NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 143, 21 June 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

"if we keep ou steadily agitating, it is only a mailer of time when Hi.' h(i!<|.>i-s of leases under tlie West Coast Settlement Iteserv.-s Ael will lie granted the opportunity of lu > quiring the freehold. When that is done, il will he time to discuss the matter of terms."-.Mi- Major tit MaMr W. A. Limb|-ick, «f Manaia. has ,iin.< returned from the South. He has >-.um-edcd in floating the Opunake Sawmilling Company, with a capital of CIo.OOO. The new company will, we understand, start n sash and door factory at Opunal<e, and also extend their operalions'in other directions. The provisional directors are :—Sir Alfred t'adfiTan, Messrs llenrv Brown ■.(chairman). C. Ahier. \\. A. Linmrick. W. l-'if/.m-rnlil. W. M. Hurtle- ami A. Williscrol't.

llr A. E. Farrur, custodian of the Old People's Home, reported yesterday on the conduct of the Home during the month. There were two admissions, 'both males, and two males had been discharged, leaving on '2oth June 3o inmates, 3f male and one female. William Banks had left to take up a position of nigh ; Uvtsich~ maii at Eltham. James Harvey had been refused re-admittance on account of his frequent drunkenness. The discipline and general limith hud been good. Attention was called to need for repairs to the lireplace in the females' sitting-room.

In a letter to a friend in Wellington, a well-known London financier writes on May Mill :—"You will 'be pleased to hear that since the end of March a substantial improvement' has taken place in gilt-edged securities. There is quite a boom in the scrip of recent issues. Even the new Irish land loan has jumped from 8s !)d premium to £(> premium. New Zealand three per cent, stock, I am sorry to say, is dull at 87. In

fact, all colonials are flat, too many tempting investments coming on the market at present. The Japanese loan was a huge success, applied for twenty times over."

Tlie ,i«wk ( .'s Kay Herald complains of the perfunctory manner in which the llawke's Hay 'district was canvassed by the Scenery Commissioners, as compared with the amount of attention devoted to the Auckland province. "It is characteristic of our district," says our contemporary, "that none of the local bodies made any representation to the commission. In other districts the commissioners have been shepherded over all the points deserving of attention. lit is a good rule that those who help themselves have the first claim on the assistance of others, and it is a rule which is recognised clearly onougii in other parts of the colony."

At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Optmake School Committee, the chairman reported that Mr AdU'ui. member of the Education Board, hud visited the school, and had given Ids opinion that the board would give a £ for £ subsidy in erection of shelter-sheds. The headmaster's report showed belter attendance, and a roll number of 83. It was decided to inform the board that the committee, while favouring the health officer's recommendations re privies, was without funds. Voles

f thanks were passed to Mr Fenton for supplying timber for a - new gate, to Mr Peat for blacksmith's work and making gate, and to Mr Cramer for hanging same.

A young man was killed on June 9lh, near the Milton railway station, Queensland, by a goods train. When the driver of the train reached Toowong, two miles further on, he informed the stationmasler that his train had passed over a body of some description, but it was ' dark at the time and he could make no i (Uservat ions. A search was institur ted, and the body of a Jnpifmw was found lying near the outside rail. The head, which had apparently rested on the rail, was completely severed from the body. Portions, of the hair and skull were found alongIhe line for a distance, of- 30 yards. On arrival of the police the body was removed to the morgue, where it was later identified as that of Tahuzo Tobita, a partner in the firm of Asalu, Asahi and Co., of Brisbane. Deceased -had been in bad health lately, and, it is alleged, was somewhat stijange in his uttooni-

A remark dropped by counsel la the Supreme Court the other day was commented on at the Hospital Hoard meeting. In addressing the jury Mr Samuel said it was most reprehensible that the Charitable Aid Hoard should place children where there was no chance of their receiving educational facilities. At the board meeting yesterday, Mr Oray pointed out that the adoption took place ten years ago, und that the children were beyond the 'board's control immediately after they had been adopted, the children then becoming members of the family. The board passed a resolution disclaiming] any responsibility in respect to children adopted from its- hands, and pointing out Hint, in every instance the board made full -inquiries with rv . Hard to children placed in its care. Mr Brown said it was unfair to stale that, there was no school, with- ■ n six miles: the J.incoln Road ;:-hool was only a couple of miles from Mr Bishop's house, and if the youngsters were not regularly attending school that was the truant inspector's busiiuss.

A shocking accident occurred at MUtugong, Xew South Wales, on ( June Bth, when Miss Florrie O'Key, aged about 20, a. resident of Moss Villi", had her right leg severed above the knee. She was hurrying to catch the ten minutes to eight train for Moss Vale, and hud to cross the line. The half-past seven goods train from (ioiiltaurn was standing just outside the wtution, ami the young woman endeavoured to crawl between the engine and trucks. She had succeeded in getting almost through when the train was backed to make way lor the passenger truin from Sydney, and cut her leg completely oil', llcr screams attracted tho attention of the driver wlm promptly brought the train to " standstill, and the young woman was extricated. She was carried to Ihe waiting-room, where Miss Gertie Riley, a local resident and prolesi.ionul nurse, rendered first aid, liending the arrival of Dr. Middloton, who attended tho sufferer. She was then taken on by the ten minutes to eight train to llowrnl,where she was admitted to the hospital She remained conscious throughout, the night, and died the followine morning. b

Creditors in a bankrupt estate at Wellington the other day grew reminiscent on the subject of bankrupts who had paid their liabilities, when to the creditors "Hope was a, Tarivmoved thing." The ollicial assigsigiuv, who sought to cheer up the creditors present at the melting slated that in his experience seven bankrupt estates had paid 20s in the pound within 18 months. lie also .pioted a case in which onlv 5s m the Z\ had been paid, yetl within two years the bankrupt fell in for a small legacy and paid up his debts in lull. A lawyer present quoted a case that was somewhat remarkable Some years ago, when lie was residing i„ \' ( . w Plymouth he tried to collect a debt, but it. was always disputed, and he never could get the amount A short time ago the debtor called at |,i s o || h . n . lllimlv „, th(J solicitor who he was. „„d paid the d"ln. Several years of hard thought had convinced him that the claim was a just. one. A creditor capped these slories by relating that the oilier day he received a post oflice had lent a person 20 years ago. He had forgotten the transaction, and it was only brought, to his mind by I an accompanying note. After that the creditors dispersed in mi optimistic frame of nihid.

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