LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL,

The reduction in the price of bread will operate in New Plymouth tomorrow, the price being reduced by Jd per 2tb. loaf. The price over the counter will be CJd and delivered 7d. “Every man who has tried to bring art to Taranaki is now walking about without boots,” declared an art dealer when being prosecuted in the New Plymouth Court yesterday. One of the most amusing events at the Girls’ High School swimming sports was the blind fold race. Being blind' folded the contestants easily lose thee sense of direction, and one contestant, after making a devious course in several directions, caused five minutes’ fun for the onlookers after the actual race was decided by swimming strongly in the wrong direction, to the accompaniment of the plaudits and advice of her schoolmates.

A good joke is told at the expense of motorists driving to the New Plymouth show yesterday. The tramway authorities, to facilitae the tram traffic, had a man posted on the street at Fitzroy with a couple of flags wherewith to signal the tram drivers. Motorists on approaching the man of flags, with a premonition of “traps,” drove with such care that the traffic in that locality was all Mt could be desired. Advice has been received that a shipment of cheese ex s.s. Matakana from the Rapanui Co-op. Dairy Co., consisting of 70 crates colored and 1 33 white, averaged 95s (id per cwt. when sold in London. A shipment of 74 crates colored from the Turakina Dairy Co. averaged 99s 9d per cwt. —Chronicle.

Mr. A. D. Thomson has been appointed to conduct the inquiry into the conduel of Dr. T. McKibbin, the Auckland health officer, with regard to the Ministerial head of the Public Health Department (the Hon. C. J. Parr). Dr. McKibbin is to be represented at the inquiry bv Mr. C. P. Skerrett. K.C. The date for the inquiry has not yet been fixed, but it is anticipated that it will take place early next week.

At last night’s meeting of the Old Boys’ Football Club the secretary stated‘that there was a proposal on foot ■bv the High School and the Old Boys’ Association to endeavor to raise funds for the purpose of erecting a gymnasium at the school. It was estimated that this would cost £3OOO. The gymnasium would lie available for the use of the Old Boys. The necessity for a gymnasium in New Plymouth was very evident. It was suggested that possibly a gala eek might be held, and the club recommended the executive to give the proposal every' support.

It is stated that a youth who was before the Magistrate’s Court at 1 almerston North recently is a. clever female impersonator. Whilst awaiting sentence he often sang in a high falsetto voice, much to the amusement of the police. It is related that on one occasion he successfully impersonated a female domestic servant in a private household for about a week. He has been convicted of stealing female attire. Among the articles with which he was charged with unlawfully ob taining were a powder puff and a box of highlv-scented face powder.. Recently he spoke on the telephone at Feilding to a shopkeeper in a convincing female voice, whieh, it is said, he can assume at will.

In making an order that the name of the accused charged with theft at the Magistrate’s Court should be withheld from publication, the magistrate at Nelson (Mr. J. 8. Evans) said there seemed to be conflicting opinions as to whom such orders should be made. Some magistrates took into account the age of the accused. His own opinion was that if the Court intended to give an accused an opportunity of reforming, and for that reason ordered her to come up for sentence when. called upon, it was competent and proper for the Court, unless in special circumstances to order the suppression of the name, otherwise the effect of the order of the Court would be nugatory, as the name would be published and the person charged would not be given a proper chance to retrieve her mistake. But, on the other hand, the Court must take into recount that the public should ba warned against this particular class of rase and consider it in the punishment that was awarded. It seemed to be the logical outcome, however, that if an accused was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon the name should r<>t be published. Since the armistice nearly four and ahalf million acres of Scottish land has changed hands, or practically a quarter of the country. During 1921 over 600,000 acres were sold, against 800,000 in 1920. Although prices have fallen, fully £5,000,000 must have been involved in last year’s sales (says a writer in the Times), and the total turnover since the armistice is estimated at, £52,500,000. The decrease in estate sales last year shows that the “boom” is on the wane, for the people who have made war fortunes and who were the estate agents best clients, now find their wealth diminishing as quickly as it grew. Trade depression lias, of course, left its mark on the estate market, with the result that prices for estates are nothing like what they were a few years ago. Estate a vents, however, expect an early revi-

■ A Castlecliff dairyman had an experience a few days ago in regard to labor employment which he did not altogether relish. He advertised for a man, and was successful in getting a new arrival from the Old Country. When he arrived on the farm it was soon very evident to the employer that he hardly knew the head from the tail of a cow. However, he knew how to dress well in the evenings, and some of the young ladies in the neighborhood came to the conclusion that he must either be the son of a duke or some other Old Country aristocrat. His term of employment was limited, but sufficiently long enough for him to locate his employer’s chequebook and commandeer a few blanks. With these he proceeded to indulge tn what is known to the police as “kite flying ” and succeessfully unloaded the cheques on some of the unsuspecting Wanganui business men, who knew the employer well, but evidently were not so familiar with his signature as the bank officials. The police are now taking a hand in the matter, and no doubt this highly desirable immigrant will be 'touted at'au early date.

On Monday next the Deputy Official Assignee at Wanganui will have the unique experience of presiding over seven meetings of creditors, the bankrupt in each case being a motor car proprietor.

The number of unemployed returned soldiers registered at the Auckland. Returned Soldiers’ Association has increased considerably. On Saturday morning there were 120 names listed' By four o'clock yesterday afternoon this total had sprung to 252. All are men who have seen service. The proportion of ex-lmperia 1 soldiers is about 11 per cent.

