NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 161, 12 July 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Sierra left San Francisco on the Bth insl., at 2 p.m.

The Gore correspondent of the Christclunch Press telegraphs that heavy shipments of A grade Soutliland'oats have lately been made to Soulh Africa, where the grain is to be utilised for seed purposes.

I The illuminating power of the cniiI nel coal found in the Stale coal mine '-ft-J-rdrl Eiizauvufis StuieJ - to"'lj~.'!J to 35 candle-power, as compared with 10 to 18 cumlle-powcr, the illuminating power of the bituminous coal of tho colony.

The Otago Yacht Club has received a postcard from Captain Voss notifying the arrival of the canoe-yacht Tilikum at St. Helena, with the vessel and her crew in good condition. Cnptnim Voss was to leave St. Helena an May 2 for Pernambuco and London.

It is stated that Mr ft. Henly, who has been conoected with Mr C. A. Wilkinson's business at Eltham for some time, has purchased a business at Opunake, and takes possession at the end of the present month. Mr llenty is a lirst-class business man, enterprising and energetic, and deserves to succeed in his new enterprise, as we have no doubt he will.

There seems (says the Lyttelton Times) to be a need for some rule in regard to the reservation of seats in trains. On the southern express the other day several disputes took place as to the rights of persons In seats in first-class carriages, and the whole principle of reserving seats by placing hats, cloaks, coats, books, w umbrellas upon them was hotly discussed.

When the Queen of England, daughter of the King of Denmark, was the Princess of Wales, she attended, one afternoon, a food show, at which was a display of butter that pleased her greatly. She praised the butter, and to its exhibitor she said : "Denmark ootids us the best butter, doesn't it V" The dealer smiled, and shook his head. "No, your Royal Highness,'' lte answered gallantly ; "Denmark sends us the best princesses, but Devonshire sends us the best butter."

A century ago Great Britain's i'.i;althy sujg'ur colonies were the envy of the world, and sugar planters laughed at the idea of producing sugar from hfcet. To-duy the West Indian planters are ruined, and Germany produces the "tropical product" on a scale never dreamt of. Since 1890 Germany has produced artificial musk at Mulhausen ; while natural vanilia is being replaced by chemical vanilline, Japanese camphor by synthetic camphor, and chemically [ifroduced sugar by saccharine. The extraction of dyes .roui madder root and from various other plants have ceased, and vegetable dyes have given place to dyes mado from tar. At present natural indigo has Ibeen crushed out of existence by the synthetic indigo produced by German chemists.

A dastardly attempt to wreck some of the competitors in the bicycle race from Woodville to Napier on Saturday was made in the vicinity oJ Noraewood. On the Dannovirle side of the To Alio bridge a packet of tacks had been liberally scattered, and on tho Tukupau side, three miles out, a piece of hoop iron 14 feet was discovered, which were studded at intervals of half an inch, finch nails, point uppermost, the iron being lixed to the road by 2ineh nails, and the whole covered carefully with dirt to avoid detection. Luckily, Mr Blackburn, who was passing is his trap, noticed Bomebhinio,; shining, and, getting down, discovered tho obstacle, which after some trouble he removed. Mr Edge, who camo ahead of the racers from Daimcvirke to Norsuwooil, di» covered and removed the tucks on tho brldgo. Two clergymoa figured in a sensational shooting affray which occurred in a train near Texarkana, in the State of Texas, on May 13th. Tho Rev. James Crandill and tho Itev. Samuel Huydun, t>oth wellknown Baptist ministers, who are bitter enemies, unexpectedly met in the train. Mr Crandill drew a revolver, which Mr Huydun seized. Uhile they were struggling for the possession of the weapon two shots were fired, but neither took effect. Mr Crandill was arrested at Tcxarkana on a charge of attempted murder, but wai released on bail. The reverend gentleman is editor of the Baptist Standard, and was temperance candidate for the Vice-Presiden-cy (or the United States in the election of IHO2. The Rev. Samuel llayilcn edits the Baptist Herald, and the two ministers through their papers constantly made bitter attacks on each other. Mr Ilayden sued his enemy for libel some time uk»>, and obtained £6OOO damages.

