LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 165, 6 August 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A man named E. X. Taylor will be brought before the justices this morning charged with obtaining money under false pretences. Constables Mclvor and llowlands made a daylight raid 011 the premises ol uan i?'un, a Chinese humdryman, in Devon •Street past, yesterday, and seized a quantity of opium. One of the occupants was indulging himself in a pull' at the narcotic at the time. .Matters are progressing 111 connection witu the formation of a motor carrying company to work between New Plymouth and Opunake. Mr. L. 0. tiuulden has been engaged to ascertain the various grades 011 the Main South lload down the coast.

The other morning, in a town considerably less than a hundred miles from .New Plymouth, a wide-awake ranger stopped a scorching, cyclist on the sidewalk and took his name. Tlie ocoreh ing cyclist seemed much distressed by tlie incident, and after a slight interval approached the footpath protectoi and ollered him a bribe to stay court proceedings. Up to that moment court proceeding* had not been contemplated, but then tliev went on with surprising celeritv!

"We are inclined to look back on our own early days/' said Sub-Inspector Melirath at the Christehureh sitting of the Police Commission, "and to think that there were giants iu those days." Exactly/' ■ said Mr. Bishop, "you thought you were a line bodv of men.'' "I dissent entirely .from that view," continued the Sub-inspector. "They are a line body of men coming,. into the force. [ look around me,"' lie added, turning to the constable* in the building. "and see young men that are really giants. 1 see one in particular, who 19 very prime Otago." The New Plymouth committee of the London Slum Mission has received numerous oilers of parcels of clothing, while Mr. JI. Jl. Okcy, M,P tJ has promised a frozen sheep. In other towns two and three .sheep have been oll'ered the mission, and consequently the local committee will not make arrangements to forward -Mr. Okev's gift until it sees if his example will be followed by oliior farmers. Tlie committee lias decided to forward its- parcels, etc., to London in the second week in September, and will meet 011 the second Tuesday in September to make arrangements for the:consignment.

The Bible is still much more in demand than any other hook. The Oxford l'ress, the "Sunday a t Home" states, turns out 20,000 Bibles in a week. More than 40,000 sheets of goljl are used in lettering the voluTlies, and 100,000 skins go into Oxford Bible covers each year. The British and Foreign Bible Society prints the Bible iu 400 languages. During the lirst year of America's rule in the Philippines 10,7110 Bibles were distributed there. Contrary .to expectalions, since the Boxer insurrection iu '-' una tlie issue of Bibles for China last year wis 428,000 copies. The fact is the Bible to-day is the most popular • ook in the world, and more copies are sold than of any other hundred books combined.

The local volunteers had a sort of a sham-light on -Monday evcniii"', but it developed into a real light belol-e "cease lire' sounded. Tl|e instructions w thai men were to surrender when it appeared to them that they were practically cornered, or covered by rille-lire. One (if the detachment of cvclists com prising the enemy was challenged bv a defender, but surrender was not in 'lis mind. He pedalled on. The infuriated defender, having no ammunition, had t» conic to close quarters, and lie did Presently the cyclist was hauled to the I ground. He got up, ami his assailant received a smack on the jaw. Before the parties could engage ill a duel of listiciills there came iU i interruption.. Bad news travels fast," and it wasn't long heftye the commanding olficer heard of tl|e trouble. Apologies were Oll'ered and accepted, but it is stated there may be developments yet.

A verv successful social in connection with the Sunday School was held at the Weslown Hull last evening, in spit" of tlie lough weather. Mr. Bigelow prosiilcd, and,had a very simple taskeveryone wag ready to lie ploasetj mid were. E0v.,,1, Laird was present and led (lie opening devotional exereise s . The chairman and the superintendent of the school both urged parents to send children regularly to the school, i more especially since so tnanv people I lament that there 'U no Bible-teaching j m die ilny schools. This is ni) o|i|>o)~ , Unity to in some measure supply relipious instruction. The report showed I | that the school was opened just a yenr I i ago with six teachers and 25 scholars,' which increased to S3 on the books by I Christinas, wlicn, the holidays' inter- j veiling, the attendance somewhat fell j off. Attached to the school is a school | library, wliicli is well used. One marked j feature of the school work is the hymnsinging, in which the scholars are well trained, and gave evidence of their skill by singing several hymns' during the evening. The programme included a "Love's Old Sweet Song," by Miss Tocker; plnno duet by Rita and Newton Sole; two pretty little soiiffs by Ruby Sole; recitations by .Taek Bigelow and j Miss A. Cocker; "The Classical Parson," ' reading bv Fred Coleman; mouth organ 1 solo by Miss' (encored); lilani ' solo by Miss darner; Rev. John Laird j' giW a dlmrt address during the meet-1 [ ill!!, and closed by all joining in singing - tlie Doxology. ' '

