LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 340, 16 March 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In a tennis match on Saturday, the Waitara juniors beat Bell Block by 132 points to 79. Among the appointments made by the Methodist Conference to Home Mission stations appears the following:—"Nightcaps, W. E. Sleep." Turnip blight is very prevalent throughout Taranaki, and farmers who were relying on this crop for the winter will be very short of feed.

A young New Zealander, who has been following the land ballots without success for three years, is leaving this week to settle in the Argentine. The Land Board yesterday received an application from the Taranaki County Council, asking that the closed portion of the Beach road, Omata, be declared a road. The Board acceded to the request. Waitara, Manaia and Opunake brass bands are taking part in the band contest at Wanganui. The Taranaki Garrison is said to be too busy adjusting its own little ditferences to enter into competition with anything else just now. The Rev. N. Hyde waited' on the Land Board at yesterday's meeting, and asked for a site for a Methodist Church in township, on part of block 30. Consideration of the request was deferred pending the receipt of a report from the ranger.

A publication issued by the Vatican gives tie first reliable statistics in connection with | the Messina earthquake. It is calculated that the dead at Messina numbered 90,000. The death roll at Calabria was 16,500. The relief fund now •amounted to £300,000.

There was a much larger audience •than usual at the Theatre lioyal last night, when Hewitt's new programme of moving pictures was shown for the second time. There is no necessity to add that every item mare than pleased. To-night an additional attraction _ will be the first appearance of a promising young Xew Zealand balladist. Mr. Len "Russell.

"Our people in New Zealand are apt to look very humble," said the Chinese Consul in a lecture in Wellington. They are humble, but they look more so. And some of them have an air of extreme timidity as they pass along the streets with their eyes down. Observant people will have noticed it, but th?v must not mistake the appearance for the reverence that is ingrained in the race.

An extraordinary escape from death is reported from Lynn (U.S.A.). where on January 16, although 4500 volts of electricity passed through the body or James McLeod, he was not killed. McLeod accidentally grasped a heavily charged wire at the Lynn electric lighting plant, where he was employed. As only 1500 volts are used when persons are electrocuted by law, the man's escape from instantaneous death is little short of miraculous.

Among British firms the proprietors •f Beecham's pill business hold the premiership for expenditure in advertising (according to a London exchange). For 1909, it is stated, the Beecham bill on this score could not nave been anything short of £IOO,OOO. Pear's soap comes next, but no figures are given. It is mentioned, however, that since the Pearsi people started advertising they have disbursed "well over £1,000,000" in pushing their commodities. Mr. Eugen Sandow is a strong man at advertising. It is said to be a common thing for him to invest a trifie like £IOOO for "one bold announcement." His fancy occasionally runs to a moriopoly of four pages of the London Times.

The German courts have just had a curious case before them. A trader died at Bad Mannheim, and three days before his death he 1 sent a postcard to a lady friend on Her birthday, deploring that he was ill and so far away from her. He added: "For a good birthday present. I am leaving you mv fortune." The ladv to whom this postcard was l sent claimed that this missive constituted a will in her favor, and on the strength of if claimed the estate, which was valued nt 300.000 marks. In the first court the decision went against her. and on nnpral the findings of the court below were upheld. The grounds oi the decision were that, bv Oerman law. when a person draws un his own will it is necessar'for the document to state where it was ■written. The trader, though he had duly signed the card, had neglected to place his address on it.

