NEW PLYMOUTH NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 20 October 1922, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH NOTES.

-+ : (From a Correspondent.) ROAD RACE. ' The revival of the round the Mountain road race was popularly received, and the general public watched with great, interest at the different centres the progress of the race. In the morning the weather looked ominous, bui* the day turned out fine, and, considering all things, the contestants had fairly good conditions to ride under. Since the last race the roads have been improved, and it is not to be wondered at that the times put up were better than on any previous occasion. Nevertheless it is a tax on a man's strength and stamina, and only those physically fit and in training should attempt the race. Quite a large crowd awaited the return at the racecourse, where several other events were competed for. It is to be hoped the results financially were such that the committee will be encouraged to make the race an annual one. OIL. Still another attempt is to be made to exploit the oilfields of Taranaki, and the plant, land and buildings of the Taranaki Oilfields, Ltd., have been taken over by a firm who are acquiring up-to-date machinery and plant m furtherance of securing oil in payable quantities. After many years of hopes and expectations and the expenditure ot large sums of money, only to meet with failure, the present venture will be watched with interest, and the success of the enterprise will be keenly looked for. At present Taranaki's best asset appears to be above the soil. FREEZING WORKS. In common with other meat freezing works in the Dominion, the Smart Road Company has had a bad year, but no one expected to see such a, serious result as a loss of £86,000 on the last year s working. Of course, we all irnow the mam reason of the loss—the slump at Home owing to the Imperial authorities flooding the markets with longstored stocks—but on the turnover the loss seems abnormally large. EXTENSION OF ELECTRICITY. Now that the new power boards comprising the Stratford and ElthamX tricts have decided to adopt the Tariki scheme the New Plymouth BorJugh fw clr wIU ve J l™** of po™their disposal m February next, and besides^supplying the needs of residents m. the borough and immediate district are negotiating with Waitara and Lepperton. The Waiwakaiho works will p1 Cg£uth very valuable asset to WANTED—A THEATRE. Although this borough is so very progressive, .it has one particular want, and it is strange it has not been filled. 1 refer to the lack of a theatre. Picture palaces there are in plenty, and the habitues are well catered for "But the play's the thing," and it seems a great pity that lovers of drama, comedy tragedy, and opera have no chance of being catered for satisfactorily. The t^ity fathers do not seem to move in the matter while private attempts (as was recently the case) are turned down in the meantime important companies pass us by. On one occasion a special i tram was actually run to Eltham to see i one ot Williamson's productions. staged. ■ OUTDOOR SPORTS. °. .; The elements were kinder last Satur- \ day and the game which had such a i great fascination for Sir Francis Drake was well patronised by its devotees, and the four greens were officially declared open. Complimentary telegrams were : exchanged, and a splendid day's play was indulged in. The presence of a large number of ladies in their summer frocks and their attendance on the bowlers at afternoon tea was greatly appreciated. It was noticeable that most of the greens and surroundings had undergone improvements during the winter. & BOROUGH FINANCE. At tie last meeting of the Borough J-funcil the borough manager (Mr F 1-J* ll™a&*) gave an exhaustive report of the raising of the £142,00-0 borough loan to repay the £137 000 Tn^ de! )entures. The loan was'got at 98, bearing interest at 5J per cent, lhe money was available in June, and : as it was not required until October' interest and sinking fund will in December absorb £4615, an amount not anticipated. The cost of raising the !°an was in the.vicinity of £6000 Mr. Bellringer also dealt with the finances of the borough generally and the allocation of moneys for various works. |