LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1929, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An improvement to the rather unprepossessing Autere Street entrance to the East End reserve, New Plymouth, is to be made by cutting down the bank and using the spoil for filling in a hollow, according to a decision of the reserve committee last night.

A service of thanksgiving for the recovery of the King from his illness was held by the church of Ratana at the residence of Mr, Atna, Moturoa, on Sunday. The service followed the lines of those in other churches, and was conducted by Mr. Tehere Broughton, one of the apostles of the Ratana church, at the instruction of Ratana himself, who made the service general throughout his church.

A repetition of the organ recital given a fortnight ago by Mr. R. Neville Renaud was rendered in St. Mary s Church, New Plymouth, last night. The programme included Handel’s Lascia ch io pianga, Bach’s Passepied in E, Sicilienne and Sarabande, Guilmant’s prelude, air, variations and finale, Sterndale Bennett’s Barcarolle, Mozart’s Larghetto, Wheeldon’s Cantique du Soir, Wolestenholme’s Sonata and Mailly’s March Solennelle. A collection was taken up in aid of the organ fund. An illustration of the value of modern office labour-saving machinery was furnished by Mr. W. E. Best, Christchurch, at the New Plymouth Rotary Club luncheon yesterday. By the installation of book-keeping machines one office in Christchurch had saved £l5OO a year as well as being placed on a sounder financial basis through an inspection of balances daily instead of monthly. Girls earning about £3 a week could replace men earning £8 to £9, who could be transferred to other departments where their services would be more remunerative.

Influenza and other seasonal troubles prevented quite a number of Otago farmers from enjoying their big excursion through the Dominion. About half a dozen turned back in the early stages of the tour and nearly 20 others have been compelled to defer their return journey. Otherwise the excursion was a great success. By common consent, states the Dunedin Evening Star, the surprise of the trip was the amazing growth of grass in some parts of the North Island. To the southerners it looked like a spring growth. Particularly was that the case about Taranaki, where light top-dressing gives excellent results.

A seaman named John Philip Bertrand, who deserted from the steamer Northumberland at New Plymouth on August 8, 1928, was brought before Mr. K. W. Tate, S.M., at New Plymouth yesterday, and was convicted and discharged. Mr. A. R. Thompson, manager of the New Plymouth branch of the shipping company concerned, said that Bertrand deserted, in company with two other seamen, and a warrant was taken out for their arrest. The ship proceeded to Auckland, where men were secured to replace the deserters. The only expense was the cost of the warrants, which had been deducted from the men’s wages, so the shipping company did not suffer any loss. On behalf of Bertrand Mr. A. A. Bennett explained that apart from the offence with which he was charged he bore an excellent character. He was of quiet disposition, was a non-drinker, and was given a good character by a builder who employed him. He was keeping company with a young lady whom he intended to marry.

“Unless work can be obtained for them soon, it will be useless to send Bvrd’s dogs down to the Antarctic,’ said Mr. G. H. Mason, representative of the Mount Cook Company, when asked if the negotiations proceeding with the Government for permission to allow the dogs to go to the Mount Cook district to assist in transporting material for the erection of the Malte Brun hut were any further advanced. Owing to the lack of work, continued Mr. Mason, the dogs, which are on Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour," were getting softer and softer. It was a pity that there was such a prejudice against allowing the animals to go to Mount Cook, as it was the most suitable country in the Dominion for them to get the ice and snow work so necessary to fit them for the conditions obtaining in the Antarctic. He though the fear that the dogs might destroy sheep was ill-founded, for the reason that they would have to work so hard that when night came they would be too tired to want to do anything but lie down and rest. Unless they got the work it was desired they should do, their feet would become so soft that they would be cut to pieces when they got on the Antarctic ice.

An important stage in the history of the Arapuni hydro-electric scheme was reached on Sunday, when the most comprehensive change-over yet effected of power from the Government station at Horahora to the new lines was satisfactorily carried out. A wide area, including the Central Waikato, Franklin nad part of the Thames Valley districts, was supplied with power from Arapuni for the first time, thus providing another step toward the final elimination of the Horahora plant as a primary factor m the supply of a large part of the Auckland province.

