LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An order-in-couneil, assenting to the raising by the New Plymouth Borough Council of the £19.000 loan fo.’ tramways extension to Westown, has been gazetted.

Forward buying for fat lambs is not practised to any great extent in the Wanganui district. However, one farmer informed the Herald that he has received an offer of 25s for all hi-i fats for the coming season.

Speaking on the Public Works debate, Mr. AV. T. Jennings (Waitomo) said he had never heard a good reason given why the railway line was changed from Ongarue to Okahukura. The tunnel at the latter place had cost a mint of money. lie protested against the changing of railway routes once they were laid down. Such things deceived people very bitterly. He hoped that, in future, settlers would not be eent into the backblocks until roads were made.

The new woman, in a new role, was in evidence in Hamilton last week, when a good deal of interest was occasioned by two stockwomen driving a mob of cattle to the sale. The “senior’’ flourished a stockwhip quite as adeptly as any man, and in such a manner that the cattle just simply had to wake up and take notice, while the .dog barked joyously, as though quite approving of the new order of things. The outlook for cowboys would seem to be rather gloomy. During the debate on the Public Works Statement, Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) thanked the Minister for increased grants for important roads. The increases were slight, he said, but the department had done something to improve the reading of the district. He was sorry the vote for the Tangarakau road was not larger. The Minister had stated that the policy of concentrating on a few of the most important works had been departed from on account of unemployment. He (Mr. Smith) was sorry that the men who had been given relief work had been nut on works of secondary importance. M. Roger Barthelemy, who has been -spending some time in Australia and New Zealand endeavoring to arrange for direct shipments of butter to France, via Dunkirk, left Wellington on Saturday on his return to Paris, ne stated he was not encouraged by the shipping companies to hope for direct shipments of butter to France in the immediate future; but the National Dairy Association had been moat sympathetic, and had assured him that it would endeavor to see what could be done in building up the direct trade, being fully seized of the importance of having an additional market for New Zealand butter.

Yesterday was observed as a close holiday throughout Taranaki, and although rain threatened throughout the day it held off until evening. Plenty of amusement was provided. Many New Plymouth people took advantage of the opportunity of spending the holiday out of doors at the sports at Pukekura Park and Kawaroa and at private picnics, while the special train took a large number of racegoers to the meeting at Waverley. Mt. Egmont was the venue of a number of picnic parties and the manageress of the hostel (Mrs. Cameron) reported a fairly busy day. During the morning the Wanganui Silver Band paid a short visit while en route to Ngaere Gardens and delighted the guests at ths hostel with a few selections. A party of about 40 members of St. Mary’s Church and another of some 30 from Whiteley Church also visited the mountain. The visitors were rewarded with a fine view of the top, the rain holding off until about five o’clock. The police reported a very quiet day in town. On Saturday evening the Westmere (near Wanganui) dairy farmers were addressed by Mr. 'E. Maxwell on the proposed Dairy Produce Control Bill. In the course of his remarks Mr. Maxwell said that the Bill provided for a board of 11 members, two of them Government nominees and nine representatives of the producers. How these were to be selected was not suggested. Clause 18 had very wide powers; but of the system to be followed there was no indication. The members were to hold office for three years, three retiring every year by ballot. The effect would be a continuous board. No matter what the system of selection, no more than three could be replaced every year, no

matter how they mismanaged or how dissatisfied the producers were. There would be only three against eight. Although some system would be evolved under Clause 18, no matter what was ( the system, the producers would only nominally be the selectors. As an instance, he mentioned a very large mutual insurance association, and theoreti-i cally the insured were shareholders and electors, but in practice they had no, say in the selection. The position would*' be" the same with this board. Inevitably, the result would be that it would get into the hands of a clique, and there would bp no practical connection between the board and the men who milked the cows. Similar situations arose with other co-operativ* ■ * neerns. The meeting, which was a lengthy one, resolved to oppose the Bill and to ask; that producers be given the opportun-i ity to consider the effect pf the pro- 1 visions. “NIPSEM.” This means a corn cure which will cure c' ns of the worst type. The. constant standing and walking can be made easier by ridding the feet of foreign growths. “Nipsem” will cure your corn in two night-s. From chemists and 8.A.8. Co. 4 2/-, Box 219, New Plymouth. ,

An eight-pound trout, 2ft. lin. in length, was caught during the week-end in the Waiwakaiho River by Mr. J. Bethell, who used a worm tackle. The trout is a line lusty specimen, and is at present on view in Austin’s window, Devon Street. Advice that a native named Koro Tekuia had been killed was received by the New Plymouth police yesterday. It is reported that the deceased, who was about 35 years of age, and lived in the Tikorangi district, met his death as a result of a charge of dynamite, the explosion practically decapitating him. An inquest will be held to-day.

