LOCAL AND GENERAL.

One Auckland firm, it is stated, has antioimced a reduction in the price of all brands of tea of sixpence per pound. The winner of the Waitara swede competition was Mr. T. Perger, not M. T. Berger, as printed in error in yesterday'a issue. The Patea Hospital Board has decided to increase its fees for hospital maintenance, and to allow a rebate of Is per day oh all accounts promptly paid. In the home-made butter competitio.n (class 7) at the recent Winter Show, the awards were:—Mrs. R. ,T. Nicholls (Urn* ti) 1, Mrs. Wroblenski (New Plymouth) 2. The Arawa, which arrived at Auckland from Southampton yesterday, brought 359 immigrants, the majority being nominated by friends or relatives in New Zealand. The immigrants appear to be of good type, and include a large number of farmers and farm laborers. —Press Association.

The number of applications for electrical current received by the electricity department in New Plymouth last month was fifty-two, which is the highest number yet received in any one month. Tlu< number of new consumers connected to the supply mains was 21, and the additions to existing installations was 18. Sir Alfred Booth, head of the Cunard Line, testifying before a British industrial court recently, said that a steamer which before the war cost. £320,000 was torpedoed during the war, £605,000 insurance being recovered- The vessel, he added, was being replaced at a cost of £950,000.

The building trade in New Plymouth is referred to by Mr. R. Day, chief inspector, in his monthly report to the Borough Council. He states that the building trade continues brisk, and permits to the value of £5740 were granted during the month, but the scarcity of material was still having a very serious effect on the progress of the work. The abattoir report to be presented at Monday night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council states that tha stock slaughtered for local consumption last month was 211 cattle, 43 calves, 7lf sheep, 61 lambs, 137 pigs, and 2 sucking pigs. Compared with last May the figures showed an increase of 25 cuttle, IS calves, and 103 sheep, and a decrease of 18 lambs and 31) pigs.

In his monthly report to the New Plymouth Borough Council, the chief inspector (Mr. R. Day) states: —The present cattle route follows certain streets through the town, and then comes on to Devon Street via Paynter's Lane. This has the effect of bringing large mobs of cattle into Devon Street near the Fiuroy store. It is at any time a bad corner, and the several streets intersecting make it a bad place for cattle. The time is coming when the Council will be compelled to provide a short cut from Waiwaka Terrace to the bridge for this purpose, and it seems' to me that something should be done before houses are erected on the land.

The Wanganui Chronicle says: —At the risk of disappointing the scandal-mong-ers, who are apparently working overtime in Wanganui just now, we deem it a pleasure to be able to "scotch" the particular scandal to which such free and widespread circulation has recently been given.' As we indicated, when referring to a statement published by a Palmeraton contemporary, no good purpose is to be served by the publication of unauthenticated rumors; but once publicity has been given to a scandal it is desirable, in the interests of all concerned, that its truth should be publicly established at the earliest possible moment. To that end we sought to ascertain the basis of this mucli-talked-of scandal, and our inquiries were not in vain. The net results of our investigation may be summed up in a phrase:—"No girl, no twins, no doorsteps, nothing but a tissue of wicked, cruel, and unfounded fabrications!" presumably having their putrid origin in the contemptible author of a series of vile and filthy and threatening anonymous letters. The small amount of fourpence was involved in a charge of theft heard at the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday. The accused was a youth, named Jack Kearns, 18, years of age, and he pleaded guilty to a charge that on June 8 .he stole two oranges, valued at fouipence, the property of Leong Ting, a Chinese fuuiterer. Sub-Inspector Hutton said that at 9.30 on the night in question, the youth had gone into the Chinaman's shop and picked up two oranges which he put in his pocket.. The Chinaman then came out, and the lad bought sixpence worth of apples, which he paid for. The Chinamen then accused the lad of stealing the oranges, and he handed one back, retaining the other. After some bartering between the two, the polie3 was called in, and the accused admitted taking the oranges. The Magistrate remarked that although the amount involved was very Bmall, the accused had no right to take what didn't belong to him, and a theft had been committed. Ho considered the case was serious owing to the principle of the thing, but as the lad bore an excellent character, he would not enter a conviction, and so brand him a.} a thief. At the same time he warned the accused that the stealing of the Chinaman's oranges was just as serious a? stealing something bigger. At the Workers' Social Hall to-night, Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., will give a lantern lecture entitled "Impressions of a visit to Cook, iSamoan, Tongan and Fijian Islands." The lecture will be open to all, but a collection will be taken up in aid of the Workers' Social Hall fund. Readers are reminded of the sale by auction by Mr. Newton King, to-morrow, of the properties owned by the estate of the late George Scott. Several desirable building sites in Devon, Courtenay an! Buller Streets, also two very nice house properties in Devon Street, will be offered.

A choice dairy farm of 40 acres for sale, with only £4OO cash, is advertised by W. H. and A, MeGarry on page one.

Two sharp shocks of earthquake, th? severest for some years, were felt in Wellington just before 5 o'clock yesterday morning- Mastcrton and Carterton report the same earthquake. An aeroplane flight was made yesterday from Gisborne to Tokomaru Bay by Pilot Russell, in Walsh Bros.' machine. The journey of about fifty miles occupied an hour. It was beautiful weather. The aeroplane carried a small mail dispatched by the postal authorities. At the annual meeting of the Auckland Patriotic Association, it was stated that the balance in hand at the end of the financial year was £239,412. The funds of the Association had been reduced by £71,984 during the year.—Press Association.

Profiteering was alleged in a case which came before the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday. On the information of Charles Norman Johnson, cabinet-maker, of New Plymouth (Mr. H R. Billing), John Hale, dairyman, of Avenue Road (Mr. Ronald H. Quilliam) was charged before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M, with having sold to C. N. Johnson two quarts of milk at 8d per quart, an unreasonably high price within the meaning attached to that expression in the Board of Trade Act, 1910. Mr. Quilliam said he and Mr. Billing had agreed upon an adjournment, anil the Magistrate granted an adjournment until July. Fourteen charges of breaches of the Gaming Act, in that he made bets in New Plymouth, Waitara, Inglewood, Stratford and Midhirst, were preferred against Patrick Joseph Flanagan in the Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth yesterday, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey. S.M. Mr. F. E. Wilson, who appeared for the defendant, said the summons was only served on Monday night, and in consequence he wished for an adjournment until some day next'week. The police offered no objection, and the Magistrate granted an adjournment until July 1.

Winter is pressing hard and overcoats that are warm and weather resisting are greatly in demand. Messrs. Howell and Howeil announce that their stock of men's suits and overcoats has been replenished and that a really good assortment of these goods can noV? be inspected fit their store. The prices may seem high at a glance, but we want you to see the gopds and you will then be firmly convinced that such is by no maans the case. These goods, are the very beat and ava selling at a moderate price. Be early. Ladies, just think for a moment how "Fairy Wonder" can help in your home. It will minimise lalbor and time in the laundry. It will bleach clothes snowy white without injury. It is extremely economical, being cheaper, bulk for bulk, than other compounds, and will save bn your fuel bill. Give it a trial. It's tile greatest household }»e]p in existence.

Our readers are reminded that the Melbourne's great Winter Sale, advertised yesterday, commences this morning at nine o'clock sharp. As it is absolutely certain some of the more conspicuous lines will be sold out after a few days an early call is imperative.