A remarkable sceae occurred at Curtis, South Dakota, on May 10th, at the funeral of a little girl of live, the only child of Mr and Mrs Fearing, prominent) residents of the place. Dr. Norton, a relative, who was prosent, noticing the child's rosy cheeks and unchanged appearance, declared his belief that she was still living, and refusal to permit the coffin lo be closed. Two other physicians were, called, and every test known to

science was made. The results were so satisfactory that efforts were immediately made, to revive the child. After working for several hours and using artificial respiration, electrical I stimulation, injections of salt, and 'sd'oii-g heart Btiinulants, the doctors noticed signs of returning animation. Ilieathing at last returned, and an hour later the little girl was in the arms of her mother, who- sobbed hysterically ns she realised how narrowly her beloved had escaped the igravc. The little girl had been suffering from typhoid fever. Today site, is recovering, und the physicians beliove that she will sooa be convalescent.

A remurka'blo case of juvenile depravity is reported from Sery, in the department of Aisnn. M. Germain and his wife went out on Friday, leaving! their one-year-old son in charge of the eldest girl named Adrienne, aged twelve. SeeiE'gj that the baby was asleep, sho went into the village for some milk, and in order not to wake the child got out of tho window, leaving It open. Sho had scarcely disappeared when two little boys named Maurice llerin and Jean Bideaux, each aged six, who were playing close by, entered the house by the open window. Finding the ■baby asleep, they put it into an empty potato sack, which they procetdid to stuff with grass, and then carried it between them to the. waterbutt outside tho house. They throw the sack into (he butt, and then scampered away. When the sis-tor returned she was astonished to find lhe twiby had vanished, and after several hours' search found it drowned in the water-butt. Aa tho boys hod been seen near tho house, tho mayor of the village sent for ( thorn, and in the presence of the horrified parents they retailed what they did, though they were apparenntly unaware that they had done anything very wrong.

A special meating of the W.U.T.U. is called for. to-morrow at 8 p.m. The first number of Hans-owl is to hand from th» (Jovernment printer. To-day is the anniversary of tihe boinllardmeiit of Alexandria in 1882. An important meeting of the exhibition committee is called for this evening. •'The Audit Department is very lidgely this year. It's getting worse aiidhvorse every year," remarked the Mayor luwl night. The annual general meeting of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company will be held on Monday next. The borough engineer gave notice yesterday to the Henui bridge contractor that unless he would put the road there in order at once he would, do it himself and charge the cost against the contractor. The property market, which has apparently been dormant for some time past, is evidently looking up. Several agents report sales of both town and country properties at prices which show an upward tendency. The reading of the Borough Council's minutes last night was quite an undertaking, the doings of ordinary and special meetings being chroniclnl. Mr Woodhouse., the town clerk's deputy, performed this duty.

The Christcliurch City Council charges for the supply of electricity are fid for the (irst 500_ the &x r oiuTsoorand 3{d for each 500 above 1000. Melbourne's corresponding charges are 5Jd, od, and 3d.

Mr A. H, Kendall, the sanitary inspector under the Borough Council, stated in his report that the standard of plumbing work In New Plymouth was quite eq'ual to anything to be found in the four cities.

With regaitl to the bad lighting at the Henui bridge it is explained that benignted pedestrians aro in the habit of removing lamps from their places, a*nd using them in passing throuigh the quagmire. A reminder is 'given of the Garrison Hand ball to be held In the Theatre Rbyal on Thursday evening. The arrangements have now been completed, and arc bo up-to-date in every particular that a. great success iB assured.

