LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 43, 10 February 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, liy the of some member ol' (ii" rorp> in jiivinj: tinaneia] . ain-e. tii" Taranaki UillC> have heeu en I aided to mr their orderly-roon j l lie billianl-table formerly in n->e by tin j N'-w I'lyiitouth School ()ld Ho\.- ' I li'.ui iU<- w:,r- ; ,"n..1 j !"i ih- «!<=:. lie in i.ue the k,i i i Nr>\ IMxmoiub and W.\\ 1 tar,i, and traviHer- i»y road »>ften : He,- little chap -e;ited iii a -mall can drawn l»y iitniiie friend. The bar no-- i- an elaborate affair. The Valuation Department has not; hod the county eWk that the Taranak , County Council's rdun'e of the eo>t oi the valuation rolls of this diV , trie' i« tJUi. The -nm of fivo guineas however, lias been allowed for the work j lour by Mr. s. .i;iek>oii in revising t ho i 11.dive lamV. and the f!oumirs pnvmeiit j win b- a\ i.v. | Ihe •• |''n\t.>u Herald '' touches on one 1 of the di-advantajres of a race meeting, i II >iiv-: - The race- have attracted a j | town, in<ludmir beer bludgeon-, '-fake 1 downs."' '• |i:i- belli-." pugilist--. " Klli^btjot ihe I'.ro'd Arr-.w." and othei* human | pav.i-ite-. who prowl around and e\tor!. ) h'lially and <>t iierw i-r. ;i livelihood from jtlio r-reduloii. ;tnd -ioip]e. Many have ; airradv fallen \ietim- to tljese t „|n)| I vi-itor-. anil a re-wll are poorer ;i;id iv. i-er fur the a^'ptailiian.-c. ; l'i o-itliiii: for the la-1 time at the j nnvtimr of the Tai Kawhiti Land V.oard ! a' '«i-boi'ne on Monday. Colonel Porter. J who i- veiiritis from the Hoard. >aid that j during lite -i\leen nionilis of it- e\isii eii"-. ouite apart from th(? ordinary itterni! work of the ollief ill the capacity j of .1 Lr-'li! -. Mie mallfiv whieh had bc'-n j vii'n !>v the Hoard, upon the •inipliiation t,|' moinber- of the profession. j'voiiSd in the a^^r( J i:af'' -in'pri-e theai. tor ih"\ had -iveii title- io no le-- iJun [ SO.Anu ael'e- .»f native land. \'alm-d '.I i tin- very he,V"<i avcraut- of t'-'i |ier acre. , ihi- r'Cpre-'-nted ; i value of ew ! teiidin-r {hi-oii-jl, ihi- e.(untry and :>l- - to Y'pier. at it from a I jeniil I'-.ini . f \i<-w. and it on ' i ;> p-r ceii'i. b:t-i-. in many ! il eveeede'l thaC would -eni Cl'i.Hutl to tlie native and eii'eiilalinL' atmmust trade •>n l oreh'en'M--. for tbey knew that a • i.ulve no -nonet' received money than he .-1C '\'\w\< there w.w' £12.000 iin-r- in eireniation >iin-e Ihe Board's in> liatioii, iic-ide- the additional pro-luc-;iven«>- of tlie land.

Mr. L. Bullot lias been elected a member of the Band Contest Committee, vice Mr. fiountrcc, resigned.

Stratford'a annual seaside outing is to take place on Thursday next, the Break, water being again the rendezvous. »

The Corinna load* 10,000 boxes ol butter and 1000 crates of choose at Motnroa to-day for Wellington, there to be. transhipped to the Home steamer. The Taranaki (iarrison Band visited Inglewood yesterday and all'orded much pleasure to a large gathering of residents of the town and district with a well selected and rendered programme oi instrumental music. A very liberal n'r>pou.-e was made to the collection-box holders.

The now railway station at Fitzro.v has been completed, aud should be open 11> the public in a few days. It is a convenient building, neatly linished. 'J he arrangement of rooms is much the same as u-ual. except ihat the ladies' retiringroom ois-iH troin a passage instead U from the waiting-room as in most cases.

The secretary of the Band Content CummiUce has received a very handsome medal from the New /''aland Clothing Factory, to be awarded to the drum-major of the winning band in the quirk-step competition <»n TUursd i\\ 2Slh intil. The and Boosey and medals donated by Ihc WXB.B. Association will shortly be received by the coutest secretary mi A will bo exhibited locally.

