LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 182, 23 July 1900, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Interesting reading matter will ba found on oar fourth page.

Members of the Young Men's Literary and Debating Society and their friends are reminded of the lecture this evening on "Wordsworth" by the Bev. John Nixon, at the Whifceley Hall.

Those interested in the Mokan coal mines will notice that the auction sale of the property held by the Mokau Syndicate, Limited, is not now to take place, a private sale having been effected.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Otarama, 3,808 tons, commanded by Captain Worßter, arrived off New Plymouth about 2 p.m. yesterday, and proceeded to the mouth of the Waitara Biver, wh»r# she anchored. She loads frozen meat from the Waitara Freezing Works.

Trains will leave for the Breakwater to-1 day, connecting with steamer mentioned j below, as follow:—6 a.m., Gairloch (from North); 9.30 p.m., Gairloch (for North). Mr. Brabant, the Auckland S.M., has decided that the Court had no jurisdiction tn a case for sick benefit against the Odd Fellows Lodge, as the Grand Master and Board of Directors in England had already I adjudicated en the claim in accordance with the rules of the Order.

A lady resident of New Plymouth has given two guineas to the Scenery Preservation Society, to be devoted to planting Maisland Hill or other necessary work. The Society will be pleased to receive donations from others towards the beautifying of Marsland Hill and in helping generally the objects of the Society.

Mr. Parker has an advertisement in tbis issue which should be of interest to those whose hair is failing. The fact that Mr. Sykes has undertaken the local agency is a pretty good indication of the valuable qualities of the remedy. The painters of New Plymouth held a very successful meeting in the Imperial Hotel on Saturday evening, the object being to form a Union. Nearly every member of the trade was present, and a resolution was carried that a New Plymouth Painters' Union should be formed. The following officers were elected President, E. J. West; Treasurer, 0. Grey; Secretary, J. Kendall; Committee, T. Sole, J. Way, J. Hawker, A. Lovegrove. Another meeting will be held on Saturday next, which will be duly advertised. We hear that the Stratford painters are moving in the direction of forming a similar Union. The Wyndhmn Farmer says:—"David Muir, ton of an old identity in the Tutur&u district, met with an unfortunate accident in the Poverty Bay district on March 26th. While he was milking a cow the animal struck him in the right eye with her tail, and since that date he has lost the use of the eye. He has consulted leading eye specialists throughout the oolony, but they hold out little hope of- his eye recovering its sight." Captain Green, of the Eastern and Australian Shipping Company, who has spent a great many years in the Chinese trade, was interviewed at Sydney the other day on the situation. In the course of the conversation the captain said: —•' My experience, generally speaking, of the Chinaman is that he is capable of doing as much work, and doing it willingly, as any cither man. In my quarter of a century's dealings with them 1 can say that an E. and A. Company's steamer has never been detained for one minute through the intemperance or insubordination of any of the Chinese cmployed with us." A correspondent of a Hong Kong paper says Each Boxer believes he is possessed by some departed hero beast, as moDkey, fox, or tieer, and that they are assisted by them. Hence, ihe monkey-possessed men can jump over houses, and the fox-possessed men have preternatural eyesight. They have mediums whom they consult when there is a special piece of devilry they wish to commit. They are very devout, and never pass a temple without stopping to knock their heads. Their heads are swollen with their frequent knocking®, and the amount of incense they burn is resulting in scarcity. They have a special uniform-it being a flowered handkerchief with a red lining, a red girdle, and yellow garters. Two missionaries stood in front of a village temple where eighteen Boxers were engaged in practice. They yelled and howled like madman, as they were, and were determined to go out and fight, but were restrained by two or three older men, As the missionaries were well arm( A, even a score of men with only swords and spears might not have had so easy a time in making away with them. The Boxers are cruel as death, and have maltreated helpless women and girls and old men to an extent that must call for vengeance.

The sitting of the Supreme Court in Dunedin on Monday (says the Otago Daily Times) was remarkable from the fact that it was the first time in the history of the British dominions that a lady, robed in wig and gown, appeared before the Court in the capacity of a barrister. The case engaging the attention of the Court was that of White and Co. y. Samson and Sons and Stronach Bros, and Morris, the lady in question being Miss Benjamin, who had opposed to her a couple of the ablest barristers in New Zealand, viz., Messrs. W. A. Sims and 'J. H. Hoskicg, Under the circumstances, it would have been pleasing to record the fact that she had won her case, but unfortunately, the plaintiffs, for whom she appeared, were nonsuited.

Near the Arahura a day or two ago, says the West Coast Times, Mr. Ifinsbam a well known resident, discovered the skull of a large bird which had just been washed in by the surf. Fiom the description it would appear to be the head of a moa. It was 9in long and Sin across at the broadest place. The muscular substance connecting the jaws was intact, which serves to show that the skull was in good state of preservation.

