LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 313, 2 January 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tin' condition of Dr. Coodc, who still remains in the local Hospital, continues to be satisfactory. Major Sa-.idford .has made arrangement- for the school cadets to visit H.M.S. Cambrian this morning if the weather is suitable. The boys will be taken aboard in the ship's own boats, leaving the breakwater at 9.30 a.m. i Stamp Vluty was paid on 135 estates during December, the largest amount on which duty whs paid being L 75.827, on the estate of C. A. Smith, of llawke's Hay. The largest New Plymouth deceased persons' estates are:—Robert AA". Pearco .C 14,253; Thos. O. Kelsey .€0922, James Mc.Meikin .C 2707. Xew Plymouth people who frequented the foreshore or climbed the heights on Thursday night were treated to what is an unique spectacle in Xew I'lymouuh. H.M..S. Cambrian, lying off the port, was a blaze of light from waterline to masthead, givc-.i oil' by innumerable electric lights arranged throughout the vessel, up the masts ami along the yards, and upon the funnels. The Christmas business at the princiuaLjch'graph and post ollice- of the . olimiv"" -how -considerable increase on lust year; i'22,39S was received for stamps, against' .Cl9,Ssii; and 52,315 bags of mails were handled, against i -1ii,707. Forwarded telegrams showed an ' increase of over 5000 and messages received of nearly 0000. Telegrams'transmitted numbered 140,444, against 131,057. The holiday- in New Plymouth were not to pass without al itf.st one serious accident. Yesterday morning a sou of .Mr. ]•'. A. Coleman, of BuUer-stvcet, climbed into the Fire Brigade practice lower on Woolco.nl.e tcrrnce\to view the. warship, and. slipping, I'clV.( 0 the ground. Dr. .McCleland was 5un0,,,,,,?,!, and found thai the boy bad sustained ,t fractured thigh. The patient, wn- removed to the Hospital. Richard Arnst, champion, sculler of , tlte world, adorns the cover of the January numlfr of (iood Cheer, a copy of which we have reireivod. This excellent home journal, which is published al Wunganui, where the big boat race took place, bears evidence of careful compilation, and is a very creditable production. It should find a place in cmtv New Zealand home. In addition to 32 pages of stories, poetry, illustrated articles, fashions, etc., a cut pattern is given away free each month. An interesting link binding New Plymouth to the Royal Navy ivas exhibited on board the Cambrian yesterday by Mr. \V. D. AA r cbster. AA'hen Lieut. Blake, of 11.M.5. Niger, who with bis crew helped at the Battle of AA'aircka, was wounded, he was nursed back , to health by the Webster family. Before returning to his ship he presented ' tho Webster* with a telescope, which ! ha- all the signal (lags inlaid on it. The exhibit created a great deal of interest. Lieut. Blake eventually died while on * service in African waters, lie was then ' Admiral Blake. "