LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81849, 25 September 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On Monday morning a second offending drunk cairn' before the New Plymouth Police Court. lie was given another chance, convicted and uncharged. The annual meeting and distribution of prizes in connection wit.i the New Plymouth Howling Club will be held at the Club Pavi-ion on Thursday evening. On the application of Mr Fitzhcrbcrt, for the petitioner, a decree absolute was granted yesterday by the Supreme Court in the divorce case. Paul Espiner against Emma Espiner. That hotbed of typhoid fever, the Kaponga Hotel building, is at hist to be 11 placed bv up to-date premises. It is to be hoped the Health Depart - meiu will see to it that every stick of the o'd building is effectively destroyed.

The case Newton King and others (Mr \Y. S. Fitzherbeit for plainliffh.) versus The Patent Brick Companv of New Zealand (Messrs Bell, Gully, and Myers for the defendant), claim £SOO for breach of warranties, which was to have come on at the forthcoming sessions of the Supreme Court, has been settled out of Court. The opening dance at the new Manaia Town flail is described as the best and most enjoyable of its kind held in the piovintc for many years. Mr McKinn'-n Rain's orchestra supplied tin.- music. This makes the six.h trip of the orchestra to the (lawera d,strict during the recent danc ing season.

Bes-le Smith, a Melbourne shop girl, mairied l'eliier, a Fiench bunk clerk. It is alleged that on settling in Paris, she discovered he was an escaped criminal, and. she indignantly refused his infamous suggestions lor earning' a living. Thinking .sinhad betrayed him to the police, Pellier slabbed her in the shoulder and escaped. Bessie is now sheltered by an English family,

A young woman named Marion May Emmens was arrested at Wellington yesterday on a charge of murdering her infant. The police stated in Court that accused, who was not well enough to appear, was a single girl. 23 years of age, who gave birth to a child about a fortnight ago. The body was found in a foarrf! of lime and water at tinplate accused was employed. The case was adjourned.

Owing to the noisy and greedy habits of the Russian "gander on the Recreation Ground's lake, the Bo.ud some time ago decided, unless the bird mended his ways, to dispense with his services. As the gentle man was caught in the act of '-scoffing'' eggs in a duck's nest on Monday, the warrant for execution was issued and duly given effect to, the fine carcase being conveyed 10 the residence of a member of the Board. The Egmont Lodge, No. 12, 1.0. G.T., held its weekly session in the Queen-street sihoolroun on Monday evening, liro. J. C Legg, C.T.. presided over a large attendance of members. Six candidates were initiated. After general business was de;\i> wil'i. the programme »f the evening. "Sister-;' Surprise" was prori<B'.ed with. Musical and vocal items were given, and refreshment.were hanch-d round by the sisters. ,0 whom a hearty vole of thanks was accorded.

An ingenious scheme has been devised by Capta ; n Marciel (says the Lytthtnn Times) f>r the "breaking in" of boys who wish to go to sea. J-Je lias induced the proprietor of a number of s:, -' im launches at Lytilelon !o agree 1° OWy in his launches free'o! 'charge, boys nomiri.rcd. by the Navy League as iritem'ing sail; rs. The scheme is that they ihould go through the ineyitab'e course of seasickness on the small boats, and ob tain certificates to show that they have "passed in seasickness." They will then be qualified to begin work as bovs on sea-going boats. "Money is yew light in Palner -ten. s,,ys the Manaw atu Daily! Time-, "and tle-re are n,any people the cabs in the inwn and many other 1 eligible ((invevanocs were oliaiievul to take people to the Bulls uees yes terday. Let us hasten to explain that interest in sport (not a desire to gamble) was the prime incentive of our race-going citizens, their sole desire being to encourage by their presence and patronage a 1,-eite,- breed of hordes."

