LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The correct amount of insurances on Mr. Wilkinson’s premises destroyed by fire at Eltham were: Stocks £6OOO, building £4OOO. Mr. Wilkinson’s loss is estimated at nearly double the amount of the insurance cover.

Replying to Mr. S. Smith in the House on Friday evening the actingMinister of Railways stated during the discussion on the Railway Estimates that he would have the representations regarding Lepperton station carefully considered.

, “I must confess that I never heard of Mt. ‘Egmont till I came to New Zealand, and it is a far better mountain than any I have previously seen in my travels,” remarked Mr. H. R. Peat on the Lnautauqua platform at New Plymouth on Saturday night when talking on the question of “boosting.” At Saturday’s meeting of the Hawera County Council the chairman (Mr. J. B. Murdoch) referred to the speed at which heavy motor lorries proceeded along the county roads, which, he said, was the main factor in the damage done to the road. Legislation should be introduced compelling the lorries to travel at th? speed of 12 miles per hour. Councillors supported the chairman’s opinion, but no action was taken.

A New Plymouth retailer, when approached concerning the rise in the price of butter of one penny per lb. at Auckland, stated that at present no rise is contemplated locally, unless there are further changes in the market. There was, however, an advance of a half penny per lb. in the wholesale price last week, but this, he stated, had not been passed on to the public. A very enjoyable picnic took place at Mr. Frethey’s gardens, Frankley Road, on Saturday. There was a fair attendance, including many visitors who had never previously visited these gardens and who were delighted with their beauty. The object of the picnic was to augment the funds now being raised to erect a public hall for the district, and the gross takings amounted to nearly £25, bringing the total of the fund to about £135.

A pleasant picnic day was experienced at Bell Block on Saturday afternoon, when an outing was held in connection with St. Mary’s Sunday School. The plcnjc site was on Mrs. Cholmeley’s farm and a party of about 220 children and adults made the trip. The day was passed very enjoyably with the usual picnic sports. Thanks are expressed to Mr. Victor Davies for the use of his motor lorry and to Messrs. Baker and Kerr for the loan of crockery. The teachers also deserve credit for their efforts in making the day a success.

The masquerade function at Kawaroa Park on Saturday night, promoted by the band, was attended by a large number of people. The band paraded in pierrot. costume, add their journey through Devon Street with some supporters attired in fashion and carrying some ancient looking band instruments, caused a good deal of interest. At the park iqany participated in the dance held on the lawn. The receipts from the function were £2l. Yesterday afternoon the band’s recital at the park drew many visitors to the delightful surroundings of Kawaroa and a further sum of £l9 was added to the band’s funds.

Nineteen active members and 60 honorary members have been enrolled in the New Plymouth Ladies’ Life Saving Club, a new body which has just been formed. The objects of the club are to teach swimming and life-saving among the women and girls of the town, and the price of membership is the nominal fee of sixpence. The chief instructors are Miss E. Dowling and Miss Mather. Officers have not yet been appointed. Members gather at the baths between 5.30 and 6.45 a.m. each morning for exercise and instruction. The leaders of the movement express a hope that girls will not join merely to learn to swim, but will take at least one examination in life-saving. “Exhibition test afternoons” are to be held on Saturdays between the hours of 1.30 and 3. Then competitions of a nature which will assist life-saving instruction will be held. Prizes have beqh donated already by Mrs. Johns and Miss Dowling, and Dr. Walker has given a donation of 10s 6d.

The postponed seaside fete on the Opunake beach will now be held on Saturday next, the 11th inst., and complete arrangements are being made for an enjoyable opting. A dance will be held in’ the pavilion at night.

Farmers are realising the benefits accruing from the generous use of “Sinus,” the champion milking machine cleanser, judging by the recent sales of this indispensable dairy commodity. It pays to use “Sinus,” and farmers have not been slow in recognising its value. On sale at Nolan and Co.’s and at Farmers’ CO'Op, stores.

“Last Christinas was the first in seven years that I did not see a single Maori under the influence of drink,” remarked a policeman in a King Country town to a reporter recently. “This desirable improvement,” said the constable, “was generally ascribed to be the . result of Katana’s ministrations, this opinion being borne out by the statements of the Maoris themselves, who have now generally become conscientious church-goers.” The mid-Canterbury wheat crops are looking very well, .says Mr. T. Buxton, organiser for the Farmers’ Union, who has just made a tour of the district. Many of the farmers on the heavy Ihnd expected to thresh from 50 to 60 bushels to the acre, and the opinion was generally expressed that the average yield would be from 28 to 30 bushels. During his tour Mr. Buxton added 30£> members to the Farmers’ Union. In and around Wanganui five men are engaged in a rat exterminating campaign, and are devoting all thein time and energies to trapping and poisoning these animals, as well as visiting food shops, stores, eating houses, and other places where food is sold or prepared, and which may act as food depots for rats.

