NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 178, 1 August 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Thames goidfiekls were opened .37 years ago to-day. A case of plague is reported a t I'remanUe. The patient is a Sailor on a local coasting steamer.

Somo tlmo was spent by tho Counties Conference on Thursday morning ill discussing rood formation and the need for loans for tilio purposo of machinery to carry on tto- samo. A .Southern delegate, whoso faco bore evidence of having torn "in the wars," made an interjection and a personal explanation during the debate. "This morning," Ba id the injured visitor, "I was used by a cyclist to crush the metal on Wellington's streets. The human stoneci usher s recital of his experience was received with an unsympathetic shout of laughter.—Post. It does seem to mo ridiculous that a child should be allowed Ivy Us parents to get beyond control, the parents ought to bo punisihed, and not the unfortunate child," said Mi W. C. liuehanan, M.11.1t,, discussing the truaincy question at the last meeting of tlhfe Wellington Education Hoard. Mr Lee, who was inclined to agreo in this view, said 1 ho knew of an extraordinary case where the mother and father of a toy of about six yeara of age looked upon it no tho one affliction of their lives tilut they had this child, was quite unmanageable. "What soil of a cane do they use queried Mr Buchanan, amid laughter. In reference to tho truancy evil the Education Department has sent out to the Hoards of Education a circular asking their opinion regarding a recent utterance of one of .the Magistrates, to tho effect that us there are many cases of constantly-recur-ring truancy on the part of tho same children, who were evidently beyond parental control, tho law should be amended to allow a Magistrate to send to an industrial school any child against whom three such convictions have been recorded, and to compel the parents to pay for the cost of its maintenance. Tho Taranaki Education Board will discuss tile matter fully at its next meeting.

| The a:tarn Mail' sttttes that the I owners of tho fruozitiff works i*jcpecl i to have the establishment reius s tuto<l Iby February next. Tli« intention is to rebuild in brick and iron, but the whole question is to bo gone into on tho arrival of tho linn's architect Irom Australia. Ifl the meantime the matter of machinery equipment is-be-ing considered, and Special attention is being paid to electricity as a motive power. It Is possible that the only Sleam engine in the new building will be for tho purpose of (hiving the necessary machinery for tile development of electricity, which force will supply the motion requisite for the 'distribution of cool air etc.

The Wanganui ItaSpital district's contribution of £4lO (says the Chronicle) is really wonderful as compared with Sydney's contribution to Hospital Saturday. If we take Die basis of population, Sydney, with a population of 29Q,000, contributed £4,>00, or -j>er luiad, with a systematic canvass and on a day that is recognised every year as Hospital Saturday. Yet Wangtuuii, oil a day sprung upon them suddenly, rose to tho occasion and contributed, on a population basis of 25,000, a sum of £4lO, or nearly 4d per head for every man, woman and child in the district. Hospital Saturday in New Plymouth is fixed for next week, August 6th', when it is hoped that 'ocal people will also "rise to the occasion."

The American Beef Trust, claims that tho Chicago strike is-' already over owing to the large employment &f non-unionists and uniou seceders. The English footballers will put up at the Criterion Hotel during their stay in New Plymouth, Mr O'Brien having received a telegram from the manager to reserve accommodation for twentyr-uine people. | 1 The Crown I,aw Oflicers have advised tho Lands Department that coal ntHl other minerals found 011 Crown leaseholds are the property of the State, but that tho lessees of the sections) havo a pre-emptive right to work the deposits on payiirg royalties. News has been received at Thursday Island from Port Moresby tihat two prisoners taken at Clouri'bari at the time of the recent shooting episode have escaped from -gaol, although leg-ironed. One is supposed to be the actual murderer of tho Itev. Chalmers.

Messrs Earp and Co. secured a very line photograph of the two teams— Wairarapa and Tananaki—last week during the former team's visit, a copy of which 'has ibeen kindly forwarded to the News office. The same firm also obtained several good pictures of the recent fire at the Waitui'a freezing workq.

