LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 295, 8 December 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A day or two ago a proud mothe" took im infant down to the Antarctic ship Kiinrod, and, holding it up lor those on board to see, announced in a loud voice: ''His Christian name is Wimrod Shacklcton.'" The Wnilu correspondent of tho Auckland Herald telegraphs: "It is stated that a movement is on foot to upset the no-liccnsc poll in Ohincmuri on tire 'ground of certain alleged irregularities. The price of beer has, in the meantime, been reduced to 3d for small and medium glasses." The usual fortnightly meeting of tlie Loval Egmoat lodge, i.0.U.b'.,. -ALU., was lield last evening, Bio. (-'. Bond, j >*.(;., presiding. There, was a fair atI tendance. P.<j. Bro. Goldwater, of the 1 Mood Intent Lodge, Auckland, visited j the lodge, and was accorded lodge honors. The next meeting will be the quarterly meeting for the election of I officers and other business.

As numerous applications are being received for lints and accommodation on the seashore at lloturoa during the Cnristiiias holidays, and as there is only a limited number of tents available, those intending to camp there should notify Ihe secretary of the Seaside Improvement Committee at once, ami thus ensure their chance of being provided for.

Tile "motor liog" J was again discussed yesterday ut tlie County Council meet'rag, it being stated there had been 'nstances lalclv of furious driving on the eouncv roads Cv. Tali, said that, apart from'the danger to iii,. travelling publie, there wa , the fart that the rapid travelling was having a senous effect upon the road, the tendency being for the whirls to draw the hue binding grit out of the nielal. According to a letter received in Wellington from what is stated to oe an aumoritative source in there is a possibility of a representative of a ducal house succeeding Lord Plunket as Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand when flic lattcr's term of ollice expires. The writer says that the Governorship of New Zealand is a coveted prize in the eyes of many persons of rank and ollicial standing.

Arrangements have been made with the Union Steamship Company for a mail service from Wellington to Karatonga and Papeete (Tahiti), connecting with the United Stales mail service between Papeete and San Francisco. The frequency of the service will be tea times a year, and the average time between Wellington and San Francisco will be 24 days and to London 34 or 35 days. The first outward mail leaves Wellington on January 3rd, 190!). A considerable amount of thieving from gardens in the borough is going on. just now, the night hours being selected for tile carrying out of the opcralio.'is. One resident reports the loss of llueo dozen cauliflowers—a pretty severe loss to him. Another has missed a row ol' potatoes and several cauliflowers and cabbages. The thief or thieves will please lake warning that several people are on the watch. Man-traps are mentioned as a safe cure for garden pest* of this description. There is a pound at Bell Block, and nobody feels inclined to claim the ownership of it. It is nut a pound sterling, but a place lor impounding stock. The yards were erected in the days of the Provincial Council, and the control of it was handed over to the Egniout lioad Board or the Taranaki County Council, many years ago. There is some little bother about it just now, but the Road Board disclaims any responsibility. The Taranaki County Council discussed the matter informally yesterday, but in the absence of any communication disclosing the needs of the settlers no action was taken. The opinion was expressed that the Council had no responsibility in the matter. Mr. W. L. Wallace, of Tiinaru, who was a member of the scientilic cxpedij tion 'which has just completed a ten mouths' sojourn on Sunday Island, the main island of the Kcrmadcc Croup, suggests on explanation uf the sea seti pent stories, lie suvs that ill October hundreds »l" hump-backed whales were seen oil' Ibe islands playing about and apparently thoroughly enjoying themselves. A favorite practice'of the animals is to roar themselves right out of the water until they seem to be standing on their tails, and then fall back' with a great commotion. The huge carcase raised in the air in this manner might easily lie taken for (he head and neck of some reptilian monster. A sample brick, the result of much experiment by the inventor, Jlr. W. llayter, of Taumarunui, and formerly of Hamilton, is described as a product of pumice, of which there is an unlimited supply in the interior of the North island, and is tapped by the newly-opened Main Trunk line. The brick is stated to lie of splendid texture, being almost -is solid as quartz, and capable of receiving a good glazed surface. The marvel is that so light and snuffy a substance can be so compressed. The sample shown is hard enough and apparently as durable as granite. It is claimed that brick's can be .manufactured at fifty per cent, below the cost of clay bricks.' The pumice brick can be put through all the stages of manufacture and be ready foi< use within a few hours.

