NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 16, 20 January 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Central School sent up no candidates for tilt) I'Alucatioji Hoard's scholarships this year. Nominations for the Waitara Caledonian .Sports close to-morrow. H'ajKlicajis will ljo declared about the 27th instant. According Mp the local 'Pimes, " Palmerston North is becoming> the happy liuntingrgTOund of all the thieves, thugs, spielers, and guessers in the North island." The ChWstchurch City Council has apparently made a useful investment in its refuse destructor, as fifty premises, including the CgneniT IVst Oflice, the Opera House, and four hotels, are now supplied with electricity from the plant at the destructor. The San Francisco Chronicle speaks rather regretfully of the fact that in the world's production of g'ohl the United Stutca has changed places with Australia, the latter having-at-tained tlie first position with 81,578 800 dollars worth to its orvdit ag'ainst 80,000,000 dollars as America's output for the year. Some of Uif> candidates who sat recently in New Plymouth for various ediicsitionul examinations had nearly a fortnight's continuous sitting, owing- to the different oxaminiiticuis clashing or following one u.nob>'r. in ((nick .successfou. Mr Silencer will bring' tl.v matter | (voic the inspectors' conference in Fodiuary. At a meeting (J f the Hand Coiit.-st Committee at Walton, tlie programme for three days was dealt with. In the lest seieclioi.s (he test prize has b,-on increased lo j £-10, and a set. of silver medals including• -i, 'gold modal for the 'conductor. In the lUiickstop compel itioii', (liiKirtdU's ami solos it iv a ,s decided to give similar prizes l„ those presented at the llawera contest. The Kllham Caiedonian Bocietv will not allow Imoki,inkers „„ a'„ course at its forthcoming nieelin-. hoping (by this means to gvt Vleiiii Mport. Holiest compelition auiongsl professional runnoiH and cyclists appears to have g,, m , „,,,',,f j u <Wi.\n HoneraHy, audi in its p.fa,v raves are "cut up" for tin. sake of „ I; ]i|.V ' (A i,l tainable from iho layers of oilds It is not uncommon, either, for a ,'. iK .,, to be "sold", and linn there is'an end to " trying." The Argus s.ns " the root of the owl m uy oanilv i H > traced to the bookmaker, l,(.f ( u t . whose advent into the liekl of alldetics, seldom or nvvw was ' stint,.c_ inig' kmiwn. if lite nia!iuiw..rs of athletic meetings- would exercise more vigilance and when cases of • crooked ' performing are proven, ileal'severely with all participants, the time would soon come when couiiitt'itors would be afraid to risk the consequences- of detection, and the conlidonci, of the public w o uld. be speedily restored."

The local lire brigade held a v.i-ll-at tended 'wet practice" last even- • ing in t.'urrie anid Courtcnny-sl reels. l'Vlix Tanner, of "The Ark" fame, has commenced „ 21 davs fast at Wnurganiii. Thames people are urging the (lovernineut lo open up the I'iako block of (10,000 acres for settlement. The report of Mr Kohert I lay, C.E., Diinedin, on a waler supply anil drainage scheme for (lisiiiirn'c recommends the Te Aral as the source, at an estimaled c<,st of £85,7:111, the supply being- ample and the water pure, 11-e reci nenils a system of drainage upon ll.e lines of Mcslnyor's report some time ago. In connection will, the public, reception to be lender, d lo t',e visitors attending the summer school of the Ki-'ol'ug'icnl students to-mor-row, ail lactics rnivited bv circular l,y his Worship the Mnvor ore requested to be at I lie Kecreal.ion (Iroiind at II a.m. to arrange for the aflernoon tea.