LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81863, 12 October 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A very large shark was seen at the mouth of (lie Waingongoro river 011 Tuesday afternoon says tlie "Slur." II was quite close into the shore—elo'e enough lo collect a'iy dainty morsels in the way or bathers or otherwise, that might have been available. Lambing on Banks Peninsula h:is been a record. A letter received frotp Akaroa stales that on one of the biggest farms iu (he Eastern bays the average wns 12l) percent, ami on (he neighbouring station 105 permit The taller runholiler's ewes put up llie tidy average of 135 per cent, in one paddock, " whicli," the letter stales, •'is not to he grumbled at." In writing up his somewhat uiinilelhgibie noles of the trades demonilr.'ilion on Tuesday, our reporter overlooked Messrs Itussell A: Son's exhibit of monumental aud bricklaying work Several varieties of marble, ferro-con-erete, some splendid urns, vases, ni-J other glazed poltery, were prominent in the exhibit, which was the only one ot its class in the processio.n A big dog which took too great an interest in a batch of kittens had his dignity considerably hurt on Thursday afternoon, and the brute might aptly be dubbed the " prince of wails." The mother of Ihe feline family resented the paternal intrusion of her einine admirer; and promptly fastened her claws in his noae. Then the neighbourhood knew by the noise that something was amiss.

At the funeral of the natiye woman Betty on Sunday last, says the Opunake " Times " the Maoris showed due reference to the dead by taking oft' their hats when the hearse stopped at the grave for the coflin to be taken out and lowered to its last resting place Some of the white spcctalors ivlio were present apparently did not consider ii necessary to extend that reverence, which made some of the Maoris lake notice. One remarked: "Te pikeha he keep his hat on and smoke; why he not do all the same at a pakeha funeral, Jfe think because we black we not wonli it, Our heart cood all the same anybody olse."

Mr McNeill, grocer, of Devon street, was awarded the palm for ingenuity in the trades displays 011 Wednesday. A trap that had to bo held together with wire and ropu, and which might have been huiit and painted twenty years ago, was drawn by a somewlial attenuated Maori weed with legs bound in sacks to prevent them falling in pieces by the roadside, whilst the dilapidated harness was a marvel of repairing skill. This unhappy state of affairs was due, ihe placard said, to a rushing trade. The Betting Bill, savs a writer in the Australasian, is a curiosity in itself; its language is so comprehensive and portentous. It leaves little to chance —or the lawyer. In gambling prosecutions of yore the difficulty always was to deline a "place." The new definition removes doubts. A place is " anywhere, either on land or water." 1 p in a balloon seems to be the one chance left of dodging (lie Act. At a

time when the air-ship is developing so last, how did tjjoy ; owe to miss the balloon IThere was a big muster on Tliursclay evening at Si. Joseph's schoolroom where the Plymouth branch of the Hibernian Australian Catholic Benefit Society lieid their lirst social The majority of those present induced 111 dancing, hut on the upper portion . of the hall card-tables were provided and fully occupied with those who sought enjoyment other than tripping the light fantastic. The arrangementwere in every way satisfactory, and hearty enjoyment Ike rule, Messrs ,J A. Clark and M. .Duller were the M.C. s, and kept things briskly moving, whilst Mrs George supplied exes-llenl music, t •Itieel's and iiienibers wore Ihe insigniii ol the Society, wnieh lent an air o( origntjics; 10 ,'Ue seene. Songs were sung' by Misses C/ JJciiii rU and Foley, and extras were played by Misses lladforil andM. Clarke, N.Z. GO\T.R.\.\II"XT \ KTLRIXARIAX AI'I'KOVKS, SYKk.V A'J.ORTJOX CI'RK. When ill" G'A'ei nineiit ~"eteibtarian endoise- a preparation it means iha; he is salt-In J 1 hat it is t|,u best, Cap■ain 01 me i- the Go'\e,-mm'tii Veterinarian m ihaige of I atanaki Proyin< • 1 lie l.,ige-i dairying- di-trie' ia the Colony. Tiii- is what he -a,s of SVKKS'S AXIMAI. AISORTIOX t t Rl',. "-A m-ist 11 s,■ j,il piepiirai'on in handy fomi with >npi rinr advantages over talvias, fir the prevail am am! care of abonion. and cur which 1 can -afelv recaninv-nd.—A. R YOCXG. ;;,l! ( .V S . Goal, \7<t. in chntgc of Taranaki Province.'' Cows which have abnrteil. or healthy animals which, after calving, retain the whole or part of the ahcrl;itill. should first be drenched wi:h S\Kl'.tjij 1 IRI'.XCI I. This a ! lavs the fever and puntiea J,e !)lood. Sold everywhere. SYKF.S'S UKKNCIf, t (j. ' SYKKS'S ANIMAL ABORTION CURE, 2/6,

As a result of the Exhibition lieltl rreriitly, lhe Central School funds will benelit to the extent of £IOO.

