LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A ease of hydatids, which is communicable, a« a rule, through dogs, was reported in the Wairarapa the other day. The Dunedin Star says:—Seventy Red Feds are to be told off by the Melbourne Trades Hall organisation to tour New Zealand prior to the general election this year. This is not. a street rumor. • 1 Thia year will witness the completion of the Jefferson Highway, running from New Orleans to Canada. This remarkable roadway is aprpoximately 2400 miles long, and is already two-thirds hard-surfaced. It is the sort of enterprise that brings to mind the old Romans and their roads in France and England, traces of which still remain. At a meeting of milk producers and distributors at Dunedin, it was proposed to enter upon an advertising campaign to educate the public as to the value of milk as a food, and so increase the consumption. A resolution was carried that the price of milk should be 6d per quart, but it was not treated seriously.

It is rented that a Wellington builder imported and erected a four-roomed house for £450. Encouraged by this, a Palmerston North firm is about to repeat the experiment, and if successful, to extend it. It is said that seasoned Oregon timber, cut to exact length, nails, scrim, paper, etc., in the proper quantities, are supplied, with properly detailed plans for their use.

In London there is much amusement over the complaint of Mr. J. Magnusson, the visiting Prime Minister of Iceland, that the city is so cold that he finds it uncomfortable walking through the streets. Of course, this is due to the damp chill of London in winter, a quality of the weather quite distinct from the equable climate of Iceland, where they have cool summers and warm winters. Iceland is merely another proof that names do not mean so very much. Visitors to the breakwater yesterday who saw the top of a pile projecting from the water to the east of the wharf no doubt took this to be the first step in the construction of the new wharf, and may have wondered why no official ceremony had been held to mark the occasion. In reality the projection was to indicate the spot where a number of hardwood piles have been driven at th± site of t'he new ferro-concrete wharf for testing purposes. There are patches of fairly hard conglomerate on the seabed, with patches of clay in places. On the whole it is not expected that qny great difficulties will be met wit'h when the actual piles to be used are being driven.

Some people say there is no such thing as “luck.” A small farmer in the neighborhood of Palmerston North is prepared to argue to the contrary (says the local Times). On Thursday morning he met a man in town, who paid him £3, which he had not expected to receive. He was not a racing man, and, indeed, had not been on a racecourse in the Dominion. But, thinking that his luck might be in, he decided fp follow the crowd to Awapuni. He did not know one'horse from another, but he succeeded in gathering in all the big dividends that were going. And he returned to his home in the evening with a wad. of notes sufficiently la-rge to buy his wife a fur coat and himself a motor car.

There are coalfields in the Southland district capable of yielding practically inexhaustible supplies of fuel (says' the Southland News). One or private enterprise until at least half two mines have been opened up by a dozen sorts of well-known coal from Southland are oir the market in the South Island. Last year the yield was estimated at 140,000 tons, and the News estimates that when the outwit of several new mines is added Southland will produce on a five-day week 325,000 tons annually, and will have an exportable surplus of over 200,000 tons. It is also claimed that most of the Southland coal is superior to the brown coals of other parts of the island. Commenting upon, increased stocks, Commerce Monthly, of New York, has the following, which applies to conditions at the present time in any part of the world: “The accumulation of physical goods is not a misfortune. It assures to the world a supply of cheap food and clothing, and real prosperity has never rested on any other basis. But producers of raw materials constitute much more than half of tne buying power of tbe world, and the conclusion is inevitable that the entire economic structure will gradually adjust itself to the raw material market.”

Some new regulations under the Education Act provide that if the Director of Education is not satisfied that an increased attendance qualifying a ■secondary school for a higlier grade is permanent, he may direct that the grade of the school shall be raised only provisionally, and subsequently if the increased attendance is not maintained be may place the school in the grade in whirl it was classified previously. It is further provided that if the circumstances, in the opinion of the board and the Minister, make a modification of the staffing of a school reasonable or necessary, the Minister may authorise the ‘board, to modify the stall in such manner and for such period as he thinks fit, provided that the total payments for salaries and allowances are not thereby increased.

Consent has been given the Taranaki County Council to raise a loan of £lOOO for forming and metalling Corbett Road.

Injuries sustained through a collision between a motor cycle and motor car in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon resulted, in the admission to the hospital of the cyclist, Vincent Mari novie, restaurant keeper, of Stratford. The motor ear. which was being driven by C. G. Meuli, of Tariki, was proceeding along Devon Street West towards the centre of the town and Marinov.’c was riding his motor cycle along Dawson I Street (from the direction of St. Anbyn Street) into Devon Street, the collision occurring on the corner. The car struck the back wheel of the motor cycle, Marinovic being thrown to the ground, but he had a lucky escape from serious injury. Hi-s injuries consisted of slight bruises on the left hip and a ■slight wound in the right foot. He was taken by Mr. Meuli to the hospital, where lie will be an inmate for a few days.

Knitting is a great pastime for ladies, but wool is required. A splendid quality 4-ply knitting wool, in a full range of shades, at the reasonable price of Is for the double skein, can bo purchased at C. C. Ward’s three stores at New Plymouth, Hawera and Eltham.

The Jersey bull Aster’s Diamond King, purchased recently by the New South Wales’ Agricultural Department from Mr. James Nicolson, Jersey breeder, Kaupokonui, took first prize at the Sydney Show for the one year and under two-year class. A novel request to enable football to be played at night ‘by electric light has been receVed by the Mayor of Wellington from the Onslow Rugby Football Club, which writes: “I have been directed by the club’s committee to write and ask you whether it would be possible for the City Council to erect two large electric lights on Ngaao Park, below the station, for the purpose. of lighting up the ground at night-time. This would enable us to hold football matches at night-time. The globes could be protected with wire guards, and the switch kept in a small cupboard, which would be kept locked. The key would be kept by a responsible officer of the club. It is felt that this is only asking a very amall favor, and is in the best interests of sport, which hitherto, in our district, has not held a very prominent position.” The request will be considered by the Tramways and Lighting Committee in due course.

Fully 2000 Maoris are under canvas at Ratana’s homestead, according to a Wapganui advice. A religious meeting was held on Good Friday, and on the davs to follow Ratana’s work will be discussed. It is stated that a proposal is to be made that Ratana should extend his ministrations to the- pakeha Although little has been heard lately concerning Ratana, quite a large number of sick Maoris have been seeking help from him, and in almost every case, it is said, cures by faith htve eventuated. It is reported that a covenant to discard tohungaa, witchcraft, and evil ways, particularly intemperance, has been signed by over 700 Maoris.