LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 14 March 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The .Aucklandl-Snn Francisco dc- I spatch o{ February 7 arrived ill London on the 12th inat. " Come in out of the wet" said the man to his pony last night, and the pair escouced themselves On the footpath under the Imperial Hotel verandah. An attempt is likely to be made this winter to start a young men's club in i New Plymouth. It's a wonder that a town of this size is so poorly proyided with social institutions.

Heavy showers of rain fell during Wednesday evening, a very agreeable contrast to the dust storms of the two ■>r three days previous. The season continues to bo the best fanning season experienced for a decade past. A youngster often year's old was unable to produce a ticket when asked to do.so on the afternoon train yesterday. His explanation was patielic. His father bid gone to the Stratford races, he said, without him, and now lie was going down on Ins own account. The guard let lum vide as far as Sentry Hill junction, and then handed him oyer to the guard of the up train for return to New Plymouth. Parents are reminded that the schools excursion train leaves New Plymouth for Elthaiu at B.HO prompt to-morrow morning, and will not stop to pick up passengers at Eliot street station, but is timed to stop at Smart road, Egmont road, and Bell Block. The return

journey commences at about 4.30 p.m., and the train should arrive here, stop! ping at Eliot street this time, at 7 p.m. sugar, and uiilk will be provided at liltliam, and the rendezvous is the Tautnata Park, a splendid picnicking ground. Pares arc exceedingly low—children 1/2, seaior scholars' and teachers 2/, and parents 2/6, and the excursion is likely to be largely patronised should the weather be line.

The motto " Marry in haste" has been adopted to an unusual extent in New Plymouth during the past day or U'o. It remains to bo seen whether the rest of the proverb applies. We have already recorded one instance of the rapidity of the matrimonial knotting, and now comes another. This time the circumstances were similar. Ihe bride was in the same line of business as in th? first case ; so was the bridegroom. Ihe notice was equally brief. The bride-elect asked foe half-ati-hour off, and lho privilege was readily granted. Befure the expiry of those thirty minutes the mistress had had intimation of the nuptia's then proceeding. The mrriages hiye the effect of removing from New Plymouth two well-known young ladies. But the town's loss has been the Registrar's gain. Let us hope that there is no prjspect of ftu epidemic of rapidtyarranged weddings, for the pace in tilling.

It is highly probable that many of the companies discarding buttetr for cheese will regret their action before another season has passed. Market uilue is entirely regulated by supply and demand ; and if the output of -New Zealand cheese is doubled in one season, at the same time that other countries supplying Britain are also increasing their shipments, it is li'ghlv probable that (lie market next season will be overstocked. Prices will automatically fall, and butter, which

enjoys a more steady demand, will very likely—especially when 'the feeding value of skim-milk is considered—prove the more prohtablo business for the

milk supplier.—'"N.Z. Times." The Kansas experimental station lias been conducting a trial of a milking machine and has issued the following report on the principle:— A milking machine will milk cows as thoroughly as the average, milker, Some cows will

give more milk whrn milked with the machine than when milked hy hand; others g.ve less, it is extremely necessary for the man in charge to fully undersland how to operate a milking machine. To reach the highest degree of suecqjss, lerfws shoiuld be selected, and bred to respond to machine milking. If this factor is taken into consideration, machine milking will be equally as successful as the best hand milking.

A correspondent asks the Post whether it is lawful to manufacture margarine in Xew Zealand. The Covernmenl's attitude on this question is clearly set, forth in the Margarine Act of 18115. The Minister of Agriculture has power to grant licenses of a year's currency, but renewable, at a fee oi £l, for the manufacture of margarine. This commodity may lie exported provided that it.-s nature is clearly indicated. There is a common belief that 'the importation of margarine is prohibited, but an otlieer of the Department of Agriculture states that there is nothing in the law to prevent lhat article .from coining into this country. At present no licenses fur the manufacture of margarine arc in existence.

"Quiz" writes: Your readers will remember the reported decision of flic Scenery Preservation Society, now al kind of beautilyinj; ass'oeiation, to '■reel a large board at the railway station, bearing, iu plain, uninistakeable letters, directions to tourists. This hoard has been of immense value since its erection at a spot i u view of the exit from the railway station. The first thing a visitor does on coming to spemi a, day here is to walk over to the board and decide on his programme, '•lieere,ation Grounds, (1 minutes' walk," and all tiie oilier beauty spots claim attention, and out of the wealth 'of scenic attractions here outlined he manages to select spots to v sit. It is calculated that this board, with its voluminous information and attractive design, has caused many travellers to break their journey here, and the livery statile keepers anil proprietors of ho- ■ els and boardingbonscs have reaped a rich harvest. The Scenery Preservation Society is an exceedingly live institution, for didn't; it prevent Ihe Harlior Board irom throwing Paritu'tn out into the harbor?

In t ho electrical engineer's report presented lo tho Borough Council on Monday night {was a lelaiisc to 'the ell«»H (hat a plan of flic borough, on a sen!« of {wo chains to an inch. was procurable at tho moderate fee of ten girnea*, and it would contain all tin* *'■! reels atfd section numbers. htrly iwclve guineas would purchase "lie on a scale of a elifiin io an inch, Mil l other varieties and sizes, with less detail, conhl ho obtained at prices as low as five guineas. "N T o sooner did thi> catch tho eye of (Jr. Bellringer than be entered his vigorous protest :iy;iinst such an absuvd expenditure,, hu: f'v. Monteath. chairman of the 'eloc--Irie lighting committee, said that a | Mg map of the town, showing the clectr e light lines and all the connections vii-> an absolute necessity, at any iinie i lie electrical engineer should leave New Plymouth, taking with bim (I'-i-v ii l loijuiii 11on. (Y. "Rollringer adjmilled the nooeHHily f„ r | n ,t «i v;i mi eharaeteriHed Iho proposed ex-P'-n-Plure as absurd, on '.• lu'oiiihl (lint a lithographed pi • ..lim/ a shilling or two. could be ! ; :led in with the necessary dolniis b\ Ihe engineer liim-olf. Peculiarly enough no one mentioned tluiifc I lie borough engineer and the town clerk are dependent on those choip lilho nlans, 'drnw;-t n stale of three chain* to an inch, find procurable for a few shilling*.