LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 307, 20 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

English and Australian mails, ex Maheno at Auckland, will arrive here, per Rarawa, this morning. The Rover Cycle Club are holding a road race to Waitara and back on June 3rd, King's Birthday. The Taranaki Education Board, for the first time for many years, is in the happy position of having more qualified teachers applying for schools than there are vacancies to be filled. The libretto for the "Country Girl" has now arrived, and is in the hands of Mr. It. Hill Johnston, stage manager. The local amateur opera company intends to stage the opera in July, and to secure a successful performance, the members of the company are requested to be consistently regular at rcluursala. The festive earthquake seems to be haunting New Plymouth at the moment. There was a sharp shock at 10.15 on Sunday night, and three other slight tremors during the early morning ys&tffljky. It is to be hoped that monster is not selecting Tarft'naki as the site of his predicted outburst. There was a good attendance of children at the practice for the Flrge Brigade ball held on Saturday afternoon, and they went through the dances very creditably. A great number will be present at the ball in fancy dress, so the function should be as big a success as ever. The tickets are selling well, and everything points to a big attendance of the public. The casual cam]) for Territorials who were unable to attend the main camp held recently, commenced yeesterday, when those who had to put in four extra days to make up for parades missed during the year, left for Oringi. The other casuals will leave by Friday's train. The mounted men who have been in camp during the past few days, returned by special train on Saturday. They were particularly unfortunate in the matter of weather, as it rained during nearly the whole time. The usual monthly meeting of the Egmont Lodge Xo 112, was held in the Good Templar Hall last night. The session was opened by the C.T. Sister Mrs. Legg. It was decided to start a mutual improvement society in connection with the Lodge, the first meeting to be held on Friday next. .May 23. Bro. F. R. Pepperell tendered his resignation as superintendent of the Juvenile Temple, which was received with regret by the Lodge. Bro. (!. 11. Maunder was unanimously elected to that position. The programme for the evening was provided by four young Chief Templars and an excellent musical and elocutionary programme was provided. JRvo. G. W. Tlartnell reported that he had received a commission from the Grand C.T., as Deputy Grand Chief Templar. Bro. Maunder reported that the C.T. and two representatives had seats on the executive of the Xo-License League. Bros. X. T. Maunder and L. Peppcrill were elected to fill these positions. The programme for the next week will be a lecture delivered by flic Rev. M. Hales, on ''The Insanity of War."

Entries are coming in very freely fojf the New Plymouth Winter Show which! is to be held on June 11, 12,13, 14, whilst applications for space are also coming forward very well, and there is every prospect of the coming show creating l a record. Given fine weather, there should he a record crowd from the Inglewood district in Xew Plymouth to see JI.M.S. New Zealand. It is expected that some 800' children from the schools surrounding Inglcwood, and possibly that many adults also, will make the trip. This evening the fifth of the series of euchre parties and dances under the auspices of the Tnkapn First Junior Football Club will be held in the Brougham Street Hall. Excellent prizes will be competed for at the euchre tournament, whilst the dance music will be supplied by Mrs. George's orchestra, so \ that there is certain to be anotlteh chowdod attendance. Three new theatres are to be erected in Auckland forthwith, arrangements having been concluded by separate syndicates for sites in Queen street, Ponsonby . road and Karangahape road. In each case strong syndicates are behind the ventures, and up-to-date theatres are to be built. All are to be used afc picture shows. When these are completed, there will be Ave picture theatres in and adjacent to Queen street, two in Ponsonby road, and four in Karangahake road. Since the film hiring companies have formed the "combine" there is some doubt now if these new theatres will be able to secure the necessary film programmes. There was an exceptionally heavy downpour in Xew Plymouth a'bo'lit 10' o'clock last night, which continued about half an hour. As a result there wasquite a flood in Devon street at Ambury's corner, where the storm water, irusliing flown' Brougham) was met by another torrent from Devon street. For a time the roadway in Devon street was submerged, whilst it wan anything but pleasant to negotiate the footpath in places. A good deal of metal must have been scoured out from somewhere, as quite a considerable quantity was washed into Devon street via, Brougham street water channel. It was impossible to ascertain last night if any damage had been occasioned at any of the shops by the storm water. A debating society has been formed in connection with the local Technical College. The members will comprise instructors, present students, and "Old Boys'' of the College, and also anv outsider (approved by the committee) whotook an interest in debating. The following officers were elected:—President Mr. A. Gray; vice-presidents, Messrs. F. ! W. Sandford, H. B. Reid and J. E. Sull livan; secretary, C V. Day; treasurer, L. Bellringer; committee, A. Bacon, T. [ Hancock, H. Mander, N. Blair, T. Simpi son and officer ex-officio; A nominal | subscription was decided on, and the | season will be opened next Saturday i ni?ht with a debate "Is Disarmament I Advisable?" It is booed that a debate will be soon held with the Brotherhood Debating Society on the subject of military training.