The Daily News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 5 December 1907, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5.

The English mail da-patched from Wellington via Brindisi on the 2,) th October arrived in London on the ni"ht of the 20th ult. At Tuesday night's meeting of the Esperanto Club a presentation was made to Mr. F. P. Corkill, who has kindly given the club the use of his rooms since its inception. Mr. Parker made the presentation, which took the form of two volume*—" Murihiki," and " Maori and Polynesia." iVot the least inlcresting of the scenes on the Feihlii'.g Raiecouinc on Saturday ailoinoon was a group of eight men, comprising .Mr. \V. L. Bailey, of Taonui, and his seven sons. The whole eight were over lift in height and the 6fwn young Baileys are products of New Zealand, 'there are giants in these days as well as in the olden times.— "Star.''

11. 11. Bakewell, M.D., writes from Pukekolie to the "Wanganui Chronicle" with reference to the reported Wanganui fasting as follows: —"is it true that the big Maori who reduced his weight from 2j to IS stone by fasting has since died? Is it also true that some of the people who are giving up breakfasts, and who, as my informant says, 'feed like boa constrictors at their other

meals,' are sending their children to school without breakfast? If so, they ought to he prosecuted." Albert Xrott tells this good story:— A cricket match, Australia v. England, was in progress at the Crystal Palace. Outside the ground two or three urchins were having a game with the usual paraphernalia—patched ball, battered bat, and a kerosene tin. Clem iiill strolled up, aud was invited to have a strike, which he did. On hitting the ball, however, the handle parted company with the other section of the bat. Of course loud lamentations greeted this bit of bad luck. Clem gave them 5s to help them get another, bat, for which they thanked him. On reaching the pavilion he laughingly recounted his experience, when it came out that most of the team had smashed the same bat. The caretaker said that the bat was as good as a goldmine to the arabs.

A story is going the rounds of the Home papers that recently a well-dress-ed man, wearing a fur-trimmed overcoat, asked a policeman in Manchester at midnight to lie directed to a neighbourhood in which common lodginghouses abound. The constable gave thii information, and shortly afterwards Deansgate with a little crowd of wret-' chcdiy-clad and half-starved creatures around him. Invited to explain his action, the man with the fur coat said:

"The fact of the matter is, I have returned to Manchester to-day after an absence of eighteen years in the colonies. My last night in Manchester was spent on one of the infirmary seats. I 1 have just been up there now to invite as many outcasts as I could find to have a bed and a square meal. You see, I have got that Carnegie feeling." Unsolicited appreciation such as the following must serve to lighten the labours of the hospital staff. We give an extract from a letter received from the father of a recent patient in the hospital: " 1 desire to express my sincere thanks for the uniform kindness bestowed upon my son during the Ull days spent in hospital. Everything possible was done for him by Dr. J.eathain and Dr. Walker, and their colleagues the matron and staff were very kind. . . . The institution is, without doubt, one of the best to be found, and the stall' as a whole one of which the public ought to lie very_ proud. You will be gjad to know that under the skilful treatment and good nursing my son has made splendid progress, and his recovery is remarkable." The eulogy has the great merit of being thoroughly deserved.

A sacred concert was given by the Queen Street choir and friends in the Queen Street Church on Tuesday. Itev, Harding occupied the chair. The following was the programme:—Anthem, "Break forth into Joy," choir; overture, "War March of the Priests," Whitelev Orchestra; solo, "The Wind-mill," Mr. Harris; anthem, "I am Alpha," choir; solo, "Vale of Tears," Miss Guilford; orchestral selection, "Handel's Largo," Whiteley Orchestra; solo, "Nearer my God to Thee," Miss Loesch; cornet solo, Air. Lawn; anthem, "How Beautiful upon the Mountain," choir; song, "Big Ben," Air. Harris; overture, "Spirit of the Nations," Whiteley Orchestra; anthem, " Send out 'J'liy Light," choir. Quite a feature was the excellent performance of the orchestra, under the baton of Air. Lawn. Air. C. Alorshead presided at the organ, and Air. E. A. Golding played the pianoforte accompaniments. The concert was good, but the attendance disappointing. Air. Sargeson, of llawcra, has just returned lrom a trip to the Old Contry. Speaking to a "Star" reporter, he said he was in Ireland at the time of the Belfast riots, and says that the British press exaggerated* the whole thing. It was simply a struggle between capital and labour. The wharf labourers had refused to work by the side of non-unionists, and the outcome was a determined attempt to crush unionism. Living in the centre of a dairying community in New Zealand, Air. Sargeson was naturally interested in New Zealand produce, but says that he scarcely saw any New Zealand butter anywhere, although lie visited all the leading cities and many of the large towns. Where does it get to? he asks. Air. Sargeson does not know what is done with it, but is of the

