LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is proposed to hold the Eltham County picnic at the Opunake beach on December 22, and it is hoped that some neighbouring counties will join in. A meeting to discuss the details will be held in Eltham later “I heard two women’s voices raised in the next room, so I went in to pull the miseus out,” stated a witness at the Police Court, Masterton. “A very sensible thing to do,” quickly remarked his Worship. Whilst a boy was riding along St. Aubyn Street on Saturday morning his •bicycle skidded, throwing him to the ground, and a passing vehicle ran over him. Fortunately it was only a light dog-cart, and the lad did not suffer any serious injury. Saturday’s wet weather put an effectual damper on fixtures. The North Taranaki Cricket Association postponed all matches, whilst tennis players, bowlers, surfers, and other sportsmen had to content themselves indoors. Tn any case many people were confined to their businesses all day Saturday on account of the holiday earlier in the week.

The shops in New Plymouth were open all day on Saturday on account of the half-day closing on Thursday in connection with the general elections, and the streets bore a ibusy appearance, reminiscent of the time .before Saturday was adopted as the universal town half-holiday. Attracted by a recital by the Battalion Band and fine sunny weather a large number of people gathered at Kawaroa Park yesterday afternoon. The band, under the baton of Mr. R. L. Lowe, rendered an enjoyable programme of music, including several contest selections. A collection was taken up in aid of the park funds. Some doubt exists as to the origination of the recent highly successful tour of the combined Taranaki choirs, and the Royal Wellington Choral Society for the production of “The Messiah.” It has been pointed out that the suggestion was made by the .Stratford Musical Society, the other societies enthusiastically joining in. (whites our Stratford correspondent).

This evening at the Vitoria League rcums Mr. Justice Chapman will give an account of a three-hundred mile walk through New Zealand which h : s father undertook in 1845. During this adventurous tour the late Mr. Justice Chapman journeyed throughout the entire length of Taranaki, where he met with many wonderful experiences, an account of which will be a treat to those interested in the ; early history of Taranaki and New Zealand. The lecture will commence at 8 o'clock and the public is cordially invited. "You speak English,” said Mr. Burton to a Maori judgment debtor at the Police Court, Wanganui. "Oh, not much,” replied the native. "That’s good enough,” said the magistrate. Explaining why he did not pay the debt, defendant said that he had not worked for 12 months. "I lived at home with the old man and te wife and grow a few spuds,” he added. Lately he lived with Ratana. He showed Ratana his disease to his leg and Ratana he say, "Better knock off work.” To counsel: “I show’ you te leg if you like.” Counsel: "I don’t, want to see it, I am after money.” The magistrate: "You look as if you have improved lately.” Under further coaxing, defendant said he and the family were all with Ratana and the other natives helped to keep them.

The difficulty of collecting rates from returned soldiers’- land, especially in those cases where the land has been abandoned and where, owing to the high prices paid for land and the soldiers unable to make a sticceM, was stressed, at Saturday’ meeting of the Eltham County Council. It was said that the county councils would not carry out their functions without some relief, and the opinion was expressed that the Government should pay the rates in the cases where land has been forfeited to the Crown and where the returns from land are largely controlled bv the Government. It was finally decided to seek the assistance of Mr. O. J. Hawken, M.P., in obtaining relief from the Government. Mr. McWilliams advocated a vigorous Press campaign in the interests of the local bodies.

The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Beautifying Society will lie held on Wednesday evening at the Soldiers Club. It is desirable that citizens interested in the beautifying and advancement of the town should show their appreciation of the society’s work by attending the meeting. It is too much to expect the few active workers, who give their services so freely, to carry on unless well supported.

Webster Bros, have received cable advice of a shipment of 1(10 cases of Fiji bananas for the Christmas trade.

It is not very often that a man is able to get a felt hat free, but in order to advertise our men’s ready to wear suits, we will give a felt hat away free to all purchasers of men’s suits. We have all the latest in men’s suits, and we can guarantee you perfect fit. Now, Mr. Man, get busy and get your hat for nothing at J. K. Hawkins and Co., outfitters. Devon Street. New Plymouth.

The four Wellington food market firms, Meers. George Thomas and Co., Laery and Co., Thompson Bros., ana Griffiths and Co., who at present occupy the one two-story market building which stretches between Blair and Allen Streets, have combined in the erection of a huge four-floored block, on the land adjoining, which was formerly occupied by Luke’s foundry. The price of the new building is £30,000. At the weekly luncheon of the Wellington Rotary Club recently, Rotarian Hott said he had studied newspapers all over the world, and he thought that they had a very fine lot of newspapers in New Zealand. The news was well served up, and they gave a fair average statement of foreign affairs. "The general tone and standard of New Zealand papers is exceedingly high, and we ought to be ■verv proud of them. 1 don’t think we appreciate how well we are served.”

