GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 5 June 1907, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

A Dunedin lioniface with a deep-rooted ,I'espect for the letter of the law was the victim of a circumstance on Sunday night last. He had opened his carefullv ocked front door to what he took for the knock of a permanent hoarder, but finding no one there, stepped out to investigate. As he did so, the door was Mown to with a bang. Of course the key was on the inside, and as no one but himself was allowed to manipulate lb- lock out of trading hours, the publican found himself hatless and homeless in the howling tempest.. Repeated and disregarded knocking only brought him imdei the suspicion of being an undesirable with an ille<.al thirst. A belated wayfarer said he ought to be ashamed of himself, and told him (the irony of it!) to go home like a respectable man. In desperation he tackled the lire escape, but did so hurriedly lest he should be arrested fir breaking into his own hotel, and a passing constable stood still and marvelied to s>-c a portly gentleman scuttling ap the wall and disappear headlong into an open window. This happened to lie the holel drawing-room, and t]ie feelings of the occupants at the sudden and precipitate entrance of the master of the house from mid-air may be left to the iinaginatoii. The Southland News stales that all Fnvercargill man chums to have hit upon an idea which, if it can be practically applied—ami of (his he is confident—will revolutionise communication by sea. His idea is to obtain motive power by electricity. If the plan can be put into operation it would mean an immense saving in working expenses, as the necessity for fuel and firemen—two of the heaviest items of expenditure on steamers—would be entirely obviated. Incidentally, he claims tliat the scheme for a fast service between Britain and the colonies—a twenty-one day one—as has been mooted at the 1 rentiers' Conference, and been received with a shake of the head, would be a certain result; in fact, he thinks it would be possible to attain a speed of between 30 and 40 knots an hour. The inventor has forwarded a rough sketch if 1 i 9 1 *°. essra Donny Bros., the ! well-known shipbuilders}. I . A lilr f? e order for rolling stock nas just been placed with tiie various depal tments of the I'et one workshops. Jt includes boudoir, dining, and corridor cars, etc., and trucks and vans of eve.-v description. This order is by far the most extensive one received at Petone, and will most probably necessitate the running of extra shifts night and day. When finished the results will find their wa J fhe Ham Trunk line.—Petone Chronicle.

A paragraph in « contemporary recently gave the impression tnat t'ie journey along the Main Trunk line can be made by ladies without discomfort, lint Mr J. A. Reach, who has just travelled from the North to Palmerston hv that route, says the information is incorrect. .Mr Reach states that the road from Raurimu to Makatoke is in a bad state, with about four inches of snow lying on the ground, and is <|uite unfit for ladies to travel 1 over. The accommodation in some places along the 'ine is also inferior, and could stand a good deal of improvement. Mr Beach faid the women ami children in some of the camps are having a hard time. Tile weather is intensely cohl, and those living in tents are suffering a good deal, the rain and mud adding to their misery.

Rua, tlie alleged Maori prophet, is at present in the Whakatane district. It transpired during a Court case at Whakatane last week relative to the failure of Maori children to attend school, that Rua had forbidden any of his people to apppar in Court to answer summonses served on them. Why, says the local paper, this fanatic should lie allowed to remain nt large is beyond our comprehension; besides sowing discord, he is pauperising every native who has anything to do with him. They have sold all their stock, horse?, implenvnts, cro;>s, in fact everything they possessed that had any intrin>ic value at all. Caies where draught horses were sold for £lO are very common, the natives believing that they would eventually regain possession of the animate, such is the belief that has been instilled into them bv Rua.

A London correspondent writes: Miss Helen Botha., the daughter, may eclipse even her father "in popularity. The general is reserved. He smiles in bis genial way, but savs nothing. ".Miss Helen" is i'|uite different. She is full of delightful enthusiasm. She mitrht be a typical American girl with her laughing eyes, delicate complexion, and petite figure. Already the Americans at the Hotel Cecil have christened her "Princess Alice of Soutu Africa."