LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During August there were 104 men employed on the Stratford-Main Trunk railway works, 70 being at the east end and 34 at the west end. On the Opunake line there were 38 employed. It was stated at a meeting of the council of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce yesterday that the saving effected on the shipment of 15,000 carcases of meat from Patea to New Plymouth instead of to Wellington, amounts to over £6OO.

“If a man has committed a fault he deserves to stand the ‘racket’,” said Mr. A. M. Mowlem yesterday in declining an application by counsel that His Worship should use his discretionary powers under the new Act and order that the name of defendant be suppressed from publication. There is at present a big demand for new potatoes. Mr. Membery, of Putamahoe, Pukekohe, sent four cases of new potatoes to Wellington a. few days ago, and received from 11 %d to Is per pound for them. The auctioneering firm which effected the sale wrote asking for another lot as soon as possible, as they could do with large quantities of new, potatoes, although it was pointed out that the prices realised for the four cases was exceptionally high.

A well-known New Plymouth citizen chanced to overhear on Tuesday morning some depreciatory remarks by some Jersey fanciers regarding a particular young Jersey heifer that was to be offer ed for sale that day, so he went home, discussed the matter with his wife, and brought a fiver with him to purchase the animal. Judge of his surprise, when it was put up, to find, the first bid to be 30 guineas! It eventually sold for 57 guineas, which opened the eyes of the citizen who desired to lay the foundation of a pedigree Jersey herd for a fiver.

“An amusing incident occurs to me in connection with a Philharmonic gathering in the old Freemasons’ Hall,” states a correspondent to the Hawera Star. “Old Taranakians will recollect a certain donkey that used to draw a lady about in a basket carriage. This neddy at times escaped from his paddock at night and roamed the streets. Some wags happened to spy him one evening near the hall, and they boosted him into the building during a fortissimo passage, to which his donkeyship responded with a full-throated he-haw. The result was instantaneous silence and amazement in the ranks of the singers; but neddy was quite unconcerned. It was some time before he could be persuaded to take his departure; the situation appealed to him.”

A breach of the trade award in failing to pay an employee certain bonuses, was alleged against S. G. Fraser, grocer, of Waitara, in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court, yesterday. Defendant, through his solicitoi’ (Mr. A. A. Bennett), pleaded guilty. The informant, Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, district inspector of factories, stated that defendant’s premises were visited in August, 1920, and it was found that he was not paying a bonus of 6s to which one of his men. (a driver) was entitled. This was rectified, but in August, of 1921, another inspection disclosed that Fraser was at fault in respect of the November bonus. The inspector admitted tnat the offence was due more to carelessness than to any desire to avoid payment,, but he pointed out there was a certain duty on employees to malce themselves acquainted with awards and amendments. A penalty of £1 was imposed. A meeting of the New Plymouth Sports Ground Committee was held last night, when there was a good attendance of members. In the absence of Mr. A. L. Humphries (chairman), Mr. S. J. Smith presided. A report was given of the work in progress in connection with the improvements to the playing area on the sports ground. It was stated that the drains around the ground were all cleaned out, and that the tile drains were being taken up and relaid so as to provide for a thorough drainage system. A start had been macle with the ploughing of the ground, and it was proposed to add of couple of inches of black soil before sowing the grass. The ground would also be levelled. provision being made for a level stretch for cricket pitches along the centre, and there would also be a slight grade to give fall to the surface water. Every effort was being concentrated on the work, so as to get it grassed down as early as possible, in order that the ground might be available for football matches early next season.

The hospitality of Mokau was discussed in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Counsel who appeared in a case concerning the licensing laws in proclaimed areas, was.endeavoring to establish that the Mokau was a hospitable territory, and he said -it did not take long to get rid of a bottle of whisky when one or two persons gathered round and got talking. This was appropos of the solicitor’s defence on behalf of his client, who was charged with keeping liquor for sale, and counsel contended that liquor easily disappeared in that district. Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., endeavored to put the onus on the legal man by suggesting he should go into the box and give evidence on this aspect. Counsel promptly replied that he could easily do this from past experience, and intimated, with some pleasure, that he was going to have a week-end at Mokau shortly. The district constable, who was one of the witnesses, was cross-examined as to Mokau’s hospitality. “A man might be able to get a cup of tea,” he replied, "hut I don’t know that there is any whisky thrown about.” "Not while you were there of course, replied counNewton King, Ltd., are selling a quantity of office furniture at the Mart, Devon Street, to-day, at 2 o’clock. The gigantic Salvage Sale which is to commence at the Melbourne, Ltd;, on Tuesday next, is attracting considerable attention. The goods, although more or less scorched and damaged by smoke and water, are nevertheless in good usable condition, but the prices are such as will enable buyers to make vary handsome savings.

