LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8020, 5 January 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The 'Frisco mail arrives by the Eotoiti this morning. The turbine steamer Maheno's first Vancouver trip will be in April, and already applications for berthing are numerous. The Virginian Commissioner of Agriculture offers the Lord Mayor to settle 3(I,()()D London poor on Virginian farms. The Melbourne-Xaplcs mail of 22nd November arrived in London on the afternoon of 21th December. The Melbournc-Brindisi despatch of 29th November arrived in London on 29th December. Admiral Itozhdcstveusky, in a letter to the Xovoe Vrcmya, declares that the British fleet was concentrated at Wei-hai-wci on the eve of the battle of Tsushima, expecting to receive orders to annihilate the Russian fleet if Togo failed. Police records in Ashburton show that in 1905 there were 22 cases of sly grog-selling, convictions being obtained in 15. There were 35 convictions for drunkenness, as against. 19 in 1901, whils charge* of theft rose from 13 to 19.

Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.K., informs us that during the past week he has received most satisfactory cable interligenec from Mr Witheford, who is in London in connection with the scheme for the development of the ironsaud industry. Definite information of success is hourly expected. The > T ew Plymouth Borough Engineer, Mr E. Harvey-Gibbon, reported to the Works Cominitt.ee on Thursday night that good progress is now being with the Brush Company's electric lighting contract. The draft tubes for the turbines arc now being fixed, and the machinery for the power-house is Hearing completion. The work at the distributing station will shortly be completed, ami a gang is also at 'work wiring for the street lighting. Another fortnight should see the work iiearlv completed. The l'atea Press understands that a bank of sand which hns formed at the mouth of the l'atea river during the past fortnight was largely respon- 1 sible for the stranding of the Tvapition Sunday morning. The pilot's roport. read at the Harbor Board's meeting on Tuesday, states that the entrance is nearly blocked up caused by a sand spit running out from I lie end of the western wall right across in line with the eastern wall, leaving a channel about 30 feet wide, which can only tie navigated in very line weather. The Board will hold a special meeting on' Friday in connection with the mishap. Captain Cox, of the Kapiti, which is ashore at l'atea, had the misfortune to have his right ankle broken through a mishap to the hauling gear while directing operations on hoard the vessel on Tuesday. He was removed |o the l'atea. Hospital. This week Mr E. Van Delden, of the Arcadia Cigar .store, is holding a big sale of New Year Gifts. Prices are such that, business is assured. To every customer Mr Van Dclden extends heartiest good wishes for the New Year, and includes all readers in extending here the compliments of the season. The reading room, writing room and store are open from 7 a.m. till 10 p.m. to all who like a quiet road, smoke or chat. Call in some time this week at the Arcadia: there's a welcome for yon —and the tobacco you like.—Advt.

I The passengers from North by the Rotoiti arrived in town about 1.15 a.m. to-day aud as there was a large number it was some time before they could all get accommodation. Needless to say tlicrc was a good deal of grumbling. The Rotoiti was expected to sail for South about 5 a.m. Messrs Bewley and Griffiths will sell at their New Plymouth mart at. eleven o'clock this moruing a consignment of ripe peaches, bananas, apricots, aud plums, all fresh gathered. The Ckristchurok Tramway Board has agreed to extend the tram line to the Exhibition; the fare to be 2d from the railway station, the Commissioners to receive id royalty. The business-like person, who always keeps his appointments, keeps ti diary. Diaries arc very often worth their weight in gold, yet Mr T. Avery, the well-known New Plymouth bookseller, Offers thorn at prices from 1/3 to 5/-. Turn to his advertisement elsewhere. The total receipts at St. Joseph's Fete and Bazaar were about £550, including £IOO for art unions. Expenses should not amount to more than £IOO, leaving a substantial credit balance, and showing New Plymouth is not so short of cash as the " crokers" would like us to believe. It if satisfactory to note that the septic tank in connection with the New Plymouth drainage system is working satisfactorily. When Mr Mes layer was last in town he examined the tank, and expressed himself thoroughly satisfied with the result. The borough engineer states that the whole place is absolutely free from the slightest suspicion of noxious odours. In connection with the street, improvement scheme at New Plymouth, the engineer is gradually having the footpaths pulled out to their proper width in the streets where the electric light poles have b.eeu erected. Besides improving the appearance of the streets, the risk of accident through the poles being in tile water channels or on the footpaths is reduced to a minimum. The peaceful security and industry , of the prison gang at Western Park were rudely disturbed yesterday, when two of the prisoners, named Collins and McCluskor, engaged for a brief round in a violent fistic encounter to their mutual disfigurement. Collins is serving a sentence of three and McCluskcr of five years, both terms having almost expired. In consequence of their little difference, their.approaching liberation has been somewhat delayed. - Mr OoWrcich; aSvell-kiiown broker of Johannesburg' and. London, who is Visiting the colony under medical ad-vicvwjis'iiT'New-Plymouth on Thursday, going on to Auckland by the Takapuna at "night. Mr Goldreieh, who is combining business with hc'alUw recruitilig, is interesting himself in the ironsanil industry, and had ail hitor , view .with Mr E. M. i&iith. M.H.ji., on. the matter:' f In consequence of the forward-condition of London negotiations at present being conducted by I Mr Witlieford, the matter was only discussed in an informal way.