The annual report of the El t ham 00-operaHve Dairy Company shows that 571 tons ol butter were manufactured 'during the year, an increase of 78 tons. Rutter salos realised £52,000, milk advances to suppliers totalled £43,120, and a balance of CIBB7 is further available for distribution, making the payment for the season 9.4 d per lb of butter-fat. Tlie unusual event of a leading specialist of Australasia visiting New : Plymouth at once stamps l the town las being one of importance, and / known to other parts of Australasia ' as being the rising, go-ahead place of Turanaki. The fact alone of the Dr. Lantgston Institute, ol Collinsstreet, Melbourne, having 1 included it in the tour bears out that New Plymouth and its people are not asleep. The Physical Deterioration Committee of tho House of Commons have presented a report in which hey say there is no evidence of any widespread progressive deterioration among the English people, but there are considerable classes physically Jegenerale, chiefly the habitues of the slums, owing to overcrowding, drunkenness, vice, improper feeding, cigarette smoking -by children, and excessive tea drinking. According to the latest issue or the University Calendar, in 1904 there jre in the four affiliated institutions ">5 professors and lecturers. Since 1876 the University has conferred 1108 degrees on 859 persons. There were during 1904 more than 1077 ciMlergradua'tes pursuing the university course, and a total number of 1628 persons came up at all the examinations of tho year (inclusive of I the colony as given by tlie census of ! matriculat'iottii). The population of i 1902 ■ included 85,124 pe i sons l»e----tween the ages of 10 and 21 years ; so that tlie figures given above are not at unsatisfactory for a young country.

The committee making arrangements for the band contest at Folding on the 15th, 16th and 17th of March next met on Friday, anS deided on tho following programme : Test selection, first prize £7O ; second £35 ; third £lO ; fourth £5, •ind a gold modal for the conductor. Quickstep competition, £4O and a gold modal for the drum-major. Waltz competition, £25. Highest a«(fregate jin music (three events) £lO. Quartettes, whicTu are compulsory, first prize, four gold medals, second four silver medals. Trombone trio, three sold medals. A large number of special prizes havo bet-n promised. The contest isi open to ■.lt bands iti New /.inland who have not won in a first-class competition. Messrs Smart Brothers have just received direct from Home a large ■hipment of the latest novelties in gas fittings, and to show t.'ie public what they aro like -a display was given on Saturday evening, and proved fo be qulto a revelation to many people who saw for tho lirst time really up-to-date methcuds of using gas as applied to domestic and office lighting. Many of the lamps, wliilo giving a magnificent light, are wonderfully designed for convenience in movabilit.v, and are so beautifully balanced that they can be swung a/bout almost into any position and roinain exactly where placed. Some elegant designs in chandaliCTfi and office brackets were shown, the latter being in imitation of electric lights. Messrs Smart Brothers are to lie congratulate upon their enterprise in introducing such high-class lighting appliances as they now have on view at their premises in Broug-ham-street.

Some Maori laundresses using; one of tho hot pools in the reserve at Whakarewaixwa had a strange experience recently. Having put tho clothes in tho pool, tho girls accompanied some visitors round th<j roservo (states the Hot Lakes Chronicle), and just as they were returning to the pool in which, they had deposited -tho clothes they were morn than surprised to see the "washing" violently thrown into tho air, with each eruption of the 'geyser that had broken out in tho pool. Tho Maoriscould do nothing but look on, and whilo doing so they witnessed a portion of their clothing suddenly disappear into the mouth of the geyser. Alter bemoaning tho loss of the garments to tfiieir friends, n ud all woro about to move away, one of the party picked up a lady's purse which had been shot out of the pool. It was well saturated with water. Tn tho purse was a greenstone/brooch the pin of whlcli had been disconnected. On tho greenstone in gold 'letters was tho name "Lucy." How long tho puvso had been in tho pool It is difllcult to say, but, beyond being saturated With waiter, it was in a good state o-f preservation. Seforo removing your furniture for storage or transit by road, rail or sea consult tho New Zealand Express Company, Ltd., Brougham-st. 6 These cold days it ie very handy to hav» a warm pair of gloves. Gents' knit woollen gloves is Gd, gents' Astrakan gloves, kid palms, 2s ltd ; gents' kid gloves, warm lining, 4a 6(1. Our best dogskin, warm lined driving gloves, now 5s (id. JJoal.'Cash Clothier.*

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Harbour Board.—Notifies intention to make a rate of 3d in tho £, payablo on August 19, 1904, and February 18th, 1905. Suratura Tea Company.—Announce prices and quality of tea. Loyal Bgmont Lodge.— Mombers rot(iiestod to attend funeral of late wife of P. 0. Chiiveis, to-morrow, at 2.30 p.m. J. Ward and Son. —Puponga coal, etc., for salo. Newton King,—Additions to Sale of furniture, etc., on account of Mi' A. J. Mcintosh, to-morrow. Veule and Chatterton.—New process dried milk for salo. Housekeeper wants position.