LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After January 1 the increase in the amusements tax will be reflected, in theatre admission prices. So far as. pictures are concerned the new prices will be Is Id, Is Bd, 2s 2d‘ami 2s »d for the Is, Is 6d, 2s and 2s 6d tickets respectively. When the covers were taken oft a consignment of bananas which arrived ih Masterton. th® other day, a large rat escaped from one of the cases. The railway hands immediately gave chase and captured the rodent, which, was summarily killed. The bananas came from Fiji but the rat may possibly have got into the case at Auckland. In any case it shows how these animals may scatter the germs of plague all over the even far from the seaboard. Whilst working on a farm at Tai Tapu, near Christchurch, last week, Joseph J. Herrick had his right anil cut off in the teeth of a reaper and binder, and died next day from shock and ld?s of blood. jAt the time of the accident has horse’s nad become frightened,, and in trying to stop them he fell in front of the machine. Deceased, who was married with two children, was a brother of Mr. O. J. Herrick, of Vogeltown. A motor accident occurred on Thursday, when two cars collided at the intersection of the Skeet and Manaia Roads. A Hudson super-six ran into the rear of a lighter car of 'the same make. The rear wheels of the lighter car were smashed and a portion of the chassis damaged, but the heavier machine escaped with bent mudgiiards and a smashed lamp. The occupants of both cars myraeuloualy escaped almOst unhurt. The driver of the big car was thrown out, but only sustained a few scratches and bruises. The names of the occupants of the cars are so far not ascertainable.—Argus.

Mr. J. Quih, speaking at yesterday’s meeting of producers, said that he had consigned Homo, some <OO wethers that had cost him in the neighborhood of a pound a head. He would be lucky, however, if he received 5s in return. Mr. O. Hawken remarked that a 61b. tin of meat was realising at Home something like 6d at present, whereas the tin alone cost companies l/l. These instances were an illustration of the hardships facing producers at present.

In accordance with the desire expressed by the Bishop of Auckland for more elasticity in the services of the church, it is proposed occasionally to make the Sunday evening service at St. Mary’s of a distinctly popular character. with the definite object bf making the claims and meaning of religion more comprehensible to the average non church goer, as well as with the idea of strengthening those who are already regular worshippers. The first of these “mission” services will be held at the Usual hour to-morrow (New Year’s Day), and it is hoped that the departure of the church from its more regular form of service will induce many people to be present. These mission services will probably be held quarterly. That many of the 'young soldier farmers are’ as resourceful as their fathers and grandfathers were in the earlier days of the Dominion’s history, is shown by the fact that in one district far removed from the city a party of young settlers, finding money rather scarce for the Christmas tame, struck on the idea of pooling all the surplus vegetables on their farms and sending them to the city, w’here they struck a high market ahd were enabled at the minimum of expense to get the wherewithal to buy a few extra luxuries for the festive season and have a good time beneath the cool shades of the fern trees which grew ground tiheir primitive homesteads. A marriage of nearly Afty years’ standing was the subject of a judicial pronouncement in the Supreme Court, Wellington, on the suit of the husband for a divorce on the ground of desertion The wife’s defence was that she had gone to England through fear of her husband’s threat to put her into an asylum. Mr. Justice Hosking agreed with this view of her flight. In her reply to the evidence in support of the allegation of desertion, the wife stated that sh'e went to a friend’s house because she wits frightened of her hubband, that he had told her he was going to put her into an asylum. His Honor said his conclusion was that she was threatened with the asylum. He believed the petitioner was only too readv to be rid of her because they could not get on together. The husband’s petition was dismissed with costs.

“It would revitalise business again if we could induce the department to introduce the late telegram system, e-ela-red the President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. 1. Martin, at the meeting of the Council of that body, when a suggestion for the reinstitution of delayed telegrams was under discussion. The present minimum charge of 1/6 fixed by the department he declared, had prevented the sysrtsrn being availed of as fully as it might have been. He suggested that the Chamber urge a return to the delayed teleoram rate of id per word, with a minimum charge of Bd. Business men in New Zealand had, during the war years, acquired the habit of doing a large proportion of their business by telegram instead of by letter, and since the late telegram system had been dispensed with these business methods had experienced a set-back. In conversation with a Napier Telegraph reporter, Mr. T. H Lowry, who recently returned to New Zealand aftei a visit’ to the Old Country, referred m glowing terms to the spirit of the people of the country. Mr. Lowry said that conditions generally were good, and everybody in the country seemed to be in a very happy mood. Mr. Lowry said] there must be something wrong in New Zealand, otherwise he could not understand the shn‘p. He certainly could see no reason for it, as New Zea.and products were finding a very ready market at really good prices at Home. He instanced the fact that while in England he used to often see bullocks being driven to the market, and the prices realised for this stock was anything from £5O to £7O each, and yet when he returned to New Zealand he found bullocks, quite as good, but. only bringing from £lO to £l2. At, Messrs. Quinn and Kenny’s music depot patrons will find a very large selection of all the latest popular song successes. Also a wide range of musical instruments, etc. Visitors and the public generally are invited to -inpect.

