LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Manawatu A. and P. Association has been advised by the Council of Agriculture that it has been decided to hold the first proposed Royal Shaw at Palmerston North, but the date of the fixture has not been decided upon. —Press Assn.

A native named Henry Kaipo, who was arrested by Constable Hadler at Waitara on Wednesday, on a charge of committing thefts from an hotel, was brought before the court and remanded in custody for eight days. It is understood there are other informations pending against the accused.

The Corinna sailed from New Ply mouth for Wellington last night with a consignment of 10,280 crates of cheese for transhipment to the Wiltshire at Wellington. Space formerly allotted on the Kaikoura, which will be at New Plymouth next weeK, has been cancelled, but the vessel will take in 2000 crates of cheese. The allot!ment of 5000 boxes of butter for the Tairoa, to be transhipped at Wellington, has also been cancelled. ’The Country Telephones Amendment Bill, whieh was introduced ip the House of Representatives on Tuesday night, provides that in the case of a loan raised by a local authority for the erection ot telephone lines, the security may be a special rate over ail rateable property in the district or any defined •• : a of the district. The old provision ,iar a special rate over the lands of the persons signing the petition for the erection of the fine is being repealed. The local authority, in lieu of erecting the lines itself, may arrange with the Government to construct and maintain the lines, the local authority to indemnify the Government against loss. A special rate may be raised for the discharge of this indemnify. On a charge of indecently assaulting a little girl about 5 years, of age James Kingwood, a man of about 60, was rrested at 'Opunake on Wednesday by Constable Clouston. it is alleged the offence took .o nt Opunake and when a description of the accused . as o-iven a search was made, a number .settlers between Oaonni and Kahotu assisting. He' was in some fern not far from the roadway, and was discovered by some Maoris. On pretence of giving him a lift along on bis way they induced him to take a ride with them in their car, and he was safely piloted into the arms ot Constable Clouston, who aiTested him and brought him before the court a* Opunake. He was remanded to appear on the -26th inst., and was brought for custody into the New Plymouth Gaol yesterday. “It shows the necessity for having another wharf,” was the comment of the chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board (Mr. Newton King) at yesterday's meeting, when he had informed members that one boat, the City of Corinth, which was coming to New Plymouth from Cardiff with 6000 tons of coal, could not be accommodated. He said the next few weeks would see a number of liners calling at the port in close proximity to each other. There were the Port Albany, Cape May, Waikawa, and Kaitangata. The City of Corinth s cargo would take about a fortnight to discharge, so unfortunately the vessel\ could not be taken at New Plymouth.

•■This is the second coal boat we have had to put aside,” concluded Mr. King. In reply to a question put by a member it was'elicited that the loss of revemte to the board would he about £l5O.

The new wharf cut at the port of New Plymouth has been advanced to a total length of 580 ft., according to reports on dredging operations read at yesterday's meeting of the harbor board. Commenting on the work, Mr. C. E. Bellringer said he thought the board could congratulate themselves on the excellent result achieved. He thought it was a big stroke of luck that the dredge should have got through the hard formation so well, and it was highly satisfactory that s'Bo of the 960 ft. cut had now been done. “You have got a lot of hard stuff to encounter yet,” said the chairman (Mr. Newton King). Mr. Bellringer said the result so far, however, was excellent. In reply to a question from this speaker the engineer (Mr. G. W. B. Lowson) said he thought operations should be proceeded with as at present before considering securing another dredge. He pointed out that they could not use another dredge in the cut.

The New Plymouth Harbor Board loin of £128,000, which was recently floated on the London market, will bear interest at 6Va per cent, at 97. The loan matures oh February 1, 1932. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the board yesterday the chairman (Mr. Newton King) said members would be pleased to note that the bank had been successful in meeting the wishes of the board in getting the term of the loan reduced to 10 years, and also that it was floated at 97 instead of 96, as at first proposed Formal resolutions were carried by the board respecting the raising of the loan, and the debentures are to be issued as follows, 300 at £lOO. 150 at £5OO, and ■23 at £10(X).

