LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8117, 23 May 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlic Union Steamship Coy.'s winter excursions to the South seas are especially interesting to those anxious to avoid a New Zealand winter. Extra time is given at most of the nine places of ca'l. It is reported tnat Messrs Goldwnter Bros, have sold their promises in Ci;rrie Street to an Auckland firm of warehousemen, who intend opening in the soft goods trade in New Plymouth.

Owing to the south-west gale, the Rarawa was unable to cross the Manukau bar last night. It is exnccted she will get out this morning, and arriye in New Plymouth in time to take up the ordinary running to-night. Florentine Peacock, aged 15. daughter of Earnest Peacock, of Peacock Bros,, printers, met with an extraordinary accident, near Aubu-n station, Melbourne, on Saturday we

At 9 20 p.m. she retired to bed, and at 10 o'clock she was discovered ou the railway line, a mile and a half away, fully dressed. Her foot was badly crushed, and it had to be amputated. The police conveyed the news to her parents, who were astounded, as they believed she was safely asleep in bed. ft appears (hat the girl was in the habit of walking in her sleep. Several

passengers going home by the 10 o'clock train on Saturday night saw the girl rush down an embankment, . and run alongside the train as if she wanted to board it. The only explanation the girl could give was that she remembered nothing after going to bed, until «he found herself running alongside the train that she thought she had to catch. For reliable boots and snoes ot all sorts at bedrock prices go to Dockrill's Devon Street Central, who has earned the reputation for the last 25 years of soling the above class of boots al the lowest prices. Postal orders always receive extra attention, as I guarantee to give every satisfaction in fit and style.—AnvT.

It has been definitely decided to hold a farmers' meeting in Inglewood ou June 13th, under the auspices of the Tarauaki Agricultural Society. The Takapuna is to be docked for her annual overhaul, and will not run to New Plymouth for a couple of weeks. Captain Okey notified on Monday ovening that the inspection of the Taranaki Battalion by Major-Gencral Babington will bo held af Stratford ou June 16th, instead of uune 7th, as previously arranged, The two local volunteer companies, the Eifles and Guards, aro to fire a match shortly, the conditions to be 20 men a side. The date has not yet beeu arranged. The Guards aro the challengers.

No applications have been received for the post of second assistant teacher at the Stratford District High School, and none for Pukearuhe. The names of Mr S. E. Meredith (part E) and Mrs A. L Williams (licensed) have been sent on to the Hniakama School Committee, who require the services of a solo teaoher.

The teachor'B residence at the Egmont Village school is one of tho oldest in the district, and is falling into decay. The walls of tho building, which was erected thirty or thirty-five years ago, are rotting, and the kitchen floor is rotten. For ten years nothing has been dono to it, and now, at the request of the School Committee, the Education Board's architect will visit and report.

Volunteers are asked to note that marksmen's shooting for the district medals given by the Government will take place at the ftowa Eewa range on Thursday, May 31st. The Rifle Unions aggregate matches are expected to take place at New Plymouth on the Prince' of Wales' Birthday The reported misbohaviour in a railway carriage when a football team was returning from Stratford a fortnight ago is to be made the subject of coirt proceedings, and on Thursday week one of the "barrackers" will be called to answer a charge of using obscene language.

Tho Wanganui Education Board on Monday resolved to write to the Taranaki School Commissioners, pointing out tho urgency for a grant for the purchase of a site at Eltliam for a technical school.

Mr Monkhousc is afraid that the; training classes are going to make the'' teaching profession unpopular, seeing that they rob teachers of their weekly Saturday holiday—one of the greatest attractions in the teaching service. He voiced this opinion last night, but he was immediately assured by the Chief Inspector that teaeners are continually asking for fresh classes, and that these are arranged so that the extra work does not interfere with the Saturday afternoon. Mr Trimble agreed with Mr Monkhouse, but Mr Maunder considered that any teacher who wished to rise in his profession should be glad that these facilities had been provided.

It is worthy of note that the useful work of the Taranaki Preservation Society has been carried on for the past t«'o or three years by the President (Mr W. H. Skinner) and the secretary (Mr W. A. Collis). The principal work done recently has been in fencing and preserving historic Maori burying-grounds, in which they have been assisted by the Government and by the' Maoris.

The Commitlee of the Taranaki Poultry Society met last night. General business was transacted. Since tho schedule was issued the Secretary has received some very handsome special prizes from different firms in the colony. These trophies will be competed for at the coming show, although not specified in the schedule. We are requested to state that any breeder desiring a schedule should apply to the Socrotury at once, as entries close on the ICth June.

The following returns from the ElLham factory will bo of interest, as indicating the remarkable progress of the butter industry in in South Taranaki. For the season up to the end of April, the Eltham Factory paid £56,323 to milk suppliers, and £SOOO in wages. The highest payment was for December, when £15,697 was paid. Taking April last, with tho supplies rapidly diminishing, the month's payment amounted to £4988. The output iu quantity represented over 2000 tons, loaded at Eltham railway station. The total payments and output do not include three other factories working m the Eltham district, aDd are nuieh larger than last year's totals.

