NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 184, 9 August 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Indian Government ! is sending a commercial misslion to Persia. Stephen Smith, aged 60, shot him-Bt-lf through the temi>le with a revolver at Palmerston yesterday. The Tukapa Football Club's eleventh annual social will bo hold in the Theatre Royal on Thursday, Se|>tembcr Ist. Captain Sprint, of the Whangaroa, which left the port on Saturday, expressed himself as being well pleased with tho manner in which Messrs Itoss and Arsene, of Auckland, carried out their contract for repairs to rigging, spars, etc., the work being finished a day and a hall' ahead of contract time. A writer in the Xew Zealand Times in commenting on the refusal of Mr 11. Dennett, statiommister at Eltham, to accept a public testimonial, says : "That :;taiionmaster's name should he blazoned in letters of diamonds on a cloth of gold Tor his deserved glorification, and also ns a hint to other people to emulate Imm example." (.'r. Ahicr has repeatedly " set 011 " to Cr. Collis recently on the excellent ioatpath in front of his residence as compared with the wretched streets hi other parts of the town. The j m it so often thrown out was greedily seized -by Cr. Collis last night, and he gently insinuated that Cr \i,; c , r could got j„ HL as g„ ( „l u I>ftl , h |iy f()| . lowing the speaker's example in pay»>efor it. ■• ,\|r Kennell ami j " said Cr C011i,,. " f„n,„,l, Uerbed. and channelled that footpath twenty .\ears ago at our own expense ami kept it in order until t|„, , uoro h bcheme necessitated an alteration " The extent of i/nu v .j sio „ of ~ ~,.... ain Clifton County Councillor must 'x- hunted by the tip of his nas«l organ. When at tile last meet,',,,, ~f Imt body a letter was read fro,,, the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce asking the council (() a| , pc)int a representative „„ the proposed Turanaki deputation to urge on the Coverimiient the necessity f O ,. p,,,.,,,,, . on the mading of the backblocks this sapient representative of the' ratepayers said he had not much sympathy with the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, tho members I of which were mainly business men in New Plymouth, and their main idea was to get a road to benuJit themselves whereby a pound or two extra of tea could be sold. Eventually it was decided that Cr. O'Sullivan should join the deputation.

The Turonaki County Council willj mnko application to the Lands and Survey Department to have certain Okato awl Oakura reserves vested in the CounciU "A one-looking lot of men, according to ,ti» photograph," said (Jr. Hill im speaking ol the representatives at the Counties' Conference. "A toug.iirlookihg lot of rags when you see tihcm in reality," remarked Cr. ISrown, sotto voce. I lleiuy joke li.lt ed out ol the Kan-j gitilvci Advocate :—We can scarcely believe that Mr Seddon would care I to go to tlu extent of preventing! the propagation of the physically or | mentally unlit, lest his party should | to deprived of a considerable amount erf voting, power. The borough inspector is now in communication with the person who was alleged to have been overcharged by a local cabman, with a view to upholding the complaint. Mr Stohr says that the driver's statements to him and to the borough council were widely divergent. The hot saltwater baths are not a paying concern just now. Meanwhile the cost of fuel goes on. From May !)th to August 3rd only about fifty baths have been paid lor, oawl tho fuel used is a ton of coal and a loiwl ot firewood every month. The baths committee will investigate the matter. ' The backblocks a re all the talk down there now," said Mr Okey yesterday at the County Council, referring to the present session of Parliament. "Tho backblocks should get a good hearing this year, as tho members seem unxious to give money to the back districts rather than to the old ones." Mr il. Okey, chairman of tho Taranaki County Council, reported yesterday that whilst in Wellington he and Cr. Drown had interviewed the Acting-Minister for Public Work's on the subjects of tho Snake bridge and the Junction Road. The loan for the former had now been authorised, and the second matter was being looked into by the Department. District Judge Ward opened the District Court at Stratford yesterday morning. Harry Lee, charged with perjury in connection with the death ol a man in Stratford Cemetery, was the only criminal case. The evidence w-us. similar to that given in the lower court. A verdict of guilty was returned, and accusod was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Some wicked chronicler, raking up the dead records ol a wretched past, recalls the time when the Hon. Cnrncross, of Tuieri, was pulled through the town of Mosgiel in a landau on the night of an election by a team of lady admirers, and wants to know why Mr Carncross' paper, the Eltham Argus, is so hurt at the behaviour of the Woodville women who pelted W. H. Hawkins with flowers.

