LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8101, 4 May 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Military Band will give tlic last of llieir series of " municipal eoncerts" in front of tlic railway station this evening.

Mr Callaglian, land agent, reports tlie sale of seven freehold sections m the town of Tort Moturoa to a local investor.

The Department of Industries and Commerce has sent to the High Commissioner a quantity of New Zealand cedar (kaiwuka) for the purpose of inquiring among firms interested as to its suitability for pencil-making.

The Hermitage at Mount Cook is to be closed during the winter, from about the middle of October. Previously a caretaker has been stationed at the Hermitage in winter, but the lack of visitors this season has induced the Tourist Department to make the decision mentioned.

Cain Lad introduced his wife to the rest of the family. " Where did you got her ?" said Adam, suspiciously. " I deeliue to answer," responded Cain. Thus, as there was no higher court to compel him to answer, he cleverly avoided getting himself into a serious theological mix-up.

The unusual spectacle of a town clerk prosecuting a mayor-elect for a breach of the by-laws was presented at the Dnnedin Police Court the other day, when the mayor-elect of North East Valley was lined for allowing some horses to wander on the main road.

The popular clothing and mercery establishment of Mr W. T. Hookkaiii, at " The Corner," now supplies a large section of our population, and Mr Hookham. has provided an ample selection of all kinds and classes of goods for his customers. He will insert a change notice in to-morrow's issue.

To-morrow Mr Newton King will soli by auction at his mart a nice resiproperty on llie South road (St. Aubyn street), situated near Worley street. This offers a first-class investment, being close to the railway engine slieds, handy to town, and on the road to the oil fields, and must soon increase in value.

On Thursday we were shown three 'specimens ot the vegetable or tree eaterpiller that had been picked up by Mr J. Caddy, who has been in charge of the work of improving the tracks between the various mountain houses. One was a large specimen, in its vegetable state ; the others, seemingly of a different species, being smaller, with branches' growing from their mouths. These marvels of the insect world, which have greatly' interested students of biology and nature, are to be placed in [he New Plymouth museum.

A novel kmd of theft was perpetrated in a Wellington hotel on Saturday night. At about nine o'clock a man went into the White Swan Hotel, asked for a bed, and was accommodated. Shortly afterwards he returned downstairs, and asked for two shillings he had paid to lie refunded, as he did not intend to stay. The money was returned to him. About 11 o'clock a boarder went to his room, and discovered that jewellery worth about £ls was missing. The matter was reported to Detective Lewis, who arrested Hugh Dalv on Sunday, and recovered, 011 his information, the whole of the missing articles.

Sonic idea of what it will cost to keep up a Zoological Garden in Wellington may be gathered from the report of the caretaker of the Botauical Gardens at Napier oil the position of affairs there. The stock there consists of a kangaroo, four opossums, a guinea pig, an emu, a kiwi, four silver pheasants, a golden pheasant, an English pheasant, three Galu.li parrots, two swamp hens, six doves, a bronze-wing dove, a mandarin, twelve pigeons, a seagull, two magpies, two Rouen ducks, two paradise ducks, and six carp. The upkeep of these costs about £ls 15s per annum, besides which miscellaneous food is given by the inmates of the Old Men's Home,

Tell us not our days are numbered; That nothing on this earth can save Us—by coughs and colds encumbered Struggling for mastery o'er the grave To the rescue comes undaunted, Life's panacea, strong and pure, Striking home the truth that's vaunted Of the Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. One ot those rare sales at which genuine bargains abound is now in progress at the Melbourne. Thrifty people should not miss this rare chance of replenishing their wardrobes at a miuituum of cost.— Adyt.

The wet weather spoiled the Oddfellows' social in the Gill street hall last night, only about 25 couples attending. N.G, Bro. Matheson acted as M.C., ami Mrs A. George supplied capital music. PG. Bro. McGahey assisted materially to make the gathering enjoyable, and those who braved the elements spent a very pleasant evening. In "Wellington on Saturday, an application vras mado to Dr A. McArthur, S.M., in camera, by Mr J. C. George, for leave to lay an information for criminal libel against John Thomas McKinnon, and Henry David Merrick, manager and editor respect lively of a publication, called " New Zealand Truth," the latter to show cause why they should not be arraigned on the charge. Mr Blair (for Skerrett and Wylie) appeared for the applicant, and Mr Dunn for the newspaper named. On the aDplicntiou of the latter the case was adjourned until next Saturday. The alleged libel, which,js the subject of Mr George's appljiajfion, is said to have occurred in wticles recently published in " Truth," concerning child labour on dairy larms in the Taranaki district.

The French naval authorities are disquieted by the ravages of opiumsinoking among officers on duty at tho seaports of Brest, Cherbourg, Lonont, Rochfort, and Toulon. Many smoke from twenty to twenty-five pipes a day, and evidently perform their duties in a perpetual drowse, acting by a sort of automatism, and scarcely conscious. At Toulon especially the vice is making alarming ravages. Young officers are hardly seen at theatres or in society, but as soon as they can get off their uniforms they hasten to the dirty Chinese dens, where, stretched on coarse matting, they steep their brains in opum.

The Halcombc correspondent of the " Rangitikci Advocate " writes as follows : —I notice that many " paper men" are trying to write down the gambling craze that has not only got a firm hold of us in this country, but which seenis to be increasing in other parts of the world. Now, I think that all who have studied the subject will agree that the majority of us are born gamblers, and that it is a vice which flourishes without special facilities being provided for its cultivation. Why, then, should we encourage this pernicious growth by legalising gambling through the "tote" ? Those who have noted the enormous development of gambling on horse-racing since the introduction of the totalisator must, I think, teel that wo made a huge mistake when we introduced a system by which we could legally indulge one of our worst vices. Many, I know, believe that the machine has not encouraged gambling. While respecting their opinion, I hold that it has. Being deeply interested in these questions, I some months ago consulted a wellknown "bookie," a man who for many years has had the reputation for being " straight." He is a family man, and well in, and I asked him to give me his unbiassed opinion, and it is to this effect. The introduction,, of the totalisator, though aimed at the suppression of the bookmaker, has vastly increased his business. "Do you," I asked," honestly believe that the tote is responsible for the great increase of gambling in this country.?" "Yes," he replied, "the fact is patent to all who live by the game," Of course, I know that it may be urged that my bookmaker was not sincere, that he was having me, and wanted the field again to himself. I have always been a lover of horses and horse-racing, but I confess the racccourso of to-day is to me a humiliating spectacle. There is no fun, no sociability ; all arc ou business bent; and the majority of faces now seen tliore are hard set and lined by the gambler's greed.