LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 37, 24 May 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Taranaki County Council's contribution for hospital purposes for this year is £679 18s 2d.

A stingray, weighing about 1301b, was captured in the inner harbor at Napier a few days ago. It was nine feet long. Mr. Jennings, M.P., for Taumarunui, at the railway station last evening, after the arrival of Lord Plunket, expressed the regret of his constituents at His Excellency's departure from New Zealand, and wished him a safe return to his native land.

Mr. T. ¥. Martin, counsel to the NewZealand Counties Association and the Municipal Association, and a recognised authority on local bodies' law, has advised 1 the Taranaki County Council that the Minister has power to extend the New Plymouth abattoir district, as requested by the New i'lymoufch Borough Council. The proposed extension takes the district three miles from the borough boundary. A very fine display of oak dining-room furniture, made to the order of a WnHganui gentleman, is now in view in C. N. Johnson's window. It comprises a handsome 6ft sideboard, with two heavily carved panels, extension diningtable, six chairs, pot stand, and occasional table. It is a very fine specimen of the firm's work, ana shows that wo have in New Plymouth men capable of doing work equal to anything in the Dominion.

The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Egmont Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., was held last evening," PJKfi.M. McGahey (in the absence of the N.G.) presiding. There was only a moderate attendance, owing to the visit of His Excellency the Governor. One lady member was initiated. It was decided to hold a euchre party 'and dance on Kith June in the Broughamstreet Hall, particulars of which will lie advertised later. One candidate was proposed for membership.

A Christian scientist came across a •small boy sitting under an apple tree, doubled up with pain. "My little man,' he said, "what is the matter?" "I ate some green apples." moaned the boy. "and oh, how I ache." "Yon don't ache," returned the follower of Mrs. Eddy; "you only think so." The boy looked up in astonishment at such a statement, and then, replied in a most positive manner: 'That's all right: yon may think so, but I've inside information."

A total eclipse of the moon will take place this evening. The moon rises at 4.36 p.m., and totality begins at 4.39 p.m., when Luna emerges from the earth's shadow, finally leaving it at (i.r>2 p.m. During the 5b minute of totality the comet will probably be visible with extreme brilliance.

A West Coast paper reports that the briquette works at Westport are getting rid of a good quantity of ■briquette* and eggettes, the former going to the depots for household use, and the latter principally to the locomotive stores, the egsettes 'being largely used on the locomotives in place of screened coal. On the Westport line, unscreened coal, whun, of course, is cheaper than screened or eggettes, is used. Mr. Andrew Carnegie was mistaken for a beggar recently, states the New York correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. He was staying at Pasadena. California, away from the miowstorms with which New York is attlictcd. Hearing that Mrs.. Russell Sage was stopping at a neigftboring cottage, he called. Mrs. Sage's negro butler, upon opening the door, exclaimed: It is no use newspaper men, picture men. or mendicants coming round here. Mrs. Sage sees callers for nothing or nobody."

Mr. 0. Huse, the county foreman i;i the Omata riding, complained to his riding member, and the complaint was brought before the Council meeting yesterday, that Cr. Andrews had objected to the methods he adopted in remetalling the Main South road. The Council discussed the merits of the working methods ami then Cr. Allanson raised his voice in protest against Cr. Andrews' action in "slating the foreman in the high road in front of "the men." It would have been more proper had Cr. Andrews come to him personally, or to the Council. Individual members had no .business to go round interfering with the foremen in ridings other than their own, or in their own either, for that matter. At a later stage the chairman upheld this protect, and said that members shouldn't "jaw'' the foremen at all. They could "make the bullets" if they liked, but must leave the chairman to fire them.

The countv tollgate at Puniho was re-. moved from 'its hinges in the early hours of Sunday morning, taken about, a hundred yards away, chopped up, and burned. The toll-collector and his wife, sleeping about five yards away, were not disturbed, so the thing must have been very cleverly done. Or. Andrews, in reporting this to the County Council yesterday, described it as "a neat job, well done." The perpetrators went prepared with screw wrenches and crowbars, he said, and even had a bottle of kerosene to assist in the burning. Cr. Hill said he couldn't call it a "neat trick." It was a most discreditable action. Cr. Andrews said he had been expecting to happen for some time, for the toil-collector was hardly popular with the people down there. Looking at the remains of the gate, he had come to the conclusion that the man Who cut it up 'was a bushman, and that his axe was ikeen as a razor. The affair took place somewhere between one o'clock and half-past two on Sunday morning, at which hour a small hoy near by noticed the 'glare of the lire. Upon the motion of Cr. Allanson, it was decided to place the matter of the destruction of the gate in the hands of the police, and that a reward of £lO be offered for information leading to the conviction of the parties concerned.

The proposal of the Taranaki County Council to raise a loan for the re-erection of bridges in the Moa riding has been advanced a stage. During the month the Moa riding members held a series of meetings at Mangorei, Kent, road, and Egmont Village in reference to the deviation proposed at the Henui bridge on the Junction road near Cliff's. At Mangorei nine ratepayers 'were present, and a resolution was passed favoring a deviation, ■but leaving the matter to the Council to decide Upon what route should be taken. At Kent road" seven were present, and a similar decision was arrived at. The Egmont Village meeting was attended by nineteen or twenty, and they decided to oppose any deviation, considering this an expensive luxury. The next step, the chairman explained at yesterday's meeting, was to approach, the New Plymouth Borough Council with a request for ft contribution towards the cost of Te Henui bridge, and the Inglewood Borough Council in reference to the XgAtoro hridge. Crs. Carter and Hill remarked that the deviation proposed at Te Henui was too expensive—£ 1200 for about 12M» chains of road. Upon the motion of Cr. Ilopson, it was decided to ask tne county solicitor for an opinion as to the powers of the Council in levying contributions from neighboring local bodies for main road bridges. The E<rmont Lodge of Oddfellows decided to hold a social evening next Jod«enight (6th June), and to invite the members of the Excelsior Lodge and friends. A short musical programme will be provided, and a light supper and dance will follow.