LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81876, 29 October 1906, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A deputation of ratepayers is to »(iii on Mr F. W. Brooking at 4 o oloeic tins afternoon, with a request tiial lie reconsider ins decision to retire from municipal politics. The El'.liaru County Bill passed with amendments through committee of the Mouse of Representative* on Saturday, and «as put through all its stages. Subsequently, after a short debate, the 8.1 l passed the Legislative Council. Mr Whittle, Secretary of the North TaranaM Cricket Association, informs us tinn it was arranged that tJie North v. South match on November Mth .stioukl eventuate, whether or not the miitek with the .Englishmen should be taking place. Messrs. Mackay, Logan and Steen, .vareliousemen, have purchased the sections lying botween Mr it. C. Hughes' odice in Brougham street and the corner of Powderham street They will, we are informed, proceed at once ■vitii the erection of a line two-storied warehouse.

ine other day we referred to the ttp-Lo-date dairying methods of Mr J. ■.fordon lilassford, of inglewood, and spoke of the extraordinarily good tests ie lils secured. Mr (jlassford writes .u state that the averago was from 6 2 00 7.;S for a. period of two months, and that his test was a high one all through the season, which tact he modestly attributes to the cows being pure and aalf-bred Jerseys, but which we, in iddition, attribute to the scientific and up to-date methods he employs. One of the meanest outrages perpetrated m New Plymouth for some time was revealed on Sunday morning, .viieu it was seen that during tlie night some malicious wretch had entered Mr W. P. Short's monumental yard and liberally smeared the headstones and ,mer masonry with some tarry sub■tauce, Mr Short is at present away .u CUristchurch, superintending the erection of iris very fine exhibit) of .nouuniental work ut the Exhibition. It is stated that the damage done will .-each the neighbourhood of £2OO worth. A workman was 'busy all day m Sunday endeavouring to clean the atones, but when night fell the stains

iad been removed from only two or hrec. it is quite evident that there's -oine creatures in New Plymouth who should make close aequaiutance of the masonry pile behind Marsland Hiil, aud we hope the police *iil he able to

sheet home the mean and sneaking trick.

The strawberry season has begun 41 Auckland, ripe fruit being obtainaoie at the shops at about two shillings per box. The season promises 10 be a record one.

The steamer Turakina, which arrived froai London on Wednesday, hi ought 230 passengers for New Zealand purls and 3224 tons of cargo lor Wellington, ana 1552 tons for Lyttelion.

A correspondent of the East Coast Guardian states that it has been prov id that pumice, when placed to a good depth on roads, sets like cem em, and heavy weights make little or no impression on it. Rain only hardens it down ; and it is never slippery. Numbers of men are passing

ihiuugh Mataroa .en route tor the Main Trunk railway works higher

up. 'file Taihape Post s;;(ys there 1= a feeling of contemment now that stores arc able to be taken up regularly, and the easy transport lias brought uown prices.

A very regrettable incident occurred to Mr Allen Cave, who recently sustained a fracture of the thigh by tlie fall of a platform at the Kapuni Bridge works (says ihe Eltham Argus). Mr Cave had almost recoveied from the injury and was able to move about on crutches. Yesterday while out walking in Castle Street, he slipped, and falling heavily, the old fracture was unfortunately reopened. This mor.ning, Dr. Hanison re-set the break, and Mr Cave is piogressing as favourably as can be expected.

Figures collected at Broken Hill on September 20. show thai there aie S2OO men now employed at the smelters at Port Pirie, Cockle Creek, and elsewhere in direct connection with the Broken Hill mines make the total 10,030. The Proprietary mine altogether has 4130 men on the payroll. The South mine has over 1000 employed, while the British Block 10. Block 14, and North mines also have extra strong manual support. Never before in their history have the Broken Hill mines had so many men employed, in 10,00, the last boom year, the tot;i|l number employed /locally was only 7000, over 1000 less than at tile present time.

