Mary Pickford pictures has been the general appeal to all classes and the fact that every picture is delightful to the adult and' juvenile alike. This popular star’s latest production, “Heart of the Hills,” is from the novel by John Fox, Jpnr., and is just as pleasing as any of the previous successes which have made Mary Pickford’s name a household word. To ’ give children an opportunity to see “Heart of the Hills” the management at Everybody’s has arranged a special matinee for to-morrow afternoon at 3.30, when children will be admitted for sixpence.

Arrangements in connection with the pedigree Jersey sale to be held at the showgrounds to-morrow and the next day are well in hand, and favored with fine weather everything should run off smoothly. A spacious marquee together with good seating accommodation has been erected for selling purposes, and the cattle prior to entering the sale ring will be comfortably housed in the A. and P. Society’s covered-in cattle pens. Luncheon arrangements have also received all due attention, the Bell Block and Omata ladies having kindly undertaken to look after this important matter. The sale will commence punctually at the time advertised.

On Saturday morning next Newton King, Ltd., will sell by auction on the property. Brougham Street, the building known as the Brougham Street Hall, Which was recently damaged by. fire.

While a party on the Tauranga launch Sea Queen was fishing on Penguin Shoal, about twelve miles from Mount Maunganui, a large whale, estimated to be 70ft. long suddenly appeared a few feet from the launch. The whale cruised round the boat for some time, and on one occasion came so close that one of the party was able to deal it a blow with a stick.

The working hours of the milkers on “perhaps the biggest milking herd in Waikato,” were stated at the Te Awan»utu Cofirt, this week, to be as follows:—Morning, 3.30 to 9.30 a.m.; total, 6 hours. Attention, to machines and separating, 1 hour. Afternoon, 2.30 to 7.30 o’clock; total 5 hours. Grand total, 12 hours a day. This was the position on a lucky day, but in addition many mishaps and small duties arose to occupy further hours of the mid-day spell, when an effort was made to snatch an hour's sleep.

References to the uses to which the Maoris put some of the trees of New Zealand were made by Miss F. B. Murray, in the ■course of a ledture at Christchurch. By rubbing a sharpened piece of kaikomako against a flattened piece of mahoe, the Maoris made fire. From the bark of the hinau they obtained a dye which was used for dying their flax mats. With the inner bark of the ribbonwood, which came off in strips, rope, twines, and fishing-nets were made. Miss Murray showed a small basket, of delicate workmanship, made from ribbonwood bark. Another tree exuded a milky fluid, which was used as milk by the early settlers.

Financial pressure appeared to the Hon. W. H. Triggs, who has just returned to New Zealand, to be less severe in Australia than here. The Australian farmers were stated to be receiving about £40,000,000 for wheat, and as their wool was mostly fine, it was giving a much better return than the New Zealand coarse wool. Prices in Sydney shops appeared to be higher than ip New Zealand, except for men’s suits, notwithstanding a great parade of “selling off.” It was necessary to scrutinise quality very closely, and Mr. Triggs had no hesitation in saying that more honesty was shown towards customers, in New Zealand than was the case in a good many Sydney establishments.

Ladies should inspect the new coatfrocks at Morey’s. These fine, seasonable lines are in splendid variety, both as regards design anu material, and are priced on the lowest possible basis to clear.

'The Melbourne, Ltd., are in receipt of cable information that cotton piece goods have advanced in England from ten to fifteen per cent. This on top of an expected new customs duty is going to make Manchester goods much dearer, and buyers are advised to buy freely at present day prices.

The up-to-date grocer or storekeeper keeps a stock of “Fairy Wonder” washing powder. He knows that it is wisest to stojK what the people want instead of wasting Vine and money trying to sell little known or untried substitutes. When customers ask for “Fairy” they want “Fairy,”- and it is good business policy to see that they get it.