As an instance of the acute state of the housing shortage in Foxton, a Palmerston North resident told a Standard reporter that an intimate friend had recently died there and within 12 hours of the friend’s passing away, no fewer than 15 applications were made for the house. In normal times people would have sonie reticence regarding an inquiry of this nature before the late owner was buried, but necessity drove the majority to any ends and sentiment had to be put aside. Very lenient treatment was meted out to a youth at Gisborne recently, who pleaded guilty to boring a hole through a partition to enable him to peep into the ladies’ dressing-room on the beach. It is on record that the original “Peeping Tom” was struck blind as a punishment for his surreptitious view of Lady Godiva. His Gisborne disciple was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, was further ordered to pay costs (7s), and the magistrate directed that his name be not published, as the offence was only one against “decency and propriety,” rather than against the law. It is not recorded that an apology was tendered to the delinquent for prosecuting him! The fact that the Chautauqua Association is now liable for amusement lax was mentioned by Miss Newman at the opening of the New Plymouth season on Saturday. She stated that the association was brought under the provisions of the Act which removed the exemptions previously granted to certain institutions. No allowance had been made for this in the season tickets, however, but it was hoped that patrons would be generous enough to bring it. The coat was lid for a 10s season ticket, 7d for a student’s ticket, and 5d for the ticket. The tax would mean about £2OOO to the Chautauqua and it would be seen that such a sum would absorb any profit anticipated in the New Zealand tour if the money had to be paid out of the ordinary receipts.

In calling the attention of the Premim* to the necessity of cleaner rolls in Parliamentary elections, Mr. Isitt declared in the House the other day that in the 1919 election, when according to the Government Statistician there were 675.415 males over two years in New Zealand, the actual number of males on various rolls totalled 683,420. It seemed as if there were 20,000 more men on the roll than were in the country, so that there was a serious percentage of improperly enrolled persons in every electorate. Mr. Massey assured the House that he intended to consult the head of the Electoral Department as soon as possible. He was partial, he said, to suggestions of compulsory enrolment. The Auckland war memorial movement is being steadily advanced, states the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson. Already £1’22,000 had been subscribed, and this amount was being operated upon over regular periods. The present position was that the conditions of the competition for building designs had been circulated and these had been supplemented, following the conference of architects last September, by two memoranda, which embodied official answers to a number of questions received from competitors. The designs were to be in the hands of the curator on or before June 30. Mr. Gunson said the citizens’ committee was confident that as soon as the winning design was known the appeal to the public to bring the funds up to the object of £200,000 would meet with a ready response. The City Council had paid the second instalment of its vote to £lO,OOO to the fund, the amount being £3333 6s Bd.

Is the Government to rule this country, or is 'any combination of outsiders, disgruntled or otherwise, to rule it? asks the New Zealand Times. Do we run the Civil Service for the good of the counfry, or do we run it for the good of the Civil Service? Are the 36,000 who are in the service of tl|e State to rule the State without responsibility and without knowledge, with no guide but their desires, backed by the wild advocates of syndicalist Government? There can only be one answer. The constitutional government of the country must be supported. The challenge of Direct Action must be taken up by any Government worthy of the name, and that Government, in its constitutional capacity, must have the support of the whole people. The dictation of the servants of the people is intolerable. The people can do 1 without its servants, or railways, or postal services, or any other departments. What the people cannot do without is constitutional government. And constitutional government the people must, and will, support through thick and thin, with determination, energy and remorseless purpose. A Notice of sale by auction of most unusual interest appears in this issue. Mr. J. M. Schapiro has arrived with a most valuable collection of old and modern works and some particularly fine solid silverware. Mr. Schapiro particularly wishes everybody interested to at least call at the Soldiers’ Club on Tuesday from 10 to 1 or to 5 p.m., and after 7 o’cock on Tuesday evening.

The Melbourne, Ltd., announce the arrival of another shipment of their famous yellow label Llama hose at 7/11 per pair. No finer hose than the above can be bought anywhere in New Zealand at the price, and no other hose will give the same satisfaction. Mr. G. L. Petersen, advance manager for .Wirth’s circus, has arrived in New Plymouth to make arrangements for a one night’s season opening on Saturday, February 25.