LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 35, 6 March 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A prehistoric head discovered at Pinchala, South America, was sold for £lB ]Bs at Stevens' Jlooins. London. H was TftMTered from a grave beneath 40ft. of virgin guano, and is a relic of an extinct white race of Peru. "We arc passing through an experimental stage at present, and I do not think the gelleratioas that follow will suffer,' 1 said ilr. Anderson, of Christ-1 church, at the banquet tendered to the delegates attending the conference of the Xew Zealand Ironmasters' Association. '• It' there is a hardship, tile rope will break, and in the end there will be an adjustment one wsiv or another."'

The Star reports that on Wednesday night some vandals liberally besmeared the front of the Commercial Hotel, Hawera, with tar. The alTair was rendered more aggravaling as the building had only recently been renovated and repainted. The vandals tarred in big letters across a portion of the building the words " local talent/' and it is to be

"hoped that the -'talent" will reap a fitting reward in the shape of drastic punishment.

it is a notorious fact that the credit system is responsible for a large number of bad debts made by doctors and dentists. This undesirable state of affairs, especially in relation to dentists, was emphasised by Mr. John -lainieson at a meeting of creditors in the estate of a dental surgeon at Christchurrh. Mr .lainieson stated that it was very annoying for a dentist to walk down the street and meet people who had no thought of paying for the professional services he had rendered them, but "who smiled benignly on him ''with thejr mouths full of his good gold." The I credit system was the worst curse of ! a man in any line of business. I At the Clifton County Council meet-

ing yesterday a letter was received from the secretaries (Messrs. C. J) Sole and 6. G. Burgess) of the Oddfellows' Provincial Premier Picnic, asking the cooperation of the Council in securing a provincial whole holiday on March 31st, Taranaki's anniversary day, the date fixed for the function to be held at Moturoa. The chairman (Mr. J. W. Foreman) said this "was the revival of the old-time celebration of the anniversary. Then the Taranaki races were held on anniversary day, but that was changed, and he thought this new method of recognising the date was an improvement. lie was in sympathy with the movement, but the Council could hardly ask CJrenui, I'ruti,

and other centres where it had jurisdiction to close all day.—The secretary was directed to reply in this strain. A lady from New Zealand, writing from Glasgow, says: "I spent a very sail day on Sunday with the Seek and Savo Mission in Glasgow. I saw 2000 waifs and strays from the slums being fed at the 'free dinner.' Oh, it was sad, and I could not keep the tears back when 1 was speaking, and remarking on our own happy privileges in New 1 Zealand, where, no one need go hungry. At night I was again on the platform, and saw about 300 men and women at the Gospel meeting. My heart ached for them. This mission provides a meal for 15000 children every day. and breakfast every Sunday for 3000 men and women, and after the Gospel meeting whatever is over from the Sunday is given out. It is something to remember when, the last is served, and you have to say to hundreds, 'No more—the door must be shut,'" It has been decided by the Methodist Conference that the duties of the Rev. 'l* G. .Brooke, who has been appointed organising secretary of Home Missions, with his headquarters in Auckland, shall be: (1) To visit the dill'erent circuits, home mission stations, and Maori mission districts of the Dominion, by ar« rangement with the district chairmen and superintendents. (•) ( T 0 conduct services and public meetings in the interest of the fund for church extension. Gil To take the necessary steps to promote an increased interest i:i the work, and to augment the income of the home mission department by subscriptions and other methods, (-b To visit districts where, services are not being held, with a view to the extension of church work. (5) To supply a quarterly report as to the work to the executive committee and an annual report to ♦he synod or conference.

At tlie conclusion of the last meeting of the Inglewood Borough Council, air! \V. E. J'crcival, ex-Mayor, entered the Council chamber, says the Record, and, addressing the Mayor, said he had long been intending to carry out a previous promiso and lion- he asked liim to accept, on belialt of himself and council, the framed portrait of himself (Mr Porcival), and to hang it alongside tlut of Ins predecessor in office, Mr. it. 11. Xicholls, He thought the photographer had made the best out of some very inferior material, but he hoped that rears hence the portraits on the walls would serve to remind future mayors and councillors that their predecessors had labor(d honestly according to tiieir lights for the benefit of the burgesses and the advancement of the borough, lie hoped that when the present Mayor vacated his seat he would sec his way to present a similar likeness of himself, in order that the chain of oll'icials may be kept a'ad made complete as vears lolled on.

A gentleman who is largelv interested I m the dairy industry supplies the filth- ■ am Argils with the following in forma- ! tion, which, ho savs, is absolutely reli- ; aide, and he adds that the factories shipping through I'atea may not bo aware ol the position "Large rpianlilies of butter and elieo.se are heing railed from Patea to Waiiganui and shipped from there to Wellington for tile Homegoing boats, owing to the stale of the river at I'atea. This produce hangs itlmnt in trucks on the wharf without shelter. Application on one recent occasion was made to the railway authorities to use the engine-shed to run the trucks into, to protect the butter and cheese from the heat of the sun, but permission was refused. It must be 1 soothing to the feelings of the directors of factories who arc. selling on grade, and possibly we may hear of the unsatisfactory condition of arrivals at Tlome of . ' ''i ta in well-known brands, and the usual complications about, returns not being uniform.'' This is a very ferrous matter ami should at once be enquired into. \\'(> may say that, our informant has good opportunities for ascertaining the facts and would not have supplied I us with the above had be not bppn sure of bis points. | It lakes a snail fourteen davs to trar-.l I a mile. ' i