TARANAKI ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 91, 12 January 1926, Page 4

TARANAKI ITEMS

Sightseers from many parts of the North Island and a few from the South, notably from Christchurch, have inquired at the office of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League regarding means of reaching the beauty spots of Taranaki (states the “Herald”). Conditions at the mountain have been a frequent subject of inquiry, while a pronounced drift to the northward is discerned in the many questions regarding the route to Te Kuiti. The expected influx of tourists from the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition is not anticipated until towards the end of this month, as most of the travellers from Australia were not likely to visit the exhibition until after the New Year and would take some time in working tip to Taranaki. The Tourist and Expansion League has 1000 copies of its illustrated folder at the exhibition, and a fair stock on hand in New Plymouth, where sightseers have availed themselves of its information.

The excellent results of the operations of the Federation of Taranaki Co-operative Dairy Factories, more especially since the establishment of the dairy research laboratory at Hawera, lias awakened considerable interest in North Taranaki (states the “Daily News”). As a result the Bell Block Dairy Company has decided to join the federation, this being the first North Taranaki factory to join. The scope of the federation was intended to cover the whole of Taranaki, and the interest now being taken in the north is a great encouragement to the federation.

Alount Egmont was scaled last Sunday by a party of five who were visitors from Auckland, Gisborne and Palmerston North. The partv left the North Egmont Hostel at 6 'a.m. and when near the top had to cut steps in the ice. A magnificent view was obtained from the summit. The hostel was jolly during the New Year, and concerts rlere held on New Year’s Eve and the following night.—“Taranaki Herald.”

Inquiries bv tourists at the office of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League have been numerous, and it is estimated, that the number of sightseers is far in advance of last year (states the “Taranaki Herald”). The league’s folder depicting the scenic beauties of Taranaki, and including information as to the best means of reaching them has been sought after eagerly. The inquiries include information regarding trips to the mountain and beaches, while a number have sought the site of the motorists' camp in New Plymouth.

New Plymouth is one out of only four municipalities in New Zealand which generate their own electricity, and it is oie out of only two that sell their electricity to outside local bodies or customers, said the Alayor (Air. F. E Wilson), in replying to the toa<t of the “Corporation of New Plymouth,” nt the complimentary social tendered to the British bowlers the other night (states the “Taranaki Daily News”). When the town started its Xframways, continued Air. Wilson, it was the smallest tewn in the world to possess trams of the trolley and overhead supply tvpc. Ala’ny critics doomed the scheme to certain failure, but the present nourishing state of the tramways showed how successful they had been.

It is uncerstood that several tradesmen and ether workers of New Plymouth have reaped a considerable harvest by working on the wharves during the holidays (states the “Herald”). They have’ now returned to their usual occupations. The waterside workers’ award does not stipulate that nonmembers of the union may not work at times when all the available labour from the union has been recruited. Such a position, apparently, arose during the past week or two, when shipping was fairly brisk.

The fire demon was persistent at Stratford last Monday night, when no fewer than seven outbreaks occurred in the old workshop of Mr. E. D. Evans, furniture manufacturer, in Regan Street (states the Hawera “Star”). The brigade received the first call in the early evening, and a blaze in a stock of kapoc was quickly quelled. Shortly after midnight, the nightwatchman discovered the storeroom was a mass of flames, and the brigade was again, summoned. This time it was thought necessary to leave a fireman on watch, and he, 'together with Mr. Evans, were on duty for the remainder of the night. The fire broke out again no fewer than five times, but was quicklv subdued with a garden hose. The damage to the stock, which was not insured, was estimated at £l5O, tut the building was well covered with insurance.