LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1931, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A tree blown down by the northerly gale fell across the transmission line in King Road, New Plymouth, yesterday morning, and temporarily cut off 'the electric supply to nearby residents.

“The duties and functions of the navy in times of peace” was the subject of a brief address by Commander Hotham, of HALS. Laburnum, at the weekly luncheon of the New Plymouth Piotary Club yesterday. Accompanying the commander as a guest was Dr. Burdon, of the Laburnum.

Two Taranaki entries have been received by the Taranaki Swimming Centre for the Annette Kellerman Cup •swim for the New Zealand long-distance championship at Wanganui early next month. The entrants are H. St. George (Fitzroy Club) and N. Gardiner (East End Club).

A photograph of a cheese, showing a large-sized scrubbing brush deeply embedded in its centre, has been received 'by a Taranaki factory from the Tooley Street agents through whom it was consigned. The brush was not found in the cheese until it was being cut up for sale by an English retailer, whose astonishment may be imagined. To give farmers an opportunity of studying the results of experiments in the control of ragwort by spraying, a •field day has been arranged to take •place on Mr. W. Hooker’s property, Croydon Road, Waipuku, on Thursday, February 26, when all interested are invited to attend. In addition a demonstration will also be given with regard to the spraying of ragwort with a 40■gallon bulk spraying plant. The deinon'stration will be given under the auspices of th 6 fields division of the Department of Agriculture.

The . steamers Kuku and Cygnet, which have been engaged in running to Kaikoura from Lyttelton and Wellington, arc to be withdrawn. The owners ’ say that competition by the Railway Department and lorry owners has made the service unprofitable. The head of a fine swordfish caught by Commander C. E. Hotham, of H.M.'S. ■Laburnum, is to be packed and frozen by Taranaki Producers’ Freezing Works, Moturoa, for carriage to England. The head is being sent to England to be 'mounted and was taken in cold storage ■on the Ruapehu when she left New Plymouth yesterday.

The amusement tax in connection with the Taranaki Jockey Club's recent earthquake benefit meeting amounted to £l3'4 9s 9d, which brings the Gov‘erhment taxation on the meeting up •to £2/2'2 2s fid. This money will all be devoted to the earthquake fund, and ■if any profit was made by the club out of running the meeting, that also will •be added to the total.

Heavy surf on the Ngamotu beach between noon and one o’clock yesterday sent the water over the crest of the sand and flooded the depressions behind. The tide, it is stated, was a normal one, about half-way between neap and spring, but the water was piled up by the strong seas driven into the bay by the north-west gale.

The second instalment of 7s 6d to 'be paid by those who have registered pnder the Unemployment Act and who have not paid the full levy will fall due on March 1. As this date is a ■Sunday the instalments will be payable on and after Monday next. One month’s oi-ace will be allowed, as in December, after which the penalty of sixpence will be added for each month or part of a •month in arrears.

By mid-day yesterday £l2/293 had been paid into the office of the Taranaki County Council out of a total of £19,973 levied this year. This leaves £7680 to be paid by to-morrow if the 10 per cent, penalty is to be avoided. About £5OOO of the amount in hand has (been received since Friday morning. It ■is stated that a number of ratepayers •are finding it difficult to meet the full ■sum owing and are therefore paying ■as much as they can on account.

When entries closed for the national life-saving championships to be held at Wanganui on March 7, there were two Taranaki teams entered for the Nelson Shield competition and three for the William Henry Memorial competition. The Opunake Surf Life-Saving Club has entered an eight-man team for the Nelson Shield arid two four-men teams for the William Henry Memorial. The East 'End Surf Club has entered one team 'for the Nelson Shield arid one for the William Henry memorial. A settlement having been reported, ■the action brought by Smith and Smith •against 'William Thomas Ogilvie has •been .struck off the list of the Supreme Court fixtures in New Plymouth. The 'action, which was set down for hearing •■yesterday morning, was to determine a Claim by Smith and Smith that Ogilvie i w as liable, by virtue of a partnership, 'for a judgment entered against Henry iLudovic Martini in the Supreme Court lat Wellington for £266 4s Id and costs '£27 14s.

