Untitled

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 70, 12 March 1908, Page 2

(In i-iM|uiry at the llaucra counly office a Star reporter was informed thai the average of the takings lor the South road toll-gate since the opening w.- CJ 10s a day. On the NormaiAiy road Iho takings will just cover wages.

During Sir Joseph Ward's visit to Auckland lie was initialed a member of the Independent Older of Oddfellows. He makes the third Premier w'm lias joined this order, the others living yir J-larry Atkinson and the lat u lit. lion. 1!. Seddon.

The milk supply to the Eltham factory shows an increase consequent ijii the rain, and the daily output shows an increase of a hox or two. The company manufactured ■ 1(j3,71 Tibs of butter last month and will pay out CU475 to suppliers, at the rate of per lb. Advices have just been received, says til# Post, that the Midhirst Dairy Factory's consignment of butter |jy the lonic, sold in London as high as 1.34* per cwt., the average for the whole consignment being 14ljs. The previous shipment by the Tongariro averaged l.'fos. Such prices as the above must gladden the hearts of the shareholders in the Jlidhirst Dairy Factorv.

Some months ago Mr. T. Knowlcs. of the Breakwater Hotel, procured a quantity of potatoes, which he found to be diseased. In order to ascertain if the disease would affect other varieties of 'potatoes, h 0 planted "white elephant" potatoes between rows of diseased tubers, Yesterday lie dug up the potatoes. Those from the diseased seed were badly affected with the blight; the "white elephants!," however, were fully developed and quite free from disease. This shows that the blight is not always contagious.

I It is a matter for regret, says the 11awera Star, that the New Plymouth Harbor Hoard, in making arrangements for th« polling at the forthcoming election for the Jlawera division, has omitted to appoint a polling place either at Otakelio or Auroa. So many ratepayers live in the district in which those two townships are situated, that in ono, if not both, there ought to be a polling booth. The Auora road is the boundary line between Jlawera and Opunake subdivisions, and this passes through the centre of both townships The llarbor Hoard authorities evidently considered that it was unnecessary to have a pollim. booth nearer than Manna, hut tile practical ellcet of this will probably be that few will travel Irom Otakeho to Manaia. or from Auroa to Kapnni, to vote, A mistake has certainly lieeu made, and we strongly advise that if it is legallv sible -tep- Should be 1 ike., both Otakeho an,l Ann,a polling places. I'- Naite. curator of the Cliristcliurcli Museum, ha-, returned from Okanto. eighty mile- south of Jtokitika. "here he went to secure the skeleton' <>f a whale that roccntiv came ashore. J'lie whale lie found to be a baleen cow, but it had been dead some time before coming ashore, and the whalebone characteristic of the species had disappeared. The animal was 87 feet lons, with a lower jaw 21 l'cet long and 11 feet across. Its tail measured 21 feet across the flukes. Similar whales have been recorded up to DO feel- long, but the longest, previous authenticated measurement is 85 teet. The whale was in an adyaiii-cil -iate of decomposition, and as Mr. AAaite had no suitable tools, and , could in>t remove tlietn. he could not prepare tin: skeleton for removal. lie Mates that probably the bones will nothi' wa-lied aw.iv by the .-ea. and anotlier at tempi win be made to secure a very valuable exhibit for the Christchurch Museum. 1

I Ail application for an old-ajie pension tliat eame before Mr. A. Tarnbnll. S.M.. | yesterday morning. seem- to indicate | 1 liat (lift ih'scr"viii<» poor may somciinios j lie hardly healed owing to flie .lelinition of -'income" under (1m ,V<-(. The ; applicant li id a house with a inorljjnjjc j on it. To meet creditor'- lie .-old tiie liou-e and advanced them CI:!" which lie I obtained over the mortal;.'!'. Mr. Tnrni hull pointed out that lie was forced to I (rent 111 i:) sum as '-income" under the j Act, although tlic applicant had not handled a penny of it. Hi- Wor.-liip siid his Sympathies wei> villi ilic applicant. ! 1 Kit if he were to «rant a pension this ! year it would simply lie refused :it lieadj "(H.ll-tors, as tiic ''income" of applicant | and his wile "as more Ili.in Ullil for (lie | year. The definition of "Income'' was j very comprehensive, and the Attorneyi General had lately ruled that money withdrawn from a -a'■ fm^- bank ivn- 1 al-o "income." Another rase of hard- : ship in the same connection that had reeently come under his notice v;a- where < en oid-ii<re pensioner's house was burn! f donn. mid the insurance was treated as i "income." He was obliged on similar i ground- to refu-e an pension to T ihc fir*t applicant's wife.—'Argus. J

Paris has lost its ocst authenticated centenarian in the person of Mine. J.ottiu. There was no doubt about her length of years. She had not only seen the great Napoleon, but, at a review in the Place du Carrousel, when her youthful enthusiasm carried her out m ii line of spectators into the "danger zone," the Emperor himself had stooped down from the saddle and caught her ]up out of harm's way. The child saw that review from the back of the Kmperor's grey Arab.

