LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day is midwinter’s day, though the sun has risen at 7.24 a.m. and set at 4.36 p.m. since June 12. There will be no noticeable variation till Sunday next, the 25th inst., after which the days will gradually begin to lengthen again-

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., has received a reply from the Government, in regard to the inquiry on behalf of the local War Memorial Committee, as to the plans of the cenotaph in Whitehall, London, to the effect that the plan is the property of die designer, who is prepared to furnish the same for a fee of 100 guineas. The Taranakt Producers’ Freezing Works Company have been advised of the following allotments of space for shipments of dairy produce to London: Maimoa, loading at Wellington about July 10, 11,000 crates of cheese; Wangaratta, loading at Wellington about July 20, all available butter and cheese.

A man who put his fist through a glass panel in a door of the Breakwater Hotel on Monday night “without thought of the consequences,” to use his own words, was brought before Messrs. If. R. Cattley and T. Furlong, J.P.’s, at the New Plymouth Court yesterday morning. The accused, a man named J. W. Davidson, was arrested on Mondayevening by Constable Parkinson as a result of a complaint received as to what had occurred. The accused said he had gone with a friend into the hotel to have a game of billiards, and on leaving forgot his hat. It was just on closing time when he left, and on going back to retrieve his property the lights in the room were out and he was refused admission. It was then that he caused the damage complained of. Accused was lined £1 and ordered to pay £1 10s, the amount of the damage, being allowed 24 hours in which to find the money.

In his monthly report to the Borough Council on Monday night the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) referred to the matter of drainage of the town and said the engineer had stated there should now 'be sufficient level plans in hand to enable a drainage engineer to commence compiling his data for a report upon a comprehensive scheme of drainage for the whole borough. The manager therefore recommended the council to take into consideration the appointment of an expert to prepare and submit a report. Continuing, he said, “As a comprehensive scheme of drainage will entail an enormous cost to the borough it is desirable that the preliminary report should be made 'r.- ;■< i engineer with the widest experience, and no expense should be spared to ensure that the scheme is based upon the best expert advice obtainable.” Consideration of the recommendation was deferred until a fuller meeting of the council.

The reserved judgment of Mr. Justice Reed in the case of H. R. Russell v. Stainton and Co. and Percy V. E. Stainton, in which application was made at the recent Supreme Court sessions at New Plymouth for an order dispensing with the security required under a rule granting plaintiff leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against a former judgment, has been delivered. In dismissing the application the judgment sftys, inter alia: The rule requires that “due security for costs and for the performance of the judgment? of the Court of Appeal shall be given to the satisfaction of the Registrar of the Court appealed from, unless the court of first instance otherwise orders, and if no such security is given the Notice of Appeal shall be deemed abandoned.” I can find no exceptional circumstance in this case. There is no question of law involved. The appeal would be against the finding of an experienced judge on a pure question of fact. No doubt another judge, or the judges of the Appeal Court, might take a different view of the evidence, 'but because they might do so is, in my opinion, no ground for granting the exceptional concession asked for. The fact that the plaintiff is impecunious and unable to find the security fixed by the rule is not sufficient ground for dispensing with all security. He has, of course, still the right to apply to this court to reduce the amount of security required, or the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal in forma pauperis.

An auction sale of particular interest to the farming community appears in this issue. On Friday next, and the following Friday, a considerable quantity of barb and plain wire will be sold at Webster Bros.’ auction mart. Particulars will be, seen in our auction columns. Every woman who has an eye on style plus economy will be delighted with the sweeping price reductions on smartest winter wear, to be offered at Morey’s great Mid-Season Sale, commencing today, June 21. Make a point of attend-

The retail prices of wines and spirits for consumption off the premises have been reduced in Wellington.

A ferry service of two 24-seater aerial ’buses between Wellington and Blenheim and Wellington and Nelson is under consideration. A big amalgamation of all the motor services of both Islands, with a prospective aerial ferry service of two 24-seater aerial ’buses, plying between Wellington and Blenheim and Wellington and Nelson is the project.