As year after year has rolled on, Doekrill’s have built up a reputation for real value in footß’ear. Their boots ana shoes combine comfort, style and durability, and have given satisfaction to for half a century.

Dr. Jack’s experiments at Otago University has advanced a step (states the Star). He received a telegram from Hamilton stating that the gramophone record “Abide With Me,” was heard, and heard most clearly, at Hamilton, This is the first time a record from Dunedin by wireless telephony has got beyond Wellington, and adds, therefore, another 200 miles to j>ast achievements. An enterprising Christchurch citizen, whose residence borders on the lower reaches of the river Avon, has installed a searchlight on his verandah, and from that vantage point he proceeds to “spot” the river banks. It is expected that the stretch of sward within range (luckily the light is not very powerful) will soon become the reverse of popular. According to the National Bank of Commerce of New York, artificial silk may offer severe competition to the natural product of the lower grades as a result of present conditions of the silk market. In 1911 the first produe ing plant Was established in the United 'States as a branch of an English firm. The production in that year was 320,0001 b. In 1920 the total reached 9,000,0001 b. The bulk of the artificial silk is used in the manufacture of hosiery, sweaters, and other knitted goods. It is woven with natural silk, cotton or other fibre into dress goods, shirtings and tapestry. According to Mr. D. Batea, of the executive of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, says the Press, there are a number of farmers at present who, in order to g4t enough to keep their families, have to leave farming wfork temporarily and seek other employment. On his suggestion the matter was referred to the executive, who were asked to report to the next meeting as to what avenues of employment were open to such men.

A true veteran of the road arrived in Palmerston North on Wednesday, he having tramped from the Ohakune district. Although very much on the wrong side of fifty years, he did not appear to be any the worse for his long journey, but his wearing apparel was somewhat tattefed. One foot was shod with a canvas tennis shoe, and the other with a one-time staunch “Bill Massey.” The tramp had a peculiar companion, a small Tamworth pig, 100-k--ing in fine fettle. A huge crowd sufrounded the pair in the Square last evening and listened to tales of the journey with much interest. The pig, like a‘devoted dog, was never failing in its obedience to the master’s call, and by complying with many requests of the owner caused no end of amusement.

Rather an interesting coincidence has just taken place on the North Shore (says the Auckland Star). Twentyfour years ago a young NCw Zealander, who went Home and married a Highland lassie, rented a house in the Highlands, where the honeymoon was spent before returning to New Zealand. Thia seaspn, wishing to have a change at the. holiday time, the colonial advertised, that he wished to lefts'e his house furnished for six weeks, or would exchange for that period for a house in the country He received a reply offering to take the house and enclosing a weeks rent in advance. The new tenant was a Scotchman, and after a little conversation he proved to be the very man who, nearly a quarter of a century ago, had leased his house in the Highlands to the New Zealander, who had jpSt commenced the completed life with his voung Scottish wife. “What a strange thihg We Should meet again under such unforSeten circumstances,” was the mutual expression bf both. “But they aang far about who never meet a friend,” is a good old Scotch saying. On the deck of the Paloona Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his farbwell to the Dominion:—“Farewell, New Zealand! I shall never see you again, but perhaps some memory of my visit may remain—or not, as God pleases. Anyhow, my own memory will remain. Every man looks on his own country as God’s own country if it be a free land, but the New Zealander has more reason than most. It is a lovely place, and contains within its moderate limits the agricultural plains of England, the lakes and hills of Scotland, the glaciers of Switzerland, and the fiords of Norway, with a fine, healthy people, who do hot treat the British newcomer with ignorant contempt or hostility. There are so many interests and so many openings that it is hard to think that a man will not find a cafeer in New Zealand. Canada, Australia and South Africa seem to me to be closely balanced, so far fts their attractions for the emigrant goes, but when one considers that New Zealand has neither the winter of Canada, the droughts of Australia, nor the racial problems of Africa, it does surely stand supreme, though it demand?, as all of them do, both labor and capital from the newcomer.”

Owing to the large number of people who congregate in Devon Street on New Year’s Eve, it has been decided to close Devon Street from the Melbourne corner to the Post Office to all vehicular traffic from 7 p.m. Tradesmen's vehicles and taxi passengers from the trams will, of course, be allowed to pass, but ih ail cases the drivers of such vehicles should get in touch with the men on point dutv. It should also be noted that persons letting off fireworks in Devon Street will be severely dealt with.

A monster sports and picnic will be held at the East End Reserve on Monday. Valuable prizes are offered for a variety of events. The committee have .one to a lot of trouble to insure a good time for the children, even to erecting an up-to-date water chute. Miss Jenny,. Rae, of Eltham (gold and silver medMlist) will give exhibitions of Highland dancing. Hot water and milk will be provided free. With all appointments in tip-top order, young and old are assured of a happy day at the seaside.