LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is understood the trial of Bishop Liston in the Supreme Court for alleged seditious utterances will not commence before Tuesday (says a telegram from Auckland).

The population of New Zealand on March 31 last is estimated to have bs*n 1048 218 This total is exclusive of tile Maoris (5-2.751) and the people ot the Cook and other Pacific Islands (13.209). The grand total, including the Maoris and islanders, was 1,314,176. A draft of immigrants numbering 30.> is to arrive here from Home by the lonic, which is due at Wellington on Monday morning. Ten of the new arrivals are .booked for New Plymouth. There are 40 domestics on board.

“Building operations continue to be brisk and there is evidence of a continued activity in this branch,” says the New Plymouth Borough Council’s inspector in his report for April. Permits amounting to £15,700 were granted and fees amounting to £73 17s were collected. In licenses and other fees £l3O 15s was collected, making a total of £213 12s.

At the New Plymouth abattoirs during April the stock slaughtered for local consumption comprised: Cattle IS--, calves 23, sheep 797, lambs 7a, pigs IBS, and 134 tripes were cleaned. Compared with the corresponding month of last year they show a decrease of 16 cattle, 35 calves, 12 sheep, 26 lambs. 9 pigs and 211 tripes Two cattle and two pigs were condemned. Fees for the month totalled £153 Is 4d. The New Plymouth electric ’bus carried 10,735 passengers during April and the total fares amounted to £lO9 15s 7d. This is £1 8s Id less than for the. corresponding month of , last year, although the passengers carried are 181 more. The drop in revenue is undoubtedly due to the bad weather conditions aa compared with April, 1921. On the Westown route 5944 passengers were carried; Vogeltown s total~ was 4662; and that of Frankely "Road 729.

■‘During the year a large amount of profitable business hud to be declined owhm to sufficient current not being available,” states the New Plymouth manager’s monthly report on the electricity department. The report adds that a large increase in revenue will not be possible until mote current is available after the completion of the works now under construction.

New Plymouth merchants have received" the following intimation from the Patea Harbor Board: “In accordance with the additional by-law passed at a special meeting of the board held on April 10, 1922, an additional charge of (id per ton, computed on weight or measurement, shall be paid on all cargo, discharged or shipped at this port as from May 1, 1922.”

The following gifts have been donated to the New Plymouth museum and old colonists’ room: Stone from the Paritutu quarry (Mr. W. W. Thompson), music book dated 1804 and book lhe Art of Farriery,” 1778 (estate of the late Thos. Kelly); tunic and vest worn by Taranaki Militia (Mr. G. N. Curtis. Stratford); book, “The History of the. City of Auckland” (chief librarian, Auckland public library); shell from Melanesia (Miss Percy Smith); old coins and ornaments (Mr. W. L. Matthews) ; old Roman coins, copy “Balkan Times,” rose quartz from S.A. (Mr. J. Simpson) ; book, “Asiatic Researches” (Mrs. L. N. Fairhall). The overwhelming experience of thousands testifies to the value of Nazol as an effective cure for QpUfihs, Colds, Sore Thxoftt*,

Community singing will be introduced in New Plymouth on Monday, when the system adopted in the cities of holding a public “sing” during the lunch hour will be followed. The singing will be held in the Empire Theatre from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m., and th© leaders will be members of the Diggers’ Company. Programmes similar to those used in Wellington, containing the words of the songs, will be distributed. There will be no charge for admission, but a collection box will be at the door to defray the cost of the programmes. A working-bee composed largely of boys from the New Plymouth High School was held on Reserve T on Thursday, when a good deal of useful work was done. With tools loaned from the Borough Council the effect of the boys’ work was quickly seen. Gorse inside the reserve was grubbed and stacked and a portion of the hedge cut back and trimmed. It. is proposed to hold an - other day later on when the cutting of the hedges and cleaning up of the road line should be completed. Mr. T. N. Blackhall kindly provided hot tea and cakes, which were much appreciated. Two cricket pitches on thia reserve will shortly be fenced and laid down and should be in order for next season.