* A few days ago a very enjoyable mountain pianir was organised by fi-ientls oMlra'iiLl Mrs I laillield. who are leaving' for Christclmrch cnrlv next month. Mr and Mrs 1 laillield were t.ren I nil as the guests, and a really pleasant time was spent at the accommodation house on Mount Kg'inont. The parly started early in the morniing. ar.U ret u, lied to town the same evening. Electricity, gas. and oil are umipeting for .supremacy. The ■-ni"it>ii.s syndicates are keenly alive to the necessity Jof ina.lcing known the powers and advantages of their par- ■ icelai t'Higii'nes, and wii ! | no doubt, take advantage of the presence of many thousands of people at the Ilawem Exhibition lo show all classes of engines in motion. Two of the items given by the Harrison Hand at its open-air concert last ovening were every heartily applauded by the public. These were the lest select ion " ISe-auties of Wagner " and the valsette "(loodnig'ht, Mammy," the bamilsmen singing portions of Hi" piece. The latter item has . f »iirly taken people's timncy, and it is always greatly appreciated when periorniod by the band. A Wellington contemporary repotts that cablegrams aie still passing between the Covcrnnient anil Mr ,]. Kensella at present ill Capetown, relative lo his re-appointment as Chief Dairy Commissioner lor New Zenland. The Minister for Agriculture iiiopes that a definite reply will be receivid li'oni Mr in the course of a day or two regarding his luccepltuieu or rofusjal of -thts position. At the Education Board meeting the chairman said that preliminary steps were being taken to vest in the Board St. Michael's Square, which had been exchanged for curtain secUons at the West iviid. between the School Commissioners and the New Plymouth borough Council, lie hoped that by next meeting he would'be tiji'li! to sulMiiit a scheme for eri-cting a Technical School building on the Square. iSathing in the nude is causing anxiety to the New ilrigiitoit (Christchurch) borough Council. At a meefiag lately several councillors said that twenty or thirty young fellows could be seen sitting more or less naked on the sands, within view of the trams, evidently enjoying' a sunbath instead of sea-bathing. The Council has deckled to lake steps to alter thus state of alTaiirs. 'flic (iarrison lUwud, under Bandmaster Cordon, gave an open air conccrl last nig'ht in the new rotunda on Kuwaroa rrticrvc. There was a very large atleniilance of (he public, 'the nig'h't 'Keing beautifully warm. The various selections were tastefully mi'dcivd, and the concert was much apprccialKil. The boroulgii Council, alllill especially Mr C. llellring'er, are to be tlrairked for having- i-n----coura'gied the local bands to cater thus for the public entertainment. While walking' by the river at Kind's Clitic, iNorfhaiupfKnshire, two yimii'g men found the body of a lad who -hii'd In'cii drowned a foitnig'ht before. Many attempts haul iieen made to lind the body, the most curious being to float down the river loaves of bread containinK mercury, in the belief that bread so "oharmid" will never go past a corpse. Slrawgc to say. tin' body I'.us) Uvn foiriKl in the stretch of water where the bread "stopped short." T'he superstitious have their beliefs in the potency of uiercurisid breail coiiKiderably stivii'gtluwrt. Kxception was taken at a meeting of the AshMtirton llorougli Council on .Moralay night to a report in the ,l,yltcßon Times under the heading of " Prohibition in Asl.iburton." A resolution was passed unanimously at a jihj>er of such stawling giving publicity to statements without having- verili«l them I'ro.n reliable Sources, and stating that in the the opinion of the council they were grossly libellous on the boroiiigih. The comparative value of the university matriculation and pupil teachers' examinations came up for discussion at the Education Hoard mieting on Tuesday. If was quite e\ident that the pupil teachers themselves placed more value i.n the "n;atric," as they al tended that examination, and neglected the teachers' examination. It was stated that the fact of having gained u first, second, or third year examination certificate would be but little recommendation when applying for a billet in a commercial establishment, whereas success in the university entrance examination would count for a good deal. A leaflet showing the exports from the colony 'during Dec. Hlii:i, has been issued by the .■Vgricultiii'iil Deprerlnieiil. In that iiiont,h pri.duge was exported of the following ipiantilv and value :-butter, 51„V11 cwt 112H7,H7:! ; cheese, i:!,i>i>i> cwt., £Jll>OH2 ; frozen beef, 0.111 cwt., £ll,20N ; fi'ii/en mutton. 