LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing, it is stated, to the new restrictions introduced by the Health Department concerning the conduct of offensive trades, at least one fellmongery business in Napier is about to close down.

An enemy machine-gun has been secured by Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P. for Waitomo, as a trophy for the far back•blocks. It will be taken to Awakino, where ft will be set up in front of the memorial obelisk.

“Old clothes are very acceptable,” said the secretary of- the Taranaki Hospital Board at yesterday’s meeting When a vote of thanks for such a gift was being accorded a Waitara donor. It was urged that anyone who had no further use for children’s clothes should send these along to the hospital. An Auckland exchange states that generous donations have been forthcoming for the united Protestant orphanages’ campaign in that city. A donation of two £lOO notes were left at the Star office for the funds, but the name of the donor is unknown. It is hoped tq raise £‘20,000. Percy Ineson Charlesworth, 28, single, residing with liis parents at Mongaroa Road, Upper Hutt, a son of Mr. Charlesworth, an architect of Wellington, dropped dead while engaged playing a game of rounders with a picnic party on the riverside on Tuesday afternoon. Death is supposed to be due to heart disease.

A prospective fall in prices of foodstuffs is anticipated by the Taranaki Hospital Board, who at yesterday’s meeting, decided to call tenders for supplies for six months and not for twelve. The chairman (Mr. M. Fraser) mentioned that he had his hand on the commercial pulse, and it was his opinion that there would be a distinct fall in prices, especially in flour and wheat, very shortly. The Hutt Council has decided to pay Mr. A. Ford £lOOO, compensation for his w’ork and advice in respect to the proposed erection of gasworks at Lower Hutt. Mr. Ford, who is a gas exnert, prepared plans and estimates, and tl*e council has now decided, to abandon the erection of its own works. Men are still at work on the Wbenuakura railway bridge, strenghening the structure, which the trains cross at the slowest possible speed. There is still a possibility of further trouble should a big flood come at any time, as the last deluge strewed the banks for miles above the railway with, logs, says the Wanganui Chronicle. “When is the new nurses’ home likely to be finished?” asked Mr. G. Capper at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board, adding that the fratepayers were beginning to ask thisiquestion. The chairman explained that all the work was practically finished, but owing to trouble caused in plastering by the presence of fronsand and moisture in the cement, the work had been delayed somewhat. The secretary informed members that, under the terms of the contract, the contractor had to keep the building in maintenance for three months after all the work was finished in order to see that everything was in order and without flaw. The term was almost up now, and the house committee could then take over.

A very creditable record was established by members of the building staff ro’' the Taranaki Education Board on Tuesday, when the architect (Mr. C. H. Moore) and three men erected one of the movable buildings at Matemateaonga in a day’s operations. Everything was made ready the previous day, and the building, which was made in sections for bolting together, was taken to pieces and. loaded on a large lorry ready fqr transportation. A start was made from New Plymouth about 7 a.m., and the architect and one carpenter arrived on the scene by car about ten o’clock, the lorry with the material arriving shortly afterwards. The building with the necessary conveniences was assembled by seven o’clock the same evening, ready for the starting of school yesterday morning. The building was one of the movable residences recently designed and erected under the direction of the architect, and was adapted for school purposes, having an extra window put in and a porch attached.

In one of those inimitable stories from the pen of the late O. Henry, the plot is based on the circumstances that an ab-sent-minded employer, no later than the day after his wedding, forgot the fact that he was married. The charming little fantasy which is woven around this idea seems to have been translated into actual fact in Otago, affording another verification in real life of the creations of fiction (says the Otago Daily Times). On Wednesday of last week, so the story goes, a business man who is well known in Dunedin was married. The ceremony completed, the happy couple left by motor car for Waikouaiti, but at Merton the bridegroom of' only a few hours saw a business friend in a waiting train, and engaged him in such earnest conversation that before he was aware of the fact the train was carrying him on to the next station. Alighting at Waikouaiti he at once obtained another car and made all speed back to Merton, where he rejoined his patiently awaiting bride, who had just gleaned her first experience of the idiosyncrasies of husbands.

