LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

According to a. London cable the German mark exchange rate on Friday touched 1530, and closed at 1455 marks to the pound sterling. Owing to the scarcity of fat stock, the staff at the Wtaingawa freezing \vorks have been retrenched, 14 butchers and 14 laborers receiving notice on Tuesday.

The Taranaki Jockey Club recently called for applications for an assistant caretaker of the club’s grounds. Some forty applied. These names have been reduced to six. The final appointment will be made at the committee meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club this eveni ingIn consequence of the visit to New Plymouth of Mr. Spencer, for the purpose of inspecting and reporting on the condition- of the local schools in respect to the question of overcrowding, the visit of the members o-f the Education' Board to 1 the schools in the backblocks has been further postponed. The party were to have started out early this morning.

It is not generally known that practically every pound of tea which comes into New Zealand is subject to a duty of sd, of which the Commonwealth Government gets 2d and the New Zealand Government 3d. In the rare cases when tea comes direct from India, the duty is 3d per lb., but generally it has to be transhipped at Sydney. Afternoon tea is to be given by the younger men of the town to-morrow afternoon at the Kawaroa Park bungalow to all the Maori War veterans and their ladies; it will not be confined to Waireka veterans. Tuesday is the anniversary of the battle of Waireka, and it lias been customary for some years past to honor the veterans in some form. The ladies of the Kawaroa Park committee have kindly consented to assist in dispensing tea.

A ma.n - named Frank Fiveash, who was found sleeping in the New Plymouth gasworks at two o’clock on Saturday morning by Constable Palmer, was brought before Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., on Saturday morning. He pleaded guilty to being an idle and disorderly person in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. Tn asking for a remand till Thursday, 30th inst,, Detec-tive-Sergeapt Cooney said that Fiveash had come out of the public hospital on the 16th. He was suffering from rheumatics and had no place to go. The police desired to communicate with Fiveash's relatives with a view to seeing what could be done for aim. The remand was made accordingly. ■ The programme submitted by the j committee for the sanction of the North I Island Brass Bands’ in connection with the championship contests at New Plymouth in February next, shows that £672 10s Gd is to be allocated in prizes. In the A graae contest two test /selections the prizes will be £l5O, £75, £3O and £l5, also the Besson Challenge Shield and Hawke Challenge Shield. The B grade contest two test selections will carry prizes

of £75, £35, £lO and £5, and Boosey Challenge Shield. The prizes for the quickstep will be £5O, £2O, £lO, £7 10s and £5, and the hymn test (own choice) £2O, £lO, and £5. An attractive programme has been arranged for solo competitors.

The band recital and the presence of the liner Pakeha at the port attracted a large crowd to the breakwater yesterday afternoon. As a consequence the tfams were taxed to their fullest capacity, especially between two and three o’clock, and again at the conclusion of the recital. As a result yesterday's tram revenue of £7l 3s 5d establishes a record for Sunday traffic. The band rendered an attractive programme of music. A golden harvest was reaped, the collection amounting to over £2ff, which, is a record for recital collections. The Pakeha was thronged with interested visitors throughout the afternon.. fso great was the crowd that at times it was difficult to get on board, whilst to regain the wharf after inspecting the ship was a yet more arduous task. The. weather was fine for the greater part o-f the afternoon, but a shower a<out half-past four scattered the crowd, who made a general rush for the trams. Though an increased service was inaugurated many had to seek the shelter of neighboring verandahs before they were able to get a homeward-bound car. Mr. Harry Sal way, of Bell Block, owner of the “Huia Brook” Jersey herd, has just received word, that his two heifers under test for 1921 have each gained a medal in their respective classes. “Nawa,” three years old ar commencement of test, produced 009.3 U lbs. of fat, and “Eileen’s Treasure,” junior 2-year-old, produced 579.401b5. of fat, and after completing her test won three first prizes and the championship at tlie Stratford show. “Eileen’s Treasure” is the daughter of that magnificent cow, “Majesty’s Eileen,” which had many championships to her credit, also winning in 1919 reserve championship for New Zealand. She produced under test 606.931b5. of fat. A son of hers, by Holly Bajik Squire, is now head of the “Huia Brook" herd, and Mr. Salway has very promising youngsters from this mating, youngsters that will later on make names for themselves both in the show and in the dairy. It is interesting to note that of five entries under C.0.R.. three have secured medals, production ranging from 559 to 6091b5. of fat. The new season’s velveteens are now showing at Morey’s. Call and inspect these beautiful goods, most moderately priced. In another column will be found the programme of the Manaia Hibernian Sports, to be held on Saturday, April 8. A great variety of sport will be provided, including running, jumping, horse and field events, a big seven-a-side football tournament, and many other attractive features, including monster highland events. Nomination close with the secretaries on Saturday, April J, at 9 p.m. For the benefit of competitors and the publie a special ’bus has been arranged to leave the Hawera post office at 10.15 a.m. on day of sports.'

□A meeting of the Dairy Workers’ Union will lie held in the Workers’ Hall to-night (Monday), at 8 p.m. The Rahotu Dance, which was to have been held on the 31st inst., has been postponed. Working trousers made of soft strong cotton tweed, 14/6 pair at the Melbourne, Ltd: —Grey denims, 16/6; splendid saddle tweed trousers, 27/6; men’s dark tweed suits, .Kaiapoi tweed only, 79/6; men’s working shirts, .8/6 and 10/6; splendid “Doctor” flannels (navy) 12/6; dark grey “Doctor” Crimean shirts, pure unshrinkable wool,, now 17/6. Motorists’ Stop friction. Use “Oildag.” Reduces cost of petrol and lubrication from 15 to 50 per cent. “Oildag” gives better compression, reduces noise, saves repairs. Fuller paraieulars Manning Co., 139 Albert Street, Auckland. 4

“The people spend one day every three years electing a Parliament, and the remainder of the time they spend throwing stones at it,” said Mr. R. W. Smith, ALP., at a smoke concert last week.