For some time past applications lia-'e been sent to the Minos Department for permits to prospect for gold in the

Kginoiil National Park, on the slope* Mount Kguiont. Sucli permits cannot. 1,0 granted until the district has been brought under the operation of the Mining Act. In order to ascertan whether such a course was justitiablo. the Mines Department instructed -Mr. N. J. l . Cochrane, a former Mines Inspector ol the Department, to investigate and report. ,Vlr. Cochrane returned to Wellington last week, with a number oi quart/. samples, and wlii-n these have Keen assayed, his report, based thereon, will be submitted to the Mini-tor. | ifn lveraiig (Victoria) a number of cows have been poisoned after being turned into a paddock containing .sorghum. This has often happened in other places. Sorghum appears to have the unenviable property of secreting a poison, known as prussic acid, towards the end of the dry season; but the laws

which govern this secretion of the poisonous principle do not appear to bo understood. Generally it is stated that the ill effects are noticed after a spell of dry weather, but. the evidence does not appear to be sufficiently strong to warrant the belief that it is always the result of drought. There is a mysterious influence which has yet to be studied in connection with plants of this family.

A comparison between farm labour

conditions in New Zealand and Scotland was made by a witness at the hearing

of the Canterbury farm labourers' dis pute at Waikarc. He stated that the food and accommodation «t the farm at which he was employed were equal to those he had obtained at an hotel at which he bad stayed in Christchureh. lie had heard nothing of dissatisfaction in the Waikare district, and doubted if any really existed. " I know," he concluded, " we had twenty-live men cmployed at harvest-time this year, and 1 did not hear a word of discontent from tlicm. If the men in Scotland know what was waiting for them hero they would come out to New Zealand by the next ship."

Waving a red flag with the word "Anarchy" written on it, a Bavarian, Joseph Schellenberg, endeavoured to sell some anarchical publications at a meeting on the Yarra bank, Melbourne, on a recent Sunday, lie was arrested, and when asked to plead at the Court he said, in a decisive tone, " 1 do not plead at all. 1 do not recognise the Court. I simply recognise it as a branch of the Employers' Federation. 1 do not plead at all. The sentence will be the same. I do not expect to get justice." Accused admitted n prior conviction in Sydney on April 2, 18D4, for libel. He was lined £l. in default seven days' imprisonment, and 10s, in default three days' imprisonment, on a charge of using obscene language. Schcllncberg disdainfully decided to "take it out."

The Asliburton Guardian learns on good authority that in consequence of the increase of '/» per cent, on deposit rates made by tiie banks about a week U"0, notice is being given to the customers of the hanks that the interest on advances has been raised by a similar amount. On inquiry in Christchurch a reporter was informed that so far no actual steps had been taken there to increase the interest charged on advances. There has been a general hardening tendency in the money woild, and, in sympathy with that tendency, the interest paid on deposits had been increased. The banks would have to keep a reasonable margin of profit, and if the hardening tendency continued :t would become necessary to charge more lor financial accommodation.

Five days' imprisonment for telling a telephone girl to go and hang herself seems a rather severe punishment, but such a sentence was recently imposed in n Vienna Court. It appears that a merchant named Einil Altseliul called the number of a eal'c three times, only to lie told each time that the number was ''en ,r ;i "od." Becoming impatient, and donbthig the veracity of the young woman at the other end of the wire, he a-ked to be connected with the "controller." in order to make a complaint. A moment afterwards a feminine voice answered, "Here, inspector!" Whereupon llerr Altclml shouted into the receiver, "Inspector can go and hang herself; I want the controller." Altseliul and his brother, who was present at the time, denied having used such an expression— I lie only said the inspector could go away; ' but the court preferred to believe the telephone girl's story, and sen- ' tcnced the defendant to five days' im- ! prisonmnt. Notice of appeal was given. The Coverninent canning expert (Mr. W. .lii(pies) has just prepared a useful pamphlet for farmers on fruit preserving. The information, however, is! equally useful for housekeepers in the town, who may wish to preserve fruit when it is cheap and plentiful. Mr. ■lacques observes:—"We do not eat enough fruit. This is universally admitted. Why? Because it is not available all the year round at a price to meet a universal demand. Remedy: Set yourself up with a stock of preserving bottles, and put the fruit up when it is plentiful anil cheap far use in (he bare seasons. Fruit will keep you in health and prevent doctors' bills." The pamphlet is illustrated with pictures of bottles and utensils used in fruit preserving, and the information given is put in clear and simple language. The pamphlet may be obtained free from any of the district agricultural offices, or from the 'Editoir of Publications, Agricultural Department, Wellington.

