LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A start was made yesterday on the removal of earth on the site of the new post office to be erected at Fitzroy. Another important industry is going to be established in Suva in the erection of large mills to treat copra and cotton seed. The building is already well under way, facing the new vvliarves. Up-to-date machinery has been ordered from America, which should handle close on 4000 tons of copra per annum.

Heavy stocks of boots and shoes are being sent from Australia to New Zealand, says the Dunedin Star. They are of all grades. The Australians are seriously over-stocked. It is said that this unloading upon New Zealand has already brought about a reduction of prices in Wellington.

Production in Canada during 191 A was valued at over £1,000,000,000, or approximately double that nf five or six ago. Manufacture ! goods account for £(100,000,000, field crops for nearly £300,000,000, live stock sold or slaughtered for £50,000,000, and wool for £2,400,000.

The chairman of the New Plymouth Gas Co. has received a telegram from Mr Massey stating that he had arranged for the release of HO tons of railway coal, ex Ihumata, to keep the local gasworks going until the arrival of the Kittawa, which is due to load West Coast coal for New Plymouth this week.

An acknowledgment of the New Plymouth Borough Council's protest against the proposal to discontinue operations in the Tahora section of the StratfordOkahukura railway has been received by the Council from the Prime Minister. In reply, Mr. Massey states that the representations contained in the resolution have been referred to the Hon. J. ft. Coates (Minister of Public Works) for consideration.

A broken collar-bone was sustained by Mr. Lewis Jackson, builder, of New Plymouth, yesterday, in a motor cycle accident. Mr. .lack-son, on his motor cycle,, with sidecar attached, was riding along the Old Hospital Road, when the machine was caught by a gust of wind, which caused the cyclo to leave the road, ami fall into a gully several feet, deep. Toppling over the cycle caught Mr. Jackson on his left side, breaking his collar bone and inflicting cuts and bruises. On his return to New Plymouth the bone was set, but Mr. Jackson will be laid up for a few days,

The New Plymouth Borough Council has received telegrams of sympathy from the following, in addition to the list previously published: Mr. Crewe, Mayor, Pahiatua; Mr. Raymond, Mayor, Timaru; Mr. Riddcll, Mayor, Piclon; Mr. Stead, Mayor, Tnvercargill; Mr. Donaldson, Mayor, Waihi.; Mr. Ford, Mayor, Riecarton; Mr. McMillan, Mayor, Stratford: Mr. J. Sutherland, Mayor, Tnglewood; Harbor Board, Patea; Mr. Hobdity, Waimate County; Mr. Morgan, Mayor, Waitara; Messrs. Richardson uul McCabe, Wellington; Town Clerk, Feilding Borough Council (letter); Town Clerk (Patea); the Mayor of Temuka, and the Premier.

On board die Ulimaroa, at Wellington, thorp is what is termed a "biological curiosity," or otherwise ;i "scientific wonder." This creature is a white Orpington fowl, having two bodies, both male and female, four legs, two of which urc attached to the spine. The left side of the remarkable creature is male and the right is female. It both crows like a rooster and cackles like a hen. The feathers of this bird are also a very remarkable feature. In the tail can be seen a pheasant's feather, beautifully tinged with gold, u small ostrich feather, and even swanlike down,

"At. the Auckland prison an Esperanto class was recently established under a prisoner who had studied the modern international language by correspondence with a well-known and philanthropic. Esperantist at Wellington," states the annual report upon the prisons of the Dominion. The need for an intelligent outlook for the prisoners in some definite direction has been keenly felt for some time past, and the timely aid of the gentleman referred to has enabled the Department to find a vent for the stifled intellectual aspirations of some of the long-sentence prisoners. whose drab existence was formerly unrelieved by any outside interests.

The three Patea youths who commandeered :i motor car belonging to Henry Crosbie, and smashed it up, and who later showed no disposition to pay for the damage 'they had'done, were before the S.M. again last week. The Bench said he was also going to impose conditions in fa eh case. Walter Corrigan would have to pay £24 tts, the balance of the C4f> he was originally ordered to pay in weekly instalments of 20s, and would also have to abstain from all alcoholic liquor for a period of 'twelve m'onths. Ewart Morton would have to pay £l7 10s in similar instalments, and abstain from all alcoholic liquors, and Arthur Cordon would have to pay £l3 !)s in weekly instalments, and would also have to abstain from alcoholic liquor like the other defendants. He wished to impress upon 'them that a breach of the terms of probation would render them liable to arrest upon warrant at any time. There would be no such thing as calling upon 'them by notice, as was the case previously.—Press.

Mrs. Eraser (nee Miss Winnie Nixon, well-known in New Plymouth musical circles) has kindly promised to sing at the "Dream of Fair Women'' dramatic entertainment in aid of the New Plymouth girls' hostel fund, to be known now as the James Clarke memorial fund.

As a great number of mothers and babies, are expected to he at the Plnnket Baby Fete mi Thursday next, the committee ave asking all ladies who ran possibly do so to send cakes for the afternoon tea. The I'hmket. Rooms will be open until !> p.m. on Wednesday and on Thursday morning, when the secretary will lie in attendance to receive contributions of all kinds. The committee desire to I bank Mrs. Logan for a donation, and hope that those kind folk who wish to help this very good cause, but, who may not have time to sew or bake, will kindly send cheques along instead. Tickets for the .Phmket Baby tliftt has been nominated for the Baby Contest may be obtained from the nurse or sei:j.ftUrv at tl)« ftokfrt Booms

There were slaughtered for local consumption in New Plymouth last month: —Bll sheep, 20 lambs, 7G pigs, and 2 suckers; tripes cleaned 109. Four cattle, 2 calves and 1 sheep were condemned. The fees were £153.

