LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Easter holiday period concluded yesterday. Generally the weather was fine in Taranaki, and sports (gatherings and picnics passed off successfully. Business will be resumed to-day, when all retailers’ premises will re-open.

A sehnapper weighing about 251bs. was "knocked out’’ by the submarine explosion which was one of the attractions at the Kawaroa .Park gala/ day yesterday. The launch party who conducted the arrangements for the explosion brought back the fish ns a trophy.

The Marine Department has refused to concur in the Auckland Acclimatisation Society’s proposal to declare a close season for whitebait, contending that trout and not fishermen were the cause of any decrease in the supply of this article of die*.

Two arrests for drunkenness were made in New Plymouth during the holidays, both men being first .offenders, who were convicted and discharged on appearing before justices. There was no other incident requiring police attention, and with the exception of one mishap the holidays were free from accidents involving personal injury. The following nominations have been received for the Central School Committee (9 members): Messrs. T. M. Avery, G. Buckley, F. A. Coleman, W. S. Cobham, F. W. Croker, V. Elliott, T. Hardgrave, W. H. Robertshaw, S. G. ♦Smith, M.’P., Mrs. E. J. Griflin, Mrs. S. A. Jemison. The election of the committee will take place at the annual meeting of householders on Monday evening, April 24. The Valuer-General (Mr. F. W. Flanagan) will sit at the Taranaki Co.unty Council Chambers, New Plymouth, at 10 am. to-day for the purpose of inquiring into dairy farmers’ mortgages, and of mediating between mortgagees and mortgagore as opportunity offers. To-morrow and on Thursday the commission will sit at Stratford, and on /Friday and Saturday at Hawera.

A little girl, named Williams, residing with her parents at Harford Road, met with an accident at Kawaroa Park yesterday. While playing in the grounds she collided with a wire fence and the impact caused a bad wound on the temple. On medical attention being sought Dr. Home found it necessary to insert three stitches in the wound. “I am satisfied that it is the best thing that has been done in my timesaid the Hon. C. J. Parr the other day, referring to the scheme for the dental treatment of school children by specially-trained young women. At the end of this year, he declared, thirty fine young women would have completed their two years’ course, and would be fit to look after the teeth of the children.

The Easter railway traffic to and from New Plymouth this year was about the same as that for last year. The outward traffic was heavy, though yesterday’s inward traffic was not so large as last year. It is estimated that 400 people came by train to the Kawaroa Park picnic at New Plymouth yesterday, whilst the special train which ran to* the Waimate Plains trots was well patronised from the north end of the province. The express trains have been crowded during the Easter period. Trade conditions in the United States show signs of improvement is the report of John Dunn, Son and Co., export merchants, writing from New York under date March 3. The report states: —‘’The remarkable increase in the value of farm products, particular- ‘ ly grain and live stock, is» most cheering to the agricultural section, and assures a considerable increase in the purchasing power of this portion of the community. With the value of iarm products rising, and at. the same time prices of manufactured goods falling, the gross hardship from which tne farmer has suffered in the low exchange value of his proclucts seems in a fair way to be relieved, and the effect on the general prosperity of the country can hardly be over-estimated.”

A message from Sydney states that, following on the granting by Judge Beeby of the 44-hour week ‘to employees engaged in the brick-making industry, the price of bricks was increased' by 5s a thousand. Mr.

Alexander Stuart, president of the Brickmasters’ Association, sums up the position in this way:—A 44-hour week means dearer bricks; dearer bricks mean dearer houses -for everyone, including workers; dearer houses mean hi"her° rents and a more acute house shortage; so it is a simple matter to see how this policy of less work directly reacts upon, and ultimately has to be paid lor by the very persops it is supposed to benefit. It was proved at the Supreme Court of Victoria, at Melbourne, that (1) SANDER’S EXTRACT is much more powerfully healing and antiseptic than ordinary eucalyptus preparations; (2) SANDER’S EXTRACT does not depress the heart like the so-called “extracts” and crude oils; (3) SANDER'S EXTRACT is highly commended by effective household remedy. Get the many authorities as a safe, reliable and genuine—insist if you have to—and be