Some indii-aii. n of lie-coii'liiion of •hings piovailing in the Transvaal owing :,, the introduction of C y ■abour is a (Voided by m.hv remarks tti.i'lo bv an 'X lYo'lingtnninn in a It I ier l„ his relations here. ••(),, Ho:line." he >a\s.. fron, north of Johannesburg, "ovonbodv is aini-d with a revolver mi accou'iil of the marauding John Chinaman, and. to do il„. same, ahaough | don't 'ike the idea ol having to carrv firearms. There is not so nuirli fear of being melested on this end as ihere i s on rite other end. near Johannesburg, and the nones, where we finish up." The Minister of f.ands is in hopes of reporting the Land Poll f r „ m ,|„, [.and, < •-,„„,;,.,.,■ u< the House on brtdav in-,. The,-,- is ~,-,..,. probabt'iiv that ihe second leading will be taken nu Tuesday week. "I don't -ee anything to pr'.vnl the report of 'he oomniitioo oom'no- down on l-'ri-day." lemarked Mr McXab to a New : Zealand Tim's" representative. "I den't epect anv vital changes ,o be mad.- in thr nil 1 , though there are a numb'T of reasonable amendments that will be mad,, before the Bill is lo ought down. So far as I am con-I'-iivd, we are (joint; on with a geiiuin' mt.-niton </ puttinq- it on the Statute I'.o'ik. What J lune sa : d in regard to the Gnvernment's land pohcy has not been bounce or anvdiintr e'se and it conveys the intentions of the Government." i

Tho building trade is reported to be very hri.sk in Kltlwm at present. vi hat is undoubtedly n euriositv —nn ill while Yopuvk, Ins bei", caught by Mr \Y 0. W.iism, on Ins farm, .Stuart road, Kit ham. Mr 1 ,V.-its-iii is having I he bird stuffed lo keep as a rare specimen, says the " Argus." If the human race in its degenerate slate is ever to tie regenerated, it will lie by life in the eomilrv and life on the farm. Tile nun with the ho-, is Ihe primal man, the fundamental man. the man from wliose loins must spring 1 vigorous, regenerated race. ft is no.v suggested that the Carnegie library should be creeled on the Ariki street frontage of the Town Hall site. This would give accc.-s through Iho Town Hull from K : ng street, and from Ariki street The building, in brick, could be so designed as to form part of new municipal buildings when the present structure lias to be replaced. 'lhe farmers throughout Tnranaki are now keenly appreei itave of (he practical lectures, of winch Ciptain Young, the Government vet., has been delivering quite a number recently. In response to requests from the Awakino district, the genial officer has consented to give a " talk " there next month.

A prominent land and estate agent informs us that there never wits a time when house property 111 New Plymouth was in greater demand than it is at present, nor a time wuen houses for renting were so difficult to obtain. At present, he said, he had more applications for houses (rental) than he could hope to satisfy.

It will come as a surprise to many New Plymouth people to learn that, if Ler all the strenuous efforts put forth, ih« columns of print, and piles of. letters and recommendations and resolutions, there was no provision made in the Enabling Act for the reservation of a piece of St. Michael's Square as a site for a public reading-room and museum,

In the ease of Mrs Allan, who applied for attachment on moneys due to her husband under the Imperial Army Act, 1881, the Chief Justice refused the order without costs. Allan had served as a soldier in the South African war, and Mrs Allan had obtained jttdgmentfor ,£37 10s costs m a divorce suit, and she sought thai from the amount due to respondent. His Honor held that under section 141 of the Act mentioned he had no power to grant the order, but it was a case in which a petition to the military authorities would no doubl be effective in enabling petitioner to get a warrant for payment of the amount.

" What is tlie difference, your Worship, between ' ordinary ' business and 'extraordinary' business?" asked Or. Brooking at the Borough Council meeting on Monday night. The two items on the order paper, he said, had often puzzled him. The Mayor's reply, though absolutely true and non-com-mittal, was not likely to sweep away any doubts on the matter, " Well," he sagely replied, after some deliberation, "1 take it that extraordinary business is business that's out of the ordinary." And then the ex-Mayers' photos on the wall frowned upon the unscemmg levity.

It is announced that the law providing for old-age pensions in France comes into force in January of next year. It is calculated that the cost will be some 23,000,000 francs per anniuru

In response to a deputation which waited on Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R., with reference to the making of the connection between the present terminus (if the Cairington-road and tho lnaha-road, Mr Smith promised to o'o all he cou'd to get a sum placed mi the Estimates for the woik.

Mr Malone, on behalf of the enmmiu.'c arranging for the Taianaki c.-uut at the International Exhibition, has set his eves on a Maori carved head and some other cuiios in the ,'mw P ymonih Museum, and warns ilii-m as adornment for the court. The Municipal Reserves Commil;ee will deal with the matter. At the Feildlng Court on Thurs day, the Feihling Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals laid an information against C. Tucker., of Wanganui, for illtreating a pigeon by killing it in such a manner as to subj'ct it to unnecessary pain and suffering. The case originated out of the 1 "cent pigeon match. Yesterday, Messrs Trewin and Burne, justices, fined defendant £5 1/ and costs, £1 10/. on the grounds that the inflic lion of pain was unnecessary and the object for which it had been inflicted was unreasonable. This is the first case of the kind heard in the colony.