The daring robbery of fJK.OHO worth of diamonds from the travelling representative of the Powell Diamond Company, of New York-, and til.; trucijiy of which has ci\.!>a'ged tln> police and speciii! detectives since Jiimi last throughont tile eonnlry, has now been brought home to ii I'lilliniiu negro i>orter mimed Foster, whose arrest at St. Louis is reported (writes the Now York co-re-spondent of the London Telegraph). -Mr. Powell's portmanteau, containing the jewels, was stolen while lie slept, and when the train ilrew into tile station, its porter, tile missing negro, converted the spoils into money in piecemeal fashion, but, beset by fcur, he sought the pawnshops of St.' Louis' mid in the end disposed of the jewels in half of the establishments of the city. Nevertheless, Foster, when arrested, had diamonds in his shoes and waistcoat lining, and tucked away in the seams of Ms coat, U, the value of .01.000. About C:>.l)00 worth of the gems, wlih-h are still lo be recovered, were accounted for in I lie prisoners confession. Fester maintained a stolid silence upon tliu mnmicr of his disposal of the lout, until (he police applied Hie dreaded "third degree" process, and thin wrested )ii s secret from him.

Tin- ability of an Indian "Baboo" lo torture lilts King'* English is exemplified in the following letter from an Indian lettcr-carriei- to his postmaster-, "Dear Master,—l liavc the pleasure to regret cxtremiiigly before your honorable personage that when 1 go by the, beneficial bath this morning in all due modesty of clothing and other personal propriety a boisterous billow ho remove, ono of my tromer—the envelope of my right lower limb. Dear master, how.

can I go .on duty with onlv one troiiser limb? If lie get lost, if tile terriblcst typhoon sweep him away, whore am I then? How can I appear before the most respectful lady, the Memsahib, to hand to her the letter her bright eyes i dart out for, and mv trousers they ar-.i | a«| there': Itul only i„ their placo\vhati | you once will) great liuniorosity audi make all laugh like unto tho devil, mv two long black slicks of liquorice, that resemble the logs of humanity. Kindiv

'; write Accra thai they scud immediate, quick, sharp, pretty d'amsoon, to me one, inure troiiser, so 1 catch him and go on | duty. Till thei; 1 must hide mv undiminished head, also my one stick oi| I liquorice leg, in that oblivion tliov sn 1 much require today. For the sake o( my morality you .will respectfully do I this and save perdition from mo. (food day, sir very much, how arc you? Willi all good love and very host pop, pop, I poorah! Your loving postman, Shonga I 1 Din." •" ' I

Shop on a cash basi<. md see what you save every ;ime at the A.B.C. Boot I Company's stoclrtaking sale. The usual I price is named first in each instance. the lower prices being for cash:—Ladies' glnco and button shoes, 18 3 Od, I,'is 6d; ladies' glace Derby shoes, ids (Id, 13s fid;, I ladies' glace lace and button shoes, 7s (1 i i 5s Oil; ladles' tan kid shoes 10 to 20 per 1 cent. .'IT; gents' bos calf Derby bals. 21s Ifls Bo; gents' hooters, 7s (id. l(h (Id, Ms (Id; gents' bai. (wide fitting), 10s Od 7s Od; ladies' gmi boots, 12s Od, 10s 0,1 &.B.C. mail or-W department; all par eels carriage, pali* --Advt. YOU CAM f!ET IT (CHEAPER AT THE KED POST.

The following humorous advertisement is culled from a contemporary: ••Wanted a gentleman to undertake'' lint

sale of a patent medicine; the adver-

tiser guarantees it will be prulitablc to the undertaker." . Some idea of the volume of traffic on the North Island Main Trunk railway may be gathered from the fact that tin: train which left Wellington for the north on Monday morning consisted of

five first and 2U second-class carriages; on Saturday there were live iirsts and 10 seconds. The one and a-half inches of rain that fell yesterday will do an immense amount of good. Feed was getting scarce in places, and as a consequence the milk supply was decreasing, but | yesterday s moisture should right things and put farmers in better heart than ever.

