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Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 143, 21 June 1904, Page 4

All the dairy factories in Carterton have closed for the season. The most of them are holding large stocks of cheese, the bulk of which, however, has been sold for local consumption, but is awaiting delivery. It is estimated that the stock of cheese in the colony is far in excess of the season's requirements. There is no outlet this year in Australia.

The Gore correspondent of the Christchurch Press asserts that the most* extravagant rumours are alloat anent political matters. It is gravely stated in Invercargill that a dissolution is certain this session, and that Sir Joseph Ward will stand for the Wellington seal in order to make the way clear for .Mr McNab, who is to enter the Ministry, the alleged reason urged against his inclusion in the Ca-binct in the past being that the 'North Island claims the right to another representative in the Government, and would not tohrate Southland having two Cabinet Ministers in its arms.

The men of the Italian barulip Annita e Menotti from Genoa liad a thrilling experience on arrival at Philadelphia. When they opened the hatches they found in the hold which contained a cargo of 'bones an army of immense tarantula spiders and centipedes. No sooner were the insects disturbed than they made an

attack on the crew, swarming over the men in hundreds. The crew fled terror-stricken from the hold, seizing bones and any other makeshift weapons they could find on the way to beat off their assailants. Several of the men were badly bitten. Hastily the butchi's were battened down again. and a council of war was held by the captain and ollicers as to what, should be done. It was decided to fumigate the hold, und this plan of campaign proved a success. When the hold was- again entered the hone cargo was found covered with thousands of the dead insects. The bodies of the spiders were an inch long, and with legs extended they measured three inches across.

A purt.v of fools sallied out of Christchurrh on a motor car. A farmer's lior.se came to a wayside gate in change of a girl, and, stintled by the hoot of the horn, dashed off in front of the car. When it ran into corners or tried to enter (rules, the idiots set the horn going again, waved their anus and seemed to enjoy the mad chase immensely. The poor beast was run thus for eight and a half miles, and when found it was bleeding from the nostrils, this continuing for three days. Valued at £32, the owner said it was not now worth £o. The evidence for the plaintiff, who claimed £BO damages, was so overwhelming that, the festive motorists threw up the sponge, paid £25 and all costs; the farmer to keep the ill-used horse. The man against, whom the proceedings were taken was only a hired driver : the others were "toney" persons, and one is allegvd to Ik' a mcm|ber of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ! A Christchurch paper suggests that the matter is one for the police a>i well as a civil action.