NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 152, 1 July 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The arrivals in New Zealand during last month numbered 2454, and the departures from the colony 2212. 'The figures for May, 1903, arc—arrivals 1878, departures 2111.' Under the heading "New Zealand Preference," a telegram from New \ ork to onu of the Chicago newspapers announces that "the New Zealand Electric Construction Company has ordered 5212 tons of rails and some other railway material from the I'nitwi KtiiH-s Steel Corporation." Fancy prices are being offered for dairy cows just now in these parts. A Xorinaiiby road dairyman lxtcently refused £l2 Ills a head for a herd of forty animals. The same cows earned lor their owner this past season 4h (id short of £l4 per head, a result that must be regarded as extraordinary.—Waimate Witness. A, petition, signed by the settlers of Malau and surrounding d/fftricts, asking for the construction of the road between Alatau and the Mohakau lioad, has beon presetted by Mr Jimnings. The for Public Works has replied that the petition will he carefully considered when the estimates are being prepared.

There is a generally accepted irfoa Ibat ptirabned birds nro anything jbut utility Tbi? fallacy of this has b^eb'proved ag-uin and again. The last case that came under our notice was that of p. HJack Orpington cockerel (brother to the secondpriae winning pullet*? in the Australian laying competition), recently 'import«l by Mr E, Griffiths, which took second honours in a large class at the I'almcrston Xorth fihow, beating fieverul prize birds from Auckland and from the South Island. Tho Wellington Stipendiary Magi fi-t-rate cross-examined a judgment debtor who had deposed to being a labourer employed at 7s per day. "You, njufrt l>e careful, my man," ''said his 'Worship, "we have moans of testingS' mir statements. There ifi„ I belie 0 ' Provision made to proelude emptM 8 W labourers laa than a »W a » ( ho « r : K " w '' knf>w _^i^fc v «ify this. Who is ~T tto clovwll _

The Sydney sheep show is the best on record, entries totulling over fix hundred. The Eltham Borough Council is still conducting negotiations with linns who are willing to Supply tho borough witli gas. Tlnvo 'hundred and lifty Bank of New Zealand shares sold by auction (at DiinwJin yesterday realised 100/6, i and I'.o 97/6—a record. The lirst section of the new electrical tramway from Newtown to Kent Terrace was opened yesterday without ceremony. i'asseiiigpr.s were carried all day long, the cars runtjin.'i smoothly. A no-lie<-m;e convention was held at Kapongu on Wednesday afternoon. Delegates were present from all parts of the Hawera electorate. A resolution was carried affirming [that the present licensing laws meet ! with nil ii| Jnitriiii ul.s, but that, provision should I*? made that the expressed wish of the people at tlie 'hal-|lot-t>)>x lie given effect to. At a Stratford factory they have employed a man all the season to weigh out the. skim milk. "Goitlemen," said the chairman, as they passed the wages account, "let lis be thankful. If blasphemy is to tell against us hereafter, we are several dogrees nearer Heaven by reason of that chap's services." Factory suppliers will appreciate the argument. The Premier, on Wednesday, got over a delicate difficulty in a characteristic manner. Three of his Wellington lady supporters had sent him a buttonhole each, and each requested that he would wear it at the banquet. This he did by putting the throe contributions into his buttonhole, and he afterwards explained tho circumstances that led to the presence of a nosegay where there was ordinarily only a buttonhole decoration.

A special meeting of the borough council will 1-e held to-morrow at 7.30 p.m. to deal with electric light and reservoir tenders, and to consider Mr Grayling's letter relative to tlie height of pipe-briidges. The council will receive a special request from Mr Courtney t'hajt his application for permission to dispense with 'brick wall in connection with alterations proposed to bo mado to buildings on section 918 be considered at this meeting. A grower of cucumbers in Clirlstcnuroh states that last season he sold part of his crop to a Christchurch retailer at 2s per dozen, and was assured that the price was a high one. A visit to tho shop one evening showed that the cucumbers | were being retailod at Is apiece, and tho grower had the pleasure, before paying his shilling, of listening to a 'hunt dissertation upon the high quality of "our special hothousegrown cucumbers." The Wttkatipu Mail learns that a yueenstown resident who recently visited Invercargiil had a conversation with Sir J. G. Ward, and that gentleman informed him it was the intention of the Government to complete the bowling green in the park and run it on similar lines to those already under the control of the Tourist Department in Hunmer, Rotorua, etc.—namely, to charge tourists and the general public so much i>e.r game. At Masterton yesterday an applicant for a permit to work as a cjivrpenter for less than the minimum wage statixl that he had been receiving Is 5d per hour from his employer, and had been refunding at !he rate of 3}d per hour, bringing the wag.es actually received to IMid un hour. The S.M. commented strongly. Ha thougjht it was a matter for the Arbitration Court to ' take up, as a 'breach of the award. The applicant was granted a permit at Is per hour. In an affiliation case heard at Riverton on the 21st June, the complainant waß deaf and dumb, and the taking of her evidence and that of tier sister (who was also deaf and dumb) occupied the court for a considerable per l ''*!., magistrate | said t'hat'f the putative father 'of complaint nt'a child was one of those scoundrels not fit to live in civilisation, and should be in gaol. As the evidence as to dates in tile present charf ;e was not sufficient to warrant c >nviction, he would dismiss tho case against defendant without in ojudico to the laying of a fresh infori motion.