With reference to the preparation of the Taranaki guide book to be issued at the provincial court at the Exhibition, the Eltham Argus suggests that local committees ought to make sure that their districts are not to be mere perfunctory reference. ' ! 'We assume.,'' says the Argus, "that the Eltham district has the right of representation on the Central Committee, and therefore a voice in the general preparation of the advertising scheme. If our assumption be correct, we would suggest that steps be taken before it is too lat.u. to see that the interests of this district are no; ;il|nwed to suffer, when there is a chance of promoting tljeni very materially.'' A meeting of representatives of cheese factory companies waf held in Stratford on Saturday afternoon, to consider the question of arranging ptirc-. for colonial sa'es, says the Post. Then- wore present: 'Messrs J. 11. Corbett (Low-garth), E. C. liarjevman (Kaupokcnui), J. McDonald (Ngaire), \y. Richard (Cardiff), and Murdock (Kivetdali'j. It was decided to form an association of cheese factories in Taranaki, and to endeavour to make arrangements with the association existing in the Wairara pa, to obtain uniform prta-i for the Norih Island cheese factories'. Prices were suggested for locaj sales for the coming season, and these w il| be submitted to the Wairarapa Association. Mr T, J-I. Penn was elected secretary pro tem. _ Tt is intended to ask Hie fiuulh Island factories Jo cooperate if the 'arrangeiijerit is successful.

"Deputation from the Central School." piped a very juvenile voice I rum the dour of ihe Borough Council Chamber on Mondav night, and Masters S. I'oote, G. S. Doile, C. OuHltam, and V. Clark filed into the room. Master- O/uiliiam acted as spokesman, and, in a stylo that can be heartily commended to tiie ji-eri-eial run of local bodies' deputations, quickly and concisely placed his case before the Council. The modest re quest was that the Council should fix temporary fillings and supply electricity to illuminate a couple of rooms at the Central School on the occasion of die forthcoming sale of work in aid of the school funds. ' The Council unanimously decided to recommend the mailer to the very fa-, vi.'iirable consideration of the electric liojuing comniilo-e. Cr. Montenlh statin;;- ihe oi.iumiiloc would lend ihe li.Uii K -s and g,v e die light if ih„ school paid, ihe cost of installing.

The importation of opium into China was ma.de illegal as long- ago as 171)0. but no stringent measures were taken to prohibit the trade, and the importation grew from four thousand chests in the year named to ihirtv thousand chests in 1X57. ] n tin. iatter year the Chinese Government adopted a fresh policy, which led 10 what ii known as ''ihe opium war." It derided to rigorously stop tin' lraile ;n which it had previotilsv tacitly connived. The forces on the I'liasi were strengthened, and a man of great energy, named I.in, was sent to Canton with .stipieine authority 10 secure the d.struotion of ad np'ium there. A Select Committee of the House of Commons, however, decide/I. that it was inadvisable In abandon an important source oF revenue to the East India Company, and the abolition of the opium trall'ic was successfully resisted, though not without sanguinary fig-liling, lasting lill the Tu-aiy of Nanking was signed in August, 1.542. The Emperor pew intends to rigorous'y suppress the uade. in die defence of which no Hiitish Government now dare raise its voice. ■" ■• ,

The Mayor of Waitara has called a public meeting for Friday evening to discuss tin! question of acquiring a water supply for the borough, and also the formation of a fire brigade. Messrs Montcalh, Uutchcn, and Webster have been appointed a committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council for the) purpose of arranging' for the reception of His Excellency the Governor and suite next month.

The llawera Star reports that a weed has appeared in that district which is likely to prove a nuisance. The weed has a hcliotiope flower, and is suppt sod lo have been introduced into the district by sheep brought over from Napier.

The Japs propose to found a colony embracing a hundred thousand acres in Alberton, Canada. Mr B. R. Nagatany, of Kioto, has already interviewed the Railway and Government agents at Winnipeg, and has now started for Japan to lay his scheme before the Government, lie suggests reciprocal trade, relations should be arranged between Canada and Japan.

The poor old Deeds Office was put through its paces again on Monday night, when Cr. Collis complained of the "perfectly disgraceful conditions'' under which the officials worked there. No private employer would be allowed by the Govern ment to work men in such places as the State used for its own purposes. On it being explained that the borough sanitary engineer had no jurisdiction, and that an impiovcment was probable, Mr Coliis let the matter slide again.