LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be no issue of the Taranaki Daily News on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Monday and Tuesday of next week).

A good response in the payment of rates has been made by New Plymouth ratepayers, the general manager reporting to the Borough Council last night that the response was very much better than was expected. The total rates levied, including extraordinary water charges, exclusive of water supplied through meters, was £37,961 16s 2d. Of this £36,719 9s 5d was paid, leaving £1242 6s 9d outstanding, upon which ten per eent. was added. Steps are now being taken to collect this amount and £139 6s has since been paid. The question of road maintenance was referred io by the borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) in his monthly report to the council last night. He stated: “1 hope to gradually but surely get all roads surfaced with bitumen, as I am convinced it is far superior, both as regards wear and tear, as also from a lasting point of view. In fact, I feel confident it is the real and possibly the only solution of the maintenance question, which during the next five to ten years will be a vital matter, not only in this borough but all over the Dominion.” Another new motor boat and sailing club was opened in Wanganui on Saturday, its object being to promote an exhilarating sport, and to popularise the town as a pleasure resort. In this connection a correspondent draws attention to the remarkable absence of any auch club at New Plymouth. It is admitted, the writer states, that the natural advantages for motor boating are not the same in New Plymouth as in Wanganui, but the Moturoa harbor offers a safe anchorage for pleasure craft, and a fair expanse of calm water for sailing or motor racing sports. The present season is remarkable for the prolific growth of grass and other fodder. In many districts a number of farmers are taking advantage of the rank growth by mowing the ordinary pastures and making ensilage, but it appears that an immense amount of grass will be wasted before the winter. Agriculturists point out the benefits accruing to the pastures by mowing the rank growth wlijch smothers the more luscious grass beneath. The erection of “silent policemen'’ at the intersect’ion of streets on the extension of the kerb line was suggested by the traffic inspector (Mr. R. Day) at the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night. One of the “policemen” was on view and its working was explained by the inspector. Authority was given to instal a “policeman” at the Brougham Street and the Currie Street northern corners as an experiment. “I must draw the council’s attention to the extremely fast rate of travelling of heavy motor lorries on our roads,” wrote the engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) to last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council. “Not only do most lorries overload very considerably —often up to 75 per cent, more than the rating-—but they are travelling at such rates that combined together serious damage results to the roadways.” Lark of rubber on wheels was also pointed out. The matter was referred to a sub-committee to go into the question of the by-laws concerned before the next meeting of the council. The Egmontonian of 1922, the magazine of the New Plymouth TechnicalCollege, has just been issued, and as usual contains a mass of information of a serious and light nature concerning the life at the college and the daily routine in various phases. A pleasing feature is the number of photographs illustrating, not only the champions in the sporting life of the college, but also classes at work in the mechanical shops and the science and commercial rooms. The first section of the magazine is devoted to the prospectus and following it are notes by the students on football, cricket, basket ball, and hockey, while a lasting record of the annual college sports is also provided. Personal notes concerning old pupils and a record of the meetings and doings. of the Old Pupils’ Association are given a special section. The whole magazine, winch is well got up and edited, forms a worthy memento of the college.

A visit of inspection to the Harbor Board’s new steam shovel, which lias been working at the quarry at Paritutu for the past three weeks, was paid by the chairman of the board (Mr. C. E. Bellringer), a few members, and a number of 'representative townsmen yesterday afternoon. The conditions for seeing the shovel at work were not ideal as the wind swept down the face of the quarry and raised a considerable amount of dust, while it also interfered with the fire, making it very difficult to keen up the steam pressure required. Desoite this fact, however, the shovel worked well and quickly disposed of the stones and dirt which are being cleared from the face of the quarry in preparation for further blasting operations. It is the intention of the board to have a public trial of the shovel some time after the holidays, when persons interested will be given the opportunity of seeing it at work. “The erection of a building in St. Aubyn Street for residential flats, and the application received for permission to erect another building for the same -purpose, raises the question of whether the by-laws should not be amended to require greater air spaces for this class of building than are now required for ordinary dwelling houses,” reported the general manager to the Borough Council last night. “A residential flat really comprises several residences and will be tenanted by several families. In a town such as New Plymouth, where the area within the borough boundaries is very large, but the population comparatively small, it would be no hardship to require that residential flats shall only be erected upon land, the area of Which is sufficient to give reasonable yard room and air space for the occupants of the flats. It may be an expense but these open places -properlylaid out and maintained would not only make the fiats more easy to let but would be a matter of great importance in promoting the health, comfort and convenience of those occupying the flats. Under the circumstances 1 recommend that when amendments are bein'* made to the by-laws an amendment be made in the direction mdicated.”

Building permits for work valued, at £14,900 were issued in New Plymouth during November (reported the inspector to the Borough 'Council last night). He added: “The building trade appears to be quite as busy as usual. Although there is no appearance of a boom, the work in view indicates a very busy summer.”

That the electric bus chassis arrived at Auckland on Sunday was mentioned by the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) at the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night. It would arrive here about the* end of January. Or. Griffiths: “In time for the band contest?” The Mayor: “Yes.”

Most people consider the political situation to be very much in the air, but, someone who, whatever else, his stake in the country, is the proprietor of a piece of chalk, has definite ideas on the subject and has written on the main gate of the Prime Minister’s residence: “To let.” _-

Lord Jellieoe little realises what an escape he had at Wanganui (says the Chronicle. A vigilant borough official detected a strange motor-car without a number and got hot on its trail. He tracked it down to a garage, and at once set about finding the name of the owner. He found it was the ViceRegal car, bearing the Royal emblem, so nothing in the nature of a prosecution is likely to follow.

(Messrs. Holm and Co. advertise in this issue that they have supplies of West-port-Stockton coal available.

New suits for the holidays are being shown at the Melbourne in a splendid range of fabrics and designs. The make of these is unsurpassed, the majority being made with new hymo unbreakable fronts and hand-stitched, thus preventing buckling or “cocking.” The suits are guaranteed al] 'pure wool, and arc representative of all that’s best from the leading colonial mills. The prices are right.

The advantages of early shopping are many —especially at this season. Morey s offer a Very wide range of gifts for ladies and children, and selection now is bound to result satisfactorily.