Messrs. George and Doughty adver tise in this issue still further reductions in soft goods, which can be obtained from the firm’s “Open Warehouse,” Winter Show buildings, Ha

Island hats only 1/11. at tne Melbourne, Ltd. Leather straps for same 3d extra; brown towels for bathers 3/11, 4/11 and 5/11 per pair; extra large blue or red spot handkerchiefs for surf bathers, 1/3; bathing costumes in all grades, including finest quality all wool cashmere Canadian two-piece* style only, 18/«-

In a New Zealand egg-laying contest an Indian runner duck is stated to haw laid three hundred and sixty-six eggs in three hundred and sixty-flve days. Punch thinks the odd egg is supposed to have been a sighting shot. Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) gave notice in the House on Wednesday to ask the Minister for Health whether he will amend the Sale of Food‘and Drugs Act in the direction of compelling wholesale vendors to give a warranty with their products, instead of as at present placing the liability on retailers, in regard to the description of goods sold under the terms of the above Act.

Colonel Leader, when speaking at the Chautauqua at Auckland on Saturday evening, said when in America he was called upon to move a toast to one of the. Allies in the world war. He proposed: “The one that did the most and talked the least about it,” but mentioned no country. The toast was duly honored, the Americans supplying the name “Great Britain.” Preliminary figures from the Maori census taken last April show the Native population to , amount to 52,7.51. The following official observation accompanies the figures:—“The figures show a substantial increase, but tins' is probably due a good deal to the inclusion of returned soldiers as compared with the census taken in 1916. The census for the South Island was again taken with the European census, the Natives and half-castes there being regarded as living as Europeans.” “What has happened during my absence from New Zealand shows that I was right in bringing before the Senate last year the need of having University trained men as teachers, and of guarding these classes from being made mere instruments for the propaganda of some advanced theories of economics.” This statement was made to the University Senate by the Chancellor, Sir Robert Stout, when referring to the Workers’ Educational Association.

“Will the Prime Minister see that criminals such as this burglar get sentences commensurate with their crimes?” asked Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) in the House jof Representatives on Tuesday. The member explained that he referred to a man who had been charged with a series of burglaries in Wellington and Christchurch, and also with a serious assault a Wellington doctor. A custom had grown up of giving “mamby pambv treatment” to such offenders, instead of really salutary sentences. The Prime Minister said he need hardly tell the House .that he could not interfere with the course of justice. He did not know if the alleged criminal had been before the court. J)r. Thacker:He has been befora the Court in Christchurch, o.nd has admitted his guilt. He has not been sentenced. Mr. Massey: Thon the matter is sub judice, and 1 am not prepared to discuss it.

For some time there has stood on the order paper of tho Legislative Council in the name of the Hon. J. MacGregor a Marriage Amendment Bill, which proposed to add to the principal Act the following sub-section: —“Every person sending in to the Registrar-General the name of any minister of religion shill send in at the same time a statutory declaration nf allegiance to His Majesty the King made by himself, together with a certificate that the minister

whoso name is so sent in is willing to make .a like declaration of allegiance.” When' the bill was called on for its second reading on Wednesday he did not proceed with it. “At this stage of the session,” he said, “it will be of n o use proceeding with this Bill, and I move that the order be discharged.” This the Council agreed to.

During her recent visit to the Wanganui district, Dame Clara Butt made an attempt to gain an interview with Ratana, the Maori miracle-worker. She was motored out to the camp, which shefound practically deserted. None of the natives presenti appeared to know anything of the whereabouts of Ratana. His movements were shrouded in the deepest mystery. At length the chauffeur got a whisper than an individual standino' among a crowd was the miracle man. Dame Clara Butt hastened tc-ned towards the - man, who extended his hand and exclaimed “How do you do?” “Then yon are Ratana?” was the remark of the visitor. “I think you have got the wrong man,” was the reply With that, a Maori damsel stepped in between the two, and ushered Dame Clara Butt into a house. She thought that Ratana was following, but s'he discovered that he had made off down a paddock in the direction of the railway station, where a train was arriving The visitor was disappointed, but left the camp delighted at the thought that she had spoken and shaken hands with the worker of miracles.

To-morrow (Saturday) evening the 4th Battalion Regimental Band will give a recital at Kawaroa Park. Dancing on the green will be indulged in. The recital will commence at 7.45 o eloek and a collection in aid of the contest fun.', will be taken up.

A dance will be held in the Puniiio schoolroom to-night. An excellent programme has been arranged, and a large attendance is anticipated.