LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 232, 24 September 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We have to acknowledge from Mr. 11. Okey, M.P., the fnvoi of early ..opies of the Public Works Statement and Estimate.

Iti the House of Representatives last evening the Government promised that when the geological surveys now in hand in Poverty Bay are completed, an examination of the oil-bearing resources of Tarauaki will be made.

The following passes were obtained by pupils of Mr. E. A. Holding at the theory examination of the London College of Music, held here on June 13 last:—iMyriki Bishop, junior pass, 78 marks; Elizabeth Collins, elementary; 72 marks.

Because a witness objected to kiss the Bible at the Patea Police Court on Tuesday, he was committed for contempt of court. J.'sP. presided. Evidently they have something to learn about the powers of the Court in the matter of taking an oath. Iti this case (Jhcy quite exceeded those powers. "Ratepayer's" protest in yesterday's issue against the Mayor extending a civic welcome to Mr. A. Bruntnell, the No-license lecturer, was somewhat premature. No official welcome is to be given, Mr. Tisch merely taking the eliair at Mr. Brnntnell's me«ting in the ordinary way, at the request of the No-license League.

Tile borough engineer appeared in Court yesterday morning to prosecute a number of local residents for breaches of the borough by-laws. He was not sufficiently armed, however, ior he could not produce the written authority to proceed in tlhe eases, as provided bv the Municipal Corporations Act, and the cases had to he adjourned to October 7th.

.Some Press Association agents eniter-' tain curious ideas as to what consti-, tutes news, l-'or instance, the Wellington agent last night forwarded a long! screed about the doings of an Oiiakune deputation to two Ministers, finishing up with a remark that most of the; two-penny things had been provided fon; on the Estimates: The thing would bq humorous if wc had not to pay for the| wires. •

Mr. W. \V. Smith., curator of tile Recreation Ground.-!, is erecting what 'lie terms a "creeper house." Ladies ami timid folk need not run away with the idea that he intends to stock it with caterpillars, worms, and other creeping things. The '•creeper house" is simply a wire-netting frame roof erected on punga posts to a height, of about ten feet, and over this will be trained flowering vines of various kinds to ensure a succession of blooms all the year round. An excellent school story comes from F'itzroy. One of the Hoard inspectors' was at the school the other day, and lie ''took, the class" on magnetism. Putting a pair of compasses on the taible, he asked if any ot the class could

move them, or tell him how to move them, without touching the article. One little chap was equal to the occasion. He stepped to the table, placed himself right opposite the compasses, puffed 'himself out, and he blew! He accomplished his' purpose, but hardly hi the way expected by the inspector.' The weather promises to be line for to-day's ceremony on the beach at Moturoa, when his Worship the Mayor will officially open the Esplanade extension (the making of which is due to iiis personal efforts) and hand it over to the Seaside Improvement Committee. Illie Garrison Band will play a pro-

gramme of music, and afternoon tea will be procurable. The public will no doubt show Us appreciation of Mr. Tisch's enthusiasm in the work of ini-

proving the sea-front by attending this afternoon's ceremony in full force. Of the £250,1100 special vote for back-block roads (on account of the proposed expenditure of one million sterling spread over a period of lour years) the Taranaki Road District? has

been allotted £35,225. Under the general allocation the proposed vote is' C17,1i24, making a total allocation of £52,549. Last year's vote was £37,-

7(i(i, of which £28,309 was spent, and * liability of £13,144 had been incurred at 31 si March last. There is also art allocation of £ll7O for tourist roads (Mt. Egmont and Lake Rotokarc Domain, Kltham). The EUon Comedy Company appeared last night to a "fair house in the Theatre Koyal. The leading feature of the entertainment was Miss Urace Elton's extensive' contribution to tie programme, her production of music from many and varied and unique instruments being an item far above the average of the minor travelling comedy troupes. The trick-playriig on Uie violin in seemingly impossible positions, was also a most popular item. Mr. Fred Elton's comedy was nonsensical in the extreme, and was evidently put on merely to fill in the gaps. Whilst the concert is one that must find pleased patrons in country halls, it was certainly a bit ambitious for these two, especially the "comedian," to face a, theatre audience. Writing editorially upon the New Plymouth Harbor Board Empowering Bill, the Inglewood Record says:, "Whatever may or may not be brought, against, the proposals to borrow, there, can be no vestige of doubt that the, Board has acted honorably and

