LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Daily News will not be published to-morrow (Good Friday), but will appear as usual on Saturday and Monday (Easter Monday). The Post Office advises that mails which left Wellington on March 7, per R.M.S. Marama, via San Francisco, arrived in London on April 10. The opening function in connection with Kaponga’s electric power installation was to have taken place yesterday, but Press reporters on arrival there found that the ceremony had been indefinitely postponed. Advice has been received by the Taranaki Education Board that the Education Department has approved of grants for the erection of a movable residence at Tokirima. also for the provision ot a movable school at Hapurua, Eighteen entries have been received lor the Australasian draughts championship, which commenced in Dunedin on Friday. These include McEwan (Hamilton), Bruce (New Plymouth), Brown and Milligan (Christchurch) —Press Assoeiation. The Egmont County Council decided on Tuesday to purchase three laurel wreaths, and the clerk, with the chairman and 'member of the district, were authorised to place them on the public memorials at Opunake, Te Kiri and Pihama on Anzac Day. A circular from the Education Department, read at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, enquired if all the teachers in the Board's district had subscribed to the oath of allegiance. It was reported that with the exception of a few outlying schools, from which replies had not yet come to hand, all the teachers had complied with the board’s request. The clerk of the Egmont County Council stated that he had received a number of letters from ratepayers stating their inability to pay their rates, and he asked what attitude he was to adopt -in regard, to summonses. Cr. Chapman said that th- ic whf> replied to the demana certainly should receive consideration, but those who did not should be prosecuted. Cr. Toeland thought that the finance committee should deal with each case on its merits, otherwise they would have difficulty in getting thei rrates in.

The clerk of the Egmont County Council reported on Tuesday that the balance-sheet for the year and. halfyear had been made out, the debit balances at the end of the financial year being: Oeo riding £4602, Opua riding £3297, Opunake riding £224, Rahotu riding £3980, and the antecedent liabilities were £12,515. It was resolved that the overseer have drains on Ihata Road cleared out. providing the settlers pay half the cost. Cr. O’Brien objected’to the rates being expended, especially as the drains would not damage the road for the next fifteen years.

The despatch with which the New Plymouth port authorities attend to vessels waiting to be berthed was favorably commented upon by Captain E. G. Scott-Ol-sen, of the Maindy Lodge, which arrived from Newcastle with coal last evening. The captain was particularly impressed by the promptness with whieh the health inspection was made and the vessel .brought alongside the wharf. “We appreciate the kindness and alertness of the port authorities,” he said, “especially as we have to wait three or four hours in the stream at most ports.”

Applications for leave of absence by seven teachers who propose attending the Kelburn training college, Wellington, for some clays to study infant room methods was granted by the Taranaki Education Board at yesterday’s meeting. In. supporting the application the senior inspector (Mr. J. A. Valentine) said that the women teachers of Taranaki had become keenly interested in infant room work and this was a gratifying matter to him. The visit to the Kelburn college was to be made to further improve their knowledge. After approving of the leave the board also decided to recommend to the department that teachers receive usual pay for the time on which they are absent from teaching duties.

The extension of the scheme of manual and technical instruction in schools was advocated by Mr. A. Lees at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Education Board. Speaking on the manual and technical committee’s report, he remarked that the instruction was given only at certain centres on the railway line and it seemed that only children in touch with those centres could get the benefit of the tuition. He thought there were other schools which should be brought into line in order to give the children equal opportunities. Mr. Lees moved: “That the supervisor of manual instruction bring down a report as to the best means of establishing centres for instruction in rural science, and woodwork and cookery, embracing Hawera, El th am, and those schools which are too far removed to attend the present centres of construction.” The motion was supported by Messrs. Trimble and Masters, and carried.

In connection with the Easter holidays, a number of Elfcham business people advertise in this issue that their shops will be cloed on Easter Saturday. Use “Fairy Wonder” washing powder, and. the beautiful snowy whiteness of your washing will excite the envy of your friends. No other washing powder on the market gets such results like “Fairy.” No other compound is so economical in . labor and fuel. Give it a trial. All grocers, stock it. The garage time-table and the dosing dates for Easter are advertised by Newton King; Ltd.