A dramatic incident took place during the passage of the Cunard liner Pannonia from the Mediterranean, says the .New York correspondent of the Express. The vessel was ploughing through a severe stotrm when the ship's surgeon. Mr. .1. F. Orr, reported to the captain that a Scottish stoker named Law, who was MitVering from appendicitis, was in a. critical condition, and that, if the man's life were to be saved, an immediate op eratiou was necessary. The captain gave the order for the ship to be stop ped, and dozens <»l gallons of oil were emptied overboard to keep the vessel from pitching in the heavy seas.

every effort was thus made to keep t ho ship steady, the surgeon was carrying out the operation in the sick bay below! The operation was successful, but when it was over the surgeon practically collapsed. so great had lieen the -strain on his nerves. A like, operation was perlonned under difficulties by u ship's stiricon. between Adelaide and Melbourne, several years ago, on ;i passenger win. Ibri'iiLrh some mi-take, wit- refused permission (o land at Adelaide when verr

-pace ua> devoted in the Amen(;iu pn>~s l<> the recent -wreck of the 1 honia- \\. jjii\vs(»n. the giant sevennuisti'd American schooner which capsized and drowned all bunds off the Seillv Ues. She was probably the first and last of a type whirl] did not impress many people as very suitable for ocean ti a (lie. lint wjt the claim thai she was "as easily handled as n yacht." In most rc-pcci-; American seamen ■;>- yarded this "■freak" 5 vessel as one of the nn»si unluekv ships afloat. Owing to many stranding* and injuries in Monns. tl M > vessel spent more time '.n dry dock ihan she did nt sea. At the time ol her wreck <he was carrvin# 2.2p.000 jrallnns of oil from Philadelphia to London, ITer value wis about t.'->O.OOII. and no insurance \v;h earned. She was -tft.l fe«t over all. and :m ft'ef on the water-line. Her beam was ~)0 leeL and her depth 34 feet o inches. She had a disphieemnet of 1 0.04fl tons and a dead weight cargo '"itpacity of T.oOO tons. l|,.r ,nsuii mad

from stop f„ duck was Is2 fret. She carried -2.") sails, and the total sail area of the lower saiN and the top sails was -0.017 -ipnire feet. She had six live to hoist and lower her sails and thy "lle-r io work her stuck loss anchors. S j c;i in - power could be connected w'lh her steering when] in a few second-, when nei-es^ary.

THE ONLY SKPARAW.. \ •">: WORT.!). The "Jtelotte" is the only so;, ir i' made with enamelled bowl casing 1 milk and cream outlets. Of onurs?. th ■ beautiful hard glazed finish on the parts thai conic in contact with [he milk must give, the "Melotto" an immense advantage over oilier separators in fhe matter of clenrlmess. The diiferpnbc between the enamelled bowl of a 'Melotfe" ami I other machines is as great es between j n china tea-cup ami a tin pannikin. Wo also claim that the "Mclotte" is th» easiest separator to turn. Tint's because it made on an entirely different j principle. We could explain this to you in a few moments if you would call in L. A. Nolan and Co. (late Wilson and j Nolan), agents. New Plymouth. '

it was stated at a meeting of the N.Z. Newspaper Proprietors' Association held ' last week that the decision to exclude a certain class of advertisements had resulted during last year in the loss to the papers of upwards of £12,000 revenue. The Association, however, considered that in the general public interest the step bad been warranted, ami I declined to consider the protest of a firm which objected to the exclusion of its advertisements,

A representative of a Wellington milk vendor was in l-Vatherston Hie other day ottering (Id a gallon for a 50 gallon supply for six months. Farmers, however, wore not. in a pn-.ition to guarantee the supply for six months, for it meant increasing their herds, and the profit derived from the milk would be'eaten by the cows in fodder. Sevenpenee per gallon is the present price received by Fe it.herslou suppliers for milk in Wellington.

