LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 161, 29 June 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Paralianient opens to-day. Five out of a mob of cows' invaded ihe shop of .lames J>eliiingcr in Stratford on Friday and accounted for damage to the extent of alioui .Clii in gla*-. paper, and paints before they couid be persuaded to ieaw the premises. In the .Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth an elderly man named W. L. Bateman was remanded for a week on a charge of forging a eheipie for /C2, using the signature of W. McCclian. I Wanganui. and uttering it to Olive Nicholas, of New Plymouth. .Elections seldom go unheeded in tho Carrijigton road district. There are two nominations for the vacancy on the Road Board caused by the retirement of Mr. F. W. Court. Messrs. F. W. Okey and B. Tooke having oll'ered their services to the ratepayers. The prisoners at Waiotapu have ■ planted tiinlHjr trees, which cover 1770 acres, and have cleared 2471 acres, besides forming many miles of road and erecting feuces. The annual average value of each prisoner's work is estimated at £B3 12s Id. No less than seven deaths from typhoid fever have occurred at the Maori pas near Jlaweva during the past three weeks. The l\ev. K. Haddoti. who has been helping to nurse the sufl'crers, lias reported the occurrence to Dr. Pomare. who, he hopes, will shortly pay a visit of inspection to the district (says the Star).

Mr. L. J. Amliury. of Northern ffairoa district, has patented a new cow-cover. It is less bulky than the cover generally in use, hut' has an extension which covers and protects the udder. The inventor claims that it is most beneficial in wooded country, and has further value by keeping udders out of the nm 1 ami thus obviating the necessity for washing teats before milking. The White Star Company having signified its intention to equip a sailingvessel on which to train young ollicers, the liritish Board of Trade has made special regulations in respect to and mates who may be the vessel. One is tjiis^- ,l!i The'training-ship must be a-. "ica - going cargo - carrying rigged sailing-vessel. A Conway I or Worcester boy going in this ship for I three years will be allowed to pass for I second mate.

In view of the fact that Mr. Jlassey and his followers are never tired of ajcusing the present (loveniment of being Socialistic, it is interesting to note that in a speech delivered at Timaru last week Mr. Tom Mann, who is the recognised mouthpiece of the Socialists in New Zealand, denounced the present Cabinet as anti-Socialistic, and Sir Joseph Ward as a privaate enterprise Premier. Evidently Sir Joseph Ward is not of the right brand after all.

It is t 1k» intention of the Victorian (joverumcnt to introduce a new Verminprocf Fences JJill this Ses-ion. The principal object of the measure wril In* to encourage the erection of wire-nei-fences *i» over-run by rabbit*. its main provision will enable a landholder to compel a neighbor to share tile expense of erecting a rabbit-prnot fence iietwern their properties, or to pay half the cost of making an ordinary fence between their laud a vennin-proOt fence.

When schoolboys visit an agricultural show or an experimental station I hey are advised to take note-books in order to make notes of tilings that interest I hem. The advice is <;oo<J not only for bays, but for tlie farmers themselves. Wiiliijj an hour of leaving the Levin State Farm the other day several Taranaki farmers were vainly endeavoring to recall the names of eattle, mangolds, apples, and so forth, which they thought they had committed to memory for further use. A resident of Clirisk'hurch cleaned out a sump in his yard on a recent Sunday aud forgot to replace the iron aublk eighteen inches in length and pure while in color had fallen into the waterhole. The animal had evidently been unable to climb out. It is not often stoats are diseovered within tin' city, and white ones are exceedingly rare. In Northern Kurope the stoat changes its color in winter, and then known as the ermine, but such an occurrence lui s not been reported as common in this part of the world.

It is stated, on the evidence of the (Jhiei Forester, that various timber tree* planted in tin- Auckland puiuieo soils jjrow more titan twice as last as (liey jrrow in the most favored parts of Europe. "I am be^innin^ - to believe." siy* ;i eorrespoiideiil of the New Zeiland Herahl. "that certain clash's of fruit trees will do equally as well. At Strathmore 1 saw apple trees <ji" as larue a .size fur their nire and better supplied with lruit spurs titan I have seen in the best fruitgrowing parts of the Dominion, and I liavo sampled the fruit from these trees, and pronounce it to be unsurpassed for texture and Jlavor,"

The New Zealand and African Steamship Company advise that an agreement has Inh-ii made between the American and Australian Steamship Line and the Cnited States and Australasia Steamship Company whereby steamers will be despatched from New York to New Zealand ports, via Melbourne and Sydney, regularly every three weeks. The last steamer to leave was the .Jeauara on j the loth instant, and she will be fol* 1 lowed by steamers leaving July Ist, July 22nd, August 12th, September 2nd, September 2!srd, Octolwr lith, November 4th, November 25th, December 10th. The steamers will adhere to these dates, irrespective of whether they are fully loaded or not, thus ensuring a regular and prompt delivery of cargo. Mr. (I. Y. Patterson, Auckland, gum merchant, returned by the Mokota the other dav. having paid his third visit to China and Japan within four years, lie spent nio-t of his lime this trip in Manchuria, Korea, and Japan. As a general rule he found conditions very unsettled, and the situation in Manchuria very grave indeed. The Chinese are so incensed at their treatment at the hands of the Japanese, that they would welcome the Ku.-sians bade with open arm*. There can only be one end of the situation. say-« Mr. Patter^m —that is war between China and .Japan. A similar condition of things existed in Korea, and to lead to friction. ]{us*ia would be very glad to -ee China be-r-on)(> Die ami come in later On. Japan was on t h<» of bankruptcy, while llus-ia within the next ten years would be in a better position to lighf Japan than brio,- the la!«- war.

