LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 24 October 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

j English mails despatched from Wellington on Oth and 13th September, arrived in London on tlie I9th inst. I The Stratford l'ost understands that I one farmer at Midhirst lias lost seventeen dairy cows owing to the continuous I bad weather.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday It. Iloskin was lined 5s and-fusfe for procuring liquor during the currency of his prohibition order.

Owing to tlio failure of employers and employees to agree, it has been decided to to submit the demands of the Drivers' Union to the Conciliation Hoard.

The oratorical competition in connection with the Xew Plymouth Catholic Club takes place on Wednesday evening next.

The Education Board has received a | communication to the effect that its re- , quest for an alteration of the railway j timo-table to enable the first morning ; train to arrive earlier in New Plymoutii has been referred to Sir Joseph Ward. Voung farmers should all go in for a little technical knowledge. The old j farmers, said Captain Voting in his lecture last night, have got ideas into their heads that are very hard to shift. ''And," lie added, "the more worthless the idea the more room it takes up." In treating a man with a broken leg a surgeon can put his patient to bed and tell him to lie there and give him proper treatment. With animals it is different, according to Captain Young. He says that it is not usual to treat a horse at greater cost than the worth of the animal. What does he mean? The meeting of the Marsland Ilill Memorial Committee which was to have been held last night was postponed indefinitely on account of the inclemency of the iveather. The secretary of the Monument Committee desires us to say that since last meeting about .€2O has been received, which will be acknowledged tlirough the press 111 a few days. If others who have promised donations will send them in, these will be acknowledged at the same time. A farmer wants to buy a horse, and gets down into the yard, looks him over and over, decides he's worth thirty boh,

and offers the owner twenty-five bob. When lie buys a dairy cow he squats on the top of the saloyard fence, has a look at the general appearance of the

beast, and pays £7 or £8 for her, without examining her udder or any other part that will, give an idea of her' milk-producing qualities.—So says the Government Veterinarian, Captain Young. It will doilbtless be remembered that for sonic years the local Agricultural Society was run by townspeople, and the farmers toulc hardly enough interest in its work to pay a members' subscription it is pleasing to note that the big increase of members lately, cjnse.jueut on the more strenuous tone of the concern, the majority of new members are bona tide fanners whom the Society hopes to benefit. The forthcoming show should prove a record in all departments. Mr Kennedy yesterday moved at the Educatiuu rioaid meeting that the affix "road" iu the names of schools be dispensed with, except in the case of the iilthaui road school, where the adoption of Ms idea would tend to confusion with the school at Eltham. He cbnsideved the present nomeuclaure not only inconvenient, but antiquated and cumbersome. The Board agreed, and 1 the names will be docked accordingly. The I'rankley road school will be re- ■ dhijistened the Frankley school, land) so on.

Issued with the last number of the School Journal were sots of small pictures purporting to represent scenes from historical buttles, ancient and modern, the pictures being about ten inches by eight. The educational value of these was not apparent to soms of the members of the Education Board yesterday. The Board, however, negatived a motion by Messrs Monkhouse and Kennedy: "That this Board considers that if the pictures forwarded by the Department are purely jbattle scenes they will have a tendency to encourage an undue spirit of militarism, and will suggest that if pictures are to lie supplied they should be those of general historic value."

A significant discovery has been made at the Smart road kaolm pits. Pieces of rock are found here and ttiei j in tho deposits, and on Monday Mr Jemiton cracked some of these. Traces of minerals were distinctly visible, and Mr Jemison is of opinion that they contain silver. Some authorities say that silver is usually found in tile vicinity of the kaolin formation. The specimens are being taken to Wellington to be submitted to an expert. Whilst in the Empire City this week, Mr S. Hill intends making final arrangements for extensive tests of some 14cwt of the clay in a suitable kiln./ A number of the samples o£ it, and of the articles made to date, will be placed on exhibition in Wellington. Mr Quilliam, who appeared as counsel in the Health Department prosecutions yesterday, said that probably not one householder in a- thousand was fully aware of his duties in the event of an outbreak of infectious disease in his house. The provisions of the Health Act were not known as they should be. The householder liad to notify the Department, and do it in a fashion prescribed by the Act. Where were the proper certificates to be obtained? He didn't know himself. Ho thought thut householders should be supplied with these certificates, or else provides with copies of the Public Health Act. Mr Kerr vouchsafed the information that the certificates were obtainable from the office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The rubbishy, quick-wearing stuff used by the Railway Department 011 Devon street at the railway crossing caused another accident yesterday about noon. Tile soft stone used for repairs thora had worn away, and the hole thus caused has given cyclists and drivers of vehicles many a rude shock lately. About a week ago a lady and gentleman narjjpwly escaped injury at this point, owing to the jolting proving too much for the axle of their gig. Yesterday Dr. Bleakley had a similar experience, and it was only on account of his firm handling of the horse that a serious accident was averted. Prol ably the railway crossing will only be with us a few years now—judging by the progress of the railway deviation works —and - we hope the Department will purchase some decent voad metal from the Borough Council for its future street repairs, or authorise the Council to keep tho crossing in order.