LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 41, 13 March 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is practically assured that a public holiday will be observed in New Plymouth on* 31st just., Anniversary Day. in vlie Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. 11. S. Filzherbert, S.M., Edgar Harry Crocker was lined 10s and costs 7s, for a breach of a prohibition order. A number ol residents of the Barrett Road District are petitioning for the constitution of a separate Town District. A copy of the petition ha» been forwarded by the Valucr-llincral to the Tarauaki County Council.

The executive of tae. ■J'araiiaUi Palri-1 otic Fund held a meeting at New Plymouth yesterday, Mr. E. Docknll (cliairnuni) presiding! Jl was decided to call a meeting of the subscriber's within three monlhs to consider the ijueslion of linally disposing of the balance of the fund,' which amounts to ±'.137.

The following are the results of the theoretical examinations held in connection with Trinity College of Music in December last:—Juniuv: Honours, 1)1 Rose] Thomas (Miss Smith, L.A.U.A.T.C.L.), pass, 71 Kathleen u. Wmhold (Miss Smith). Preparatory: 05 Edith A. Yeates (.Mrs. Hoby); 80 Florae Smith (Miss Smith).

Shecpowners who have not yet dipped their-heepsliouldnote that the termination of the sheep-dipping period is now approaching. In view of this fact we| understand that it is the intention of the Stock bisectors to closely examine all sheep entering saleyards, and the ow.uem of any offering that may he found to be'infected with lice will bo prosecuted. Lieutenant-Colonel Lovcday arrived in New Plymouth from Auckland yester-

day, anil during the day inspected the two companies of Central School cadets, who mustered well under Captains Mcllroy and liocock, and Lieutenant Day. Colonel Lovcday found that the companies were up to the usual otlicieiil standard. On .Monday he will inspect the West End and Fitzroy companies I and on Tuesday the Stratford carps. Warm showers set in early yesterday | morning, and continued intermittently throughout the day. Just after dark the rainfall increased, and steady, useful rain fell. There hud been practically no rain during the preceding six weeks, and the country was thirsting for the welcome showers. With the warmth in the soil it should not he very long before the countryside is bathed in a glorious new sward, which will relieve the mind's of many farmers who were worrying about winter feed.

Included in Wirth Bros.' circus, which ] is now visiting laranaki, is a lion cub j about 18-months old. This animal is on very friendly terms with his keeper, and yesterday the whelp was taken out of his cage and allowed to play around in the large tent, under the keeper's eye, while the men were at work, lie is somewhat clumsy on iiis feet, owing to his claws having been trimmed, and this makes him quite harmless-, so long as people keep at a respectable distance.

When the "Local Industries Weill" was suggested last year the local traders complained that the dale—in ■Aug-ust-was most unsuitable, the drapers and: clothiers in particular stating that Hie proper time to make a display of New Zealand-made articles was at the commencement of the winter season. This year Mr. T. C. Schnackcnberk, president of the Chamber of Commerce, is early in the field-, and at his instigation the Chamber last night decided to bring the matter under the notice of the various tradesmen's associations.

A pathetic story, quite true, is told in Sydney in connection with the visit of Admiral Sperry and the American ileet to that port. A little mite, who waved a tiny Hag from the cliffs at South Head as the Ileet proudly entered Port Jackson, taking for excuse the fact that his birthday fell upon the same date as her own, wrote to the Admiral, asking him in quaint baby talk if he had noticed [her little Hag as he came through the Heads. In a charming letter the Admiral replied that he had of course notic'ed her Hag—that it stood right out among all the other Hags, and he said how sorry he would have been it by any chance that one Hag of all others had not waved him a wek-ome. Later on the Admiral wrote to the little girl, telling her how the Ileet had arrived at Manila, and' how he had missed her little Hag among the many Hown. Since the receipt of the last" letter the little llagbearer has died, and her parents have written to Admiral Sperry informing him of the fading away of his "little Australian llower." It is rather disconcerting' to be informed that the dreaded lire alarm is heard oftener in New Zealand than in any of the neighbouring Australian States. The Australian Insurance andBanking Record deals with the matter in the current issue. 11 remarks that out of £220,000 paid out in Australasia last year oil account of dwclling-fhouse. risks, New Zealand is responsible for practically one-half. The losses on general stores were over £120,000, and on hotels about 184,000, and here again, taking the two classes together, New Zealand accounts fur about half the reported total. The rcniuiiling fires are classified under some 100 different headings, ami Ike largest totals will be found under clothing factories, motor cars and garages, and various descriptions of warehouses and retail shops. The greatest disaster of the year was the block fire in Christchu'cli, New Zealand, in February, which resulted ill all insurance loss of nearly £250,000, and was in itself sufficient to make certain that the fire business of s the Dominion would not yield a profit < for the twelve mouths. Canterbury was '

particularly unfortunate, as the day be- • fore the great conflagration the Farmers' Co-operative stores at Tiinavu were destroyed, with a loss of some JiGO.OOO. In spite of the fact that the sunflower (Helianlhns animus) grows almost to perfection with little trouble in the majority of districts in this island, the economic advantages of its cultivation do not seem to have received proper consideration. One of tlie iikni valuable constituents of the plant is the oil which exists in large quantities in the seed. This oil is formed by direct synthesis in the progress of 'growth, and does not. extract, to any material extent, the fertilising constituents of Ihe soil. Kussia is one of the principal growers of the sunflower for commercial purposes, ami annually export to England alone I.soO,OofiJb of the oil extracted from the seeds. In America and also in Spain anil otlicr countries of Europe the seeds are •mostly used for poultryfcediug. They are eaten with avidity by all kinds of poultry, and are admirably suited for fattening birds for the table. The-seeds are also used for their condimeiital and medicine properties. Tile oil is palatable without any refining ami is suitable and acceptable for .salad dressing purposes. Chemical analysis lias shown that the oil-cakes prepared from the residuum of the seeds after crushing have a high nutritive value quite equal if not superior to that of flax and of eotlen-sced cakes, such as are more commonly used for cattle food.

BACCHUS MAKSH, VIC. Mrs. W. Tillcy, P. 0., Ilacchus Mnrsli. Vic, -writes: ''f was very bad with a severe ami heavy cold, .Tad eonld not jret any sleep at night, as I used to cough so badly that I had to sit up nearly all night. 1 was doinjj some slioji]iiiipr a nd. saw Dr. Sheldon's advertisements, and I decided to try the New PUeovory. So I got one law buttle for .Is and look it, and the first night I slept as wnrad as a rock, and from tli.it out (lot- Letter, and e«n honestly say Unit Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery cured inf." Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery for Coughs and Colds is an unci|iiullcd preparation for the cure of all Chest Complaints and Lung Trouble*. Price Is (id and 3s per holtic. Obtainable evenwhere.

fast days at the Melbourne 'for penny handkerchiefs, boys' wonderful blouses Is lid. men's strong saddle tweels 7s 111, men's tailor-made suits 37s (id to fifls (id, youths' tailor-made suits 20s (id, boyo' tweed Conway suits 12s (Id, men's strong lilue grandille shirts 2s lid. men's dressy \vor«tert trousers lis (Id, men's grey Striped denims 3s sd, men"s largo Ros- j pel undershirts 2s lid.—Advt, '