Last year the number of miners working underground in New Zealand was 2849, compared with 2036 iu the previous year. It is stated that a returned soldier in Hawke’s Bay has drawn first prize in Ta.ttersall’s sweep on the Sydney Metropolitan Handicap.

In the opinion of the Wairaraptt Age, the real pessimists to-day are the thousands of people in the larger towns of the Dominion who are living and acting as if the country were still enjoying the prosperity of a few yeaes ago. Times are changing. A South Taranaki farmer told a News’ reporter recently that last year he had difficulty in engaging labor at £1 a day. This year he has been inundated with requests for jobs, and is paying 12/- a day, and getting forty per cent, more work done than he g6t last year for 20s.

It is rumored around Gambridge that a warrant has been issued for the arrest of a recent resident of a nearby settlement, who is charged with the theft of a considerable number of cattle from his neighbors. It is said that he Mustered a large number of stock from off his neighbors' farms and sold them to a well-known firm. Some have since been recovered.

A Southern contemporary, discussing the probability of an increase in the duty on spirits, says:—"That an increase in the duty on spirits is to be expected may be well understood, in view of the fact that the tariff in New Zealand is 18s per proof gallon, in Australia 30s, and in Britain 72s 6d. Official figures show that the consumption in New Zealand is, roughly 900,000 gallons per year.” It is reported that the Government intends to increase the duty or surtax on imported films to the extent of an additional 2d per hundred, feet. It is estimated that with this and other allied duties an additional £lOO,OOO will be obtained for the doffers of the Treasury. It is also reported that the tax on amusements is to be raised, and in some quarters it is believed that the totalisator tax will be considerably increased.

It is stated that the Mormon community at Hastings have entered into negotiations for four thousand acres of land for the purpose of establishing a Mormon settlement, which will form the New Zealand headquarters of the craft. Whatever objection many people may entertain towards the Mormons on the ground of religion or otherwise, their industry and sobriety usually results in the acquirement of comfort and the world’s goods. Everybody’s Theatre was filled to overflowing with local school children yesterday afternoon to see Mr. Eustace’s jungle pictures, which were followed with rapt attention, as were the explanatory remarks of the famous explorer. In the evening the pictures were shown at the Empire Theatre to a full house. The public regarded the pictures as very interesting and instructive, being quite the best studies of wild animal life and African scenery and features that have so far been shown here.

“I have seen a good deal of the world, but there is only one public park I know of that can be compared with Pukekura Park, and that is at Mauritious,” said Mr. H. K. Eustace, the African explorer, at New Plymouth last evening. Tropical conditions, of course, prevailed in that island, and the. vegetation, flowers and trees partook of a tropical nature, so that the public gardens there were very fine indeed. The noted visitor was very charmed with the local park, which, he felt sure, was a great asset to the town and country, and he would like to have seen more of it.

Says the Waikato Times:—A very old and feeble man, James Farrell, who arrived on Saturday from Wanganui, attempted to commit suicide at Hamilton in the afternoon by drowning in the Waikato River at the traffic bridge. Standing at the water’s edge beneath the western end of the bridge, the old man first threw his swag into the water and then followed it. He found himself in deep water, and would surely have been drowned had not a spectator, Mr. Frank Denham, dived in and rescued him. On being conducted to tne police station the old fellow said he -wanted to die in Hamilton.

A collision between a tramcar and a motor lorry occurred at the intersection of King and Egmont Streets yesterday, and although attended by no serious results the driver and the owner of the motor lorry (Mr. J. Black, of Oka to) had a miraculous escape from injury. The lorry was rounding the corner into Egmont Street when it was struck by an approaching tramcar, being skidded for a considerable distance and bringing up against Mr. W. Richardson’s car, which was standing at the kerbing. The occupants were thrown on the road, but beyond a shaking, were not hurt.

The annuel sports in connection with t’he New Plymouth Boys’ High School take place on the school grounds on Saturday, October 15. An advertisement in this connection appears in this issue.

Farmers! How can you expect factory managers to secure highest grade points for butter and cheese when the milk supplies are not absolutely pure? Pure milk can only be supplied by the strictest observance of cleanliness, and cleanliness can only be absolutely assured by the regular use of “Sinus,” the champion milking machine cleanser. Obtainable in bags from L. A. /Nolan and Co., New Plymouth.