LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 124, 27 May 1903, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Interesting reading matter will be found on the fourth page of this issue.

| Messrs Kelsey and Lennon notify their removal to oflices in Plymouth Buildings, Devon-street.

The iV'elbourno-Brindini despatch of mails of April 22ud, arrived in London on 23td inst. The Ventura arrived at San Francisco oil 20th inst.

An old age pensioner and her husband at Dunediti, having suppressed full information as to their property, and thereby drawn larger pensions than Ilia man was entitled to for a period of years, have by consent of the Department refunded £56 overpaid, and further action has bean with, drawn.

A decided novelty in the way of an entertainment has been arranged for Thursday evening, 4th June, at St Mary's Hall. It takes the form of a book ing competition, and should create a great amount of interest, as everyone may try their luck for the hmisome prize that will be given.

The Rev. F. G. Evans returned from Auckland by the Takapuna on Tuesday morning, where he has been taking part in the consecration and enthronmint of Bishop Neligan. Mr Evans is delighted with tha Bishop's public utterances, and says Bishop Neligan is undoubtedly a real live man. His Lordship has promised Mr Evans to visit Taranaki at an oarly date.

Mr McKenssie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, returned home from a visit to the northeastern portion of the Lvnd District on Tuesday. On Saturday next, Mr Newton King will offer at auction Mr Hugh YVilson'a property at Filzrjy. Particulars will be found in another column.

The WanganuiSupromo Court Crim'nal Session which opened ;.on Tuesday was the shortest on rec >rd, only two bills being presented, and both being thrown out. Four prisoners came up for sen tence. Two ware remanded, and the others, two boys charged with burning down Crofton Echo >1 were admitted to probation.

Tha Oouncil of the Churches will meet in the V\hitely Hall this (Wednesday) evening at 8 15 sharp —Advt.

The time for closing the tenders for contract No. 1, relating to the Borough water supply by gravitation, lias been extended to June 30th. Tenders for contract No. 3 will close, as at present advertised, on May 30th. A very interesting debate was held on Tuesday evening, under the auspices of the junior branch of the Literary and Debating Society Notwithstanding tho heavy d >wnpour, there was an excellent attendance of members, and. some of the spoeches made were very gr-od. Mr Campbell introduced the subject in a neat speech on the proposition " That U is desirable that Chinese should be excluded from Now Zealand." He was followed by A2r : Ilolloway, who took the liad on the epposi e side. Those who also took part were Messrs Kobsrts, Smith, Skoates, Green 11. F. Russell, Christopher White, Standish, McAdam, Raker, Southam, Bwing, Nixon, and Moffl.n. The leaders then replied, and on a vote being taknn, tho balance was in favour of the affirmative, the voting being ayes 12, noes 11. Arrangements in connection with the Military Ball are in a forward sfc>te, and as it is under the patronage of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, Premier, and the leading citizens of the town, it should be a brilliant assemblage. The Education Board meets to-day. A return has been published showinsr that Germany imports from Britain and British colonies 18 par cent of her whole imports, while she exports to Britain and British colonies 25 par cent.

| Tho Mapouriki with the Parliamentary , party have lefc Suva for Levuka, and leaves there for Auckland, reaching the I latter port about June Ist. The electric or employees in Montreal have struck, demanding the exclusive employment of Unionists. A sale of pictures at Christie's rooms in Lon lon brought a total of £lO5 815. The Vaile collection realised i' 58,529. Gainsborough's portrait of a girl, whicn a iiond-street dealer refused to buy for £5. revised i9,C00, a-.d a picture by Roomy i-9,490

In order to prevent the ''Morganising" of tho tin trade iu the Striits Settlements, the Government has imposed a prohibitive duty on tho export of tin ore, unless it is smelted in the colony. 1 A lady-from Auckland, en route to Welling! on, was taken seriously ill on the [mail train on Tuesday morning. Oo arrival at Hawera she was taken so bad that she requested to ba taken to the local hospital. Constable Ryan got a cab, and had her conveyed there. Later it was discovered that two small boys, sons of th 6 lady, had been taken on by the train to Wellington, and Sergeant Bernard wired to the Wellington police to have them looked after. The husband in Auckland has also been oommunicated with.

Tha Premier has stated that Parliament will be opened on Mouday, June 290 h. - Mr J. G. L. Scotc, and the Hon. C. E. Bowen have beeu elected by the Canterbury College Board of Governors, to represbnt it on the New Zealand University Senate. '

The Telegraph Department have it in contemplation to equip the local Tele* phone Exchange with a multiple switch. This would prove a great convenience to subscribers.

The Wanganui Astronomical Society's i Observatory, opened by the Premier on ! Monday, was built to accommodate a 9]jiuch Cooke achromatic telescope, whijh is one of the finest in the Southern Hemisphere. The telescope, with its mountings, weighs about three tons, and rests on piers of conorete weighing between fifty and sixty tons. The building was designed by Mr A. Alkins, F.R.1.8.A., hon. architect to the Society, from drawings supplied by Mr J. T. Ward, the President of the Society. The Society obtained the telescope in England for i.500, though orivinally costing 11250, and it was brought out by the Tyser Lino free of expense. The building, which is covered by a 20 foot revolving dome, cost aoout £290.

" A Bereaved Mother " wrote recently asking where she should apply in order to secure a South African War Medal. Oaptain Marshall points out that it is not yot fully known to parents of soldiers who lost their lives, or to soldiers themselves who are suffering from wounds or serious illnoss, received or caused while serviug with irregular corps in South Africa, that thoy have cliima to pensions or gratuities In cose of death, parents shoul l apply to the Secretary Transvaal War Fund, 53 Charing Cross, London. S.W. In the event of wounds or disability through illness, applications should be made to the Secretary Lloyds Pairiotio Fund, Brook House, Walbrook, London, E O. Mr Joseph T. White announces he will shortly be ready to supply Gibbons' vegetable and flower seeds.