LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wellington Hospital Board management has decided to levy a uniform fee of 9s a day, or £3 3s per week, with half rates to children.—Press Association.

Two water spouts were observed to pass about a mile to the eastward of the New Plymouth breakwater yesterday during the course of the heavy Equal) about 4 p.m.

A London cable states that an influential Bradford meeting’ decided to register the Wool Textile Finance Company to carry out the insurance scheme, particulars of which were recently cabled.

< An exhibition of handwork (old and new), paintings, china, Sheffield plate, etc., was held at the Victoria League rooms, New Plymouth, yesterday afternoon. A large number of visitors were present during the afternoon, and all were delighted with the various exhibits, especially the beautiful handwork, much of which was done generations ago. The object of yesterday’s function was to arrange for a more comprehensive exhibition during the winter.

“This is one of the most remarkable bankruptcy meetings I nave ever been connected with,” said a solicitor in the course of proceedings at a creditor’s meeting in New Plymouth yesterday. The position was certainly peculiar. There were only two creditors, one of whom was bankrupt’s father. As he had not supplied proof of his debt there was onty one man at the meeting entitled to vote. This man moved a motion, but though it could not be seconded, it was adopted.

A resident of Petone, who was preparing to go for a holiday with her husband to Auckland, had the misfortune to have all her linen stolen one night recently. The value was estimated to be £5O.

An endeavor to purchase 10,000 bags of onions in Canterbury at £7 per ton, f.0.b., was not successful. The onions were to be shipped to Vancouver, but growers were unable to fulfil the order as the bulk of the crops are under option to merchants at comparatively low prices. Torrential rains were experienced in New Plymouth for some minutes yesterday afternoon. The downpour completely held up all pedestrian traffic in Devon Street, the people preferring the nearest shelter. The water channels completely overflowed, and the roadway was covered with a sheet of water. The channels were narrow streams of whirling water, and in some places, when this could not find a quick enough- outlet, it dashed against the obstructions, forming miniature cascades which, for the time being, became an object of interest to the bystanders. When the downpour ceased the effect of the rusning water was seen on the lines of silt and small pebbles left over the roadwAv.

An improvement was adopted by the Western Park Board at a. meeting on Wednesday night. The work to be undertaken immediately is the erection of a concrete dressing shed on the playing area and a stone wall along 400 feet of the .Morley Street frontage. The ground itself is to receive attention, placing it -in good order for the football season. The board has £260 available, a considerable proportion of this sum being the proceeds of the sal© of a corrugated iron fence which used to run along Morley Street. It was decided to ask the Borough Council to place £lOO oh its estimates for Western Park, so that the wall may be built ahpng the whole of the Morley Street frontage. The Mayor of Inglewood (Mr. J. Sutherland), Mr. G. Young (ex-Mayor), and the Inglewood borough councillors were interested visitors ‘to the New Plymouth borough hydro-electric works st Mangorei yesterday afternoon. Crs. J. Kibby and E. Dingle, together with Messrs. F. T. Bellringer (general manager), and R. H. Bartley (electrical engineer), representing tiie New Plymouth Borough Council, conducted the visitors over the works, including an inspection to the two tunnels and the power-house. A heavy squall sprang up later in the afternoon and marred the visit somewhat, but the visiting councillors departed well pleased with the progress of j;he work at Mangorei. What about that legend that a pig cuts its throat if it attempts to swim? (inquires Kaukau in Quick March). Four of us were working our way up the Mokau river one day —two pakehas and two Maoris, in a eanoq — when we surprised a brace of porkers in the water just as we rounded a sharp bend. Our pig-dog in the bows got fearfully excited, but he baulked at taking to the water in chase. The leading swimmer crossing the river was a big tusked boar. When he landed there didn’t seem to be much wrong with his throat. Immediately he scrambled up the bank he turned and champed defiance at us, covering the landing of his faithful missus who had wallowed along in his wake. He waited until the sow had scuttled into the safety bush, then with a parting grunt and glare at us he followed her, a belligerent rearguard. The Mokau too was about 50 yards wide and fairly swift, but the chivalrops old hog and his partner in fernroot-hunting seemed to have no difficulty in ing it.

