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Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143762, 10 April 1912, Page 2

The revenue received for private lighting purposes by the Borough Electrical Department amounted to £SG6 4s lOd in 1007 and at the March 31 tho dorp of tho last financial year tho amount had increased to .£3788 18s 3d.

Mr. Duncan M'Allum took advantage of the visit of the Prime Minister to New Plymouth on Tuesday, to interview him in regard to the utilisation of Bell’s Fall;;; for the production of electrical energy, in connection with the scheme for tho coast tram line. Tho Minister promised to lay the matter before tire Minister of Public Works.

The, Borough Electrical Engineer, Mr. H. Black, has prepared a comparative statement of the receipts for electric current from 1907 to the end of tlrp last financial year March 31. In 1907 the receipts amounted to £ll2B 6s Bd, 1908 £2306 5s 10d, 1909, £3341 10s 2d, 1910, £4019 0s lOd, 1911, £4428 Is 7d, 1912, £5329 0s 7d. Tho number of connections at March 31, 1907, was 167, and at March 31, 1912, 906, the amount of current consumed being 115,860 units and 334,030 units respectively. During tho Prime Minister’s visit to New Plymouth on Tuesday, Mr. W. Ambury, president of the Agricultural Society, interviewed the Minister with regard to the Government Agricultural Exhibit at tho forthcoming Winter Show in New Plymouth, The Minister said that he was trying to arrange with Hamilton, to alter tho date of their show, so as to enable the exhibit to bo utilised for both shows. Should Hamilton not bo able to acquiesce in this arrangement, tho exhibit would bo sent to New Plymouth, in preference to dividing it bptweon tho two shows. By this arrangement it would also be possible to have the exhibit at Hawera as well. A local doctor had an unpleasant, experience on Sunday night on Mount Messenger. Ho was called out to a patient up the Mokau River on Saturday, and left Mokau for home again on Sunday afternoon. Coming up tho hill on tho Tongaporutu side the car was bogged, and the doctor, tho chauffeur, and another passenger had to cut some scrub to lay under the wheels to give them a bold. This did not avail, and eventually tho car was dragged out by a team of horses. By the time the top of the hill was reached it was quite dark, and the road being in a bad condition, it was not deemed advisable to come down this side in the dark. Consequently the shelter of a roadman’s hut was sought and a good fire made, and the little party sat down to make the best of a bad job and wait for daylight. Then the journey was resumed and home reached safety. It is a disgraceful thing that on one of tho main arterial roads of the North Island, at this time of tho year, such a thing should occur. If the doctor had been going the other way u life might have been sacrificed through the long years of Government neglect of the road.

Among the many things The Kash do so well are men’s slip-on overcoats. They’ve just imported a range of the famous Gaberdeon slip-ons, beautifully cut and made in the latest Bondon style. Prices from 455. Don’t forget a speciaEst in clothing sees the garment onsyouw*

Mrs, B. Wealo, of Devon Street West, has grown some very fine grapes this year, some of the bunches weighing as much as 2pb. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., a firstoffending inebriate, who did not appear, was convicted and fined ss. Charged with a similar offence to-day, another first offender was convicted and ordered to pay for cab hire.

At the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday night complimentary reference was made to tho interesting report prepared by the Town Clerk (Mr. I l '. T. Bellringer) as published in the Herald and it was decided to place on record the council’s appreciation of same. Some idea of tho amount of business dealt with at tho Borough Council meeting on Tuesday night can be gathered from tho fact that tho agenda paper including committee reports and officers’ annual reports covered sixtyeight pages of typewritten foolscap.

With the lengthy agenda papers that are now laid before the New Plymouth Borough Council it is surprising how much time is wasted in irregular discussions. Councillors at times run wild, the rules ol debate being absolutely ignored. Often two or three members are speaking a- one time, and crosstable talk is frequently indulged- in. The time has arrived when tho business of the council should be conducted m a manner worthy of tho dignity of that body.