The Bulletin has always advocated altering the name of this colony to " Maoriland." Referring to the Otago Witness, which recently, in advancing a plea for alteration of the name Pretoria, observed "we are not going to bave the chief town of the British Transvaal named after any Dutchman," the Sydney Journal says" This organ had best start for getting rid of the Dutch name of its own province (New Zealand), or as it was originally, Nova Zeelanda), to say nothing of such names as Tasman Bay (Dutch), Mount Egmont (Dutch), Mount Hochstetter (Gorman), Cape Maria Van Diemen (Dutch-, D'Urville Island (French), Dannevirke, Haaste, Capo Egmont, and the like. Perhaps the latter crowd doesn't matter much, but Maoriland's conduct in officially bearing a disloyal cognomen is going to bring trouble upon it some day."

A cable from Lieutenant-Oolonel Sommcryille, from Muwayo, dated 15th inst,. lias been received by Mrs. Bommcvvjllo, slating that he had handed over the men I under his charge to Major Davis. Colonel | Sommevvjllc, >yho is in good health, alao I states that he is now on the staff with' the force in Rhodesia, where the FomtJ) and IFifthNew Zealand Contingent have been amalgamated and £prm part of the British force theve.

I Sentenced to death! the doomed man stands I To die in prime of life, ! No shade of hope, no outstretched hands, No friend except his wifo; She heeded not the doctor's voice, " His cough would kill him sure," She saved his life, and did rejoice, With Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, 13

You can depend on ridding your children if "jrorms with Wade's Worm Kigs. tha v.juctal Wow WwrUts, Price isAdvt,

lAt a recent corner-stone laying in a provincial town in England, the Btone waf swinging in the grasp of a powenul crane above the hole left for it to fit in Down in the hole an Irishman was fussing about with a bed of mortar. Suddenly a portion of the tackle slipped, and down came the stone with a ran. It hit on the Irishman's back, and everybody expected to see him flattened out as thin as paper when the stone was lifted half a minute later. No sooner was the stone clear of the whole, though, than the man sprung up like a jack-in-the-box. He was oovered with mortar from head to foot, and was coughing, sneezing, and spitting, to get it out of his nose arid mouth. As soon as he could speak he addressed the men managing the crane: "Here, nowl Here, now I" he yelled. "Oi can stand a joke as well as any man, but any of yoos can have me job after thot-" And he put on his coat and went away, under the impression that the highly-respectable assemblage had blayed a joke upon him.

At the conclusion of the evidence in a case at the Magistrate's Court, Ohristchurch, last week, Mr. Beetham, at the request of the plaintiff's counsel, agreed to visit the land in connection with which the dispute had arisen. The only day he had clear, however; was Sunday, and if the parties did not object he would visit the place on Sunday morning. Messrs. Ruasell and Meaxes, for the plaintiff, were quite willing. Mr. Weston, one o£ counsel for the defendant, did not appear to think it was consistent with the dignity of the Court to go inspecting on a Sunday. His Worship then asked Mr. Stringer, the other counsel for the defendant, if he had any scruples on the matter. Mr. Stringer assured him that he had none whatever, and it was finally arranged that the-visit should take place on the Sunday morning. Mr. W. J. Freeth, district representative of the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation, is prepared to quote exceptionally low rates for Accidentlnsurance. Contractors for bush felling for the next few months sheald ask for quotations at the office New Zealand Express Co., Brougham-street.—Ad. Wade's Worm Figs, the wonderful Worm Worriers, never jail for adults or shildren. Price Is.—Advt

" Who was Tom Pepper 1" asked one man of another the other day. The latter replied, " He was supposed to be a Knight of the Long Bow." But why J "Because,"rejoined the other," I heard a man call another person that, and the latter did not seem to appreciate it." When a person is compared to somebody not odious, or purchases a good article, he always appreciates the position. So it is with Sykes' Cura Cough, When once taken people always return to it, and also recommend it to friends. All Chemists and Storekeepers.—Advt.

The Great Success that ha 3 rewarded the philanthropic efforts to provide the public with good music in our parks is shown by the large appreciative crowds who linger, with evident delight, near the yarious bandstands. The creation of the healthy taste for harmony will, in time, yield good fruit in giving the . people a liking for a higher state of civilisation and a yearning for that which is good, noble, and true. Holloway's remedies work a similar miracle with the organisation of the body. Ihe Pills, by their purifying influence, cleanse the blood, aud the Ointment gives strength and energy to the system. Disease is driven out of its stronghold, and health once again resumes its sway.—Advt. .jWade's Worm Figs are most effective and not unpleasant; ohildren thrive after taking them. Piice la —Advt