Tho borough inspector, Mr F. Stohr, reported to the borough council last night that during the post fortnight from twelve to twenty dogs have been poisoned. The Mayor, | in moving that a reward of £2O be offered for the conviction, or Information leading to tho conviction of the dog fiend, mentioned the case of a farmer who had lost his sheep-dog valued at about £2O. The matter had become serious, the poisoning cases having spread over three months. A reward of £lO was decided on. It will be remembered that last March, when butter was being placed on the London market in very large quantities, the price fell to 82s. The directors of the various companies were called upon to decide between selling at a comparative loss and holding hack for the next season. The Dairy Union directors were evidently well advised by their London agents, for they carried forward 1.2,000 boxes, and they have now received cable Information that it is probable that the lot will be sold at 100s.—Palmers ton Times. To-morrow Mr Newton King will hold an important sale of fruit trees, etc., at tho llaymarfcet; yards on account of Messrs 1). Hay and Son, the noted nurserymen of Auckland, wlwn orcharclista and gardeners will have a splendid opportunity of securing reliable and first-class fruit trees, shrubs-, t'tc. The assortment comprises the very latest and best varieties, and having been grown on Poor land and in exposed situations are especially .suitable for our Taranaki soil. Those who have bought Messrs Hay and Son's trees »t previous sales speak very highly of the results obtained. In connection with the cabled statement that the New Zealand Government had secured a number of highly-bred Dexter cattle, it may be of interest to remind readers, says tho Stratford Post, that the credit of obtaining this valuable addition to the stud stock strains of this colony, is largely due to Mr W. Monkhouse, who at a meeting of the New Kealund Farmers' Union, brought under notice the advantage of securing cattle of this breed, the branch that evening passing a resolution asking the Agricultural Department to take some steps in the matter. Tho Kerry Dexter IJrecd is a . small one as regards size, but is noted as a highly protitublc class for dairying in such country as the hilly districts of Taranaki. A sensation is being caused in Central Siberia by the amazing state- | mints of a doctor named liuikoff. who has just returned from the island of Saghalion, Hus.-iia's great convict settlement. Dr. Buikofr asserts that infanticide is universally practised by the convicts, and is recognised as a local institution by the authorities. Unions not sanctified by the Church take place on the arrival of every batch of convicts. The men and women are drawn up in lines, and the former ordered to pick out the partners which please them most Under these conditions lungo numbers of children arc born, but few allowed to survive. Some female convicts keep tar first child, but the majority practise what is unown as " accidental overlaying." According t,. Dr. Bulkofl!i no fewer than eighteen , infants were thus done away with during the week of his visit/ the cases being officially cidents."

If the preset directorate 0/ the glewool? I r U ' ry Com " an - v »t '«- fcowoodhas clone nothing- else worthy of note it has undoubtedly earn«notoriety by dismiwh,* its man a - Kir to whom it l ms sinco given a ta jmonin! which if hi thl aJlyth 'f IB ' shouid B«ve him the K?„ PoS ', tlon m thc Sol ' vic «- Hawl"nta S i' , .° nC ' Sl - st ™»htl'orward, •■;°*>, industrious, clever, and cap"le of dom-g his work l.horoughlv I" lie during- [,ve years' service as -•ivuinory manager, butter-maker and then a» gewral manager. As- u proof <>f the terms of the testimonial the recipient of this and "the .-nek" took first honours against all" New Zealand i n the huttei- class at the nlmerston Winter Show, and wmi third at tin* Otago Winter Show Since then Mr McDonald has received ,?,','," I l ''!'- (lovo, ' ,imt '- nt - (fader a reP» tstatniKlthat in the season 1901- - the M„tt Factory („f which he was manager) shipped 82-10 boxes of hul- *'"''• "' "■" average grade ~f <),) 04 Points. The next year <j;!27 boxes were shipped, averaging 92.U5. of Ih.s quantity 7f>6« boxi-s were grades at beUven 111) and iM . puinlS| HilOat M* and over. In the reasonjust closed tile factory shipped !0,04.i boxes of butter, scoring „n average of SW.oS. The number of boxes earning over 04} p cl - cent, of points was a:«r>, a nd Hroso KCl)ri . n ,, lrom 90 to 01 numbered 7193 In 1001-Li the factory stood lirstonthe grading list of Tnmimlii factories 111 Hie two succeeding years if occupied third place, being beaten last season liy MaMnwn and Hell Hlock lactones, both of which ran without the disadvantage of having to convey cream from creameries, whilst the. Mou drew its supplies from four creameries besides the main factory. Knowing- these, figures m a ny of the shareholders in the Inglewood concern are endeavouring to ascertain the reason for the popular manager's dismissal, but s 0 ,far these have not been divulged.

