LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The first strawberries of the season arrived in New Plymouth Yesterday morning, and were retailed at 3s 3d per box.

The Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. F. E. Wilson) has received a private letter from Lord Jellicoe, thanking him for the excellent arrangements made during his recent visit to the town, and expressing warm appreciation of the hospitality shown to him and Lady Jellicoe and of the beauty of the district. To-day, November 5, has its significance for the younger folk in that it is Guy Fawkes Day. The long-honored custom of celebrating this date of one time historical note, will no doubt not be forgotten, though of recent years its I observance by displays of fireworks, etc., has fallen off.

“Auckland has the stranglehold upon Wellington so far as money is concerned,” remarked Mr. W. S. Wilson, at the annual meeting of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, “and I would strongly urge the council to take steps to effect greater unity in the commercial community in Wellington, so that we may get a fairer deal than we are getting at present.” In the House yesterday, Mr. Massey said he would take time to consider the question of setting up a select committee of the House to investigate the statement made by the member for Wairarapa during the debate on the Gaming Amendment Bill to the effect that a certain racing club had sent a large sum of money to Wellington, presumedly to further the views of that club in connection with the Gaming Bill. He thought Cabinet should be consulted about such a matter. —Press Association.

Referring to the measures taken to protect the Agricultural Society’s grounds from erosion by the Waiwakaiho river the president of the Society (Mr. W. B. Grant) remarked, at the annual meeting yesterday, that some blame had been thrown on the persons who were originally responsible for the selection of the site. He desired to point out that prior to the selection many enquiries were made, and, according to the information then supplied, no° erosion had take place within the previous twenty years. It was rather unfortunate, therefore, that this trouble should have been encountered after the society acquired the property.

The last of the series of euchre parties and dances in connection with the Fitzroy School Fete was held on Thursday night in the school room, 22 tables being occupied. The ladies’ prize was won bv Mrs. Waters, the second by Mrs. J. Haldane. The men’s prize, donated by the Melbourne Clothing Company, was won by Mr. C. Bullot, Mr. W. Christian winning the second, also winning the grand aggregate for the season. Dancing was carried on in an adjoining class-room, Miss R. Cameron presiding at the piano. Mr. G. F. Goldsworthy made an efficient M.C. By special request a dance will be held on Saturday night, November 5, in the school-room.

Introducing Mr. Clutha Mackenzie at Auckland the other evening, Rev. J. Lamb Harvey told a Scotch story of four ministers who were candidates for a vacant church. They preached in turn, and then the members had to make their decision. There was an old lady, whose judgment in these matters was highly valued, she being famous as a “sermon-taster,” and they waited upon her to ask her advice. She summed up the respective merits of the four candidates very succinctly. “The first one,” she said, “is sound. The second is not sound. The. third is nothing but sound.” The fourth she dismissed in a wold. “He is cracked.” “I leave you,” said Mr. Harvey; “to make the local application, but in my judgment Mr. Mackenzie is ‘sound.’ ” “The business people of our town do not assist us anything like they should do,” said the president of the Taranaki Agricultural Society (Mr. W. B. Grant) at 5 the annual meeting yesterday. Continuing, he said: “There are of course exceptions. Our shows must be of benefit to the town. In any case £l9OO of our expenditure last year was made to various business firms in this town, so this proves that the town is getting something out of us. Then again there is the money which visitors from outside districts leave here, and this must be a considerable sum. If all the business houses in the town would only become members, and subscribe the annual fee of £1 it would give us some added encouragement, but I regret to say that there are some who are not even members.”

Mr. Clement Wragge, the well-known meteorologist, astronomer, and scientist, has decided to give a series of popular and illustrated lectures in New Plymouth during the present month. When arrangements are completed particulars will be advertised in this paper. Mr. Wragge hopes also to visit other parts of Taranaki. His subjects will be “The Endless Universe,” “The Romance of the Pacific,” and “The Weather in Relation to the Farming and Pastoral Community/’

Miss Mary McCarthy, who is to give a public address in New Plymouth on Sunday evening, is in great demand as a lecturer. Her experiences while attending conferences in England and on the Continent form the basis of one of her lectures, and it is hoped to arrange that an addres,s will be given on this subject in addition to the one on “Post-war Problems.” She has just concluded a series of lectures at Napier and different parts of Otago, where she addressed school-teachers on “Education and the Guild Idea.” After leaving New Plymouth Miss McCarthy will visit Carterton and Christchurch, where she will give an address to women on “The Endowment of Motherhood.” The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd., wish to draw clients attention to their Stratford sale, which they are holding in their Strattord yards on Tuesday, November 8, 1921, at 12.30 p.m.

Your soiled or faded suits, costumes, and dresses can be successfully drycleaned r dyed and made equal to new at the cost of a few shillings, by J. K. Hawkins and Co., dyers and dry cleaners, Dev - Street. New Plymouth. We; also renovate felt hat*, Panama hats, furs. etc. Now, it does not matter where you live; just post your goods to us, and they will be returned in a few days Choice, fragrant, freshly-manufactur-ed State Express cigarettes at specially reduced prices. Look! We offer you these high grade smokes at a wonderiui reduction—so for 2/6. Smokers, you cannot get better treatment than this offer o-ives you. And remember, we guarantee these are fresh new stocks.— W H. Preece, Devon. Street Central, New Plymouth.

| The following have been elected unopposed as trustees of the Oaonui Irrigation Board: Messrs. D. Markham, Geo. Clegg, J. C. O’Rorke, D. Mourie, and H. McCann.

At a special meeting of the Opunake Electric Power Board it was resolved to abandon the idea of holding public meetings to explain the proposals. The poll on a proposal to borrow £70,000 is to take place on the 17th inst. Mr. A. O’Brien was appointed clerk to the board and returning officer.