It is frequently remarked that there should be little need to give long credit to dairy farmers, on the ground that the receive their cheques icgularly each month, and therefore should bu able to pay at least monthly. This seemed to be the opinion ol a laige number of shareholders present at the annual meeiing of the Moa Fanners Union on Saturday. Some complaint was made concerning the amount of ercdi? given, and one or two shareholders advocated running die business on siriclly cash lines. Another gentleman quickly rushed into the breach, and stated that if tht Union would not give credit, the customers would go elsewhere for it. "If you want to close the institution," he said, "all you have to do is to refuse credit."

'' The sixth annual report of the 1 Mangatoki Dairy Company, Ltd., presented on Wednesday, 15th, states: ' "The past year has been a record one, both as regards output, and the price paid for butter-fat. Afior writingoff £<jsS 16/3 for depreciation, Ihere remains a further sum of ' t.i be dealt with. The directors re- . commend the payment at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum on all paid-up capital. This will amount to ,£227 Tin, leaving £577 10/11 to be dis- ' tributed as a final payment pro rata on all butter-fat supplied by shareholders. The amount of milk received was 22,414,529108 yielding, 536,67i1bs of butter-fat, averaging 3.74 per cent test, from, which' 030, ?oilbs, or 415 tons ijcwt 3qrs (jibs of commercial butter was manufactured; the over-rim being 11.23 P e r cent. In a leading article in the "District Land Registrar and Properly Gazette" the following remarks appeal on the land question :—Notwithstanding the vague and illogical dcminoiai on of a ceiiain class of politicians, the great bulk of the people still re gard the freehold as their absolutely inalienable right and heritage. The ye]))' party wljiph .Was instrumental in abolishing 'the freehold tenure must now admit—that the great voice of ihe peo|>ii) is not on its side. Its leaders recognise the hopelessness of continuini: the assault which was begun with a fucilade of political artillery and such a blaze of trumpets fourteen years ago. l r or political parly reasons they cannot —or will

not—admit their defeat, and therefore adopt nn ingenious—though none too creditable —device of proposing to convert all the balance of unsold Crown Lands: into State reserves, out of which" to defray the cost of education, old age pensions, and the maintenance of hospitals. This proposal, which is in keeping with die trend- of recent legislation, is aboiH the most unprofitable and untenable ever promulgated. THE J. I IT. Of A CREAM SEPARATOR. Ever watched tyour neighbour who has been talked into buying a cheap and iiileri"!' horse, driving him at top lo net through the work, rcsult-hor.-'e "clacks up'' quick, dies, and tin' money lie cost is I brown awav. The same fate awaits the Cream Scpara'nr that has in be driven at an exicssive sped to get (he capacitv sta ted; its life is shortened by one' half, and its cast is increased mo per cent. ' Thi- poinl requires careful consideration by the Separator buver. "AlfsiI.aval-" Separator- do their fell capacity run 11 inir a 1 a normal speed, and eoeseouentlv o-i.-e the best results for

'■lean s| ; 'i; n ming. durability, <'c. Latest models, which gained the Gold Medal (J„ n e iooTi- for the machine con'.aininr ihe late-U improvements, on vi. w at our stand. International ExhibVon. E. Gviffiihs and Co. Loral A'len's. Sole New Zealand Agents Mason Struthers and Co Ltd. Christchurch',

American lawyers have discovered th;il Picsidcni Roosevelt's order for the official employment »f the new spelling reform is a violation of a law whicli makes Webster's Dictionary Hie legal etandard for spelling in Government documents.

A rather unusual accident occurred in the rooms of a Dunedin dentist at the end of last week. A young man from Gisborne, on a visit to Dunedin, was being placed under the influence of gas prior to having teeth pulled, but evidently a sufficient quantity of gas was not administered, for the patient suddenly became violent, jumped out of the operating chair, and dashed his fist through the window, sustaining very severe cuts between the wrist and the elbow. He was secured, and taken to the hospital, whore it was found that a number of tendons and arteries bad been severed. The patient is now progressing fairly well, but his arm is so much lacerated that some time must elapse before it is healed.