LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8080, 10 April 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The matron of tie Hospital desires to acknowledge with thanks receipt of a donation of mushrooms from Mr Mahafl'rey. In the final for the Mens' Siuglos Championship at the New Plymouth Tennis Courts 011 Monday afternoon. Nicholson beat Smith C-- I-, 8--0. after one of the best club games ever played 011 the courts.

The wood-chopping competition at the Charity Fete at Auckland on Saturday, was won by axemeu well known in Tarauaki, 15. Pretty (30sec) being first, G. R Vincent (25sec) and 1). Pretty (scr) second and third respectively.

Two of tho Elthani Road rate cases iu which the Taranaki County Council sued for recovery of special rates, came before the S.M. at New Plymouth yesterday, the defendants being Gcorgo Cross and James Pill, of Opunake. Mr Roy appeared for the Council, aud Mr Barton (llawcra) for the defendants, The legal aspect, will bo argued at a future date.

The New Plymouth Borough Council has accepted Mr Carnegie's oJTcr to build a public library, costing £2500. The stipulation that at least £125 must be spent iu upkeep is easily overcome, as a sum iu excess of that amount is expended now. Cr. Hutchen last night objected on the grounds of " charity," stating he would not agree to. the Council doing as a body what he would not do personally.

The mantle of John Alexander Dowie seems to hiive fallen upon an Australian. It was recently announced from Zion City headquarters that William Glenn Voliva, of Melbourne, had been appointed the overseer's right baud man, aud had been given the title of deputy-general overseer of the affairs of Zion throughout the world. This placed the Melbourne man above all other olliccrs save Dowie himself. Voliva arrived from Australia on February 0, and reached Zion on February 12. The following Sunday he made his first public address. It was a dramatic appeal for self-sacrifice to restore (lie city aud institutions to a sound financial basis. As a result the congregation deposited on a table money, jewels, aud other valuables. Women removed rings and bracelets, and passed them up; men gave up watches, diamonds, and cheilites: while pledges were received in value from 10 cents to JOOOdols. The great Tabernacle held the largest audience it had contained for months. All Zion was anxious to see this new leader, who, like Dowie, bad conic from Australia. MERIT KKWAHDISD ij* uOUlil OF JUSTICE. The acknowledged good qualities and success of Sandeii and Sons' Eucalypti Kxtuaut have brought out many imitations, and one ease was just tried in the Supreme Court of Victoria, before his Honor Chief Justice Sir J. Madden, ICC. M.li., etc.

His honor, in giving judgment, said with regard to the (iIiNUINK SANMiIt Akli Sons' Kucai.ycti Exthact, that whenever mi article is commended I) the public l>y reason of its good qualities etc., it is not permissible to imitate any ot ils features. He res!ruined the imitators perpetually from doing so, and ordered them to pay all costs. Therefore, insist upon *hat is proved heyond all doubt by skilled witnesses at the Supreme Court of Vkto.'ia, and hy many authorities during years to he a preparation of genu ne merit, viz., The Genuine Sander & koks'-»' Pube Volatile Ei calyi>ti *" Extbaci.

For Colds in the Head and Influenza, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is 6d and is 6d pur bottle,

A committee has been sot up by the liorougli Council to arrange for plans of tho nov public library to be erected iu New Plymouth, Tho building will probably occupy part of the section adjoining the present Town Hall, and form part of the municipal buildings.

Bible-reading in school*! At one of our local Sunday Schools on Sunday last, after the teacher had given her scholars a twenty minutes' address on the origin of Good Friday, she made a short examination of her scholars to ascertain what impression hor labours had made. Asking one little follow what he knew of Good Friday, tho teacher was rather shocked at tho reply : " Please, Miss, he was the nigger that was good to Robinson Crusoe."

A typographic al error which should occupy a good position in any future list. The Hon. J. D. Ormond wrote to a paper to say " the Premier's speech deserves earnest consideration if he is correct iu stating that the result of the present teaching benefits eventually ouly a few—the piok of the pupils—and that the great majority drift back when their school term is ended into the communion of the pah." The printer made it read " the oommunion of the pub." The people of Richmond, Nelson, are praying for rain, as they depend almost entirely on the water from the reservoir; and since tho man was found drowned in that receptacle, people are " off " tea, coffee, and such like beverages. Even the most rabid prohibitionist turns against cold water, and the country college boys fast from liquid nourishment till their arrival at college iu the morning when there is a rush at the town taps. It will take quite a week to clean out the reservoir.

