LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 28 August 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

I At the last meeting of the Elthamj Borough Council a letter waa read from 1 Mr Carnegie refusing to contribute to-J wards a. library building; j In reply to Palmerston'g request for £IO,OOO for a Technical School, the Minister has offered £1 for £1 up 10 £3500. The total amount spent on buildings in Dunedin during tlio last financial year reached £300,000. This includes £50,000 epent on the new railway station, and is the largest expenditure for the past nine years.

It is stated in Wellington <that Mr E. D. Hoben, recently manager of the New Zealand Tiaies, is about to take over the Manawatu Times. Mr Hoben is a journalist of considerable ability and, if the statement be correct, Palmerston is to be congratulated.

Eighty-five years ago the British war vessel Buffalo went ashore at Mercury Bay, Auckland. A few days ago Captain Martin, master of a coasting schooner, secured a part of the vessel's bottom sheathing. Ho also obtained from the Maoris a chock of mo of her gun carriages.

The Finance Committee of the Education Board recommended last night that the Board erect offices for its own use on St. Michael's Square in proximity to tho Technical School, and that the architect be instructed to prepare plans and submit them to the next meeting.

Suggested plans of the new offices for the Education Board were placed before the members last night. Some of the lettering is in an antique style. This seemed to puzzle Mr Faull greatly, and when Mr Morton announced that ithe architect was anxious for sugges- ' tions, he moved that the architect should be aßked to write in the details

"in English." Mr Morton jocularly said "Ttot'fe Hebrew.' "I don't car.e, warmly retorted Mr Faull, "if it's Hebrew, or any other brew; but I can't read it, anyhow."

Tile member for Taranaki asked the of Agriculture whether he would instruct tho officers of his department to make enquiries as to the advisability of introducing into New Zealand a fungoid that is said to be exterminating blackberry in America. The Minister replied that the fungoid referred to is probably "cacoma nitons,' which has long been known as causing great destruction in America amongst cultivated blackberry and other allied plants. This fungus already exists in New Zealand,but the extensive distribution of it cannot be recommended, as it attacks wincberry, raspberry, log rjibeny, Italian raspberry, etc.

Says the Taihape Post:— "Repjrts ol a local resident who journeyed to Wanganui to attend the land ballot are to the effect that Webb quickly disposed of the jersey worn when he won tho championship sculling belt. This article of attire was torn into strips and eagerly purchased by Wanganui enthusiasts at five shillings a piece. We were further informed that the Webb badges sold freely at sixpence, from which the maker got fourpence, and the printer and Mrs Webb one penny each." The Taihape man must have 'cm bad. As a matter of fact, the jersey worn by Webb when lie won the championship was presented to Mr Mackay, Mayor of Wangnaui, at the smoke concert the I night of Webb's return to Wanganui.

Cricket is the great game in Fiji. In that ''paradise of peace and plenty," where the actual necessaries of lifeenough, anyhow, to satisfy the average Fijian—arc obtainable with the smallest amount of labour, there is ample leisure for indulgence in the pastime. So the natives play cricket every day, and, as much practice makes perfect, are skilful with the bat and ball. In tho field they are as agile as monkeys; they are vigorous, plucky batsmen, and swift, but not tricky, bowlers. They wear no protection for their bare legs or semi-nude bodrcs while la the field. There aro a number of European «lubs in Fiji. Tho Suva Club, having the largest selection of players, has naturally the most powerful eleven, which includes several of the native chiefs. Some years ago a team composed of six Europeans and an equal number of Fijians made a tour of New Zealand, and put up a pretty good record. The fuzzy-headed Fijians, especially if they appear "vaka-Viti"—in the Fijian style of attire—should prove a big "draw" in the Australian cities.

The isolation ward of the New Plymouth Hospital had a narrow escape from destruction by fire yesterday morning. it appears that about four o'clock Nurse Turner, who sleeps in tiie building, was awakened by crackling sounds. She immediately got out ol bed and discovered the inside woodwork near the fireplace was afire.

Hushing to the main building, she awi kened the other nurses and the matroi who proceeded to the isolation wan

Miss Turner going on to the Old People's Home to tell the custodian (Mr Farrar) and his assistants, who were soon on the scene, but found that Nurse Grozier, with commendable presence of mind, had affixed the hose and was playing on the fire with successful results. Meanwhile Br. Leatham, who is connected by telephone with the Hospital throughout the night, was rung up and informed of the outbreak. The doctor lost no time in proceeding to the Fire Brigade station, and, without ringing the bell, the Fire Brigado with its gear ivas soon at the Hospital, to find, of course, that its assistance was not required. Great praise is duo to Nurse Turner for the promptitude and resource she exhibited, and also to Nurse Crozicr and the other members of the staff for the efficient manner in which they coped with the emergency. Trained firemen could not have acted better under the circumstances. Ten pounds will cover the damage done. The building was insured in the Alli-

ancn office. The cause of the fire was

the catching of the woodwork near the tire-place. The wood, as is not unusual with old buildings, had been built in too closely to the fireplace.

