LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1931, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A case of hydatids was thfe only infectious disease notified in the borough of New Plymouth during May.

Approximately 60 cubic yards of asphalt has been mixed in readiness to fill in the channels in Devon Street, New Plymouth. 1

A further conference between the works committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council and the trustees of the Whiteley Church is to be held in regard to the corner of the church property required for street purposes.

When any employee of the New Plymouth Borough Council is engaged as a juryman on the weekly half-holiday or on aiiy statutory holiday he is permitted to retain the jury fee for such holiday, according to a decision- made by the council last night.

The first talking pictures of a Taranaki event will probably be taken at Patea during the borough’s jubilee celebrations in October. It was stated at a public meeting in Patea la,st night thht a film newsman would be in the district at the time and it was decided to ask the firm operating it to attend the week’s festivities.

Thirteen is apparently not the only unlucky number. “I think the tramways manager should take out a special insurance on No. 9 traincar,” said Cr. J. Brown, when a report of a recent collision between a lorry and a tram-car was being discussed at a meeting of the New Plymouth Bprough Council last night. “No. 9 is always in the wars.”' When his swainped boat was swept from uiidei' him by the flooded Waitara River Mr. A. Pizzey narrowly escaped by seizing the side of a launch. He was manoeuvring his boat to make H more secure near the fishing wharf when one side was forced down by the flood and the boat filled. Mr. Pizzey caught hold of a launch alongside and the strong current took the boat to sea. The contractors on contract four of the New Plymouth sewerage scheme have been handicapped by recent adverse weather on the outfall works, bqt have made fair progress on the liquefaction tunnels. Contract' eight is progressing satisfactorily, two miles of sewer? now being laid of a total of nine miles in the contract. Tenders are now being called for contract seven, covering the East End area and a portion of Fitzroy. Cr. Staintou at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night the borough solicitor (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) warned the council that the legal position required careful investigation, for if the suggestion was carried into effect and a machine was stolen, the council, as having either authorised, or perhaps, directly employed the custodian, might be held responsible for damages. The matter was referred to a special committee consisting pf the Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths) and Cr. J. Brown, and it was decided to ask the Taranaki Automobile Association for its views on the proposal.

New water mains totalling 112 chains in length were laid in Seaview Road, Omata Road, Rainsford Street, Lorna Street, ’ Doone Street, Calvert Road, Kingwell Street and Roy Terrace in the borough of New Plymouth in May. In laying the mains 60 services were reconnected and three re-laid. Nine new services were laid during the month, using 209 feet of pipe, hud four services were re-laid.

Most unemployment relief work in New Plymouth during the past month has been concentrated on the formation of a stock route. Gangs have also been employed in Barrett Street cleaning the sides of the roadway, cleaning the cemetery, the pig farm, working on Ngamotu beach, Western Park, Baines Terrace and Fitzroy beach, and constructing a retaining wall at the East End beach. The council drays have been employed full time on these works.

The “impassable state” of the upper portion of Mill Road was the subject of comment at a meeting of the New. Plymouth Borough Council last night, when it was resolved to have some improvement effected immediately. The matter was referred to the works committee. it was stated that numerous cars had become bogged in the mud, and broken springs were not unknown when attempts were made to negotiate the morass. I

How much meat does New Plymouth eat? During May the residents of the town consumed 161 heifers, 88 cows, 28 bullocks, 39 calves, 1551 sheep, 237 lambs, 242 pigs, two sucking pigs and 271 tripes. Compared with May, 1930, this represents aii increase of 580 sheep and 108 lambs, and a decrease of nine cattle and 32 pigs. The marked changeover from beef to mutton may partly be accounted for by a slight change in th© public taste, but it is thought that the lower ruling price for mutton this year has bosh a more powerful factor.

In reference to the railway reserve property traversed by the embryo “marine parade,” between the Belt Road motor camp site and Bayly Road, New Plymouth, Cr. J. Brown reported at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night that he had conferred with the district engineer of railways and Mr. G. Davis (acting railway land officer) ..in regard to the proposed resumption of part of the railway reserve. It was arranged that the department would not resume the land, but that a license subject to the council’s leasehold rights would be granted to Moturoa Oilfields, Ltd., giving the company . the necessary boring rights, the council to consent to such license, and the company as far as possible not to interfere with existing buildings and to repair any damage done to tracks or roads made by the council on the reserve. “The fact that motor-drivers’ licenses fell due on May 31 made a very busy time in this office during the latter part of May and the early of June,” stated Inspector R. Day at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night. “Approximately 2000 licenses •were issued and, as the new regulations require more particulars from every driver, thus taking longer time, the whole staff had very little time to think of anything else. The more stringent regulations did not entail much inconvenience to New Plymouth drivers, as we have hithprto maintained a' Strict standard. Several drivers have been requested to see opticians, and in other cases medical certificates have been called for, but, generally speaking, the new regulations have not imposed undue hardship' except in one or two isolated cases.”

