NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 260, 7 November 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

It is proposed to hold an industrial exhibition «l Hokitiika at Christmas, I!' 0"- extending into the New Year.

Owing to the state of the Mok.au bar, the railway employees' picnic arranged for yesterday, was postponed till Sunday. November 2(lth.

Arrangements are under way to hold a temperance convention at Ho-k-itika next February. The colonial leiide.s of the movement are expected to be present.

For the convenience of passenger? by the steamers, for Onebunga Mr M. Jones will despatch a 'bus iron town eiier.v evening at 7.HU, commencing from to-day. The Wanganui- Agricultural Association has extended the time for closing entries till Tuesday next. Largi entries have already been received, anil the show |)ri)mises to be mosl successful.

A young man named William McLeod wa» charged at Vv'anganui ou Saturday with attempting suicide, and was remanded for a week. Accused was .discharged from the hospital a few days ago, and had been dr inking.

Thirteen bands have entered for the North Island Brass Band Association competitions to be held at Auckland in February. Solo entries have been received from the Palmerston North Band, which is not otherwise competing. "I was told the other day that a corpse was carried a long distanco in a .butter van, which was used for the carriage of butter the following day," declared 1 a speaker at the meeting of the Farmer's Executive at Christchurch the other day.

The Bruce Herald says Hansard serves many useful purposes. As a certain cure for insomnia it is infallible ; as a record of what members say it is fallible ; but as a recorder of w-Jiat members want their conIstituon'ts to believe they say its infallibility is beyond reproach ! Edward Percy Hayes, a prisoner undergoing a sentence of eighteen months for forgery, slipped away from a gang! of prisoners at Wellington on Friday. He enjoyed a fenhours' liberty before being recaptured next morning. Three months was added to hie sentence for tke escapade.

\\ hen the workmen engaged in laying the water mains in Courtenaystreot went to work on Saturday morning 'they wore surprisaJ to find a horse in the open, trench. The animal had evidently been grazing out on "the long acre," and by some mischance had wandered into a ipot in which turning room wan at a premium. Some difficulty was experienced in backing him out.

Fresh developments are expected in the Kernan case at any time. Rumours have been freely circulated in Duntdin during the past few days in regard to a missing will. A summons has been issued by a wellknown firm of solicitors against a certain party for recovery of " a chattel, to wit, a will," and claiming £lO damagesi for wrongful detention of the same. Some interesting revelations are expected- whin the case cornea before the court.

The Timaru Herald says a leading light of the Timaru Borough Council had an alarming adventure with quicklime during tile recent storm. A quantity of this dangerous material was stored in a shed at the rear of his premises, ami, owing to the )jcrcolution of the ruin through the doj fectivo building, the lime began t™ I slake, charring some adjoining wood. r l he councillor rushed in with a br.ckct of water to extinguish the | smoking mass, but was horrified to liml that he only made matters worse. He thereupon set oft posit hustc for the contractor who owned the lime to deal with the mysterious material, and a couple of men were put on to shovel it out of the shed.

Saturday being Guy Fawke's Day, the juveniles as usual were to the fore with thieir crackers and fireworks, while in some instances bonfires were lighted, though not to the same extent as in previous years. The nuisance was no doubt abated by the action iof the police in administering a severe caution, coupled with an overt threat, to some of the most flagrant offenders. In one instance serious consequences were threatened, A pnssor-<by in Courten-ay-slrcvt notced flames arising from the back of one of the business premises, and on examination found that some young urchins had fixed a rocket on to the walls of an outhouse, which was ignitvxl, though the lire was extinguished by the application of a bucket or two of water.

There was a good attendance at the Theatre Royul last night when Mr J. M. Wilson, the Socialist orator, delivered ill's address on "Britain's Might, Russia's Plight, and the Cause of Right." The lecturer was listened t 0 with the closest attention throughout. According to htm BiUain's might was the outcome of her possessing the idea of freedom, while the plight of Russia was attributable to her possessing no fixed idea. The speaker said Britain's might was 1 on the wane because of the present) day tendency to divide the idea of freedom into sections, such as religious freedom, industrial freedom, and polli'ticn! fuvdoin. The cause of right was that the (Joldou Rule should be followed, (because every man was but a member of a common humanity.