The Town clerk has applied to the "Soldier-' (inild- in Wellington for a | lontrilmtion tuwariU the eosl uf cxlinniinjf'tlu' remains of soldier* buried here and there arouml New Plymouth and reinterring them ill the ltenui Ceiuete \. Tlk> idea is to lwve two plots one .or tlii. Gilholics and one for the Protectants, and to erect over eaeh plot an obelisk Hearing the names of the heroes moulderim* lielow. Tile whole of the graves would lie covered with conerrlo ami a wall erected, so that Ihe grave* would lie tidied once and for all. ending the present un-atisfactory system 'if spending money occasionally in weeding and cleaning.

■J(jck' ; Stewart, who nJLands with tile murder of his male in a bu-di ,-aiup up norm, is well known amongst the pioneers on this coast. He is now upward- of sixty years of age, and wis a meml>er ol the Armed t onuUtbulai\ Force. Some of those who knew and appreciated his good qualities in his younger days are making an effort, to tmanve tlie engagement of counsel lor Ins defence.

Within the next iliree month* the L.inds Department will place a large area of land on the market, 'ibis includes tlie Otekaike estate iOtag»). IT I Arai I Poverty Day). Kami Kanaia (Uawke's Bay, acquired from the City of Chisgow Assets Companyi, Maimanu (Auckland), Meadowbunk (Otago), Culverdeu (Canterbury). and Carriugton (Wairarapa). The latter estate will come before the Compensation Court, over which the Chief .justice will preJi'.'Ni \\t•:• !-i. The Cuherdcn propeil\ ic.u ln'i'n < iii up into twenty eight farm-. An asr-e-Hneiil. has not yet !i.\eu by ti;;' Court. The scheme of sufvev hiin heen approved and the surv yi ors are now going on with the work.

An iminen-.-:' met cor fell at lielicloiitame. San Fraiiciscu, on December -l. demolishing u house and causing the death <>l Mr. C. K. Ihvkeil. who belong-d li> Lou-lon. A g'.v:U lu.j of ihv wa- sen ilasiiing aero>- tlie e.ky -oon after midnight. It -truck the earth with the sound of a terniic explosion near a boarding-house occupied by Mr. \\. Westhaven. The met:*or Nink deeply, and a 1 ihf;-:c from lhe opening in tlie ground

-el the bou-e o:i lire. A horse which was being driven aiong the road by Mr. Ileckctt bolted, and Air. Beckett, who wa> hurled from, the buggy, sustained such injuries that he died shortly afterward-, The meteor has been dug out of the ground, and will be preserved -.is a curiosity. It !s twelve feet in diameter. The hole which it made in 'he ground i- twentv live feel deep.

The Wellington people have lor a loag lime had a hankering alter the buildings iit Mi. Cook that were built for a gaol. Several times various Coverniuents have been approached on the matter, and a determined attempt win made lo secure it a- a college site, liovernntent., ho vever. always refu-ed lo ]>ai't with possession of it. declaring it wanted ic tor puipo-cs of il- own. There appear.* to lie a probability now of its being used lor a museum, a capital use to put it to if it can be adapted to the purpo-e. I hi- building was erected years ago, in the mu-.fy. fusty past. It is built in the -l vie of a liastib-. is of brick, and has walls from live to seven feet thick. It was very cxpm-dvr. was never finished, and frequently all'onled .Mr. Scddon a capital text whereon ( u base a politic! address iu which the extravagance of pasl Tory admini-t raiions could be animadverted upon. -•T'xehaiige.

A wo.iderful calculating girl. Mile. Diumaud'. ha- jusi been presented to iae Society of Anl hropology in Paris. in the prc-cuce ol man) eminent niatiieniutician< -lie performed several remarkaid.- tcat<. such a-s working out almost instantly, and by mental processes only, the square of twenty-live ligures, subtractions of suiiiri of twelve ligures. the square root of from eight to twelve ligures. and the cube rout of from six io ten ligures. Another feat of mental arithmetic she performed in less than a minute was to g.ive »hc number m sHconds within a period of twenty-live years. Mile. Diamaiidi. who is only twenty, and of Creek origin, says tint every ligure presents itself to her niind'-

eye in a different colour. Thu-. numb;-!' one is always black, number two yollov, number three pink, and >o on. This colour vision is eotuuou. and U entirely indO]iendent of her own volition.

