LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 240, 3 October 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Native Land Conn opened at the Wailara Courthouse yesterday. Tie business there is expeeLed to oceiioy about one month. Owing to pressure on our space, the re|M>rt ol the somewhat interesting NoLicense lecture an 3 debate in Ihe 'theatre Royal last night is held over tiil next issue. Tlic telegraph messenger who was in jured mi Thursday by a fall from bis bicycle was taken to "the house of Mrs. Holmes, in Dawson-street, where lii.s injuries were attended to, and not to Jlr. Hall's pharmacy, as stated in yesterday's paper. I lie Moa Dairy Company's aniiu il meeting of shareholders is to be held at Inglewood to-day. From present indications the fun should be fast and furious. If Inglewood had a big theatre and the "More Comedy Company" charged a shilling admission to its annual meetings, the prolits should suffice to run an annual dinner or sunpliers' picnic.

Very general satisfaction is expressed in Waiiara at the action of the Governmi'nt iu placing CIIOUO 011 the Estimates for the reconstruction of the bridge over the Wailara river in the boroiigh. Under existing legislation the duly of maintaining and reconstructing the bridge devolved upon the Wailara Ilaibor Hoard, the money to be derived

I from the rents <,l H u . Hoard's reserves. The task of keeping open a bridge for \,h:it has long ago passed bevomk the bounds of local trallic wa„ altogether too much for the Board's finances, and this was one or the matters that led up to the agitation for the passing of the Harbor Bill which gave the Board power to borrow. But the Loans to Local Bodies Act did not apply to Harbor Boards, and the Hoard had no sr-' ciirity to oiler for a loan under other conditions. An appeal was made lo the 1 'ovonmienl for ;issislanc<\ nml this has now been forthcoming. The bridge is a most important one, not only to Waitara, but to the province aiid to the island, for it is (he west coast connecting link between Auckland and Wellington. Immense numbers of cattle and_ huge general traffic |,a=s over ; t'. hailing Ivoin outside districts. and it scenic ili:i| tl„. work .>f reconstruction is certainly one ilial mnv »rll 1.,. undertaken or largely assisted |, v Hie (Jovrnwent.

We have received fair],- juitlicn'io information that tl«- Minister „f culture i., very considerably amending the draft oi the dairy regulations whi.-li li.ne been causing so much discussion and l mvi . | wt , u m . ul( , the of cun sidcraLion by a Parliamentary eommittee with representatives of the daii-vimr m< ustry trom various districts. Amongst oilier requirements that will probably "truck out are the necessity for abe ling milk-cans, washing milkers' % awttrxa's:

! Ijinployers Uiion I hut even fire.i| cr -,li!«• enforced iu the luatl-r <>l milk from newly-calved cow*. The |iinpn<,.,| regulations provide,l thai no niil.; should !«• sold or u-cd until the "™ «'(i 1 veil lor four da\'s but !"• delegales thou-jlit the mil' >!, mild be extencl«-d to seven d.ivs. 0„ the adopted l,y sev,ral of the ! /,!, ~ v """panics in the province. WiL?'"'"* s " ,so " ,im,s u|,, ' u " ll nt ;

mluwli ""''V 11 " 123 COWS ' l w h(,I P 01 two men and myself. The herd is put through in about three hours witJi the jiinehincs-by In,ml f should want about five men I■ e;j,) ( >s myself. There is not the drudirerv which milkiiiff is l.y hand, an,! 1 do not think anyone would rare to f,-o back to hniid-niilkitig after usin» the machines. 1 ' l'"von if you don't require a machine just now, write for particulars to J. R M.icKvran and Co., Ltd.. sole agents, Kgmont-atreet, New Plymouth. I

It is reported that the Taihupc cricket club has resolved to play its cup matches on Sundays during the cowing season. The Hawcru Slur understands Ui:tt under the new timetable there will be no changes in the tunes of departure 0/ trains from Ifawera, except perhaps that the alterations of crossing-places may involve s ome minor variations. John liishop, a fireman, who was senj tenced to two years* imprisonment at I Wellington a month ago, escaped from custody yesterday while being conveyed with seven others from the s oulh 1.0 Waiutiipu prison camp, lie was missing when thi' warders aboard the Rarawa, on which the prisoners travelled from .Xew Plymouth, marshalled the men lo come ashore. In connection with the Seaside Improvement Committee's proposal to mcure an area of laud more convenient lor tea-rooms or a popular kitchen than the railway reserve recently secured, the chairman, Mr. <i. Tisc-h, has been oll'ered about a quarter of an a ere by the .Moturoa Freezing Works Company, immediately below their works, at a nominal reutal for a period uf five years.

Mr. J. W. Foreman, of Tikorangi, stated at yesterday's meeting of the Clil'ton County Council that the snnll bird s nuisance in Taranaki was undoubtedly decreasing. From his own observation he. said that minahs, whieii were, almost a plague not so very many years ago, were becoming scarce, whilst "yeliow' hammers" were comparatively rare. He hud not seen one for some time. Sparrows, however, were still here, and blackbird.* and starlings were increasing. In the course of his address, at Waitara on Thursday evening the Uev. Mr. l>itt said one thing the temperance party desired was the removal of Mr. 11. IS. Fitzherbert. the Stipendiary Magistrate, who gave his decision in hotel cases to suit his own ideas and against the weight of evidence. Mr. lsitt referred particularly to the Tara-j naki Hotel cast'. He reckoned suelil methods were unfair to the police and I discouraged them from carrying out I their duties. The above (which we take from the. local paper) is straight from the .shoulder. We "would, however, be 1 sorry to endorse Mr. Isitt'a somewhat sweeping statement. We have disagreed with Mr. Fitzjierbcrt, as our readers know, but Ave have 110 reason to think that he is animated by other than conscientious motives in the discharge of his duties.