<4 A progress report of the baby voting contest being conducted by the New Plymouth branch of the Plunket Society, shows that the Victoria League's nominee (Baby Dawson) leads the list at present, and the R.S.A. candidate (Baby Ellis) is second. The Kant End and Plunket Society candidates are respectively thir<l and fourth. Voting continues till Friday night. Talking about the storm on Saturday night, a boarder at one of the Eltliam hotels said it was the wildest he ever experienced. The house rocked like a ship at sea, but he was all right till he nearly got pitched out of bed by one extra blast of wind. The terrifying climax came when the storm was at its height, the chimney falling and rolling about 'the roof. Convinced that the end of all things was at hand the affrighted man covered his head with the bedclothes and prayed with quite unusual fervency.—Argus

The consistent increase in the cost of labor and materials is likely to cause local bodies throughout the Dominion considerable embarrassment) (reported the "general Manager to last nightfs meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council). Local bodies have not the, same opportunity of passing these increases on as is possessed by manufacturers and traders. Whilst the trader may add the increased cost to the selling price, of the manufactured article local bodies can only attain the same end by increasing the rates levied, a method not likely to prove very popular with the ratepayers.; Where the works undertaken are large enough to stand the initial capital cost, the cost of construction may be reduced by the free use of labor-saving machinery, and this is a matter which must receive attention now that the Council has decided to complete the balance of the hydro-electric extensions by day labor.

The General Manager reported to the New Plymouth Borough Council last evening:—No tenders having been received for No.' 3 contract for the construction of No. 2 tunnel and race, the council decided to undertake the; work by day labor Upon the recommendation of the consulting engineers, Mr. R. L. Fearless was appointed resident engineer and given full charge of the work under the consulting engineers. He entered upon his duties on the Ist instant. The New Plymouth electric tramways took £1543 for the month of October, an increase of £469 over the figures for the similar period of last yeaj'/ , The electric 'bus earnings were ' £!)6, an increase oi. £lO over October of 191:1.

The Supplementary Estimates contain the following votes:—Egmont Park and Domain Board (additional) £700; assistance to Mokan Harbor Board, £150; signalman, Mokau, £00; Aukopae .Block, Taranaki, formation of roads (additional) £1000; clearing willows, Mokauiti (subsidy £ for £) i £250; same, Mangaokewa stream, £500; road access, Matierc township, £4OO. Road votes:— Manga - nui (Awakino County), £400; Hutiwai (Clifton), £350; Waitara River bridge (Clifton), £450; Mirohuiao to Matierc (Ohura), £1800; Waikaka (Ohura), £350; cost of distribution of trees gratis to soldier settlers, £IOOO At a meeting of the Wanganui Harbor Board last week, the following motion was carried; —That on Mr. Blair Mason completing an agreement to act a 9 consulting engineer, he be asked to make a general inspection of the harbor works and report what steps would be necessary to expedite construction, and whether any improvements could be effected in carrying out the work.

Men's navy "Doctor" flannel undershirts are still quoted at 13s !)d at the Melbourne, Ltd. This is a very favorable price, as the material could not now be imported at under Gd per yard more. The Melbourne's prices show a saving of at least 2s a garment.

"Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap washes white as driven snow. Clothes that have become a bad color through accident or faulty washing respond immediately, and will retain their pristine purity so long as "Fairy" is used in the laundering. Give it a trial. All grocers stock it.

The "Annual Footwear Fair" commences at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, New Plymouth, to-day, and will continue throughout the week "H. 8." boots and shoes are noted for their quality, and this season we have been fortunate in securing a very fine selection in both men's, women's and children's footwear See our big window displays.—New Zealand Clothing Factory, New Plymouth. The committee of St. Mary's Rose Show will be pleased to receive contributions of roses and other flowers, either for display or to be sold at the flower stall. Members of St. Mary's congregation and all friends of the school are invited to assist in this direction, and the blooms may be left at St Mary's Hall on Tuesday evening or on Wednesday morning. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. wish to draw clients' attention to their Tarata sale which they are holding in their Tarata yards on Friday, the 10th inst., at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue. At Waiwakailio sale on 26th inst., Newton King Ltd, are selling without, reserve a particularly fine line of pedigree Jerseys, the property of Mr. 11. Stonex. Tl.e cattle are bred on most fashionable lines and.should attract keen attention from Jersey fanciers. Catalogues can be obtained from the auctioneers. Members of the R.S.A. are notified that at. the New Plymouth Club a list of clothing for sale by the Defence Department. is on view. Applications close on ISth inst. Mr. Harry Bank, the Thcosophieal Society's national lecturer, will deliver a series of interesting lectures on Thcosophieal subjects. The first address, entitled "Has every a chance?" will be delivered this evening. Mr. Banks, is a fine speaker and he saw service at the front.

Among the local institutions for ihe advancement of the town is the New Plymouth Beautifying Society, which holds its animal meeting to-night, at the Soldiers' Club. In spite of calls mi the generosity of the public, this little Society should not be overlooked. Those supporting it. will not only he helping the Society; they will be helping themselves. AVc fear that in the present state of the borough finances, and the difficulty of raising money for loans, much help cannot, be expected from the borough. Citizens themselves, however, can do much to assist in beautifying the town and making it attractive to visitors by voluntary labor and contributions.