Argentina continues draw freely the pre-ervi's of the nhl eounlry tor new blood. The tir-l nine month* of last year -howed the following arrivals:--

Cattle: Durham-". 1II1S; Hereford-. .'Ill: Jersey. 11 : various. -C! : total. l±2!l. Sheep: Lincoln-. i»i|; Kninl.ouillet, lii; Shropshire. 112; Hampshire, 31; various. 131: total. "2111 itl. Horses: llacers, 158: Clyde-dale. Ml; hackneys. "!); Yorkshire

: various. 211,); total, O!K>. Donkeys, Kii. I'igs. ;."in. The most notable feature of these tlMiircs K the pig section. In lliuii only 2S imported pedigree animal- arrived in (he Argentine, as against Toil for the iirsi nine months of 11107. This very plainly indicates that the development of I lie hog industry ill Argentina i, something more than a mere paper -talrnienl. A liasis of improve- »•'•>!> Iwb 'aid 111: it should give gr.-.i'. ie-ult- bi the near future. The adililinnal number of horses eonllrms the i!|!"i"ca-e(l attention now devoted to this industry. !u ]!inii only 327 pedigree animal- raimi in. while in 1007 the number c,as «>:! for niii;' month-.

- i .Mu-li iimuscmeni was Ciiusod in ( ol- ■ lins SinM't, ilelliourm l fsiys the " Av- ■ l»y the itnlirs ni' mi 1 I Cliiuoe. evidently a but with a | limited of the Kii.ulmli Inn- ! Tin- wiiii] win Mowing »'vo>h, i ;H»il O'.e rhlne«.!\ wrnvlti;.'; a liuM Irlt in: s\.>- Inirrxiiti: we-t. A . :-!!-! tin'!! 1 ! -i -:! Illei liiiti At U eoril'.'!'. ; r,iiliii.i iniMwjires. I!e maile an '■ «iVuri io -.tup liis hat. in it«< luit , j ' !ii> >in-i in -hukinii' I<> the grouad ;h ; • pij.' t;iil - (ill. Injur. At this moment | .-hi ini|iii-live dny \va> by the buckle ct lii-, enllar nn tn the extvcmiiv lof t!i:' (lowing pifr|ail. There wan a -u.lden pull -rsit the sealp oj tlie Cliinese. who futind himself backwards at ;! jrivat f it*'. Not haviuji «eeu the doji he someone was pla.vinpf a prank on him. Mis indignation found expres•iimi wi'li dillicul! v. "Hi. hi, lcgi-o—!»*o iitei'u—hack Vr. Inuk 'er!*' he screanud. This only increased ihe terror of tlie ! sliv:uly frightened do<>. Assistance was i M'liekly t"vt!u(imihM'. illu ] (he prisoner I u;»- reteau'd. lUit no explanation vouhl I eiiiivinie the Chinese that the aO'air w-i* j an areidciit. or thnt the dog wa<- an j miwillin;: culprit. Uuwuum Shve!. I.ondi'ii. which it Is pi",'l'n-e I <<> sf op up ;iiitl di>con!inue -'is ja llinrouulihi'e/' had a fairly loniz and I Int<-i<->thistory before its ollieial or- ' u»n be<jau U owes its mm* and origin I lit sir (Iriirvo Downinir. a ]H»litk-al vicar J Ur;iy. who was one of Cromwell's faI vourite i-haplains. nnd later. >o hiiU'tdl' with Cluvles ff. (hat tbe J Kiiii? lie;i]'cd «.utislantial fii.vonrs on luin. i the tiift oi' a valuable tr.K-t jo| I:.in] on wliit-li Downiiiii' bnili " four id.* in. -«|iiare brick, mansions." wt{li | "l.ack-frnnU" lo Si. l' ;l rk. ''fit ! for persons of honour and ipiality. eacb b;ivin«r a ph';\>ant prospect. with a lev- ■ r.i--wnlk." 11l the eifjMvnth century | ihe «,{rrei had inio shabbi[it: 1 .-.-: ino-l <'t the : 'K,.il a< hoii-e<: an.l af ihe Kiu;T Street end v. a rathev low The Cat and i'.ijipipe-;. |>;><roni-ed bv H<i-\vi-I|. while in one ~i jli« houses j Smollett -•!rinruled fo earn a living as ■i -.iii'L-enit It w ; w oiilv in IT:!.-. wlumi . Sir l!<>!n>rl alpolc niovcij from .bine-' Soiiare to tlio famous No. I ' l . that Downing Street tir-t the r -'tlieial eliaraeter which Iru made it \ most famon- -tre.-t in the world'' ; m. sitkliws xr.w dtscovkkv i the most wonderful remedy ever diV 1 covered for the cure of Oons;V, CoVd*. n nnd all others Inm failed. Obtainable every* j £ where. 1 e

Ail advertisement for an accountant in elicited over two hundred applications.

