LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Taranaki Daily News will nob be published on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, but will appear on Boxing Day (Friday). Agents and advertisers are’ asked to make their arrangements accordingly.

“T<?o full for words,” was the remark of a New Plymouth resident who tried to get some letters into the letter-box at the post office late on Sunday evening. The box Was plainly piled so high that the letters slipped out of the slot agani as fast as they were put in.

A complaint that he had not been able to effect any insurance on his stock in the Ohura district was made by a bankrupt at a meeting of his creditors yesterday. He had tried several companies without sueess, he said. A creditor stated that the insurance companies had refused several applications recently. They did not want to take the risks on account of the lack of fire-fighting appliances in the district.

A pleasant surprise was received by the Mayor of Christchurch last week when he was called upon by a man who expressed his gratitude to the Mayor and city council for giving him a fresli start in life. The man stated that some time ago he had been given relief work by the council, and with the money he earned he had saved sufficient to enable him to go to Dunedin, where he obtained a permanent job. The man is a returned soldier with a good war record.

“We have a lot to thank the Press for,” said Cr. Frith at an Oam aru Borough Council meeting last week. “Thank goodness the reporters write what we mean to say and not what we do say sometimes! If they did here what they do in some city papers and reported a meeting as it actually was there would be some amusement to the public and not much pleasure for us!”

L'ho Mayor of Wanganui (Mr. W. J. Rogers) found himself in an unusual position the other afternoon when leaving the Wanganui Girls’ College breakup ceremony. The hall was crowded, so crowded, says the Chronicle, that it was difficult to move. The Mayor had to attend another function and not wanting to create any unnecessary disturbance, he decided to leave the gathering quietly by way of a convenient window. The window, however, was on the small side, and he had to receive assistance. The feat was eventually successfully accomplished. A local philosopher, says the Oamaru Mail, does not seeiii to think that people really appreciate the severity of the present slump. He says it came home to him when he sat down to a meal of lamb.and green peas and was afterwards* asked if he would have strawberries and cream, and he adds somewhat cynically: “I felt inclined to compose a prayer like tills: ‘O Lord help us to accept with resignation the horrors of this awful slump.’ ” ,

‘ “Try to meet the farmer, when his requests are reasonable, . and you will have the backbone of the country behind you,” said Mr. M. Maindonald, a member of u deputation which met the Minister, of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, in North Canterbury last week. “Go against the farmer,” the speaker added, “and you will find him as .stubborn as a pig.” “Yes, and squealing as loudly,” assented a second member of the deputation.

Nature does not often throw out gold for the picking up by passers by, but such an occurrence is reported by , a trawler’s crew that visited the Nuggets last week. Fine gold glittered on the scales and skins of the fish that came up in the net, and after 'their dying flappings, some of the dust was swept up from the deck, enough to enclose and take to Dunedin for the convincing of the sceptical. It is conjectured, no other cause being assignable, that the gold came out of the Molyneux River: with the fine sand that was stirred by the net. ■ ’ ‘ ' '' ’ ,

Of the operation in Christchurch of the Unemployment Board’s No. 2 scheme the chairman of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee spoke rather despondingly to a reporter on Friday. The formalities that have to be gone through, says the Press, appeared to be one reason why the scheme was not working as successfully as had been expected. Since Monday, when five men were found work, and Wednesday when 15 were placed, there had been practically nothing doing except that several offers of work <had been turned down because they were outside the scope of the scheme.

At present the postal authorities grant a concession to aviators desirous or obtaining information regarding-the state of the weather in different' parts of the Dominion by allowing telegrams of inquiry addressed to postmasters and the reply to them to be accepted on payment of one shilling. Sir Francis. Boys, president of the New Zealand Aero Club, and of the Canter,bury r Aerb Club, and Mr. P. R. Climie, secretary of the Canterbury Aero Chib, saw Mr. G. McNamara, Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, early last week, and asked that the same concession be granted to aviators who telegraphed aerodromes or aero clubs for. similar information. Mr. Climie has received a letter from Mr. McNamara advising that this extension. of the concession has been granted. .

Of the 5400 men who registered uniier the Unemployment Act at the chief post office, New Plymouth, 3730 had paidx their levy of 7s 6d up till yesterday afternoon. This is considered by Mr. F. E. Beamish; chief postmaster, to be a satisfactory response. He pointed out to - a News reporter'. yesterday that whereas every man had to register there was a number of heads under which exemption from. payment was-granted and it was difficult exactly to assess how many were affected in these directions. The camping season has commenced in and around New Plymouth. Ten motorists had pitched their tents in the Belt Road camp site yesterday. They have been coming and going for several' weeks, but the numbers have shown a noticeable increase lately. '“A gratifying feature is that among the campers are some who have been here two and three times before,” said Mr. R. Day, chief borough inspector, “Several of the parties are staying longer than usual, some even a fortnight. The breakwinds recently erected are appreciated and the sites they occupy . are becoming even more popular than the older- parts of the camp owing- to the fine views to be obtained.” There were about a dozen camps in the Fitzroy' Seaside Park yesterday, including those of a number of motorists, while the,, Huatoki Domain is favoured by other canvas tourists. “I do not thing anyone is satisfied with the marketing conditions either here or in Britain,” said the chairman, Mr. T. A. Winks, at the annual meeting of the Dairy Federation in Hawera yesterday. “Several marketing schemes have been put forward but none of them has been entirely satisfactory. Something is wanted and I think we should work for co-ordination at this end. My suggestion is a conference of representatives of dairy producing interests to discuss ways and means of improving the system. Such a conference might be able to devise some scheme to put before the Importers’ Association. The position is becoming worse every year and something will have to be done. Importers are becoming tired of New Zealand produce and I am satisfied that if they can obtain definite supplies elsewhere wo will lose their goodwill and symlathy.” ' ’ .

The attention of Taranaki residents is drawn to the effort of the Hawera Scottish Society to recapture the spirit of the old Caledonian New Year Day games. With tlie rebirth.of interest in Highland •Scottish matters throughout Taranaki full entries in the Highland events ought to be assured. Good-natured raillery at the expense of the bagpipes often takes place, but given a good day and an open field no music makes an equal appeal. Nor can any form of athletics equal in attractiveness Highland dances in the national costumes There will be separate boards for dancing and piping, and while those who are interested -in this fcide of the day’s sports are being entertained, the athletic events will be con? ducted by the officials of the Hawera Amateur Athletic Club-