LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1931, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Monday was the coldest day of the year in Auckland, the lowest shade temperature being 44deg., and ■ the maximum 55. In New Plymouth the corresponding figures were 40.3 degrees and 49.1 degrees..

He had six children to keep and had earned only £l3 10s since Marell, said a carpenter who appeared on a judgment summons in New Plymouth yesterday. He had a further £1 2s 6d coming to him. Observing that under the circumstances any offer to pay by weekly instalments would be of the “piecrust” variety, the magistrate said he would not make an order.

For some years Lepperton has enjoyed the distinction of being one of the most progressive districts in Taranaki, due to the modern methods of farming adopted by the settlers. During the last nine years, while the number of suppliers to the dairy factory has increased only from 4G to 72, or just over 50 per cent., in the same time the butter-fat has increased from 171,6081 b to 576,3091 b, or more than 3 1-3 times as much.

“The increased production of Taranaki has been again demonstrated in the figures relating to the port of New Plymouth for the half-year ended June 30, 1931,” said Mr. L. M. Moss in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night. “The overseas shipping entering the port during the period comprised 35 vessels with a gross aggregate tonnage of 302,022, compared with 33 vessels aggregating 266,440 tons in the corresponding period last year, while the cargo handled inwards and outwards by these vessels aggregated 54,640 tons, compared with 53,146 tons, giving an average of 1561 tons for each vessel, a figure which compared favourably with the major ports. The total amount of cargo handled, including coastwise as well as overseas, in the five months to the end of May (June figures unavailable for other ports) was 71,677 tons, compared with 67,245 tons at Wanganui, 04,999 tons at Nelson, 60,672 tons at Napier, 55,357 tons at Timaru, and 54,170 tons at Bluff. For the period New Plymouth held fifth position among the Dominion ports. That a steady increase of the exports was to be expected was indicated by the fact that the Taranaki Producers’ Freezing Works Company, which handled the dairy produce of the district, had found it necessary to make large additions to its storage capacity. Messrs Borthwick and cons had found it necessary also to enlarge their meat freezing works at Waitara, which had had a busy season.

The Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night unanimously decided to support the voluntary defence scheme in New Zealand.

A New Plymouth business firm which for some time has been, in the habit of paying its telephone toll fees daily, vAterflay received notification from the Postal Department that as from August ], if the firm requires its toll account otherwise than monthly a fee of £1 Is will have to be paid. A motor-car containing Mr. and Mrs. Jackson and child, of the power-house, Normanby, sustained some damage near Tariki yesterday, but the occupants escaped unhurt. It is said that another car was passing touched the rear wheel of Mr. Jackson’s car, causing the latter to skid aiid swerve Off the road, where it ran into a tree.

“'J’hc loss of the Canadian butter market is a serious one for Taranaki at the present time,” said Mr. L. M. Moss in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Coiiiincrcc last night. ‘‘Negotiations with Canada have been rendered difficult by the political situation in Ulinada, but the overtures of Canadian business men, which have been responded to by business interests in this country, should lead tlie way to a satisfactory trade treaty with Canada.” As an incentive to boys to go on the land, Mr. W. J. Freeth suggested at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night that the Government by means of long-dated loans should subsidise any wages the boys had saved to enable them to take up land. Scores of boys would welcome sticli a scheme, he said. It should be an essential that they had saved say £4OO, which they could do in six years, lie know of two boys who had each saved £6OO in five years and a-half and seven years respectively. Such a scheme would be better than aiming at giving an agricultural bias to education.

The winter season for whaling off the North Auckland coast at Whangamuinu, which is now nearing a close, has been a fairly poor one. Two whales were caught before the first week in July and the total to date is only eleven. Boisterous weather has interfered with operations on several days, but the scarcity of whales has been particularly noticeable during the past two years, and is attributed to the operations of the Norwegians in the Ross Sea. The total last season was 12 whales, none of wfiich was cdught after the first week in July. No whales have been sighted iduriiig the past few days. That motorists passing stationary cars must do so at such a speed that if a person steps out from behind one the drivei’ can avoid him was the view expressed by Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court, when he convicted a motorist of driving in a mariner which might have been dangerous to. the public. The case arose ffoiri an accident in Willis Street, when a, pedestrian stepped out from behind a' stationary vehicle and was knocked down by a car. In entering the conviction tlie magistrate remarked that it was not a case of driving in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public, but one of negligent driving. The Cunard Cup, which was presented by l the C. arid p. Line Ltd. in 1924 to the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society for the best box of creamery butter suitable for export at the New Plymouth winter show, was won outright this year by the Lepperton Dairy Company, which had previously won it in 1027 and 1928. Other factories to have their:names inscribed were Maketawa (1924), Mangorei (1925 arid 1926) and Midhirst (1929 and 1930). The cup was on view at the annual meeting of the Lepperton Dairy Company yesterday, when the acting-chairman (Mr. P. A. Openshaw) congratulated the manager (Mr. A. G. Drake) on his successes, he having won three first prizes as well as two seconds. His success in the local butter class was particularly gratifying.

A fear that with the smaller use of iodised salt, the incidence of goitre among younger children in the schools is rising, was expressed by the school medical officer, Dr. Baker McLaglan, in a report thpt was received by the Canterbury Education Board at its last meeting. The report stated that although the health of the children was altogether astonishing, the problem of goitre was still serious. Statistics .collected at the end of 1929 showed a definite diminution both in frequency and size. On inquiry from the mothers who came to school to interview her, Dr. McLaglan found that not nearly as iri-any mothers, of- the primer entrant children used iodised salt. It was feared that the incidence of goitre among the. young entrant children was rising again. A greater proportion of the mothers of standard VI pupils used iodised salt. The Older children were much less affected than was the case a few years ago.

The appointment of a railway board was of special interest to the provincial centres such as Taranaki, because the board now had in its' hands the power by regulating railway rates to accentuate or impede the tendency towards centralisation which had already appeared in New Zealand, said Mr. L. M. Moss in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night. If centralisation was assisted it would give rise in New Zealand to similar conditions to those produced by centralisation in the great cities in Australia. The effect of such a policy on the future of this country would be so far-reaching that it called for the constant vigilance of all provincial districts and producers. While it would temporarily create boom conditions in the centralised areas, these areas would eventually pay the price that had been paid in Australia. New Zealand’s strength in the recent depression had been largely due to the fact that its wealth and activities were comparatively evenly spread over the whole country. A Manitoba stacker and a good milkcart horse have been added to Newton King’s Kaponga sale entries for to-day. A number of dairy cattle will be offered.

Attention is directed to an important notice in our advertising columns in connection with the payment of the unemployment levy and the emergency wages tax under the Unemployment Act. Labour supporters are invited in our advertising columns to attend a meeting in the Workers’ Social Hall on Saturday night, July 25. Mr. W. A. Sheat, who has been selected to contest New Plymouth for the Labour Party, will address the meeting, and his committee anticipate a large and representative gathering. Ladies are specially invited to attend.

I Half-price Remnant Days at Moreys Sale are now on. All remnants now at Half Sale Prices. Imitation suede gloves 3/11, now 1/6 pair. Mercerised Lisle Hose, 4/11, now 2/6 pair. See advertisement on page 4 of this issue.

Blankets are much reduced at the Melbourne Ltd.’s great winter sale now on. For instance, Canterbury gley blankets 8/6 eachc or 16/11 pair. Onehunga pure white blankets, single bed size, 12/6 each or 24/6 pair. Full double bed size, 42/pair. Famous Petone Red Cross blankets single bed size, 39/6 pair. Double bed size, 59/6. Petone full double bed 'blankets, 49/6 pair.