That deer are becoming more daring is proved by the fact that on a repent afternoon a large sambur was seen in the vicinity of the Imlay freezing works, close to Wanganui. The stag appeared to come from the direction of the river. It jumped some fences at the works, and then doubled back across the road, and after clearing more fences, disappeared into a swamp. These deer are to be found along the coast in the Rangitikei, Wangaehu, and Turakina districts, having worked their way along from Rangitikei. They originally came from India, and take up their abode chiefly in swamps. They are rarely seen in the daytime. A Tauganga resident, while fishing with a party in the water in the vicinity of Matakana island, several miles from Tauranga, was stung by a large sting ray measuring about 6ft. The sting ray had previously been maimed by a series of blows from an oar. Although it was practically exhausted, the Sting penetrated in the vicinity of the man's knee, inflicting a wound about l£in. deep. The man suffered great agony and practically collapsed. His friends placed him aboard a launch and hastened to Tauranga, where medical aid was secured and the wound was attended tc. That night a large sting ray, measuring 6ft. Gin., was hooked in local waters and, after fighting for 45 minutes, was killed. This specimen had three stings.

A remarkable scene was witnessed at one of the New York steamship piers recently when a ship from Greece arrived with nearly 200 "picture brides,” whose coming was awaited by a crowd of impetuous bridegrooms. The men had been placed in communication with their prospective brides by matrimonial agencies, and each carried a photograph as a means of identification. When the girls landed the bridegrooms rushed frantically about, peering into the faces .of each brilliantly clad young woman they encountered until the were completed.

Eleven fish frozen in a block of ice for six months came to life in Tacoma, in the United States, in September last, to swim in an aquarium in a local cafe. They were Chindagaks, from Nishigak, Alaska. Feeding in shallow water they are often caught by thousands in early freezes and kept dormant in the ice all winter. It is stated that it Was from the bed of a coast stream these specimens were taken. The block of ice was kept in a refrigerator room of a warehouse at Nishigak and sent to Tacoma with a shipment of fresh iced salmon. In Alaska the Chindagaks are known as candle fish, possessing so much oil that strings are pulled through them for a wick and the bodies burned for illumination.

A report that finger-prints could be forged reached the New South Wales police headquarters some time ago. An immediate inquiry was made by the Inspector-General, and the verdict its emphatically that they cannot. At the trial of "Fatty” Arbuckle a Mr. Carlson endeavoured to show the Court that the finger-prints on the door were forgeries. Mr. Carlson’s contention caused Mr. Mitchell, Inspector-General of New South Wales police, to write to the Los Angeles police for. information. The reply dismissed the whole contention as being unworthy of serious consideration.

There is now operating on the lower Ohio river a dredger of a somewhat novel character. The vessel, the Scioto —which has been specially built for the United States Government—does three things at once. It dredges the river bed and at the same time dumps the mud and silt on to the banks at both sides, and there builds embankments, or levees, as they call them "down South.” The stern of the dredger is of the suction type, and to this is attached, at the end of a long rope, a rotary cutter. The vessel is moored stern-on to the place to be dredged, and if the auction dredger fails- to remove the obstruction, the cutter is lowered by means of a powerful derrick and set in motion. As it eats ita way into the sand or mud-bank, the silt is drawn through the pipes with a range of about 300 feet to any spot on either or both banks. Members of the crew direct the ends 6f these lateral pipes to the required positions and build up the banks as the silt is pumped out.

A Hamilton resident has received a letter from a friend at Rotorua, who, with a companion, recently obtained permission to traverse the State Forestry Department’s plantations in search of deer. The correspondent states that, though the sportsmen only succeeded in securing one they came across ample evidence of damage done by deer in the plantations. One 200-acre planta- ; tion of chestnuts, about seven Years old. with young trees about Bft high, had been cleaned out, the trees having been broken and the leaves and bark eaten. !Ad adjoining plantation of pinus insignis, from 3ft to 7ft in height, had not, the writes states, been touched yet, but will later on, as just at present the deer’s horns are growing, which prevent* them from rubbing. Deer, he adds, will rip the bark off blue gums or pines up to 7ft high on the trunks, and are becoming an absolute curse in the nureery and plantations.

On Wednesday, Messrs. L. A. Nolan and Co. will offer the furniture and effects of Mrs. S. Herrick, Vogeltown. Some very good furniture is included in the catalogue. Particulars are advertised. Bathing costumes and ladies’ rubber bathing caps are in full supply at the Melbourne, Ltd. Boys’ one-piece cotton costumes from 1/11, men’s 3/6; ladies’ 2-piece cotton costumes, 4/6 upwards; ladies’ pure wool costumes, 14/6 and 15/6; men’s one-piece all-wool costumes, 12/6; rubber .bathing cape, 1/11, 2/6 to 4/6. Also splendid colored bathing towels, 3/11, 4/11, 5/11 and 6/11 pair.

The Severest Cold on the Chest is overcome by the proper use of Nasol. 9