LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8078, 6 April 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bishop Walhs has intimated that Ihe Church of Euglaud hoped to start a navvy mission ou the Main Trunk Uailway Line works before very long. An English judge has ruled that tame pigeon shooting, like coursing rabbits from a trap or bag, is a breach of the Cruelty to Animals Act, and has upheld the decision of the Hurlinghum Club to prevent the " sport" taking place on the grounds.

i wealthy and eccentric resident of Shcilielcl Mr Horatio Bright, lately died, and according to his will his remains, in a plain colliu, were removed from the house in a cab. The coliin was then driven to the mausoleum which Mr Bright had built seven miles away from the city, and which contained the remains of his hrst wile and sou. While alive he used frequently to visit (his mausoleum, ami to sit there for hours. Mr Bright, had established a world-wide reputation as a maker of dies for royal mints. On retiring he declined to sell his business, destroyed all his books, and allowed the lirm to die out.

"To the roof!" "To the roof!" promises soon to be the fashionable cry in America for all invalids, and this, despite a temperature lately uncomfortably near zero. This result is ilue eutirely to the publicity given by a hospital authority to the cures of pneumonia and other complaints effected by treatment in a tent on a lawn, or on a roof under an awning. As long as their bodies, especially the feet, are kept warm, even the most delicate babies fail to catch told, and are described as making marvellous recoveries. At the Presbyterian Hospital in New York, children have been treated uu the roof throughout the winter, and the only death recorded is that of a six months old child suffering from complications which made life in any circumstances almost impossible. Fresh air, sunshine, plenty of good water, and a fluid diet seem the leading features of what looks like the formation of a new health school.

By becoming a snareuoldcr in the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth, you have a chance of obtaining a loan free of interest. The Socicly can assist its members to build or to purchase a property by auction or privately. The secretary has a few shares in the " second group " to dispose of. Intending investors are requested to make early application,— Advi.

'flic Calcutta correspondent of the "•Daily Mail" writes on February 3rd: Practically the entire press of India, Anglo-Indian and native, has for the past few days been united in pointing out the untenable nature of thejposition adopted by the Government of India m proclaiming an official boycott of tho Calcutta " Statesman." A compromise was to-day announced, the "Statesman'" admitting that its publication of Lord Curzon's note might have bceu an indiscretion, and the Government withdrawing tho boycott. It eroates a shock of surprise to be told (writes a London correspondent) that one of the teachers of Livingstone is still alive aud on active service. The teacher in question is tho Rev. F. B. Caldwell, a member of the Lancashire and Cliesire Presbytery. Although 88 years of age Mr Caldwell is able to preach every Sunday. When a young man ho was a teacher at a school in tho neighbourhood of Blautyre, Lanarkshire, aud among his pupils was young David Livingstone, who used to 1 walk seven miles daily to and from ' school,

An extraordinary burial mistake is reported from Liverpool. Two infants from different houses, and belonging to different parents, were taken to a hospital, suffering from fever. One died and was buriod; tho other recovered and was handed to its supposed mother. This woman, however, found that tho child was not hers, and inquiries showed that her own baby was dead, and that the child handed to her belonged to the other woman, who had believed her own child to be dead. An affecting scene occurred between the two women when the truth came to light.

So few mail steamers visit St. Kilda, in the North Atlantic, that the inhabitants of the place frequently trust messages to the sea. The letters are packed iu a tin can with cotton-wool, covered with tarred canvas, and sewn with twine. An inflated sheepskin bag keeps the tin afloat, and a piece of wood'bears the mark, " St. Kilda mail; please open'." One packet was made up of a cocoi tin, containing two letters and eight postcards, with a shilling for postage. It look the packet 62 days to drift from St. Kilda to the Shetland coast, and it was duly forwarded on its arrival.

A verdict of " suicide during temporary insanity " was returned at the inquest on Mr Hugh Blakiston, a member of the " Times " staff, who lately shot himself in a wood outside Dorking. After a nervous breakdown necessitating a month's holiday, Mr Blakistow had recently returned to his work. Ono morning he left home, and later in the day a telegram was received by his brotlicr, "I am dead. Bo good to mother aud forget me." A note found on the body contained the words, " There is no mystery about this. I have no debts and no entanglements. I have learnt neither to live, to love, nor to servo."

English papers tell of the battleship Dreadnought at Portsmouth. Her launch attracted great attention in foreign circles, both because of the rapidity wifh which she had been built—she weighed 5800 tous wheu launched aud had only been on the stocks five months—and of the secrecy which had been maintained about her designs. The latter arc said to be the outcome of a special and prolonged consultation between uaval officers, naval architects, and naval shipbuilders, and it is expected that as a result she will be the most powerful ship afloat. The details have been very carefully guarded, but it is believed she will mount ten 12m guns, of which she will be able to fire six ahead or six astcrn, or eight on cither broadside as she may need to. But the most remarkablo alteration from the old style is that the officers' accommodation, for admiral aud all, is set at the bows of the ship, while the crew are berthed aft. It is thought that while it was natural that in the old days, wheu tho ship was controlled from abaft, the officers should be quartered close to their stations, now that the ship is controlled from the foro end, the officers ought to be there. But it will play up with the old naval saying that " the best place for an admiral to take the air is his stem galley, where ho can watch his fleet coming after him without being in state on tho deck of his own ship."