The Neue Militarische Blatter publishes details as to the expenses of the Herman war in South-west Africa. No less than two hundred million marks

(£10,000,000) were expended in overcoming the resistance of one or two na-

tive tribes. The losbcs in action were very heavy. Killed: Officers, 80; noncommissioned ollicers, 220; rank and file, 1,107; total, 1,J82. Amongst the colonial troops 10 officers and 195 men lost their lives; total, 211. Grand total killed, 1,093. Wounded; Troops—Officers, 88; non-commissioned officers, 100; men, 553; total, 801. Colonials—Ollicers, 4; men, 70; total, 74. Grand total, 875, The German military authorities have found it much more difficult to under-

' take hostilities against savages in a country devoid of resources, very far | from borne, than to move troops across '■ the frontier into Austria or France, ' along splendid roads, with every facility ; for feeding and housing their men. The ! health of the German troops in Southwest Africa was chiefly maintained by taking great precautions as to their drinking-water, which was all either boiled or distilled before issue to the men. As a result, the deaths from enteric or other fevers were very few. Considerable use was made of natives as carriers. Cermau methods with these people are vi-ry strict. It cannot be said that the sous of the Fatherland have made themselves popular with the Witoois or Hereros. However, they have tm\ the present, at all events, overcome their opposition.

IflE "HAETNETT" PATENT MILK--IXG MACHINE. Yes, the "Harhiett" milkers have certainly como to stay; there is no room for doubt on that point. They are being installed in all directions. Every plant erected seems to be the forerunner of fresh orders. Inquiries lead to speedy conviction that the "Hartnett" has no equal as a simple, safe and effntual Milking Machine. Its patented improvements are of a very high order, and substantial in character. Those [who have used the macliines longest are the loudest and most frequent in their praises. It will be well for all intending buyers to get their orders promptly booked; the new season is at the doors; delay means trouble and loss when the cows come in if farmers are not ready. For lull particulars apply to 0. Dahl and Co., Ltd., Pnlmcrston North; or Taranaki Farmers* Co., Ltd.,

"KOZIE" TEA HAS A REFINED TASTE n miirkcd contrast to rough, bitter taste f certain other tcaa. It's the drink par xcellcnce for refined palates. Wholesale sgents, ?urgess, Bager and Co,—A4rt.

By the sale of Te Aroha mineral waters last your Rotorua secured a revenue of £2lO.

Captain Edwin wired yesterday at I.l7:—Noil.herly strong winds to gale; after 16 hours, glass fall; tides high, sea heavy. In the British Clayworker, a trjdo magazine, of June lStli last, appears .m abridged version of our report of the find of kaolin, or fine pottery clay, on the Smart Eoad.

A timber syndicate lias been formed in Masterton with a capital of £50,000. The company has secured cutting rights over a large area of totara bush in the King Country, estimated to keep two or three large mills at work for twenty years. The required capital was speedily subscribed, in view of recent advances in the price of timber. The Cardilf school chimney has been "before the Board" at nearly every Education Board meeting in the winter months for several years. And still it smokes. The chimney is reported now to be worse than it lias ever been in the past. Drastic measures are now being taken. The school is being practically rc-modclled, and the old faulty chimney is to be replaced.

A serious accident occurred at Kent road on Monday morning. Mr Stephen James was leaving home with his cartload of milk for tho creamery, wliea the horse iboltecl, capsizing the vehicle and throwing Mr James out. He lauded most unfortunately on a stake, which penetrated his abdomen. He wjb hrought to the hospital, and last night i he was still in a most critical condition.

Jacob Laderach, aged seventy years, I known as the strangest man in Switzcr-1 land, has died at Musiugen, canton of Berne, leaving a fortune of nearly £IO,OOO. He was a peasant, a miser, a moneylender, a woman-hater, a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and a vegetarian. Ho was often lined for working on Sundays. Laderach never allowed a doctor or any other person to enter hi 3 house, and liad no friends and no relations. On several occasions burglars entered his house, but found nothing of value to take away. Before his death he burned all his papers, and his fortune is therefore inherited by the authorities of Musingen.

There was almost a record list of civil actions in the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court yesterday—record in point of brevity. There were fifteen cases set down, and only three, including a judgment summons, came for decision, the remainder having been confessed or paid. Judgment was given by default in Kurta v. Column, claim Is Gd and 5s costs; Mrs. Callaghau (Mr. Weston) v. J. C. Davies, claim £'J 10s and £1 3s (id costs; and in the judgmont summons Weston and Weston v. R. Johnson, claim £1 li)s od, in default of immediate payment the judgment debtor to be imprisoned for fourteen days at New Ply- , mouth. The. whole sitting lasted less than five minutes.

An ordinary man is content to pay a shilling or eighleenpence for a feed. The "All Black" appetite prefers a repast costing six shillings and sixpence. And there's no difference ia the quality of the feed; it's merely the peculiar method of paying. An "All Black" member of the Taranaki reps, refreshed himself the other day at the "Golden Grid" during the team's stay in New Plymouth. Hi refused to pay for it. Mr. Kurta, tho restaurant proprietor, made "no hones" about it, and declined to write off the amount. Yesterday morning the case Kurta v. Colmanwas called in the Magistrate's Court. The defendant did not appear, and the Magistrate gave judgment for tho full amount of the claim, oighteenpence, and costs amounting to five shillings.