LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 253, 1 December 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An examination in handwork for teachers is to In; held by the Education Department at the New Plymouth Technical School on ISth December. 190 U.

The two y'outhful Australian billiard champions, Lindrum and Gray, will shortly give an exhibition at New Plymouth and the other towns of Taranaki.

Those Inisines's people and othgjjs who possess Hags and llagstall's are asked to display their hunting to-day and tomorrow, tlie two day* of the Taranaki Agricultural Show.

'Hie chief postmaster advises that the 1 ftngiish mail usually received via Auckland on Monday is expected to arrive at Wellington direct from Sydney on | Wednesday morning.

Alderman A. L. Borkwood, Mayor ol Collie, W.A., was committed lor trial at the Collie Police Court on charges ol stealing £lO los and £1 2s Ud respecI lively, the property of the proprietors lot' the Collie Miner newspaper, lie was also committed l'or trial on a iurther charge ol falsifying the linn's books.

liis Majesty King George Tubou 11. is to be married shortly. The Tofua Look huge quantities of pigs and oilier eatables for the oi .asion. Hie wedding j cake, Bft. high, has also arrived, Hie intended bride is a line, handsome duel I girl called Takibo, the sister of the late | Ufa, whom the iving was going to marry in the 'past. The weudmg win be the occasion of a tremendous native feast and dances.

There inconsiderable rivalry between Napier and Hastings. Napier is anxious | tor a tram service, and Hastings thinks it should be similarly equipped. The Hastings Borough Council has therefore decided to ask for further intonnation from the company that lias ohered lo instal a petrol tram service, and at the isaine time to ascertain the approximate ' cost of an electric traction service, with | a view to a municipal installation.

Now that the liner weather has set in, the erection of residences 111 the suburbs of Auckland is proceeding apace (says the Herald). During the past lew weeks, in every suburb, and particularly in those lying to the east and south ol the city proper, operations in the erection oj residences have been commenced on a largo scale, and it is expected that during the next live or six months even greater activity will be displayed. Large parcels of suburban land are being cut up for building sites, and will be piaccu on the market shortly. Mr. William Sandford, the well-known ironmaster of New South Wales, who lias just returned iroiu Lngiami, maws a gloomy 'picture of the industrial conditions of Great Britain, aud of the shipbuilding industry in particular. He, oa\s: "There are «>U,OUU able-bodied m«<n out of work in Glasgow alone, i never saw so many men unemployed before. From all the irou and steel and shipbuilding works came very depressing reports. The manager of the great works at Barrow, where the Lusitauia was built, told me that work has never be*:n so scarce."

-Some .sa\ nigs by -Mr. Will Crooks, a\l.P., at Wellington:—"The Imperial race, which is made up i'of men women, and nut ol Dreadnoughts and huge armies.'' "ihe foundations of the British Empire are in the kitchen* ol its workers." "Personally, I've not much faith in a leader that can't give a push behind/' ".Nothing degenerates mi quickly as Liie unemployed man; he gets lower and lower, until you can't raise ium. : "Lnvu-h were jor eight days* discussing the question whether a weii -ItM't deep was a ouilding UH't liigh. "'we don't believe there's enough money coined yet to compensate for the loss ol one husband, father, and breadwinner.

Une interesting feature of the Wanganui Wesleyan Synod was an account ot his work given by Mr. Ayrton, ims saddle-bag missionary of .North 'iaranaki (says the Herald), A thrilling story of unusual experiences faced ami difficulties overcome, told by this staiwart son of Yorkshire, won the interest and admiration of the Synod, and at L'i.* close ot his" speech the members decum to present him with an organ to help him in his services, and the amount lor winch was thereupon contributed aim handed to inn:. .\ir. Ayrton expressed ins gratitude to the Synod for this act oi consideration.