Details to hand of the tornado which visited Sydnoy last week emphasise the brief description given in the cable messages of the intensity of the disturbance, The introduction of the storm was a very sudden downpour of torrential rain—rain that eame down with a force that hurt those who were out in it, and that mado the pebbles in the road dance again amid the puddles of mud which were speedily created. So heavy, in fact, was the flood of water from the heavens that some who saw it describe it variously as being like the bursting of a waterspout, while others spoke of it as making them think a cloud had burst. It was the wind that worked tc»ror into the hearts of the people. The rain had lasted for a few minutes only. Then there was a lull. The interval was of very short duration—moments of waiting for what was to follow—and, then, with a bang and a howl the wind (says the Sydney " Telegraph ") eame. sweeping across Chatswood and Artarmon into the Artarmon Gully, at the back of St. Leonard's railway station. There lit gathered up in all its fury, and bursting out afresh, without even stopping in its wild swoop, started cutting a track of ruiu and desolation. Descriptions given by eye-witnesses show how severe the experience was. Corrugated iron was blown about hke paper. In many instances there is reliable evidence that sheet after sheet was ripped \from roofs and carried into the air, some finally finding a resting place among the high branches of trees. In other cases again, roofing material wis hurled through the air and twisted up in a confused mass around the telegraph ami telephone wires, which in several places collapsed under the weight. At the coruer of Falcon street a horse aud cart were carried several yards down the Laue Cove road, and there were numerous instances of strong men being blown off their feet aud rolled in the still mud-soaked roadways. The greatest width of tke tornado's direct iu/lueucc j never exceeded 150 yards.

Some reading conducive to a chastened stale of mind can be fouud by electricians in the report of the last meeting of the Tunbridge Wells Town Council, at which Councillor Woollan proposed a resolution to the cfl'oct that the Council should consider the advisability of selling their ' electric light > tindcrtakiug. Councillor Woollau said the undertaking was not paying, and was not likely to pay. Tho sinking fund was spread over too many years, and the Council had not provided properly for depreciation. The fund for depreciation should have been raised when the plant was new and the item for repairs was small; now the cost of repairs was iuercasing every year. If the Council were not their own consumers they could not push electricity for public lighting at a greater cost than gas. Other towns were going back to giis for public lighting, and if the undertaking were sold the Council could adopt the cheapest and best illumiuant for public lighting and save the ratepayers' money. He blamed no one for having started the uudertakiug, but it had nut answered expectations, and if they had mado a mistake the right thing to do was to rectify it, in the interest of tho ratepayers. In seconding, Colonel Bawring said the uudertakiug was a risky ono. He pointed out that electricity had been rejected at Kusthall Church because it was so expensive, and asked how tho Council were going to meet the competition of incandescent gas. Experts would tell them that practically in twelve years the plant would have to be renewed, yet the sinking fund was spread over twenty-live years, and they had not provided properly for depreciation. The undertaking was not progressive—it was losing customers instead of increasing them, and could not meet the competition of gas. Colonel Bowring gave sonic working costs from the " Electrical Times'" analysis and said that out of the company concerns he I had mentioned, nearly half were workI iug at a loss,'*

The earning power of the municipal electric lighting system for March was £B6, which figures at somewhere about £I3OO a year. Tho present month's revenuo will probably be bigger, not only on account of the decreasing daylight, but because several new con-" neotions just been made, and more will be fixed during the current month, The working expenses, including cost of some private wiring, was about £6O.

Speaking at tho annual dinner of tho Imperial Industries' Club, held at Liverpool rcconlly, Mr Gilbert Bartholomew said thero wore 149 municipalities ruuuing olectric light undertakings in this country, and of these 109 made losses. Tho return on the capital invested in these undertakings was a miserable 7s 6d per cent., and that was accompanied by very insufficient depreciation and rcservo funds. Tho rosult was that the local debt had grown enormously.*

Rev. J, N. Buttle's parting words at the social last night were of. gratitude for the manner in which ho liad been

treated by the Press in New Plymouth. The rov. gentleman was one of those who, wise in their generation, recognise the power and usefulness of the Press, and has, as he put it himself, "always endeavoured to use it as a fighting arm." We fully reciprocate Mr Buttle's kind remarks, and in thanking him for many kindnesses rendered, join in the very general regret at his departure, and wish him well in his new sphere of labour. Mr Newton King advertises in this issue that he will sell at the mart this afternoon a choice collection of flowering begonias, in full bloom, grown by Mr H. R. Cattley, of New Plymouth.

There is now on view at Mr Newton King's mart a fine collection of pictures, which aro to be sold by auction on Saturday, These pictures arc chiefly engravings, and arc a superior lot, all well mounted and framed. Anyone wanting a good picture should not miss inspecting this collection.

His mind imbued with noble thought— For the good of all mankind— A Chemist patiently worked and sought

A cure for coughs aud colds to find, The ceaseless toil of an active brain ; Its reward did at length ensure ; And the Chemist gave to the .vorld his gainWoods' Great Peppermint Cure.

RUED MO SOON CURE!) HIM. A few doses ot ithoumo soon cured Mr Geo. Collcdge, the well-known Wellington master mariner. He writes:—"l was attacked with rheumatic gout. My feet were much swollen, iiiid so very painful that I had to keop in bed. Hearing of your cure for gout, I sent for a bottle of Uheumo, and after taking a few doses the effect was magical—the severe pain left and the swelling disappeared. I was soon on my feet again and able to go to work." Rheumo is sold every where at 2s 6d and 4s 6d a bottle.

Men's whole-back bluchers, nailed or plain, 4s lid, Men's strong kip shooters 6s lid, youths strong chrome school boots 8s lid at the Melbourne. Visit the great bargain corner for all kinds of men's and women's footwear. —Advt.

Even the average pipe smoker has au affectdon for his pipos. With " G.B.D.s" such as J. Avery has on offer, there is no fear of a short life for a pet pipe. This special selection includes every shape, with vulcanite and amber mouthpieces. The name guarantees quality. Cases arc shown in 'new pitol patter, breast-pocket cases, and all others. The briars are plain or mounted. J. Avery's pipe display is ono every smoker should see.-—Advi.