LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mystery attached to a number of burglaries in Hawera was cleared up at the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, when William Joseph Gee appeared before Messrs. H. Graves and W. K. Wallace, J.P.’s, and pleaded guilty to 12 charges of theft and a further charge of being in possession of an unregistered firearm. He was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence, and on the charge of being in possession of an unregistered firearm he was remanded.

“Those who are choked with mortgages cannot expect to make money. That is the biggest drawback in this province,” said His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman, at the Supreme Court at New Plymouth, yesterday, apropos of the profits made by dairy-farmers in the district during the past 12 months. Later on a witness remarked that he was -in close touch with farmers in all parts of the district, and he was sure that practically all of them had found it difficult to make ends meet during the 18 months just gone by.

After the practice of the New Plymouth military band, last night, a presentation was made to Mr. H. Kay, to mark the occasion of his marriage. Mr. E. Sole rereferred to the enthusiasm of Mr. Kay as a bandsman and his all-round, good work in the interests of the band. He then presented Mr. Kay with a silver tea set, from his fellow-bandsmen, who also offered their congratulations. Subsequently band arrangements were discussed. To-morrow, the band will assemble at 2 p.m. to attend the military funeral. Next week, definite arrangements will be made for carolling on Christmas morning.

“This is the most attractive and progressive type of smaller town. I have visited, and I have been in many parts of the world,” .’said Mr. Deare. chief officer of the steamer Havre (now in port from Singapore), to a Daily News reporter, last night. Mr. Deare is a cousin of Mr. R. J. Deare, of New Plymouth, and he has had the opportunity to see all round the district during the few days spent here. Pukekura Park was described by Mr. Deare as the most beautiful of its kind one could imagine, its natural features giving the park a rare charm.

The fourth quarterly session for 1922 of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth concluded yesterday afternoon. The Court sat on fourteen days and a somewhat lengthy calendar of both criminal and civil business was gone through. The prisoners underwent trial on various criminal counts, while two men who had pleaded guilty in the lower court were sentenced. Out of the four actions set down for hearing before the Judge and jury only one came, to trial, but Mr. Justice Chapanan had his time fully occupied in hearing numerous cases brought before him alone. His Honor also heard a number of petitions in divorce, as well as granting a number of decrees absolute, while he also granted discharges to some four or five bankrupts. The next sessions will commence in the middle of February.

“Perhaps you have never seen a judge before, except pictures of one in the newspapers where he is depicted with a scowl and a horse-hair wig—as judges are, I think, usually inartistically treated,” said Mr.-Justice Chapman in addressing the Mew Plymouth High School boys at the breaking-up ceremony last night. “Perhaps that is all you should see of a judge—it is just as well not to interview one.” He would assure them that he was -not going to inflict a long speech on them, such as he had inflicted on the citizens of New Plymouth on Monday evening, when he had “spouted” seven solid columns into the morning newspaper. He preferred to treat them as he liked to treat all boys—with short sentences (laughter). He could assure them he had never treated any burglar quite so badly as he had treated that audience on Monday night.

The splendid performance of a pupil of the Omata School, named' Stanley Jury, in attending the school for nine years and four months without being absent one day, or late on one occasion, was brought before the Taranaki Education Board yesterday by the Omata School Committee. Members of the board decided to acknowledge this record by forwarding the boy a letter, which will be presented by the chairman of the board, who stated that a special certificate noting the fact would also be handed the pupil. Mr. S. G. Smith mentioned that a pupil of the West End School, named W. Baldock, had attended that school for nine years without missing a day, and as he would be attending the same school again next year, he would probably establish a fresh record before leaving school.

The Norfolk Road School concert and dance will be held to-night. Details are advertised.

Members of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce are reminded, that the quarterly meeting of the chamber will be held this evening at the Soldiers’ Club at 8 o’clock.

An invitation is extended to all parents and friends of students attending the New Plymouth Technical College to be present at the annual break-up and distribution of prizes, which takes place at the College at 2.15 this afternoon.

The Agricultural Department advertise in this issue arrangements for inoculation of calves.

The Warea School pupils’ concert will be held in the Warea Hall on Monday next, the 18th inst. In to-day’s issue is published a comprehensive list of sensible and acceptable gifts which should be of use to buyers at the Melbourne, Ltd. Usually much perplexity exists as to what constitutes a suitable gift from one sex to the other, so that the list now advertised should materially help in making a selection.