opinion that it is mixed with other butters and sold under other names. Canterbury lamb and prime mutton he saw on sale wherever he went, and as he was privileged to taste some, can testify that it was of excellent quality. In the country districts, particularly Lincolnshire, crops were phenomenally heavy, and some of them had beeii blown down, and had Jo be cut by hand instead of the machine. Some very suggestive remarks by Mr. Jl. iiill, inspector of Schools for ffawkes Day, appear in the "Poverty Herald." lie Holds that all efforts to elevate the Maori will laii unul we pay more sympathetic attention to the training of their girls, who ouglit to be educated in the pubuc schools, under the same conditions and with the same scholarship privileges an their white sisters. tie

mentions specially two Maori girls a Waipiro, one a "brilliant" seventh stau

darn girl, not to be surpassed in tin district, "i am „orry we cannot brjiij. her out. Such girls are thrown back among the natives, and we can do no.

! tiling fur them. These "iris should be sent to Hie hospital to be trained as nurses, ur taken into the telephone bureau to show the .Maoris the benefits to bu derived from education among liuropcaus. Nothing is done i'or tkew, and the poor girls are left to themselves, iou sue women .sitting about in a garden with a spade and hoe, digging while the men are lolling about doing nothing—the old system of savagery] when the women always had to do the hard work. A civilised community? Jiow cau you call it civilised whau the woman lias no hope? The only place where they are getting real improvement i a at Kuhaku, where the Mormons lake an interest in them. The missionaries have brought their wives out. Their method is simple. The women meet on Mondays, and talk about the week's work, and what each is going to do amongst them. One is going to ■scrub and do house-cleaning, another would perhaps make clothes, another would bake, another would iron. 1 said, -Vou have got the secret.'" The testimony of the teachers at such institutions as Hukarere is that there is splendid material among the native pupils. \\'y have the same material in Taranuki. To raise the race and to put its members on the pakcha .social footing, we must do what Mr. Hill suggests, and what we have always contended, namely, give sympathetic attention to the training of Maori girls. We would like to sect sonic; practical move made in this connection in Taranuki. particularly as To Whiti-ism, the curse of the past, is now practically dead. It is expecting ton much to expect the Maoris to improve their condition, mental or physical, without out- I l-sidc assistance. Will this assistance. I urgently needed as it is. lie forthcoming? Will our religious organisations and philanthropic people extend | a hand and show the way?

Tlic Hawera Ladies' Hockey Club lias liocn "wound up." Mr. G. Tisch has donated 10s to tlic prize fund for the special cookery classes for technical school students at the forthcoming Horticultural Show. A meeting of delegates of local bodies interested will be held in Eltham om Monday to consider Mr. P." Black's report on the proposed tramway to Opunake.

The correct weight of the three sheep round which centred the Agricultural Society's guessing competition was 202 lbs. Messrs. M. Jones and F. Schwa mm guessed the exact weight.

Cape weed is said to be spreading rapidly in the borough, and Mr. Stanley has suggested that the Agricultural Society should apply to the Agricultural Department to have it scheduled under the Noxious Weeds Act. There is absolutely no trulli, we are I assured, in the rumour that the Christi church Meat Company and Messrs. Dimock and Company are co-operating in the purchase of pigs. By agreement the two firms arc using the same yards in some places. That is all. The annual examination of the Cen-

tral School is proceeding. Owing to the ravages of measles and whooping-cough there are many vacant desks, and a supplementary examination will probably be held later on for the benefit of sixth standard pupils. The following have been selected to represent Stratford at the Northern | Bowling Association's Tournament, I which commences at Auckland "on Monday, Oth January:—E. A. Osmond, 0. Jackson, H, L. Betts, O. M. Curtis (s); ' F. J. Jaekson, R. McK. Monsoii, J. it. Morison, and R, Dingle (s). The Central School has just received from Messrs. Sutton and Son, England, three educational cabinets. One of these contains samples of the seeds of good useful meadow grasses, and another samples of seeds usually found in badly laid down pastures, and the tuird some forty phials of agricultural seeds. These should form an interesting feature in connection with nature study.

