LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 21 October 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rain, sot in again last evening. The few days' sunshine has done immense benciit, but no hariu will come of a lew showers now, provided, of course, that they are few. The fair sex formed an even greater proportion than usual of the country visitors to town on Saturday. The menlolk were in many cases taking advantage uJ the fine spell, and the plough and the harrow were kept busy all day. Instead of collecting agricultural returns as usiiaj this year, settlers are called upun Id post them at short notice. It will be interesting to observe how the new method of obtaining them ' works out in practice. ' -\ ,,L _ exchange stale* that an axeman ■ up .North recently reported to an un* ; sportsmanlike action in order to win a chopping match. it. is alleged that he \ had the heart oi th' jo<; bored out prioi' to the cunte-t. lie won the .stake ' ( UU), and his supporters, who had backed him heavily, won their beU, , -More will probably be heard of the matter, as the New Zealand Axeman's - Association has been asked to take it ' up. * It's astonishing how cjuiekly you can ; -=ave. money if you gu the right way { about if. Sixpence here, a shilling 1 there, and before you know where you ( are there's a pound saved. About the f b.-I place we know of for saving money 'J nil; of ymir clothing 1-iU is that weli- fi known sifiiv 'The pwt below j; iNon and \ulaiTs auction mart is New Plymouth. They've dungarees .it 2.-: lid. men's full-sired flannels from '>< 3d. men's braces f r , ml Od. boys' stock- v ings from Is, men's caps from Is, men's tenni> shirls from -zHd. men's «rnmlv'lle working shirts from 2s lid.' hnvs' '•Conway" suit- from lis fid, boys 1 tunic 0 suit- from 8s lid: and they've a spl<m- 0 did line of mackintoshes from 17s Od, t with good long capes. Taking theni all f round, they're hard to beat for honest, a .dependable yalue,-~&di& jft&tijbSggggj &

How to make money at carting roadjuetai.—Load up two carts at night, and Hiaryc ii]) the loads. Don't li|i them, lip tliein ni"vt morning', charging the loads to that Tiiu.s two and nothing make two ami two, or four. This lesson has been learned from a contractor in a I'aranaki district.

Latest news from Johannesburg .shows that depression is being felt there. >Savs llic local >Star: Oar unemployed problem is at present mora lhr.il we can deal will), theivfuro it will be a cruel business ,if the numbers of white men seeking employment are increased. Much can be done by private. individuals when advising their friends to avert, the threatened invasion of our overcrowded position, of thoso. seeking work in every trade and profession.

Government officials have to work sometimes. Mr. S. Hill, Covcrnment valuer, had some business in the Awukino district last week. He left New' Plymouth by the mid-day train on Thursday, and caught the Tainui at Waitara, bound for Mokau. At Mokau a horse was ill waiting, and another at Awakino. lie got through his work and returned to Mokau in Lone to catch the Taimii's return trip to Waitara, which port he reached on Friday evening. On the northward trip a large whale was seen from the deck of the steamer.

A new stage has been readied in the construction of the North Island .Main trunk mil way, says the TaiJiape Posl. Jhe raii-layin;,' from Ratiriuiu, whirh was discontinued nine months ago, pending the progress of very heavy work oa the ■•spiral/' luis been resumed. At the southern end rails are already laid to Ohakune, 2i milerf from Raurimu. Work is now being concentrated on this length, which wiil necessitate the heaviest engineering -work on the route. Workmen are being discharged, as the unfinished portion decreases, nut there are still 1730 men employed on this stretch. The Hastings Standard, in referring to the Uawkes Bay show held last week, has the following concerning a Taranaki exhibit:—"Tlie feature of the draught section and of the show was the champion Clydesdale stallion of Mr. Bremer, of Ilawera, Lord Krskine. It is easily the best Clydesdale ever seen at Hastings, a hors» it would be hard to find fault with, and worthy of competing in any show-ring in the world. An examination of this horse is an education to any breeder of draught stock, however wide his experience." Lord Krskine will be exhibited at the Taranaki Metropolitan Show.

It is pleasant to note the good feeling that exists between the Union Steamship Company and their employees. At the sitting of the Arbitration Court in Dunediu the painters employed by the company at Port Chalmers petitioned the Court to exempt them from the award so long as tlie conditions cuey were then working under continued. A similar petition was put in b ytlie engineers employed by the company when they were before the Court recently. This must be very gratifying to the company, who arc, we understand, the largest employers of labor outside of the Government in New Zealand.

New Zealand is apparently on the eve on another good year for sheep owners. Wool is on the up-grade still, and there are excellent prospects for frozen mutton, particularly lamb, as Australian lamb is likely to bo a less formidable competitor this coming season. A good part of the South Island is, however, understocked with sheep, and the opportunities of obtaining outside supplies, says a Canterbury paper, are annually becoming less. The breeding grounds that used to Supply store sheep are gradually being cut up, and farmers must do more in the way - of adding to their own breeding llocks by retaining their best ewe lambs. The extended use of English Leicester and liorder Leicester ranis this last autumn at the expense of the Downs will assist in this being done, as there should be a larger percentage of ewe lambs worth retaining for breeding purposes. The builders of every big new passenger steamer try to "go one better" than they did with the previous ships. The last addition to the German Trans-Atlan-tic fleet provided the cabins for its lady

passengers with electric hair-curlers, and had a specially-equipped gymnasium. The Lusitaiiia, tig; newest Cunarder, is installed with a system of telephonic intercommunication (really necessary in such a vast sUumcr) which is as complete- as that 'at the best lintels. The system of working is that known as the central battery, which requires only one battery. There is a central exchange, controlled by an operator. To call the exchange it is only necessary to lift the receiver aud place it to the ear. When the Lusitania is alongside the Liverpool stage a passenger, from iiis cabin, may wet into communication with Paris, and, of course, all the principal British towns.