LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 252, 24 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There is apparently a great scarcity of bacon and hams in the country, manufacturers being unable to fulfil orders. Teachers in. the backblocks have no chance to learn nothing."—A gem that emanated from a member at the Education Board meeting last night. The. annual destruction of property by -fire was calculated at ,t70,000,000 by Mr. A. J. iStubbs, senior assistant engineer to the British (Post Office, who addressed the Institution of Post Office Electrical Engineers on precautions against fire.

It is understood that the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company is makiii" arrangements to transfer" its landing place in New Zealand from Wakapuaka Nelson, to Wellington, and that the change is to be made before the end of the year.—Wellington wire. The development of the oil industry in the Waiapu county is being energetically taken in hand. It is reported that a wealthy syndicate have secured the oil rights over an extensive area. A great deal of interest is also being taken in the gold prospecting operations in the vicinity of IJicks 1 Jv, in the same countv.

Leave of absence was last night granted to the following teachers:—Miss Bunyan, sole teacher, Albert road; Miss Cuthbert pupil teacher, Stratford; Mr. Buchler, District High School, Stratford; Miss Sutton, assistant, Hillsborough; Miss G. Bayly, West End (all on account of ill-health); Mr. Robinson, Waitara, in order to attend the Territorial camp.

The Norwoods' and Yon Arx's huge combined shows, which will appear in the Theatre Royal, New Plymouth, ' on Thursday and Friday, May 2 and 3, have done _ record business in Wellington for 13 nights, where they were prosecuted for obstructing the thoroughfare, thousands of people having gathered to witness a special hypnotic feat by Professor Norwood.

Mr. Frank Harris Tlitclicoek, United States Postmaster-General, has prepared an estimate which shows that the American people are being swindled to the extent of .£20,000.000 a year through graft in connection with the delivery of mails. Owing to the activity of postal inspectors, however, f-15.406.000 was recovered. In 1910 2000 complaints were made by persons who had been robbed of money they had sent through the post.

Our Tongaporutu correspondent telegraphed that the Hon. G. Lanrenson. Minister for Marine, and Dr. Buck. Native Minister, accompanied by Mr. Jennings, ex-M.P. for Taumarunui, arrived at Tongaporutu about 2 p.m. en route to Mokau on business connected with the Mokau wharf. It cannot be said, he remarks, nowadays that Ministers do not travel in bad weather and on bad Toads when duty requires it. The party returns from Mokau passing through Tongaporutu about 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A traveller over the Conical Hills Estate, in Southland, recently subdivided, tells a good story. He met a successful applicant who applied for an allotment while in Dunedin. Having never seen the Conicals, lie could not find his block. The traveller took him to the section, and pointed out the boundaries, when the successful applicant threw his hat into the air and shouted joyfully that he was right for a lifetime, and would take possession straight away. The man was a blacksmith by trade, and said it was his first application for land. Such is the luck of the ballot. The section was one of the best on the estate.

'lt is estimated that there are no less than 30.000 moving picture theatres in existence. Of tliis number the United States has some I.kOOO. patronised daily by 8.000,000 persons, of whom one-fifth are children. The expenditure by Americans on this form of amusement has been put at close on £20,000.000 yearly. Tn Europe and Asia, too. the business has made rapid strides. Constantinople has its shows, so have Hongkohg and even less likely cities. Russia boasts of something like 12.000. The number in England was recently stated by the manager of one of the largest* film houses to bo upwards of 2000. of which London alone claims, in operation or being built, 350; and one house (the •Scala) in three months bad 200,000 patrons. As to the money invested in the theatres themselves, apart from the manufacture of films and from other subsidiary businesses, the authorised capital of 103 of the principal registered companies in Great Britain is upwards of ,£2,027.000; and this takes no account of private parties, who have invested many thousands of pounds in shows of their own.

What is known as "the borough engineer's trouble/ which has extended over some months in Wanganui, was ended last night, when the borough council decided to aoccpt as satisfactory the explanation made by the engineer.— Wanganui wire.

The Union steam Ship Company has received advice of the launching of a new steamer named the Karanui at Sunderland. She is a vessel of 800 tons, and will be ready to sail shortly for New Zealand, where f'ie will be. engaged in the coastal trad<. -Press telegram. Mr. G. IT, Buckeridge, New Zealand representative for Jlenrv A. Lane and Co., London, received the following cable: "Shipments of llawera cheese ex s.s. Tongariro and Tainui have sold at prices which will realise to the factory a shade over 7d per lb net f.'o.b. The cheese market has declined. New Zealand w now 70s to 71s. Butter market is flat; holders would like to realise. Prices aro irregular. New Zealand 110s to 1145."

In the Gazette of April 11 there is a notice signed "J. O. Ward, Minister of Defence," which states that the Colonial Auxiliary Forces' long-service medal has bee-n awarded to Colonel James Allen, New Zealand Garrison Artillery, for 20 years 3'iO days' service. As Col. James Allen is Mr. Massey's first lieutenant in polities, it is not without interest to note that the last official act of the late Defence Minister was to recognise the military deserts of an uncompromising political opponent.