It U >oniewhai. of an oddity in American news to read in the cabled news tin* other day that prominent -port.smen had threatened to remove tlieir stable* to Kngland because <>)' the anliliamMinjz laws paced [ >y tin l New York State Lejrisla lure. Americans. as a nil' 1 , have no i:rea( fear of tin- law. for it lia> liitiu'i'to been its pliant a.s a piece of india rubber. AiJi) tin- raring men know this its well as (lie other fellow. The death in New York last month of Allen. klio\rn as "llie ro<il-roimi Kin«r." emphasises the pliancy of tin* law in a remarkable manner. Allen, who died full of year* (To), owm'd one of the i;rcale»t |-'flm<V eMablUlimenU in tlie city, in connertion with the of which lie was ambled over l three hundred times. In no sjtiide instance was he ever c(m-

vict ed. All -ori- til' ru*cs were employed by the police to calch him breaking the Jaw. The door< of his p'Ool-room were heal en down with axes, hides were nil through Ihe roof, ami the police |i>t t hem-elves in unexpectedly through llk- windows. As a rule (Jm-v found a very l'e.-peclaMe of men app:l J'ejlt ly ill tile -eriutls >ioii of some social question.

Mrs. fmimT, iVrey-sl ?yet. ( writes; -Acting on the advice of a friend of mine. 1 bought a bolUe of Chamberlain's ( liemedy to "rive my little -ill, who was siili'-rin;r wilh ;i. very had aHaek ii| Croup. f am plea-ed (o say that after a few relief was ohlaineil, and beteje the boflb> was J',i-i.-hed my lilt!-- : mi! was aid-.- lo «.«i In si'h<Mi| I n;!! :»' . i v v • ■ • - r i: i! m i ?«(I Chatuhei lain'. i 'd-j- . <■; .r in (l} - friends a-i heiii':' Ihe lie.| | h ; u-c i-vj'l* n>ed. ''fe'Vif-'s ■ j I j' \ = ion •'* " ' ' ( C'i' : i-' "1.'.,,-) , ! (''"'"ill. fr-iin w]ii:'h fi'' t v peri 1 :] "■/, r ; r,.. ■ ;■■■ ~1,1 ti,,. I 1 ' ' V ■ .1,, ■ '■ t .i v i" I f ! '!■ "I-, ,':ir!" I! F.i II ,'nn I j ''lire !• «)!:!» Why n ,r ire Ci ot>i!i«r- ! I lain's Ou!rJt llemcdv? I|, M Mv r , : . j | eoinniemled. Fur sale ly all cln:ini=f« i aud storekeepers, 1

Tlie Roberts Relief Fund (Stratford) now stands at £370. A young Maori, who lias become quite a capable liand on one of oui steamers, secured his position by sending to the captain the following quaint epistle: ".Mr told me you wanteil a boy to go with you 011 your steamer. 1 am a good boy, I tell you, and 1 have passed Standard Four. Mr master says lam a rascal, but by and by you see J t will he a good man for you." lie kept his word!

ft is not always wise for a politician to be too hasty ill coming to a conclusion when addressing a political meeting, as Sir Joseph Ward found out on Saturday night (says a Gisborne exchange). One of liis most glowing panegyrics 011 the country and its people was greeted by an interjection of a supporter who ejaculated "Quite right." However, the I'rcinicr thought the man said, "What rot!" and back lie Hung the nasty epithet at the iiUerjeetor. "What rot if" he queried in indignant tones, but before lie had time to demolish his imaginary foe that worthy repeated his former words, "Quito right." "Ahj yes," returned Sir Joseph in mollified tones, -you are quite right, but the audience roared as they saw the laugh was against the Premier.

During show week the Gaelic and whisky met in Dunedin for aukl lang syne. There were a few leal-hearted liaels from up-country way lodging in a fellow Gael's house. One nigh they held a ceilidh, or social, and, of course, indulged in a few Gaelic songs. A crowd gathered outside listening to the delightful music, and amongst theui one or two men in stripes and buttons. "Hullo,'' shouted one of them, "caught at last!' and forthwith note-books were produced and charges entered. Judge of the host's surprise next morning when he was told that ail information was about to be laid against him for breaach of the law in permitting shouting, sivcaring, and riotous conduct on his premises. "Oh, I'risliiil, and what for no? replied the startled host. "New Zealand has como to a line pass when the beautiful language of Paradise is called swearing and riotous! Why, man, it was big Mac , from Paliiiei'ston, singing a psalm tunc before going to bed. —Star.

A petitioner for a divorce was under examination before M \ dustico kinipsoii :,t Svdnev last week (says the Sydney .Morning ilerald). His wife, he said, had deserted him, and as he was evidently nut well posted in legal procedure or the law's relinements, his Honor asked him whether ativotie had suggested to him that he could get a divorce on the ground of desertion. lie replied, "No. "Well, how did you come to know that, .you could get a" divorce 1" "lipfcTt." '••y„u lead the ncwsTOJCSH (iffsupposef "Yes, sir." cases'!" "Yes, sisSr-**read the divorce cases'/" "Yes sir." His Honor then observed that V Judge at one time said that almost every divorce granted brought about a desire on the part of other people to anply for a di.-oree on their own account, and he supposed there might, be something 111 it. Eventually petitioner was granted a decree nisi for the dissolution of the marriage.