121,0.1'! caroa-s----es nnii liSHfi leg» ainid piece.;, tSO/ISM anil Ju-'iMoli ; fro/en lamb, 17. \-v\ carcases, £78.-)3 ; wheat, llilti bnislu'ls, Kid : oats, bushels. f2r,,117." ; potatoes, 7|j £!Htl. Coti'ipejri'il vv'lll reoord.'; llor I I.e. monli! „f llecember, 19(12. the above figures show a great fulling. ofT Jn regard lo mutton, lamb ami beef, but butter and cheuHi show fair" inciOjsis. Mr P. Hen.y, wMto lias b'.-ni in fie south wilh Sir Ali'nd Cadn.an and Mr Parmer King in connection with the lionsand Conq anv's business, ret urn, d on Mondav 'evening. Mr King arrived last nigi-,,1 a,'i.l Sir .Alfrwl Cadmun is exivcted tonight, 'the hitler will priM-eid at once to Auckland, 'fo-dav, Mr E. M. Smith informvd a New* representative last. evening. Messrs Herr\' and King, with himself, will proceed to the Mokau to inspect the •properly held there, with the deposits of iron, coat, lime, etc, and Umbel rights. The o|,| (.unity will also be taken to look over t'.e ruite of the rail'way proposod by M, Smith lo tap 'ln' valuable countrv bi'lwvcn IWlbita and Motou. A trial of a long needed express train from Lausiaivue to Hi ig-ue. mi the Simplon Itailway, was made recently, starling l'r„m Lausanne al 20 minutes after M o'clock a.m., and reaching Ilrigue at 111 minutes alter 11 o'clock a.m. Thus the wearv journey in the hot. dusty lihone \ alley is reduced by three hours. When the Simplon tunnel is finished tlijt trip from Uuisanne to Milan will occupy less than six hours, and when the. Mont. d'Or is pierced and an additional line completed twentyfiur hours will sulfce for the join my from Paris lo Howe, via the Simplon tunnel,

A repent Ikis been drawn up for presentation lo I In' Pnlinerslon North llorouuii Council regarding I 111' liil' escape CIU.-aienivs at. the local Hi an."-.. 'Hi.' I,port ri'RiMlin'g I In' 'l'h.'ulii' l!i.ml i . unfavourable, anil tin' owners liiim' been re(|iiiisl,.,l lo |,r,,vidc liri-exlinguis' ,» apparatus and uii'iins of exit. I'm,,, I hi' dle.-,s circles. Tin' Hi", in' il'Art brumal i<;,ue has caused a lliilii'i' in Parisian litcnirv dovecotes 1,.v declaring anil practically proving' llml " I- i-aiift-ll.Tii," l.y Alcxnndie Humus. Ills, produced at Mm Theatre t'ran -ais in ISMT. was iiif-.lfv I lie work ni' M. A. Clijiruc, ; a broken down hanker, who wrote it. under llu- lilli' of " 1..' I'nlimi" an,l solil il to a lira,i,alii' agent, with oilier plavs for C'llltl. This expose has niaili' M. ('hilar Ihr |-.--r.,'of the hour an-.l tbcnii'iral niniiagiers arc besieging 'him to wnilc plays. There is a suggestion in 111.' air which thf service gossip of I lie Morning I'ost. blinks worthy to be adopfell on its intrinsic 'il, irrespective. of its ititiiDulilnil lnilitnry value. JI. is lo the clierl thai, four limes cv«ry vear there shall lie a kind of roll-rail of Ihe whole llritiila Euipiio, lasting for about 'J 1 hours on each invasion. Thai is to saw the roast ileiVure authorilies have suggested Unit, il would he good |,rai'tire against, night, attacks in limes ot war if at all defended ports throughout the Empire lirai'licc in night-tiring were carrieil out, at least lour times every \ear, anil that this firing practice' should lake place on the same dates at. all stations of the Empire. The ch'rcL of such an arrangement, would l,e, the Post m tribe s'.us. l'l.|a'l '(' oii| each of these four nights everv vear there would he a continuous fusillade,, commencing in our Hastrm possessions and rolling' round the earth in the wake ol the .setting sun until at llie end of '2-1 hours every Hritish possession in the world would have lired its quarterly Imperial salute, and at the same lime every garrison gunner posted in our sea defences would he the better for an hour or two's! practice in mi important part of the work which he might ft' .'ailed on lo perforin in time of war. Lot of men waste money and wear un-satis'lac-tory clothes because they ■don't know as much as they ought to.know about the splendid litting Suits, avid at uucli little prices, at the Melbourne Clothing' Co. There is a very special Vicuna Suit at 2!l/(i, awl big stock to select from.*