The twA-nty-first annual meeting of tho Now JPlymouth Horticultural Society ynl bo held in tho Town Hall this ,-ivening at 7.80, when it is to bo r >)ioped there will be a largo attendance of members. The society, 'which is in a more flourishing condition than ever before, now has a membership of over 150. It is hoped tho membership for the next year will be doubled. This would warrant an increase in the amount of prizes, and thereby cause greater competition in tho different classes. The election of officers and committeo takes placo at this meeting for the year 1904-5, and several other matters of importance are to come up for discussion. The following libel on the is uttered by the New Eoaland Bud letin "Most of the men and iiK<n round about Norsewood are ;.hort of hair. This is from milking cows. The Norsewood girl spends much of her timo sitting under the cow, with her head pressed hard against the animal's ttoniach, and tho hair is ghal'ed away, and never gets a chance to grow again. I went *o a country ball tho other aight. The girls wore all dairymaids, not very light of foot, and about 3 a.m. 'became exceedingly heavy. I went up to one sitting quietly in a corner, and asked her If she 'would' try' this final waltz. She didn't appear to hear me, so 1 repeated my request.. Then she vpoke up drowsily, and murmured inarticulately, 'Bail up Spot.' It was cow time."

The Tourist Department, acting in the interest of overland tourists to Auckland, has erected a luncheonroom at t'ho end of the first stage on the coach journey from Tokaami to I'ipiriki, sixteen miles from the former place. An arrangement has been made with the coach proprietors. who change teams at the spot, to'manage the lunchcon-room, and have lea and light refreshments ready when coaches arrive. The place will be opened at the beginning of tho tourist season. The department has also erected an accommodationhut at a spot called Kititaha, on the slopes of Mount Tongariro, aWout. tivenl.y-fivo miles from Tokaanu, and another on the eastern side of Moufll Kuapohu, only three miles from the road. The latter hut is so placed that visitors may leave in the morni*g, ascend the mountain, and return to the hut by nightfall. A line ex|>erience, too, may be gained by those interested in mountainclimbing b,y making the journey between the two huts, taking in Ngaruhou on the wa.v. Tho district is part of the great National Park, and teems with interest to persons in search of thermal wonders and unusual sights. The National Park

is an asset for tha. future. The Tourist Department could find a good outlet for its energy in assisting with the development of scenic resources ip QiaranaSi According to tlis Wairarapa Leader a number of swaggers haw taken possession of a wharc some miles from Carterton, and there they have formed a Swagger's Club. If a man works he is disfranchised, loses his share of rations, and is then cast out into the pitiless world. Th# procedure is that overy Rip Van Winkle of the touring team shall mako a levy for food on all classes particularly philanthropic ladies, and aided by a plausi'Me tomgiue and a soul-stirring talis, be made recipient of grub, which Is carried to the club, where it is balloted for under the same rule as that governing the Lands for Settlement. The club is K'owiujr in favoui', and its uioiuis daily. l>obtt.tr-

In speaking at Jibe footballers' social last mgjkt a prominent Taranaki player voiced the sentiment that "cups .take much of the enjoyment from football matches." The Egmoirt County Council has decided not to purchase stone-crush-ing machinery. A crusher was ottered to the council by Messrs Booth, McDonald and Company, Christchurch, at £767 10s, on terms. | The members of the Wartganui tea- | cners' football team wore distinguishing rosettes of white, inscribed on some of them was the comprehensive motto "Purity and Abstinence." "The best referee I've ever played under," was the dictum of Mr Blyth, the llawcra footlUaller, at the dinner last night., in reference to Sir Hopkins, who had charge of the giame in the Recreation Around yesterday. A Dunedin resident who wishes to remain anonymous has forwarded to Rev. Ry!burn, convener of the Pres;Ay teuton Maori Mission Committee, | a choice for £IOO towards the estttlb'liehment of the proposed Maori I Girls' school at Turakina. A very enjoyolKle concert amd goI cial was held In the Puniho native school on Monday evening in aid of the organ fund, 'llhe attendance was ftucrd an spite af the wretched weather. Mr A. G. Knight presided at the organ and gave a nuralxir of tastefully executed organ solos. Songs were given by Messrs A. G. Knight, G. Grconway and S. Wells, whilst readings and recitations were contributed by Messrs L. Bell, F. way, Clemance and YT. Gibbons. A capital supply of refreshments, provided t>y the ladies, formed a pleasant interlude in the programme, being especially appreciated by the juvenile Maori portion of the audience. During the course of the proceedings Mr D. i\ Greonway, who occupied the chair, announced that the proceeds of the concert together with lfcent subscriptions and promises would reduce the indebtedness of the organ lund to less than two pounds Tine social was brought to a close by the stinging- of Un? National An-t-hem. Bad. weather unfortunately prevented the arrival of much expected outside help.