The Nelson Harbour i'oard proposes lo employ a resident civil engineer to supervise its various works. A well-attended, public mooting at Palmerston North last nighf placed on record its objections to the Shops and Ollicea Hill, and decided that the Premier be udvised that it would be preferable lo make no alteration in I the existing act. The appearance of the Vi'hilohouso lliowope and Star Ailist Company at the Tlivutre lioyal last evening was welcomed by only a small audience, tluHitth the show, as a whole, was a good variety one. Scenes shown by means of the 'bioscope were of considerable merit, notably " A Hide Through the Alps," and a seascape. The picture most appreciated on the programme was "The Vision of Art." Selections on the phonograph, and items by Mr Fitzpatriek, a versatile performer, completed the programme. The company appears at Inglewootl to-night,

The representative of the Dr. Lanigston Institute lias- now taken up his quarters H t the White Hart. Hotel, where lie may be consulted on all matU-rs pertaining to rupture and alliid complaints. The Institute has been established for many years, and by means of correspondence with alllicted persons has very successfully treated hundreds of cases in this colony. Not the least pleasing feature of the present visit is tho number of cured people who 'gladly call to make the acquaintance of the representative of the Institute which has conferred on them such lasting bonefits. The specialist will remain in New Plymouth until Monday next and may be consulted daily at the White Hart Hotel. The business done during the tour has far exceeded the most sanguine expectations, the great reputation of the firm havn_r apparently preceded it. Taranaki Ouarda notify parade at 7.30 to-night.*

How a moderate capitalist misses becoming a millionire.—ln reviewing the rise of property in New Plymouth during tho deniod 1890 to 1.904 it was possible for a £IO,OOO capitalist to be on a lair road of becoming a millionaire, and it causes much study to-day before anyone can be in a position to s«y that the opportunity has now gone by ; when we come to consider that the whole of (he freehold in the borough of New I'lymouth contains only about 34.7 acres—lo4 acres central ward, 89 acres western ward, 159 acres eastern ward—one-fourth of tho total area of which could huve been purchased for about £17,000 unimprovvalue within the period mentioned, which has increased to a present saleable unimproved value of about £222,000. Many residents remember a lew years ago sections in Hinc-st. were looking for buyers at £ls a section. Are there any sellers at £250 a section to-day ? We have no local'industries that the cause of this rise in value can be attributed to. It is practically the prosperity oi Taranaki which the syndicate known as the Crown Dairy Company was the means of starting. There are no enterprising capitalists in New Plymouth up to the present. It cannot be long before capitalists will turn their attention to what is the greatest colony in tho world. Labour will follow capital. Tho population will increase, and when wo consider that tire total urea of our borough could bo held by about 800 persons with a littlo over an acre each, and rising in value us it has done with a population of 6000, what will be the valne when the population reaches 20,000, with large industries ? Property values in New Plymouth aro "cast iion ; " depression can never affect them. Depression should cause unity, and with unity we can drive, Taranaki to prosperity. It is estimated that the firzt direct steamer would cause aa increase in value of Taranaki property of £500,000. Person, ally wo should say now is the time to acquire freehold, if only on a small scale. Callaghan and Co. can oiler opportunities of securing homes with small deposit, and in situations that tho capitalists will want shortly. Again, in 10U8, what will be the value of sections in the Vealo Estate at the expiration of the harbour loan.*

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. " Marriage of Kitty."— At tthe Theatre ltoyal on Monday next. IT. M. Hauchope.—Has admitted E. P. Webster as a partner in his business, the firm trading in future under the style of Hauchope and Webster. Newton King.—Sate 0 f trees on account of 1). Hay and Son. Williamson Opera 00.-Curtain rises at 8.30 p.m. 0 n Monday. Land Transfer Office—Notice of application, section I,''block 52, town of Waitarn West.