A very successful and interesting class at a recent Wairararpa show was a "herd" competition. The entries comprised a bull and three cows, all pedigree stock, from one herd. The winner m the class was Mr. Eagle, who'judged the Jerseys al Jiew l'lyinouth a wceK ago. lie has suggested that the Taranaki Agricultural (Society should include the class at its next show, and the notion has duly found its way into I the secretary's " suggestion book."

The Eorough Councils special committee to arrange lor tne open-air baud conceits lug arranged that the concerts shall start at the Jiawaroa l'ark rotunda during this month, on a date to be lixed. There will be two concerts during this month, two in January, and one each in February and March. Some of the concerts will take place in this llecreation Grounds and Western Park, on Sunday afternoons, and others on week nights.

The Taranaki Licensing Committee met yesterday morning. Mr. U. >S. Eitzherbert, b.M., presided, and tne other members present were Messrs. VV. Ambury, \V. E. iSewinan, and J. is. Mcliellar. Tlie license of the U'osvenor Hotel was transferred to Mrs. Nicholas, executrix in the estate of the late .Mr. T. .Nicholas, upon the application of Mr. yuilliam. Mr. T. S. w eson appeared lor Mr. Mcllvride, the new licensee M the Criterion Hotel, and upon his application the transfer of the license was approved. The police report for the quarter was favourable.

A good deal of merriment was caused last night at the Agricultural Society meeting by the mention of a "popular butter-box.' It turned out to be a poplar butler-box that had been made by Air. Arthur Cliff lrom timber cut from a poplar tree felled on the Avenue .Road, the box was idled with butter at the Bell Block butter factory and placed in the freezing works, the intention being to have it on exhibition at the recent show. But it was overlooked. It is probable that the butter will be opened and tested by the graders at the next conference held at iNe\v Plymouth.

The Fitzroy Fire Brigade was called out to a lire last night which broke out in the washhouse at the rear of a house owned and occupied by Airs. Bramley on the main road, near the Bacon Factory. The nearest lire-plug was near the hall, but, nevertheless, the brigade, of which there was practically a full muster, very quickly had water playing water on the lire, confined it to the outbuilding and extinguished it. But for the existence of a capable and well-equipped lire brigade the house must have gone, as the wind was blowing in that direction. The prompt turnout was a very creditable performance.

All extraordinary hoard of a miser has been discovered at. Ahogill, neat liallymeiia (Ireland). An old woman was knocked down and killed instantly on the roadside by a dray. When the police" inspected tiie wretched dwelling in which the old creature lived, they found it almost packed to the door with branches of trees and wood for the winter's fuel, i'lirtlier search revealed a regular hoard of money. Two large buckets and a tin trunk were full to overilowing with all kinds of current coiu, as well as a bigger wooden box and about a dozen mugs, and when the whole of the money was collected and put into a beam and scales, the total weight was considerably in excess of a hundred-weight. The prosperity of tnc ingicwood iiacou Curing Company is increasing day by day, and it lias now reached a siage tliat necessitates extensive alterations and additions, and which the directors, being live men, resolved at tno last meeting to carry into cll'oct. 'llieae will include tile increase of cold storage, and the installation of an additional freezing machine, which the directorate

has decided to have driven with electric power, the necessary motor for which is already under order, as is also the freezing machiue. The necessity speaks volumes for the extending business of the company, in the face 01 tne enormous opposition it has had to meet ol late, and forms an exceedingly flattering testimonial to the skill and care of the manager and tu the energy and acumen of the directors under the skilled guid-' ance of Mr. A. Morton, their chairman.—Kecord. due of the .\cw Zealand team of footballers, interviewed in Loudon: —"Am J. a professional'/ i don't know. When 1 go uack to Saw Zealand f return to my work, and so cannot see how i can oe eaued a professional." Wright (the captain) said that he did not tlmik the 'All iJlacks" were professionals in the true sense. "The agreement we have drawn up among ourselves is on lines exactly similar to those of the Australian cricket teams, let no one would ever call many of those cricketers professionals. Here, if they like to call lis protessionulis because we are going to play against professionals, they can. We don't care a straw what we are called. What is going to happen to us when we return to New Zealand'/ We do not know, and are not worrying till we are back there. It has been suggested, I believe, that we Should play a Northern Union team at Crystal f'alace, so as to give Londoners au opportunity to see how we play. Jmt that is a matter for the Northern Union authorities to arrange, it is an excellent idea, and wo should be glad to have a chance of playing in London."