Tlie proposed site for the projected Southland Consumptive Hospital at Ken-, ouuie in for somewhat rough handling from Dr Copland at a recent meeting of the Gore Borough Council. He said the place was swept with wind,rain, hail and snow, and every other abomination they could think of for eight months of the year. There were forty-four acres included with the site, but if they utilised it for the purpose in view they would require at least ten acres of it for a cemetery.

The Motor Registration Act has been brought into force within the Hutt County. Owners of automobiles (including motor bicycles) using the county roads arc now required to register tlieir machines. Each motor will be allotted a number, which must bo displayed on some conspicuous part of the framework. The police have received instructions to prosecute the owners ot any unregistered machines that arc driven along tho County roads. -

In reply to Major Patterson, of the Victorian forces, who wrote to South Africa listing if the graves of soldiers were being attended to in any way, the military secretary at Capetown states that in 1902 Cape Colony passed an Act giving it legal right to take over ground in which soldiers were buried The Colonial Government had also undertaken care of soldiers' graves. When the ground was taken over it was fenced in, and the graves were periodically visited. These remarks only apply to Cape Colony, but the military secretary bclievos that Natal, the Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony have dealt with tho subject on similar lines.

Wholesale aggregation of landed estates is said to be going on in the Tapanui district, Otago. The local paper, in an editorial, declares that although largo estates '.liavc been frequently opened in the district for closer settlement there is no actual increase in population, simply because the purchase of adjoining farms or small holding is going on steadily, and " big men aro " eating up " tho little ones. . . . Some families have dummied ;in a wholesale manner, and hold several sections without homesteads on any of them; and tho Land for Settlement Act is generally infringed without interference by the Land Board, who ought to declare forfeited some of the sections that have been taken up for speculative purposes.

The rat vmis which the New South Wales Government is likely to take up for use in the State, with a view to minimising the danger of plague distribution by vermin, is made by the Liverpool Institute of Comparative Pathology, under the supervision of H. 15. Annett, M.D. and B.P.H. of the Liverpool University. It is harmless to man, domestic animals, sheep, dogs, cats, poultry, etc. It produces in rats a disease which is fatal in from seven to fourteen days, and spreads from animal to animal. Many startling instances of its success have been reported. In the West Indies it is said to have been of immense benelit to the cocoa planters, destroying rats which nibble fallen pods. The preparation is now largely nsed in Demarara, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbadoes, 200,000 tubes hiring been sent to the West Indies alone during the last six months.

Queensland has been enjoying an unprocedcntcdly acceptable rainfall since the advent of the New Year. Mr Richard Stewart, of Mr J C. Williamson's managerial staff, who has just arrived in Wellington from Brisbane, states that for eight consecutive weeks before he reached Brisbane rain had fallen generally over almost the entire State, giving it a soaking such as it had not had for a decade. Mr Stewart says that a large meteorological map was published, showing the extent of tho rainfall, and it was really a dilllcult matter to place a fihgorti]) on any spot not marked as haying benefited. People in New Zealand cim hardly imagine the importance of this sort of thing; but it was reported from more tliau one place out-back that children from eight to ten years of age had seeu rain fall for the first time in their lives, and a wealth of grass had appeared on the vast areas hitherto ignored as arid wastes.

Since the Vancouver mail steamers were withdrawn from New Zealand, this colony has not had any direct communication with Canada, Consequently shippers of produce have had to send cargo via Australia for transhipment thero to Vancouver. The Neiv Zealand Government has for some tiuie been negotiating for a direct service, and the result has been the establishment of a joint contract between the Governments of New Zealand and Canada on the one part, and Messrs Alley and Co., of Vancouver, on the other, by which a six-weekly service of cargo steamers has been arranged. The Industries and Commerce Department has received advice that the first steamer under this contract will be the s.s, Bucentaur, 6000 tons, sailing from New Zealand about the 30 th of this month, enabling New Zealand produce exporters to open up trade with their great sister country. Agents for the line are established in the chief centres of the colony, aud information can also be obtained form the Head Office of the Industries aud Commerce Department. COMPLETELY CURED AFl'Elt NINETEEN YEARS.

