LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the week-end three lady teachers at New Plymouth schools undertook a strenuous wanting tour. Leaving New Plymouth at an early hour on Saturday morning, the party proceeded via Egmont Village to the Mountain House, arriving there but little the worse for their twenty-mile walk. The trio climbed round the rocky mountain track to Bell’s Falls on Sunday, and then returned to the hostel. The young ladies walked back to New Plymouth on Monday.

The possibilities and probable costs of the extension of the New Plymouth electric, lighting and power scheme to Waitara were discussed by the borough electric light committee and a deputation from Waitara last night. The deputation comprised Messrs. A. W. Ogle, J. Blair and H. Hayhurst, and was accompanied' by Mr. R. H. Pigott, electrician to the borough of Waitara The proceedings were taken in committee, and reports will be submitted to the councils of both boroughs.

The description of a new fuel comes from France. It is said to be made by passing linseed and other vegetable oils over a special apparatus, removing water and hydrogen. It is then passed over nickel. The resulting volatile product is claimed to have the qualities of petrol, and to be useful riot only as a motor fuel but as a material for manufacturing explosives, colouring matter and perfumes. It is stated that various oth.gr vegetable and animal oils can be employed for synthetic petrol.

The Central school committee met last night. In the absence of the chairman (Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P.) Mr. T. M. Avery presided, there being also present: Mrs. Jemison, Messrs. V. Elliott, T. Hargreaves, F. Croker, F. Coleman (secretary) and H. A. Stratford (headmaster). The headmaster reported that the average daily attendance for the past four weeks was 620.8, or 91.6 per cent, of the average roll. The present roll number was 681. ‘Sickness, particularly in the infant room, was still rather prevalent. After reviewing various sports .features the report referred to the criticism lessons for teachers, held under the guidance of the inspectors. The headmaster was empowered to expend up to about £l5 and to arrange and report to the next meeting what form the prize-giving ceremony should take.

It was only an old battered tobacco tin, but it exemplified the long arm of coincidence in an interesting manner. A Nlew Zealand soldier found it on one of the battlefields of France, and carried, it for years after he returned to his own country. He took up land in the backblocks of Taranaki, and while bush-falling one day lost the old keepsake. Having occasion to visit a Government office in Wellington lately, he was surprised to find the tin lying on the official’s table. Explanations followed, and it was stated that the official in question, while engaged on ghe’lrock exploration work in the back country, found the tin full of tobaccofl. welcome find to the party. The tin was returned to the ex-soldier, who now cherishes it still more for its added associations.

Mr. L. A. Bone, who has just returned to Hawera from a trip abroad, had many, interesting statements to make to a Star reporter on hU impressions of life in the United States and in the Old -Country. The trip took six and a half months. It was very sad, said Mr. Bone to the Star, to find such a great amount of unemployment in the Old Country. Fine able-bodied men filled the parks, artisans with nothing -to do, 10.-ing their efficiency and eking out an existence through the. doles which are paid to them by the post offices each week. Mr. Bone thought that the unemployed problem was worse in the Old Country than in the United States. Trade in England was reviving, but it was a great contrast to note how empty the great stores were when compared with the business places of the United States cities, which were doing a big trade.

Under the auspices of the Wanganui and Taranaki District Auxiliary Baptist Young Men’s Bible Class Union representations from classes at New Plymouth, Hawera, Gonville, and Ingestre Street (Wanganui) assembled for the first annual camp at the Hawera showgrounds during the week-end. Fortunately the weather proved fine, and the arrangements for catering (two valuable features for camping) by the Hawera friends left nothing to be desired. On arrival at camp on Saturday dinner was partaken of, and the rest of the afternoon spent in sight seeing and doing the town. In the evening a camp concert was held in the spacious room of the grandstand, a programme of interesting items being submitted by campers and Hawera friends. Officers for the ensuing year were selected as follows: President, Mr. A. W. Diprose (New Plymouth), vice-presi-dents, Messrs. F. Horner (Hawera) and I. Emmett (Wanganui); committee, Messrs. S. Elliott (New Plymouth) and N. Dean (Gonville, Wanganui); secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. Gabble (Hawera). —Star.

On Sunday morning Mr. A. Paine, on going along a. street in Normanby, noticed that the window of the office at Galloway and Sons’ store was broken, and found that the window had been forced. On entering the office it was found that the safe had been removed and taken out by the back door, which was open. Wheel marks were noticed. Later it was found that a gig belonging to Mr. P. Kellett was missing from the shed in Mr. Hair’s yard opposite. Search parties went out, and the gig was eventually discovered in a back street, very much scratched, but otherwise undamaged. The search for the safe continued, and late in the afternoon it was discovered in a paddock off one of the boundary roads. An attempt had evidently been made to open it with an iron instrument, but there were no signs of explosives having been used, and the would-be burglars failed in their attempt. The safe, which contained the books of the firm and some money, was taken back to the store and opened and the contents were found intact. —Star. Borthwick’s will receive pigs at Opunake on Friday. The Stratford Mardi Gras Sports Committee is arranging a cabaret on a lavish scale to take place in the Stratford Town Hall on November 9. A special effort will be made to cater for patrons from New Plymouth and elsewhere. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., wish to draw clients’ attention to their Te Wera sale, which they are holding in their Te Wera yards on Friday, October 27, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8. That nasty Cough with thick mucous can be cured by Nazal. 9