LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A man was arrested by the New Plymouth police yesterday on a charge of common assault. He will appear in Court this morning. The Eastern Sea, now in port, has 18,000 cases of benzine and kerosene to unload here, not 1800, as was erroneously stated on Saturday. The flag was flown half-mast on the Union Steam Ship Co.’s offices on Saturday out of respect to the late Mr. R. K. Cameron, manager of the Dunedin branch of the N.Z. Shipping Company, and late of Tokomaru Bay.

The Fourth Battalion Band has been engaged to provide the music at the Hunt Club’s races at New Plymouth on Saturday, and an exceptionally fine programme has been arranged by the conductor (Mr. J. Lowe) for the occasion.

“The salvation of this country lies in the utilisation of pedigree herds, and the use generally of a higher class stock in the dairying industry,” was an observation made by Mr. Justice Chapman in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth on Saturday.

The director of education (Mr. John Caughley, M.A.) arrived at New Plymouth on Saturday evening. This morning he will meet the Taranaki Education Board, and in the afternoon the High Schools Board of Governors are bringing several matters before Mr. Caughley. Tn the evening he will deliver an address in St. Mary’s Hall, his remarks being devoted to the purpose and character of the recently proposed junior’ high schools system.

The unemployment problem is much more serious in Hawera than most people seem to imagine, if the subscriptions to the fund that has been opened can be acceptd as an indication of public feeling (says the Star). The Unemployment Committee have on record the names of about fifty men, all of whom are hard pressed and are willing to accept work on Turuturu-Mokai at Ils per day, and the committee are unable to cope with the situation.

The action brought in the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, by George Olbert Harrell and others against William Andrew Officer for £3300 damages for alleged misrepresentation in the sale of a farm in the Mokoia district came to an end on Saturday, when the jury returned a verdict for the defendant. This morning the Court will resume at tin o’clock to hear a similar action, the plaintiff being Edward Thomas and the defendant William Home McDonald. The amount claimed is £2160.

The Maori War veterans mustered in full force at Omata yesterday in order to take part in the unveiling of the Omata district memorial to those men who fell in the Great War. About twenty-seven were present. Yesterday’s ceremony was of particular interest to the veterans, for close by the site of the memorial is the battleground of Waireka. Three of those who took part in that battle of sixty-two years a cro were numbered among the veterans yesterday, viz., Messrs. W. D. Webster, J. K. Kenyon and G. Curtis.

A big kangaroo which refused to get off the road in a country district of New South Wales was struck lightly by a mai? car. It rushed the vehicle and thrust one paw through the hood. The speed of the car threw the animal aside, but it outbup' 4 ■ ar “*»iv for 50 yards.

The daily output at the Eltham dairy factory at the present time is just double what it was at this time last year, says the Argus. An interesting statement in regard to the housing problem was made to a Southland Times reporter by a land agent, who said that of twenty-six couples married in Invercargill last month nineteen" had elected to live in lodgings. Sydney files to hand state that Dick Arnst, the New Zealander, who after gaining recognition as a champion cyclist, twice held the worlds sculling championship, lias taken up woodch opping. He was to compete in the championships at a carnival on August 19.

The annual “at home” and sale of work in connection with the New Plymouth branch of the Girls’ Friendly Society was held in St. Mary’s Hall on Saturday afternoon. The proceeds were partly in aid of a London branch of the society and partly to help the New Plymouth branch funds. Produce and flower stalls did good business and altogether the afternoon’s takings amounted to £l6 4s. An enjoyable musical programme was presented, those contributing songs being Mrs. Brodie, Misses Shaw and Home, whilst Messrs. J. and A. Brodie played a violin obligato. During recent months the work of constructing the new roads from Taumarunui to Te Kuiti has been very materially expedited (says the Auckland Star). Last year money was granted for the purpose of allowing the formation of a road from Puketutu to Kopaki to be proceeded with. This portion of the main road will, for almost the whole distance, be visible from the Main Trunk railway line. It should not be long now before this section of road is completed and ready for use, as most of the country over which it will pass is flat, and the soil is nearly all pumicious and can be readily shifted.