Among the multifarious duties altaching to the New .Plymouth Borough Inspector is that of protecting pedestrians on the footpaths: from contact with the by-law-breaking cycle riders. The one groat regret of the inspector is that breaches of this particular by-law are never committed within range of his visual organ, an omission he ascribes to his zealous personality having become already too familiar. He finds comfort, however, in'the belief that he is yet destined to lay hands on a Councillor who, he has been informed, pedals along the footpaths in the east end of the borough. That locality is now under surveillance, and a capture is early expected. Much at^jitiQft4taVtfex-feMrA~'iTr ewfork to the little six-year-old son of a NeiV Fork doctor who is named Odin, after the Norse god of thunder, as his father feared he might follow in the footsteps of any real person after whom ho was named. Little Odin has never been' taught a prayer, does not believe in. fairy stories, has never tasted cooked food, always does exactly as he wishes—and his first toy was a hitman skull, " Follow Nature" is the doctor's motto in chi Id-re,iring. He is fed on uncooked cereals, with fruit, eggs, milk, and nuts, and has never been to school or inside a church. Instead of chastising him for naiightjnoss, his father and mother advertised for a little girl companion, who sings and recites poetry to him. "Much curiosity is evinced as to how the child will dovelop as ho grows older. A terrible death overtook two men, Street and Knopp, who were drowned in a Lomlon sewer in which they were caught by the rushing water. In a storm. water drain four men were at some distance from the iron steps, when suddenly they heard a sound of rushing gas. This foretold danger, and as quickly as -possible the workers hurried towards the ladder. But before they could reach it tliey were overtaken by the rushing mass of water, which knocked three of them over,, and whirled them along in the darkness. The fourth managed to cling to an iron ring, bit his companions were swept onward. Taylor, one of the three, by making a desperate effort, ■found a holding-place at the junction of the sewers, He supported himself, and bravely caught the unconscious Knopp, who was being swept along. With great courage he held on, but tile body of Street came in contact with Knopp, and wrenched him from the would-be rescuer's grasp. Two of the men were rescued by their comrades. The sudden rush of water is attributed to the heary rains which had fallen in North London

That the " £ for £ " system of subsidising loual bodies does not answer in many cases is proved by the number of Parliamentary grants that, are not applied for, because the local bodies caimot lind their " ;t" or because they cannot comply with conditions attached to the grants, says the Timaru "Herald." The Levels County Chairman stated a case which involves both these objections. The Government had put on the estimates i'ioOO for " improvements on liosewill roads," " £ for £." This was all very well, saul Mr Orboll, but the Council cannot afford to spend in one or even two or three years 1:1500 of the county funds for the benefit of a small section of ratepayers in one locality. Then one of the conditions was that the whole money must be spent close to the settlers' homes, while they niight be as much benefited by the work done further away. The Council must try to get more freedom in deciding where the money should be spent.