The Hustlers’ sale which is now in full swing are now offering, bargains at prices far lower than cort. Grasp your opportunity by securing some of these snips for yourself, and benefit by our loss. Extraordinary reductions have been made on all -howroom goods at the Melbourne’s great winter sale just commenced. Wonderful bargains are being offered in -winter coats, costumes, evening frocks, afternoon frocks, jumper suits, woollen jumpers, cardigans, furs of all descriptions, lingerie and brassieres, corselettes and corsets,

Foundations for a foreshore protection wall of about three and a half chains in length have been begun at East End beach, New Plymouth, and will be followed later by the construction of the retaining wall. The proposed work will be continued from the present wall out to the point which has been badly affected by erosion and back to the terraces on the bank of Te Henui Stream. An offer of a loan of £350 for the construction work was received by the reserve committee from the New Plymouth Borough Council last night and was accepted.

The. danger of the practice of riding push bicycles close behind tramcars or motor vehicles should be apparent to anyone, but a New Plymouth tram conductor had to warn a youth who persisted in riding his machine with the tront wheel about six inches from the rear of the tramcar for several blocks last nitrht. The young cyclist must count himself extremely fortunate that no sudden application of the tram’s brakes, which would have given him no time to apply his own, was called for by the frequent traffic on the street at the rush hour.

The death occurred in the New Plymouth Hospital yesterday of Mr. T. Neighbour, who was severely injured as a result of a collision between a motor-cycle and motor-car on Saturday night. T. Neighbour junior was riding the motor-cycle with his father as a pillion passenger, and collided with a car driven by Frank Frost, Oinata, at the foot of Standish Hill. Several broken ribs and injuries to the shoulder were sustained by Mr. Neighbour.

■Six swans, two white and four black, will arrive in New Plymouth shortly to be liberated on Lake Rotokare. The birds were purchased in Christchurch by the Lake Rotokare Reserve Association with funds donated by enthusiasts. Some months ago four pukekos found sanctuary on the lake, but one lost its life at the hands of a poacher, who subsequently had to pay for his misdeed. The remnants of the family have increased their number to nine, six healthy young chicks having recently been seen by the warden.

A large number of books dealing with early New Zealand history, science and art were sold at auction in Auckland the other day. The majority of the Looks sold at extremely low prices, there being only a small attendance of buyers and little demand. The best prices were realised for a first and a second edition of Buller’s Birds. The first edition, which was of one volume only, sold for £9, while the other edition, comprising two volumes, and being more up-to-date, realised £l9 10s. An atlas, with charts and plates of Cook’s voyages, realised £2 15s; A book entitled “New Zealand, Graphic and Descriptive,” brought £1 17s 6d.

Some fond mother in Eltham little knows the thrilling experience her baby passed through yesterday morning. The child was being trundled along High Street in a huge go-cart by a small brother who could hardly see over the bandies. - The youngster was making fast time home when suddenly the front wheels of the vehicle struck an obstacle, a sheet of galvanised iron, and in a twinkling the go-cart had turned a complete somersault and was resting with its wheels uppermost. Those in the vicinity were relieved to hear an infant’s cry, more from fright than hurt, and it did not take long for the vehicle to be righted, the infant to be restored and the small boy sent on his way''home, admonished to reduce his speed.

A tug-of-war tournament will open to-night in the Okato Hall and continue ou Wednesday and Friday. The tournament will be controlled by Messrs. W. A. Corbett and E. Gibson. There are two divisions, both light and heavy, and some great pulls are anticipated before finality is reached. After the finals on Friday a dance will be held.

Oh! How cold it ifi to-day! Cold why I feel lovely and warm. You should go to McGruer’s and get your winter requirements there. They have a wonderful selection, and eo reasonbly priced.