LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Coastal vessels, but not trawlers, were fitted with bathrooms, it was said in the Arbitration Court at Wellington on Monday, during the hearing of the trawlers’ dispute. The managing director of a company owning trawlers told the v/orkers’ representative that he did not know a trawler anywhere in the world that had a bathroom. In the course of an address on “Thrift and National Saving” to Wanganui Rotarians, the Rev. E. T. Cox, in stressing the value of the national- saving societies, said that they were splendid investments for a married couple. The deposit of a small sum would swell to a remarkable amount at the end of 15 years. But couples very often had nothing when they married, and not much more after 15 years, “not even a family,” he. added.

The conditions he had witnessed in some Christchurch homes were described by Mr. J. S. Barnett at a meeting of the fiance committee of the Citizens’ Unemployment Fund last week. “I recently had occasion to do some visiting on behalf of the Coal and Blanket Fund, and I met with the most appalling conditions,” said Mr. Barnett. “I visited one home where there was net ss. worth of anything in the whole house, including furniture. There was also a baby eight months old. That sort of thing can ba seen all over Christchurch. It is time we extended ourselves.”

In the garden of a Stanley Bay resident, Mr. R. L. Cleland, there grows, says the Auckland Star, an old lemon tree that produces not only its rightful fruit throughout the year, but, in season, fine sweet oranges as well. At present the tree has a good crop of both fruit. Neither is tainted with the peculiarities of the other, A close examination of the tree gives one no explanation of the freak. The explanation is that an orange root has been grafted to that of a lemon, and the stem of the orange has grown into that of the lemon, forming one tree. No sign of the graft can be detected. Severe frosts, with occasional heavy falls of snow, are reported from the Tutaki Valley, in the central Buller portion of the Nelson district. The deer, driven from the highlands by hunger, have, in the early hours of the morning, consumed most of the turnip crops. These wary animals select a time for their visit when almost everyone is sure to be in bed, and they are becoming not only a source of annoyance, but also of loss to the settlers. The Tutaki Valley was one of the areas affected by last year’s earthquake.

The belief that the albino kiwi on Little Barrier Island is still alive is held by the caretaker of the island, according to the annual report io Parliament of the manager of Tourist and Health Resorts. The caretaker states .that during the last few months kiwis wore coming near his house and were seen near the house and in the garden. They appeared to be in large numbers, and when darkness came their cry could be heard. Although the' white kiwi had not been seen, white kiwi feathers were occasionally found. An inspection of the gullies in the interior of the island showed that the native birds were increasing. When the liner Rangitiki arrived from Southampton at Wellington last week, says the Evening Post, it was probably noticed by a few that she ,was not flying the Blue Ensign which she has flown on previous trips. The Blue Ensign is flown by merchant ships when they have on board a certain, minimum number of Royal Naval Reservists. The number varies from year to year, being usually from five to eight, and including deck officers, engineers, and in some eases the ship’s doctor. The fact that the Rangitiki is not flying the Blue Ensign on her present trip indicates that she does not this year carry the number of reservists required by the Admiralty.

Ratepayers in the Egmont County will this year contribute £2168 towards the costs of the New Plymouth Hospital. That amount is slightly less .than the levy of the previous year. The council at its meeting yesterday decided to levy a hospital rate of l-3d in the £l. On a valuation of £2,923,491, that will produce £2BlO. Last year, on a valuation of £1,605,822, a farthing fate was levied, but that was not sufficient by £579 12s 9d to meet the levy. In order to balance a total of £2747 12s 9d has to be provided this year.

The now valuation of the Egmont County places the total valuation of the district at £2,023,491, as compared with £1,608,822 when the last valuation was made 16 years ago. This is an increase of £414,669, or over 25 per cent. There is an increase in all th® ridings, the greatest being in the Newall riding, which has increased from £303,565 to £416.233. The Rahotu riding has increased very substantially from £lOl,570 to £562,499, and displaces Oeo from the position of the largest valuation. Opua has increased from £293,517 to £494, 085. Oco, however, shows a slight increase from £505,170 to £520,669. The chairman considered that the discrepancy in the increases of the main ridings was due to the work having been done by two different valuers. He considered on® valuer should have gone right through the county so as to have an even basis of valuation. Mr. J. S. Tosland, however, held that Oeo had been too highly valued at the previous valuation in proportion to the rest of the countv.

“Are you out of the bath, father?” “In a sense, yes, dear; I was just going in.” Hear A. A. Milne at his wittiest in “To Have the Honour,” read by New Plymouth’s talented readers to-night, August 13, in the Y.W.C.A. Hall in aid of 2YB radio station.

Buyers of clothing and drapery are reminded that the Melbourne Ltd’s Great Winter and half-price Sale definitely ends on Saturday. Full advantage should be taken of the reduced prices on all lines of stockings and imported apparel as the new duties just imposed mean higher prices in the near future. #