LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Quite a number of oppessums have been secured along the coast during the past few weeks, some of the skins being particularly fine. One ekin that was taken measured 4ft 4in by 2ft lin.

The commission to inq’.vre into the petition of ratepayers at the north end of the Egmont County <lee : ror.e of merging into Xhe Taranaki County will ait in the Warea Hall on August 29.

A Daylight Baking Bill lias been placed upon the order-paper by Mr, J. McOombs (Lyttelton). It provides that no person shall be permitted to bake bread, cakes or pastry of any kind for sale except in the daytime. Its effect would be to compel everybody to take stale bread.

Several New Plymouth poultry fanciers were represented at the Woodville Show, meeting with considerable success. Betts Bros, obtained four firsts and a second, and W Jones one first. In pigeons. H. J. Moverley secured five firsts and two seconds.

Some minor amendments in the Local Bodies Loans Act. 1913, are proposed by an amending Bill introduced in the House of Representatives. The Bill provides that a local authority may raise a loan for the benefit of a defined part of a district whether the proposed work is within that defined part or nor. County councils are given power to raise loans charged on defined areas for the extinction of antecedent liability under (he Local Bodies Finance Act of 1921-22.

A welcome to Miss Rosina Buckman, the celebrated singer, is being arranged by the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. F. E. Wilson) and the Victoria League for to-morrow. It is proposed to hbld the function at the Victoria League rooms, when addresses of welcome will be given by representatives of the Borough Council. the citizens, and the various musical bodies of the town. The arrangements have been communicated to Miss Buckman, and the organisers are now awaiting a reply from her as to whether these are suitable.

The difficulties that dairy factory directors are faced with was touched on by Mr, W. J. Gray at the meeting of the Oka to dairy factory yesterday, when he referred to the lack of reliable advice as to tlid trend of the markets in England, The possession of a dual plant, once considered so necessary, was not an unmixed blessing, as if market conditions favored cheese instead of butter, or vice versa, and the factory turned over to what seemed better, by the time the produce arrived Home the conditions might be reversed, and the same applied to white or colored cheese.

The popularity of community singing aas again made evident in New Plymouth last night, when the Workers’ Social Hall was packed to the doors for another “sing.” under the auspices of 'Sports Ground Committee. The chair was taken by Mr. A. L. Humphries, and Mr. Cooper, as song leader, soon had the audience lustily singing “Way Down on the Swannee Bibber,” “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” “Home, Sweet. Home,” ‘’Three Blind Mice” and a host of favorite songs. Mrs. Ferry, Mr. Tunbridge and Miss Abbott enhanced the evening with solos, while an orchestra. consisting of Messrs. Ken Ward (piano), Murphy and Ellis (violin), Deare (flute) and Lomas (concertina) were of great assistance and kept the songs going with a swing. The receipts at the door amounted to approximately £l3 Ils, and the committee’s unemployment fund will benefit to that ex- ! tent, the hall having been given free. The piano was lent by Mr. Hoffmann.

Nearly a year ago Major Boose. C.M.G., travelling commissions’’ of the Royal Colonial Institute, spent a weekend in New Plymouth. This is what he has to say of the town in an article in United Empire, the journal of the Institute: —“The park at New Plymouth, known a? Pukekura Park, is one of the most delightful spots or God’s earth, and to wander through its many avenues and to look upon the giant tree-ferns is a thing never to be forgotten. With Mount Egmont towering over the (own. New Plymouth, although small, i« an ideal spot.”

At a meeting on July 19 of the Publicity Committee of the Dominion of New Zealand Industrial Exhibition to be held in Christchurch in November next, an .allocation for newspaper advertising was made and, the Goldberg Advertising Agency, Ltd., appointed to conduct the

Mr. Mowlem, S.M., at thfe request of the registrar of electors for Patea, has authorised, approximately 2400 names to be removed, and this, of course, will result in a great clearing of the main 1011, which will be printed early. Mr. E. Dixon, MF., has received word from the Postmaster-General dated July 20, stating that instructions have been given to expedite the work of preparing the plans of the proposed new post office at Patea, and immediately on their completion tenders for the construction of thci building will be invited. It transpired during a discussion at the Nelson (Education Board (states the Mail) that it is illegal for school committees to use their funds to pay their annual subscriptions to school committees associations.

Four locomotives of the Pacific engine type, used on the Main Trunk, arrived in Auckland, by the Kaikoura from Liverpool las tweek. One of these will be discharged at Auckland, and the other three at Southern ports. They are the last of the New Zealand Government’s order of 45, and were loaded at Glasgow in May by the Kaikoura. Since the beginning of the year locomotives have been arriving by most of the steamers from Home, and altogether ahout fifteen have been discharged at Auckland. Two of the order, one for Auckland and one for the South, were aboard the Wiltshire, and it is not known whether these will be replaced later.

Writes Mr. G. Pearce to the Haw era Star: I voluntarily retired from the Patea contest at the last election on the advice of some of my friends, who thought the seat would be lost if two Reform candidates went to the poll. I regretted having retired, as before the election day from information received I V as certain I could have won against all-comers. As regards Mr. Massey declaring for the sitting member, he assured me last week that he would like to see me back in the House. I know I can win the seat when I received a requisition signed by 1100 electors from all over thie district on about 25 lists—certainly not taken around by paid canvassers—and signed by leading Reform supporters, including all the Reform Committee at Patea, who by resolution initiated the requisition. A fine example of man’s humanity towards man was revealed at the meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board the other day. A railwayman in a Main Trunk centre, through the long illness of his wife, had incurred fees for hospi- ! tai treatment at Auckland totalling over ' ,£5O. There was also a large account for the maintenance of his child in the Taihape hospital. Hie work-mates have come to his aid, raising by subscription among themselves £7O, by which it was proposed to pay the Auckland account. They asked the local board if it could make any concessions regarding its account for the child. The board decided to forego its account, and passed a motion commending the railwaymen upon their generous spirit. The following good yarn is told against himself by a well-known country resident, who happened to be rather deaf. Starting his car in a garage in New Plymouth the other evening, he detected a somewhat unusual noise, which, In spite of all efforts on his part, still continued. He ultimately stopped his engine, but, to his great surprise, even that did not stop the row. He therefore went to another part of the garage with the intention of finding someone who could put him right, and found the cause of all the trouble was only the local pipe baud holding their weekly practice. All Pierrots are requested to attend the meeting to be held to-night in the Soldiers’ Club at 7.30, when important business in connection with the unemployment fund will be discussed. At the Haymarket to-morrow will be sold two expresses, and also two good horses, on account of Messrs. Hooker Bros. See advt. Mr. E. J. Gravestoek announces that owing to the great demand for tickets he has arranged for Miss Rosina Buckman to give two concerts in the Empire Theatre on Saturday and Monday evenings next. Two entirely different programmes will .be given. The box plans will be opened for the two concerts at Collier’s this morning. Men’s fine natural fawn and pink underwear, in pure wool, lias just been opened up at the Melbourne, Ltd. These goods are the very best colonial make, and are infinitely better value than imported lines. Prices 12/6 to 19/6. Shirts or pants. Inspection invited. Wool snd cotton underwear also in stock at 8/6 to 10/6.