A cage of lions standing unlighted on the main traffic route, would hold terrors for the stoutest heart, and there is little wonder, therefore, that a young lady named Miss Y. Southey Baker received something of a shock and that her horse gave a start on coming unexpectedly upon a collection of these kings of the jungle on a recent dark night on the Te Rapa road. The owner of this menagerie, T. E. Boyd, of zoo fame, who failed to appear in answer to a charge of leaving a vehicle unlighted in the road, was fined 10s and 7s costs and 17s 6d witnesses’ expenses, at Hamilton.

“A five-day week is a great luxury,” remarked Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., when presiding at the hearing of the laundry workers’ dispute at Auckland. “I would like it myself. If we all get two days free every week the world could not go round.” Later he remarked that a reduction in wages must come; there was no use protesting. But for most people he thought that the reductions would be more than made up by economies which they would make in living. At another stage he said that the employers who were objecting to the principle of preference to unionists were not acting logically, seeing that they dealt with the union and had worked in harmony with it throughout the period of the -agreement.

A twelve-year-old Roy, Rocco Ceearolo, of Pizzo, Calabria, Italy, after a violent attack of bronchitis, was declared dead by a doctor, who duly signed the death certificate. Seventeen hours afterwards, while the mother was giving the boy a last kiss, he suddenly opened his eyes and appeared quite recovered. In the office of the Registrar of Births and Deaths, after the name Rocco Cesarolo appeared the entries: “Died from bronchitis,” and next day, “Risen from the dead.”

A 500 ft suspension bridge has been built to span Granite Gorge above Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. The construction was undertaken owing to the danger of crossing the swirling waters of the Colorado on horse, and to facilitate travel for tourists on the high rocky walls of the Canyon. About 40 tons of material for the bridge had to be carried over narrow tracks for ’0 miles and down switchback paths to the water’s edge. The bridge floor is sft wide, with guard-rails of heavy wire. Only one horse is authorised to cross the bridge at a time, and until accustomed to the journey the animals are blindfolded.

American business houses are noted for their thoroughness, and a recent issue of a New York paper contains the following advertisement, whieh speaks for itself, two columns wide, and nearly twelve Inches long, set in black type:—' “We want a young man who has had several years’ experience. ... He should be flexible enough to grow into our ways and not expect us to adopt his. He should also have some executive ability, not so much in thq matter ■of ordering others around, as in the handling of himself . and his job. We want brains, not brilliancy, a comer, not a comet. Above all, we want a man who wants to work for us and not to use us as a jumping-off place for something else. Nobody pays more than we do for ability. ‘ -If you feel you are the young man we are looking for we shall be glad to hear from you in writing at once.

Another instance of how the Germans are pushing trade has come under notice in tne form of an illustrated trade circular from a German seed-growing and exporting firm at Erfurt. The illustrations include the large factory and extensive fields on which the seeds are grown. There is a lengthy schedule of flower and vegetable seeds attached. More particularly interesting is the price, viz., 6s per 100 or 50s per 1000 for packets of seeds. A sample packet is enclosed which is, equal in size to those which the public in New Zealand have been accustomed to pay 6d each for of late, and which many amateur gardeners consider is excessive. The German seeds work out at 9d per dozen packets, plus freight. The packers give a guarantee of “no rubbish.” They also intimate that if the New Zealand wholesalers desire they can have their own names prined on the packages for the moderate charge of 4s 6d per thousand packets. The days of chivalry are surely not passed (says the Christchurch Press). Passers-by in Lincoln Road one moaning noticed a man molesting and even striking a girl, but they refrained from active interference until a lad of some sixteen years appeared on the scene. He or. cd "the bully to desist, and was laughed at. Then, evidently having some knowledge of the fistic art, he attacked the man, and successfully held him at bay until other men interfered and the bully thought it time to retire. The boy. who is a Scout, refused to give his name to the admiring bystanders, and endeavored to escape, but someone recognised him. There will be no meeting of the West Coasters’ Association until Saturday, April 1 . Hawke’s Annual Realisation Sale at New Plymouth (Devon Street and Egmont Street shops), and at Inglewood, has attracted buyers in search of big value bargains. The liberal discount oi 2d in the Is is keenly appreciated at.the present time, and householders are finding the many lines offering lighter in price than has been the case for many years past. The sale is still running, and there are heavy stocks.

The prettiest trimmings for evening frocks are. now displayed at Moreys. Many new fashions are to be noticed in these aids to smart and becoming effects. Call and view.

Residents of Puniho and district are reminded of the dance to be held in the Puniho schoolroom to-night.

Newton King, Ltd., advertise the cancellation of the Uruti sale set down for the 13th inst.

Men’s hard-wear working trousers, made of soft cotton-nap tweed, are in full supply at -the Melbourne’s g r « at sale. The'price is 14/6 per pair. Other bargains in working gear are strong grey denims, 10/6 pair; solid saddle tweed trousers, 27/6; dark Pennine working shirts, 8/6; and famous Shirley police braces, 3/6 pair.

Motorists all’ Make your car run easier, speedier. Make it give power, and more M.P.G. An AIR.-FRIC-TION CARBURETTOR will do this. Particulars Manning Co* Albert Street, Auckland.—9.