The Daily News SATURDAY, JULY 21.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8162, 21 July 1906, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, JULY 21.

The foreman of works estimates tlia, the New Plymouth wharf exten io will be complete 1 iu about a month's time, Poultry fau-iers will have an oppir tii lity of securing some splendid birds to day, when Mr Newton King sells at mart a number of Mr Tcel's prize Orpington's and other breeds,

Mr Wh rton Humphries repor El that business in Taranaki Petroleum Co.'s shares has been very brisk during I the past couple of days. To-day is the last day for application, and Mr Hum phries is prepared to do further business at any time to-day. Buyers for next season's output of butter are already on the warpath. The owner of the largest proprietory factory in the province tells us that he has been offered as high a price as lofd for tho whole of his next season's output.

Messrs P. Berry and Co., at Pis 3d per cask, were the successful tenderers for the supply of 1500 casks of cement to the New Plymouth Harbor Board. Messrs Bcllringer Bros, quoted 12s 4d, and the New Plymouth Sash and Door Co. 12s 8d per cask.

On only twelve days out of the past four weeks has tho Harbour Board's dredge been able to work. Only 80 trips were made during the month, and ■WOO cubic feet of sand were removed. The dredpe was moored for over a fortnight. A large influx of sand has banked up along the wall, and the dredge is now removing it.

During tho month ending on Wed. nesday there were at the New Plymouth wharvos 47 steamers' berthings and one sailing vessel, tho aggregate tonnage being 47,865 tons. The imports amounted to 4315 tons and exports 1043 tons, making 5350 tons handled. During the rough weather there has been considerable wear and tear at times.

Daring the heavy weather in Marc a portion of the new work on the New Plymouth breakwater extension was carried away. This section has now been rcp'aced, at a cost of £l3O. The recent gales have made further extension impossible, but the foreman has had the staff engaged in tipping some 1,298 tons of stone over the end, and 12 concrete blocks were made in ihe past month.

The Taylor - Oarrington Co n -ny produced "Unjustly Sentenced' iu the New Plymouth Theatre Royal on Friday nUlit to a large audience The play is a sensational melodrami, full of incident. Pistols were in eyidenee throughout, and were the principal turning points of the play. The Uumorons portion was in able hands, Miss Ella Oarrington giving a splendid performance .as the black boy. Mr Charlie Taylor was, as usual, a favourite hero, and the other members »f the Company filled their parts splenlilly.

At a meeting of the directors of the Taranaki Oil and Freehold Company held yesterday morning, a number of option* for boring for oil over a largo area of country in different localities where the indications of oil are nnst appirent were accepted by the Company. The Company is now in aposition to offer investors an mi-

equalled opportunity for prospecting purposes for oi l , as llii'y now hold oplious over property in L-'pperlon, Carrin,>ton road and other local.tics. The direrlnrs hope to procccl I.) aIN-Dent shortly, and there will be no delay in letting contrasts fir boring.

Tiie f.,'!i..»m.i are (lie valuations of tho various Jstaels induded in the New Plymouth Harbour rating" are i: Borough of New I'lym nil!i, CL,ll7:),)5l; Clifton (,-sii iiale). IXiS.lll'.l; Hawera, £1,511/.3); StiMtf.rd, C 1,07. VJSIi; Taranaki north £l,B.>S,ti(js; Tarauaki south (estimate), £1,1)71,11)0; the totai assessment being £8,113,7-10. On these valuations it is proposed to strike a rate of a farthing in the £ (a sixteenth of a penny lower than last year's rate), estimated to produce £B,'lot His 3d. Added to this will be land revenue approximating £11,451 16s 31. There is in hand at present £3,851 lfls 7d, making an estimated revenue of £15,303 12s lOd, from these sources. About £12,000 is required to meet all interest and costs, and as the Board's annual receipts from other sources are fairly considerable the farthing rate should be about sufficient. The rale is to be struck at the August meeting.

On Friday afternoon the Waitara nut Moa riiling members of Ike Taranaki County Council, Messrs Tate, Hill, Brown, and Stevens, conferred witUMr G. T. Murray, District Koad Engineer, and Mr John Skinner, County Engineer, in reference to bridge construction, and it was decided to recommend to t'le Coune'l to adopt ferro-conerete in preference to steel bridges. This recommendation will be considered when the plans for the ne.T Wanvakaiho bridge, ?n the Devon road, are prepared. There is now on cw in Mr A. L. Cooke's window, ) e " McMaslers' Shield," the funds f • which were presented to the Tarsi iki Rugby Union some few years a,<>~< The shield is a handsome one of cedar, beauiii illv caryed and scrolled. The cei repiece, over which is fixed a miniaaire silver football, and a scroll bearing the initials " T.8.U." in gold, is a rge silver shield, inscribed, " Present.! to the Taranaki Rugby Union by C. Mc Masters, for competition between senior clubs in tho Taranaki district." This is surrounded by a wreath of -.lvor ferns and leaves, and there are thirteen sm.llor plates for the in--criution of the n mes of winning teams, year by year, Tho whrle work ■>£ mouutiug and inscribing tho shit Ids was done at .Mr Cooke's establishing.