LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Six leasehold sections in the Whiteley Township, totalling in area about 1 acre 3 roods, were offered at auction by Messrs. Newton King, Ltd., yesterday and were passed in at £l6O. In the House yesterday Mr. Massey said Cabinet had fully considered the facts in connection with the condemnation to death of the Maori Te Kahu, and had decided that the law must take its course; the matter would not be reopened.—'Press Association. The present state of unemployment is strongly exemplified by the experience of a Taranaki dairy company. It recently advertised in the Daily News for two casual hands, “wages £3 15s and usual allowances.” As a result 150 applications came to hand in three days. Widespread are the effects of unemployment. In Dunedin it is telling on the revenue of the electric power and lighting department. As a direct consequence of factories being on short time, the loading at Waipori is about 500 horse power below what is usual at this time of the year. Mr. N. F. Thorpe, of Stratford, and formerly of Patea, recently returned from a trip to Java, whither he had proceeded some time ago in charge of a consignment of Holstein and Ayrshire dairy cattle. Mr. Thorpe states that Java with a population of over 35 million is very up-to-date, with electric trams and lighting systems. The harbors were particularly fine, and crowded with shipping, especially Batavia. The climate at Bandong, 300 feet above sea level, where he stayed, was splendid. Some enquiries were made by Mr. Massey when in England, regarding the housing problem. He visited Middlesboro, where he saw what was said to be the latest and best attempt to build houses. They were of steel and concrete, with slate roofs, and of neat design, and they cost about .£lOO a room. He had full particulars, and also particulars of a new building material, which was said to be the re-discovery of the ancient Roman cement, the secret of which was lost. This new material certainly seemed to be very wonderful. Dairymen arid pig raisers will be interested to know that the general manager and representatives of the New Zealand Meat Packing and Bacon Co. (Coop., Ltd.), will deliver addresses on the future of the bacon industry at Omata, Warea and Okato. Dates and times are advertised, on page 1 of this issue.

Anglers in the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society’s district report that the streams are all in good order and the waters low for this time of year. No large baskets have been recorded, but most rivers have given satisfactory results. At present the water are teaming with whitebait, and the trout do not take freely the various lures used by anglers. Another of the series of euchre parties and dances in aid of the New Plymouth Coursing Club was held at the Tarurutangi Hall on Thursday evening, the evening being a great success. The ladies’ first prize was won by Mrs. C. Pitt, the second going to Mrs. C. Barriball. The men’s first prize was won by Mr. F. Bishop and the second by Mr. Wisniski. Mr. F. Boulton supplied the music and the supper was in the hands of the Bell Block and Tarurutangi ladies. Mr. H. Barriball carried out the duties of M.C.

There was a big yarding at Messrs. Newton King, Ltd.’s annual bull fair at Waiwakaiho yesterday. Prices on the whole were very satisfactory. There was a good attendnee of buyers from outside districts, including South Tara-naki, and several from Palmerston North. For pedigree Jerseys, yearlings brought up to 36gns., and 2-year-olds went as high as 42gns. Grade yearlings made £lB, 2-year-olds £26, and 3 years up to .£25. It was evident on the day that the 2year animals were the most favored. Of other breeds, such as Holstein and Shorthorn, there was little or no demand, the highest price reached being £l3—for a Holstein bull.

“The butter industry is going to keep the Government from going bankrupt,” said Mr. Polson ,in the course of his address to farmers in Timaru. He went on to say that New Zealand butter was not known at Home because it got into the hands of “the Tooley Street gang,” who used it for blending with inferior stuff, and it was not sold under its own name. This explained Lord Nor thcliffe’s statement the other day when he said in Auckland that he had never before tasted butter like it. New Zealand had the finest butter in the world, Mr. Polson said, and their aim should be to get it sold under its own name. If they succeeded in that thfey would soon work up a market for it.

A meeting of the committee of the New Plymouth Ratepayers’ Association was held on Thursday evening, when various matters of interest affecting the welfare of the borough were discussed. There was also considerable discussion in respect to the new valuations and the opinion was expressed that in some cases valuations were excessive, and that there were anomalies which needed adjustment. The chairman intimated that it was necessary for ratepayers who wished to lodge an objection to their valuations to post these on to the Valuation Department, Wellington, not later than to-day, as objections must reach the Valuer-General at Wellington not later than Tuesday next, the 11th inst.

Returns for the New Plymouth-Strat-ford district during the nine months ended September 30, show that eight bankruptcies occurred in this period, but a feature of the statistics is that of the total, seven petitions were filed during the last quarter. Prior to that there had been an absence of bankruptcies till as far as January, when one was recorded. In the corresponding nine months of 1920 there were three brankruptcies, of which the September quarter .accounted for one. The unfavorable conditions commercially, \vhich have arisen this year have no doubt accounted for the increase. The list shows that the businesses concerned were of a varied nature, and the petitions came from various towns in the province. There were two storekeepers, a plumbing firm, a baker, and a butcher, a farm laborer, a motor mechanic, and an electrical engineer.

At a meeting at Waverley convened as a result of complaints from many farmers in regard to the extremely unsatisfactory conditions governing the production and disposal of wool, Air. Dickie described at length the deplorable state of the London markets at the present day. No one, he said, could shed any light on the wool question, which was very bad at Home just now. For storage of wool in a London store the exorbitant sum of £1 per bale per month was charged which meant that the profits were" very soon eaten, up in expenses. He was conducted over the London docks a few weeks ago and noticed one in particular —George V. dock—which was 12 months off completion and was being filled with colonial wool as the roof was being fitted on. At the last wool sale he attended at London Germany l>ought two-thirds of the supply, but that did not tend to relieve the position. He thought that a New Zealand farmer would be well advised —if his finances would permit — to hold his wool in the Dominion for the present, as London was the most expensive port in which to store it at the present time. Australia was operating under the B.A.W.R.A. scheme, which was instituted to uphold the value and stabilise the market. However, in his opinion it was useless to endeavor to form any opinion on what the future position in regard to the disposal of wool was going to be. Mr. L. O. H. Tripp (.Wellington) has lately been on a tour in Belgium and France, and he made a special feature of seeing tine sites at Gravenstafel, Meseines, Le Quesnoy, and Longueyal, which have been chosen for memorials to the New Zealand soldiers. He feels sure that when they are erected New Zealand visitors to tho battle areas will be well pleased with the sites that have been selected. Mr. Tripp made a special point of getting into touch with the Rev. M. Mullineux, M.C., the New Zealand and Canadian Red Cross representative and organiser of the St. Barnadas Hostels, Mr. Mullineux accompanied Mr. Tripp throughout his tour, and he tells me he cannot speak too highly of the splendid work that is being done by this ex-New Zealand chaplain and his patriotic band of lady workers. The hostels at Calais, Amiens, and Boulogne are excellently managed, and those in charge are just the right people to meet and help tourists to the military cemeteries. Mr. Tripp unhesitatingly recommends any New Zealanders who may be going to France and Belgium on graves pilgrimages to place themselves in communication with Mr. Mullineux and his helpers, their headquarters being at the hostel at Calais. Prospective travellers could not be more sympathetically helped on their way; i they will be told exactly, too, how much their journey will cost. For people who so independently, the hostel charges and other expenses are very high.

A grand entertainment, consisting of song*, fancy dances, Christy minstrel show, and other items will be given by the West End school children in the Empire Theatre, New Plymouth, on Wednesday and Thursday, October 19 and 20.