NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 138, 15 June 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

To-day is the anniversary of the signing of Magna in 121.'>. Jlr Welsh, ii addressing the jury in the Supreme Court yesterday, sa.d Hnwera was a little, remote township down the coast, with only about two or three thousand inhabitants. "You can't take in all you hear," remarked a witness in the Supreme Court yesterday. "What do you hear ?" queried the judge, and there was an audible smile when the witness answered, "I bear nothing." The special committee set up to arrange for the art section of the New Plymouth exhibition are already receiving very encouraging reports. Among the probable exhibits of great interest in the colony and of peculiar interest to Taranaki I will be some of the members of the Richmond and Gully families. According to an advertisement from Bavaria in the Times receuilv a Alarquis and "Knight of Ibe Empire,'' childless, wishes, for a substantial sum paid down,, to adopt a rich young man in his majority. Only serious applications from financial circles aro invited. It is seated that the adopted son will bo placed ns heir to a fortuno of £50,000.

Throe "Jack the Ripper" murders have been perpetrated in Ber-

A case of plague is reported in (he suburbs of Hris!.\uio, and another al Maryborough.

At Intflvwdod yesterday Messrs Rowan and Young, of the Stock Department inoculated a herd of 58 calves against blackleg. The teachers of the Centrni, West End and Fit/roy schools hove promised to provide one evening's entertainment during carnival week. Mi- J. McCullum's motor-waggon is now in thorough running order again, having made the trip from Okato to New Plymouth in two hours ami a quarter. Thii American Hilie Association is iretuming the Talma trophy in response to n protest that it was impropeily won at Bisley with nonaervice rifles.

Excellent airaugements will be made by the New Plymouth Exhibition Committee for providing motile power for exhibits of working machinery.

It is diflicult in Germany [or a professional rogue to enter u family as a domestic servant There every servant has a character-book, i a which the mistress must mier the dates of the coming ami having of tho servant, with her character while in the service. This tho girl Is obliged to take to the nearest police station, and have It dated with the ollicial stamp, thus prevent-ing-the manufacture of bogus recommendations.

There are said to be about ten million migratory sheep in Spain, which travel on occasions as mucii as two hundred miles from the plains to the mountains. They are known as transhumantes, and" their march, resting-pluces, and behaviour are governed by special regulations dating from the fourteenth century. At certain times no one may travel the same route as tho sheep, which have the right to grn'/.e on nil open and common land oh the way. All who support the local institutions of New Plymouth are reminded of the annual social of the Town Rand, which takes place to-morrow in the Theatre Royal. Everything has been done that th>.' committee considered would enhance the enjoyment of visitors, and music, floor and supper are promised to be of the best. For t h t . nm Uein on the programme, a wait/, the music will be supplied by the band. Mr Garry's orchestra will be responible for the rest, and tho lady supporters of the hand have as usual left nothing undone to secure complete supper urrangcinwits.

At St. Mary's Church this evening one of the most distinguished divines of the Anglican Church, Bishop liidley, of Caledonia, N. 8., will speak on the "Claims of Foreign Missions." Bishop Hidley is visiting the colony in the interests of the Church Missionary Society, and has kindly consented to speak at some of the principal centres upon returning to Canada. The Bishop, who<v name will recall the Reformation times in English history, has had a wide experience in India, Japan and other parts of the world, and is one of the most interesting ol men. His visit will be welcomed by a large number of people, even outside of the Anglican communion. The proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday, though the evidence was of a disgusting nature, attracted u large crowd of people, many of them young men. but also with a fair sprinkling of men of middle-age and old men. Some of the evidence seemed to nmus<> them, and they burst into laughter. It was immediately silenced. Mr Justice Ldwards commented severely on the incident. He did not intend that the evidence was to be for the public amusement. Jf the people in court could not behave decently he would give them an opportunity to behave otherwise outside. At any rate he would not have the court made a theatre for public indecency.

The Legislative Council was delended by Sir Joseph Ward in hi s speech ut the banquet tendered to liim on Friday night at Owaka. though the Council was subjects to | much criticism, he thought that ihe people of the colony were wedded u> the bicameral system, and would not readily forgo it. At times ii might be oUstinate and perverse, but in such a young country us this the bicameral system was the safest one for the colony. Although the country might not ugree willi (he •Legislative Council and desire to change it, that change should not be in the direction of sweeping it away. Ho thought that, upon the whole, the people of tho colony had not a great deal to complain of In Uio system. Waa It not a fact that the people of many other, countries pointed to New Kealaml during the pust ten years as a country which bad produced most useful legislation for uli classes, and as one which stood to-day us the most prosperous under the British flag ? While some people were urging a change, their desire might, be attributed to the fact that the continued success of the colony was making them forget to some extent what had been done to produce that success, and they were turning round on these poor helpless gentlemen in the Legislative Council. The only trouble was that these gentlemen were an integral part of the bicameral system, end would have a big say in any measure proposing their wiping out (Laujjhtcr.)

There is only ono creature that »v know of besides mankind which ehows is appreciation of flowers and green foliago by adorning its home with them, and that is the "gardener bird" of New Guinea fAmhlyotnis inornatus), a member of the family of bower birds which are peculiar to the Australian region, including New (Suinea. Some naturalists place these bower birds among (he birds of paradise. Tho first account of this singular appreciation of floral beauty by birds was given by Signor Hoccari. who says that l.hcv built a hut about two feet in height, with a central support of a small tree growing in a glade or clearing in the dense forests. The roof, which slopes to tho ground, is composed of ilie stems of the orchids placed in radiating fashion. In the inferior, access to which is by an angular opening, the central support is covered with moss in the form of a cone, BO that a circular promenade is made between it and the sloping roof. Put the extraordinary effort of this bird is evidenced outside ibis playhouse, for in front is laid out, with'inlinite care truly, a gaeden. Kresli moss is brought by the diligent occupants, and a verdant carpet, extending a'bout six feet, is first prepared, on which is laid blossoms and berries of every variety in profusion to delight the eyes. As those wither or become unsightly they are removed anil laid in a heap at the back of the hut, presumably nut of sight of these ultra-relined little birds, and upon the mossy lawn are placed continually fresh blossoms. As far a» is known, each of these habitations is occupied only by ono pair of birds, and it is not certain whether the tasteful decorations are arranged by the male only ; it would be pleasant to think that it was—lhat all this refined effort was hut to show his devotion and to ia.\'<e some little reparation lor his lack of beauty and ■dingy appearance.—Westminster (Ja/.ette.