LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thirty shillings was the amount of public subscriptions to Pukekura Park last year. This year, however, the Park Board are making a special appeal for funds. It was stated* at last night’s meeting of the board that the park costs £BOO a year.

An accident at the Opunake hydroelectric works on Monday resulted in serious injuries to 11. G. Olliver, a married man. He fell from a height of 24 feet to the concrete floor of the turbine pit. Several ribs were broken, and he suffered severely from shock and minor injuries. He is at the New Plymouth Hospital. Considerable quantities of dairy produce will be shipped from New Plymouth this week for the Home market. The Otarama is due in port to-morrow and will load 30,000 boxes of butter, in addition to 4000 carcases of frozen mqat, 130 bales of wool and 300 casks of tallow. The coastal boat Kahika, due here on Saturday, proceeds later to Onehunga, returning early in the following week to load 7000 crates of cheese for transhipment to the Westmoreland at Wellington. The export trade in Taranaki during the next few months promises to be very brisk, six other liners being due to load before the end of March, whilst several others are already scheduled to load at New Plymouth during April and May.

The colotrscheme to be adopted in repainting the Poet’s Bridge at Pukekura Park was the subject of an interesting discussion at the Park Board meeting last night. The present predominant red wan adversely commented upon a few months ago by Dr. J. R. Purdy, of Lower Hutt, in the course of an interview with a Daily News representative, the visitor suggesting the color scheme should be green to harmonise with the natural surroundings. The board members, however, thought that this color would fade too readily, and after several suggestions, including the facetious one that the work should be done in luminous paint, had been made, it was decided to have the work executed in cream, with deep red facings, the lighter color to be more prominent than at present. The number of cases of desertion of families which camo before the Social Welfare Committee of the Wellington Hospital Board was referred to at g meeting of the board by Mr. C. 11. Chapman, who also remarked on the lack of interest shown by some members in the work of the committee. Desertion, said Mr. Chapman, was too prevalent in New Zealand, as was shown by the fact that during December 28 cases of distress were duo to men deserting their wives and children. There should be some more drastic provision in the law whereby the deserters could bo found whereover they were in the British Empire. Several other members of the board spoke in similiar strain, and one member pointed out that the wife who desired the return bf her husband had to guarantee the sum of £25 as costs before the police would act. Mrs. Snow expressed the opinion that it was little use bringing back a man to New Zealand when there was no law to ensure that that man should provide for his wife and family. The Government should force the man to work and should pay the wages to the wives. Mails, which left Auckland on January 3, via Vancouver, by R.M.S. Niagara, arrived in London on February 4.

The public of Taranaki have an opportunity of securing carpets at prices seldom offered, as Arthur’s, the wellknown furnishing warehouse of Hawera, are disposing of the whole of their stock of carpets at absolutely bargain prices. A perusal of the advertisement in this issue should convince ’that a visit to their show room is worth while, and rate visitors could not put in the morning to better advantage.

The parishioners of Te Henui Church are giving a farewell social on Friday evening at 8 o’clock to Rev. G. 1. Beale and Mrs. Beale, who are leaving on a six months’ visit to 'Englund. Archdeacon Evans will take the chair.

Parents fitting their boys out for the new school term will be able to take advantage of spee : al disccunts during the few remaining day.! of the ‘il.B. ’ Summer Sale. Ten per cent discount is being allowed m uh school outfits during this week only. The sale concludes on Saturday next.-7N.Z. Clothing Factory, New Plymouth. Housewives who have any desire to consider ways and means should not overlook the savings that can be effected on household drapery at the Melbourne's Great Sale now in its last week. Buyers now will reap richer savings than later on when all cotton and woollen goods will have reached a higher level. Thia is not a racing tip: it’s an absolute certainty. Provided sufficient inducement offers Messrs. Johnston and Magon will run a motor service from Waitara to Te Kuiti on Friday next, 9th inst., for the Te Kuiti races. Full particulars are advertised on page 1. Doubtless most people have been waiting for the Big Drapery Sale of the season. In this morning’s issue Morey and Son announce the fact that on Thursday morning, at 9 sharp, the selling opens. Judging from the values offered this sale will prove a record in every respect. Nothing like it has ever been attempted in the drapery business before. Read the advertisement.