LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Referring to tarring operations, in the course of his annual report, the chai) man of the Taranaki County Council states that two-coat work at the present time is costing approximately £7OO per mile. “You can talk about tar sealing reads, but you will have to tar seal children s mouths if you reduce wages any more,” remarked Cr. Ferguson at the meeting of the jbgmont County Council yesterday.

The conclusion of the criminal business at the present sessions of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth was reached yesterday with the trial of George W. Clarke for alleged false pretences. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty and Clarke was remanded for sentence. Civil business will be commenced to-day.

I At the working-bee on Baines Terrace last Saturday tire persons gathered. Although few in number they worked with energy and enthusiasm, the result being a great improvement in the slopes at the Vivian Street entrance and in the path lending towards Milford Street. Afternoon tea was kindly provided by Miss Hamerton.

Barraelongh’s Magic Nervine Stans Jlootliaaie: l/u evaiA’MU ia7

At the Opunake Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Eric Roy Jury, licensee of the Rahotu Hotel, for keeping open and. exposing liquor for sale on March 17, on the first charge was convicted and fined £5, and on the second charge was convicted and. fined £2. Seven men were changed with being unlawfully found on the Rahotu hotel premises on the same night. Four of the charges were dismissed. Wari Rangi and Kapi Hoki were each convicted and fined £1 and costs, and F. Kahui was convicted. “I did not know the slump had affected racing; it is the first time I have heard it,” said Mr Justice Reed in the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, yesterday to counsel who was engaged in defending a jockey charged with false pretences and who had. stated that the slump had affected this profession as well as others. In reply counsel pointed out the fact that the accused’s retainer of £560 a year from a certain wellknown horse owner had gone. Careless driving on roads was the subject of some remarks by Mr. A. M. Moslem, S.M. at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The magistrate said some people in vehicles seemed to think that nobody else had any rights on the ■ >;td. He found that a great many >eople drove up and down the roads at . uprritic speed and so often as not with-

.nt lights. As a matter of fact the roads were too good. He thought most of the offences arose from absolute neglect —not from a downright set intention, of breaking the law. Men usually had not the law-breaking instinec, but

were neglectful or forgetful of the rights of other people.

Matters concerning the finances of the Clifton County Council were placed before the Waitara manager of the Bank of New Zealand by members of the council yesterday. The council has its antecedent liability, to adjust and so far it has been unable to arrange for a loan from any Government Department, while it is impracticable to strike an extra rate, as owing to the hard times many ratepayers have had to go on the defaulters’ list for last year’s levy. The council propose to communicate with the Minister for Finance, pointing out the difficulty and suggesting that the Government should arrange with its lending Departments to permit local bodies to obtain money at a fair rate of interest to pay off the old liability.

“I think it is a sad thing that in New Plymouth we can’t raise a memorial to our boys,” said the Venerable Archdeacon Evans speaking on the toast of

‘Absent Comrades’ - at a reunion of South African veterans last night. He said he thought his brother returned soldiers felt it too. There was a memorial to the South Africans, but where could they point out a memorial of the fallen in the late war? (A Voice:

‘Blame the council.”) Archdeacon Evans: “I don’t think we should blame them, but we should not rest until some fitting memorial is erected.” The formation of a dairy farmers’ union by all the North Auckland factories, is the object of a remit that will be movea at the annual North Auckland Dairy Conference next Monday, on behalf of the Maungaturoto Dairy Company. The chief object of the proposed organisation is the appointment of “a capable man of business at a good salary” to reside in England and to attend’ to the advertising, handling, and marketing of produce in Britain and abroad. It is proposed that a committee be appointed to formulate a scheme and that the necessary funds be raised by a pro rata levy on each season’s output. Speaking at a reunion of South African veterans in New Plymouth last night, Mr. S. G. Smith M.P., held out the hope that it would not be long before the claims of the South African veterans would be met. His hearers probably knew, he said, that by an alteration of the law last, year the Government could bring into operation for the benefit of South African veterans certain privileges that were now only applicable to the men and women who served in the European War. He hoped the time was not far distant when the Governor-General would have the opportunity of making the proclamation to include veterans of South Africa in the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act.

The following resolution was passed at a meeting of the Rahotu Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd.:—“Tne directors of the Rahotu Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, of Rahotu, Taranaki, do hereby oppose the compulsory pooling scheme, as put forward by the. National Dairy Association of New Zealand, Ltd., and urge upon the Government the necessity of refusing to pass the legislation desired by the promoters. They also protest against the rush methods under which the scheme is being formulated, and point out that public meetings of dairy factory directors, where some factories were represented by the whole of their directors, and many factories were not represented at all, do not provide a correct index of dairy farmers opinions.” It was carried unanimously. A visit to the New Plymouth Oddfellows’ lodges was paid by the New Zealand Grand Master (Bro. W. R. Gahagau) last evening. P.G.M. Bro. C. E. Bellringer presided over a good attendance of members, including visiting members from various parts of the. Dominion. The District G.M. Bro. A. L. Roberts, District Secretary Bro. G. S. Papps, and Treasurer Bro. L. Little were in attendance. Lodge honours were given to the N.Z. Grand Master, and the chairman, in a speech of welcome, assured Bro. Gahagau of the hearty good wishes of the Taranaki lodges. Bro. Gahagan, on responding, was given a hearty reception. He gave an inspiring address on the higher ideals of Oddfellowship. During the evening fraternal greetings were given by officers of the local lodges and Bro. H. Rogers (Loyal Reefton), Bro. Rockstro (Loyal Manawatu), Bro. J. G. Short (Loyal Manaia), Bro. Turner (Loyal Wanganui). Bro. Sbeppherd (Loyal Hand and; Heart, Dunedin), Bro. Saunders (Loyal volunteer, Christchurch), Bro. T. Merron (Loyal Brittania, Wellington) and Bro. Papps (Loyal Travellers). Musical items were given by Sisters J. and E. Bennett and Bro. Briggs.