-Mr. \V. T. Buwiiier, oi' Wanganui, has ju-sl returned fvoiu a visit to the Kawliia district, of which he speaks in terms of tlic highest praise. The possibilities before Hie district are not, in liis opinion, excelled in any part of the Dominion. All tliat is wanted is a little push and energy. The opening up of the country, which is some of the best in New Zea land, by roading and rail is being proceeded with, ami arrangements are also being made for direct shipping communication. A* 1 Kawina is the happy pos M'ssor of one of the finest harbors in ilie Dominion, ii is easily understandable tliaL the possibilities are great. Interesting sidelights on the tightness of money and the way the darning Act operates in "restricting" betting:— The aggregate amount ol money "invested 5 on the totalizator at the Canterbury Jockey Club's spring meeting and tlie New Zealand trotting meeting at Cliristchui'eh was about £135,000, while bookmakers' ices totalled some £SOOO. Bookmakers at lliccartou make no secret of the fact that it was' quite the most prolitable meeting they have ever experienced. One Christehurcii layer—considered formerly one of tlie "small fry"—is reporte| to have won j over £2OOO. A safe estimate of their aggregate winnings is set down utl £OO,OUO. 1

'"There is no class of people in the world in which employers and employees get on better than the farming coin munity" said Mr. J. ii. Wilson, speaking at Wunganui, "but there are agitators who are endeavoring to get the whole of labor combined. They have succeeded except in the case of farm laborers, it would be absolutely impossible to work a farm under an award. What the agitator—or, rather, the manipulator wants," continued Mr. Wilson, "is to get the whole of labor organised so that the fanner could be attacked. The only safeguard is for the fanners to organise. This can only be done by the farmers supporting the Farmers' union and doing all in their power to further its interests'."

"Ucfnrm" write*:—"Much cry but little wool" may be said of the (_iuvo;*»imeni in respect of its roads and bridge policy. T<> Taranaki more than any other jiart nf the Dominion the development of Ihe back-blocks bv roads and ornlges is important. \\ Jn>n halt .1 miliion ol mmicy was allocated to roads and bridges it seemed that the gr-'it task of opening up the lands of the do- • tn w:i> being undertaken eH'ecliwiy. But what happens? Disorganisation i follows the abolition of the Jioads Jjcpartmeut; and now we lind. ourselves in the midtsuniiuer month iK'fore n single vufv for PunHe Works has been brought down. If the votes are delayed till January it will practically mean that uu work worth mentioning will bo done and we shall find winter upon us without any relief to the unfortunate baokbloek settler, it js interesting to know that the member for Taranaki (Mr. Okey) will be here during the week, lie intends being'present at the Agricultural £how. Me will also speak at the Political Reform League's meeting on Friday night. Mr. Hine, M.P., is also expected to speak there. They mav bo able say something on the subject. ,

Two Strat.fordians who li'lt nu Tuesday morning for Mangaroa, ;i towns.lip j on tlii' Dlinra Koad, from Slratford. gol home nt ii lute hour on Thursday night. after experiencing f 111'' weather for their journey (says the I'ost). Though small patched of bad going were traversed, tile road oil the' wliole wits good, as witnessed bv the fuel thai the travellers rode forty mile-1 the first day. lit"ly the second., and seventy the third, arriving home with their nags fresh enough to have " gone 011 with the game" next day 'had the necessity arisen. The party was greatly impress':'!! with the quality-of the land 'passed through, (Specially between the Tangal'akau Gorge and iiangaroa, and stale Unit it appears tn carry anything. Settlers out that way informed them, however, tliat the impossibility, under present conditions, of getting stock to a market in any sort of good eonilition took all tile gilt oft' t'ho gingerbread, in addition to which it cost tliem £G a ton in winter and ,e2 Ids a ton in summer to bring stores from Ongartie to Mailgaron, a distance of some twentynine miles. The wayfarers also viewed with considerable interest the coal mcas- . urea to lie seen in the, Tanganikau Gorge, where in places the stream runs over a bed of solid coal.