The following officers have been elected to the Hawera Chamber of Commerce: President, Mr. J. B. Murdoch; vice-presidents, Messrs. Fletcher and Mills; executive, Messrs. Bennett, Douglas, R. G. Cuming, Runciman, Sellar; auditor, Mr. Burdekin; secretary, Mr. Sage.

A speaker at ‘the freezing works meeting at Patea recently stated that the Patea works were not the only ones that had made and lost money. An Argentine company, after making a profit of £138,000 one year, showed a deficit of £148,000 the next.

At Wanganui on Thursday Or. Sigley stated that the woollen mills would not' start in Wanganui if they were dependent of the steam plant for power. The great thing was cheap power. Hydro was coming and it was reasonably close at hand. Every argument was in favor of cheap hydro-electrical power. Several large Home firms were going to Tasmania instead of Australia because at Hobart there was cheap hydro power.

The observance of Armistice Day was a matter before the Clifton County Council yesterday. A circular was received from the Prime Minister (Mr. WF. Massey) stating that it was the wish of His Majesty the King, that at 11 a.m. on Armistice * Day, November 11, there should be a complete suspension ot all normal business throughout the Dominion, and asking the Council to make suitable arrangements for the Clifton County. It was decided to give effect to the request. Writing of the Patea Freezing Company,. the local paper says that the position as it exists to-day is that from £25,000 to £30,000 is required to carry on the works for the current season, when the directors will have time to look around them and if desired accept any favorable offer that may be received. If the works are closed down the company will be forced into liquidation, in which case the works will be sold under the hammer for what they will fetch. Already close upon £20,000 has been received towards the sum required to place the works on a better footing and enable the directors to parry on for the time being.

The cost of living had been the trouble all through (stated the Prime Minister on Wednesuay). He had had from the department that morning an indication of what might be' expected in that connection. The statement supplied to him was as follows: —“Compared with July, 1914, the cost of living reached the peak in Decem'bex’ last, being then 78.97 per cent, above July, 1914. The figure for October, which will be published shortly, is down to 56.36 per cent, above July, 1914, which shows a drop of 22.61 per cent, since t'he peak was reached in December last. The Statistician advises that the above figures deal with food prices only, which are generally accepted as indicative of the whole position.”

The committee of the Taranaki Agricultural Society has been interesting itself in the question of establishing an experimental dairy farm in North Taranaki. At the annual meeting of the society held yesterday, the president (Mr. W. B. Grant) reported that as the result of an invitation from the committee, Mr. J. W. Deem, Fields Supervisor for the Agricultural Department, had agreed to address a meeting of those interested, at the Soldier’s Club, New Plymouth, next Friday afternoon. Mr. Grant remarked that the subject was an important one, and he said these small experimental farms were going to take the place of the larger State farms, which were costing a lot of money to run. He thought the district should not be behind in having an experimental farm, as they were a great help. In supporting the proposal Mr. E. Jacksoia testified to the good work done at the experimental farm in Stratford, and advocated the establishment of one on the same lines. '

At the'monthly sitting of the Opunake Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Mr. A. Mowlem, S.M., presiding, judgment by default was given in the following cases: Egmont County Council v. Rakanui, claim £63 15s lOd; same v. Hon Tapuikura, £l4 Is 6d; E. Reynolds v. ||’ Coffey, £lO 4s; Thorpe and Callaghan v. J. Smith, £2O 7s; F. F. Barraclough v. H. Woller, jr., £0 14s lOd; Louis Parsons v. R. Parkes, £8; Thomas, Oliver and Thomas v. J. J. Cullen, £47 17s; same v. C. J. Jeffries, £39 13s; Joseph Mansor v. F. J. Moller, £9 2s M. In the following judgment summons cases orders were made for payment forthwith, in default various terms of imprisonment: D. Hutching v. Walter Yardley, claim £l4 0s 7d; A E. Magon v. Riki Te Kahui, £22 19a 6d; J. W. Thorpe v. A. J. Feaver, £l7 12s 6d; (E, Vincent v. Timi Puta Watta, £ll »a 6d; Hughson’s, Ltd. v. L. Parsons, £5 7s Id; same v. A. Tulloek, £3 17s lid; flame v. Ratafai Fisher, £l3 17s sd; same v. E. Hill, jr., £l2 8s sd; L. F. Fisher v. Riki Kahui, £l6 17s (id. For allowing bullocks to stray on the county roads H. Munro and D. Northcote were convicted and fintd 10s each and coats.

The band programme of music, which was to be rendered at Ngaere Gardens on Labor Day, and which was postponed on account ’of the inclemency of the weather, will be given to-morrow afternoon by the Opunake Band of 30 performers. To enable music lovers from the country to enjoy this concert without inconvenience, arrangements have been made for the programme to commepce at mid-day and continue until about 3 p.m. The orcliestrala will play at t'he .conclusion of the band programme, and given fine weather, a very enjoyable afternoon should be spent 'amid the pleasant surroundings of the gardens.

The New Zealand Meat Packing and Bacon Co. advise that the company will not be receiving pigs during next week. Calfskins will be purchased as usual. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd., and Newton KingLtd., wish to draw clients’ attention to their Kohuratahi sale, which they are holding on Wednesday, November 9 1921, at 1 p.m. Full particulars be found on page 8.

Perfect, permanently leaklees Pipe Joints will characterise your work if you use “HEWSON’S” INVINCIBLE JOINTING CEMENT, on all joints. Equally effective with steam, water, ammonia, oil, etc. Manning Co.. 5 Bedford Row, Chrietchurch. 11