LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 306, 4 February 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Complaints are made that ragwort is in full bloom, and blackberries cropping thickly, in the Frankleigh Park district. Captain Newton, harbormaster, received intimation yetserday that H.M.S. Pegasus will arrive at New Plymouth at 6 a.m. on Monday, 14th inst. For the Taranaki Bowling Association's tournament which commences in Eltham on the 22nd inst. teams arc already entered by 3Sew Plymouth, Ingiewood and Eltham. The local Good Templars have purchased the section of land at the corner of Courtenay and Victoria streets, ami nearly opposite the Egmont Boot Factory. It is their intention to erect a hall upon it. A monster seaside picnic was mentioned some time ago as the best meais of celebrating the jubilee of the Battle of Waireka ("March 28th, 18G0), and the anniversary of Taranaki (March 31st). This is February, and it's time for the promoters to get to work. Buyers of fat lambs who are now operating all over South Canterbury, say the lambs are not in such good condition as thoy were at this time .year. Feed is- getting scarce owing to the dry spell, and growers are anxious to qujt at the earliest possible tim;'. "Isn't it safe to buy a bull from a farmer V asked a witness in Court yesterday. "I suppose it wouldn't be safe to bring a lion down Devon street," replied tile* Magistrate, "and a bull .V nearly as dangerous sometimes." The witness didn't seem convinced by the .intended simile.

Mr. Wade, chairman of the Education Board, nas decided to grant permission to those schools Interested in the mobilisation of tile cadets for Lord Kitchener's review to close their schools during the three school days upon which the cadets will be absent. The matter of closing is left to the discretion of 'the committees.

The Borough Council has received a letter from Mr. G. H. Brickell, of Hawera, in which he offers to number th? houses in the borough of New Plymouth at niHepence per figure, provided the Council will guarantee his payment. He encloses a fine sample of solid brass figure. The matter is on o that should ■be taken up by residents. The cost would in most cases oe only Is fid for each house, and the convenience occasioned by the numbering system would be enormous, besides giving us sonic shadow of right to be termed a modern tow r n.

For several mouths a West Australian inventor of a new process for manufacturing 'briquettes from small coal has been experimenting at the State coal mine's briquetting plant. It was darned that the process enabled the expensive binding material, pitch, to be done away with, but, unfortunately, the trials have not come up to the Government's expectations. The inventor desired the erection of a new drying house at a cost of s'ome hundreds oi pounds, but the State Coal Department has decided not to incur this expense, and the old method of briquette production will be resumed.

In reference to the Education Department's circular concerning the issue of free text books, as published last wok, the secretary 'of the local Education Board consulted the Department with regard to the provision that the amount of the grant will be based on the averago attendance in standard three for the year ending December 31st, 1010. He suggested that probably the yen190D was meant, as it would be manifestly impossible to forecast now i:he average attendance for the coming year. The Secretary for Education replies, however, that the year 1010 has .been fixed advisedly, so that the scho ■■>'■s may benefit by any increase in the at : tendance hi the current year. The condition is a peculiar one. Mark Heslon Bamitt put up quite a ■big fight in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning before submitting to a fine for breach" of the borough by-laws. Inspector Tippins proved the offence, which was that Barnitt had driven along Devon street in a vehicle withoat lights on a recent evening at about nine oYleek. The defendant made several speechei-; before his evidence was take'i. and also during the time the inspeetor \va« in |.N> nn\. the burden of his storv being that the night was a moonlight one, and that Inspeetor Tippins hid told Mr. *ui'v and the Salvation Array Cnp'tain"at some time or other that ne vould not prosccuffi in the case of people driving without lights providing the night was a moonlight one. The inspector had never given him this permission,, he admitted to the Magistrate, but lie resented the inspector's partiality. Why, on thai very evening he Sad met several traps and a couple of motor j cars going through the town withoat j lights.'' This the inspector emphatically J denied. A fine of 10s and costs was in- ' flicted.

Tt is not often that we hear of men and women of matured years forsaking their calling and entering one of the professions. But an instance of this has eome under our notice wherein a man and his -,vife. both over 30 years of ago, ami hotli of them with less than a sixth standard education, have decided to take up school-teaching. With this end in view they are just commencing study with a view of passing the sixth standard, the junior civil service examination, and the matriculation e.vamin.ition, and thus qualifying themselves for appointments as teachers. They hope to lie a hie to secure positions in the backhlocks straight away and that the sen-Mis willing to receive them will he reasonably <•]<>*<• together, so as to pe.mit of their spending tile week-end together. One of the features of a visit to the Recreation Grounds, and one that is neglected gen; rally by our local people, is a row on the lake. There are two row-boats available there, and the lake is now about a quarter of a mile Km;', the return trip thus being about half a mile. Beautiful as are the grounds from the around the lake, and fro ; n the hilt, there is no place whence su.'n a glorious view is obtainable as from ihe middle of the lake. Then the journey, winding in and out amongst the islets there, ferns and other growth to the water's edge, is no less enjoyable.

