NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 57, 11 March 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Plans and specifications are now ready for the borough septic tank. r-'anners in the Winton district are ut present, complaining of the extreme scarcity of farm labourers. The Works Committee recommends thai tin- lioroiij.li Council .should insure the municipal abattoirs for i; 10(10. The Victorian Covernnienl, lias decided that it cannot agree to the .suggcslod continuance of the late Sir (Iraham Berry's annuity to his widow. I The mutter of fixing a scale of charges for the municipal abattoirs has been left to Crs. Carter, Wood, and lledley to report, on at Monday night's meeting. I The Town Hand will give another lof ihe' series of concerts under ngrccj in,-nl with the liorough Council for ils annual subsidy this evening at the C.overnlnellt buildings. llr W. .). (Hippo) Smith nas been appointed acting-turncork, in succession to Mr T. Smith. designed, anil appliciitioiis for a new turncock will be invited immediately. The tender of Messrs lYablree and Son. of Wellington, will be accepted bv the llorouuh Council for covers for manholes uud lamoholes scheme. Hnilwav construclion in Southland is al a standstill. There are only six men emplovnl all outlier. and these are working on the I,'iiei sdale-

Swilxers lini'. tin- lirsl of whirl, was milled illilliV years iIRH. Son'.,' larrikins win) should hj" asked to mill;,' thrh' l„)w t(i Hie Magistrate broke tin; cast-iron M':il.i!,ilii)K trap over a drain at tin- Uast Knd hnlliiiiK siu'il. Tlii.n thcv .'oinpletcd tlii'ii- mischief liv tilline; the pipe with stones. The l-'i izroy school authorities are desirous of having the .school connected with the \ew Plymouth water supply, anil the ISorough Council lias decided to ghe them the supply at an annual charge of il'd, in addition to the cost of connection from the main. At the Works L'oiamiUce meeting last evening tenders were accepted for supplies for the year as follows :—Waterworks supplies. Messrs 1). Berry and Co ; printing electoral rolls, Mr T. Avery ; coal, Messrs Ward uud Sou. The tender of Mr Kemp, at .LMtt. was accepted for earthwork in Barrett Street. Mr Tims. Duncan, of Masterton, has received a notification from the secretary of the New Zealand Axi--

men's Association (Kltham), that Mr L. Berg's performance of lmiii 'K-Ssecs in under-hand chopping bus been registered as n New Zealuml record. Berg now holds both records, his tree-felling time being 1 min Oosec for the lKin log.

The sections in the township of lUangaron, the leading centre in the new country being opened mj in the north of the province, weie keenly competed for at yesterday's auction in the Crown Lands Ollice. Eyery lot was sold at an average of more than double the upset price, while sections in three other townships of less importance found numerous purchasers at satisfactory prices.

An exchange reports the clever inlention of a potato-planting machno by Mr Frederick llolton, of Te I tore. The apparatus is skilfully 'Hit together, being drawn by one lorse, and kept in planting" order by lour cogwheels mid two bells. The jot a toes pass I lirough two different .livisions and fall on the ground at. itn equal distance of aboul a foot apart, being unable to move fiom where they are placed. The invention is what farmers have boon looking forward to (,„■ mil „ v »,.,„•*.

One of the most important. laud ballots ever held in New I'lvrnoiiih will take place to-day at .11' a.m., in the Court house. Some 02,000 acres of the King Country hinds, ioL'cntly advertised over the entire colony, will be drawn for. '>bont two-thirds of the sections have, it is understood, been applied i,n- l,v several hundred persons. Mr j nine's .Mackenzie, Commission)']' of ''ro.vii

Lands, will preside, and aiessrs W. T. Jennings. M.U.1!., mill .1. !\!cCluggnge, J-''-, "ill act us "■-•i-iilin-ei'i-K. It is important thai evei v selector should haw the rush for his half-year's dfjiusit. read.\ in lln event of his being successful in the Imllol.

