LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'Broken glass on the streets is very prevalent in North Taranaki at present and has become a menace to both motorists and pedestrians. Much of it remains as the result of the failure to clear away broken glass after motor accidents. Under semi-winter conditions on Sunday Mr. Hal Larsen made his fortyninth ascent of Mt. Egmont. Mr. Larsen and Mr. Rigby Allen, club captain of the Taranaki Alpine Club, intended making their fiftieth ascent of the mountain together yesterday. As a result of riding bicycles in Pukekura Park several small boys were brought before Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., in the Juvenile Court at New Plymouth on Saturday morning. The boys were made to appreciate the gravity of the offence, and were suitably dealt with.

There were considerably fewer cases than usual of indisposition among the children who attended the Anzac Day parade at Pukekura Park . yesterday morning. The cool breeze tempered the sun. Only one small boy had to receive attention from the St. John Ambulance nurses.

Mt. Egmont received a liberal coating of snow as the result of a heavy fall on Saturday and Sunday nights, and yesterday it presented a glorious spectacle from New Plymouth. The weather on Saturday and Sunday was sunny but showery. Yesterday it was perfect, and Anzac Day, 1932, will live as one of the best days of the autumn from a weather point of view.

A shrill and sustained blast from the siren of the steamer Hororata, berthed at New Plymouth, on Saturday morning caused many residents of the town to speculate as to the reason. It was subsequently explained that the siren had started to blow of its own accord under steam pressure, and as the fault could not immediately be remedied steam, had to bo shut off from the ship’s boilers.

An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Constable S. R. Shirley, New Plymouth, was brought to a conclusion on Saturday. Evidence was given by his widow, a neighbour named E. Beggs, and Dr. G. F. Rich, medical superintendent of the public hospital. The evidence of tho latter explained the condition of the patient when he was admitted to the hospital and also gave the cause of death. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony and tha of other witnesses as to the mental condition of the deceased.

A Maori curio was found three feet below tho surface of a, swamp near the Sentry Hill flourmill on the property of Mr. F. H. Sampson recently. It appears to be a. wooden scoop about IS inches long, carved out of totara, with a. round handle about eight inches long. The scoop portion is about three inches wide and about as deep. It has a ■sharp edge. The timber is well preserved. The scoop may have been used, it is thought, for scooping up pipis or corn or for bailing canoes.

When motoring through a cutting on Cross Road, lluirangi, about six o’clock on Saturday night. Mr. P. H. Surrey encountered a wandering horse. As he swerved to avoid the animal he ran into a clay bank at the side of the road. The under-part of his car was damaged and the vehicle had to be towed to New Plymouth,

Injured in the Star-Tukapa, junior football match at Pukr ira Park on Saturday, Cecil Lobb was taken ,o the Now Plymouth Hospital suffering from a dislocated shoulder. He was discharged. on Sunday morning.

“Wo pay £3O a year for the services of the dental clinic. If the parents of the children treated had. to pay for the ordinary professional services, it would cost them something like £7OO a year,” stated the chairman, Mr. T. VV. West, at a meeting of householders of the Opawa School, Christchurch. The report of the dental nurse showed that 974 fillings had been made, 2SI extractions and 66 minor operations.

The secretary of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association has on view at the association’s clubrOoms at present what is probably the most interesting flower of its kind in the Dominion, says an exchange. It is a true Flanders poppy, picked in April, 191‘7, at Red Lodge, Messines, during the Battle of Messines. The flower has been pressed in a field service postcard and its owner has preserved it as a memento of those black days by having it framed. Four earthquakes were recorded at the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory last Wednesday. One at 2.9 a.m. and one at 9.2 p.m. were the strongest, the latter being noticed, says the Press, by several people in the city. The others occurred at 6.37 p.m. and 11.16 p.m. respectively. Indications ere that the first and second may have had their centres as far away as Cook Strait or Queenstown, but possibly the third and fourth were not so distant.

Lack of courtesy was shown by a number of people and one man in particular on the southern terrace at the Anzac Day service at Pukekura Park yesterday. Several of the seats had been set aside for the New Plymouth High School girls and Girl Citizens, and Guides who were taking part in the procession. Two ushers were trying to reserve the seats when a stout man below, in spite of appeals from the parade marshal, vigorously exhorted the spectators to help themselves, which they did.