Lieutenant T. .Herd, conductor of the Wellington Artillery Band, was approached with a view to his acting as judge for the band contest, at New Plymouth next February. As he has been retained to train a band (outside of Wellington) for that contest, he will bo unable to consider the request. Mr. J. G. Cobbe, in giving some impressions of a visit to Queensland at maintained that New Zealand was far superior to Queensland in points of beauty and interest, and, provided that the Dominion Tourist Bureau boomed the advantages in the same manner as did Queensland, New Zealand would quickly become a “mecca” for world tourists.

A request was made by Mr. AV. T. Jennings (Waitomo) to the Minister of Immigration in the House that the privileges enjoyed by immigrants in the matter of cheap steamer fares should be extended to New Zealanders in Great Britain and Ireland who are desirous of return ing to the Dominion. The member stated that he was aware of many people from the Dominion who were having a hard time in the United Kingdom and were unable to find the necessary money to enab’a them to return to their native country. The Hon. AV. Nosworthy said that he would make inquiries and see wheth *r there was anything he could suggest to Cabinet by which assistance could be given to these people. The Wanganui Chronicle states that negotiations are in progress between a Palmerston North syndicate of business men and the owners of the Church of England property in the Avenue with the view to acquiring that area of land and erecting buildings thereon. One stumbling block to the deal has been the rigid nature of the AVanganui building by-laws. According to the syndicate sub-dividing brick walls are needless things. The matter was referred to at the Wanganui council meeting this week, when it was considered that an arrangement could be come to if left with the borough engineer and the chairman of the works committee.

A wristlet watch lost by Major E. G. Fraser, of the Auckland Battalion, on Gallipoli on the day of the landing was recently returned to him from an English businessman in Alexandria. The watch was a present from the AA'aitemata Lodge of Freemasons and it bore an engraved inscription to that effect, no indication being given of the country in whrc|i the lodge existed. Three months ago the Worshipful Master of the lodge received an inquiry from the man in Alexandria if he could tell the .whereabouts of “Brother E. G. Fraser.” Major Fraser answered the letter, and last mail brought the watch, still in good order. The sender said that all he knew about it was that a man in his employ had received it from an Australian soldier in exchange for a bottle of beer. Strangely -enough, a few days before the 'first letter from Alexandria arrived Major Fraser recalled his lost watch and wondered if a Turk had secured it.

“The Germans are not reformed in heart” was the statemeent made by Mr. J. J. McGrath, of Wellington, who has returned by the Ruahine after a visit to Europe.' Tn support of this view, Mr. McGrath eaid that he and his wife had attended many German “evenings” in the Beer Gardens, in two of which as many as 6,000 people gathered nightly, and they had never been present when they did not hear German martial music played while many of the people rose and sang war-like songs. He observed considerable hatred towards England, hatred that was only exceeded by German hatred of France. He found that New Zealand was not unknown there and that there was no warm feeling for New Zealanders. The continued boycott of German goods by the Dominion was naturally not liked. On the other hand the raising of the Australian embargo was hailed with delight, especially in Munich, large consignments of goods being forwarded in time to reach the Commonwealth by August Ist.

The old saying that love laughs at locksmiths has been proved to be true at the Auckland gaol, according to a story told by the Rev. E. C. Budd, at the annual meeting of the Auckland Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society (records the Auckland Star). He stated that a young man when 'he entered the gaol had no trade but so applied himself during his incarceration that he was able to set up in business when he was discharged, and further had married a good looking woman who was in gaol at the same time at himself and whom he had. not previously known. The members of the society were much puzzled as to how the courting could hard taken place in the gaol, seeing that the prisoners were kept strictly apart, and Bishop Averill remarked that it- was really unique. The Rev. F. R. Jeffreys remarked that the man might have been employed to carry the food from the cookhouse to the woman’s gate, but that did not solve the mystery. Mr. Budd then explained that a piece of soap, which had been hollowed out, was left on the chapel window and it was used at the letter-box fo-f the billets doux. The Christmas number of the Auckland Weekly is to hand, and, as usual, is a splendid piece of work. The standard set by this annual in the past has been so high that it has been no easy task to effect an improvement. Reference to the beautifully designed and artistic cqver, will, however, demonstrate that the 1922 issue is the best yet. The cover design, to which reference has been made, is rich in coloring and unusually attractive, fvhile the boating study -forming the subject of the presentation plate is an excellent example of the perfection to which color printing has been brought in this Dominion. There have been two printings in tinted effect on the whole page pic-tut-res that form so important a part of the work. For variety of interest, embracing phases of life and scenic attractions from one end of New Zealand to the other, this de luxe issue of the Auckland AVeekly News Christmas number will hold a unique place.

C. C. Ward has the finest selection of cotton dress goods in Taranaki at the lowest prices, consistent with good quality. Printed crepes and challis, Is yard; Jap crepes, special quality, 1/6; English crepes, 33in. wide, 1/11 yard; foulards, double width, Jrom 2/6 yard; sponge cloths, plain, from 2/11 yard; cheeks and stripesj 4/6 yard.

During the lightning storm on Friday two men at the Waikeria prison reformatory were struck down. They were working in the engine-house when a vivid flash occurred, striking them down and rendering them helpless. They gradually recovered, and apart from shock are now stated to be in normal health.

