LOCAL ANO GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8003, 14 December 1905, Page 2

LOCAL ANO GENERAL.

The potato blight is phi,'tig havoc wiili crops at Awatuna. The Opiinnkc Town Board is making some necessary improvements to the Town Hall.

The 11th day of December is tin last day on which the land tax can hi received without 10 per cent penalty. We acknowledge receipt of complimentary tickets to theTaranaki Jockey Club's summer meeting and New Zealand Axemen's championship carnival. It is f-cely rumoi ed in Wellington that Mr Aitken intends to resign his seat in Parliament with the object of allowing Mr T. E. Taylor to contest the vacauey.

The Oaonui sports ground has been ploughed, levelled, sown and rolled, and the " Opnnake Times" correspondent states that by March next the g.'ouud will be equal to any on the coast.

Entries for the Huatok : Plate, First Sc, Ty, and Second Sci Ty, and acceptances for the, (' st day's handicaps of the Taranaki Jockey Club's Xmas Meetiug, close on Friday loth, at U p.m.

In connection with the competition of the Amatev Boxing Association of New Plymouth, which was to have taken place to-night (Thursday), it has been decided, owing to the permit having been delayed, to postpone the affair till the last week in January. The Awatuna correspondent of the

" Opunakc Times " states that Messrs Parkes and X. C. limes arc announced us candidates for the Hawcra seat in lilflS, the former in the interests of Prohibition and the latter as a new Liberal. Who will be the next?

Wednesday was the last day on which school committees could excrjcise their votes in the Taranaki Education Board election. Fifteen days must elapse before the voting-papers are opened.

That schoolmaster whose inmost soul was stii™ed at the thought of having h'3 honeymoon curtailod by the rearrangement of the Christinas holidays in the schools may now sleep the beauty sleep of the just. The school committee, pleading "exceptional circumstances," has intervened on his behalf and the school will not be closed ouihe 15th inst., the children boing dismissed on the 22nd, a week later than those attending Mlier j chco.'s J v

A foati'-o of the Aquatic Sports this afternoon will be an exhibition of fancy diving by Mr W. Smits. Mr D. Penman, manager of the Now j Plymouth depot of the Westport Coal Company, forwards a handy wall calendar for 1906.

Tho Canterlrry A. & P. Association has accepted the proposals of the Exhibition Committee relative to a four days' Show di-mg tho Exhibition.

The Star Football Club has donated £5 towards tho cost of making a good sports ground in the Recreation Grounds.

On a foggy morning recently in London, a policeman was seized from behind and ti 'ned round three times. He was then completely lost, of course, and unablo to direct anybody. Brutal joke.

An English firm cabled £ SOO to its attorney (a solioitor) in Johannesburg. Tho solicitor's bill was a marvel: "To de-coding cable (3 words), 7s 6d; one fair co;>y, ss; attending bank to draw same, 6s Bd." The bank was in tho same building! The TaranaK Jockey Club has appointed Mr W. L. Fitzherbert as its representative on the committee formed to improve tho Recreation Ground sports enclosi 'e. A collection will be taken up on tho racecor-se at the Christmas meeting. At a meeting of the committee last night votes of thanks were passed to firms who had made and offered donations in aid of tho improvements to the Recreation Ground, and it was decided to o,* i subscription lists in tho Piess. An officer will be in attendance at the Telegraph Office at 9 a.m. on Simday morning next, to receive the result of tho New Zealand and Wales football match. The result is expected about 9 a.in,

Two young men, H. Frewin and A. Hargreaves, had a narrow escape from drowning at Motr-oa yesterday afternoon. A boat they Were in capsized through striking a rock. They got a footiag on a rock, and afterwards were rescued from their uncomfortable position.

A very attractive and popular entertainment is to be given in St. Mr.ry's Schoolroom this evening by the pupils of Me. irs B. and F. Cornwall whoso musical ability'is so well known ; n the district. There will be items on the piano, violins, mando'ms, gii'tars, etc., the programme being of a varied and interesting character. Admission is by silver coin,'so that a very large attendance should be registered. The Oamaru correspondent of the "Christchurch Tress" says the crops arc' improving wonderfully with tho beautiful weather, and seemingly the hi", vest will not be so late as was expected. Root crops aro making a good start. Turnip hoeing is general in the district, and rape, too, is looking well.

On Tuesday evening the Star Football Cub (Mr Dockri" presiding) decided to hold a sports meeting in February or March next, Mr E. ■Gilmourwas elected secretary to the following committee: Messrs. A. George, J. Wav.E. Crocker. H. Stockcr! J. Elliott, D. I'emvarden, F. Richards, T. L. Brown, F. T. Bel'-inger, G, Griffiths, J. Saddler, H. Ford, McKr••, W. Cathro, A. Penwarden, A. Setfo t, Alii- 1, W. Saddler, and Pei ce.

It is announced that Wales can now put eight h'-st-class forwards into the field, who will not be outweighed even bythe'New Zealand pack. The following nine forwards are as clever and speedy as they are heavy:—D. Jones (lost 71b), Harry Jones (14st 81b), W. Joseph (13st 101b), W. Ncill (13st 41b), J. Brown (1:1st 41b), J. J. Hodges (13st 21b), J. P. Williams (13st 21b), Dick Thomas (1:1st), C. M. Prilehard (12st lOlb), aud A. P. Harding (list 101b). 'Die ground of the Cardiff Club, on which, the New Zcalanders will meet Wales on December 1(5, has accommodation for 40,000 spectators. Tho Welsh Rugby Union are giviug the visitors half the "gate," with it minimum guarantee of £SOO, so that their coffers will probably be replenished to the extent of £ISOO. Wales will have to find substitutes for their two wing three-quarters of last season, as E. T. Morgan and W. M. Llewellyn have both definitely reared from active participation in the game. SYKES' DEENCH. a well.known vets, opinion. G. J. Dkm.ar-Edex, Esq., Waitusi Wot (Late A r et, Silicon Royal Army, Yet. Dept.) writes : MrSykes Bopr Sir, — During my practice as a Yet. I have earo'ully tested yor- DRENCH, and am pleased to state that it has far exceeded my expectation. For inflammatory aud feverish disorders amongst stock its action is wonderful, and moreover, is absolutely reliable.