Mr E. P. Webster, who visited the Palmerston North show in the interests of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, states that he met with gratifying success in obtaining entries of horses, pigs, implements and colonial manufactures. Cattle owners, however, were backwaixi in entering on account of the disabilities of transit. Arrangements were made With various judges, all of whom have accepted the positions assigned them. As great care has been exercised in their selection, satisfaction on this' score should lie assured. Mr Webster, with Mr Arthur ClilV, who was also present, availed himself fully of the opportunity afforded him of gaining nn insight into the manner in which this highly successful show is conducted, and no doubt the fruits of his observations will be made manifest at the forthcoming local fixture.

Th« America,, correspondent of an Australian paper says : Every few weeks a new great warship is launched, and lor the first tiino in many years, month by month, the accounts of the Government show a deficit. For July and August there was a deficit of 24,000,000 dollars—--10,000,000 dollars of which was caused by an 'increase in expenditure. No doubt, before the fiscal yew ends on the last day or June, ' the Treasury will have recouped its present groat losses, but there will not be this year a reduction in the national dt'ift, beyond the usual covering-) n of the amount s<t aside ns'a sinking fund. Most of the difference arises from a decrease tin, customs dues, the imports of luxuries having shrunk enormously. There has also been a groat decrease in internal revenue receipts—which means, in plain English, in the consumption of beer and whisky. The wonder is, however, that the decrease in these dull times in revenue has been so small, taking; into account how large a part of it is cleiKindent upon the taxes upon luxuries. The federal revenue is, at the lust analysis., of the (airiest conceivable description—that is, in peace times, altibough, no doubt when necessary Congress would, as In the civil war, constitutionally or otherwise, call forth any needed further supplies. The American to-day is taxed federally only .one-third as much as the Englishman ; .and locally, the New Yorker and tho Londoner pay about tho same, and'for what they pay it is a matter of opinion : which of the two gets the 'greater value. There are fewer policemen here, for policemen K<?t £2BO a yoan, i but it is not unfair to add that they j try to earn their pay, and to bo, in I bearing'and conduct, the "finest force in the world," But police are not ]

' The. prohibition! of persons addicted to ill-ink, u» fur u» Levin is concerned, is a total failure. Only one or two out of tin.- number who hav« had prohi'Mlion orders against thorn show any desire to abstain, anil they obtain drink not in mips lm,t in bottles. —Fanner.

A policeman's bilk'u in Shanghai is no sinecure judging from the .weekly returns furnished by the police to the Municipal Council. For the week ending- Aug. 5 there were 240 cases of breach of municipal by-laws, ;V2G of committing nuisances, 575 apprehensions of hawkers, beggars, etc., '23 of assault, and 7 dead bodies of Chinese were found in the street.

A small but very rich piece of ijuarlz studded with gold was- turned up ut the Uoukler Hank by the Harbour Hoard dredge, says the Nelson .Mail. Tlw specimen would probaihly a.i»ay 10 o z to the ton. An expert, whim shown the stone, proclaimed that it was very like Uuiler sitone, and that its presence was ]ie>'hapsi explained by the theory that the Duller once emptied into the sea near Nelson.

Mr S. F. Edge (England), one of th» be«t known motorists throughout the world, and the leading man in tilts direction in England, has decided to retire from motor racing. This regrettable step -has been taken owing to the unpleasantness causod by the selection of (ireat Britain's team for the Gordon-Honnett race, held-last July, and -by the recent disqualification of Mr Edge's motor boat after winning the British international boat race. It is not generally known that Mr Edge is a native of Sydney. Reports from Mangaia, in the Cook (■roup, state that there is much friction between a section of the natives and the Mayor, and Mr Large, European Magistrate and Agent. 'The authority of the latter is disputed. The foremost affected natives are Daniel and Meringitongo, the former of whom claims to be King of Mangaia, and the latter Judge of the island, though removed from that oflico on the arrival of Mr Large four months ago. Colonel Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner, has been apl»aled to to deal with the offenders. In reference to the representa'fcion of the varioUß contributing bodies on the Tarantfki Hospital Board, Mr C. M, Lepper, on the advice of the chairmaji (Mr R. Cock,) telegraphed to the Inspector of Hospitals, asking If, in view of the fact that the Stratford district would not be sending! representatives-, the Tananaki county and New Plymouth -borough could nominate two members each, and the remaining districts one each, instead of as ait present apportioned. A reply in tifie negative has lwen received, and in consequence the future board will consist of seven members instead of nine as hitherto.