Cr. Cliff has given notice to move at next Borough Council meeting that the engineer prepare estimates for the metalling of Devon-street West from the Post Office to Belt lioad, and the South Road from the Terminus Hotel to the boundary of the borough. Messrs Samuel Cochrane and Son, auctioneers, of Auckland, advertise the valuable property known as Watson and Mu»ray's brewery, with buildings and plant, for sale. The details of the plant, etc., appear in the auctioneers' notice, and the date of the sale is fixed for August 12th.

The congregations of the Presbyterian, Wesilcyan, Primitive Methodist, and Baptist Churches at Fcilding, and Salvation Army unanimously endorsed the New Zealand Alliance petition to the House of Representatives protesting against the introduction of liquor into Raratongn and Niue.

An old sailor living at Kiel recently had returned to him a letter that he had sent to his brother on January 22, 1859, addressed "c.o. tile Danish Con6til at Buenos Ay res." Where it has been during the 45 years it is impossible to say, but it bore many postmarks, including one of London.

A meeting of the swimming committee was hold last evening to consider the financial prospects of the water carnival to be held in connection with the Christmas Carnival. Those present were Messrs Ross, Seabright, Lints, Dyne and Kivell. A report will be'presented to tho executive committee this evening. In the wrestling match at Greymouth for the championship of Australasia between Scott (Greymouth) and Pearce (Sydney), the former won in the eatch-as-catch-can style, and the latter in the Graueo-Roman stylo. In the Cornish style no fall resulted bofore time was up and the referee declared tho watch a draw.

One of the swingle-trees in tho Vogeltown 'but broke loose yestcr, day afternoon just as the vehlcli had turned the Imperial Hotel corner into Curric-street. Luckily the driver saw the accident, and promptly pulled up. A piece of chain was requisitioned from a carrier on the stand, and repairs were quickly effected.

His Worship the Mayor wlusperod to a reporter last night that he Intended to finish the work of the Borough Council by nine o'clock. Things pointed: that way for some timo, but just before nine o'clock councillors found two or three arniosit jnfinltossdinnl items on which thoy aired thair eloquence and tho contract exceeded that estimate by half-an-hour. A recent admission to tho old mon's homo was that of a very Infirm and ill-cared for specimen of aged humanity, who seemed unable to walk properly. He walks hotter now, as tho result of frequent bathing and compliance with ordinary rules of living, including tho paring of his too-nails which were of such a length as to prove a nuisance to him.

Photographs of tho Interior of the abattoirs allowing quantity of meat killed and hanging on the hooks in the building, were presented to the Borough Council last night by Mr Stone, manager of the abattoirs. They will be framed and hung on tho walls of the council chamber. The pictures were taken by Mr W. A. Collis. who lias undertaken to present to the council a photograph of the exterior of the buildings.

The Railway Department has hud Hjvder consideration for some time the question of improving the train service between Wanganui and Wellington by adopting a faster train service. It has been decided that the train which loaves Wanganui at 12. 30 shall arrive in Wellington at 7 HO, in place of 8.15 as at present' thus enubling mails and passengers to connect with steamers for Lytteltoti. Trains which leave Wellington at i.30 in the morning will bo delayed till 8.10 lor tho benefit of Hutt and other travellers, and will arrive in Wanganui ut the usual time

At tho Borough Council meeting last night tho Mayor reported tho result of « conference between hinislcfund Messrs Connett (chairman) and iNeu-ton lung and Ward (members of the. board) on the question of the Currie-street extension, leading) to the railway station. Mr Connett had also told lii m that tho Harhbur Hoard leases thero would fall in at the end of three years and ten months from now, and already thero was a good offer for the land when treed from present conditions. It was proposed by the board to then convey the street, to its full width, to the council, hut the council could not take it over until it had been widened. At present the streot was in a shocking state. The whole- matter w a » referral to the works committee for full inquiry, councillors expressing a desire to meet the in every way possible.. The bourd will lie asked to put its proposals inwriting, und to depute delegates to tile next works committee meeting.