LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1926, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Most of the primary schools and the high schools in Taranaki broke up for their second term holidays yesterday. The quarterly session of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth concluded yesterday after lasting over the unusual'y brief period of only ten days. The Opunake railway, of 28 miles 49 chains, has cost £438,411 to date. An additional £25,000 is required to com plete it.

Mr. H. P. Hartland, district railway traffic manager at Wanganui, accompanied by Mr. B. R. Sword, assistant co the North Island divisional superintendent at Auckland, arrived in New Plymouth by yesterday afternoon’s train. They leave for Wanganui by the mail train this morning. To complete the Tahora-Ohura section of the Stratford-Main Trunk line £750,000 will be necessary, according to the Public Works Statement. Up to date £82,750 has been expended on the section. On the Ohura-Okahukura section £580,546 has been expended and another £137,000 will be required to complete it.

A representative gathering of native tribal leaders and prominent pakehas celebrated Sir James Carqroll’s 69th birthday at Gisborne yesterday. The function took place at the ancient marae cf Lady Carroll’s tribe, taking the form of a luncheon, followed by speeches and presentations. Sheaves of telegrams conveying congratulations from statesmen all over the Empire were received by the veteran New Zealander. The upkeep of the northern road to the mountain house has been a great tax upon the National Park Board in recent years; in fact it has been with difficulty that the road has been kept open. The Minister for Public Works, recognising the position, has this year placed a grant of £l5OO on the Estimates for effecting improvements to the road, This will come as good news not only to the board but to the general public.

There is one small boy in Patea who should make his way in the world if resourcefulness counts for anything. Faced with the problem of carrying a number of bottles which he was selling for pocket money, and also at the same time retaining control of an old motor tyre that he fnized as a hoop, be was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. Placing the bottles inside the tyre and wedging them in tiglrtly, he gaily trundled Hie lot in approved hoop fashion, arriving at his destination promptly and with his load intact.

A very desirable improvement is now being carried out by the Patea County Council on the Manawapou Hill, where a bad elbow near the top of the hill is being built up. During the recent rains an old filling slipped away, making the road very narrow. Previous attempts at filling and building up have proved a failure, but the council are now endeavouring to make a permanent job by the building of a concrete wall, which will be filled in and brought up to the road level. The wall is about 15 feet high, 20 feet long, 3 feet wide at the base and one foot at the top.

Writes our Mangorei correspondent:— The old suspension bridge, which crosses the Waivvakaiho just above the “Meeting of the Waters,” and over the much frequented swimming pool at rear of the factory, has at last been disposed of to some buyer near Wanganui for the sum of £6 10r. This bridge lias in tho past been much used by picknickers to cross the river to the fine picnic grounds near the swimming pool, and will be greatly missed. I think it is a great pity, for the sake of so small a sum, to see the bridge removed. Possibly if the directors of the Mangorei Dairy Company had been approached and the matter placed before them from this viewpoint they would not have gone on with the sale.

In this issue Messrs. May’s, Ltd. advise a complete clearing sale of their stock of chocolates and confestionerv, commencing from next Monday in order to permit of extensive alterations to their premises. Though the confectionery department will be temporarily clos - ed during the alterations, it will subsequently be re-opened in new and largepremises with a wide range of entirely new stock.

In this issue H. Cocker invites inspection of his splendid stock just arrived of distinctive walking coats, frocks, costumes and ensemble suits.

A handsome set of trophies to be competed for at the Waitara Spring Show are on view for a few days in the window of Messrs. Bosley’s, Ltd., Devon Street. Attention is drawn to our advertisement in the ‘ advertising columns. Among the trophies is a handsome solid silver challenge cup for the principal Daffodil competition, while two other silver cups of very dainty ‘design are to be presented, one for the champion Daffodil in Ibe show and one for cooking classes.”