LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 178, 18 July 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford Farmers' Co-operative Association's shipment of butter by the lonic realised 11-ts per cwt at .Home. The Maori woman Pi pi, who was found exhausted in the -Mount Kgmont bush on Monday last, died in, the .New Plymouth Hospital on Thursday. At the .Magistrate's Court yesterday morning V. M. .Mills, charged with drunkenness and with an act of theft whilst in that condition, was remanded for a week for medical treatment. The ordinary Harbor Board meeting, to have been held yesterday, has been postponed for a week on account of the absence of the chairman and other members in Wellington in connection with thj Harbor Bill. Taranaki is becoming well known as the name of a county in which ferroconcrete bridges have been erected, and the county clerk is in frequent receipt of enquiries from all parts of the colony as to the cost and durability of the bridges, anil by whom constructed. ,'J'he result is a wide advertisement of the capabilities of the county engineer. Inspector of Fire Brigades Hugo held an inspection parade of the New Plymouth Fire Brigade last night. After a. wet practice the Brigade lined up, and some useful information was imparted by the Inspector, notably in rescue work aiid artificial respiration. The chairman and secretary of the Fire Board were present, and there was a full muster of the Brigade. On Friday afternoon the town clerk received a wire from Councillor Belllinger, one of the deputation appointed by the Borough 'Council to interview Ministers regarding the Molesworth; street extension proposals, stating that the Government declined to give the road in front of the goods-sheeds free, but would submit fresh proposals. Ministers recognise the Council's difficulty in the matter.

A resident of New Plymouth wandered through the Taranaki electoral roll the other night and found no less than seventy names of people who had gone to their last account or. left the district prior to the last general election. Some of the people who are given the opportunity of Voting in the next election passed in their checks six or seven years ago. It is not expected that their votes will affect the Bellringer-Malone-Okey contest. Tho Railway Social Club, accompanied by several lady associates, visited the Old People's Home last night.. The .old men wercpleased to meet card-players worthy of their steel, and some very interesting games were played. During the evening songs were sung by Misses Olsen and Hoskin and Messrs. Treeby. Orr, Somerville, Hoskin, and Elder. The visitors entertained the inmates at supper, and were in turn entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Farrar. A very enjoyable evening was spent. ■ A case of cargo-broaching on one of the flag stations near luglewood was discovered yesterday. A case of bottles of wine was landed at the station by one of the morning trains. An old man, evidently "on the tramp." happened along and tackled the wines. It had its revenge. The old fellow's capacity for drinking was not as great as lie himself estimated. Having broached the case, he took out about six bottles, knocked

the tops oil' two, and settled a bottle and a-half. Then the stuff settled him. and when the next train arrived the

.guard discovered him 'helplessly drunk. He informed the police at Inglewood, and, the man was arrested and taken to the lock-up at Stratford. A letter has been received from the (ieiu'ral Manager of Railways with reference to the request of the Borough Council and the Fitzroy Town Board for the old railway line between Hobsonstreet and Mangorei-road, including the bridge over the Henui river, to be set aside as a cattle-track. He points out that the bridge could readily be used bv the Railway Department elsewhere, and that its value for removal was £3OO, while the line asked for was worth fully £4OO. After giving the matter every consideration the Minister could not see his way to grant the request unless the Council was prepared to pay the full value, about £7OO, In this connection he was directed to ask that, if the Council wished to conclude the matter, this should be done at an early date, more especially as the Department had at prcM'iit in contemplation work in which the bridge could be utilised. At th.'' Whitelcy Band of Hope meeting on Friday night the Rev. Mr. Laird presided. A quartette byMisses Caiuiell and Keith and Messrs. Ambury and Rudd was very well rendeicd, as was n solo by Miss' West. A violin solo by Miss Blancliett was very feelingly rendered, while a solo by Miss Keith met with a. hearty reception. "The Song that the Anvil Sings" was given by Mr. Rudd with much vigor. The chairman spoke very earnestly on the work that the Christian'church was doing and were going to do in eliminating the blot of strong drink from this fair land. A man was always known by the company he k'ceps, he' said, and drink was always associated with crime and poverty. Ex-, amples were given from life and analogies drawn very cleverly. A humorous sketch brought the programme to a close.