Mr C. E. Major, M.H.R., who wrote to the Minister of Public Workß enquiring on behalf of the Chairman of the Opunake Railway Leaguo, when the results of the suryoys of the various routes suggested for the Opunake railway will be mado known, has received the following reply from tho Hon' Hall-Jones: " Tli» reconnaissance isurvey is now uearmg completion. After this has been finished, thero will be a considerable amount of detail work to be done in order that the estimate of the eost of construction in connection with each route can be arrived at. I hope, however, to be in a position to placo particulars before Parliament during the coming session. According to the annual report of an Australian inspector, there is a great deal too much "goody-goody" and sentimental poetry taught in the State schools, especially in the lower classes. He recalls the fact that Thackeray pointed out that the nursery tales in which children take most delight are always of a bloodthirsty character, from "Jack the Giant Killer" down to " Little Johnny Green " and t-''The Little Man Bullets Were Made of Load." Mr Holland remarks that a boy brought up always and too strictly on moral precepts is too often like a pup brought up on a chain—as soon as he gets oft he runs wild. Mr Holland submits "that there is a certain amount of human perversity and contrarity in the youngest of us, and that morality cannot be thrust down the throat."

The totalisator lias recently been discussed by the press of the colony, and we may, perhaps (says the Wairarapa "Daily News"), be allowed to contribute towards tho controversy a Masterton experience. Recently two young men in this town, holding respectable situations and earning good salaries, asked leave of absence from then 1 employers on a race day, Now, employers knew that cerlain young men understand as much about the pace of a horse as they do about the movements of a camel. They are well aware that it is the fascination of the totalisator -the lust of Rambling—not the love of racing, which draws such young men to a racecourse, and they refused the desired permission. Sooner than miss the gambling orgie the young men in question threw up their situations. There may have been a dozen instances of this kind, but these two happened to be tho number which came under our notice. For certain young men the totalisator is a sort of man eater or Bengal tiger. The Legislature and tho Government may admire tho Bengal tiger, pat it on the back, and license it to kill young men ; but, nono the less, it is a peril to the community. AVhen fathers and mothers, find their sons destroyed by this Bengal tiger have they not some causo of complaint against bath tho Legislature and the 1 Government? We have not a word to say against honest racing; and, in former days, before the Bengal tiger was let loose, ive were present at many a race gathering, and enjoyed our outings; but nowadays it is not safe for a young man to go on to a racecourse. Is it not about time to muzzle tho Bengal tiger at tho racecourso P Out on the deep the storm blew wild, But the man at the wheel stood firm. He swallowed some 0. T. PUNCH and smiled, Vsr the cold couldn't make him squirm Fcated one dav at (lie nnjan, I weavv and ill at ease. But my saddess fled, when a s»ft voice said. '• Here's your 0. T. PUNOH, sir,

At Milton, m the South Island, a lady has been appointed judge of the dairy produce exhibits at the forthcoming show. At the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club meeting on Thursday evening last, four persons (reports the local "Herald") were nominated fo the position of judge, and the committee almost unanimously decided in favor of the appointment of a Taieri lady.

The asphalting of the Wost End schoolground is an immense improvement, and the children can go to and from school dry-shod, as far as this is concerned. Not so the rest of the ground, which in wet weather is a sories of isles and lakelets. The committee has been granted permission to light one of the class rooms by gas, but will have to wait awhile for the erection of the teachers' room,

Cable messages recently acquainted New Zealanders with the exploits of a blind graduate of the Sydney University, who crowned an industrious career by receiving the statute of a barrister at law. This country, however, has a similar student, though he has not enjoyed similar publicity. Next week, at the Auckland degroe ceremony, the diploma of B.A. will bo received by a blind student, Mr Ernest Chitty, from the Auckland Jubilee Institute for the! Blind. At his examinations. he had, cf course, a confidential supervisor, who read out all questions to him, and put down on tlio papers exactly what he said. The examiners in England wero not informed that tho work was that of a blind candidate, except in one particular case, for a special reason, and therefere there can be no justification for any impression, that Mr Chitty's handicap brought him any extra consideration.

' The palmist will say that a lad's career is marked on the lines of his hand; the astrologer will say that it is ordered by the stars ; the spiritualist will say that it is directed by unseon guides; and the scientist will deci are that it is controlled by hereditament. There is moro or less truth in all of these claims; but, in spite of all the influences which they may exercise towards a specific destiny, there is a power within the lad himself which will enable him to make or mar his own destiny. He himself can work towards it or from it. He has his chances; but it is his part to take them or pass them by. Every man, m a largo degree, is either a self-made man or a selfmarred man—just according as he exercises his own individual talent and power.—Masterton " Times."

The Americans have won a name for " hustle," but they never did more to justify their claim to tho characteristic of energy than during the dark days of the San Francisco disaster. Perhaps no bettar example of strcnuousness was displayed than the one set by the Call, the Examiner, and the Echo newspapers. The offices had been demolished, the machines, the type, everything, had been hopelessly destroyed, but the pressmen were un- ' daunted. They rakei up enough gear to bring out in combination a sheet, and the news was indeed hot from the smoking press. Then they sought temporary offices, and each compauy proceeded to its business with a briskness almost f.cnzied.

The Board of Education lapsed for some time last night into a committee of experts on the eradication of " rat's tail," a weed that, it was thought, would permauently ha .per the proposal of Mr W. E. Spencer, director of technical education, to plough a portion of bt. Michael's Square with a new to utilising the ground as a demonstration area for the agricultural classes. His scheme was to plough tho ground, but not.knowing of the existence of the " rat's tail," and not pretending to be export enough to press his ideas against the combined experience of the members, he amended his report, inserting instead of " plough" the word " prepare." Mr Wado questioned the efficacy of pli "ghing as a means of eradicating the we 1, and other members were positive tlia thero could hardly bo imagined a more successful means of spreading it. Mr Faull considered that the pupils should be compelled to eradicate the weed, as part of the agricultural course.