PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 18 May 1907, Page 4

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

WAREA. " I (From Our Own Correspondents). The Taranaki bye-election has caused come excitement here during the last week or two. There have been no end of arguments at the factory and at other place, where the public gathered. A big crowd assembled at the hall on Tuesday night to obtain the results of Hie poll. The Okey supporters and a few of the "Old drey Mayor's" were all agog. As will lie seen by the returns there is no doubting the fact that Mr Okey is lie; popular man hereabouts. A meeting of the local branch of the X.Z.F.U was held while the people were waiting for the results of the poll. There was a good number of members present. .Air McUclan was voted to the chair, in the absence of Mr .1. Burgess. The only business done was to receive the remits to come before the Conference at Xew Plymouth. These of course you have had at the conference and have been published.

The meeting came to a full slop when the linal results of the poll came to hand. Three cheers were given for Mr Okey and his health drunk. A good time was spent great satisfaction being felt that Mr Okey was to represent the fanners of Taranaki in Parliament. Heavy rains have fallen here lately. The weather generally has been very cold during the past few days. 10/5/07. STRATFORD.

The application by plaintiff in the plaintiff in the Paget v. Baskin case for a re-hearing was heard and concluded last night at 10 p.m., and was granted. The Judge, in giving his decision, said he had doubts at the commencement whether the evidence produced warranted a new trial. His mind was very evenly balanced and it would not take much to turn the scale either way, but when Mr Baskin's evidence was obtained he was shocked, absolutely shocked at it, to think that a party to the case should deliberately make a canvass of the jury previous to the trial. The names of the jury had been read over to the defendant, and he had canvassed them. It was a deliberate attempt to "prevent justice." A new trial was ordered.

A very interesting point arose as to when a man became a juror. A new industry lias sprung up in our district that will no dubt have a marked effect upon the progress of the district. For some 18 months past, Mr Frank Bell, of Toko, has been experimenting with a commercial lime, and has now succeeded in producing an article fit for building purposes or for agricultural purposes. The first consignment sent away last week lias been favorably tested and reported upon, and Mr Bell will soon be in a position to supply an unlimited quantity.

A questiou of utilisation of swamp lands in our district has at last assumed a definite shape, and 1 hear that one settler has sown down 15(1 acres in (lax. Another intends to put in about 50 acres, and he considers it will prove more profitable than any other crop. If a mill can be got to start in the district, flax, land is estimated, will he worth from £5 to £lO per acre. If such is the case, it means an easy and\prolitablc way of dealing with swamp lauds. At the. Stratford Comity Council meeting yesterday the Ohura road question again cropped up aud occupied the Council all the afternoon. The same 01.l ground and arguments were gone over, and no definite result arrived at. Cr. Woods paid a compliment to the

'■Daily News," saying that tilt: report published by the "Daily News" of tic conference held by the Council was absolutely correct, and could he taken as a guide for evidence. II seems that tv.n re-'i!ui ; y]is were presented by (V. MeC'uteheon from the settlers in the Ohura riding protesting against 111" agreement men! arrived at between the Council and tlu- Minister, and the only evidence presented at tlie meetings was the newspaper report, which Cr. Woods said was misleading sometimes, but lie said if they (the conveners of the meeting) had tin report of the "Daily News" they would have bad a correct report.