NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 272, 21 November 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Sergeant lladdrell was kept busy on Saturday explaining the provisions of the Shops and Olliccs Bill affecting local tradesmen. A contract hus been let at Unworn for the erection of a life-size statue of the late Air A. A. Kan-t-lvam, tiiie well-known aucfio'ieer and stud muster. At Wanganui on Saturelay a man naimd Donald w-as sentenced to a month's imprisonment for playing an unlawful game called " Holly l'olly " on tho showguvmnils. An elderly lady was overheard to ask one of the deck hands on the Tainui on Sunday if there was iriiy fear of any danger. '• Well, madam. there isi plenty of (ear, but no damger," was the reply, delivered in true nautical style.

The Kiymont A. and 1\ show entries are very satisfactory, there being u/Uout 900 in live .stock ulone. Considerable improvements have been made to the show grounds ; S8 cattle stalls -and 44 loose boxes furnish ample accommodation for :,tock.

Tlie takings at, the second day of the Wanganui agricultural show wea> considerably in excess of the previous year. The attendance is estimated at 10.000. A feature was a grand iwade of stock, which was over a loi'le long, -and the congrejudges say there was- nothing liner s-een in the colony.

The Wanganui ollice of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received Ihe following cable from the London ollice, dated loth inst. "Wool —We think a rise oi -about five per cent is likely to take place in the tollowiiLg descriptions of wool : Better descriptions 0 f merino and fine crossbred ; and a rise of about live lo fen |>er cent, in medium and' coarse cross-bred."

11k Sew Zealand Axemen's Association has decided lo extend (lie tunc for receiving entries for Ihe A.\em<a»» Cup, underhand, and. Visitors' Handicap, till the 2fitli inst. The handicaps for these events will be declared on t!ie 3rd -December, after the result of the Tasnianian cti'ui%al is Wn. Word has been rethe Flf, d,a,u P ion will visit the. ElUuim Carnival to compete. With reference to the potato disease in the Auckland district, Mr alt < * ver { lm ® ni ' Biologist, states ' h v a "r ot . the spwi'iiens received, Y U d<? P ar tm«it from Auckland ■show any traces of "potato rot " y showed traces of another disease known as "potato lilight,", nlutft j« prevalent in America and ! Austinlia. The disease is not so dangerous to crops as the "rot/' tflouflih It is very serious. Mr Kirk is unable to say whether "rot " may not be prevalent in Auckland, bui he leaves' for that idistrict to-day to investigate.

At Mie Victorian Hifle Association meeting Gunner Triggs won the King's Prize, with a score of 809.

Attention drawn to our advertising columns wherein will ho seen that tempting luxuries (or the public are ofTeiHXl by C. Curler, The People's fjli'ocer.

A good opportunity is ofi'ered for ihc aeii'iiisition of a complete sawni'illiiij? plain. with extensive timber lights, near Uaiioln. Tlie mill is fully equipped, aiKl has a considerable output. Particulars will be supplied by Mr H. A. .Mills, Rnhotu.

The 'approach of the Christmas season is made evident at Mr 0. Carter's (the People's Grocer), where one of Ihe linest displays of novelties and specialties in Christmas fare is now Lo lie seen. A visit should convince householders of the excellence of the goods to be obtained there*

One of the attractions of Saturday night was the admirable orclu'Stra which rendered selections in Mr 1). Mckinnon Main's music shop, Devon Street. A large crowd gathered to enjoy the music, which was the subject of much favourable comment. It is Mr Uain's intention to have weekly performances in future. Owing to heavy rain on Friday nigfot anid a warm wind melting tne snow on the ranges, rivers around Master ton were in high flood on Saturday. In many places the roads were under water, and large troxrUs of country have been flooded. lhe ilood is reckoned to toave l*>en the highest for twenty years, and it is feared there will be loss 1 of sitock m the low country.

The entries for the Taranaki Agricultural Society's show, to be helil on Thureday, December Ist, closed onl Saturday. Though the numbers of entries we not yet available, it is unidersitood they will be more than double those of last year, constituting a record l'or Idle society. Cattle, horses, ami sheep show tte greatest increase. Pure brod cattle participate in the advance. The Dexter Kerry cattle should prove »ni attraction to settlers. Both classes oi jumping, have filled cKeedwgly well, in fact as far as number is concerned tlie success of the function is already assured, though tlie country agents' returns have yet to come in. Some interesting evidence as to the pro/its of country hoarding-houses was given in the Nihotupu compensation case on Thursday, sajs the N.Z. Herald. The husband of tlie claimant stated that hoarders in tlie accommodation house were charged 30s pe,' week. There was, he said, practical-, I}' no expense on account of milk, butter anil firewood, anid he considered that there was a profit of 75 or 80 per cent, cm, boarders. Mr Cotter (tho cross-examining'counsel) pointed out that 75 per cent, prolit left only 7s (id a week as the cost oil' the keep of each boarder. The witness repeated that that would be about the figure. Mr J. Doll„rd, in his evidence, said he had estimated the profit at 18s a week, or eipial to GO per cent, of tilie sum charg«l.