"Get it at The Kasli/" is always beincr ho,ml about boys' and men's clotliimr. They've such a reliable firm to deal with", ami the prices are always yijrht. Durinj; their sale they are offering some splendid •'.bush rngsj' sft long, at 4s fid the pair; men's dunapirees, 11, 2s (id; men's overcoats at rhalfprice:. bovf}' braccsiSd; boys' knickers, 1 iitiltiffliiSMSiStiteiaalii

The South Australian Government has appointed an additional poultry expert —New Zealand has discharged its expert. Late last night or early this (i£fiday) morning a mail named Jloody attempted to take his n,c by cutting his throat at Urenui. Au particulars ale available. I in the »avvniilliug industry round about Ohakune thinga are lion looking up, and oriU rs are coining m neeij. a reporter of the local ii.nes was Lonl that in one mill there were more orders in than could he suppiiul.

llr. Wil.iam (.Irani., 01 Smith Canterbury, who lias just ltiurned irom a tup to Australia, jiuiciiasea me Jiooloocouroo estate ot joou acre*, uic property of the late J. F. iKwgiaa. iins estate is in Acw ftuuih Waii'e, and it is highly iinpiuvud. The Kev. i\ ttwainson, vicar of St. Barnabas, iioi.oway, has ju&i rejected the oiler oi a Jiving worth approximately AilliUU, aithuugu hii» present income is under .LMU; and simply because he is so uei-pjj uiiachcd to the working people ui ins parish that tie will not leave them.

if we hail compulsory military training here' ua Uic lines oi (.icrniany, it would at once relieve uaciup.oyment. sweep up ilie hooligans and idlers, and turn tncni mio useiul citizens, and we nliould nave a disciplined anny thai woiiid be a delUiiee against invasion.— Air. L\. i'. liouaton, aM.r.

Auckland sportsmen speak eatnusiastiealiy of the abundance ol botn masses ot game during the season, many big bugs oi all descriptions having beea recorded; in fact, it its said that game has not been so plentiful for many years. In view of this fact, the probability of a close season next year is not viewed with favor. Excellent reports are being received by the promoters of the Wellington Fanners' .Meat Freezing Company as to

the progress of the canvass for shareholders. The amount promised definitely to date, and for which shareholders Lave been secured, is about £25,000,1 although a letter received by the secretary on Tuesday stated that £7OOO worth of shares would be placed there in the course of a few days. A Maoriland Frees delegate attending a banquet in London was surprised to see that the cloakroom attendant who took the hats at the door gave no checks in return. 'He has a most wonderful memory," a Home pressman explained. "He's been doing that for years, and prides himself upon never having made a mistake." As the Maorilander was leaving, the attendant passed him his hat. "How do you know that this one is mine?" "I don't know it, suh." "Then why do you give it to .me'/" " 'Cause yo' gave it to me, suh." On Wednesday evening Ilawera came into line with the prevailing fashion and had its sensation of airships. Away in the west (say over Tokaora) a mysterious light swayed amongst the clouds, and from 1i.40 until U. 50 watchers were obsessed by the mystery. The object may have been a lighted lantern attached to a kite ; of course it may have been one of those airships which are just now so numerous about this Dominion. After being under observation for fifteen minutes the light sank, sank, sank away into the illimitable south-west, i'erliaps the captain of the aerial vessel had suddenly decided to take a ru:i over to Tasmania for supper.—Star. At a well-attended meeting of the Church of England lien's Society last night, Messrs. W. H. Skinner anil W. Crawford were elected vice-presidents Mr. T. V. Mackay was elected lion, secretary at the previous meeting, llev. Evans president, and Mr. J. Harvey, hon. treas. A scheme of work was submitted by the sub-committee set uip for tlupurpose, and the branch begins at once to carry out what should he a very valuable service in the administration of , the .parish. There are a great many : branches of the C.E.M.S. in New Zealand at present, and the number is increashg rapidly. The llev. H. A. Favell, vicar ' of Stratford, was one of the original lay secretaries of the movement in Eng land, anil he has been instrumental in 1 organising many of the branches in this | Dominion. The movement aims to interest the men, and especially the younger men, in the practical work ol ■ the Church.

Taranaki people are not concerned as to which of the cities benefits most by their trade, but it may be regarded as a matter for satisfaction to liiul that Taranaki's trade is being Keenly competed for (says the fcltham Argus). And there is also satisfaction in the thought that the geographical position of the province gives it a choice op markets and of mode of transit, it i* now connected hy sea and land with both cities, and with the completion of the cross line it will have direct rail communication with Auckland, which will render its command of the northern market all the greater. Another important factor in the future .will be the loading of diivct Home boats au Xew Plymouth when the necessary harbor improvements have been carried out, which will render Taranaki, as far as outsid t . markets t; re concerned, independent of either Auckland or Wellington, and obviate transhipment charges. All this points to great possibilities iu the future expansion of the province.