Mr Uurnctt, Inserting Engineer of! Hallways, and Mr Jiis;, Uislrii.-i Engineer, are now making iluir anui.al inspection of lines in tlus district. Tliey arrived in New Plymouth last night, and will be occupied for a day or two , m their departmental work. Tliey are accompanied by the heads of the vari ons snb-departnients, and travelling per special railway motor-trolley.

Mr Allan Thompson, New Zealand's ' first .Rhodes scholar, has obtained firstclass honors in gcologj, the subject in ivhtcli he specialised. He lms also been elected captain ot St. John's College Football Club, iie has ihcreiore fully fuliillcd tlio Riiules idea for tbc lias excelled in sell m [athletics, and as a leader of ui-11. Ills brother, Dr. Malcolm Thomson, lias been appointed to one of the commissions in the Indian Medical Service.

An exchange states thai an outbreak of a fever or disease amongst calves in Greytoun d:«-ric>, and also in tiio neighbourhood of is being investigated by the Agricultural Department's officers. The complaint attacks calves a fortnight or sn old. The symptoms are that the affected calf's ears drop, the animal appears depressed, and ill about two hours it dies.

The Takaka (Nelson) paper says.— Some little time ago Mr \Y. J. Riley lost several young horses from a disease that bailled all local experts and consequently Mr Barnes, a Government veterinarian, was brought over, and he has decided thai it is a smai' worm known as Strnngylus Petracantlious that has caused the fatalities. This is a parasite that is found in foul pastures; it attacks the smalt intestine, causing scour-and death.

An exchange says that visitors to the colony, in some, cases, make a line an of louring the country in an economical style. They represent to land agents that they . re in search of property, and thus get cliiver. round at the agent's expense, and at the sjtnc time get a full description of the resources of the districts they are visiting. The agents, though, never succeed in these cases in satisfying their clients t<> the extent of securing a signed agreement and deposit.

An excellent innovation for promoting the educational side of agricultural shows i- reported from Crystal Brook. South Australia. The idea was suggested by Mr VY. K. Lang, of Narridy, who offen d a prize to the boy who could place the draught siock most in accord with the opinions of the official judge. A small cntiance tee was charged, and 20 lads under 18 years of age went into the arena and wrote down their choice in each class before (he decision was announced. There were 11 classes, and three of the buy* agreed with the judge in eight of them, and divided the prize. This was a remarkable result, especially in view of the fact that the youths were compelled to remain in a certain spot, and did not have the advantage of the close scrutiny enjoyed bv the official judge. Eight of the boys were in harmony with the adjudicator in seven of the sections. in one it is curious that the whole 20 of them disagreed with the judge. An unfortunate accident happened recently at Dover to the Atlantic liner Deutschland owing, apparently, to a j misunderstanding between bridge and engine-room. The ship had embarked her passengers and mails a ong Side, the Prince of Wales pier, and was leaving the port stern first with two tugs in attendance, when she suddenly went ahead, causing the tug's hawser to siap. To get the vessel out of the harbour the engines wi re to asterii but by some error, ih-' engines were put ahead, and the huge ship dashed straight f'»r the granite pier. O'lers were given to reverse the engines, and the anchor was dropped, b it tie ship struck the pier hcavi!y. She was split from bow rail to the keel, but the watert;plll t'ompa>\ : nents prevemed hi?r it■ 'in making modi water. After the mishap the Deutschland anchored in the channel, villi three tugs in aitendence. The liner could not proceed to New York, and her pas-cmrci..

and mails were landed at Dover and sent on by ether routes, The P-o- hland had about 500 passengers and 1200 sacks of mail aboard.

In the House a few day* ago, II" Premier made some renin".:s aboi : people who write ononymo; < lette. ; with the object ol injur:!.'; c I ei's. had to do with the disn»-<«(! • fapos; ! , official m connection w\h t' ■ writi■ ; and delivery of such a lc ei\ " i there are cowards m the w..-Id," s::' Sir Joseph with he:/, ' (bey are p; - sons who send anon, .no is k.leis- J i ray judgment they lire worse than assassins. I have seen scores of them in my lime, and I have ail absolute abhorrence of the villians and reptile - who endeavour to shield themselves ' writing anonymous lel.?rs :> pub ' • men against somebody el- . I ha* j had scores of letters relating ;o officers in different parls of the colony sent by people who are i|i my judgment worse than assassins, it is about the vilest thing that anything living can do." There was a chorus of approval from all parts of the House.