LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The tar-sprayer employed on the Opunaks Road by the Stratford County Council was destroyed by fire on Friday afternoon, and the two horses drawing it were badly burned. One horse had to be destroyed, but it was hoped to save the other. Tho sprayer was insured. A feature of the Wellington municipal election was the success of what is known as the Citizens’ Ticket. Thirteen out of 15 councillors were returned on this, all the Hospital Board members but one Labor man, and all the Harbor Board members.— Press Assn. The cold snap last week resulted in the peak load op the Lake Coleridge hydro-electricty power-house jumping to 9600 kilowatts. This was 600 kilowatts in excess of the normal output. Twenty thousand new houses at a cost of £ls,ooo,ooo—that, in a sentence is the estimate of Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P., of the house shortage of New Zealand, and the amount which, if the Government took up the matter in a comprehensive way. it would cost to construct these needed dwellings. A recital was given at the Breakwater, yesterday afternoon, by the band of the 4th Battalion Wellington Regiment, the perfect weather drawing a large crowd. In memory of the late Mr. E. J. Sole, the programme was opened with the hymu, "Nearer. my God, to Thee,” marches, selections and solos following, the soloists being Bandsmen J. Lowe and W. Kay. A collection in aid of the band funds realised £2O. A new solution for the old problem of who shall rock the cradle was propounded to the New York State Legislature by the Association of Overworked, Underpaid, and Dish-washing Housewives, which has 4,100,000 members. The association proclaims that “in the interest of public welfare the butterfly existence of the childless wife must cease. Wives aged less than 50 who have no children ought to be force 1 by law to do the housework three days a'week for wives aged less than 50 who have children.” Prior to the departure of the P. and O. steamer Peshawur for Wanganui from Wellington, one of tho Indian crew suddenly ran amok, and tore oft the vessel on to the wharf, where he created a mild stampede amongst the waterside workers. ’He was followed by about a dozen of his fellow countrymen, who bore him to the ground and secured him before any harm could be done. The man presented a formidable sight with eyes staring from 'his head and frothing at the mouth. The complains is stated to be common in India. A discussion took place between two gentlemen in Wellington as to how many of the population of New- Zealand were born in the Dominion, and one of them ventured the guess that at least half of them were born outside the Dominion. A reference to the census returns settled tho question, and both were surprised at the figures, which revealed that at last census, in April. 1921, the native-born population numbered 906,233, or 74.35 per cent., and “foreign born” 312,630, or 25.65 per cent.

There are 305 British-owned steamers fitted with refrigerating machinery with a carrying capacity of from 16,000 to 481,000 cubic feet, and in addition 25 steamers are in process of building, which will 'have a cubic capacity of from 20,000 to 400,000 feet. The London Cold Stores have a storage ca pacity of over fifteen million cubic feet, the largest being at the Victoria and Albert Dock, with a capacity of two million cubic feet. The Provincial Cold Stores have accommodation for over twenty-three million cubic feet, so that the Cold Stores in the United Kingdom can hold over thirty-eight million cubic feet, which is equal to no less than 269,000 tons of meat, which, if stowed solid, as on board ship, to meet an emergency, would accommodate 384,000 tons.

Speaking on the lack of self-reliance and its cause to the Palmerston North Lunch Club on Wednesday. Mr. Ernest Mander said to a child of two or three its father seemed a very wonderful person —both omniscient and omnipotent. All who had children knew that to children their parents seemed most wonderful people until they grew “and began to find us out.” The mother was an even more wonderful person than the father to the child, as it was utterly dependent upon her. That was the (first stage in the drama of life. In the (second stage there occurred what .'night •he termed spiritual weaning. In some eases the wise mother, when a new baby arrived, or the child began to grow up, taught it to begin to bo self-reliant. Too often, however, tho mother <l.d not Y.ant to lose her baby, and encouraged (him to remain dependent upon her. This ‘was the process by which the dependent typo of man, without initiative or self-reliance, was developed. Such a man was almost invariably subordinate—a servant of others. He could not "et away from the idea that things lie wanted would be given to him — as his mother had done—rather than that he would have to get them for himself. If this man had any religious faith, it usually tended towards belief in a God whose spiritual purpose was to answer his prayers for things ho wanted. In other cases he leant upon the State for help. Too great a dependance on the State might well be called “running back to mother.” Again, he might depend on his wife, or someone else. “I do not hesitate to say.” said Mr. Mander, in conclusion, “that the type of man he will become is settled irrevocably before the ago of seven.’