Those residents of Auckland, remurks the Jlertild, who live in daily dread of visits from tlie burglars who are always more or less in evidence, will surely envy the delightful immunity from such attentions which woukl appear to be enjoyed by the dj.9iia.us oi' the peaceful glades of lN'lhotupu. ]n this! sylvan retreat, to whioh neither the enterprise no/' lear of Bill Sykes seems to have yet penetrated, tho locking up 0 I money, ai\ cording to a statement made in the Compensation Court, is tpii'te an unnecessary precaution. A witness, on wing' i((|iiet)tioned as to his "safe," said that it was merely a tin box, about 181n by I2in. "Is that all you haul for keeping £3OO or £'loo in ?" asked Cotter. "Yes, it is quite sullicient o ut there," was the reply. "In fact, it would be <piite sal'o to leave your money on the mantelpiece"

One of tile excursionists on Sunday was an ex-yachisnian, who for some weeks past luul been tormenting the members of his party with lively anticipations of the discomforts they would sutter when on the way to Mokau, he, of course, us 'an owl s>ea-dog, was above such -weak'nt'S'.,. However, shortly after leaving the breakwater, he told the ladies ho would take a walk round the djek. Time passed, and the' walker had'not returned, und one of 1 tilt? few of his- friends who were not i s'ick, growing suspicious, went in, search of him. Careful examination i of the recumbent tonus failed to dis-, co'-t-'i* his whereabouts, until as a sort of a forlorn hope the searcher went right iAto. the bows of the vessel/ uh.-re the "s'md sea-dog" was discovered with his head in the hawsepipe, stulTering violent attacks of mal de men. " Hullo, oh' chap, what's the mutter," was tho anxious inpfliiry, the pitiful reply being " J don't feel too well." Now the word Alokau to t-liat yachtsman is a& a rod rag to a bull. Some idea of the bo verity of Argentina competition with Australian producLs may be gathered from the following remarks by Mr P. C. Smith, who is at present- visiting the. Commonwealth "'.Vou can tell them, in Australia and New Zealand that they -do not realise how strong the 1 Argentina isi «s" a competitor against your two countries over here. Argentina will cut out these two places make no mistake. Fur one thing", we have only half the number of your legislators (for tho same population; and, agiain, we pay from a-thiird to a-lifth less for our land than you value yourri at, and are just, half the distance you are from the European market. And another imimrtanl thing, we have no trouble over our labour. It is cheap ; just half the price it is here. Such things as strikes, except in the city of Buenos Ayres, are unknown. On tho JtJstan-i cia everything goea on peacefully, i Me have no white labour at »all; na-, tive labour if) cheaper and better. We work in the siummer from four in the morning until eight at night, and there is never a word 0 f TJw men seem to be perfectly contented on £2 10s a month." Some time ago (writes the London correspondent of the N.Z. Herald) 1 informed you, on the -authority of a very eminent New Zealand doctor, who learned tltu facts from dome of the leading London lights of the medical profession, that several oases of cancer had been unmistakably inducted through the u.se of X-rays for curative purposes, 'and that more than one medical practitioner had contracted the fearful disease as a result of the impinging 0 i the X-rays upon his skin. I do not of course say that the X-rays themselves cause the cancer ; a 0 doubt the cancerous tendency may have nJroatly existed in the case of those who were thus affected. But what did seem t*> be most conclusively proved was that the XrayH. while able to apparently cure external cancer, possessed also the power of exciting a latent tendency into active nnd even fatal operation. I mention this matter now because two more cases have just occurred, | one in this country and one abroad, in each of which the pracHUioner uli Innately succumlxed to cancer thus I evolved, and in t lip fove.ign instance death took place after several ye a rs of intense I tiiinto this ought to be known in New Zseuland, where cancer j>: so lamentably prevalent, in order that extreme caution may be exercised, alike in the adoption of this formidable remedy and sitill more in the methods and details of its actual application. Star-Bowkett Societies can neither 1 receive money aw deposits nor borrow in any way. Their Rules expressly state that they will not avail themselves of the borrowing powers permitted under the Building Societies Act. It will, therefore, readily be seen that this is a great source o( strength, as such a society can have absolutely no creditors outside its own members, and with theso it has a definite contract as to the co»ditisn of their membership It will thus be apparent that in time of financial ©tress such a society occupies a very strong position. The Equitable Building Society of New Plymonth, whicji jfl worked under this system, iq now issuing a second group dt shares. The list ie open at the Society's office, Cprrle Street. «

Italy Is concluding an arbitration treaty with the United States.

Mr Alfred lieit Wemher has endowed a Professorship of Colonial History at Oxford. The A.B.C. Boot and Shoe Co., Devon Street, lias im announcement in tiiis issue of interest to ladies and gentlemen.

In two days- the Mayor ol Hannevirloe, i'astor I ties, collected £»-'> lowaixto tlie extra XluUO required for- a now hospital.

There is an outbreak of typhoid fever at Kapon'ga. Two deaths occurred during the month, and another patient is critically ill. The Czar granted an audience to Admiral Prince Alexietf for live hours on Tuesday. Prince AlexiclV will be appointed a member of the Council of the Kmpire.

In Otago, as elsewhere, the weather continues c.lnuigteaible, with fieand severe »pells of cold. There isi no substance in the grass-, and crops are backward.

Unfeeling critics are dilflting on the difference in the demeanour shown by the railway excursionists in going and coming l from the breakwater yesterday morning.

A girl named .Jones, eight years of age, is missing! on tine liu lload, Klthani. She went to gather some wood on Friday j'whiio her parents were milking, and Im.s - not .since been heard of. ' A large search party scoured the bush all night, with no success.

The safe carriage ol presents and Christmas gifts to friends in the Old Country is undertaken by the New Zealand Express Company, Ltd. I tegular fortnightly shipments. Delivery to address. 7 —" *• ■ ■ ' - NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. H. A. Mills.—Sawmill plant and business for sale. C. Carter. —Special announcement of Christmas goods. A.B.C.—Notice to ladies and gentlemen. Suratura sTea.—How it pleases fastidious tastes, i, .1. T. Whit©.—Wants e®js and now potatoes.