On Saturday the S.M. delivered his decision in the case Ganiibliii v. Thomas Ifaisall and his wife Annie llalsull, claim £ll 17s 4d, balance due on a Pn. for £22. The evidence was heard on Friday. Judgment was. given for pln»tin' for the amount claimed against Thomas Halsall and the separate estate of Mrs Halsall. Mr Weston (Weston and Weston), who appeared for the defendants, asked for two months in whi<|h to pay the amount, but Mr Malone (Malone, McVeagh and Anderson) for plaintiff, objected, and asked for immediate execution. An order was. mode staying execution for one month, costs -£3 9s, being) allowed.

The Distract Health Officer has brought the following cise under ihe notice of the Dunedin "tar. as illustrative of the manner in which infectious diseases are spread :—A child was ill with scarlet fever about six weeks ago, and while still in what is known aathe peeling stage was allowed to play with Some curds with a neighbour's child. The piuymate took some of the cards home, giving them to his sister. The sister was taken ill four days afterwards with the fever. Four days is the usual period the disease bakes to develop after infection has been conveyed by contact. Next, the second cliild was found on the street by my 'inspector, with its mother, who had taken her out to accompany her while shopping, and tho peeling was evident in the hands. These are oases, doubtless among many ot which wo are unaware, of gross carelessness, and the public should be aware by this time of the danger to which they are exposing their children. Tho Public Health Act laysi it down that "every person who, whiilst to bis own knowledge suffering from any infectious disease, wilfully exposes 1 ihimself in any shop, inn', public place, or public vehicle, without proper precautions agsuinst the spread of itjfect'ion, or whilst in charge of any person sull'ering as aforesaid, allows him to do anything in breach of tjie last section, shall be liable to a jxnalty not exceeding £lO for each offence."

An old man named Herring, who li\ed with his married daughter, Mrs Moss, over a. tobacconist's shop in Hackney (London), has had a thrilling experience. He was a bod-rid-den paralytic, scarcely able to speak, and believed to be at thfe point of death. The same evening he had found his tongue, and hid doctor, without committing himself to an over-hopeful view, believes that he is good for some more years of life. Mr Herring is still too unwell to tell the story In his own words, but as related by hfcs soti-in-kvw (Mr Moss) it amounts to this : that the old man's speech Ivus Mien lestorcd as the result of alarm from a file which broke out in his 'bedroom. He was lying on a bed only a yard from the lire, which was caused by the upsetting of a lump- Unable to move from his bed or to raise an atom, Mr Herring endured agonisingi suspense while lie lay and helplessly watched the spread of the fire. Happily two men- passing the shop noticed that the window curtains on the first (loos were burning, and warned Mr Moss, who rushed upstairs and succeeded in smothering the flame*. It was at first feared that olid Mr Herring would have been seriously affected, but to the amazement of everyone ho had recovered. his speech, and was aide to converse quite rationally. It mny lie iiemomibcred that some time ago an actor, who lived in St. Martin's Lane, and on account of paralysis, had to use crutches, bad the use of his limbs restored under somewhat similar circumstances.

Engagement rings, wedding rings, gold bands, and spectacles to suit all sights at .J. H. Parker's, next Railway crossing, Devon Street Con tral, New Plymouth.* Parcels and packages from all centres in New Zealand to Now Plymouth or vice/ versa at iixed through rates.—Tho Now Zoaland Express , Company, Ltd, 1