LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Westport News states that of the 19 sawmills between Arahura river and Ross, only three are working full handed. Six are working single handed, and ten are closed. \

A Maori whose presence was required at the recent sessions of the Native Land Court at Hawera sent the following telegram in reply to a letter from a court official: “Can’t come busy go away come.”

At the inquest on the victims of the Mangahao tunnel tragedy, Dr. Fitzgerald, of Shannon, spoke in high appreciation of the efforts of the men who worked to resuscitate the deceased. “It was not due to these men,” he said, “that the victims’ lives were not saved.”

Telling of his mining ventures in the early days of pioneering in this country, Sir William Fraser recalled, at a gathering of the Early Settlers’ Association at Wellington, how one mining experience of a few months had yielded him 841bs. weight of gold, of the value of over. £4OOO.

His Grace Archbishop Redwood told a gathering at Wellington how he had found amongst his papers a few days ago a letter written to him 67 years ago by Rev. Father Guerin who, instead of ink, as a medium had used the juice of grapes. The writing was still quite clear and legible. “There are indications (states the Trade Review) that money for mortgage and general purposes is .beginning to become a little more plentiful, and easier rates may rule in a few' months’ time.” Money has already fallen to six per cent, in Melboitrne, and for large sums on gilt-edged security to per cent.

A rabbit-trapper in the Mossburn district recently sold his catch for a month’s trapping to an Invercargill buyer, the price paid being just over £2OO. About the same period a buyer took 12,000 skins out of the Lakes district, where the best skins are obtained, at £6 10s per hundred, or a total cash transaction of something like £BOO. “We hear a great deal about the crowded syllabus at present, but I am convinced it is only half as heavy as it was in 1900,” said Mr. J. Caughley, Director of Education, during a lecture he gave at Auckland. “The intensity of study which was needed to meet the exacting requirements of examinations required just twice as much work then as it does now-”

North Taranaki holds the record for prices realised for grade Jerseys this season. At Mr. Raven’s sale, conducted by Newton King, Ltd., a few days ago the whole herd of 84 cows, including a number that were empty, averaged £l6 15s, while 50 of them averaged £l9 Ils. At Mr, J. McEldowney’s sale at Waitara record prices for the season were also obtained for individual cows, one fetching £3l and another £3l 10s.

One of the most novel community “sings” recorded took place a few evenings ago on the opossum-trapping area's beyond Paraparaumu (states the Levin Chronicle). The trappers gathered from all quarters of the bush, rough-clad and with several days’ growth on their faces, and altogether presented a quaint appearance. Their singing, however, was of the most hearty nature, and rang through the forest glades till a late hour, when they separated for their camps.

When the New Plymouth Borough Council declined to pay an account for £4 10s incurred by the Ministers’ Association in connection with the Anzac Day services, it will be remembered, Mr. W. R. Wright, of Rahotu, sent to the Ven. Archdeacon Evans his cheque for £4 10s as a protest against the council’s action. A few friends contributed 10s each and asked to be allowed to join equally with Mr. Wright in discharging the account. A sum of £4 was therefore returned to Mr. Wright, who, however, declines to receive it, and requests that the sum be retained for a future Anzac Dav service, so that neither the Ministers’ Association nor the Returned Soldiers’ Association may he called upon to discharge an account which should properly be discharged by the community.

A visitor from America who has been making an extensive tour of New Zealand by .motor-car, states that the roads of the Dominion are the worst he has ever traversed, says a Christchurch paper. They were a bad advertisement, he said, for such a glorious country, while from a commercial standpoint they must retard the productivity of the soil through the inability of the producers to get their produce to market expeditiously. There were large areas in America which were roadless, he added, but the arterial highways were as perfect as they could possibly be made. He mentioned the Custer Battlefield Highway as an example, which has opened up the "West” in a manner that has been surprising, and considered that a similar arterial road through each island in New Zealand would have a like effect.

Coastal residents are reminded of the cobweb social and dance which is to be held in the Hempton Hall, Okato, tonight. It has been organised by the Girls’ Friendly Society. Complete arrangements have been made for the entertainment of visitors. Cars will leave Martin’s garage for the convenience of visitors from town.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co-, Ltd., draw attention to their Tarata sale on Friday at 1 p.m. Full particulars on page S.

The New Plymouth Territorial and Cadet Community Club which was recently formed in New Plymouth for the purpose of providing recreation for the local territorials and cadets, is in need of sports outfits, and any persons desirous of assisting tpe club are asked to kindly hand any spare sports equipment of any description to Mrs. C. H. Burgess at the Victoria League rooms.

The prices at Pursers’ huge crockery sale have proved so attractive to buyers that large numbers of shoppers are daily visiting the premises to secure the bargains offering. The values are the best offered to Taranaki buyers. Housewives will find that in cups and saucers, cutlery, dinnerware and such everyday lines that Pursers’ prices are , unbeatable. —Advt.

“We are undoubtedly short of clergy,” remarked the Rev. H. J. L- Goldthorpe at the Anglican Diocesan Synod in Wellington. “There has been a falling-off in the number of men offering for Holy Orders from the Anglican Communion, and there is not much prospect of that position improving.” Perhaps the reason for the state of affairs complained of by Mr. Goldthorpe is to be found in the statement of another member of the Synod (Mr. R. L. Button) at a later stage of the day, that the prospects ahead, of clergy on their retirement are so poor that parents did not encourage their sons to take up the Church as a career-

The June number of The Round Table deals with the most burning questions of the day: The Genoa Conference, Ireland, Egypt, Russia and India. There will also be found among the Dominion articles matter of special interest. The Canadian contribution gives an account of the new Parliament at Ottawa and the parties that compose it and describes the differences which separate the West from the East, as well as some cross lines which are tending to counteract these differences. The Australian article deals with the Industrial Conference, and has an interesting section on the New South Wales elections. The New Zealand contribution states the economic and financial condition of the country, the -parliamentary situation, and has a short section on Imperial Affairs. The South African article is of exceptional interest, in view of the sensational events on the Rand, of which it gives a vivid picture.

The Rev. Susanna Harris, the worldfamed trumpet medium for the “DirectVoice” gave her “Reminiscences on Spiritualism in Foreign Lands” at the Workers’ -Social Hall on Sunday evening to a very attentive and appreciative audience. She has travelled the world as a psychic lecturer and demonstrator.

Manaia residents will shortly have the opportunity of consulting Mr. R. T. Bickerton. eyesight speciadist (son of Professor Bickerton), who will be in attendance at the Waimate Hotel, Manaia, on Thursday, July 13-

The attention of dairymen desirous of replenishing their herds with good heifers lor the coming season is directed to springing heifer fairs to be held at Stony River and Rahotu on the 11th and 12th inst.

The values offered at. C. C. Ward’s great winter sale are as usual the bestWoven kilties and - .bloomers, only 6/11 the set; ladies’ hemstitched handkerchiefs, 5 for Is' and 4 for Is; clearing line of ladies’ tweed coats at 45/-. Some of these are reduced from £5. Costumes in iw designs, all this season’s goods at greatlj 7 reduced pric?s, from 49/6 each-

The Melbourne, Ltd., beg to notify the public that their great Midwinter Sale positively ends on Saturday next, 15th inst. Those who have not already taken full advantage of the sale reductions are reminded that orig’nal prices will obtain as soon as the sale is finished.