The recent heavy rain had. the effect of causing all the rivers to flood. The Waiwakaiho is said to have risen as high as at any previous flood. It was unfortunate, however, that the rain could not have held off for a few days longer to have enabled Mr. Clements to complete -the weir which he is building just below the traffic bridge. The bottom layer of wire netting was fixed, and nearly all the requisite stone had been tipped in it, and in a day or two it would have been ready for the top cover of wire netting, when the flood would have been appreciated as a test of its strength. It is pleasing to narrate, however, that under the circumstances it stood the test very well, only a. quantity of loose stone being washed away, as was only to be expected. It will necessitate an additional two or three davs' work to replace these. The effect of the weir in its unfinished state even can be already seen, as the receding flood has deposited a considerable quantity of stone and gravel against it. and there is reason to believe that it will do all that was expected of it. The bank of the river below the bridge on the town side is being undermined, as the trend of the current lias been for some" time past in that direction. It is the intention to proceed with a protection wall.of stone encased in wire netting as soon as the weir is completed, but there is no doubt that a small and inexpensive groin erected just above the bridge, so as to throw the current away from the bank, would be an advantage.

Messrs <T. Rattenbury, 01 Waitara, and D. H. McDonald, of Inglewood, have been nominated to fill one seat on the Taranaki Hospital Board, representing the combined boroughs. An election will be held. Doubtless Inglewood wdl support its representative to a man, and Waitara will do the same. As the two boroughs have approximately the same number of inhabitants, the result will more than ever depend on the amount of local interest aroused and the local popularity of each candidate. Mr. McDonald is a very old member of the Board, whilst Mr. Rattenbury has a good record as a member of local bodies.

Thus the Waitara Mail:—Owing to the utter disregard, of motorists in regard to the safety or inconvenience to which they put other people, more especially in crossing the Waitara bridge, Mr. W. F. Jenkins has given notice to the Harbor Board that he intends to move at the next meeting that by-laws be introduced to regular the motor speed and traffic when crossing or approaching the bridge. Several cases of mad motoring have taken place during tEe past week, any of which might easily have led to a serious accident. Motorists seem to think they own the thoroughfares and that everyone else must make way for them.

In the S.M. Court yesterday morning, before Mr. H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., judgment in default of defendant was given in the fallowing cases:—Werekino Road Board (Mr. Johnstone) v. Tame Mahoe-tah-i. claim 15s 9d, and costs 17s; Taranaki Petroleum Co. (Mr. Govott) v. A. E. Capewell, claim £4 Gs 4d, and costs £1 4s; Taranaki Petroleum Co. (Mr. Govett) v. J. L. A. Printz, claim £l3 10s 6d, and costs £1 lis Gd; J. McNeill (Mr. Hutchen) v. Daniel Roe, claim £8 5s Bd, and costs £1 3s Gd; Max 0. Butcher (Mr. A. R. Standish) v. S. Harvey, claim £7 2s 6d, and costs £1 8s 6d; Bell ringer Bros. (Mr. Wright) v. Lethaby Bros, and Co., claim £2 10s and costs ss.

Night and day the men employed in repairing the Kaipara have been working for more than four weeks (says the Auckland Star). Over 200 men are at work on the vessel, and the contractors are well satisfied with the progress made. Some difficulty was experienced in getting materials, the plates especially being hard to procure, owing to the unusual size of the Kaipara, which measure 23ft by Oft, and 'Weigh about two tons. All such plates as were available in Sydney and Melbourne were bought, but the supply was not equal to the demand, so that a number had to be imported from England, and these are expected shortly. Tire damaged rims, ansrle irons, and intercastle plates have been put into place and riveted, and on Tuesday a start was made with the riveting of the shell plates. All the work of cut" ting, drilling and rivetting the huge pieces of steel is accomplished by the most up-to-date pneumatic appliances, and the workmen are practically supervisors of elaborate mechanism.

■Sir Ernest Shaekleton had a remarkably enthusiastic reception in Russia. His jecture on January 25 was attended by tTie largest gathering of the kind ever seen in St. Petersburg, there r oeing an attendance of over 2000 in the Alexander Room of the City Hall. A great man}' of those present did not understand English, but .came to do honor to the intrepid young explorer and to see the pictures taken in the heart of the Antarctic. Sir . Ernest was presented with the Constantbe gold medal of the Geographical Society. Amongst the notables present were' M. Isvolsky, several naval and military officers, and members of the foreign embassies. Sir Ernest Shaekleton had the honor of being received in audience by the Czar. who°conferred upon him the Order of St. Anne. The Constantine gold medal givon him by the Geographical Society has not been given to anyone for nearlv 70 years. Sir Ernest had two hours' conversation with the Czar, whom lie admired greatly. He was also charmed with the hospitality of the Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna and other distinguished Russians who entertained him.

