LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8174, 6 August 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In regard to the rise in the price of bntter, it is said ,that whilst Is 3d is the price per lb in Hawera, it is Is 4d in Normanby, Is 5d in Manaia, and only Is Id in Eltham.

Mr A. J. Way, consulting engineer on oil wells, and of noteworthy American experience, arrived in Wanganui on Thursday, says the "Chronicle." He has carefully examinod tho oilbearing regions of Taranaki during the past six weeks, and concluded that there exists one of the most extensive of oil fields, and states that on the Ngaire 6wamp near Eltham, will probably be found a real " gusher." At Omata, on Were's farm, and Penwarden's, Mr Way reports splendid indications of petroleum. In the course of a report on the visit of a number of Manawatu settlers to the Momohaki State Farm, the " Manawatu Daily Times" says: But when the train started away from the Momohaki station on its homeward run, there was not a single individual who had not become enthusiastic in praise of the institution there, its management, and its fulfilment of the objects for which it has been established. The trip had done more to advance in this district the cause of practical State experimenting in agricultural and pastoral possibilities than many lectures by peripatetic experts ceuldhave accomplished. The Wangmni " Chronicle " says that oil fields and syndicates t# work them are now the chief topic ot conversation, at any rate in Taranaki. A private syndicate, formed in the South, has just purchased a large portion of the Ngaire swamp, which has been reported by Mr Way, an American expert, to be a valuable property, Mr [ Petrie (general manager) and Mr Way leave for the States in September to secure the most up-to-da'e boring plant. They will then return, and work will be begun on the oil field. When dealing with this subject, we may mention that we were informed last evening that a syndicate (five shareholders in which are residents of Wanganui) have purchased the Bonithan property, near New Plymouth. It consists of twelve acres, for which the price of £5260 was paid. This property has been proved to be oil bearing, and the value has gone up very considerably, a 4-acre sectionjsclling the other day, we are informed, for £l7O

MERIT REWARDED BY COUR' OF JUSTICE.

The acknowledged good qualities and success of Sander and Sons' Bucaivpti Extract have brought out many imitations, and one case was just tried in the Supreme Court of Victoria, before His Honor Chief Justice Sir J. Madden, K.C.M.G., etc.

His Honor, in giving judgment, said with regard to the Genuine Sander and Sons' Eucalypti Extract, that whenever an article is commended to the public by reason of its good qualities, etc., it is not permissible to imitate any of its features. He restrained the imitators perpetually from doing so, and ordered them to pay all costs. Therefore, insist upon whaf is proved beyond all doubt by skilled witnesses at the Supreme Court of Victoria, and by many authorities during the last 30 years to be a preparation of genuine merit, viz., The Genuine Sander and Sons. Piire Volatile Eucalypti j

Messrs Jones and Wayne, "Welsh mining experts, who have come to t'uo colony at Mr Turnbull's instance to investigate into the Parapara iron doposits, proceeded on Saturday to Collingwood, says the " Patea Press." The roads appear to be rather moist at Taihape. Thus our veracious contemporary, the "News": —Last Friday a man driving a two-horse team, a mile beyond Mataroa.bad a nasty experience. His horses suddenly sank up to their nß«ks in a mud-hole. The drirer then turned to freo them, and after two hours' arduous exertion, succeeded in getting them on a secure footing. People who use these roads are often subjected to experiences of this kind. A characteristic story of the coolness and imperturbability of General Biron! Kodama, the Japanese strategist, whose death was announced in a recent oable message, is related of him in connection 1 with the Battle of Liaoyang. He was ' at breakfast one morning when the | .Russians made a fierce attack that [ compelled the Japanese line to fall , back for some distance. This brought

the spot within the fire from the enemy. The members of the staff were naturally anxious for the safety of so valuable a life, and urged Baron Kodama to retire to a more secure situation " Oh, no," said he, " if I am seen retiring the soldiers may think there is some danger, or that we have doubts. It is much better to remain." , And he I went calmly on with his breakfast, not even troubling to get up to look at the progress of the attack. This example filled the troops with fresh courage, and they speedily repulsed the Russians,

A son of toil has been giving the ' " Wanganui Chronicle " an interesting description of things on the Main Trunk Railway works. To use his own words, he had been " plugging in" there for nine months, as a navvy, ai d he. stated that it cost £lO a ton to get stores from Pipiriki to Raetihi. " The men can't pay it," he declared. He did not think that charge was excessive, but there should be a better road, which could be made easily enough. " At the present time," he went on to say, " the road is impassable, or almost so. It is something abominable. Why, when I was in Pipiriki a few dnys ago 1 heard the carters —not Government carters, mind yoi; we'll call them the fill carters, if you like—ask two guineas a head to take a party of four over the seventeon miles from the riverside township to Raetihi. They would not accept the responsibility under that figure. The whole difficulty would bo got over by laying a tramline There's a good gradient, the thing could be oasily and economically done, and the men could get their stores at something a long way hotter than famine prices. No, I don't blame tho oarters ono bit. It I were a carter I'd (ohargo a penny an inch. Thore's something rotten at the head of off urs. I'm not blaming any one m particular, but the money that's been wasted on the road since I've been there is something awful. Whit on earth tho traction-engines were sent up there tor I can't conceive. There's been enough money spent on the road, to practically no purpose, to put down a decent tramway twice over. The men simply can't stand it. To give you an idea, during the nine month's I've been up there, there have been, speaking roughly, but I believe accurately, something like 700 men who haye thrown up the job. Mind you, some of them aro' bonndersfellows who want to go to a place wh ;re the work is given out. Some of these wastors come up, put in a for; nig'it, clear out, and ' slip up' the storekeeper. But the decent men, the real workers, cannot exist under presenl conditions. The Government really ought to do something, and the tramline is the solution."