“Will radio take on in New Zealand?” was a question asked Mr. Percy S. Nicholls, a business man of Christchurch, who returned by the Niagara, after a three months' stay rn America and Hawaii. There was not the slightest doubt, Mr. Nicholls said, that New Zealand would be taken by storm, as had been the case in America and Honolulu. The advances made during the last six months were simply wonderful, he said, and if New Zealand was handled correctly and the right goods sent over, within a few’ years every home in New Zealand would have a receiver.

Two eminent French surgeons, Dr. Pierre and Dr. Louis Bazy, believe they have overcome the danger of infection accompanying surgical operations, according to a report submitted to the Academy of Science. The two surgeons have for some time been experimenting on a vaccine to be injected before the operation to ascepticise the organ about to be opened. Treatment, the doctors state, has given excellent results. In cases of operations on the kidney and the bladder which otherwise would have appeared hopeless, the patients have been saved. Following operations in which the vaccine has been used, the patient recovers very repidly and the incision heals in minimum time.

Having visited practically every civilised country in the world, Mr. Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Company, said at Hamilton last week that he was convinced that in a few years’ time New Zealand would be the greatest dairy export country in the world. There was no country that was so suitable for the production of high-class dairy produce as .this country. After inspecting the dairy factories of the various other chief producing countries, he was satisfied that the ones in New Zealand were better equipped than any of them, while the N.Z.C.D.C. had, without doubt, the strongest and most complete dairy producing organisation that existed anywhere.

Mr. Goodfellow told a meeting of dairymen at Hamilton on Tuesday of a deep plot that had been hatching in New Zaland during the past two months to bring about the disintegration of the N.Z.C.D.C., and to get him (Mr. Goodfellow) personally out of the way in order to make this smoother for the hatchers of the plot to get the suppliers into their clutches. This conspiracy had, fortunately, been completely upset by a little skilful manoeuvring, and a gentleman who had come over from London especially to engineer it. and had taken up residence in Hamilton, had now returned to Wellington utterly confounded and with very chilled feet. (Loud applause, and voices, “that’s the stuff to give ’em.”) Commenting on the fact that in some actions for damages nominal damages amounting to a farthing or a shilling may be awarded. Mr. Justice Chapman referred at the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, on Saturday, to a recent breach of promise case in Auckland. “There,” His Honor said, “it was decided that a contract existed, but no damages were awarded. Evidently the lady’s attractions were marketable elsewhere,” he added with a smile. His Honor also remarked that he had once acted as counsel in a case where a man sued a lady for breach of promise to marry, the man being awarded a farthing as damages. The ca/.e before the Court, however, did not come within the category of actions wherein nominal damages could be awarded.

The hearing of a claim for £4OO for alleged breach of warranty in connection with the sale of a motor car brought by W. R. Menhennett and D. C. Cheesman of Patea against John Burns and Co. Ltd., of Auckland, was concluded on Monday last in the Supreme Court at Auckland before Mr. Justice Herdman and a jury of 12. The hearing had lasted two days during which Mr. Menhennett was under examination for three and a half hours. The jury after a brief retirement returned a verdict in favor of plaintiffs. It found that there was a warranty and that there had been a breach of warranty and awarded £3OO damages. Judgment was accordingly given with costs, judgment being also allowed defendants on a counter claim on promissory notes.

The Prime Minister’s residence in Tinakori Road, Wellington, changes its name as frequently as a muchmarried divorced wife in America. Time was when it became known as the Premier’s residence, then in Liberal days thfe Prime Minister’s, until Sir Joseph Wand proudly named it after his constituency, ‘Awarua.” Mr. Massey, as was expected, promptly removed the plate, but to the surprise of many, did not substitute “Franklin,” or even “Papakura,” A Palmerston North firm has lately supplied the right hon. gentleman with a copper name-plate for the gateway, “Ariki Toa.” which may be translated as “The brave leader.” It must be presumed, therefore, that the plate is the gift of an admirer.