"Any woman that would stab a man with a hatpin would use a more dangerous weapon df she had it in her possession. A woman might just as well use a dagger." This was the opinion cx-

pressed by a magistrate at the Poliee Court i n Sydney last week. A young woman named itosie Laird had stabbed Constable Walsh with a hatpin. Slie was sentenced to one month's hard labor without the option of a fine.

I Sir. Willis, Inspector of Factories, writing aiient the observance of the Christmas holidays, says:—"Providing shopkeepers intend to observe Christinas

Day as a holiday, they may open on Thursday afternoon. In regard to

Christmas live, not only may they keep their shops open, but the Act mak«s a special provision for the assistants to be employed until 11 p.m. on that night. The same concession is granted in connection with New Year's Eve." The maxim that it is better to be born lucky than rich was illustrated by a story told of the rise in wool on Tuesday (says the Napier Telegraph). An inliuential fanner was approached to deal with his clip privately, and consented to do so. lie named his price at 8d per lb, but the prospective buyer placed his value at 7%d, and the difference of J ,4d blocked the transaction. The projected deal was cried oil'.. Yesterday the farmer sold his wool for lid per lb, and the fact of his sticking to his side of the debatable '/id put £OOO in his pocket. And yet they say farmers have no luck!

The Gisborne Times reports that Rua appears to he well provided with cash, and, during one day, treated his wives, who are girls from 13 to 20 years of age, to rides in a hired motor car. The wives are dressed in the most gaudy colors, and when their noble lord deigns to appear in the street, humbly walk behind him two by two. One of ltua s men told * Times' reporter that llua was still a great man and plenty "to utu." He had only brought half the number of his wives on this excursion, having left four at home to look after I the royal household. The party are staying with some natives at Wacrcnga-a-hika.

A customs officer in Sydney made a smart capture of two would-be opium smugglers last week. The first, a Chinese sailor, was strolling unconcernedly along Circular Quay when the officer stopped him and decided to search him. Not a whit disconcerted, the heathen Celestial submitted. Nothing was found at first, but the peculiar appearance of his belt attracted further suspicion, and it was examined. It was found to contain a string of sausage skins containing opium. Later in the evening a Chinese fireman came ashore, and the astute. officer at once seized upon him. _ lie .seemed to he a somewhat flat individual until a peculiarly made bladder, a sort of false stomach, was found under his clothes and fastened round his waist with a string. It contained a quantity of opium, which was seized.

Jlr. Daniel J. Sully, once the omnipotent "'cotton king" of New York, has caused a sensation by appearing as salaried factotum to a well-known linn of col ton-brokers. His yearly salary is LitiDl). an amount he often made in a single day in the times when he was feared as the greatest "plunger" on the Cotton Kxehangc. He spent the money he thus gained light-heartedly on a horse or a picture. (Inly four years ago Mr. Sully bought and sold by tens of thousands of ball's, dictating prices by manipulations of the market to suit his whims and his speculations. His last great plunge was when be attempted to become "soap king." He then lost .C~>O,OOIJ, all that was left of his fortune, lie has now given up his magnificent Fifth Avenue mansion, and announces th.;l he has done with speculation for ever.

The following appears in Wednesdays Taihape Times:—.Sir,—With reference to tile report of your interview with Jlr. Remington, J.1.P., in your issue of yesterday, wherein he is reported to nave said that not only his committee, hut Jlr. It. W. Smith's committee objected to Inn resigning and contesting the liangilikci seat with Jlr. Cieorge Hutchison, 1, on iK'lialf of Mr. Smith's late committee, give the statement a Hat denial, and most emphatically protest against his attempt to use us to assi.it him out of a most unenviable position. As all Jlr. Smith's committees were dissolved prior to the election, it necessarily follows (hat no objection should come from that quarter, and shows how totally unwarranted and misleading Jlr Remington's statement is.—Yours, etc., A. James, secretary R. AY. Smith's late committee.

