GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 24 June 1924, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Tho supply of electric current in Timaru failed at about 12.15 a.in. to day, and was off for slightly over hail an hour. At the meeting of the Tim.uu Borough Council last night the Mayoral allowance for the ensuing year was fixed at £2OO. Mr J. Bitehener, M.P., for AYanaki, will move the Address-in-Eepl.v in the House of Representatives, at the coming session of Parliament. All tho seating accommodation for visitors in the Municipal _ Chambers was fully occupied last night, thore present including four ladies. A northerly .wind, accompanied by vivid displays of Pghtning prevailed last evening, and was followed by rain which commenced to fall at 2 a.m. “I must be some sort of a fool, or ] wouldn’t be a Councillor,” said Councillor J. A. Hay at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, “but 1 still claim to have some brains,”

“I have no faith in our Board of Trade,” said Mr W. E. Parry, M. P. “All the Board of Trado has done,” he added, “ lias been to enquire while the other man has been accquiring.”

As a result of tlieir delay in paying their telephone accounts, a number of local subscribers had their telephones disconnected on Saturday. Needless to state, the temporary inconvenience had the desired effect.

The cost of reforming, making a roadway in tar macadam, constructing new concrete kerbing and channelling, a new asphalt footpath, planting an avenue of trees in Charles Street, where the War Memorial is to be erected, is estimated at £ll9O.

“Some of our soldier settlers were men from the towns, and they went on to the land thinking that by doing so they were in heaven. Actually they have found themselves in Cue othty- place,” commented a councillor at a meeting of the Waipa County Council.

"When addressing the Timaru Borough Coucil last night, Mr P. R. Climie (organiser of the Canterbury Progress League) mentioned that the sanguine anticipations of the Progress League in regard to yiereased trade through the completion of the Midland railway had been exceeded, and the people of North Canterbury, and South Canterbury and those living as fat south as Oatnarn were enjoying -,ho benefits ot that line.

In dealing with recent statements in the press regarding the selling of electric current for ljd per unit for ranges, Mr W. A. Waters, engineer, of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, stated at a meeting at Kongotea that the ladies were entitled to consideration, and this price gave the ladies in the country the same cooking facilities as the townspeople enjoyed, with gas at 7s fid per 1000 feet. He assured those present that it was safe to say that in a few years’ time 80 per cent, of the homes would do their cooking electrically.

"With two overseas boats in port, the No 3 wharf presented a very animated scene yesterday. The West Nilus was discharging 3000 feet of Oregon pine, redwood and douglas fir timber from Vancouver and * Seattle, and the Athcnic was loading general produce for London. Tho harbour aud railway facilities were kept busily employed throughout tho day. Tho West Nilus, which flies tho Stars and Stripes, is the first direct boat to Timaru from the West American ports, since tho war. This vessel also carried a cargo of beaizine for this port.

At its meeting last night the Timaru Borough Council received a letter trom the (juris tcliurcli (Jtty Council embodying the following resolution: “it is noted with regret that it was stated at a recent meeting held in Timaru that the Christchurch City Council was opposed to tho Tekapo scheme for the supply of electricity- to Timaru and South Canterbury. This Council wishes it publicly- known that whilst convinced that the Waimakariri scheme is lie most suitable source of supply for the further requirements ot Christchurch, it has no desire or intention of opposing the Tekapo schemo or any further scheme which Timaru may consider most, desirable for its requirements.” The letter was “received,” it being agreed that tho statement liad not emanated from tho Timaru Borough Council.

Tho Pleasant Point Gun Club held their second shoot in Mr E. O. Sliaw’s property-, there being very good entries. Timaru and Tcrauka being well represented. .Judging by the extraordinary number of competitors and general public present under adverse weather conditions, this sport is evidently to become vcr.v popular at Pleasant .Point. Tho Waito'hi Novice Handicap, for a trophy donated by- Air E. A. Crawford, was keenly contested by a number of promising local shots, and the winner proved to be W. Andrew, who shot the possible seven birds. A. Sinclair was second with one down. A seven-bird open sparrow handicap lor the president’s trophy, resulted in a win for A. Huston, with O. Evans second. A bwccpslake (first miss out) was won by R. E. Melhvrick, with W. McCulloch second.

The Timaru Borough Council, at last night’s meeting, received a letter from tlio local brunch of the lieturned Soldiers’ Association, asking the Council to subsidise the Poppy Day appeal, which had realised £IOO, It was decided to subsidise tlio amount on a £ for £ basis, tin; Mayor slating that this would put the Council in a position to spend £2O 0 in relieving unemployment amongst returned soldiers. The cura.or of tne pai k and the borough engineer were authorised to give all employment possible to unemployed returned sob diers. A letter was also received from the Labour Representation Committee drawing attention to t i fact, that there was considerably unemployment in Timaru, and asatn* the Council to do what it could m relief Councillor \ mnoli ' upp °‘A v ihc letter, and if was unanimously agreed to do everything possiim.

Mr P. IP Climie (organiser of 'no ~ 1.-a'-not told (be C ;uU( , r!;i(!'.’. > tog. <-•■■■ P . • l, council hist ills; m when he arrived m -- torda.y ho sau a :'".' <Tnnanl UorirM, ! tlm :,u,u. l kni she Pro- | (( 1,,, toward-, i lie iekapo power r.' some of the. .Viter.-; were <e', p . !V ,, ..nil even in-nil I mg, in; said. Vt"‘. i 'lll having; taken the -*11,i'!i?,■ ! e a. -certain t!i<; facts. It »v:n y,. ,hi<o! tine the League was -n----d.-av-mring to block ihe Teh;';: - .-chenie ,; v ' : rving 1« gel the Coleridge km Ini in order. Such a suggestion was a l, oiiitcly falsi', and is was ‘‘over the jo be told that they were trying n, do die people of South Camorliurv an injury, when they were doing; tln'ii i-,. i to do them a useful service. Tin' I’rogre--- League could not take 'p :mv definite attitude in legat'd lo Tekapo vein because ii had not an oppnrtiiruty lo iro into iliat propo-e-l source of electric supply. And it cor lainly had neither done or said mivtliine again-t 'l’ekapo. If South Canterbury joined ihe Canterbury Proa's-.-. I e;.-s;ue one of ihe lid. work-, whh-h ihe laticr would take in inn 1 won-d he an investigation oi the Tckapo aciict"-"