When you v stomach's all wrong, so are you;

When your bowels will not act, you feel "blue. 1 ' There's a safe cure for this, Tm r.ing mis'ry to Miss— Tjyfß; i Till laxo-Tonic or two, PILLS. 10i/ 2 d and Is Od. :|)btamabJ' .at Bullock and Johnson's, flew Plym.'uta,

According to Mr. C. A. Wilkinson the cost for maintenance of the Eltlinm road is £3OO per mile. Metal there cOi?ts 14s per yard, exclusive of the cost of putting it down. Dr. Rupert Hosking, writing to friends in Masterton, speaks in glowing terns of the beauties of Fiji, where the llowvs are equisite. Business prospects arc stated to be encouraging. Ten men of the Mouinnhaki State Farm have received notice of their dismissal, Apparently this is in I'ecuing with the all-round retrenchment whi"h lias Ueen carried out of late, says the Patea Press.

As witnessing what may be done in a comparatively short time by brains and energy, it may be mentioned that Mr. R. D. Harknws, whose dairy herd was awarded first prize in the competition in connection with the recent Jlaweni Show, beating all-comers within a radius of thirty miles, only commoner! farming about three years ago.—Stratford Post.

Mr. Ben Fuller, of the well-known theatrical linn of John Fuller and Sons, of New Zealand, has flouted a company with a capital of £00,001), ol ( which the firm will retain a sixth share, for the erection of huge skating rinks in- the four chiet centres of New Zealand (says the London Era of September 18). The buildings will be used as skating rinks in the winter ft nd picture halls ill the summer. It is reported that Mr. W. (j ads by, of Hawera, was unfortunate with the I third contingent of draught horses ne took over to the Sydney market, losing over £IOO. Tttis was due to the coal strike having affected agricultural interests. The homes were of particularly good quality, and included first-prize winners in the show ring; also several bought at from £35 to £SO. In-some instances the homes brought a few pounds more than Mr. UuUby gave lor them, but the heavy expenses attached to conveying the horses to the Sydney

market made the loss general. —Star. Early morning legislation as described by the Dominion: u At a quarter to one on Saturday morning observations of the state of the House were taken with some care. The subject under discussion .was the Land Settlement Finance Bill, and the tpeaker was Mr. lill. Twenty-live members out of 80 we.*e present. The Speaker was asleep. Mr. Witty was absorbed in a scrap-boo*; Mr. Sidey (with his back turned squarely: on Mr. Ell) was reading a book; Messrs Buxton and Keed were having a quie't talk; Messrs Guthrie, Scott, and Okey were making a thin prcteice of listening to the speaker; Messrs Malcolm, Herries and Fraser were talking together; Messrs Hinc and Dilbn were looking at Mr. Ell in a condition of stupor; Mr. Anderson was attending to Mr. Ell's words; Mr. Buchanan was talking to an under-sccretarv; Messrs Smith, Stallworthy, Hogg and Hogan were writing; Mr. Poole wati horizontal and asleep; and Mr. Field was asleep in a sitting posture; Sir Joseph Ward wis sunk m profound gloom. And Mr. Lll grew more and more eloquent and impressive."

Speaking at the luncheon in connection with, the Basham Patent Concrete Block Company at Eltham on Monday, the chairman (Mr. C. A. Wilkinson) quoted figures to eliow the difference in the estimated cost of construction an! maintenance of a block road and a metal road. For a road 12ft wide blocks would cost £l2 per chain, the necessary metal £2 4s and blinding 3s 4d, or a total of £l7 7s 4d per chain or £I2OO ptr mile for a block track on a worn-out road. The cost of laying down a metal road would be about £25 per chain, or £2OOO a mile. That demonstrated rile

■ iii ss of the block road in construe* tion. As regarded the annual cost it worked out thus: Blocks—lnterest >it 4 1 /. per cent., £54; maintenance, £75 per annum ( £120). Metal—lnterest, £iU); maintenance, £l5O ( £340). Thus there was a saving per mile in favor of blocks of £75 in maintenance and £46 in interest per annum, a total of £IU, and it was estimated that a block road would last twice as long as a metal road. ft would be seen that a double block track could be laid for little more than the cost of an ordinary metal road. In Taranaki most of the roads were worn out, and local bodies were right up against the question of re-metalling these roads at the lirst opportunity. If the patent blocks were going to prove the titiwess that was hoped for there would be every reason for the company asking for local bodies' support.