Elth&m has a bad attack of stray dog nuisance, and unkind people say their numbers make the town resemble a Maori village. The Argus devoted a subleader to the nuisance the other day, in tli£, course of which appeared the following:—"There is a patient in the private hospital in King Edward street who is in a very serious condition, and who is unable to get any rest at night owing to the noise created in the immediate neighborhood by stray dogs whose yelping, barking and fighting nearly all night long prevent him from sleeping. So serious has the nuisance become that some of the patient's relatives had to stay up all night merely for the purpose of keeping dogs away from the place. We have known of a somewhat similar state of affairs in other towns, and we remember .what followed. People took the destruction of dogs into their own hands; poisoned meat was plentifully distributed through the streets and the mortality amongst dogs was something remarkable. But under this method there can be no discrimination, and dogs which are highly valued by their owners are destroyed along with worthless curs which nobody values. We would advise those who have dogs that they value to •keep them chained up at nignt, for the dog nuisance has now beccnv so acute •that we should not be surprised to hear that—despite all laws to the contror*' — an era of dog destruction had set in in Eltliani.'.'

Three judgment summons cases came before the S.M. Court yesterday. In the case of the Westport Coal Co. (Mr. Wright) v. Richard Richards, the judgment debtor explained that he had not ordered the coal for which payment had been demanded, nor had he used it. He and two others had gone to Toko to take a contract in the bush from Derby Bros. One of his mates ordered coal in his name. In about a week, they left the job, and were paid at the rate of a shilling an hour for what they had done. Hayward took on the job. and also took the coal. When the summons came he •had handed it to Derby, and had understood that it was to be fixed up. The Magistrate checked the examination, stating that he had no time to waste whilst counsel went 011 a "litHe fishing expedition." and asked Mr. Wright to confine himself to the question oi whether or not the debtor had had the ineans to pay the debt since judgment was obtained. It was soon made abundantly clear that he had not, and Mr. Wright said lie could not ask for an order. The Magistrate advised Richards to see his solicitor with a view to placing the liability on the right shoulders. He was promptly interviewed by one of the legal fraternity, with what object was not disclosed. An order was made in the case of the same plaintiff v, Alexander Ross for the payment of 10s lOd in a week, in default a week's imprisonment. The judgment summons case, fi. H. Hodgson (Mr. Wilson) v. Keith (Mr. Johnstone), partly heard at a previous sitting, was adjourned sine die, a compromise lmviiia been effected, the arrangement being that the judgment creditor can call the case on at any time by giving seven days' notice.

Owing to the large number of people at present travelling, nearly every Hoias boat is carrying a full passenger Hst, and several Tnranaki residents who wished to book passage by steamers sailing this month have been unabls insecure berths, and have perforce been compelled to postpone their trip to a later date.

Negotiations are now in progress for another wrestling match between R. J Scott, the well-known New Zealancrer and Alee Bain, the Scottish exponent. It is generally admitted that Scott wa* greatly handicapped in connection with the recent contest at Stratford in that Bain was only required to act strictly on the defensive throughout. Scott proposes that in the next match victory should rest with the winner of the flrjt two out of three falls, and it ib probable that Bain will accede to his w'lhi in that regard. According to the Syd k ney Referee, Bain has expressed !his willingness to meet Clarence Webber, who l defeated Jas. M'Murdo, of Scotland, for the heavy-weight championship of Australia.