Sir Cock does not let the grass grow under, his feet when there is anything to be gained by beingprompt. A long time ago the liorough Council made an agreement to purchase stone from the prison quarry, and also promised to put a road in to the pit. air O'llrien, the gaoler, was not satisfied with the methods of the Council ; the progress of the road was too blow, and the metal was awaiting delivery, so he sold it to another party. That did not suit the Aluyor, who got a cab, drove up to the gaol, und told air O'lirien ho wanted the stone. Next morning tho Council's carts were at work, and the broken metal was delivered on the now road. There is still a cry about the scarcity of fat sheep ; but it is hard to believe that we uro so greatly understocked as some would have us believe, says the Southland Times, A more likely cause of the cry is the high prices -demanded for fat slock, and buyers being unable to secure good lines easily, are led to think that it is owing to an exceptional scarcity. Store sheep are selling uf exceedingly high prices, and store cattle are almost, if not quite, as dear as fat. The cause of this is the demand created by farmers themselves. They seem to he all buying together, forgetting the old adage : liny when everybody is selling, und sell when everybodv is huv- , i«K. The N'.Z. Herald reports that Colonel Davies, C.8., ollicer commanding the Auckland volunteer district, was called to Wellington by telegram on aionday. As it is understood that the commanding ollicers of Ihe other districts of the colony were similarly summoned, the presump-, lion is that the Minister for Defence (Mr Seddon) intends conferring with Ihe ollicers on matters relating to the defences of New Zealand. Nothing, however, is known locally, as to the nature of the conference, hut military men regard it as certain that the intention is to prepuce a scheme for the defence of the cnlunv in readiness for any possible hostile invasion. The aiayor of Invurcurgill declined to attend the banquet tendered to the Premier by the Southland Liberal and Labour Federation as be (lid not think it was in keeping with the dignity of the town that heshould attend a meeting at which he was in a secondary position regarding the chairmanship. He took the view that Ihe banquet was tendered by the Liberal and Labour Association, and he was in no way called upon to attend as the representative of the citizens. Accordingly, having formally welcomed the Premier to the town, lie considered his duties ended and took no further part. When commencing the sale of a pen of lambs at Feilding, air Charles Can- said he had noticed that a certain person had suggested to the Premier in I'ulmcrstoii North that, some legal limitation should be placed upon the export of fat ewe Jambs. lie termed the suggestion "utter bosh," for any disarrangement in the proportion of ewes that might result would be quickly and naturally corrected by the law of supply and demand, as there was more back country suitable for breeding than fattening. There was already too much legislative interference with farmers. They could very well manage their own affairs, and It astonished him that there should bo a proposul for more. These remarks were applauded by the farmers preswt.

A public meeting is to tie held shortly in connect ion with the closing of old I'cndnrves Street. The Kent Terrace (Wellington.) Presbyterian Church lias resolved that Hie proposed union of I lie churches is neither desirable nor practicable. Owing to his extravagance and ruin, ex-Lieutenant Ileske, map publisher, of Berlin, suicided with his .wife and daughter (agi'd i'J) after poisoning two young sons. Before the H.M. at Fcilding on Wednesday three you 1114 men .mined Smith, Dowdull, and Hurdle, for alleged assault and robbery on Sunday night, were committed for trial. An anonymous doner has offered capital suilicicnt to raise one-third of the £11,11(10 required annually to bring the income of King Edward's hospital fund to £50,000, on condition 1 hat the remainder is subscribed this year. The abattoirs should soon be in working orrlcr. The liorougli engineer has been instructed to "have the fencing of the butchers' paddocks done, the Council ' liiuling I lie material. The labour will be put up to public tender. As it lias been slated that the Borough Council pays too much for its broken metal and thai private contractors could do the work more ct.eaplv than the price at present I'.aid by the Council, the lender for the oiillO cards of metal will be made alternate, for boulders

