LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1928, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The unemployed in * New Plymouth will benefit to the extent of £3l 13s 9d, which sum was taken at special screenings at two New Plymouth Theatres last night.

The heaviest Good Friday ever known,’’ report Thorndon officials of yesterday’s railway traffic. The New Plymouth express consisted of 15 carriages and two vans.

Gerald Clay, aged 19, of Wanganui, received an injury to his ankle when motor-cycling over Mt. Messenger yesterday, He was removed to the New Plymouth Public Hospital, where he is progressing well.

A decision to prohibit all heavy traffic on county roads from May 1 until September 30, and to stop all sledging and cartage of timber and firewood, was arrived at by the Clifton County Council at its meeting on Thursday.

In accordance with custom for many years, the Whiteley Church choir rendered Sir John Stainer’s Passiontide Meditation on the Crucifixion before a large congregation at a special service last night. Solos were taken by Messrs W. L. Hay and R. P. Driver. Appropriate services were also conducted at other churches.

Good entries have been received for the meeting of the Taranaki Rifle Association commencing on the Rewa Rewa range to-day at 7 a.m. The president (Captain F. Hartnell) will be in charge and the secretary is Mr. E. Armitage. Mrs. Hartnell and a ladies’ committee will attend to the refreshments.

An offer to pay £2OOO, equalling 9s Cd in the £l, in settlement of the amount owing to his creditors, was made by H. L. Martini to the New Plymouth Borough Council at the special meeting on Thursday night. The signatures of a number of creditors agreeing to the proposal were appended to the document. The council agreed to accept such a settlement. Its debt amounts to £232.

During the past two or three years the country in the north riding of the Inglewood County has shown marked improvement as the result of the more intensive farming methods employed. Land that was carrying a considerable amount of blackberry is now showing good pasture, the result of the judicious use of fertilisers, of which large quantities have been taken into the district. This is reflected in the productive capacity of the land, the output of which is showing a decided increase. Numerous bruises were received by Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Cooke, of Otorohanga, when their car went backwards over a bank near Awakino about midday yesterday. It is understood that Mr. Cooke, who was driving, was changing gears at the time preparatory to ascending a hill, but, the second gear missing, the car slid back and got out of control. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cooke were, conveyed to the New Plymouth Hospital, where they were reported to be progressing well at midnight. Mr. Cooke is suffering slightly from gbock. To-morrow (Sunday) evening, after church hours, the Regimental Band will give a .special request recital in Pukekura Park, when tlia music will be of an attractive nature, including most of the musical items played during the screening of the wonderful “Ben Hur” picture at the Opera House last week. These will include "The War March of the Priests” (Mendelssohn), “Nazareth” (Gounod), the processional grand march ‘‘Scipio” (Handel), “Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer” (Wallace) and the “Pilgrims’ Chorus,” from “Tannhaußer” (Wagner). In order to lend variety, other numbers will be given in addition, so that the programme should be a very suitable one for the Easter period. The collection will bo for the band fund, and ,tho reelt-sQ will c4latultu.ee at BJ3 g.m,