After nineteen years' sullering Ironi rheumatism, Uiiei'jio brought relief to Mr Chits. Dowsett, the well-known chimney-sweep, ot 51 Murphy-street, Wellington. Head what Mr Dowsett writes" I thank you very muck for the use of Kiieumo. I have used nearly everything in existence for rhouKaties, but found no relief till L used your IMieumo. After nineteen years suffering it is a great comfort to bo free from pain." GiveHnut'jio a fair trial, aiul it will cure you as it cured Mr Dowsett. Your grocer or chemist sells t at 2s (id and J-s lid a bottle.

It is now well-known that Mr ,T. H. Parker, of Devon-street, has disposed of his jewellery business. A business announcement states that all goods arc reduced 25 per cent, and o\ er, but the bare announcement cannot do justice to the unprecedented value offering, livery article bears the old original price, oft which the liberal discount is given. Early visitors will secure the piek; in fact, it is essentially a ease of the early bird catches the worm, and the worms in this easo are valuable in deed,—Apti

Mr Edward Hudson, aged 58 years, a very old resident on the Kelly road, Huirangi, died at the New Plymouth Hospital on Sunday.

Tho stono taken from a section at the abattoirs- has returned to the Borough Councilja royalty of sixpence a yard

The Borough Council's agriculturist, Councillor Collis, has suggested that the Cemetery paddock bo ploughed and laid down in Algorian oats. The advice was accepted.

" I don't want any trade jealousy in this arrangement," said tho Mayor last night, in talking over \the electric tram scheme. Tho remark will not bear its true significance for a day or two.

A letter addressed " Town Clerk," Borough Council, Hokitika, Japan," posted by a well-known English firm -($ engineers, duly reached its destination recently tno Japanese postal officials evidently knowing more about the geography of tho col ony than the English firm The New' Plymout i Amateur Swimming Club wish to thank the undermeationed for donations of cash und trophies towards the late West Coast Championship Meeting : Archibald Clarke & Son (Ltd.), E. Ramson, W. W. Murton & Co., J. Bennett, J. H. Parker, J. Smith, H. M. Bauchope, Jas. Paul, A. E. Watkins, Dr, Walker, Halcombc, G, Tisch,

" When the newspaper accused you of turning a somersault, I told you you couldn't do it," said Cr Monteith to the Mayor last night amidst laughter. But I don't know whether yon are not going to do it now. ... I hope you don't turn turtle this time, or those paper people will have another chance. I think it was very cruel of them to say so last time." The Mayor said he " didn't care a fig for the newspapers. They can tell me I turned turtle if they like. I don't care."

The revenue on the New Zealand Hallways for the financial year up to March 3rd was £2,11(i,350 against £2,031,848 last year, aud the expenditure £1,490,267, as against £1,381,221 for the same period last year. The financial year ended on March 31st, and the gross returns must show a handsome increase on last year's figures. The revenue from the NapicrNew Plymouth-Wellington section for the four weeks ended March 3rd was £59,052 against £57,587 for the same period last year.

Mount Vesuvius, which lias just boon in eruption, is tlic most celebrated aetivo volcano in Europn. It rises, an isolated cone, out of llio fertile plain of Campania. The actual eruptive cone (WOO ft) is surrounded by au outer ring or crest on tlie north and cast, called Monte do Somma (3730 ft), the two being separated by a valley known as Alriodi (Javallo, ooOyds across. The height of tlie eruptive (inner) cone varies from period to period, according to the accumulation of volcanic matter which it ejects. The nmntaiu is almost wholly composed ot lava, scoria, and tufa, and the ejects embrace nearly half a hundred different kinds of minerals. The vegetable products on its Hanks compose euphorbias and many other plants not found elsewhere in Italy. The famous wine "lachryina christi" (red and white) is grown on its sides. Tho first recorded eruption occurred in A.D. 79, when the Elder Pliny perished, and tlie cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabias were overwhelmed. From that time onwards many eruptions are recorded, of which tho most celebrated occurred iu 472, 612, 685, 982, 1036, 1139, 1638, 1660, 1730, 1794, 1801, 1822, 1828, 1831, 1834, 1839, 1850, 1855, 1859, 1868,1872,1878,1879,1891. On the West side of the mountain, on a projecing crag (2218 ft) at the foot of tlie cone of ashes, au observatory was built in 1844, and to 1880 a wire-rope railway was constructed to within 150 yds of the snmmit, from a point about 2600 ft from the base.