in' crushed stone. Th,. uiiiiiial report of the Canterbury A. and r. Association slated that tin' takings at lnsi show lotalli'il U-liiK. being' .1:227 more than nnv previous show. The hooks show HIW mWnbcl'S. The UKunnce i.i" tin.' Agricultural Conference, and recommended that it be held this year at Wellington. A leaflet issued In- tint KogisoarCcueral shows that the excess of arrivals in the country dining the year I'M:', over departures was greater than that lor 1902, the figures being 71)92 and 11,27"). There is an annua! progressively increased population coining from abroad. in throe veurs New Zealand has drawn 27,,789 persons, mostly bom Australia and the Home Country. An unexpected position cropped up at the Borough Works Committee meeting last night. The now engineer seemed dismayed that the Council possessed no theodolite or level, and he said that in all other places where he had acted in the capacity of surveyor these lnolrunients had been provided, A .special committee was set up to consider the question and report at Monday night's Council meeting. Shooting «t tin; Trcnthaiii meeting, in the Canterbury Match, the I'urnell family—which consisted of 51ajor rurnell (ex-champion). Sergeant .1. I'urnell. Corporal A. I'urnell and nillenian F. I'urnell—put up the very fine average of 91 points out of a possible 105. The individual scores were : Jlajor I'urncll 90, Sergeant I'urnell (Hi, Corporal I'urnell 87, und Hilleman I'urnell 90. 11 is doubtful if this has ever been equalled as a family score. Captain Craigie, uf the barque Afghanistan, which has arrived a.t Sydney from Delagoa Hay, reports that on the outward passage, bound from San Francisco to Delagoa Day, and when in the vicinity of Cape Horn, J the barque passed about 1100 ice- ' bergs. The captain says the sight provided by the floating bergs was niagnilicent. One iceberg towered about. HOOft high, and was about two miles long. While returning from Kingsdale school, Coiilhurn, Xew Soatli Wales, a little gill named Norwood was billon on the thumb by a black snake. A brother, following Ihc instructions wilh such cases, immediatelv lied a ligature. On urrii'al al home the father sacrificed the bilton pari, ai.d took the child lo (ioiilburn for medical treatment. The boy's acliou saved his sister's life. An umisuul strike occurred in Melbourne recently. The working inmates of thu Benevolent Asylum adopted a programme of rest as a protest against labouring seven hours n day for seven days a week, making preparation for the meals and cleaning up. A deputation interviewed the controlling committee, but leceived scant sympathy. The men were ordered to resume work, and all did so except one, who was dismissed from the institition.

Tt is often staled that I'eloriis Jack, the lish that follows steamers between the I'rench Vass and Pelorus Sound, is protected by a special Order-in-Coiiucil, lmt this is not ho. The dilliculty in this matter is that there is eondiderable doubt as to which species the lish belongs. The Tourist llepartmelit is now endeavouring to gel it special Order-in-Council passed purely in the interests of l'elorus Jack. Tile lish has now a world-wide fame, and applications have come [rom America and elsewhere asking for copies of the, (Jnzotte containing the proclamation regarding the fish. The Americans appear to be specially Interested In l'elorus Jack, A very remarkable Incident occurred on the steamship Oceana recently at Ueira, South Africa (says an exchange). A few days before the vessel was completely discharged a tremendous swarm of bees took possession of the upper bridge and practically dared all-comers to dislodge them. They hung in a large bunch, which, according to an eye-witness, was about 2ft long by Ift broad. After sundry means had been used to dislodge the unwelcome visitors, the boatswain was enveloped in (lags, and with a flare-light succeeded in cremating the majority, the remainder making a bee-line for cooler quarters. Writing on Jan. m our (N.Z. Herald) London correspondent says :—I have just heard from a friend that Mrs Homes—whose name is so prominently connected with the early (lays of New Zealand sett lenient-is still well and vigorous; although now in her "nineties" she is still in possession of her faculties. She continues to take the keenest interest in New Zealand, its concerns, and its people, and vividly remembers all the old names and places. It may | erhaps be forgotten by many people that, she founded the Christ's College scholarship, which was won successively by Jlr W. ]■', Ucevcs, Agentgeneral for New Zealand, and by his predecessor, Sir West by I'erci-'al. Parcels, and packages received, from uatd transmitted to ali parts of the world by the New Zealand Express Co., Ltd., the only ra Suw Zealand having its own brunches at all centres. Important to young ladies and gentlemen. J. 11. Parker's stock of engagement rings, wedding lings, watches, chains am' all kinds of Jewellery is the lines*, on the West Coast of New Zealand, mid pi ices 1.0 per cent, lower than in the larger centres. Carefully note the address -J. 11. Parkun, jeweller, etc., next railway crossing, Devon-street Central, Now Plymouth.* Am aggregation of the lincst ready-to-wcar clothing t.bul has ever hern placed on offer in this district is now on view at. the Melbourne Clothing Co. The units have been specially made by nan-chant tailors, and will cost you a (.Hllo more I lum half the cost oi made-to-order clothing.*