The Borough Inspector (Mr. B. Tippins) submitted a report to the Borough Council .on Tuesday night giving details of the revenue of his department. The receipts from carriage licenses amounted to £75 15s, drvers’ licenses £3O ss, dangerous goods £25, billiard rooms £3O, hawkers £1 15s, hoardings £•5 ss, lodging (houses £9, second hand dealers £l, public performances, theatres, circuses, otc., £26 ss, pound foes £32 8s 9d, by law fines £2O 2s 6d, dog tax £lO2. ’ Total £358 16s 3d.

A correspondent who is at present on a visit to New Plymouth writes pointing out tho somewhat dangerous nature of tho footways in Pukekura Park after rain. He states that on Sunday last, owing to the slippery nature of tho ground, several falls occurred, but fortunately muddy garments and mild scares were all that befel the unfortunates. “It seems a pity,” continues our correspondent, “that such a favourite and beautiful resort should not bo provided with footways that can bo negotiated on moist as well as dry days.”

A further complaint has reached us on tho state of the Junction Road near the new bridge ovor the Te Henui. It appears that in regrading the road on tho other side of the river the metal has been removed and a large hole left in the middle of the road. It is in a dangerous spot (the place referred to being in a narrow cutting and on a bend in tho road), and on Monday night at any rate there wero no warning lights. An accident, with serious consequences might easily occur, and we would suggest, to the authority responsible that lamps bo placed there. Councillor 'Morey’s notice of motion, “that in view of the proposed electric tramway system between Fituroy and the Breakwater, the owners of all verandahs over footpaths in Devon Street, bdtweer. Te Henui and Cutfield Hoad,, at present exceeding the 12ft. limit, bo notified that such verandahs must bo cither removed or narrowed to the 12ft. limit on or before January 1, 1914,” was before tho council meeting on Tuesday night. After a brief discussion it was withdrawn, Councillor Morey,-ex-plaining that his purpose had been sufficiently served by giving publicity, to tho matter. Shopkeepers had had time since he gave notice of his intention to move tho motion to raise their voices in protest, but apparently they were quite prepared to boar the expenditure involved.

Had the weather on Sunday and Monday been more propitious it is stated there would have been a record number of visitors to tho mountain. As it was there was a large gathering of holiday-makers, who enjoyed good weather on Friday and Saturday. A laige party reached Bell’s Falls on Saturday and found the tracks in good order. Tho committee has added an'other attraction for visitors in tho shape of a look-out tower. A platform has been built on the top of three trees on the route to tho Walwakaiho Gorge, and a magnificent view, said to equal that from Humphries’ Castle, may be obtained of the surrounding' country. A ladder has been placed in position, so that the tower is most easily and, being within a few minutes’ ■walk’ of tho house, wilt no doubt be availed of by almost every .visitor. The lack of suitable metal for reading purposes in the Ohnra (tho King Country Chronicle remarks) has been severely felt in the past, and it is gratifying to learn that a fine supply of conglomerate rock exists at Tata. At tho last meeting of the Comity Council a sample of the outcrop was on view, and judging from appearances it should make splendid moial. The Chairman stated that there was sufficient rock in view to metal the'road from Ohnra to Auckland, ■and when the railway was put through it would bo a valuable asset to the district. Meanwhile _ tho roads in tho vicinity should benefit materially. The want of suitable metal has greatly impeded roadmaking' in Taranaki, and it is very satisfactory to learn that supplies are being found. In the neighbourhood of Mount Messenger, wo learn, a deposit of shell rock has been discovered, while in the Awakiuo splendid gravel exists. New fine kmgcloth embroideries have just been opeued by White and Sons. Some fifty or sixty pieces of edgings qnd insertions to match, which are made with specially good edges, to wear with the host Horrockses’ calicoes. Brices from 4jd to 10d.* In oilskin and waterproof clothing the Melbourne, as usual, leads the way. Bead those prices; Boys’ black oilskins, sizes 36iu to 4Siu, 8s lid; boys’ black oilskins for riding, all sizes, 10s 6cl; men’s riding oilcoats, 12s 9d, 19s (>d to 22s 6d; boys’ and youths’ overcoats, 9s 6d, 13s 6cl to 2os 6d; men’s superb raincoats, 29s 6d, 32s 6d to 39s 6d; men’s hydrotito coats, 37s 6d and 49s 6d- Finest value obtainable.*