Mr. Dooley sometimes gets down to the very roots of error, and his remark on the relations of the Japanese and the Americans gives away the international questions ol' all time. Thought Mr. Donley in his earlier days: ''lf 'twas light to belong to one liaytionality, 'twas wrong to belong to another. v C'liite correct, as the basis of all feuds and furies -political, religions, sporting, | and dramatic—that have divided man from man.

At the Stratford Police Court- on Monday an elderly woman was charged with drunkenness and having insufficient. lawful means of support. Prisoner pleaded not guilty to both charges. Constable Ryan stated that prisoner was a nuisance to the town and had recently boon before the Court in connection with another charge. The Bench decided to convict and discharge upon the charge of drunkenness, and sentenced the woman to one month's imprisonment for vagrancy. The late Mr. SeddoM will never be forgotten su long as the infant son of .Mr. Culver—who was the subject of a vaccination prosecution the other day in Wellington, ill which he was fined Lll and costs—is alive. Richard John Seddon is the name chosen for the youngster, so that lie starts off in life with a very severe handicap. If the late Premier had been alive, that fine must have been allowed for in some way. Richard never went back on a friend, and the same thing must surely apply to a namesake. -Mr. Walter Morey was proceed id

against- in the Police Court yesterday with being on the New Plymouth railway station, platform during a prohibited time without having obtained the special pormission of the stationmaster. Defendant pleaded privilege and custom, and vehemently objected to being dictated to by railway officials, who were "merely the servants of the people." The plea availed him not, liowover. and the twopenny charge for admission still stands. The Bench, Messrs. 11. Cock and W. Bewley, J.F.'S, inllicted a fine of 5s and costs.

The Congo Reform Association have issued in the form of a pamphlet a num-. ber of extracts from Stanley's writings in 1884-5, with a view to showing the opinion of that eminent explorer upoi. the nature of the enterprise known as the "Congo Free State" and the commercial aptitude of the natives of that country. The extracts show that undoubtedly the State, was in a flourishing condition at the period mentioned, and an interesting trade was being done •with Europe, lu 1884-5 there was a future of immense promise for the wise and just administrator; an enterprising commercial population anxious to barter with the wdiite man, and a field for legitimate commercial enterprise, wellnigh limitless in its horizon. "In 1007," Mr. K. D. Morel, the secretary of the association. say.s, ' there is a country impoverished and partly ruined; a IH-ople greatly reduced in numbers, deprived of all economic rights; a parasitic :Administration' existing for purposes of pillage, to enrich private speculators in Brussels,"

The directors of the Eltliam Dairy Company have decided to build a new factory in concrete on the far side of the \\'aiugoii«oro river. They will utilise turbines for power. *l'he factory wilt be run on the gravitation principle. Yesterday afternoon a deputation consisting oI .Messrs. L Jackson, VV. !•'. -McAUuin, A. E.-Watkius, J. H. Parker, A. E. Svkes, ,1. S>. McKcllar, L. Bullot, C. E. Baker. W. F. Brooking. E. I>. Webster. C. Cock, and W. 1). Webster waited on Mr. G. Tisch at the Town. Hit 11 with a requisition asking him to contest the Mayoralty at the forthcoming election. Mr. Brooking acted as spokesman. Mr. Tisch thanked the deputation for the honor conferred U]ion him. A lot of credit was due to the previous and also the present Council. Their proposals respecting loans hail met with a good deal of opposition, but lie instanced the expenditure at the new water intake, giving the town one of the best water-services in the Dominion. Mr. Tisch said he did not like to oppose the present Mayor. He had heard that "there was something in the wind,'' and he had asked Mr. Dockrill whether he intended to again seek oflice, and that gentleman had said that he had not yet made up his mind. Now there were other candidates in the field, and if the burgesses thought he would be of service to them, he would be pleased to allow himself to be nominated for the position. He recognised the position was one of great responsibility. lie would be. prepared to devote his time and best efforts to carrying out the duties of the high office to the best of his ability. "If I were not a success," said Mr. Tisch, ''it would not he for the want of trying." On the motion of Messrs. A. E. Watkins and E. P. Webster, it was resolved that those present should form themselves into a committee, with power to add to their number, to further Mr. Tisch's candidature.