LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8024, 10 January 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mail despatched from .Sydney, via_ Vancouver on 28th November, arrived in London on the Oth inst. The Post Office advises that the Auckland-'Frisco mail dispatch of Bth December, arrived in London on Bth January. The Premier of New South Wales, Mr Carruthers, is consulting manufacturers iu his State to ascertain if they will participate in the Christchurch Exhibition. "If it were not for the lowncss ot' the beef market not a few of the butchers of Taranaki would have been bankrupt this season," stated an authority to our representative recently. " I know some knights of the hammer," he continued, " who had to pay as much as ad per lb. for mutton."

A correspondent writes asking when the New Plymouth railway officials will take the trouble to observe the correct time with their public timepiece. Ho states that at present the clock is seldom right, and misleads that portion of the general public that arc not acquainted with the clock's eccentricity.

During his speech at the Carterton Friendly Societies' Sports the Premier gave the single girls some good advice. " When a young man 1 pops the tion,'" said he, " you pop another one—ask him if he is a member of a friendly society. If he says 'Yes,' then you can safely say 'Yes' 100, If he says' No,' then tell liiin to go and join one and ' pop' again." (Laughter aud applause).

The Kaupokonui Dairy Company is now in full swing making cheese. The amount turned out weekly is 'HI tons. At £O3 per ton (the present Home price) the amount the output represents iu cash is over £3OOO a week, or £12,000 per mouth. Last month this factory paid out over £BOOO to its suppliers.

Tho prospects of hay-niakmg and ensilage-making m this district are not very encouraging, writes our South Taranaki representative. The weather during the past few weeks has been very unseasonable, and though the grass is particularly plentiful, the season is one of the worst we have had. Many of our farmers have had their hay completely destroyed. As a consequence, they are not vory jubilant.

Whilst a Palinej'ston resident was approaching the main traflie bridge across the Shag river a few days ago lie saw what appeared to be a 'tlock of rats crossing the bridge. On approaching closer, however, he found that they were n easels, numbering 50 or more, evidently migrating to fresh fields, where rabbits, or perhaps poultry, are more numerous. Judging from accounts which come to hand from time to time, the poultry bill chargeable to weasels, is assuming very respectable proportions.

An instance of the force of the cyclonic storm that raged on the Waimate Plains last week has come under the notice of the Xews'travelling reporter. A gig, in which was a strong horse, and a horse that was being led behind, were taken charge of fop a few moments by (he slorm and turned completely round, the occupants of the vehicle experiencing no little dilliculty in maintaining their scats and holding the horses.

No tender was received by the New Plymouth Borough Council for Ihe lease ol the old water-works reserve. Mr Stanley Smith, who owns the adjoining section, offered to pay all rates and luxes, keep fences in order, and land clear of uoxions iveed? for a term of five years if given the grazing rights; but Ihe Council believe the pro pcrty lo lie worth more than rates and taxes. The Mayor considered that steps should be Inkcn lo dispose of the reserve at the earliest possible dale, and moved that the matter be referred to the lieserves Comniiltcc lo report, m liich was agreed to.

Jilt STEVENS'S STORY. Mr John Stevens, J.P., of liutts, writes) "Some months since I had a severoattack of rheumatism, and was advised to try the efficacy of liliemno. I did so with most satisfactory results. After taking two hettics it lias piaetiaally cured me. I have no hesitation in saying that your remedy is the best I have used." Rhctimo, if given a fair trial, will cure you of rheumatism, gout, lumbago, sciatica, and kindred disease*, just as it cured Mr Stevens and hundreds of ol hers. It is sold by all chemists and stores at 2s 6d and I 4s 6d a bottle,

The supply of newspapers and periodicals for the New Plymouth reading rooms costs over £l3O annually. A syndicate of commercial travellers has recently purchased the ground forming the foreshore of the Raglan harbour. They anticipate an expansion of the district. Messrs Bewley and Griffiths report having sold, on behalf of Mr Twigg, his line farm of 15S acres, situated on the Oxford road, together with all stock implements, etc., to Mr R. Flower, of Maharahara, Woodville. Wc understand that application for assistance has been .made, by those interested in the proposal to establish a model farm in Taranaki, to the head of the Agricultural .Department. No reply, however, lias yet come to hand. The New Plymouth Borough Council resolved on Monday to grant similar concessions as lust year in the matter of bath tickets to the Stratford school children, who pay their annual visit to the breakwater on February Ist. Sweedish women often work as farm laborers. Those who have babies carry them on their backs in a leathern ~ag as squaws carry their young. This plan permits tie mother to use both hands at her farm w.~. -k. . Wellington and Auckland should send some of their unemployed to Taranaki, From all parts of the district we have received complaints of a shortage of labour. Unless they obtain extra help soon, many farmers will not be able to harvest their paddocks.

