LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 15 March 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Agricultural Society's annual meeting is to be hold towards tho end of this month. "Spoils to the v'ctors!" Tluu a local sporting wag (says the Danncvirka "l'rcss") was inclined to remark as he observed three jockeys equally dividing their day's winnings—l>y no means a small amount—in a Danncvirkc hotel last week.

A good deal of danfcgo was caused by bush fires on the roads between liltham and Opunake on Tuesday and Wednesday, the heavy rain on Wednesday evening being providential in staying the march, of llames when serious damage was threatening. The Waitara Caledonian sports, to have been held yesterday, were postponed on account "of the state of tlic weather, Shorlly after the committee's decision was made known, tlie sky cleared, and the rest of the day was very line. The comm tteo would have been wise had they waited till noon before coming to a decision repecting sui'li an erratic performer as Tarjnaki weatlu-r.

Mr W. Fox, a member of (lie Maori Council, lias applied for a Gazelle notice to be issued ordering the disp isal of Toliu's money to be cousilered by the Hative Land Court, which is to sit in llawera lliis month. S) far as is known the money accumulated by Tohu amounts to £20,000.

Mr Fox says that the money really belongs to the native followers of the deceased, the latter having been holding it m trust. Mr Fox's idea is that the money should be devoted to some purpose that would benefit a large number of Maoris, and thinks educational purposes the most advisable. We do not know, says yesterday's " JSltham Arms," who is responsible for the " attractions" that are now being advertised for the Christchurch Exhibition, but whoever it is, his ideas do not do him much credit. A telegram yesterday announced that prizes are to be awarded to the woman showing the best shaped arm and shoulder and the neatest foot and ankle, and feet and ankles to be displayed bare. This appears ';o us to be playing pretty low down, and if such " attractions " as these are required to attract an audience to the big show, it is time it was closed down. For the credit of the womanhood of Christchurch, we' trust there will be no competitors. It strikes us that it is only the inmates of bagnios that would be prepared to | exhibit their forms in tho manner proi posed.

Aii applicant lur the old ago pension on Thursday morning Inul not been sufliciently implicit in stating his income, ami ill.' N.AJ. intimated that the Court could not be expected t,o extract and collate all thin information which could liave been given by the applicant himself. Mr, Riddel suggested that lie should see the Registrar or the De-puty-Registrar, who would be ,ahle to show him just what was required. The would-be pensioner apologised for the trouble caused by his love of "'paddling his own canoe," independent, of any as-' sistance from the (loverninent or Government oilicials. But as this pension was intended for colonists who .mil served Hie country and he claimed to have served in civil and other capacities, he was compelled to make this application. lie trusted that sometiling would turn lip which would relieve him of the necessity of renewing the application. American sky-scrapers, from nine to ten stories high, arc to lie erected near the pyramids of the Ghiseh in Egypt. IVnnission for flic erection of homes and hotels in the great plain extending from Lake Eske to 'the' Nile, and covered with ancient sphinxes and structures, has been granted by the Egyptian Government. Several associations have been formed' for 'the building of large hotels in this district. A curious custom connected with the Servian army is the manner in which most of the regiments carry the big drum. It is not, as in most countries, slung in front of the man who plays it, but is drawn upon a small, two-wheeled cart drawn by a large (log, which has lieen so trained that keeps its place oven through the longest and most tedious of marches, ihe drummer takes up a position behind the cart ami pefornis oil the instrument as it moves alnng.

At the S.M". Court, on Thursday morning Jiv Kiddell, S.M., delivered judgment in Mhe triplication by Richard Bhicl for a re-hearing of the action in which, on December 20th last, lie was adjudged 'lhi* pntutivc father of an unborn illicitiniutc eh'ld, on the ground that fresh evidence wojnld he brought which was unobtainable at the prcvi>us hearing and which, if produced, then, would liavo affected the case. The .Magistrate held Ihat the order made then compelling h»ni to find sureties that he Would not leave the town was now at an end, and there was no necessity for ite cancellation. Mr Hiddell ruled I hilt ltf was wot entitled jo nrant a re-heavin<r, and said that the proper procedure was hv way of an appeal or l an application under the Justices of tin. Peace Act to be heard by the Mapistrate who l}ad made the order. The application waft dismissed, with a guinea cost?. Wii.Vii five years of the dose of the war which cost (I rent Britain 20,000 jvesaud more than C 200.000,000 (says Ihe Sydney "Telegraph"), the British 'flovernment lias liande] fnll self-<»ov-rights to the <•< .n-.-cd lioers, and the first premier : •! autonomous colony is Hid 800 eniiiinauder-in-ciiief, who fought during the campaign, whieh is still fresh in the memories of both victors and vanquished It if. to he feared that the racial feeling, wli : eh ran during tV' 1 "™irt >leet : nu*. wiil not be allayed irow that a Parliament has been constituted which apparently irives the Boer ele-

