LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 105, 1 May 1903, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Interes'ing reading matter will befound on page four of this issue. Mr A. M. Williams, Dental Surgeon, notifies that ha has purchased the business of the Mr A. M. Brach.

Mr Frank Messenger invites tenders for painting, at Mr T. Avery's residence.

Mr K. M. Smith, M.H.R., has obtained a flag for the Puniho School.

In the Houso of Commons Mr Arnold Fusti-r statod that the present average expenditure upon ethergrams in the Navy was £20,000 per annum. In the House of Lords, Lord Ave bury'b. Early Closing of Shops Bill haß been read a second time.

| There were 3040 arrivals in the colony during March, and 27ti2 departures. In M arch last year the figures were 1946 and 3712. Messrs Boon Brothers well known establishment is increasing with the growth of the town and district. The firm are at present installing a lot of up to-date. placing and other woodworking machinery, which will nob only enable them to koep pace with their present extensive business, but will also put tlieiu in a position to turn outall kinds of mouldings and other important accessories to their trade

The following additions havo been made to the list of telephone subscribers —Joseph Freeth, Vivian-street, 276 ; Railway Goods Shed (three rings), 116 ; Edgar Watt, Fitzroy, 242 ; D. Lang, Eliot street, 174. The following have been struck off :—J. O. fat'' r--on, 242 ; Mrs Carthew, 174; H. Phillips, 251. The number of the Oceanic Insurance Company has been altered from 259 to 75.

The Waitara paper urges the formation of a vigilance committee to fight the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and strongly objects to Waitara district being called upon to contribute towards the extension I and improvement of the Now Plymouth harbour while the Waitara harbour exists. J Who has asked them to contribute ? The Rev. D. R. Ryburn. of Wanganui, disputes in the " Outlook " the claims of Diincdin to be considered the crudle of Presbyterian ism in N«w Zealand. He uuotes the Rev J. Dickson's History of the Now Zealand Presbyterian Church to show fcli-it the Rev McFarlane started Presbyterian services in Wellington in 1840. The Town Band's performance at the Government Buildings on Wednesday : evening was greatly appreciated by the i largo audience present. TVnders for the erection of a Technical School at Stratford were opened by the Chairman and architect at the Education Board on Thursday. Six tenders were received, and with the plans and specifications and tho architects report, have been sent on to Wellington for the ap-1 proval of the Minister of Education, and an early and favourable reply is being pressed for. Mr Charles Cooper, who is staying in New Plymouth atpresent, isan ex-member of the New South Wales Legislature. He [was also a Resident Magistrate and Sheriff of Sydney. Mr Cooper has just arrived from the Old Country, where he his bean staying for iou.e time. Mrs Cooper, who is with him, is a daughter of Mrs Bramley, and i. sister of Mrs D. 'feed. There was a very lengthy meeting of the joint committee of the New Plymouth and Hawera Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards on Thursday. The adjustment of 'accounts was the subject under discus sion, but no de6nite conclusion was arrived at. Another meeting will be held later on. So far, a fair amount of interest appears to have been taken in the .School Committee elections in the Taranaki Edu cation District Out of (So school districts, returns have already reached us from 40 districts, and in only two cases have the meetings lapsed. Strange to say, both are on the Opunake-road. Judging by reports to hand in our exchanges in comparison with the numbers polled, Mr F. Bellringer appears to have got his returns out in exceptionally short times, which is in accord with the whole conduct of the election by him. The Scripture Text Book Conference has concluded its deliberations, an unanimous decision having been arrived at as to the series of lessons comprised in the Victorian Scheme, which will b:i recom mended for use. A revising committee was appointed to go througe the work of the Conference, before submitting it to the Premier.

The Minister of Education is suffering frum a severe attack of influenza.

The guide ropes at Paritutu have been repaired by the Scenery Preservation Society. A press message from Dunedin states that a petition bearing over 3000 signatures will be presented to the Governor praying that pardon should be granted to Sarah Fogo, convicted about three years ago of the murder of her husband, and now undergoing imprisonment for life. A Butter and Cheesemakers' Association was formed at Ettham on Tuesday evening, and it was decided to ask the Government to make some efforts to retau\ the services of Mr Kinsella, Dairy Commissioner.

The Taranaki Co operative Sawmilling Company, Ltd., with a capital of £IO,OOO has been formed. The subscribers are members of the Taranaki Builders' Asso ciation, and no shares will I e offered to the public. A lar«e area of timber has been secured, and the mill, which will be situated about two and a half miles from the Elthain railway station, will be erected immediately. I The Dairy Commissioner has received [information through the Chief Veterinarian that a considerable outbreak of the contagious form of infiunmation of the uddor is reported in 'ho -outh Island. The disease has been demonstrated to be due to a variety of streptococcus (the microbe responsible for erysipelas, puerperal fever, sore throats etc, in the human subject). Dairymen should be on the look out for such diseases, and any coiv suffering from innlimnatioti of the udder should be isolated till expert opinion be obtained. A mile race for flO a side between Capel and Wilson, which came off at the Racecourse on Thursday afternoon, attracted a fair number of people. The contest was the outcome of the Hell Block sports, and each competitorfound backers, Wilson being favourite. Capel had 40 yards start but Wilson gradually crept up, and passed his opponent, winning by a few inches. The time was stated to be 4inln 45.36 c.

Captain Abram, of the s.s. Kapiti, reports that while bound from Patea to Wellington on the 24th inst, when about eight miles from the Patea bar, six white whales were discovered gambolling around the bows of the steamer. From what was seen of them, the whales appear to belong to the same class as the French Pass whale (" Pelorus Jack "). Some wore almost white, others partly ro, showing white streaks, as though they had been geraped with an iron or steel scraper. They gave a fine exhibition at the bow of the little steamer, leaping almost half out of the water. Their uoses were the shape of a beer bottle. The whales, which were about 20 feet long, followed the vessel for miles.