Miss Jenny Rae, the well-known Highland dancer, of Eltham, has taken up her residence in New Plymouth and announces that she will take dancing pupils every Friday afternoon at the Soldiers’ Chib.

In connection with the art. and silver collection on view at the Soldiers’ Club, Mr. Schapiro will be in attendance for a. few days to deal privately. Webster Bros, are selling a consignment of Nelson fruit to-day at 2 o’clock. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., draw attention to their Te Wera sale on Friday, 17th inst. Full particulars on page 8. Shampoo Powders, assorted, four for 1/3, Post free from H. 'J. Abram, “Mail Order ’ Chemist, New Plymouth.

The London Omnibus Company’s vehicles travel 300,000 miles per day over the London streets. The rate of petrol consumption is 17 miles per gallon, but if they could get 18 miles to the gallon their expenditure would be diminished by £500,000 per annum. A flock of Canadian geese, numbering about forty-five, was seen passing over North. St. Albans, Christchurch, about 9 a.m. on Friday. Their formation was V-shaped (states the Lyttelton Times). They seemed to be migrating from the northern part of the province to some place south, of Christchurch. “We didn’t have a wrangle; it was just a bit of a friendly barney,” said a witness at the Christchurch. Supreme Court. “The word ‘barney’ should be in our literature, and not regarded as slang,” commented Mr. M. J. Greeson. ‘ There is no word in our language that can adequately convey its real meaning.”

“Haemaphysalis bispinosa” is the imposing name of the worst kind of cattle tick in New Zealand. It is shown by Mr. David Miller, entomologist, in the journal of the Department of Agriculture, to be yet another undesirable immigrant. Ticks there were in New Zealand before this one came, and they were found on birds and the phlegmatic matara lizard. But haemaphysalis bispinosa is catholic in its tastes. “It does not restrict itself to one particular animal,” writes Mr. Miller, “but parasitises several species of domestic and wild mammals as well as some birds. In this country it infests cattle for the most part, but is exceedingly common <on hares and rabbits, while it frequently attacks sheep, dogs, and domestic fowls. In some cases horses are heavily infested, and occasionally man. There is no record how this tick reached New Zealand, but for over twenty years its presence has been known, although it is only within the last few years that it has become so abnormally prolific as to become a prominent pest of cattle. At the present time it is restricted to’ the Auckland province, where it prevails throughout the North Auckland Peninsula and the greater part of the Coromandel Peninsula” The loss to the farmer through ticks is stupendous in the aggregate, to say nothing of the sufferings of infested animals. Notwithstanding an increase of ten per cent, in all cotton and wool goods, Messrs. Morey and Son are clearing Manchester stocks at genuine sale prices. What has been the experience of Labor Governments? Rev. Howard Elliott has just returned from Australia, where there are two States that have elected Labor Governments. It is of great interest to hear the results of these elections, and no doubt Mr. Elliott’s address in the Empire Theatre to-night will be of deep interest to many. Sweet peas are always a popular and easily grown flower, and although the season is late now, yet we have seen several gardens with these flowers still blooming very well.. A special guinea prize is offered by the New Plymouth Horticultural Society for a collection of sweet peas at its autumn show on Feb ruary 25. Particulars are advertised. A meeting of those interested, in the formation of an Accountants’ Students’ Society will 'be held at the Soldiers’ Club on Monday nfext, at 8 p.m. All students interested in any branch of commerce are specially invited to the meeting.

Intending competitors are reminded that nominations for the Inglewood sports close to-morrow (Friday), 17th inst.

Our readers are asked to make a note that Tuesday next will be the opening day of the Melbourne, Ltd.’s, great annual stocktaking sale. This sale has been slightly - delayed owing to unavoidable circumstances, but none the less it will be a greater bargain event than ever before.