The number of organising teachers in the Wanganui education district is being reduced from four to two. The chairman of the Education Board, in his annual report, states that “the feeling throughout the country districts is one of disappointment at the retrograde step.” The Taranaki Education Board took similar action several months ago. That the Church should do more than it does in specially catering for the children was strongly emphasised by the Rev. Joseph W. Kemp at Auckland the other day. “We should as a Church,” he said, “throw open our doors wider than we do to the children. We wonder why, in later years, they do not stand more by the Church than they do. If. is really the Church’s own fault in not looking after them better when they were younger.”

A well-known land agent in Wanganui stated in an interview that a much brighter tone was apparent in businessThe chief difficulty, he said, was to get sellers to understand what buyers were prepared to pay. It was very clear that sellers knew the price of building was not going to fall any further, and that a compromise with the .prospective buyer was the best thing to do. More money was about, and buyers were prepared to give larger deposits than was the case a short time ago. “Better times are here,’’ he stated, “more confidence is apparent, and a conviction is slowly being forceci into the -public mind that things are on the mend, and that there is no necessity for further hesitation.”

“When the Maoris were at loggerheads with the pakelia, the pakeha never accused thorn of not playing the game,” said Sir Maui Pomare at the civic farewell to the Maori footballers in Wellington on Monday. “I remember on one occasion when, it is stated, the .pakeha ran out of ammunition. The battle stopped, and the Maoris sent down the •ammunition so that it could be continued. Alt another time the pakeha ran out of food, and the Maoris sent along loads of 'kumara.B and other edibles. You see, the Maoris would not fight hungry men, and they knew the pakeha could not fight without, ammunition. But the Maoris also thought a great deal of the pakeha. Once a pakeha warship shelled a Maori pa with time-fuse shells. The shells, it was noticed, did not explode until some time after they landed. The Maoris were short of ammunition, so they unscrewed the top of each shell as it arrived, and soon .they had all the ammunition they wanted. The Maoris thought the pakehas were plgying the game.”

Consternation was caused to the parents of seven young Greymouth girls (says the Lyttelton Times correspondent) when they failed to return from an outing on the hills behind King’s Park. The names of the girls are Fennell (2), Newman, Jones, Lynch, Sweeney, and Dixon. Between 2 and 3 o'clock they left the Park and headed along the bush to Nikau Valley. When three miles had been covered they decided to return, but lost the track in the dusk, and became “bushed.” An alarm was given by the parents and police, and civilian search parties set out for the hills. Their efforts proved successful, and shortly after 9 p.m. the girls were found sitting on a log, where they had decided to spend the night. The little tots were afraid to answer the cries, and were found praying, while one little baby had cried itself to sleep. The evening was very cold, and it was fortunate that the children were found, as there was a hard frost next morning.

In connection with the dispute at Rotorua regarding the Bible in schopls question, the Minister for Education, Hon. C. J. Parr, in a letter to the District High School Committee, says: “You .suggest that I as Minister for Education should endeavor to induce the board to withdraw ite opposition to the committee’s proposal in the matter. I looked at the section of the Act referred to, and am satisfied that, however much I may disagree with the action of the board, it is within its rights in refusing to vary the time of the opening of the school as requested by the committee, nor have I, as Minister for Education, any right to interfere. The board ha« acted after due deliberation, and therefore is not likely to reverse its decision. I understand, however, that the committee is dissatisfied with this view, and, if that is so, it is open to take legal advice and such action as may be deemed necessary to test the validity of the board’s refusal to comply with the committee’s request. P.S.—Since the above was written I have received the opinion of the Solicitor-General, confirming my views that the board is within its rights in refusing to permit the school to be opened half an hour later on Wednesdays for Bible instruction.”

A change advertisement by H. Cocker, tailor, in this issue contains something of exceptional interest. A pre-sessional address will be de‘ivered by Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., in the Rm.pire Theatre to-night, commencing at eight o’clock.

The special roll of ratepayers in the : rankleigh Park special rating are* may be inspeefeu at the Borough Council offices. Full particulars are advert ised on page 1 of this issue.

Members of the Taranaki Employers’ Association are recommended to close their shops for two hours on Wednesday, 28th inst., when the Association football match, Australia v. Taranaki, will be played.

“Fairy Wonder” Dry Soap loosens the dirt in soiled clothes like magic, and thereby obviates the necessity of rubbing ou a washboard. This in itself is a big saving in time and labor, without counting the saving in life of the fabrics. 'Fairy Wonder” bleaches harmless to the finest fabric. On sale at all stores.

