LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Telegraph reports that the number of unemployed in the Hawke’s Bay district is now very small, the freezing, shearing, and harvesting operations having absorbed the surplus workers.

When the Surf Club’s emergency reel was needed a few days ago at Castlecliff (Wanganui) to rescue a party from drowning, it was foun<l that a thief had stolen the life-line.

An inquest concerning the death of Charles Thompson, who was killed at Uruti on Wednesday, was held at the deceased’s late residence, Uruti, yesterday, before Mr. R. H. Pigott, J.P., and a jury of four. A verdict was returned to the effect that deceased met his death by suffocation, through a horse falling and lying upon him.

In the Opunake Court yesterday, Rangi Biers, a Maori, was charged with the theft of £lO 6s, the property of A. Dick. Constable Cl ouston appeared for the police. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed for .trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth in February. There was no application for bail.

“The outlook for the future is decidedly encouraging. The prospects for wool are exceedingly bright, and there is no item of produce better as an investment at the present time. Two or three months from now meat will equal wool as an investment.”—Mr. J. C. Cooper, chairman of directors of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Meat Co.

There are some farmers in the Eltham district who are able to read with equanimity the market reports for butter and cheese (says the Argus). They paid £l2 per acre for their land. They have neighbors immediately adjoining who paid up to £l5O for exactly similar land, and who have very different feelings when reading the market reports.

A remarkable escape from serious injury was experienced by Mr. E. J. Ryan, a resident <• Auckland. When he was driving a motor-car across the ra‘HWay line at lihe Porter’s avenue crossing, Mount Eden, the machine was struck by the engine of the Auck-land-bound Helensville train. After being carried on the front part of the engine for about 100 yards the car was thrown on one si’de and smashed to pieces. Mr. Ryan, it is understood, climbed on to the engine before his car fell away from it. He thus escaped uninjured.

■“There is plenty of work to Be had in the Shannon district—indeed right down the line,” said a Shannon farmer to a Standard reporter on Friday. He went on to say that men who were willing to work could obtain employment quite easily if they left the town. The trouble was that the majority of men nowadays would not work in the country, and this fact was responsible for so* much unemployment, which at this season of the year v should not exist at all.

The changeable weather that has prevailed lately, with its alternating days of rain and sunshine, has had a very beneficial effdot on the grass that has been sown on the playing arena at the Pukekura Park sports ground. This is now coming away well; so also are the weeds, and the committee have accordingly decided to hold a working bee at the grounds to-morrow afternoon at 2 p.m. to eradicate the weeds, and the assistance of any sporting enthusiast for an hour or two will be welcomed. Several members of the New Plymouth sports ground committee visited the Recreation Grounds on New Year’s morning and captured a couple of grey hounds that were doing their preliminaries over the ground with disastrous effect to the young grass. The owner, on being communicated with, promptly paid for the damage and gave a guarantee that the dogs would not be allowed on the ground again. The committee, at its meeting last night, decided that proceedings would be taken against the owners of any dogs caught there in future. The half-holiday will be observed as usual in New Plymouth to-morrow afternoon. There was some doubt as to the position, in view of the fact that Monday and Tuesday were holidays, but there is no provision in the regulations for such eases. A Bill is at present before the House in which some amendment is proposed with a view to meeting the position when there are other holidays in the week such as the present week, but that has not yet been passed, and therefore cannot affect the .position, and the law as it now stands must be observed.

Wednesday was the 53rd anniversary of the commencement of the assault that ended in the capture of the Ngatapa pa, in the Poverty Bay district, the mountain stronghold of the rebel Te Kooti. After the siege had been in progress sor several days, Major-General (then colonel) G. S. \Wiitmore, decided to make ar immediate attack on January 4, in order to prevent the enemy escaping from the rear of the fortress. A concealed movement was accordingly carried out, and the right and left extremities of the outer wall were seized, the intention being to blow up the inner lines; The operation was nearly completed at dawn next morning, when it was learnt that the enemy were escaping. The fortification was immediately entered, and it was found that Te Kooti had made off. lowering his men, and some of the women, down-the ■steepest, and therefore least guarded, part of the cliff. A large portion of the native force was at once in eager pursuit, and by sundown the number of killeil, either in the pa or in the pursuit, had reached 120. By the evening of the following day most of the pursuers had returned, bringing two of Te Kooti’s wives. Of his followers 136 were killed. Major Ropata, N.Z.C., who was chief of the Ngatiporou tribe, and Colonel T. W. Porter, C. 8., were in charge of the friendly natives, and were assisted by Captain Preece, N.Z.C., and Captain Gundry. Mr. Walter Delaney, of Whangarei, who was only 12 or 13 years old at the time, was bugler to the. -native divisaon.'

William Alfred of Hawera, Captain in the N.Z.WC., was yesterday morning before Mr. C. O. Ekdahl, J.P., and was remanded to appear on January 10 to answer the following charges: Having received a cheque for £5O on terms requiring him to account for and pay the same to the Wanganui Garrison Band, did fraudulently convert the same to his own use, and theft of three amounts of £195 15s lid, £2 2s, and £lO respectively, the property of t the New Zealand Government. —Star.

