LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

For the nine months ended September 30 last, the Government Statistician reports, the approximate loss of wages due to 53 industrial disturbances was £68.202. The disturbances affected 8002 workers, and lasted in all 4»6 days.

Cancer continues to stand, nigh among causes of death in New Zealand. In November, according to the Government Statistician, it accounted for fifty deaths out of a total number of 407 in the urban areas.

Twenty-nine liners were berthed at New Plymouth during the year 1921, in addition to a number of smaller overseas vessels. In the previous year the number of liners was eleven and in 191!) it was seven.

With, the finances of the railways unsatisfactory the department hoped the revenue would receive a good lift at Christmas, but a Wellington Times representative gathered that the result had been rather disappointing. Generally the traffic has been lighter tha i expected, but on the Auckland section it has been heavy.

It is said that the visit by the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) to Samoa is likely to take place before the session opens next year. While dates cannot yet be fixed, even tentatively, it is probable that Mr. Massey will make the trip in April or May, the arrangements being made to fit ’in with the cruise which H.M.S. Chatham will make. Mr. Massey will travel by the Chatham, and it is probable that the Governor-General (Lord Jellicoe) will visit the islands at the saine time. This, however, has not yet been definitely decided.

Don’t go away on your holidays without taking a bottle of Nazol. Good for coughs colds, sore throats, etc.

A burglar who was operating in the suburban districts during the Christmas period appears to possess a pretty wit (states the Christchurch Press). It is narrated that on a recent Sunday he evidently watched a certain Fendalton residence until the occupants left for church; thereafter he effected an entrance. When the occupartts returned from their devotions, and became aware by the general disarrangement of things that there had been an uninvited visitor, the next thing that they became aware of was a noice, in scrawled handwriting, pinned up in the hall. It read: “You should watch as well as pray! ” The campaign against rats was referred to by the Minister of Health (the Hon. C. J. Parr), who stated to an Auckland reporter on Wednesday that he was anxious that there should be no relaxation of effort during the holidays. '•'The danger of the plague coining into New Zealand,” said the Minister, “is very serious, and it is imminent, according to the latest advice from Australia.” Mr. Parr said that, with the coming of the hot summer months, the danger increased, and nothing but a relentless war waged day and night against rats would keep the community free from this dread disease.

'Strawberries declined in price on Wednesday to ani unusual extent, a number of shopkeepers offering them at lOd per chip, while a few retailers who had stocks on hand which they wished to clear disposed of their surplus at 9d per chip, reports the Auckland Herald. These low rates were possible owing to the phenomenally poor prices realised at the markets, which, in view of the advanced state of the season, are cons)dered to be lower than has been the case for the past ten years. The recent warm rains have brought the crop on wonderfully, with the result that the supplies which came forward far exceeded requirements, hence the low bidding. It is anticipated that another two weeks will see the last of the crop. Suffering from a fracture of the left thigh, a fracture of the leg (just above the ankle) and abrasions to the face and legs, Arnold J.-nsen aged 15 was admitted to the New Plymouth Public Hospital on Saturday afternoon. Jensen had been riding a bicycle down Dawson Street and as he turned into Powderham Street he came into collißion with a oar driven by Dr Walker, who was proceeding eastwards. me cyclist was going at a speed lleh necessitated taking the corner with a wide sweep. He was thrown heavily and th<j cycle was badly smashed. Jensen was attended to by Drs. Walke-T and Home, and was then removed to hospital. Yesterday he was reported to be making satisfactory progress. No incident during the Christmas holidays has shown: a finer Christmas spirit than one recorded on the Main Trunk line at a wayside station in the King Country. A young mother (reports an exchange) arrived at the station with two young children just in time to see the train draw out of the station. She had been going some distance to spend her Christmas with her parents not far from the city. It was the evening hour, and there was no train calling at the station again that night. A linesman passed along soon after on his jigger, and, taking in the situation at a glance, pushed on to his hut, and soon had the billy boiling and a Couple of bottles filled with some steaming hot tea and a haversack filled with cake and biscuits. Then, pulling his jigger back on to the line, he started out for the station again and placed his offering of food before the rather anxious mother, who, after feeding the children, decided to stay the night in the bare waiting-room. Again the’ linesman went away, and returned after a long ride with some rugs and pillows, and the mother and children were made happy for the night, and caught a very early train next .morning, enabling her and her children to have Christmas dinner in. the old home.

A few years ago the farmers in the Eltham district used to bring their calves in hundreds for the purpose of being inoculated against that horrible disease known as “blackleg” (says the Argus). Since then, however, owing to comparative immunity from the trouble many farmers have become apathetic and neglected to inoculate; and now the penalty is being paid. Quite recently there have been several deaths of calves from blackleg in this neighborhood, and now that the disease has again got a hold there may be many more losses. Sometimes when a calf dies and the carcase is not immediately disposed of dogs and hawks carry pieces of flesh for miles arpund and poison the pastures on otherwise clean farms, and it takes years to get rid of the germs. A farm that is known to have blackleg on it at once becomes an unsaleable proposition. Blackleg is here. For obvious reasons the names of those farmers who have lost calves is not mentioned. The warning has been given; if farmers ignore it and suffer heavy losses they will have themselves to blame.