LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8022, 8 January 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

" A Romance in Radium," an interesting short story, appears on the fourth page. - The Ventura left San Francisco for New Zealand at seven p.m. on the fortrth inst., time' table dato. P. Archbishop Carr, of itclbourne,<»ttd Bishop Higgins, of Ballsrat,,arrived at Auckland by tlie'Mlinnka, from Sydney, ion Sunday. r ' ; Haymaking at Feilding has been impeded by thcs'reuMSt '"storniy weather, The tnmip crops in that* district are suffering from the fly. The total imports of butter into the United Kingdom for the week ending 30th December, amounted to 70,0(10 cwt., as compared with 69,000 for tlie corresponding period of last year. The oat crops in tkc Sandon distric (Wellington) are looking very wel this season, but fears are entertained that the disease that was so disastrous two years ago will again affect them. As showing the.,"boom" there is in the land market (says the Wangauui Chronicle), one firm'.qf land agor.ts in this district-has pat through properties to the value of £IBO,OOO during the last 12 months. A ballot takcti by members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants on. the Wanganui anjj iTew Plymouth SectioniLftu-JWcfay last resulted ■•SS" foffews:—General Secretary, TT. J. Edwards, Wellington, 125; A. J. Marshall, Dunedin, 23; Conference Delegate. S.G'/Smith, New Plymouth, 105 ; .1. Revell, Wanganui, 17..

The committee sot up in connection with the Hiwcra Band Concert has been successful in getting special and delayed trains to and from New Plymouth on Thursday, Januiry 25th, ("Peoples Day"), in connection with the contest, and a train will leave Hawera for New Plymouth at about 11 o'clock at night after the final test selection.

The Hon. Mr Swinburne, Victoniai Ministct of Water Supply and Agriculture, is visiting New Zealand. He will make the Milford Sound excursion, and afterwards Visit the different centres of the colony. While in New Zealand he will make enquiries respecting our methods of dealing with all classes of pcrishablo produce, and more particularly dairy products.

We have to thank the Federated Catholic Young Men's Soeiety of New Zealand for the December issue of their official quarterly organ, " The Catholic Magazine." They hare every reason to be proud of it, as it compares very favorably with tho finest monthly publications in the colony, and is of general interest 'from cover to eover. Tho Society is establishing a branch in New Plymouth of a social nature. We wish thorn success. ;'"' '' l! '

With rcgatdto a communication addressed to the Hon. J. McGowan, Minister of Justice, on behalf of tho Western Park Board, Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R., has received tho following answer:—" la reply to your letter of the 18th December, enclosing one from 6. W. Browne, Esq., Chairman Western Park Board, asking that the monthly payments, for a warder's salary, may be allowed to accumulate for a few months, I have the honor to inform you that I regret I am unable to accede to the request. I am informed that exceptionally good work has been done by the prisoners for the Board, and if the Board is unable to keep their part of tho contract I shall be reluctantly compelled to order the prisoners to be omployed in drainage and other prison works."