A telegram from Deniliquin published •by the Sydney Telegraph reports a heroic rescue of a well-sinker on Gulpa. station. Frank Williams fell to the bottom of a well in which there was ioul air, through the rope unwinding off the windlass. A rescue party arrived on the scene, and one of their >unber, J. B. Cowie, shire contractor, volunteered to go below and secure Williams, who, at this time, was supposed to be dead. Three times Cowie was •lowered and raised to the surface agaii in a state of collapse. But the fourth time he effected his purpose, and Williams was brought up unconscious. After more than an hour's exertion Williams was brought round and conveyed to Deniliquin, where is making good progress towards recovery.

The Waikato Times says.—A Post Office Saving Bank book was picked up .recently at Frank ton Junction by a poor person. It contained receipts for £4O or A.50, the name of the depositor being that of a man residing near Christehureh. Nothing would have been easier for the indigent finder to have forged the maa's signature and drawn the whole of the money, for it is unlikely that any of the local officials knew the depositor by sight. The finder of the bankbook was honest, and handed it unconditionally to the postmaster at Hamilton. A few days later the owner .walked into the post office, and said he had lost his bank-book, and asked for ■another. He was told of the lucky find, and the book was restored to aim. -Coolly pocketing it, he walked off without so much as a thank you.

"Yes," said an Eketahuna pioneer to a Dominion writer, "we've got to pay our factory hands fortnightly now. Talking about pay, ,1 can't help thinking the old way we had in the early days was the best. A younj fellow couldn't help getting a nest-egg for a start then. Take my case. I came out here away back with £4O in my pocket. 1 got a job on a station at £1 a week for the first year, with a rise to' £1 10s the second year. I drew what I needed and the run-holder was glad enough, as they all were, to pay me five per cent, on my money. At the end of five or six'years I left with a tidy round sum to make a start on. Of course one used to hear of men knocking down their cheques in a few weeks,, but there were plenty, L can tell you, who kept clear of that. Take the young fellows to-day, with their dribs and drabs coming in every week. They never have anything. It's tli rough thoir Sogers like water."

The death last week of a schoolboy named Oscar Samuelson, 12 years old, by drowning in the ilurrumbidgee river, though sad in itself, was surrounded by circumstances which brought out the heroism of Mr. J. Hickey, master of the South Wagga (N'.S.W.) school, and another scholar named Trim. ' The party was swimming in the usual spot after school in charge of ."Messrs Byrnes and Hickey, masters, and after the signal had been given to return to the bank five boys, including Samuelson, swam a little lower down the stream, and were swept off their feet by a whirlpool. Hickey, seeing their plight, rushed in, and under great difficulties and risk to himself, got three of the boys safely to the bank. Trim, aged 13, also swam in and pulled a boy named Tay•lor. just as the latter was drowning. Before Samuelson could be reached he sank, and it was twenty minutes before the body was recovered by diving. Efforts at .resuscitation were tried for three-quarters of an hour, but proved futile. At the inquest a. verdict of accidental death was returned, and the masters 01 the school were exonerated from any negligence.

Be the statement of Mr. Millar about coal freights and Wanganui, the Hon. the Minister for Railways says he is not going to make the whole of the people of New Zealand pay for the sake of the -port of Wanganui. All the same (says the Wanganui Herald) he does not object to making the whole of the people of the Dominion make good the loss which the lailwajs are daily making in the haulage of coal from Auckland to Tamnaki, via Wanganui. As Mr pillar has been kind enough to turn his attention to the editors of the Wanganui papers, perhaps he will not be averse to answering one simple question for their especial benefit. The question is this: How can he reconcile his oft-quoted intention to make the railways pay with the fact that the Railway Department now carries coal from Wanganui to Hawera for less than Is per ton, whereas it formerly got 8s or Os per ton for supplying the same wants when the coal was sent via the port of Wanganni? Tt is, in this instance, absurd talk about the freights being low because coal is « necessarv commodity, for the reason that coal is no cheaper to the consumer now than it was when the Department got 8s or 9s per ton in place of la. If the community got the benefit of the difference, there might be some justification for such a noliev, but it doesn't; and that's where the shoe pinches. The Taupiri owners alone benefit.