LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrs. Boon Bros, tender “for the erection of a commodious oil store in New Plymouth has been accepted.

Mr. L. Tichbon, Currie Street, reports having sold the freehold of Mr. W. O’Donnell’s billiard saloon in Currie Street, which has a frontage of 32 feet, at £lOO per foot.

The activities of the New Plymouth Beautifying Society on the last working day consisted chiefly in improving the slope between Nurse Baker's grounds and the little lawn at the corner of Carrington Road and Leach Street. A good deal of clearing was done and rough overgrowth cut away and removed. The workers were provided with afternoon tea by Mrs. Cresswell and Mrs. Billing. Work will be continued to-morrow.

Sir Robert Stout stated at Masterton that while in Britain recently he was told at Oxfard that a lad from Masterton was the beet student in a certaiif college. At Glasgow also he was informed that a young man from that district was considered by the late Sir Henry Jones to be his best student.

In the course of his prohibition lecture at Stratford, on Wednesday night, Mr. “Pussyfoot” Johnson asserted that the liquor traffic delayed America in joining the Allies in the late war. “That being the case,” was the substance of a poser put to him, “is it the liquor traffic that is keeping America —a dry country—from offering assistance in the present Near Eastern crisis?” Mr. Johnson admitted that he did not know.

“To blow on a fire is very bad taste in Maori," said Dr. Buck m a lecture in Auckland. “That is why they have firefans,” said .the speaker who showed a small flat rectangular strip of plaited flax. “If a chief blew on a fire to make it flare up it became ‘tapu.’ If anyone subsequently used the fire for cooking purposes then the gods who protected the chief’s tapu punished the offender, who, failing this, would probably be punished personally by the chief to vindicate his mana and prestige.” A very successful sale of work was held at St. Luke’s Church, Bell Block, yesterday. The sale was organised by the Ladies’ Guild, in aid of the church funds, and they provided plenty of pretty and useful articles, setting them out tastefully and in a most appealing manner. Mrs. C. H. Burgess performed the opening ceremony, and there was a very good attendance of the public, good business being done. During the afternoon a number of songs were rendered, while Miss E. Grover gave a very pretty exhibition of fancy dancing. In the evening a social was held, when there was again a large number present. The gross takings were over £7P.

“Can the Minister of Education inform me whether a certain person is now employed as a teacher in the Chatham Islands?” asked Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo), in the House on Wednesday. “My information is that this person was sent as a doctor originally, was found to be incompetent, and has since been put in a position as a teacher. There are certain circumstances about the whole affair that impel me to ask the question.” The Minister (the Hon. C. J. Parr) replied that he could not answer without consulting his papers. He would give Mr. Jennings a reply when he had done so. Mr. Jennings said that when the Minister had found out whether such a teacher was employed, he would inform the Minister of his reason for asking the question.

A witness in a case at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday was very emphatic about one date, viz., March 19. Asked as to why he was so sure of the date, the witness, whose speech plainly betokened the land of his nativity, said because it was two days after St. Patrick’s Day. “Did you have come sort of jubilation on St. Patrick’s Day then that you remember it so well?” asked the magistrate. “Well, not exactly a jubilation,” answered the witness cautiously, and a smile flitted across the faces of those in court. Crossexamining counsel sought to hide the witness’ embarrassment by explaining that the witness had, as a matter of fact, been “celebrating” on the day set apart for honoring Ireland’s patron saint, but was too shy to say so in court.

A meeting of the Loyal Eltham Lodge was held on Wednesday night, when the N.G., Bro. L. Phillips presided over a large attendance, which included visitors from all parts of the district. Amongst those present were the district grand master (Bro. A. L. Roberts) and the district secretary (Bro. G. S. Papps). The visitors were cordially welcomed and entertained. The district officers and P.P.G.M.’s Bros. A. Melville (Kaponga), C. Allen (Ha.wera). R. Steer (Midhirst), and P.GI Bro. W. Kivell (New Plymouth) returned thanks on behalf of the district and the various lodges. During the evening a most interesting lecture on the emblems of the order was given by the district grand master. On behalf of the lady members of the Loyal Eltham Lodge. Sister W. Hendricksen presented Bro. G. S. Papps with a handsome travelling rug in appreciation of the help and kindness received at his hands when secretary of the Eltham lodge.

A New Plymouth resident has a horse which has been made a great pet, and in consequence is full of crafty tricks. At gate opening the equine defies all the ordinary fixtures, and will work away at any new device until he finds a solution. ' A few days ago the horse observed a baby about four years old sitting in a box munching a biscuit. This is a dainty that the animal loves, and without hurting the child’s hand, promptly annexed the biscuit and devoured it. He liked the taste so well that be investigated for more. Carefully taking the child’s dress in his teeth he lifted the baby from the box, and was rewarded by more biscuits in the bottom of the box. The child’s mother placed the box behind a gate, and giving the youngster more biscuits, proceeded with her duties. It was not long before the horse had the gate opened, and the performance of lifting out the child and searching for biscuits was repeated without trouble or harm. ?n another occasion the -house cat was lapping some milk from a saucer on the verandah. The horse promptly put its head oyer the railings, gently removed the cat with its teeth on to the ground, and calmly absorbed the milk. Some horse!

Special values in household goods at C. C. Ward’s: 36in. pure longcloth, Is yard; colored roller towelling, 7d yard; all-wool Doctor flannel. Shetland and light grey, 2/11 yard; 40in. apron checks (fast colors) 1/9 yard; a splendid range of cretonnes from 1/6 yard.