LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It j® reported that during the past year there was an increase of 10,000 in the membership of the Alliance of Labor, and that there are over 40,000 workers affiliated, with the organisation.

A man who was charged with failing to send his son to evening school, at the Eltham Magistrate’s Court yesterday, made an unfortunate mistake. He sent a letter to the Magistrate containing an excuse for not sending the child. The evidence of the truant officer showed that the child had been sent to school, but marked absent because of bad behaviour.

The citizens’ ball, held in New Plymouth on the occasion of the visit of Lord and Lady Jellicoe, resulted in a loss of £52, which included a charge of £lO made by the Borough Council for the use of light. At a meeting of the ball committee last night it was suggested that the loss should be borne by the Borough Council, hut eventually it was agreed that the gentlemen members of the committee should carry out a canvass to collect this amount. Several contributions towards the loss have already been promised.

“Is it intended to inaugurate a faster tram service?” was a question asked by Cr. J. Brown at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council. Replying, the tramways manager (Mr. R. H. Bartley) intimated that he proposed to draw up a new timetable for a faster service, but no change would be made for three weeks or a month yet. He desired to see the staff well adapted to the new cars first, and would also require to change the ticket system. The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) informed the meeting that at present the department was undertaking the gradual overhaul of the other cars. Nelson Moate’s teas are blended by an expert of many years’ experience, and contain only the choicest of hill-grown leaves. Ask your grocer for Nelson Moate’s brands. -

A Christchurch message says that the local factories have further reduced the price of butter by Id per Tb. The retail price is now Is Bd.

In the course of a discuseion at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki County Council a member had occasion to refer to port charges and incidentally mentioned that he had been, debited at the rate of 9/4 per ton for transport of superphosphates from the break water to New Plymouth, which he considered was rather high. The question of the heavy loads being carried by motor lorries on the Main South Road was introduced at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki County Council by Cr. J. Wooldridge, who expressed the opinion that some restrictions should be enforced. He suggested a 5-ton loan should be the absolute maximum. The council decided to make enquiries prior to coming to a decision at the next meeting.

In the course of a discussion with a deputation of settlers who waited on the Taranaki County Council yesterday asking for certain works to be carried out, the chairman (Mr. J. S. Connett) intimated that the council was not in a position to do any new metalling. He informed the petitioners that the council’s overdraft stood at £16,600. This did not include the accounts to be passed at the meeting, which amounted to, £2500.

The first ascent of Mt. Egmont for the season was made on Sunday by Mr. G. Meuli, of Wanganui (guide), Miss Ethel Hills, of Wellington, and Miss J. Gabbie and A. Allwood of Hawera. Climbing was extremely difficult as the party had to cut their way through ice two-thirds of the way up the slope. The party left Dawson Falls at 4.35 a.m., returning at 3 p.m. Mr. Meuli, who has ascended the mountain on nine different occasions, states that he. has never seen the crater under such favorable circumstances, it being a glorious sight (says the Star).

In regard to the proposal for developing electric power from coal burned at the Mokau mines, it is interesting to note that the quantity of coal exposed on the Mokau lands was estimated by the late Sir James Hector and Professor Park as a thousand million tons. The total output from all the New Zealand mines last year was 1,843,705 tons, so on this consumption the Mokau alone could keep the Dominion going in coal for. 500 years. Yet there are people who say that New Zealand has very limited supplies of coal. Yesterday Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., waited on the Taranaki County Council with reference to the proposed Motors Bill which is being brought down in the House in conjunction with the Highways Bill. The measure is designed to provide the revenue to give effect to the proposed regulations in connection with the maintenance of highways. Mr. Smith intimated that the Motors Bill had been referred to a sub-committee who were empowered to take evidence, and he was desirous that at the sitting of the committee (of which he was a member) the opinions of Taranaki local bodies should be fully represented. The chairman of the council (Mr. J. S. Connett) replied that he was sure the Taranaki Counties’ Association would take the opportunity of being represented if possible, if they knew when the committee was sitting, and Mr. Smith undertook to forward information on this point.

The dislocation of the electric ’bus service was the subject of a report received at last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council from the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley). He stated that he was forced to take the ’bus out of service on Saturday afternoon about 5 o’clock, as the hub in the front wheel was broken. This was a part that was very unlikely to give, trouble, and consequently there were no spare parts in store. lie attributed the fracture to overloading, although inspection during the annual overhaul recently did not reveal any signs of weakness. These bearings were especially examined at that period, the vehicle having run approximately 100,000 miles. Mr. Bartley stated that immediate steps were taken after the break to secure spare parts, and he hopes to have the ’bus in service again late to-day or early to-morrow.

The agreement existing between the New Plymouth Borough Council and the Taranaki County Council with reference to sharing the upkeep of boundary roads has been revised, as the result of a discussion between representatives of the two bodies. Instead of the councils each paying half the cost of maintenance, as has been the custom, each will take over complete control of certain roads. Reporting to yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki County Council, the chairman (Mr. J. S. Connett) stated that the list of boundary roads to be wholly maintained by the respective councils were: Borough Council—Avenue, Tarahua, and Doralto, from the new Saxton’s road northward. Taranaki County—'Carrington, Frankley, Elliott and Doralto (from new road westward). It was proposed to enter into an agreement for. a period of ten years. The proposals were approved. and will 'be submitted to the Borough Council for adoption. The Orangemen of New Plymouth held a very enjoyable social gathering at the Foresters’ Hall on Saturday evening. Mr. G. H. Gallaher presiding over a largo attendance. The chairman, in opening the proceedings said November 5 was a day Orangemen liked to celebrate and he. expressed the hope that all present would enjoy the programme which had been arranged. Refreshments were served and afterwards a toast list interspersed with songs and recitations and pianoforte eolos was honored. The Union Jack surmounted' by a crown of flowers occupied a prominent position on the platform and the toast of the King was received most enthusiastically. Mr. Ling proposed “William Prince of Orange.” He said it was on November 5, 1688, when William Prince of Orange first landed at Torbay, England. It was only natural that he should ask for some tangible proof of British sincerity and those who wished to adhere to his cause were required to put their signatures to a document containing among other things these words: “That they would support and defend William Prince of Orange in upholding the laws and Protestant religion of England and Ireland,” for said he, “until we have that accomplished we are as a rope of sand; men may leave us when they choose —we have them under no tie—whereas if they affix their signatures to an association they will consider themselves bound to stick to us.” William’s Messim then was to secure religious freedom and those who stood by him in the struggle were called Orangemen. The chairman then made presentations of a pipe each to Messrs. G. H. McGahey and McPherson.

The New Plymouth Caledonian Society wish to acknowledge receipt of a donation of £2 from the Great McEwen