The accident to torpedo boat 3110 out>ide Tuition recently luu revealed a weakness in the tsystem employed ?ji iiie latest lypr of French torpedo to ensure for it a perfectly straight i-uur-;e when once it is aimed and tired. H -icenis, indeed, that torpedo boat JJtiil was injured by a torpedo tired by torpedo boat !H{), which deviated from the direction in wliMi it was pointed. The torpedo wa.s of ihe IUIII model, and was | lilted with the Aubrey gyroscope, which j is intended to govern its direction, and to Have much the same steadying ell'ect I as the gyroscope lias in Ihe latest in ; the latest invention for a monorail e\ pre™ train. Apparently in this case, however, the gyroscope worked badly, and, instead of revolving with its axi* in a li.xed direction, took another position, and so altered the course of the torpe.t i. Thr accident is the first serious case of the ill-working of the Aubrey gyroscope, but it shows that ill the ease of a delicate, ami yet a generally very satisfac lory system, accident. when llicv do happen, are likely to be more disastrous i than in other cases. Torpedo boat I! 00 has, indeed, had most of the plates on [ i h'*i* starboard quarter either hent o: I lorn, ami was very nearly sunk.

An aniii'ing story i* told by a Napier ! gentleman who attended the reeeni show j i<l the Wairoa Agricultural and Pastoral Society. He arrived only on the second dny, found that a •'chain pacing" Competition was in progress and enquired a-; to the conditions of the content. The oliicials informed him that all competitors had to lodge a certain sum. tint each had in turn to pace what he or she considered 22 yards, and that whoever got nearest the exact distance got the prize. So far the thing wan plain, but what puzzled the visitor, says the

- Uawke's U,;y Horalil/" was an announcement ilit* Ithe Maori women w.so competed must \vi»nr the divided skirl only. An explanation was soon forthcoming. It appears that on the pre.ions day a .Maori lady won the prize, paring- lit'-' distance to within a quarter :>f an inch, but thai underneath her (lowing n tjp she had, extended from knee to knee, a bit 01 string by which she could almost exactly regulate her strides. One of her own people divulged the secret, and lienee iho special condition I'or the second day. The unsophisticated Maori, mule or female. U a species now pra"-th-ally extinct.

A missionary from the far-oil' land of the Pyramids, Hie Very Kev. 1). J. O'Suliivan. S.M.A., of Cairo, Kgypl, is now visiting New Plymouth in the i.ilerests of tlie African missions which lie represents, ami is the gut'sL of tlie Very Kev. Dean McKemia. lather O'Sullivait's name has been for some time past prominently before the public in Australia. and quite recently in Wellington, where his illustrated lectures on his

adopted country. Fgypt. attracted crowded audiences, lie preached to large congregations iu the Komau Catholic Cuureh yesterday; the morning sermon dealing with the. work of his confreres among the pagan negro tribes of W T est Africa for the past- fifty years, and the even'ng sermon with the preacher's personal experiences in during the past twenty-two ycajv* Father O'Sullivan is a member ot and represents the So-iety of African Missions, an Order of priests who devote themselves exclusively to Africa, and who have consider. , atfly identilied themselves with the social and religious betterment of the native race* ill the regions just named dining the past half-century. The discourses interestingly contrasted the Wc-l Africa of I'fty years ago. with its [ fony millions of negroes, their human

sacrifices, nnd their Jave tra<le. and che West Africa of to-day with the blessings of British civilisation and Christianity e\tending to every one of its population cen!res along the ("iuiuea Coast, and this de-pite all the dillicuUies of a deadly climate which had given to Western .Africa the dreaded name of ''the white man'.; grave." In Forty-nine years that climate had sent to their early graves no fewer than four hundred priests and nuns of the African Mission Society, after an average mission life of little more than three years. It was ov?r their grave-; that had grown and flourished the blessings of religion and British civilisation West Africa possessed todaw