straightforwardly in the matter of the,' Bill. Every privilege and safeguard/ they promised has been strictly Kept, and tile settlers have a perfectly clear; road to follow. The next step 'will be to vote for or against the loan, in. which vote, as promised by the Board, the one, two and three thousand pound properly valuation will give the one, two or three votes, and it will require a three-fifths majority yote on those! lines to authorise the borrowing. It would be impossible for a more honor-; able scheme to be put before them,)and it would have been impossible for the Board to have dealt more honorably by the ratepayers that it has.'' A lorcignor, evidently a Swede, started a little wedding serenade on his own on Tuesday evening, but the wedding couple was missing. The wedding festivities existed only in .his own imagination, and in his own cups. His "tincan baud" was not attuned to the public ear, and he was arrested. Upon be-

ing brought Morn the Court yesterday morning, tlie ueui feigned, us do tho Maoris, Chinese, iiml foreigners generally, ignorance of the English language, and it was found difficult to make liim understand Llle nature of the cflaige. ft reminded one of the story of the. Chow who had been iined £2, and costs, and when told of it heshook his head with a "He no savee.". An old policeman look a'wind. "You're lined .£lO and costs, John," he said, avnl the Chow gave Ulie show away, "Yon H'lluni lie. Jlim only two noun , | slipped out, and the point was gained.

So in this casv. He delected in a c|ucs, lion an inference (lial lie had had tool many "beers,'' and lie immediately! jerked out Unit he 'had only two. Jiu't) the drunkenness was proved. As fhei delinquent liad already had a night in,' the cell, lie was convicted and discharg- 1 ed. A MYSTERIOUS EVENT. Many physicians seem to t'liink it a mysterious event when ttreir patients —whom they cannot cure—are mikkly restored to heallh by Dr. Sheldon's .Yew Discovery for Coughs, Cold,, and Consumption; lint there is nothing mysterious about it, Dr. Slii-idon's New Discovery represents Hie. latest knowledge of Ihe day in (lie prat-lice of the science of healing, and does not follow any of (he old-fashioned methods of the materia medica. ft fines right to tlif point of infection in" all cases of throat and ling trouble, ami by means that are all iis own drive out tiho disease and heals (he aflW-jed ! parts. It, is a safe, pleasant, positive euro for all lunjr troubles. Trv it. Obtainable everywhere-. GIOAtfTTC! CONSPIRACY. 'Tis n gigantic conspiracy of Coughs ind Colds naninst von. Foil it with Dr. Sheldon's NW TOsoMvy for Coughs, Colds and Consumption. Price 's. fld. and 3s. Obtainoble everywhere.

According to Mr. LSruntucll, the Nolicense authority, wlio has just returned from .in extensive visit to lilt' Did Country, "London is a heaven to Ihe rich man, but a living hell to the poor man."

The Rivers Commission appears to h'ave revealed the champion discontented man. Mr. Slate admitted lo the chairman of the kairanga Council thai the river had added 811 acres to his farm —and r yet he thought ••property owners did .not get siiilieient assistance." Di.l he want the whole county y—Manawaiu Times.

Ihe ob.ioxiom, clause in the second iiaiiot iiill—tliu -gag" clause—iwould' have been deleted by the U-.gisia.uve Council on Tuesday but for lion. It. A. Loughnan, who spoke against the clause and voted ior it. Ihe clause prevents Press or public criticism or tree speech between the holding of the two ballots. Mr. Loughnan's action is all tiie more inexplicable when it is re; anoniiiered that lie is himself a. journalist by profession, and the first one, it would have been thought, (o resist any attempt to intcrferu with the liberty of the Press and the people.

Mr G. \V. Sherwin writes to the editor of the ''New iocaland j.imes' ; from Oainuru, asking that publicity be given to a serious matter whim secni.to deserve the attention of tllie Healfii Department. He s.iy-s that a woman, Maggie Smith, bv name, was permitted to leave the Timaru llos pital before she had properly recover ed from the effects of scarlet fever She proceeded by train to Oainaru am stayed with Mr Slier win and his wife Mrs Slierwin was stricken with scarle fever within a few days and died, am her son was taken to the hospital suf feving from the same complaint. N attempt was made to isolate the pal ients, and Maggie was sent back t

Timaru. There she spread the fever lo the household, with the result that lwr youngest sister, Elsie, died, a'ad another had a narrow escape from death. These incidents oecured in June and July, but Mr Sherwin's representations have been unavailing.