LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1929, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A large decrease in the number of unemployed in Auckland is shown by figures supplied by the Labour Department on Saturday morning, a total of 812 men being registered, compared with 874 the previous week. Wellington Hospital Board has consented to the renewal of the Wellington Free Ambulance Act, which expires this year. The board’s contribution authorised this year to the Free Ambulance is £l6OO, and the provision in the Bill regarding this is to be renewed. It was stated at a meeting of the Te Awamutu branch of the Farmers’ Union that one man, working under the auspices of the union, dehorned 3000 head of dairy stock in Te Awamutu last season. The union .decided to negotiate for the services of another dehorner this season. Information supplied in a return presented to tire House of Representatives yesterday showed there are 36,132 motor-ears in New Zealand registered and owned by farmers, telegraphs Die Parliamentary reporter of the News. -The number of trucks registered and owned by farmers is 4389. A return presented to the House of Representatives yesterday showed that the number of appeals to the Post and Telegraph Board of Appeal lodged since the present nominated member joined the board, was 1415, telegraphs the Parliamentary reporter of the News. During the same period the board had allowed 16 appeals. In emphasising the importance of herd-testing at a recent meeting of the Opunake branch of the Farmer o Union, Mr. Fred. Young related how, without testing, he culled two cows from his herd with the intention of disposing of them. Then he had them tested, and one of the cows proved to be as good as the best in the herd.—Times. The Taranaki farmers were rearing nearly all their heifer calves this season, is reported by Mr. J. W. Deem, Director of the Fields Division, who recently visited the province (says the Manawatu Times). Very few calves other than bullies were going to the freezing works. This was a good thing, because there was a shortage of heifers. The position apparently was that heifers were proving more profitable than pigs, which had slumped a good deal during the last two years. Greater publicity for Mt. Egmont and Dawson Falls'has been urged upon the Government by the member for Egmont, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson. . The Minister in cha'roe of the Publicity Department, the Hon.° P. A. de la Perrelle, has written to Mr, Wilkinson as follows:—“In connection with the further filming of Mt. Egmont and Dawson Falls, while some beautiful pictures have already been secured of this district, a further series is at the present time being filmed, jo that there will be no danger .of Mt. Egmont being overlooked during the coming season.” A suggestion made at the annual meeting of the Gonville Swimming Club last week appears to. find favour with swimming enthusiasts in Wanganui (says the Chronicle). It is hoped to organise another railway excursion duiino- January similar to that which enabled a large party of ..anganul people to visit Wellington during the 1928-29 national championships in that city. The objective during the present season is New Plymouth, and the project consists of running a special excursion train up on a Saturday, the return trip being made on the following afternoon, present indications are that there would be fully 200 excursionists if the suggestion is carried out and the necessary interest, worked up. It is not necessary to be expert to see that many of the imported so-called hardwood telegraph poles are mere punk wood (remarks the Rotorua Chronicle). They are costly, and the money expended on them is sent out of the country. Recently a great deal of replacement work has been done, but poles that, if ironbark lived up to its reputation, should last 25 years, have been scrapped after seven years’ service. If an imported pole has a life of only ten years, it would be far more economical to use larch with a totara base. Such poles were erected 17 yettrs ago m this district by private persons, and stand absolutely sound to-day. Larch rails harden and toughen with the years—rails from the Government plantation, taken out when thinning was done 12 years ago, are quite sound. The Inglewood Coynty Council yesterday received a reply from Mr, F.. Wh Furkett, chairman of the Main Highways Board, to the representations made on'the question of payment of subsidy on construction works carried out by local bodies prior to the inauguration of the Main Highways Board. The matter, he said, was really one for the consideration of the Government, but the board was aware that the Government had found it necessary to decline other similar applications for the reason that the funds at .present available to the Main Highways Board were sufficient for present and future requirements only, if a retrospective subsidy were to be made the whole question of .highways finance would have to be reviewed Any such payment .would doubtless involve an increase in taxation, and on that account the Government had been unable to approve the many applications that had been made to it. Special preparations are being made to ensure the success of the euchre party and social which is to be held in the Inglewood Town Hall to-morrow night to commemorate the splendid performance this year by the Inglewood teams in the provincial football competitions. The various shields will, be presented at the social. In addition, the splendid prizes offered should attract euchre players, whilst the music provided by Harris Bros.’ orchestra and a well prepared floor should induce dancers to attend in large numbers. A mistake was made in our reference in yesterday’s issue to the concert to be given by the Waitara Presbyterian Church on October 10. The name of the soprano was given as Miss R. Rave. It should have been Miss R. Rowe.