That great annual event, the Melbourne’s great Midwinter Reduction Sale, will commence at all the company’s stores on Friday next, 23rd inst. Remarkable reductions have been made, and the public may rely on making substantial savings on every s-rticle purchased.

Don’t play with fire. Kill it instantly with an Underwriters’ Fire Extinguisher. ’Should be on every farm and in every house and office. Ready for immediate use. So simple a child could use it. R. P. M. Manning Co., 139 Albert Street, Auckland. 9

The unsettled weather wlxich has prevailed on the coast for the last two weeks has seriously interfered with the picking of oysters, and the supply received so far has been considerably below that of last year (says the Auckland Herald). A total of 1234 sacks has been put on the market, but this has not been sufficient to meet the heavy demand. The northern beds are giving good results this year, while the quality of the Waiheke oysters is said to be particularly good. Satisfactory results of the acclimatisation of grey goose in the Waikato were mentioned at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society by Mr. C. A. Whitney, lie stated that lie had discovered 12 of these birds on Lake Roto Ngaro, near Huntly. There was a small flock of birds at Waikarenioana, hatched from eggs placed under a swan, and five birds were being liberated at Rangiriri. If the birds were not interfered with, said Mr.. Whitney, there would be some fine grey goose shooting in five years’ time.

One of the new railway regulations lias reference to two appointments that are pending in connection with the better administration of the railways. At present, no matter how able a man is, there is difficulty in promoting ham to a position for which others above him are eligible, though perhaps not so • competent to fill. Those who are passed over have the right of appeal, and their claim can be decided for or against by the Appeal Board, Under the new regulations the Minister’s hands will not be tied by the former regulations, and he can promote men who are eminently suitable to fill higher positions, though there are others above them in the classification lists.

Maoris are gifted with wonderfully retentive memories. At Frankton recently Rev. Fletcher quoted a case at Gisborne in which some land titles were in dispute. A Maori traced the descendants of the original owners from over 411 years hack, giving the names, and it took the Clerk of the Court three days to write them down. Mr. Elsdon Best had informed him that an old Maori had recited him enough poems and chants to form a new volume of Maori literature of no inconsiderable size.

Force of habit was responsible for an amusing interlude in a boys’ football match in the Levin district recently (says the Chronicle). A local milk boy was in the thick of the fray when he took the ball on the full, but instead o-f “Mark” he called “Milk” at the top of his voice, to the intense amusement of spectators and players alike. Afiter all had regained their composure, “Milko” had his mark and the game went on. Statements are being circulated by a section of the New Zealand Press in connection Government’s wheat selling policy, and to the effect thart there will be a surplus of three million bushels to dispose of and there is a likelihood of a loss of Is (kl a bushel. This statement is discredited by those in touch with the position. It was pointed out to a Wanganui Chronicle representative that the purchase price fixed by the Government of 5s (Id, 5s 9d, and 6s 3d per bushel for Tuscan. Hunter and Velvet respectively was a rise of P^ r bushel from May 1 for six months. The annual Dominion consumption is million bushels per annum. The exportable surplus vyould be considerably less than stated owing to severe grading, and any loss on the export sale would be small compared with the gain on the sale to the New Zealand millers. It was considered that the Government would net a profit of 7£d per buahel on 6V Z million bushels. From me Government’s point of view it was good business as they would probably make a quarter of a million out of it.

A novel way of passing the time while waiting to book seats for the theatre was that of a party of young fellows at Wanganui on Saturday, who, using the bottom of a brief bag for the table, played with a put and take top. This means of whirling away the weary wait is not recommended to those who have not a sporting spirit and plenty of loose change, as much can be made or lost even in the hour in which these “sports” were engaged. However, they enjoyed themselves and one man was able to pay for a reserved seat with his winnings.

A New Plymouth lady has discovered an excellent way of keeping her hands soft and white even in this cold weather. Night and morning, after washing with warm water, she rubs in a little Velvet Hand Emollient. This preparation heals and soothes chapped and sore hands and keeps them in good order. Obtainable at Friendly Societies’ Dispensary; 2/a bottle.*