The heather planted at the Tongariro National Park some years ago by Mr. John Cullen, honorary warden of the area, has thrived wonderfully well, and to-day covers approximately 3000 acres. At the present time the French Bell heather is a mass of 'bloom, and in many places its growth is almost as dense as on the moors in Scotland. It will continue to flower until about the middle of this month. The French Ling heather is expected to commence blooming at the beginning of March, and will continue in bloom until the end of April. The ordinary Ling heather flowers from January to March. Mr. Cullen distributed a quantity of bell heather in flower at the Ellerslie races and it was much admired by those who saw it.

The Tangitu Domain Board and Sports committee had a great gathering at Mapiu on Monday, the occasion being the official opening of the domain ground and the annual sports. The Taumarunui band was present and added to the day’s enjoyment. At 12 O’clock the chairman of the board (Mr. Mcßeth) called on Mr. W. T, Jennings, M.P., to officially declare the domain open. The member was received with enthusiasm, and congratulated the settlers on the good work accomplished, for they had turned a swampy ground into a pleasant place for recreation purposes, all by their own labor and contributions. The sports then proceeded, and the chopping and sawing competitions were exciting, as competitors had entered from Raetihi and Wfeikato.

“I have been to all the Australian States, with one exception, and all over New Zealand, but I have never seen a camp situated in more delightful and picturesque stirroundings than the present New Plymouth one,” said Pastor J. W. Kent, the Seventh Day evangelist from Australia, at last night’s meeting. He drew a striking picture of the beauties of . the park—“riotous beauties” he called them—with the mountain peak in the distance, remarking that such wonderful works brought them closer to Nature and therefore to God. A previous speaker expressed warm thanks to the people of the town for the great kindness and help extended to the visitors, who are enjoying the camp life under such favorable conditions as to wegfther and surroundings.

Some advice to New Zealanders was given by Mr. William McMaster, president of a large manufacturing concern in Montreal, when speaking to a Christchurch Press reporter. He, with Mr. J. Davidson, who is president of an enamelware manufacturing company in Montreal, are spending a month’s pleasure trip in New Zeeland, and it was obvious from their remarks that they are also keenly noting how this Dominion is faring politically, economically, and industrially. Mr. McMaster remarked: “As far as I can see, you have a wonderful country, but with the great prosperity you have enjoyed you seem to have become extravagant l in work and in other ways of life. You cannot expect to live cheaply if you have high pay and short working hours. When your factories are closed down from December 24 to January 4, that is an awful waste of time. In Canada the manufacturers are not against unionism, but they will not have the ‘closed shop,’ and Qvery worker anxious to get on is allowed every opportunity to do so.”

New Year festivities in the back blocks are enjoyable owing to the freedom from conventionalism. One outstanding above all others was that held at Tirau, twelve miles east of Mangapeehi, where about 1000 Maoris, pakeha settlers, and those from the soldier settlements were the guests of Te Roa, the Maori chief of the district. Ellis and Burnaud’s railway brought the guests from Mangapeehi and wayside stations, a free ride being provided. The usual Maori welcome was given at the pah, the Maori band playing “For they are jolly good fellows.” The preparations for the commissariat must have caused the Maoris great consideration, as the kaupa (Maori oven) had twelve young porkers, 200 tunas (eels) and new potatoes cooked in a way that was so appetising that a French chef would sacre with envy. Tn addition there were turkeys, geese, and other poultry cooked ■in style, with trifles, jellies, etc., equal to Hotel Cecil, Lon : don. Before the eating commenced Te Roa welcomed both Maori and European guests, and (Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., replied. The Maoris were deeply affected when he told them he visited the graves of two Maori soldiers at Walker’s Ridge, and that their graves were well eared for.

The public of New Plymouth are promised a musical treat on Saturday evening, December 14, w’hen an open air concert is to be held’in Pukekura Park. An excellent programme of vocal and instrumental items has been arranged by Mr. Ferry, whilst the regimental band has also promised to aesist. The proceeds are to be devoted towards defraying the cost of the improvements that have recently been carried out to the sports ground at very considerable expense by the committee, whose aim is to make that ground the best playing arena- in the province. To that end they have spared no expense. The scheme, which is a very comprehensive one, also provides for further improvements to the ground and its appointments that will involve still greater expenditure. When completed the ground will add to the attraction of the town and will be something for the residents to be proud of. By the courtesy of the Pukekura Park Board the open air entertainment will take place in the park.

The P.AjC., Sttratford, draw attention to their meat price list on page 1.

Your soiled or laded suite, costumes, and dresses can be successfully drycleaned < r dyed and made equal to new ar. the cost of a few shillings, by J. K. Hawkins and Co., dyers and dry cleaners, Dev- i Street, New Plymouth. We also renovate felt hate, 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 wonderful reduction—so for 2/6. Smokers, you cannot get better treatment than this offer gives you. And remember, we guarantee these are fresh new stocks.—• W. H. Preece, Devon Street Central, N«w Plymouth, - »