Mr T. J. Reakes, manager of the New Plymouth abattoirs, has been granted 10 days' leave of absence on account of ill health. Captain Young, of the Department of Agriculture, has made suitable arrangements for supervision during Mr lleakcs' absence. On a Taranaki farm. Time: Scvfen o'clock. Hay-making in progress. Troupe of Maoris (casual hands) to pakeha boss: "Py korry, what dat pellow (pointing to the mist)?" Old Maori (sitting down): "He ti taiwa priglit (potato blight); kahoro we get ti taiwa!" The potato blight is far worso in Southern Taranaki this year than last. Our Southern representative writes that the blight has affected nearly every crop he has seen, some, so severely that not a potato will be dug. Oue farmer near Kaupokonui has saved a patch of ten to twenty acres as a result of using the spray systematically and properly.

A South Taranaki fanner, noted for absent-mindedness, drove home from town the other day, after transacting his business. During the journey he was troubled with the thought that lie had forgotten something, but couldn't think what it was. On reaching the farm, ho was met by his daughter, who exclaimed: " Why, father, whero have you left mother?"

The driving of mobs of 1 horses through town, besides being a nuisance and a danger, is also the cause of con siderable damage to the footpathsTlic footpath 011 the northern side of. the main South road, which only recently had bfcn made up and was in excellent condition was, on Sunday, nearly ruined by a mob of horses being driven along nearly its whole length. Between forty and fifty tons of butter is the weekly output of Mr T. L. .Toll's factory on the J' ins (writes our Southern represer ve), If Ins supplies continue to inert,. s in the proportion they have during the past, few years, it will not be long before his present output,, large as it is, will be nearly doubled. Talking of milking records, how is this for one? From a farm of 121 acres on the rich. Waiinate Plains £125 in milk cheques was taken For last month. The same farm, whi.-h is owned by Mr Marsden, and formerly was part of thcPowdrell estate, carries a cow to the acre all the year round, besides ealves and sundry horses.

Mr T. E. Donne's opinion is that the Waimangu geyser basin has been filled up with hundreds of toils of silt thrown up at the tim,.- of the Tarawera eruption, and lie thinks there will be no good result until the basin has been cleaned out. The Government might advertise for likely suicides and send them up to do the work.—Manawatu " Times."

Tlio Upper Grey Valley, i.s, says tlic " Evening Star," smitten with a plague of mice. Here, there, and everywhere the mouse has made its appearauce, not only to the discomfort of the house, wife, hut also is the causo of much annoyance generally, The same plague has made its appearance m the upper reaches of the Buller Valley. A settler at .one particular place says they are attacking the crops in myriads. "Everything iu the house smells ' mousy,', and the plague will soon rank second to'the potato blight." Concerning the prevalence of disease amongst Tarauaki cattle, reported in another column, an amusing incident is stated to have occurred at a sale, yard in Northern Taranaln recently, Tiro farmers ivho had each sold iv hull that day were giving the reasons why they had disposed of them, Following this with a description of their re. spective animals they found, to their mutual and bitter disgust, that they had simply exchanged their hulls, which were both got rid of because they were diseased ! Over and above this they had the mortification of knowing that they had paid commission for hal ing the exchange effected. At a meeting held in Haivera on