Some of the Auckland sportsmen wonder why the fanners object to the deerstalkers shooting as much as they like on the Mauugakawa range of hills, near Cambridge (writes a Star correspondent), but if they kept Jersey cattle on farms near the range they would be the first to object to the shooting. Last week Mr. Ceorge Reed, of Karapiro, was driving along the road near Mr. Neil Dougherty's farm, when he noticed a Jersey cow suddenly fall down, give a kick or two, and then lie still, lie went and examined the. animal, and found it had been shot close by the heart, and as there was no explosion heard he presumed the shot was fired on the Maungakawa Hill. This is the sort of thing the farmers have to put up with, and they think it is time the sportsmen made some sort of recompense for the damage they do.

This story of how a flood Samaritan was rewarded has been confirmed by the Glasgow police. One morning a * man called at a house in one of the workers' districts of the city and told a pitiful tale of unemployment and starvation. The good housewife, taking compassion upon the sulferer, handed him out a plate of porridge and milk. TSy-and-bve he knocked again at the door and returned the empty plate and spoon with such profuse expressions of gratitude that, taking more pity on him, she gave him a shilling. Then he went downstairs murmuring | M 's thanks. Shortly afterwards the woman was coining out of her house, when, us she stepped on the doormat, it slid from under her, causing her lo fall and break her leg. The mat hud slipped because the unemployed one had carefully deposited Ihe porridge under it. Thus is goodness rewarded.

| .Mrs. D. Wilson, of Marsfichl, has just met with an adventure which she Is'not likely to forget (says the Sv.lncv Evening Xcws). While standing just inside the kitchen door reading the newspaper, her alien lion was attracted by a slight sound outside. On looking round she was astounded to see a large black snake coiled up in readiness to dart at her. She instantly jumped back and called excitedly to her nephew, Mr. F. Curnow. who was working close at hand. The terrified shout brought her three foxterriers to tho scene, and it was well I

I that ,it was so, for (he snake was evidently bent on attack, having made an effort to follow her just as the do«s rushed in. This, of course, attracted the snake's nllcntion, anil all danger, so fains Mrs. Wilson was concerned, was past. Mr. Curnow followed and killed (lie snake, but not. before it had fatally bitten one of the dogs. The snake measured nearly fift.

I ROOKWOOD. X. c; yv. \V. 11. Sparrow, "'"■■•Ho.va-ro.sd, Itookwood. X.X.W.. writes as follows: - "AVe have used Dr. Sheldon's Xew Discovery for coughs, colds, ~(«•„ for m,i liille boy aged live years, and it did him a lot of good. [|e was suffering from whooping cough and croup." Dr. Sheldon's Xow Discovery for Cuugiis and Colds is an unequalled praparat.ioii 1 for (he euro of all Chest Complaints and f.nng Troubles, l'rice, Is (Id and lis. Obtainable everywhere. i

Messrs Hanson and Co.. general mer chants, Shortlaiul, Thames. X.Z.. say :

" li'rnm our experionee hi selling Chamberlain's colic, cholera and diarrhoea remedy, we are satisfied that a. few doses of it is sufficient to cure anyone suffering from colic, diarrhoea or pains in the slomaoli.'' For sale by all chemists and storekeepers. AVAIKAKE, N. 55.

Mrs. lid Didham. c/o Mr. Bunting's si ore, AVaikare, Dimc.lin. \. '/,. writes as follows:—"! have used Dr. Sholdu-i's Digestive Tabnles. wliicli arc very good. \ sull'ered From indigestion very much, and the Tabnles improved me yew much on only taking one box." |)r. Sheldon's Digestive Tabnles are an unequalled preparation for the cure of Indigestion and all Stomach Troubles. | Price 2s Oil ]W tin. Obtainable every- ] ere,

"A dog has as much right to the road us human beings, and drivers of vehicles

must use as luucn care in seeing that they did not run them down." Tins dictum was laid down the oLiiur day by Judge Edge ill th.j Clerkemvell County Court (London) in an action for JCIO 15s as damages lor the loss of a hull terrier dog which was run over by n

milk-cart. It was contended for tin' defence that the dog being allowed to run in the road without a lead amounted to contributory negligence, but the Judge held that there .had been no contributory negligence, and gave a verdict for XIU 10s and costs.

