LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 318, 8 January 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We arc in receipt. u r a ~„pV „f t|„. Singer AliiiiiiuiL- fur I!lll!l, which is fun (if information of use ami ln-iivllt to the general public. When tin; mail train Wils gondii" j n f 0 Midliirst yesterday morning, a ifurter mistaking the signal, jumped oil, and,' when lie discovered his mistake attemptji'd to jump on again, hut, owing to the speed at which the train was travelling \ he was knocked over and sustained , some bruises—Eltliani Argus. ! Ur. W. 11. liyan, lately"j„ charge of the Stratford police, but now enjoying a well-earned pension, h.nl an experience | on New Year's nijorn worthy of record, | I says the Post. He discovered that his I gardea gate had bceii removed during tire previous night, and, like an old war" I horse, was eager for the fray. Sallying forth, he made a minute Cvainina- | tion of footprints, etc.. and after eonsid- , erable search, iadientions led him back I to his house, where lie'iras somewhat I astonished to learn thnt membors of his I otrt;:iafnjlr,:Jiad- played . the (

There are fully 50.01)0 baits of wool! at present in Wellington for local selling and Home shipment, a a amount of vvflft'i representing a sum of at least £300,001). When (remarks tlu* Christehiirch Press) the City Council were 'urged to erect the tepid baths, one of the inducements held out was a guarantee on the part of the swimming associations that their members would take 400 season tickets. Up to date, "however, not 100 I season tickets have been sold. i Mr. Bill Squire*, writing to a Xew l'lymouth enthusiast in boxing remarks on the Burns-Johnson battle?— "Ucgardiug the Jight itself, I can only say it was extremely one-sided indeed, •iohuson being much too tall aiul powerful, and it was plainly evident that Hums was stale. His preparation extended over too Ion;.: a period. .1 am living iu hopes of haviiig a crack at Johnsoa myself, and at time of writing the prospects look good. I am to discuss the matter with Johnson and iMclutosh on New Year's Kve.''

The potato crop U considered one of the'most promising for years in the Masterton district. A local fanner who has a large area in tuber* told an Age reporter that bis crop is looking bettei than previous crops for many seasonspast. He states thai a neighbor of his who a few years ago tieUed .I*7oo ow of twenty acre* of potatoes, has a large! area down this scasoa in a crop wliici looks even better than his record cro|i On are to be found tl) chief potato areas in the Masterloi district, and here prospects are e.\ce: lent. No svgii of Irish blight is l'eportei

A little knowledge is a daug.ct'ou* thing, as a suburban youth realised on lioxing Day, to his sorrow, Jt was a< a West Coast Christmas camp, and the youth had been frightened by an ugivlookiug in-iei t as tliey were pitching the tents. "That's harmless/' exclaimed an old hand, "what you think the sting is onlv the ovideposilory, the instrument for inserting its eggs in convenient places'': and he seized the insect and' delivered to the youth a little lecture on the wonders of tilings. On Boxing Day 'aliovher insect frightened some of tin- girls. "That's harmless," explained the youth, •'what you think the sting is only tile ovidcposilorv. the instrument j-er inserting its eggs in convenient places"; and he put out his hand to seize the insert, intending iu his tuin to deliver to Ihe jrirl- a little lecture on the wonders of things. l!ut there are bisects and injects, and tlii* time it wasn't a depository but the genuine I itrlii-lu; anil tlvt- yoiuli I'splii'mnl afterI wards that lie now understands what -t is like to eoine ill contact with a live wire.

Six months ugu (says the l'aris corin Leu L ui tlii; Daily telegraph) a, vmlng mail proposed to u -Mdlle. Kugi:nie aii l ! was accept ei I. llie parents began roltrel ing lln mass of legal papers required for French marriages. Among the first to be obtained was .Mdlle. Eugenie's birth ccrtilicate, and when they got it they found she was a l>oy. She is put down in the register as a male, and a male she remains legally and administratively. Her parents pointed out., firstly, that she was obviously, de faetd. n, girl; secondly, that the Christian name of Eugenie entered in the register wits feminine; and, third--I\'. lliat if she had been a boy siie would liave already been called upon for the conscription, being of age. The authorities replied that none of these arguments were, legally ami administratively valid, and that she continues to he a hoy, do jure. The pure,its of .Millie. Eugenie, who. they allege, is a girl, must; set machinery in motion In establish their contention. Administrative reports, procedure, and a decision ol thi' courts, all ill the parents', expense, will he reipiireil before the law acknowledges millle. (n be of (lie female sex and allows her to marry her young man.

One of tin? must remarkable musical prodigies that have appeared in London of recent, years is (ieorg S/.ell, a Hungarian hoy of eleven, with an astonishing list of compositions to his credit, bast February lie made a great impression in Vienna, both as composer and piiiiiist. and last month he was enthusiastically received iu London. lie could sing over forty songs in eighteen months, and his repertory lo*d;iv includes many of the greatest and most dillieult works hv the great composers, ftut. other prodigies have hecll equally wonderful iu litis direction. His as composer that lie is unique in his generation. In the intervals of enjoying himself as a healthy child should, he has written 300 compositions, including overtures, string quartets, instrumental pieces, songs, and a comic opera. What is eve.i more wonderful, this little modern Mozart scores with the greatest ease for the fullest and most up-to-date modern orchestra and improvises will) extraordinary versalil.v upon any theme given him, says the Daily Mail. A musical critic gave the hoy a simple original theme of two lurs. and with this young S/.ell improvised a polonaise, a concert overture and a minuet; and he could have gone on manufacturing music in every description of form with those same few note*, never losing sight of the theme for an instant."

The remains of a boat, hearing the name "Kia Ora*' on the stern, were washed ashore on the west coast, near the mouth of the Waimamaku river, ahout six miles south of the tlokianga harbor, on 28th December. From appearances the boat was about 1 lift long, having three sockets tor rowlocks on each side. It is painted black inside and a dark «rrey outside, but as it is considerably knocked about, this is uncertain. it has been suggested (says a correspondent) that the wreckage came from the steamer Kia Ora. wrecked near Kawhia in dune, 1007. but there is a total absence of weed or barnacles, and the fresh appearance points to the boat cowing from the scow Kia Ora. wrecked at Kawau Island recently. If this is the case (says the. illcrahi) it afford* a striking illustration of the peculiar currents around the Xorth Island.