LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8157, 14 July 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr James Wells, who was assisting the District Valuer (Mr Sam Hill) in tins district recently, has been gazetted a District Valuer. Numbers of young women in Switzerland have recently been eonverled (o Mormonism l>r the preachers now visiting the country, ami the tlr.st recruits have loft Basle for Utah. Steps are being taken to have a petition presented to the Minister for Public Works, asking the Government to have the Carrington road opened for its full length, connecting New Ply. ! mouth with Opunakc. Iu the dominions of the British Empire alone eight thousand individuals vanish every year without leaving any j indications as to their whereabouts or ever appearing again. The credit balance of the West End School Committee stands at £ti 13s 2d. It's rather unusual for a school com-1 mi'.lee in Taranaki to have a eredi! balance at all, that is, if it spends anything. The West Emters, however, have a name for being energetic and up-10-ilate.

The following donated the ]ii\>,o>, for the bridge and euchre tournaments ai (lie Military Hand's annual social on Thursday cvcniim :—fugiir and cream set. Archibald Clark and .Sons; picture. West iiml Sons; i-gw-sp.ions, Mrs .1. Paul; ink-stand,. Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co.; donation, Morey and .Son; sihcr-inoiinlcd nhoto frame, Mr (Jreiner; silver-mounted .salts boltlc, Mr W. Frascr; silver-mounted saltcellar, Berry and Co.; one dozen handkerchiefs, Messrs Morey and Moore.

The services in Whilcley Church tomcrrow will be conducted by the Kev T. G. Brooke. Subjects:' Morning! "The Abiding Comforter." Evening. •' Christian Socialism : Is it Communism ■?" —Aovt.

Every bullet has its billet, All the bow-wows have their days, If I had a book, I'd (ill it up With 0. T. PUNCH'S praise!

Tho new valuation roll of the Moiv Road Board shows a total value of "bout £612,000, an increase of ei75,000.

Some excitement was caused at ilahotu on Thursday, when a wellmown farmer alleged that a cow sent : iy him to the saleyards, and condemned by the Stock Inspector, had not yet been paid for, nor could its whereabouts be traced or its ultimate ■iite ascertained.

Good work is being done by the Borough Council staff in placing screenings on some of the mare greasy and bo«gy footpaths in the borough. Had there been screenings on hand, the mud-holes might have been prevented, for prevention is easier and more satisfactory than cure. A speaker at Rihotu referred lo Ihe very important part played by the farmer's wives and daughters in the development of the farming industry, and averred that "very ofton the woman is the better man of the two." One of the audience interjected, " Your'e not far out of it there," and then* (sotto voice) " They do most of the work, anyhow, the woman and kids between them."

A letter received in Now Plymouth from San Francisco, says people are leaving in hundreds. The newspapers, he says, are belittling the distress, in an endeavour to keep people in the place. But there is no use, in his opinion, in asking people to stay in a town whore there will be only brickcleaning to do for months yet, A Wellington carrespoudent writes to the " Otago Daily Times " : "Mr Way, the eminent American oil expert, who has just finished an exhaustive inspection of the petroleum region between Ngaire Swamp and Omata, declares that he has met the strongest indications of petroleum in that radius of about 30 miles, and especially at Were's farm, Omata, where he discovered the best petroleum in the district. He considers that portion of Taranaki, whwh includes the well of the Taranaki Petroleum Company, equal to any indications in the United States."

The piled-up remains of an express and a quantity of household furniture at the bottom of a bank on the roadside just beyond Oakura tell their own tale. On Thursday night Mr Geo. Looney, of Opunake, was driving towards Opunake with a load of furniture, when one of the team, a young horse, started to play up. There was no room for equine frolics, and surely the express got over tl»e edge qf the f(llmg. The driver was forlnnatp in jumping clear, but the vehicle and horses went tumbr ling down the bank. The express was badly smashed, but the horses escaped Uninjured. One of them, freeing himself from the harness, galloped up the hill and fell into a deep ditch that was being cut there, landing on his back, Ho was extricated only after some difficulty. Despite the rough night on Thursday there was a good attendance at the Western Park euchre party at Westown. Mr P Wallath was responsible tor the arrangements, which were in every way a credit. Miss V. Sole won the most games (15) during the evening, and took the ladies' first prize, with three others even for second place with 13 games. Mrs J. Lobb ultimately won the second prize, beating Mrs W. Russell and Mrs L. Bullot. The leading gentleman was Mr A. Simpson, with 13 games, Messrs W. H. Beadle, J. Madson, and J. Tickuer tied for second, Mr Beadle winning in the play-off. Mr Beadle generously returned his prize for future competition. The present committee is already arranging another party to be held "early in the next moon," and the funds will bo placol towards the cost of erecting a chimney at the hall. ,