The Maori is not slow to seize upon modern business opportunities, and lie. is said to be modernising the langi ceremonies. One a while ago (states the Star) was suddenly bereaved of his wife. The widower went to the nearest sla.tioniuasteT; Suit asked the prieoof two round-trip tickets through the Thames and back through Auckland—one for

himself and one for the remains. Tho stationmaster explained that while llio widower might need a round trip ticket for himself it would be necessary to purchase only a one-way ticket for the late lamented, taking it for granted that the interment would be somewhere en

route. "No," said the widower, ''l know—l t'ink it out. My wife -she got | about free, five, six hundred—too many relatives. I t'ink il cost me leas to take her round trip an' let them relatives see her at the station than to t'eecl all them relatives at lug tangi in my lcainga! I got few pigs, but my wife —she got too many relative." This is ) not necessarily true.

A mob of IoUU persons besieged the local prison at Spartanburg, South Car-

'olina, on October 1, intent on lynching thro negroes who arc awaiting trial, for tho iirst time in the history of the south the sheriff made a determined resistance to the would-be lynchers. lie had a, force of fifty policemen at his disposal, and with these he lined the high walls of the prison. Two desperate charges were made by the mob, but each lime they were beaten back by the police fire, with several casualties. Then the mob, largely reinforced, fired back at the police and wounded the shcrnT. At this tho police made a sortie from the prison, and, singling out the man who had fired the shot at the sheriff, captured him and returned to the prison. The mob threatened to Wow up the building; with dynamite, but a detachment of troops arrived on the

scene, and once again the rioters \vero beaten buck. They made no sign of | "dispersing, however, and the sheriff | sent messengers to the neighboring | towns for assistance. Governor Ansel ■ arrived at Spartanburg next day and took charge of the defence of the gaol, j as a race war .was feared. |

Ponderous statement by Taumaranui Kcho respecting the "Several names have already been mentioned in connection with the vacancies, and we notice with feelings of pleasure that the progressive spirit which has characterised the actions of a certain section of the community of the Taumarunui electorate in past strenuous and well-contrived battles (but which were invariably unsuccessful in achieving the attainment of their objects) has not allowed the smouldering lire enthusiasm, watchfulness, and opportunity ,to become extinguished, but have added well-seasoned and inflammable material to the reviving fire of pro'gressiveness. and the embers of popularity and en- | couragement are growing steadily in volume every hour. A pleasurable and justifiable feature of expectancy that pervades the outburst of llame is the I manner in which the qualifications and

indisputable reputation of Mr. Jennings' combustible substances are being piled upon the" eminently mighty conflagration. . . . We have no compunction in Baying that Mr. Jennings unquestionably possesses "all essential accomplishments, and we will feel very indignantly surprised if his claims arc not entertained and sustained." The many theories advanced to ac-' count for the loss of the Loth Lomond seem to point to the vessel having met her doom in the vicinity of Cape Maria Van Dicnian. This deduction is borne out by the relics that have been picked up, and accounts for wreckage being found both on the east and west side, of the North Island. ' It is reasonable to suppose that if the vessel were wrecked at the extreme north end ol) the Island the wind and tide would carry floating material down tlie coast on both sides. An experienced master mariner told a Dunedin Star reporter that the finding of the door with a hole, out in its centre and compass gimbals lashed on it pointed to the vessel having been damaged and the steering binnacle washed overboard before she ap-1 preached the New Zealand coast, This would account for the door have been fitted up to support the binnacle. Using this jury-rigged instrument as tire baso of calculation, it is easy to imagine that .the calculations may 'have been incorrect. It is possible that Cape Maria, light may have been sighted at night time, but the faulty instruments b«ou responsible for sufficient allowance not having been made to clear the Pandora . reef, a sandbank about four and a-half miles long and distant about three miles from the shore. The terrific sen that breaks over this reef in bad weather would quickly destroy anv vessel that , goMnto its (oils. This is only a supposition, but it is given by a seaman of wide experience, and the fact of an improvised binnacle stand having been used goes to show (hat the Loch Lorn, ond had been damaged some time before she finally met her doom.