The Daily News THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 21, 18 February 1909, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

ON THE FOURTH PAGE. Commercial. Farm and Dairy, lloa Dairy Company. The Penguin Disaster. Through the Backblocks. Egimont County Council. '

Members of the Taranaki'Laud Board ' started yesterday for a trip through the King Country. On reaching Tauniaruinii the party will take the train for Auckland, returning home by steamer. As the result of a poll the Hastings ratepayers recently decided to institute rating on the unimproved value. On" of the results has been that the ratepay- j crs in several of the outlying parts 'of the Borough are petitioning to be severed from the Borough. Mr. L. Earp, of New Plymouth, sei cured some good photographs of the lire at the petroleum works yesterday morning. They give a realistic view of the conflagration and the oil-boring operations, and should find a ready sale. The photographs will be on view at Mil. I'raiind's cabinet-making shop to-day. "Witnesses very often -ecui lo thing that the .Magistrate is an idiot, that he has no common-sense whatever and knows nothing. It's not very ooiupliiiicniarv lo the Bench." A remark made by Mr.' H. S. Fitzhcrbert. S.M.. in the Court on Tuesday. The particular piece of evidence which called forth the remark was a statement by a witness that a couple of hours each night wcr:' sunicicnt to devote to a farm on which poultry-raising was the principal feature. Tarauaki sheep-breeders have every reason to feel dissatisfied with this year's prices for stud rams. Two-toolli rains that three or four years ago would readily average up to six guineas are hard to quit at anything over nine, guinea this year. .-everiil well-known breeders in southern Tarauaki, who have on hand more rams than there is demand for, have expressed their intention of boiling the minimis uowu for I tallow. It; is expected that by this method the animals will average about 10s.

On Sunday last some thoughtless person set lire, to the lupins at the corne" of Spolswood and Motnroa, roads, a few chains on the eastern side of the hotel. Mr. T. Knowlcs, the owner of the hotel, sent word immediately to the Fire Brigade for assistance, but this was not forthcoming, the brigadesmen stating that with no water available they could do no good. Air. Knowlcs thereupon obtained the assistance of members ol his staff and several natives and tackled the tire, which, after a few hours «ruuoils work, they subdued. Air. Knowlcs kept watch in the locality till midnight, and it is well that he did so, for the embers, fanned by the strong wind, broke into llame several times. Had not Mr. Knowles taken the prompt steps lie did the hotel and Harbor Board ~u'ldings must have been destroyed. The first meeting of the W.C.T.U. after the holiday recess was held yester | day afternoon, and took the form of & memorial service to the late Frances Willard, it being the anniversary of her death. A paper was read touching on 5 her great organising ability, she having sent out missionaries lo form Women's Christian Temperance Unions for l-lu 1 '* suppression of vice the world over. Her * memory is greatly beloved in America. * and they still speak of her as their " im- * crowned' queen.'' Her statue, the only 3? one of a woman, has been placed ill the % Capitol at Washington, and was unveil- |! cd by Senate and J louse with impressive ceremonies, senators and representatives vicing with each other in eulogy of the %■ noble woman who devoted her life lo $ making the national life clean and sweet 3* and pure. Appropriate songs were rcii- * deie.l by the Misses Guy, Oxoiihum, and $ Aniburv. Four new members joined the * Society". *