LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1511, 10 March 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Parents and ex-pupils of the College Street school are invited to attend the school at 3.30 p.m. to-morrow. Entries for the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s autumn show close with the secretary to-day. Address P.O. Box 145, Napier,

Cases of influenza continue to lie reported iu Timaru. There were eighteen to-day. In consequence of a number of employees being sick, the Pareora freezing works have closed for a week. A libel action is likely to be hoard at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Wellington, in which Mr R. C. Dick, ranger for the Hutt County Council, claims £2OOO damages. The defendants arc a number of persons who signed a petition recently presented to the Hutt County Council, in which Mr Dick was charged with disloyalty, with having neglected his duty, etc. Entries for the horse competition in connection with the Hawke’s Bay autumn show, to take place on 23rd and 24th March, close on 10th March. Classes are included for ladies’ leaping match, pony leaping match, ladies’ and girls’ musical stalls, maiden hunters, and open leaping matches, and turning competition. Schedules free on application to the secretary, P.O. Box 145, Napier. The Postmaster-General, Hon. ,T. B. Coates, announced yesterday that in order to make it easy for any settlor to connect his house or homestead by private wire with the- nearest telephone office, the Department will undertake to help, and will sell the settlers, at actual cost, the material for telephone construction on the deferred system, 5 per cent, interest to bo charged on the unpaid money. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr .1. L. Stout. H.M., judgment by default was given for plaintiffs in the following undefended cases; —A. E. Mellon (Mr Meatyard) v. Win. Scadden, for costs 15s; Withers and Thompson (Mr Meatyard) v. Robt. Johnson, 20s Gd costs; Anne L. Roby (Mr Meatyard) v. Alfred Aldred. claim £4O, costs £2 14s; E. H. Carter (Mr Meatyard) v. A. Murgatroid, claim £S Bs, costs 24s Gd; J. Miller (Mr Meatyard) v. Alfred Aldred, claim £23 12s Gd. costs £2 14s; H. L. Young, Ltd. (Mr Jacobs) v. A. Williams, claim £3 Gs Gd. costs 10s; L. W. Holland (Mr H. R. Cooper) v. P. Tillft, claim £7 5s Is. costs 23s Gd.

Stop-work meetings are now the rule with the men in the Railway Service, and reports to hand from all parts of New Zealand indicate that feeling is running high. The executives of the various railway organisations arc closely watching developments, and are not likely to take any action for some time yet. In one instance the branches have been consulted, but all the replies have not yet come to hand. The chief concern of the general public appears to be whether the railway men will take drastic action. Many of the motions passed by the branches are framed in extreme terms, and it is safe to say that never before have the railway men been in such a militant mood.

The extensive chain fences along the Pitzherbert Street frontage of the esplanade gardens possess some historic interest. They were all hand forged, link by link, and originally formed the protective fencing around the Square before it was intersected by the railway line. This fence was erected by Mir 1.. R. Bryant, as contractor, about fortyfive years ago. The Maori people state that the Square was thus enclosed at the suggestion of Peoti to Aweawe, whose statue stands in one of the Square gardens. The object of the fence, they say. was twofold, first as an enclosure in which the Maori people could camp and feast unmolested, and, second, as a sanctuary within which no police would enter to arrest a drunken Maori.

A patent, for a specific has been taken out by Messrs J. Hang well and H. E. Hill, says the ‘ ‘ Poverty Bay Herald,” by which it is claimed that no disease of any sort can lire on a fruit tree, including the latest, scourge of fire blight. The specific is injected into the sap of the tree, and is claimed to be effective for seven years. Negotiations are in progress at the present time, and if satisfactory arrangements can be made, the Prime Minister has promised to have a test made in the four chief centres of the Dominion. Mr Sangwell is a professional orchadist, formerly of Westport, but now residing in Gisborne, An Australian patent has been taken out, and the patentees are in negotiation with the Australian authorities.