As showing the downward trend of land values in the Waikato, the local Times is informed that a farm in the district which last year was sold at £lOO per acre, has recently changed hands at £6O.

Thieves broke into a private greenhouse at Greymouth, and, not content with stealing 1201 b of grapes, deliberately .-smashed 1201 b. grapes, deliberthe vines.

By the will of Mrs. Mary Kennedy (widow of Air. Martin Kennedy, or Wellington) the sum of £ll,OOO has been bequeathed to Catholic institutions and charities.

A Patea resident, while walking near the edge of the cliffs at the Heads, picked up a tunic button with the crest of the 18th Royal Irish Regiment on it. This regiment was camped in the vicinity some 60 years ago. Fourteen days’ imprisonment with hard labor was the sentence imposed at Hamilton the other day on a man for the theft of a coat from another man who was coming out of an hotel carrying it over his arm.

The districts in the Auckland Hospital Board area upon which the annual levy is made, has bounded up in valuation as the result of the Government’s last valuation. The result is that whereas the total amount of the valuations last year was £49,334,000, the sum now stands at £55,799,000, or an increase of £0,465,000.

The total space applied for by Nelson fruit-growers in connection with this season's export of apples to England is 83,000 cases. The quantity coming forward, however, is 100,000 cases, with several thousand half-cases of pears in addition. Efforts are being made to secure additional steamer space.

“You seem to bring your wife in when it suits your convenience,” said a creditor to a bankrupt at a meeting before the Official A signee in Wellington. “You be hanged,” was the bankrupt’s retort, which was countered with a very emphatic “I won’t be hanged.” The assignee told the bankrupt to beffiave himself, and the incident closed with the bankrupt's observing to the Creditor, “I’m just as straight a man as you are.”

Says the Afanaia Witness: “Foxton continues to suffer from outbreaks of fire. At the present rate it looks as though the old town must disappear shortly, unless a building boom sets in.” The Foxton Herald furnishes the following reply, the sting of which will be found in the tail: “We can assure •our contemporary that, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of the destroyed buildings, new and modern structures have 'arisen, which would reflect credit upon any metropolitan centre, beside which Alanaia’s business area presents a sorry spectacle/’ That motor cycle racing is on the advance every year was the opinion expressed by Mr. Arthur Spragg, treasurer of the New Zealand Auto- Cycle Union, speaking at a gathering on Saturday night of the New Plymouth Alotor Cycle Club. Mr. Spragg pointed out that since the last annual meeting o-f the •union at Palmerston North four more clubs had been affiliated, namely, Feilding, Wairoa (Hawke’s Bay), Hastings, ami Whakatane. There were 147 registered riders. Financially the union was just clearing expenses, their aim being to build up Hie riders’ benevolent fund. The amount in hand for this object was £.‘160, but he, for one. would not be satisfied till it reached a sum of, say, £2OOO. Then they might ne aoie to reduce the levy on prize -money, which was adopted as a basis for the fund.

What might have proved a very serious accident occurred at the Ngaere Gardens, on Friday afternoon. A picnic partj’ from a Hawera school visited the gardens, and during the afternoon fifteen children of the party got into one of the punts on the lake. By some means the boat was upset, and the whole party was precipitated into 'the water. Fortunately some adult members of the party were within call and Air. Bullock and a Maori whose name has not been ascertained, immediately went to the rescue of the children. * All the fifteen were brought ashore, the majority none the worse for their wetting. Two of the children were suffering somewhat severely from shock, however, and were unable to •make the return journey that evening. The proprietors of the gardens, Messrs. /Lester Bros., quickly obtained medical assistance and did everything possible for the victims of the accident, providing them with dry clothes, hot drinks, etc., and also took charge of the two who were unable to return home. —Argus. “Fairy Wonder” thus pleads to the housewives: —“I want a job on wash- , days to cut down your work. I’ll save a lot of rubbing with the wash-board and make your clothes last longer for that reason. 1 can do a lot of it with water cool, luke-warm, <or hot. Don’t need the hot water if you would like to get away from the trouble and cost of a fire. Apply for me at your grocer's.”

Alembers of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (Second and Third Groups) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable today, Monday .March 27, at the Secretary’s Office, Currie Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. —Advt.

Alessrs. Webster Bros, advertise in this issue particulars of furniture to be sold at their mart on Wednesday next, on behalf of All's. Sowry.

Wall and ceiling papers, paints, varnishes, brushes, glass and sundries are to be offered for sale by the Farmers’ Co-op., Hawera, on account of the Hawera Decorative Co. Particulars of the sale, which is to be held on Thursday next, are advertised in our auction column. This is a chance that rarely occurs.

“Never had a single recurrence oi my old complaint in any shape or form ” Booklet free to sufferers. Dominion Rheumatic Cure Pty., Hellaby’s Bldgs., Auckland. 10

It is generally believed that the tobacco plant came originally from America just after the Spanish conquest of the New World. There is no doubt that smoking was introduced into England and the Continent of Europe from thia source. The tobacco plant, however, is stated to be a native of some of the Pacific islands. The Papuans have had the plant and smoked cigars from its leaves for centuries. The natives of the interior of Australia also have us?d the plant for smoking for as far back as they can remember. The nativs product, however, is crude and strong to the taste, very different to the excellent, high-grade, fragrant brands of tobacco to be secured from W. H. Preece’s wellassorted stocks. Try them. Devon Street Central, New Plymouth.