_ Prompted by the recent visit of the Vine Branch, a novel cargo steamer of the turret class, which put into Auckland on Saturday week for supplies, the current issue of "The Farmers'

Yl cekly " contains a special article on the grain-carrying trade. The particulars given arc of a very interesting character, gnd accompanied as the article is by a series of illustrations depicting the peculiar struotural formation °* the steamer, tljese being taken by the " Farmers' tyeekly " photographer, a much clearer' idea is obtained of the character of the fraeje referred to. Another page of illustrations deals with the land ballot at Opotiki, and amongst a large variety of matters dealt with editorially the questions of Rural Education aijij the Reform of the Legislative Council, which it is contended should be made elective on the people's franchise.

When the Whangamnmona-Tatu mailman, named Thomas Jolley, failed to turn up at Tatu at the usual time, and settlers remembered the very rough weather conditions prevailing when he left Tatu on his last trip, enquiries were set afoot The unfortunate man has not been seen since he left Tatu

on the Bth inst. He should have left on the 4th, but the stato of the weather and roads detained him until the Bth. He started on horseback, but seemed to have thought he could Jo better on foot, for he left his horse at the first of the three bridges over the Tangarakau stream which crosses the road in places. At the third bridge, judging by the appearances, Jolley lost his life while crossing. The cage at this point is defective, and the bridge must have been a couple iti feet under water. Ladies wfll Have a great opportunity to-day and Mondayfof securing' f u'rs at Morey and Son's. The firm has' purehased a great job line of these goods fiwm Auckland, for particulars and prices see adver^ment. Those in want of new op secondhand bicycles should attend Messrs Bewley and Griffiths' sale to-day, when a first-class selection of ladies' and men's bicycles will be offered. About 30 tweed suit lengths will also be sold, and bargains will no doubt be obtainable.

Those in need of a good, well-fitting and stylish suit of clothes should yisit Noonan's establishment, nest Imperial Hotel, Devon street, New Plymouth. The firm are showing some Bice goods and more are arriving daily. Ladies' costumes and riding-habits are also turned out at this weli-known establishment. An advertisement will be found elsewhere.

This is the season of the year when householders use a good deal of wood and coal. These supplies, howeyer, haye been somcwliat short in New Plymouth during tip last week or two owing to the rough weather dislocating shipping. Messrs Ward and Son, opposite the Central Fire Brigade Station, hare just had their large wood and coal yard replenished and are now carrying very heavy stocks of first-class fuel. Several kinds of coal can now be supplied in any quantity. The firm liaye a particularly fine lot of Westport on hand. Of firewood there is no stint and customers nan be Fupplied on ■shortest notice.

Al Wliiteley Cliurcti to-morrow ovecing the llev. T. G. Brooke will re. some the consideration of the question of "Christian Socia'ism," his special subject being, "Is it Communism?" During the service lie will read Mrs , Sneddon's letter of thanks to the Methodist Church of New Zealand for its sympathy with her in her great sorrow.

The services in Queen street Church to-morrow will be conducted by the Pastor, the Kev. John Nijcon. Mornm;.' subject, "Martin Luther'* Gospel," evening subject, "The Need of Holding Fast the Projcstant Faith." A brief memorial address on late Charles Turner will be given at the close of the service—Advt.

Christmas comes but once a year, And when it comes—why, then it's here; Bat tins of colds we cannot say ; They come, they go, they often stay, And merge into a nasty cough, _ Which we have trouble to drive off. A ain the attempt, unless we procure A bottle of Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. For Children's Hacking Cough a night. Woods' Groat Peppermint Cure Is 6d and & 6d per bottl*