The State of New South AVales has over 300 soldiers’ farms abandoned and derelict on its hands. They represent a net loss of over £150,000 plus the difference between the price paid for them and their value to-day. The AVanganui Herald says:—There is evidently a difficulty in getting young men teachers to go into the country. At the Education Board meeting on AVednesday evening the secretary read out a list of country schools where positions had been advertised, and in nearly every case only one applicant had applied. The management of a Christchurch theatre is at present conducting a beauty contest in that city, not only with a view to discovering the most beautiful girl in Christchurch but also with the idea of having the successful competitor recommended to a highly reputable motion picture company in America.

“No wood on the farms means no food in the towns,” said Mr. L. Macintosh iEIUs, Director of Forestry, at Palmerston North last week, “and New Zealanders, as the greatest users of wood in the world to-day, are paying millions for what they paid thousands a few years ago.”

The largest sheep station in the world is in Tierra del Fuego, in the south of Chile. The Explortadora Company, which owns the station, shears an average of two and a half million sheep every year, and the Mendez Company, the next largest company operating there, shears over a million.

Sanitary conditions pertaining in AVellington thirty or forty years ago were referred to by the Hon. Dr. AV. E. Collins, M.L.C., when speaking at a “Health AVeek” meeting. “Forty years or so ago,” remarked Dr. Collins, “the doctors almost used to live on typhoid fever cases. I venture to say that very few doctors have a typhoid fever case now.” One of the stock questions asked debtors at the Court it: “Do you go to races?” It is remarkable how few men seem to patronise the “sport of kings,” judging from statements made on oath (remarks the Auckland Star). One. debtor said recently: “I don’t go now.” “Wife won’t let you, I sup* pose,” said the solicitor. “Noj I can’t afford it,” was the answer Counsel suggested: “Sometimes people return from races with more money than they went with,” but the debtor' replied sadly, “Never been my experience yet.” The claim of certain South Island Maoris against the Government in respect of land purchased for settlement in Canterbury about 75 years ago was mentioned again in the House of Representatives this week. The Government of the day is stated to have bought the land at an exceedingly low price and promised that certain provision would be made for the natives. The promise was not kept, and two years ago a Royal Commission, after investigating the claim, recommended that ft sum of £354,000 should be made to the Maoris in settlement. The Minister of Native Affairs (Mr. Coates), in reply to a question, seated that he was unable at present to indicate what action the Government would take. The matter was still under consideration, and some important phases of it required to be determined. TKe value of cold bathing and swimming, in the rearing of the race, is not a matter of mere personal opinion; it is a matter of.-hard fact, said Dr. Truby King at Auckland recently. Nothing can compare with this form of exercise and recreation, and nothing can take its place. It is the supreme and indispensable form of both exercise and recreation. Nearly half of the body is composed of muscle, and all our muscular tissue may be called involuntary, since even those muscles which can be put into direct action through the will are normally kept toned-up from without, and more or less active all day long, whether we will it or not—indeed, the whole muscular system is driven from without, not from within. That the conscious mind and the will have very little to do with the tone ana fitness of the body, is proved by the superb condition and alertness of animals living in a state of nature. In spite of the large primary cost and considerable annual expense in the way of upkeep, a swimming bath adapted for use all the year round is the best economic investment any community can make, if full account is taken of the value of health to the individual, the community, and the State, and the costliness of invalidism and disease.

A Wanganui business man, when discussing railwhy tariffs with a reporter, stated that at a low estimate the profit lost to the railway through motors carrying goods in hie district would be £5O per day, and when the whole of the motor competing traffic in New Zealand is taken into consideration, it must amount to a very substantial sum in the aggregate. The business man, who has had considerable experience in railway freights, went on to state that it.would be a matter of the greatest simplicity to revise the railway tariff and place it on a payable basis. First of all the present obsolete tariff book, which has been in use with few amendments for many years, should be swept away. An entirely new scale should be made out, obliterating half the classes, together with absurd distinctions. Then the most level-headed clerks in the Department should be employed to work out the simplified tariff, calculated on the same basis as the man who runs a motor to carry goods, allowing for fuel, wages and depreciation. This revision would mean that certain classes of goods would not be carted hundreds of miles for the matter of a few shillings while other goods for no reason at all were charged up to the hilt. One word more, he added. The saving in clerks’ wages alone under a simplified tariff would be enormous. AA 7 ith the increased volume of business these men would then be absorbed in more profitable channels in the Department.

AVe have now installed an up-to-date steam pressing machine, and we are able to execute all orders in the course of a few days (morning orders done in 48 hours). We have tne most up-to-date plant in Taranaki for renovating all classes of suits, dresses, gloves, hats, etc. Post your goods to us, and we will return them in a few days equal to new.—At J. K. Hawkins and Co.’s, Steam Dyers and Dry Cleaners, Devon Street, ‘ New Plymouth. The purity —clarity—richness of flavour—and strength are characteristic properties of Sharland’s Vinegar, which is brewed from pure cane sugar. 2