A suggestion that in view of the number of recent thefts of motor-cars, also parcels from motor-cars, a man be permitted to act as custodian of cars parked in parking areas in New Plymouth was advanced recently in a letter to Or. P. E. Staintbn by a young man who sought the position. He was 20 years olfl, he said, and therefore ineligible for unemployment relief work. In addition, he had a widowed mother with five children. He proposed to look after the motor ve|>icles while their owners were away at a fee of 6d. a car and 3d. a motor-cycle, tickets to be issued and no machine to be, removed without the reproduction of the ticket. When the matter was brought up by

Illustrating the work being done by the Presbyterian Orpli.a na S e and Social Service Association, Mr. G. B. Stephenson, superintendent, mentioned at the New Plymouth Rotary luncheon yesterday the case of a man in the New Plymouth district who had been taken into hospital, where he died. The same day the district nurse conveyed the news to the mother and family, only to find that during the prevjops night the house had been destroyed by fire. The mother, who was very ill, was taken in by a neighbour and was removqd to the hospital, wfiere she also died a few day? later. A family of seven young children was left. The five', girls were adopted or taken by relatives, and the boys were sent to the Presbyterian Orphanage, where they are being educated and trained for life’s' work. Mr. Stephenson also mentioned another case in the Eltham district, where the mother had left her husband and three young children. The husband was a farm labourer and took the children around the country with him. They were suffering from malnutrition, and the Presbyterian Association took them over and' endeavoured to build up their health. With hyo of them they were successful, but the other one —a bpy of seven— succumbpd to his privations. Despite the wet weather the attendance at the Regimental Band’s recital in the Empire Theatre, New Plymouth, on Sunday evening was very good. The following items were given:—Mrs. C. J. Harris, contralto solos, “Sometimes in My Dreams” (d’Hardelot), “My Prayer” and. “Abide With Me” (Liddle).; Mr. L. Middleweek, baritone solos, “Stein Song,” “Smiling Irish Eyes,” “Father O’Flynn” and “The Vagabond Song”; Mr. Les. Higginson, tenor solos, “She is Far From ■the Land (Sanderson), “Rose of My Heart” (Sanderson), “Somewhere a Voice is Calling” (Newton) and “I Did not Know” (d’Hardelot). The Regimental Band under the conductorship of Lieutenant F. W. G. McLeod played: March, (Greenwood); hymn, “Bradford” (Owen); “The Silver Trumpet,” Parts I. and If. (Viviani); euphonium solo, Sergeant 11. McEwen, “Largo al Factotum” (Rossini); new jazz items, “Three Little Words’ (Ruby), “Sing Something Simple”. (Hepfeld); march, “The Prince of Smiles” (Marte Lonka); National Anthem. Farmers in the Manaia and surrounding districts are notified that the ‘‘T’erfect” harrow will be working on Mr.' T. M. Hair’s farm on Main Road, ManaiH, sa from to-day. This harrow demonstrates the latest method of grass.cultivation, it is manufactured by the Taranaki Manufacturing Co., Inglewood, and is recommended by New Zealand’s leading agricultural experts.* A clearing sale of interest on behalf of Mr. R. M. Glennie, Kapuni, will be conducted by Newton King Ltd. on Friday nexfi A fine herd of 51 cows, mostly Jerseys, is included, and the 'range of farm implements is comprehensive.

“Safety first” is a good for motorists. “Prevention is better than cure” is another. The motorist that is running in the winter on tyres that have wbrn smooth, is running a constant risk of skidding with consequent damages to car and severe danger (o occupants. Get your tyres retreaded at a small cost, and at the same time getting tho cheapest tyre mileage available.*

Mr. J. Power, New Plymouth, had to make a hurried trip to Wellington yesterday and chartered the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club’s plane, ZK—AAX. With Mr. N. Isaac as pilot, the plane made a good trip, leaving New Plymouth at 2.30 p.m. and. arriving at Wellington about 5 o’clock. The return will be made to-day.

Following ’«pon a. complaint from a Geraldine farmer that pukeko were doing damage to his oat stacks, the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society decided to grant him a permit to shoot the birds. The ranger reported that he had inspected the stacks and found that damage had been done.

In an address to a large public meeting at Rotorua on Friday Mr. W. Lee Martin, Labour M.P. for Raglan, sa’ffi that there was no country in the wbrld better able to stand up to the general depression than New Zealand, but owing to the pessimism of the Government people who had money to spend were holding back. Labour would vote with Reform if called upon to hasten an election.

An interesting comment on the shoplifting cases which have been So prevalent of lute at Auckland whs made recently, states the New Zealand Herald, by a social worker constantly in touch with the courts. “I have never yet known one destitute person engaging in shop-lifting,” she said. “So it is not necessity that makes them take to it.” The spring tide, causing the steamer Kihi to ride a little higher against the Newton King wharf at New Plymouth than was allowed for, broke a hawser which was mooring the vessel 'to the wharf, at about 6 o’clock yesterday morning. The second officer, Mr. H. J. Petty, who was assisting with the rescue work at Paritutu, was called back to the port and the trouble was rectified in a few minutes. The hawser was at the stern of the vessel. It was an old rope and was in use only as a secondary hawser, so there was at no time any danger. 1 The number of children in the Dominion who have to be cafed for by church and other charitable organisations is surprising. In an address to New Plymouth Rotarians yesterday Mr. G. B. Stephenson, superintendent of the Presbyterian ■Orphanage and Social Service Association, provided some enlightenment. lie said that in Dunedin there -were 500 maintenance orders out against erring husbands, in Christchurch 800, in Wellington 1000, and In Auckland over 1500. All the children of these defaulting fathers had to be cared for by organisations such as his. 1

The pied stilt, a bird fairly common in inland districts, but ono which does not frequently make its appearance in Auckland, has been seen lately at Judge’s Bay, near the Parnell Baths, according to a report made to the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. The stilt is a shy bird, of-the plover family, remarkable for the extreme length o.f its legs. It has a long, straight beak. The wings and back are black, the . head, neck and lower part of the body being white. It spends much of its time Trading in water.