Motor-car thieves were busy on Saturday night, for the Napier police were notified of three- eases in which cars' were made off with when left standing in the streets —two in Napier, and one in Hastings. Lack of benzine, engine trouble, or the fact that the unauthorised persons had no further use for the cars, resulted in all three being abandoned, and they were recoovered in apparently good condition. Dr. J. J. Edgar’s car was taken from outside, the Hawke's Bay Club between 5 and G. 30 o’clock on Saturday night, and was found at Pakowhai with the petto! tank empty next morning. The Hon. W. J. Geddis’ car was taken from outside the Napier Municipal Theatre. It was found near the Moteo pa with still a little benzine left in the tank. The Hastings case concerned Mr. E. Ware, who had his car in a shed in Riverlea Road. This car was found only half a mile from the shed in running order and with plenty of benzine, so the reason for this case is a mystery. ■

An epidemic of thefts of cash boxes prevails in Auckland. Recently solicitors’ offices in one of the largest Queen Street buildings was visited while two of the staff of J. T. Hosking, barrister and solicitor, were at work in two separate rooms. The intruder entered the main office, opened a small door in the counter, and removed the cash box, containing about £36. It is stated that the offices of two other solicitors were entered and thefts' committed on the same day. On Thursday a clerk employed by a well-known Auckland solicitor, delivered a cheque at a wrong office. Discovering his mistake, the clerk went to the office and asked for its return. A lady clerk told him that while she was in the office, the cash box, containing the cheque as well as some money, had been stolen.

A remarkable story of a family living under most primitive conditions comes from Shotley Bridge, County Durham. A young married woman, with two children, was found last January in a hole deep down in a disused quarry. They were removed by the relieving officer to his house, and after being cared for were sent to the local workhouse. There the woman told a strange story. She had been married since 1915, and in 1919 she and her husband went to live in a house of their own at the village of Tow Law, where the husband was engaged as a miner. When the coal dispute occurred ami the man was thrown out of employment, he sold up the house and furniture, and took his wife and children to live’ with him for six' months in a quarry. They found a hole among some shrubbery, and having obtained a quantity of .old sacking, with which they made coverings, they settled themselves, using straw for bedding. When rescued the children were suffering seriously from frost and rheumatism, and were almost speechless. e

' In connection with the fire at Itltham on Tuesday night, Mr. W. G. Dempsey’s insurances on stock and plant were with the State Fire Office, not the 'Farmers’ Mutual.

Webster Bros, notify that they will submit to auction on Wednesday. April 5, at the Workers’ Social Hall, the 'whole of the furniture contained in Rahui Private Hotel, New Plymouth.

‘ The swimming carnival to have been held at the New Plymouth municipal baths to-morrow evening, has been postponed for a week on account of the inclement weather.

A member of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce who was one of. the party which recently visited the backblocks was expressing his opinions at a public meeting held last night to receive the report on the visit, and he remarked 'facetiously that if the people in a certain district did not get a road soon they would all be web-footed. “The harbor is progressing very well,” said Mr. Newton x f<ing, chairman or the New Plymouth Harbor Board, at a public meeting held last night to discuss the needs of Taranaki’s hinterland. Mr. King urged that further trade was wanted by the port, which was the outlet for the back country. That day the port had reached a further stage by the berthing of the liner Pakeha, ano ne 7<oped all present would make a point of visiting the port and seeing the ship. Ttye necessity for townsmen taking a greater interest in the Taranaki Winter Show was mentioned at a public meeting held last night under the auspices of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce. The chairman (Mr. T. C. Lrst i urged that if the show was to be the success it ought to be the townspeople must come to its assistance. They should get their shoulders to the wheel and make it a success. He mentioned that the South Taranaki Winter Show was run principally by the townspeople, and was a big success. He did not think their degree of success could be attained at once, but the business people should interest themselves in tho direction of making tho show more attractive. He had not had an opportunity <jf discussing the matter with the president of the Agricultural Society, out ■lntended to do so. He hoped it would be possible for the townspeople to get together later and give the society the Ihelp to which it was entitled. Special lines at C. C. Ward’s three stores: —Exxtra quality all wool cashmere hose, 3/6 pair; all wool broad ribbed hose, in all new shades, 4/11 pair; ladies’ cotton vests, 1/11, 2/6 each; extra large size, 2/11 each; 30in. white flannelette, 1/- yard, 36in. 1/6 yd; good quality pure calico, 36in., 1/3 yd.

Elsewhere an advertisement appears dealing with the increase of the drug habit under prohibition in Canada. The table set out shows an abnormal increase in drug importation between the years 1916 and 1919.

Men! Easter will soon be here. How are you placed for shirts, hate, collars, suits, ties, raincoats or warmer underclothing? Is your travelling gear adequate and presentable? If in need of any of the above goods “hop it” to the Melbourne, where quality is right and prices low.

The date of Mr. John Hale’s annual draft sale of pedigree Jerseys was wrongly stated in yesterday’s issue. The correct date appears in this issue.

“Result is simply marvellous,” says Wairoa resident. No sufferer need despair. Booklet free on request. Dominion Rheumatic Cure Pty., Hellaby’s Buildings, Auckland. 9