LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Developments concerning the recent attempts at safe-blowing in New Plymouth and Stratford are expected shortly. A man at present remanded on other charges will be charged at New Plymouth with further offences.

A waterside worker, William J. Smith, Buller Street, slipped backwards off a railway truck and ricked his back during the unloading of the Port Hardy at New Plymouth yesterday. He was given medical attention ami taken to ■his home.

As the weather had been exceptionally dry good progress had been made with the contract for the Mangamaihoe dam, reported the engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) to the New Plymouth Borough Council last night. The contractor on the first contract in connection with the .sewerage scheme bad his plant in position and had commenced to drive tunnels at Hobson and Eliot Streets.

A little girl was run over by a motorlorry in Opunake yesterday. Joyce Maindonald, aged 10, eldest child of Mr. Fred. Ma'indonald, Opunake, ran across the road from a stationary car opposite the primary school and was struck by the lorry following a car. The lorry was driven by a Maori employed at Thompson's garage. Joyce,was admitted to the New Plymouth public hospital suffering a broken leg and fractured ribs. Charged with stealing money at Auckland o-n February 25, Roy Francis Lovell appeared before Mr. W. W. Thomson, J.P., in the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday morning. It was alleged he had stolen £2 145., the property of Albert Thiel Tew. On the application of the police Lovell was remanded till Wednesday. Accused was allowed bail in his own recognisance of £5O and one surety of £5O, or two of £25 each.

The fame of the late Pelorus Jack is world-wide, and not infrequently even now tourists come to the Dominion and hope that they will see him amongst the country’s wonders. Inquiries about this remarkable animal are also frequently received by mail; one Panic from Seattle the other day to a Wellington resident. Unfortunately, it is about 29 years since Pelorus Jack, the only fish in the world to be protected by a special Act of Parliament, disappeared from his self-apqiointetl task of pilot to the boats going through the French Pass. In the two hatching box groups at the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society’s new Durham Road hatchery there has been set into the side of each of the first two boxes a half-penny. The curator, Mr. L. M. Barr, who Lails from the north of the Tyne, explained with a twinkle in his eye that Scottish born trout coming from the Aberdeen district sometimea failed to thrive because the right environment was lacking With such wealth close at hand, he said, all should be well.

“Our great need is want of room,” said GY. J. Brown, speaking as a meml. r of the library committee at a meeting of the New - Plymouth Borough Council last night.. Continuing Cr. Brown said that the position at the Carnegie Institute was rapidly becoming desperate, and something would have to be done soon to relieve the congestion. Who was going to do it or how it was going t be done he did not know. At present the reference library was crowded into one corner of a room. “The invitation is one that is attractive to His Excellency, but he fears that engagements already planned will necessitate his presence elsewhere on the date named,” says a letter to. the Mayor of New Plymouth in reply to an invitation to the Governor-General to open the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society’s winter show on June 10. The telegram states, however, that should Lord Bledisloe find it possible to visit New Plymouth during show week he will communicate again with the Mayor before May 20.

It was reported yesterday, hhiat biffds on Kapiti Island had killed fire-blight, which had attacked gum tireeo. _ Commenting cm this statement, the Director of Horticulture (Mr. J. A. Campbell) says: “Apparently a mistake has been made in the name of the disease affecting the gum trees at Kapiti. Fireblight (te not attack any of the ..eucalyptus family, and in all probability the disease is gum tree scale. Consequently fruit growers and others intercEited need not be alarmed as a result of the statement that the disease is likely to be spread by means of gum trees.”

An echo at Cr. G. M. Spence’s expense reverberated through the council chamber at a meeting of tie. New Plymouth Borough Council last night. Eaily in tho evening Cr, Spence had ardently championed a proposed new by-law restricting the playing of gramophones in Devon Street on the grounds that the noise constituted a nuisance. Later in the meeting it became necessary to elect representatives to attend a town planning conference in the near future. Ihe representatives were elected. I think Cr. Spence ought to be added to this committee,” said Cr. P. E. Stainton. brightly. “He could then no doubt move the | gramophone area further out of town.”

At last night’s meeting of the Oakura Farmer’s Union a motion was passed favouring the extension of daylight sav;ng to the end of April,

A suggestion was made at a meeting of the North Committee of the Egmont National Park Board last night that a cave be lined and fitted with a door,, or a hut be constructed, on Humphries’ Castle to be used in times of emergency. The suggestion was advanced by Mr..J. S. Connett, and Mr. R. W. Larsen, chief ranger, was asked to consider if the plan was feasible and report to the board at its next meeting.

After being under the sea for over 40 years silver forks and a silver jug, knives and a candlestick hafe been recovered by the diver at the port of New Plymouth from the Hawea, which was wrecked in 1888 near the Newton King wharf. The ware is in remarkably good condition, being very slightly corroded, though incrustated in places by a sort of iron-sand cement. The curios are to bo presented to the New Plymouth museum.

When the Hon. H., Atmore was in New Plymouth for the teachers’ summer school he visited St. Mary’s Church. In the church grounds he noticed a fine oak tree attacked by some disease that was sapping its life away. He suggested to Canon E. H. Strong that he should write to the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, for a remedy. Late” Mr. V. C. Davies packed some specimens to forward to the college authorities. At the parishioners’ meeting last night Canon Strong said that Professor EasterfielG and Mr. Gourley hd reported on the disease and at the proper Hine of the year Mr. Davies would apply the remedy they suggested.

Four cases of typhoid and eight of ■scarlet fever were reported in the borough of New Plymouth in March. Reporting to the council last night Chief Inspector Day said that a small out-, break of typhoid affecting the members of one family and a visitor caused some concern. A rigid inspection of the locality was carried out and several probable sources of infection were investigated. The evidence was not conclusive, and it was fortunate that no further eases were reported. The outbreak served as another argument in favour of the speedy completion of the sewerage system. Berlei corsets and Berlei lingerie are stocked by th e Melbourne Ltd. Berlei foundation garments are scientifically in a class by themselves, and yet prices arc no higher than for any other good make. Inspection invited. Large and varied stocks held.