LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A man was arrested in Devon Street last night on a charge of assault. He will be brought before the Court this morning.

Four sportsmen who were shooting on the Awaiti Swamp, near Paeroa, on Sat* urday, received an unpleasant surprise in the nature of a visit from the Auckland Acclimatisation Society’s ranger. On investigating the ranger found that the men had shot 161 ducks, sixty-one over their quota. The law provides for a limit of twenty-five for one gun a day.

One of the census sub-enumerators for the Native population has discovered a record aged Maori woman in the Pirongia district. The lady claims to be 108 years old, and facts brought to light seem to bear out her claim. She is in the possession of all her faculties and full of vivacity, though she complains of a weakness in the legs. Substantial sums of money for permanent reading operations were forthcoming from motor owners in Wellington during April, when £14,198 was paid into the City Treasury in Hutt Road and heavy traffic fees. Of this sum, £7925, was collected in Hutt Road fees. The heavy traffic fees received during April amounted to £6274, of which £5BOl was paid on account of motor vehicles. To be the victims of research work at Dunedin in connection with infantile paralysis investigations is the unenviable fate which awaits eleven monkeys which arrived at Auckland from Calcutta by the steamer Sussex. The monkeys are to the order of the Otago Medical School. Also ■bn board the steamer are four crates of Indian partridges for the Acclimatisation Society at Ashburton. The washout on the road at Mahoenui has now been repaired, and it was reported last night that motor traffic is now able to get through without difficulty. In New Plymouth yesterday the weather had not greatly improved and violent squalls, accompanied by rain and hail, made conditions out of doors decidedly unpleasant. To make matters worse the wind changed to the south-west and there was a noticeable lowering of the temperature.

During the three months ended March 31 there arrived in New Zealand 159 Chinese, of whom 75 were permanent residents returning to the Dominion, 25 were immigrants intending to reside permanently here, and 56 were tourists. At the same time, there were 36 Indians, including 21 returning residents, 10 intending residents, and 2 tourists. Among European peoples, 72 entered permanently from Yugoslavia (which apparently includes Dalmatia), and 35' from Italy. During Monday’s westerly gale at Auckland, the Union Company’s steamer Whangape, moored off Chelsea, dragged her anchors and drifted alongside the steamer Wanaka, which was anchored off Birkenhead. In order to prevent bumping, the watchman lashed the vessels together and hoisted signals of distress. As a result the tug Young Bungaree and one of the Harbour Board’s launches put off to give assistance, and the Whangape was soon shifted to a new anchorage.

A visitor to Hamilton during the races who dropped in at an entertainment on Saturday evening became aware of the unpleasant fact that his next-door neighbour was not exactly the genial fellow one would be on pleasant terms with. The visitor had not been seated long before he became aware that “somebody was at work.” Knowing that his roll was in safe custody he permitted the light-fingered individual to take “the bait,” and after a time coolly remarked: “Well you’ve had a good go; get out!" There was no need for a second warning. The “searcher” vanished as quickly as his legs would carry him, but his identity was not altogether disguised, and more may be heard of the matter.

A Wellington resident, who was In close touch with the Dunedin Exhibition s activities from the outset, states that nearly everything that happened immediately prior to the opening of the exhibition seemed to be against the success of the enterprise. The authorities offered the rights of the scenic railway, he says, for whai was a bagatelle, but could get no one to take them, as many were sceptical as to the temperament of the people of Dunedin in relation to such amusement. To the amazement of everyone, the scenjc railway’s takings were over four figures in the first three days and it remained one of the popular amusements throughout the exhibition. Similarly, the “Dodge ’Em’s” rights were offered for a song without any success,, yet that game produced thousands of pounds for the exhibition. Many are the ways and means adopted by people of securing goods without paying for them, but the method used by a certain person in Palmerston North,. as yet undetected, will take a lot of beating. He waited until some well-known citizen was away on holiday and then, using the telephone, ordered a quantity of goods in his name from an unsuspecting tradesman, always adding the instructions, that as nobody would be home until evening, the goods were to be left on the verandah or in the back porch. Under cover of darkness, the thief would then visit the dwelling and remove the articles. This type of theft is naturally very hard to detect, as no suspicion is aroused until the bill for the goods arrives, perhaps weeks later. One of the best garments an out-of-doors’ working man Can buy is a sleeved waistcoat, such as you see men Wear in the railway service. We stock them at The Palatine, New Plymouth. Price 21/-. Invaluable to carters and draymen; in fact, to anyone doing hard work. When you are feeling run down, then is the time to take a bottle of our “Blood and Nerve Tonic,” and restore yourself to health. Bottles 3/6 and 6/6. Tced’s Pharmacy, or The Medical Halt

“While a Minister of the Crown is supported by ministers of the Gospel, the critics should be silent,” said the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, at Auckland on Sunday, when defending, his action in consenting to open the new nurses’ home at the Auckland Infirmary on a Sunday. As he spoke Mr. Young indicated the clergymen present, included among whom were Dr. A. W. Averill, Archbishop of New Zealand, and the Rev. R. Watson,; Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery. Continuing, Mr. Young said it was only fitting that the building should be opened on a Sunday, for a hospital infirmary and other institutions incidental to the care of the sick, were practical expressions of that love and service for which the Christian faith stood.

The largest block of flats planned in New Zealand is shortly to be erected in Auckland. The building, which it is estimated will cost approximately £lOO,OOO, will contain nearly one hundred residential flats planned on the most modern lines and fitted with the latest conveniences and labour-saving devices. The scheme is being backed by a number of leading Auckland business men, and it is hoped to commence building operations in the course of a few weeks. The land on which the building is to be erected has a double frontage to Waterloo quadrant and Eden crescent, and will face Government House grounds. There will be nine stories on the Waterloo quadrant frontage, while, owing, to the slope of the ground, the Eden crescent frontage will be twelve stories high. The building will be of concrete and brick.

The palatial Cunard liner Franconia has been chartered by Thos. Cook and Son for what is probably the most fascinating world cruise ever planned, in which New Zealand ports and Milford Sound will be included. This steamer, with its clear plate-glass windows, commanding a protected vision of the sea in all its moods, its floating gardens, and home-like living and bedrooms, is described as the last word in maritime luxury. She has a sports arena measuring 5000 square feet, a squash court, a pompeiian swimming bath, and a wonderful gymnasium, and running round the sports arena is a balcony lounge for spectators. The vessel is to leave New York on January 12 next, and after a brief stay at Jamaica, will make the passage of the Panama Canal, and will leave Los Angeles on January 28. Honolulu, Samoa, Suva, Auckland, Wellington, Milford Sound, Tasmania, Melbourne, Sydney, New Guinea, Java, Straits Settlements, Ceylon Kenya, and Zanzibar will be visited. Then crossing the Southern Atlantic, the ship will call at Monte Video, Buenos Ayres, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Martinique, and so arrive back at New York on June 2. Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., advertise a demenstration in rat destruction by Cyanogas at the New Plymouth Borough Council’s rubbish tip tomorrow (Friday), at 2.30 p.m. Particulars of a sale of oil boring plant machinery and casing, to be held on Monday next, at the Bonithon Estate, Mr. C. D. Chant’s property, Frankley Road, and the British Petroleum Development Co.’s drilling site, Carrington Road, appears in the auction columns of this paper. The sale commences at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively at each property.