iieut an ah-oluto majority even against i combination of all the sections represented by British votes. Tim disap-t'l-aviiiHi- of 'Taci.nl duality" is hopenily expected by 'Mr Winston Churchill. lint it, would bo hard to timl an indaiice in vTilflt two race* separated 'Ynm other by sneh marked and (Ksential differences uf blood, tradition, md character as tlmse 'Mint divide the I'.riti-di ti'iiii! 1 lit' Tincr- have ever troal•sced. IVrhaps it may turn out. evenuallv that the strongest- impelling 'towards a common political ideal Hid joint art ion will lie supplied In' the which seems to he approacling for white man. of "\vliat<»v<*r race, n South Africa joining together to yens! the colored'wave that may some Hv break its boVin nn-V overling he white mini's 'territory. In drawing the attention of our readers to {lie I\lortum hiseei Powde> we beg to inform the -iridic that the Mortuni is far *iip«»r"or so nnv oilier powdir on liie irrulif' - ind not an old powder uwl»r nn ■)th»»r nam?, a« soniu have >een trying to make out. Give Moi' um Insect Destroyer one trial and roil wil! no'h wish for any morn cfTec Jve to kill flies, fleas, and every othe 1vermin. AH ctoiiste or stores sell [ t.—Advt.

Jt is interesting to note that, there I are S!l(i public Acts in force in New Zealand, and 1049 local and personal. The number of Acts repealed is 2,210 and Acts obsolete 52. At tile fcj.jVl. Court on Thursday morning Mr W. a Uiddell granted renewals of several old age pensions. Three new applications for pensions i were heard, nnd eacli one adjourned lor further evidence. iSurgeon-tieneral Jivalt, of tin* British Army, at a receni meeting al, Aldershot urged strongly that *oldicr.s should be taught and encouraged to sing, not only for the moral effect - of music, but as a beneficial exercise and | as a recreation. "llow came you to get drunk on that occasion?" asked the Clerk of the Court of an old age pension applicant on Thursday nroruing, when the old gentleman admitted having been convicted of drunkenness a couple of years ago. "i. suppose it was the whisky," was the rather humorous reply. A man who was before the Court on Saturday last on a charge of drunkenness lias been behaving in a somewhat eccentric fashion since. On Wednesday evening his conduct was so pe« culiar that he was arrested on a charge of helpless drunkenness, aud on Thursday morning he was remanded for medical examination.

The "Wairarapa News" says that in connection with (lie agitation in Taranaki for the erection of eheese plants, a member of a well-known Wellington linn interested in produce, writes from New Plymouth to a Carterton resident;—" There is next to a revolution among the suppliers of some of the dairy factories, and ns a result the directors are having an tuicomfortablei time. \ Latest cables from London advise that 'the prices for best cheese is standing at (ills, with a steady demand."

The Xenja, after her brief blase of fame as a diamond-hunting ship, has -jeeomc very seriona (writes the Manchester "UuaEdjanW London correspondent), nnd is now being employed as a transport for the conveyance of Indian pilgrims to Jeddali. Though this may not he as exciting as seeking hidden treasure, it is a good deal more remunerative. The number of Indians making the) pilgrimage this y<\ar is' said to be greater than ever, over 27,000 having embarked at Bombay alone.

The London ''Tribune" says:—We learn from Messrs Walter Scott that they are issuing a collection of New Zealand verso. "In marked contrast with Australians," they tell us, "the .New Zcalandcra, although they write poetry, do not read their own poets; and for .this reason the compilers have thought lit to collect, this anthology ami give it to the world." This is a very laudable form of philanthropy, but after all, we know another nation nearer home where the people "write poetry and do not read 'tlioir own poets."

The Earl of Ranfurly (says a London correspondent o>f the Dunedin "Evening Star") lias become a vice-president of the Central Emigration Hoard, formed to encourage and promote the emigration of desirable and suitable persons from -the United Kingdom to the British colonies. It is an administrative and advisory body, neither commercial, philanthropic, nor denominational in origin; it is national in purpose, and founded on lines of public utility and welfare of the individual. The chairman is Sir Clement ICinlochCooke.

The correspondent of the "Daily chronicle" at Philadelphia states that the captain of the steamer Holla, which arrived there recently, reports ail extraordinary occurrence oil' the coast of San Salvador, indicating that the disturbance to the bed of the sea has extended over a very wide area. While steaming for Philadelphia, the Bella| encountered a whirlpool, and the sea whirled round into Such a deep funnelshaped abyss that the captain describes tho sight as appalling. He believes that a fissure appeared in the bed of tho sea, and fln immense volume of water disappeared into the bowels the earthi