Applications for- the supply of electricity received in New Plymouth during April were 32, the connections to the mains 26 and additions to consumers’ installations 8. The engineer, in his report to the Borough Council, says: f ‘A good deal of difficulty has been experienced in regulating the waters at the new intake, due to the work of removing boulders, etc., which is in progress, and which necessitates the closing of the new intake during certain periods of the day. It was on account of this, and misjudgment on the part of the power house staff, that the waters were allowed t-o get too low, with the result that the power station was closed down for approximately half-an-hour on the afternoon of the Ist inst. This matter has been dealt with, and I do not think it is likely to occur again. Apart from this I have no irregularities to report and the plant at both power house and distribution stations is operating satisfactorily.”

Dealing with the social work of the Salvation Army at a gathering at the Wellington Town Hall, the Commissioner, Mr. H. C. Hodder, mentioned that there were seven maternity homes In the various New Zealand centres, and 396 children were born in them last year, no deaths being recorded. Passing on to other phases of the Army's social work, the commissioner stated that there were four rescue homes, one in each centre, to which 118 persons were admitted last year. There were three prison-gate homes, to which 443 men were admitted. These men, he explained, were now working out their own salvation, employment being found for 112, the remainder being employed in the Armv. At the workmen’s homes in Wellington and Auckland, 63,820 beds were provided in the course of the vear (2599 free), and 97,887 meals were supplied (6044 gratis). The Salvation Army had 16 children’s homes in the Dominion, in which 541 children were cared for.

At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Hawera Retailers’ Association on Thursday, Captain Bremner, of the Defence Department, waited on the executive to place before them the proposal of the Defence Department to substitute a scheme of military training which will under present conditions be productive of more satisfactory results from the point of view of the department. After hearing the proposal, which is to substitute fixed periods of training in place of evening drills, the executive unanimously passed the following resolution: “That the association is .in full sympathy with, the Defence Department in its endeavors to arrange for periods of military training in lieu of evening drills, and recommends employers to assist the department in carrying out the proposed scheme by granting the necessary leave to employees of one week per year for the purpose?*

On Thursday evening last, at the Spiritualists' room over the U.WJB. Co.'s office, St. Aubyn Street, Mr. Howard gave another of his interesting addresses, followed by some wonderful phychometrical test readings. The room was packed, and Mr. noward, who was listened to with the greatest interest, liand»ed ms subject “Spiritualism v. Materialism,"' in his usual eloquent and convincing manner. Mr. Howard will speak at Stratiord on Thursday evening next.

Men! Don’t delay buying your winter outfit at the Melbourne, Ltd., before their great sale ends. Regular prices have been mercilessly chopped during the sale period, and considerable savings can be effected on every article purchased. Buy now while there is yet time.

The Commissioner of Taxes draws the attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day’s issue that returns of income must be furnished not later than June 1. Forms of return may be obtained at any postal money-order office; they will not be sent to taxpayers from the office of the Commissioner of Taxes unless written application is made for them.

In this issue we publish an advertisement of the Auckland ..inter Exhibition, which is to be held early, in July, lhe committee of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association are sparing no expense to make this exhibition the finest held in New Zealand, and the industrial Association of Auckland propose showing working exhibits of the secondary products of the province, which should prove of considerable interest. The entertainment committee are arranging a special programme, to include lectures, music, national dancing, Maori poi and the Maori Male Choir. The exhibition will be held in the large central wharf sheds of the Auckland Harbor Board, and will be opened each day from 9 o’clock to 10 p.m.

Rev. Dittench, of Australia, is an nounced to speak in the Empire Theatre, New Plymouth, on the 19th inst.. under the auspices of the J - rotestant Political association. Rev. Ditterich is president oi tne Australian Protestant federation, and ex-president of the Methodist Conference of Australasia, and is a very fluent speaker. His subject is “Protestants and the Empire.” Mr. J. Bennett, jeweller, of New Plymouth, has purchased the entire stock of R. H. Geddes, Inglewood. Mr. Bennett is selling the stock at specially low prices. For details see advertisement in this issue.

At the Spiritualists Church (U.S.S. Co.’s buildings) to-morrow at 7 p.m. the speaker is Mr. H. Howard (returned soldier) and the subject, “Spirituality, the Divine Ideal.” Spirit messages on Thursday* at 7.30 pan. AU welowne.