Considerable interest was aroused in New Plymouth yesterday by a large vessel which cruised up and down off the port. The ship was the Tairoa, which arrived off New Plymouth from Auckland on Sunday evening but was unable to berth owing to the fact that all the overseas berths were in use. It is expected that the vessel, which carries 'a cargo of Antwerp slag for New Plymouth, will come into port this morning. She will take the Moturoa wharf berth at present occupied by the Ruapehu,, which is due to leave this morning for Oamaru. Beneficial rains fell heavily throughout New Zealand on Sunday night a,nd yesterday. In Taranaki the water did a world of good to the thirsty pastures. Greymouth on. Sunday experienced the heaviest daily rainfall on record, 12$ inches being recorded. Some inconvenience was caused through the overflowing of drains and •to residences in Marsden Road area. The previous daily record during the last 50 years was 6$ inches, on April 16, 1916. A drought which had held Marlborough in its grip for nearly a year broke on Sunday night, good rains falling over the province. It was hoped that the downpour would continue.

The absent-mindedness of a woman ■motorist in Devon Street yesterday •caused her to be suspected for a few ■moments of an attempt at a car theft. Two cars of the same make and the ■same model were standing at the kerb ■with another car in between them. The woman came out of a shop, walked straight to one of the cars and prepared to start it. Then she looked puzzled, glanced to the back seat and began to get out. At this point the owner of the car, which she had mistaken •for her own standing a few yards away, rushed from a shop in alarm. Explanations quickly ensued and the “thief” drove off in her own automobile.

Mrs. Parkinson, L.R.A.M. (nee Miss Mould) notifies in this issue that she 'will commence tuition in New Plymouth on Monday, March 2. Mrs. Parkinson ■was trained at the Royal Academy of 'Music, London, gaining medals for pianoforte, singing and aural culture. 'She studied singing under Mr. Arthur ■Thompson and Mr. Leonard Hubbard. Her pianoforte professor was Mr. Victor Booth, for aural culture Dr. Shinn and 'for harmony Dr. Greerish. Mrs. Parkin'son was on the staff at lona College, 'Havelock North, last year, and obtained 'splendid, results with her 1930 examina'tion candidates. Mrs. Parkinson will 'visit the VVaitara, Lepperton, Inglewood and Urenui districts. Correspondence should be addressed co. Strad'holme, Mt. Edgecombe Street, New Plymouth. ,

“Unfortunately it has been the duty of coroners throughout New Zealand in recent years to hold inquests on people killed as a result of motor accidents,” said Mr. E. D. Mosley, coroner, “before giing his verdict at an inquest held at Kaiapoi last week. The proportion of motor accidents in New Zealand, he added, was fairly heavy, though not as high as in some other countries. “But our object should be to see that in New Zealand tl;e proportion is a jolly sight less,” said Mr. Mosley. “There is not the slightest reason why some two hundred lives a year should be sacrificed in this country under the ‘juggernaut’ wheels of motor-cars. We should aim to lessen that number, and we can do tlu}t only by the exercise of the greatest possible care on the part of drivers. They should not do anything that would tend to lessen their power of control over the machines they are driving.”

Sensational bargain? continue to mark the progress of the Melbourne Ltd.’s great summer sale. Read these remarkable offerings: 3u'in. kimona crepe, now 9d yard; 36in. striped poplin pyjama cloth, now V 3 yard; 27in. cretonnes, now Gid yard. Fadeless “Lidolyn,” now 1/- yard. Famous “80-peep” prints, now 1/- yard. “Cobber” Prints, now fid yard.*

Men, you can’t afford to pass these bargains at the Melbourne Ltd.'s great summer sale now booming. Wire twist working shirts, now 3/6. Tweed sport coats, now 12/6. Fancy cotton socles, now fid pair. Bruce wool knitted socks, now 2 pairs for 1/9. All Aertex underwear reduced by 20 per cent. Boys’ sun helmets, now 1/11. Men’s athletic singlets, now 1/- each.*