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Headache, sneezing, running at the nose, full watery eyes are clear of germ infection —and. delay in treatment may lead to serious consequences. If possible get to bed immediately and sprinkle Nazol very freely over the pyjama jacket three or four times in 24 hpiirs—so as to breathe continuously an atmosphere of Nazol—-which controls and destroys the germs.

■Country Clients can rely on our POST SERVICE. Films posted to us are developed and prints posted next day. — H. J. Abrai . Mail Order Chemist, New

“There are just as many bookmakers in New Zealand now as ever there were,’ - said Detective-Sergeant Quirke at Palmerston North, during the hearing of a case there.

In stressing the supreme importance to the nation of the health of its women, Dr. Truby King, in a lecture at Wellington, roundly condemned the modern girl’s penchant for “tea and biscuits,” over-indulgence in chocolates and sweets, and modern women’s footwear.

It was stated yesterday that the Government had made a further grant of £560 in aid of the Gmoana road formation. Mr. C. Belcher, chairman of the Eltham County Council, is now in receipt of official correspondence which indicates that the grant is made conditionally upon tile Council finding £5OO. This the Council, under the present financial conditions, cannot do (says the Argus). The three active warships which are stationed at Auckland are all away on a cruise among the Pacific Islands. The Chatham left Auckland on May 5, and is due at Wellington about the middle of June. The Veronica left Auckland on May 8, and is due back in August. This week the Laburnum sailed on a four months’ cruise, being expected to return in September. H.M.S. Philomel is now the only warship in port, and she is being used as a training ship for recruits for the New Zealand Navy. “Continued efforts have and are being made by the New Zealand Counties’ Association to obtain a larger and fairer subsidy from the Government on general rates in compensation for the extraordinary motor traffic that is now being carried on our roads, but so far without success,” remarked Mr. J. S. Connett ui his annual report to the Taranaki vounty Council yesterday. He added: “The hospital levy remains unchanged, and, like our rate, is one ot the heaviest in the Dominion. Efforts are being made to have the basis of this levy altered, which at present is one of valuation only, it being claimed that population should also be taken into consideration, as the proportion of patients treated is not in proportion to the contribution made.”

The North Canterbury Hospital Board passed a resolution yesterday that the Minister in Charge of Prisons be urged to amend existing legislation to provide that persistent defaulters in the matter of maintenance orders be employed on some form of remunerative work, and their earnings applied to the maintenance of their families, and that other hospital hoards be asked to co-operate in an endeavour to bring about an immediate reform.

Mrs. C. Street and family met with a very unfortunate accident at Bell Block last w •!•■• ?. They were driving towards town .. I when at the corner near Mr. H. Salway’s residence a motor-car travelling in the same direction collided with the horse, which was thrown to the ground, while Mrs. Street and children were thrown out of the trap and on to the road. Mrs. Street received a broken wrist and an injured arm, and was generally shaken and bruised, but fortunately the children escaped injury. The handicap of eighty-two years of age did not prevent two hardy Maori war veterans from attending the reunion of the South African veterans at New Plymouth last night and responding to the toast of “Kindred Associations.” In the course of his remarks one of these New Zealand pioneers urged that the British Army was second to none. The reason he attributed to “three B’s—beer, beef, and bravery.” The old veteran capped his remarks by singing a song much to the delight of his audi-

The question of rates was touched on by Mr. J. S. Connett in his annual report to the Taranaki County Council yesterday. Mr. Connett said: “Ratepayers on the whole, I am glad to say, have paid up well, notwithstand’rg the trying conditions experienced. At March 31 there remained outstanding £2482 Is lOd, £338 3s 4d of which has since been paid. The present levy is a heavy one, and tne prospect of a reduction is not in sight at present as in connection with our Road Improvement x.oan a considerable amount of re-metalling work must be carried out to ensure a good foundation being obtained before tar sealing can be proceeded with. The best that can be promised is to try and reduce the general rate to correspond with the increase made from time to time in the tar loan special, so that the total amount will be no more than is levied at present.” Members of the New Plymouth Chess and Draughts Club should note that play will take place to-night, in the new club room (over Mr. A. B. Gibson’s land agency), instead of at the Masonic Hall as formerly.