Saturday, and attended by between tiO and 70 farmers, it was decided 1 to take the initial sleps to form a I Fanners' Co-operative Association, i The immediate object of the Associar tion is to protect the interests of a fanners as regards commissions on c sales, but it is intended that the e Association ivill shortly set up in e business on its own account. It is 1 proposed to issue 5000 shares of £lO i each. The following provisional direc- - tors were electedJ. T. Quin (Eraser road), J. P. Pease (Haivera), I{. Lams hie (Pihamn), J. Ure Murray (Ngairc), , A, Alexander (Xopmapby), A. Wills ■ and P. Livingston (Takaora), .1. Davidf son (Taiporohenni), (I. V. I'earce . (Kakaramrn), C. Hawken (Waihi), A. AlcKeowu (I'ihama), .r. 11. Sellers t (Inaha), H. Miller (Makino), 11. Ly- , saght, (Mokoia), J. R. Corrigan . (Haivera), Gainblin (Manaia). Christchurch Truth says: The Now Zealand Rugiiy Union, if a word of a > member of its Management Committee ' is worlh anything, stands to npike a modest C IOQII 01' ,(;sl|oo ouf <)(' (he British tour, and mightn't it reasonably be urged lo defray the cost of lho proposed picnic if lhe iHaorilaml contingent is to go sight-seeing in Canada anil the States ? How does 11, •!, iSeddou know ' that the teani wants to fi|rn tourist? ; What guarantee have ire that ivhen the lislimatcs arc brought down this year provision will not, be made for the payment of a gratuity of £750 to the manager of the lean I'or "services rendered," and a compassionate allowance of £.300 to Jimmy Duncan for the insults he has been subjected to by the North Island members, or a bonus of ; £25(1 to the Kuucdin representative iu the (earn for his honorable defence of ' the " running straight " or "cutting in" , principle, as applied to threc-<|uarters 'f ) MISHIT ItEWAHOEI) BY COURT OF 1 JUSTICK. Tin' acknowledged good (pmlilios ami success of SAXUUK AXD .SONS' Euoalviti *■ Exthact have brought out many imi- £ tations, and one case was just tried in the Supreme Court of Victoria, before his v Honor Chief Justice Sir J Madden, K.C.- t M.G., etc. r His honor, in giving judgment, said Dial whenever j.ii article is commended t» the public by reason of its good quality, * etc., it is lipt permissive to imitate 411 V of J 1 its features. Restraining Mo ii perpetually from doing so, f?e ordered h them to pay all cost s. We publish this to afford the people an opportunity of protecting fliemxelves, and *' 1 of securing what is proved boyoud all j l doubt by skilled witness's n.t tho Sup- ' reme Court of Victoria, anrl by many authorities during tbelaat 31 yoars to be ■ C preparation of gcuuino merit, via.:— " (1 The (tuxlunk Sandeb & Sons' pi Puke Volatile Eucalypti • Exmcr, fi:

Thursday has been fixed as the statutory half-holiday at Stratford. We have to thank the Taranaki j Rifles for an invitation to their social evening on Thursday evening, Goodwin Bros., of Banks Peninsula, have purchased Mr John Knight's Wwdside estate, near Hamilton. il>sD acres, at £25,000 cash, including stock and implements. 11l Siam, apes are employed as cashiers. They have developed the faculty of discrimination between good and bad coin to such an extent that no human being can compete with t hem. Miss Nellie Stewart ordered one thousand of her photographs from H'arronrt, McGrnffe, and Co., Hobart, for advertising pnrp: ses during her American tour. The. fact that tenders are being called for new linoleum dadoes, painting and paperhanging at the EltJiam Post Office, which was erected less than two years ago, speaks volumes for the original workmanship. A rumour was current in town on Tuesday night of the attempted suicide by drowning by a young New Plymouth lady. On inquiry from the Police, wc learn that no report of the alleged attempt had been communicated to them. The " Kltham Argus " reports that the dead body of a man, name unknown, was found on Tuesday on Dr. Harrison's farm at Mangawkero-road. From the condition of the body, it is surmised that death must have taken place about a month ago. A private telegram received in the colony states that the New Zealand footballers scored two tries in the match with Wales, but both were disallowed. This (says an exchange) probably accounts for the objection to a Welsh referee' officiating in the Glamorgan match. The New Plymouth Garrison Band is putting in heavy practice in view of the Hawera Band Contest next month. A large number of people listened to the playing of the march selection, played by the Baud on Tuesday night. On Thursday, the 18th, the Band is to give a grand promenade concert in aid of its funds in the Drill Hall. An interesting assault-at-arms programme has been arranged, in which squads from the Taranaki Rifles, and Mr Lints' gymnastic pupils will take part.

Men who shave themselves should bo'informed of the excellence and smooth-cut-ting qualities of the "Kiwi" razors. Have an even temper, extraordinary keonness of edge, do not vibrate when cutting into an extraordinary heavy beard, and give you a clean, luxurious shave, even it you have tile touchiest skin. Make me prove these statements. I will .change your razor as often as you like until you are satislied. KIWI is the name. Get it at J. Avery's, the place for men's sundry needs, Devon street.—Advt,