The Avenue Road Card Club held a very hucecssful garden party yesterday atiernoon at "Aotea." There was an attendance of considerably over a hundred, many of whom saw the grounds for the first time, and were loud in their praises of their natural beauty. During the afternoon Mr. E. Dockrill, on behalf of the club, extended a hearty welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ric'.iards upon thei r return from England, and thanked them heartily for the efforts they had put forth in the club's interests, as well as for their consistent hospitality. Mr. Richards acknowledged the welcome, and expressed their pleasure at being back amongst their old friends. Afternoon tea was provided by the Hygienic Bakery. A disgraceful scene took place at the Yarram (Victoria) Shire Council meetrig on 13th January. Councillor Moorfield referred to objectionable words used by Councillor Blanc after the last meeting of the Council, and went over to where he was sitting, and told him to apologise. Councillor Blanc took no motice, and Councillor Moorfield then hit him with his fist in the face. Councillor Blanc picked up a chair and made a blow at Councillor Moorfield, but struck the chandelier instead. Several more blows were struck by Councillor Moorfield, and other councillors' then separated the parties. The president instructed the secretary to take proceedings against Councillor Moorfield for riotous conduct at the Council table. A rather strange occurrence in connection with dairy farming was mentioned to me the other day (says a writer in the Hawera Star). It happened at a local dairy factory. The manager was somewhat suspicious m reference to the high butter-fat tost of a certain supplier, whose cows weve only an ordinary herd. By investigation the manager first ascertained that the milk was being watered. He next found out that other samples of too milk kept separate from those on rho milk stand did not tally with tln- return of fat shown by the latter samples. It then was quite clear that the milk kept for testing purposes was being interfered ;with surreptitiously. Such action, of course, would quickly lead a person into a fortune, and, incidentally —into gaol. ■—...

The company holding the Parana™ iron deposit lenses is displaying considerable activity since the holidays la the development, of their extensive properties dn this county (writes the Collingwood correspondent of the Nelson Colonist). Important meeting* of directors have been held in Christchurch recently. Messrs. Charles Morton and Grigg have been appointed to go to America and England in the company's interests and for the purpose of raising capital for the erection of plant, etc.. at Parapara ami elsewhere. These gentlemen leave the Dominion early in February, and hope to have negotiations completed inside of four or five months. In order to fortify previous' expert opinions as to the value and potentialities of their properties the company engaged Mr. J. Hayes, mining engineer, and late Engineer-in-C'hief for the New Zealand Government, to make a thorough inspection of the holdings in this county. Mr. Hayes has been here over a week, and has spent his time in exhaustive examinations of the Parapara iron ore and the Mataura coal measures, besides gathering information in respect of the Boulder Lake water-power. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning Thomas Kendall, a youth employed in Mr. W. A. Jury's stables, was prosecuted by the borough inspector under the Police Offences Act for having on 10th January allowed three horses to be in certain borough street's without proper guidance. Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared for the defence, and said the matter was of some importance" to stablekecpers, who would like his Worship's opinion upon this clause of the Act. The charge, he said, arose out of the custom of driving horses between the livery stables and the paddocks night ana morning. Constable Whitehouse was called, and he gave evidence that the lad was riding a horse and leading six, whilst three were running loose. These latter wandered about the road and footpath in Courtenav, Cover and Cameron streets, and were sometimes considerably in front of the led horses. In the face of this evidence Mr. Johnstone said that he must plead guilty, and astc his Worship to treat the accused as leniently as possible. He suggested that the ollVneo was not a serious one, or it would have be?n provided for in the municipal by-laws. Ills Worship declined to treat this as a trivial matter, and said that this dangerous practice of driving loo:c horses ilirouch the streets should ;.e stopped at once. Horse-owners should send more youths in charge of these strings of horses, and hav<. the aninnls led', inslf'.d of their beinar allowed to ;.' illop • ■■'it the roadwa-v with onlv a slip of •> led in charire. !!>• pointed oiit that ■• ve-ialty of ,i! 10 inijht be imposed, but :is thi< was a !•"-! otTen.'R the di■■■' mlant would be i- invi-ted and fined .V :'!i'l costs 7s. ore checked raci'.wge SYSTEM.

Is even an improvomcnt on the mucavaunteiT American system, in that it in. eludes delivery from door to door. Baggage cheeked hy us ensures yon against loss, arrives nt your destination as soon as you, relieves you of troufuV. costs nothing extra.—The New Zealand Express Company, Ltd. New Plymourfn. address: Brougham St.