Heavy rains, which fell throughout South Australia lately, greatly benefited pastoral and agricultural areas. “The rain, together with previous rains, has given South Australia the best opening for the season the State has had for years, both for crops and feed,” said the Director of Agriculture, Professor A. J. Perkins, on April 11. ‘‘Practically in all districts farmers have started seeding for hay and fodder crops, and in. northern areas wheat seeding is general several weeks earlier than usual.” ’When Wirths’ Circus took its first trip over Sydney bridge the other day the authorities discovered an anomaly in the toll charges. Seven elephants lumbered over the bridge, and the charge was 2d each. The driver of a baby motor-car, whose complete outfit weighed about a quarter of an elephant, paid out Is 3d. Each elephant took up as much space as a motor-lorry, but had only four feet, so the officials called a tram official, who examined them at every angle. It was decided that the elephants should pay 2d, with a similar-charge for their riders. A small pony, capable of running under the elephant's legs, paid the same fee. A considerable amount of goods recovered as a consequence of police arrests of looters concerned in the riot in Queen Street, Auckland, has been assembled at the central police station, States the Herald. It is proposed to make the articles available for identification, probably within the next few days, when additions are made to the collection as a result of further expected arrests. From inquiries made it is apparent that much of the stolen goods has not been accounted for, in spite of intensive investigation by detectives and special constables. A quantity of goods has been returned to business firms through anonymous channels.

Indications of a much more hopeful outlook and an anticipation of better business conditions are given in a letter received by Mr. H. H. Blandford, of Palmerston North, from England this week. “I see from the Press that there is a great' improvement in trade in New Zealand, and I think you must be supplying the whole of this country with butter and meat, as, wherever one goes, New Zealand produce is in all the shops,” his informant states. “Everybody is using New Zealand butter, which is selling here at Is ,3d for the 'best. The wool trade is /improving, and I certainly think that, by the time this year is out, you will see much better business all round.”

When Dr. C. E. Beeby, of Canterbury College, was travelling across the United States about 18 months ago he lost his return ticket on the Southern Pacific Railway—a ticket worth about £45 in English money. He was not able to trace the ticket and had to purchase another, returning to New Zealand a poorer but more careful man. The incident was almost forgotten when, several days ago, Dr. Beeby received a letter from the executive of the railway company stating that the ticket had been located and enclosing a refund. When Dr. Beeby went to cash the draft he found the exchange was in favour of New Zealand to the extent of £l's in the £4's. He collected £6O in place of the original payment. Doubtless every storekeeper could tell a different story as to a method whereby he or she has been cheated out of payment for goods, says the Dunedin Star. Persons new to shops are usually easily “done in,” and they should nowadays be wide awake in the case of any suspicious purchase. A St. Kilda shopkeeper was caught the other evening, and she explains her misfortune as a ■warning to other - storekeepers. A welldressed young man, without a hat, entered her shop and asked for four packets of cigarettes. These were placed on the counter, the lady behind the counter 'believing he had come from a nearby home, and he asked for some sweets. Whilst these were being weighed out, he said he would take some “apples, and left the shop to look in the window, the shopkeeper thought. But he had collected his cigarettes, and was nowhere to be seen when the orders had been made up and tho lady had waited until she suspected the worst. The parcels are still awaiting the young man's return—and so is the shopkeeper.

Do you know “Bill Saver” and “Miss Economy.” They are' the persons who ha’?’ their garments dry-cleaned or steam and thereby save pounds. At the cost of a few shillings your suits, costumes, dresses, coats, felt hats, etc., can be successfully renovated. We have been renovating garments for over 20 years and our address is J. K. Hawkins and Co., Steam Dyers and Dry Cleaners, corner of Devon and Liardet Streets, New Plymouth. ’Phone 685. Stratford depot, Mrs. Rudkin's, “Everybody's,” Broadway.*

A large share of public interest is continuously centred in the Melbourne closing down sale. Goods are being slaughtered in all departments. Very special fresh bargains are to be seen in the showroom. Wool charmalaine frocks in navy, black and assorted colours, formerly 8 guineas to 10 guineas, now 355; 4 guineas to 7 guineas, now 255; floral crepe de chine a'nd fancy silk frocks, usually 6 guineas to 8 guineas, now 255; 4 guineas to 6 guineas, now 15s; 2 guineas to 3 guineas, now 10s.