In connection with the Defence Department’s retrenchment scheme, six out of ten sergeant-majors are being dispensed with in the Hawke’s Bay regimental district. The importance of testing dairy cows is stressed in an article in the March number of the Journal of Agriculture, and a satisfactory increase in the number of testing associations recorded. Officers of the Dairy Division are testing for some 51 associations, compared with 40 last season. This increase in association testing, it is stated, is likely to indicate to many dairymen the necessity of heading their herds with purebred butter-fat record, sires as a means of herd improvement. The present fine weather has come too late to help the farmer and orehardists. All through what should have been the summer a succession of showers spoiled much of the district’s produce, although it gave a wonderful crop of grass (states the Napier ’Telegraph). This in itself caused a large mortality amongst sheep. All the fruit was more or less tasteless and now the fine weather has come, too late to be of any real benefit, although it is appreciated by the populace after such a unique summer. The attendance of the Prince of Wales at the London Guidhall on the occasion of the Victoria League’s public meeting recently was the subject of comment by Mr. W. J. Napier, the Auckland League’s delegate, during his reply to a welcome extended to him at the annual meeting of the league in Auckland. The Prince, said Mr. Napier, was in the pink of health, and made an excellent speech. He used notes to begin with, but when he became more familiar with his audience dispensed with that aid altogether. “He was accorded vociferous applause,” concluded Mr. Napier, “and I am more than ever convinced that the greatest asset this Empire possesses is the Prince of Wales.” This statement was received with applause. Though the Wellington Magistrate’s Court was crowded with members of the legal profession on a recent morning when the civil business was called on, the general atmosphere of the people’s hall of justice gave rise to the impression that a race meeting must have been in progress (says the Post). Applications for adjournments were the rule rather than the exception. “Do I understand my friend to say that his client has gone to the races?” asked counsel for the plaintiff in one case in which a postponement was sought by the legal representative of the de- ! fendant. "You know the good old racing motto,” smilingly remarked the presiding Magistrate, Mr. J. S. Evans, SM. “‘lf racing interferes with your business, give up your business at once.’ ” (Laughter.) Doctors differ on many things —even on the Bulgarian bug. A few days ago we (Dannevirke News) published an article by a Christchurch pathologist, whose opinion of the bug had been asked. In the course of his remarks he said, “care should be taken that it . (the bug) was not broken up, as a small piece might be swallowed and •form a growth in the stomach.” What, then, is going to happen to the baby ’ son of a country settler who the other day got hold of his father’s piece of ’ the bug and had consumed half of it [ before the remainder was rescued ? A . medical man who was consulted by an anxious grandmother as to the consequences prescribed the age-old remedy ■ —a, dose of oil, and said he thought ‘ \e very thing would be all right. He didn’t ’ anticipate any serious consequences.

Signs are not wanting that the outlook in the land market is brightening somewhat. “Things are picking up a bit,” remarked a member of a prominent firm of Palmerston North land, stock and station agents to a Standard representative recently. “I have done more mileage in my oaf during the past week than for the last twelve months.” Our informant added that a dairying property changed hands —it was a genuine sale —last week at £45 an acre, and a fairly large sum was paid down in cash on the deal. The price represented a reduction of about £l5 per acre on the value ruling during the land boom. This, he considered, went to confirm the opinion held in well-informed quarters that there would be a fairly appreciable drop in all farm land values once produce prices stabilised and the property market commenced to move in earnest again. The property in question was situated, about five ‘miles out, of Palmerston North. There has also been a good deal of inquiry locally for good sheep country.

“One unfortunate consequence of university life, as we know it in New Zealand, is that we mistake examination for education —-hence we cram,” said the Rev. T. A. Gilbert, rector of St. Patl rick’s College, speaking recently to members of the newly-formed Catholic Students’ Guild. “You students cram, we teachers help you to cram; and the result? A few years of hard ‘swot,’ perhaps a degree, then for very many, intellectual stagnation. How many of us take from our University years any useful habits of consistent work and reading? When our study years are over we feel emancipated, but for many of us the emancipation is a heritage of woe; for it means mental fag, lack of interest, and the entrance into our minds of devils worse than the first.’ ”

If ever a truck carried what is in railway parlance known os “dangerous goods,” it was one which arrived in Levin from Upper Hutt carrying twelve hives of bees (says the Chronicle). During the journey the bees remained in retirement, but not so after coming to. rest in the Levin station yard. Early in the afternoon they emerged from the truck in which they had been jolted half the day into a world of sunshine. Angrily buzzling swaims of irate bees made towards the station. That their attentions were anything but pacific a railway porter soon discovered when he was very painfully stung by one that had taken the mean advantage of flying up the leg of his trousers. Then there was consternation. The Napier-Wellington express with a big load of passengers was due into the danger zone in a few minutes: but spurred, only too literally, into activity, the porter hit on a brilliant idea. The station fire hose was run out, and a liquid barrage was put up ( to screen the station. The advancing i bees fell back, and the respite gave the officials time to hose down the whole of the platform and its precincts. It, was then that the express ran into a station so cool and damp that not even the most vengeful bee would care to have approached. A try-out cards game will be played on Thursday at 7.30 p.m. in the Soldiers’ Club. All intending players are requested to attend. The attention of those interested in the motor trade is drawn to the sale of stock-in-trade of the Taranaki Motors, Ltd., which ie to fee sold by auction tomorrow by L. A. Nolan and Co. Full particulars will be found in our auction columns.