LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1924, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A new hospital, costing £lB,OOO, is to be built at Te Kuiti.

Electric power will be switched •on to Eltham to-day. It is expected that power for houses and shops will be available during the afternoon and for community and street lights in the evening. . "We have many failures nowadays, and debtors seem to slip. in and out of bankruptcy .with ease, especially in Auckland,” remarked a credito? at a bankruptcy meeting at Auckland’. “Thete is nearly always a motion of . .sympathy passed. We have to pay our debts, and why, should not the bankrupts?” The following additional returns in connection with the poll on the Harbour Board’s proposals to raise a further loan of £600,000 for extensions at the port have been received by the returning officer, Mr. R. Ellie:—Whangamomona 14 for the proposal, against none; Pohokura, 5 for, none against; Kohuratahi, 12 for, 5 against. The only return yet to come in is that from Makahu.

An effort to induce advertising, concerns to remove display signs from country highways is to be made by the Auckland Automobile Association. At a meeting of the executive, a request was received from the North Island Motor Union suggesting individual action in this direction by every motor association. It was pointed out the effort has special reference to the disfiguration of scenic resorts. The acting-secretary was instructed to communicate with the owners of signs in all cases brought to the association’s notice.

The opinion that toll-gates on the provincial highways represent an infliction from which the travelling public should be given immediate relief, received further support at Thursday’s meeting of the Waimate West County Council, when after a discussion, during which all councillors were against and none for the retention of the system, it was unanimously decided to again make an official protest which, on this occasion, is to be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the member for the district, upon whom will be urged the abolition of all road toll-gates.

When some deserted wives and their children to receive help from the Auckland Hospital Board recently, because their husbands were in gaol for not paying their maintenance orders, the question cropped up about Christmas gratuities for the families. “Of course we will give them gratuities,” said the chairman; “the rascals in gaol will get extra plum duff at Christmas Pliue, and surely their wives and child ren are entitled to equal consideration.” The chairman's remarks were heartly endorsed by every member present, and the opinion expressed that the deserter got off far too easy, and should be more severely punished than he is.

The inquiry into the death of Penrose Beale Boyd, well-known in Taranaki, who was found dead at Eastbourne with a gunshot would in his chest on Monday morning last, was held at Wellington on Thursday. The evidence showed that the deceased was in th e habit of going out early in the morning with his dog and gun. On Monday morning he left his boarding house at 6 o’clock to go shooting rats at the rubbish tip at Eastbourne, and at 7 o’clock his dead body was found a short distance from the - - rubbish tip on the hillside. There was a gun shot wound in the chest near the heart, and the gun was found close by with a spent cartridge. It was thought that the .deceased .slipped going up the hill, and accidentally discharged the gun, the charge lodging, in his chest, and a verdict in accordance; with this supposition was returned.

The Melbourne Lhn.ited is malting complete window displays'of Christinas and holiday goods. The Christmas spirit is already in the air, and many lines have been purchased and quietly put aside. Early shopping is an absolute necessity if one wishes to avoid the inevitable holiday rush.

As advertised in this issue, special, children’s anniversary services will, be conducted by Cammandant and Mrs. Middlemiss in the Salvation Army Hall to-morrow (Sunday) at II a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. These desirous of enjoying the children’s singing and hearing a good, sound, logical address by Commandant Middlemiss, should not fail to grasp this opportunity. The Matron of the New Plymouth’ hospital acknowledges with many thanks, flowers from the Knox Presbyterian Sunday School, Waitara.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd. and the. Co-op. Organisation Society, Ltd. wish tb draw clients 1 attention to their Stratford .Sale which they are holding in ! the'Loan and Mercantile yards on Tuesday, December 16 , 1924, at 12.30 p.m. Full particulars will be found on page 16. r T. I. Lamason inserts particuiar’s : of his' mart : sale in this isSde. ' ' 1< „. ~ ' A. Ware will hold his'usual auction sale at the Mart, High Ehhsm. at 1 p.m. to-day.