There was a full attendance at the Citizens’ Luncheon Club yesterday, when Mr M. C. Reed, editor of a Washington paper, and president of the Oregon Civic Federation, delivered an interesting address on town planning and civic development. Stressing the point that the initial location of towns was of first-class importance. Mr Reed expressed the opinion that a grave mistake had been made in selecting the sites for Greymouth. Westport and Blenheim, the result being that these centres were partially inaccessible, a fact that gravely retarded intercommunication between these places and the -industrial centres of the Dominion. Tf Westport and Grevmouth had been laid out with regard to accessibility, the serious delays in shipping which at present occurred at those coal ports would have been avoided with advantage to themselves and the whole of New Zealand. Blenrioixn’s outlet was vrry bad. Tf advantage had been taken of the magnificent water facilities available along the coast the-. South Island could have been brought within an hour reach of Wellington by fast steamer. Mr Reed expressed himself amazed at the possibilities of New Zealand, and expressed the opinion that if her advantages were advertised abroad large numbers of people would flock to these islands from overseas. He gave graphic details of the manner in which cities like Seattle and Los Angeles had gore forward by leaps and bounds, as the result of organisations to promote citizenship and encourage industrial development, and stressed the possibilities of civic cooperation in this young country. At the instance of Mr .Tames Htevens, who presided, Mr Reed was heartily thanked for his informative address. Ladies will appreciate the new Gaberdine Motor Gloves .showing at Palmerston’s Fashion Centre. Made with large gauntlet and soft leather nalms, they are ideal for warm weather wear. Priee 11/6.—-The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., glove section.*

Maize* for fodder is being extensively grown throughout this district. Its only enemy is the late frost. In all twenty-four head of stock were taken fmm the Kalranga county roads during the mouth, and two horses were impounded. The fees amounted to t’l 10s, and expenditure to £3 10s. A London cable stales that a remarkable operation has been performed at Wandsworth Hospital. A two-inch needle, which was completely embedded in a child’s heart, was safely removed, and the patient is recovering.

Present weather indications are for strong north-west to south-west winds, and weather squally and showery, and colder soon. The barometer is unsteady, with a temporary falling tendency, but X'robably rising shortly in the south.

The Palmerston North Chess and Draughts Club met last evening for play in the Y.M.C.A. rooms. There was a good attendance, and some interesting piny ensued. It was reported that a tournament will be held at Alasterton at Paster, and practices will therefore bo held every Tuesday night in preparation for it. An English eag'tie';- has succeeded iu extracting commercial alcohol and its derivatives from coal. it is claimed that if the process is applied to all the coal carbonised in Great Britain an estimated yield of 00.000,000 gallons of motor spirits will be obtained annually, revolutionising the supply and cost of liquid fuel.

Cr. Prouso, at yesterday 's meeting of the Kalranga County Council, gave notice of motion as follows: —"That the services of the engineer (Air A. IT. M. Wright) be dispensed with, and that he be replaced by three working foremen—one for each ward—and that a house be built for each of the foremen in the respective wards." Air G. R. Sykes, M.P., has been advised by the Acting-Minister of Education that the question of the erection of the High School buildings in Masterton is receiving the Government’s full and careful consideration. The Minister state's that he is negotiating for a further four and a half acres of land, which will make an area of twenty-nine acres for the school.

At a sitting of the I’almersto.) Police Court, yesterday, before Mr A. J. Graham, J.P., a young woman named Grace Smith, nee Darlington, was remanded to appear at Wellington on Thursday on charges of forgery. It was alleged that accused, on December 23rd, at Wellington, forged the name of Eileen Wood to three withdrawal receipts, and therein- received the sum of £32 10s.

Mention was made by Mr 0. M. Luke, president of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, of (he likelihood and advisability of transferring the meeting place of the Expansion League from Palmerston North to Wellington. No doubt, he said. Palmerston was geographically tvell situated, but Wellington was the political centre of the Dominion, and as such was a more suitable meeting place. The monthly meeting of the directors of the Palmerston North Co-operative Building Society was held last night, Mr C. E. Dempsy presiding. Mrs Pegler, who hold two shares, was successful in a ballot for a loan of £2OO. Tenders for shares on Nos. 3 and 5 groups were accepted as follows; —No. .3 group. £SOO, at £3l per share; No. 5 grmip. £SOO, at £35 per share. No tenders were received in No. 4 group, and it was decided to call fresh tenders at the next meeting. There will also be a ballot on No. 2 group at the next meeting. Several uncompleted loans were completed, and a number of shares transferred.

The fear voiced in some quarters that the rationing of the war period might affect harmfully the health and constitutions of the people of Great Britain, does not appear to have borne fruit. Dr. T. H. A. Valintine said that during his visit to the Old Country he had heard on all sides that the contrary had proved the case. The rationing had not apparently reached the stage of privation in most cases, but had been, in the majority of instances, something in the form of beneficial dieting. In ail directions people had said that plain foods in reasonable quantities had resulted in improved health ns far as they were concerned.