LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The report presented to the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday by the engineer (Mr. G. W. B. Lowson), stated that the incline to the Paritutu quarries was proving very satisfactory. The Opunake Harbor Board is “up against it” financially, so much so that the members and the clerk are paying the bank interest on the overdraft, amounting to £4 each. The board owes Mr. Blair Mason £73, which he is allowing to stand over, the board paying him current interest upon the amount.

The Taranaki Jockey Club has purchased the property at the back of the course belonging to Mi’. J. W. Gardiner, and. formerly the property of Dr. A. E. Walker. It is understood the club propose fo build new stables, etc., on the newly-acquired property. The Nelson Synod adopted a recommendation to the General Synod that there should be a fixed primacy of the Church of the provinces of New Zealand centred on Wellington and Nelson. Representatives to the General Synod were instructed to support the recommendation. —Press Association.

“The board having made other arrangements will not require stone from the Te Wera quarries,” this was the resolution of the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday in reply to a communication from the Public Works Department asking if the board would require supplies from the shellrock quarries at Te Wera.

“The first values I have seen that have been reduced,” remarked Mr. Newton King, chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, when it was stated at yesterday’s meeting that in the new valuation of the borough the board’s sections (opposite the railway station) stood at £lB9O. The previous valuation had assessed the land at £2BOO.

The Kiri district, at the top end of the Carrington Road, has not only plentiful supplies of metal eminently suitable for road metal and building purposes, but abounds in firewood and other timber. For years a sawmill operated in the district, but the cost of transport made it unprofitable to carry on. One who knows the district intimately states that there is eno; ,’h firewood in the locality , to keep New Plymouth and district going, in firewood for the next fifty years. The necessity of loyalty in school teachers was touched on by the Minister of Education in Parliament yesterdav. Replying to a question, the Hon. C- V J. Parr said no teacher in public schools would permitted to draw a salary from the Consolidated lund and ho at the same time a propagandist tor revolutionary doctrines. In the Education Bill to' be introduced he proposed to make it obligatory on teachers m public schools to take the oath of allegiance, and he would not accept professors in universities without this condition.—Press Association. The latest voiles for summer service are now in splendid, variety at Morey s. You cannot do better than call and select from this fine range, so economically priced.

The members for Patea and Egmont waited on the Minister of Public Works in reference to the rumor that men were to be removed from Te Roti to Te Wera. The Minister gave them an assurance that this was not his intention. “It is not a very long Bill, but it is a very important Bill,” said the Minister for Labor (Hon. G. J. Anderson) when the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill -was introduced in the House of Representatives. “Is it loaded?” asked the leader of the Labor Party (Mr. Holland). “It is loaded in a way—l think it will be very effective,” replied the Minister. “Does it abolish land agents?” asked a member of the House when the Land Agents Bill was introduced. The Minister for Internal Affairs (Hon. W. Downie Stewart) replied that it did not. The land agents were disappearing at present from other causes. He added that the Bill merely improved the machinery for the registration of land agents. When the sheep returns were presented to the House, the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. W. Nosworthy) stated that the decrease in the number of sheep during the twelve months just closed had been 634,939. The decrease during the last three years had exceeded 3,000,000. The decrease was accounted for by a bad winter arjd. by the abnormal killing that had taken place during two of the commandeer years. Farmers, moreover, were taking up dairying to a greater extent than before. He hoped that this year’s lambing would give a better result than last year’s. There was a good attendance at the euchre party and dance held in the Fitzroy Schoolroom last night, 25 tables being occupied with euchre, while about 50 couples took part in. dancing. For the laxiies’ euchre prize, Mrs. Buckle, Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Kelchart played off, Mrs. Hall securing first prize and Mrs. Kelchart second. The gentlemen’s prizes were Won by Mr. G. Maine first and Mr. J. Thompson second. Dancing was kept up till a late hour to excellent music supplied by KCiss R. Cameron and Mr. F. Guscott. Mr. G. F. Goldsworthy acted as M.C.

The dancing recital by pupils of MissM. Ellis at the Empire Theatre last night was appreciatively received by a large audience. In ensembles the company did some good work and in a number of solo items some clever dancing was witnessed. Numerous demands for re-appear-ances showed that the performers’ efforts found a good deal of favor with their audience. A number of enjoyable musical items were included in th» programme, songs being given by Mrs. A. B. MacDonald and Mr? A. L. North, and pianoforte solos were played by Mr. A. O. Sturroek.

In view of the fact that oases of plague have existed for some time in Australia and the frequent interchange of cargo between Australia and New Zealand, instructions have been issued from the head office of the Health Department, Wellington, that all harbor boards be -notified of the above facts, and also that they be asked to institute at once a campaign against rats, as it is through these animals that cases of plague are spread from place to place. The department’s letter was before the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday, when it was decided that the harbor master take steps to have poison laid for rats about the sheds and wharf, and to generally co-operate with the Health Department. In reply to a question by the chairman (Mr. Newton King), it was stated that two vessels from Australian ports are due at New Plymouth shortly—the Whangape, and the Essex.

A suggested method of protecting the sea front against erosion was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board. Mr. J. S. Connett asked if enquiries had been made into the proposal to deposit the spoil from dredging operations closer inshore. The idea was that this could be done at. a certain distance away from the harbor, and it might be the means of at least partly protecting the foreshore. Replying, the engineer (Mr. S. W. Baxter Lowson) said he had conferred on the subject with the dredgemaster, and the only place that the dredge could be brought in near the shore was in the locality of the railway station, and the vessel would have to go between Moon’s reef and the Henui reef. The conclusion come to, the engineer said, was that with the longer steaming distance involved, and loss of time, together with the extra risk which would be incurred, it would not be advisable to bring the dredge in nearer shore.

The proposal of the New Plymouth Harbor Board to build a reclamation wall eastwards along the beach from the wharf, was again referred to .at yesterday’s meeting. Though it is intended that this work shall be carried out simultaneously with the breakwater extension, the commencement of preliminary arrangements is hung up, pending the receipt of permission from the Railway Department to extend the Paritutu tramline across the railway near the foot of the wharf. It was reported by Mr. C. E. Bellringer that the town members and the engineer (Mr. Lowson) met the district railway engineer (Mr. Jeffries) last month, but the department would not consent to the board’s plan, nor could they suggest anything, ejpe practicable. Negotiations were still proceeding, and it appeared the board, would have some difficulty in this matter, as the department seemed to object to almost everything. In reply to a member the engineer said he had considered the question of an overhead line, but found it would be too expensive.

Some surprising features as to the manner in which a family disclaimed responsibility for the maintenance of their mother were revealed, in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The matter arose during the hearing of an application for an order for possession of a dwelling. The occupier, an elderly woman, was said to be the mother of nine children, and to have been deserted by her husband. She rented these premises and maintained herself by sub-letting portions of the house, and if she had to vacate the place it meant that unless she could get a. house which she could similarly sub-let, her means of a livelihood would be gone. When asked as to one son’s ability to help her she said that when he was in work he kept all he earned, and when he had no work he lived on her. Counsel for defendant said there were eight children, who should be able to help, but they would not, and one of them had written saying: “Hl sec my mother in h first before I’ll 'contribute anything towards her ■maintenance.” There was a daughter, just recently married, who was prepared to assist in maintaining her mother, but he thought the best course would be to bring the whole lot of the family, “good and bad alike,” into court and see what could be done for such an unfortunate woman. The tenement case was adjourned to enable summonses to be issued by counsel in order that something might be done towards securing for defendant.