LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 45, 2 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The raceljorse Aotea was shipped to Onehunga by the Rarawa last night. There was also, a consignment of 180 sheep and four horses shipped. Mr. H. Okey, M.P., is making arrangements for a 1 argie deputation to wait on the Minister for Agriculture during his visit to New Plymouth, re noxious weeds. The committee of the recently-formed New Plymouth Operatic Society met last evening, when serviceable rules, etc., were drafted. 1 A general meeting of the society will be called for Wednesday next to adopt the rules, etc. The society has a strong membership, and it is intended to begin rehearsals at an early date. An ex-patient of the Stratford Hospital recently reported to one of the members that he had caught a chill in the hospital as the result of being placed in the draught of a window. The matter was mentioned at the Board meeting yesterday, and Dr. Paget promptly gave his explanation. "I can tell you how he got his chill. He got it by trying to keep a big fire warm, by encircling it with as much of his body as possible, and then going and sitting on the verandah." Which put rather a different complexion upon the matter. The usual weekly session of the Egmont Lodge, No. 112, 1.0. G.T., was held in St. Mary's Hall last night. The C.T., Bro. J. C. Legg, presided over a good attendance of members. One new member was proposed. Being a social evening, the following items were rendered:— Pianoforte solo. Bro. Lewis; a game by Bros. J. C. Legg and Bro. J. Higgs; harp solo, Bro. H. Ricketts, which was much enjoyed; reading, Bro. W. Bransgrove. Bro. G. H. Maunder's report on the recent fair was adopted. Bro. G. H. Hartnell, on behalf of the I'jgmont Lodge, thanked all who had assisted at the fair, and an advertisement to that effect is to be placed in the papers. A vote of thanks was also accorded the W.C.T.U. for their services. "Musical chairs" was then played, after which light refreshments were handed round. At the conclusion of the discussion on tramways at the ratepayers' meewn* last night, the Mayor explained the powers sought to be obtained by the Borough Council in a local Bill to lease the sections on the Avenue road as building allotments, instead of for grazing purposes as now. One of the provisions of the Bill was that €"200 per year of the revenue should 'be applied to the upkeep of the borough reserves. At present they "had to go round with the hat whenever they required a pound" for work on the reserves. He asked the ratepayers to ibring forward objections now. if there were any, and not bring them before the Local Bills Committee in Wellington. After some discussion, in which the speakers were Messrs. F. C. Bellringer, J. B. Roy, R. C. Hughes, H. .T. Gillyert. and P. E. Wilson in favor of the Bill, and Mr. E. Dockrill against it, I the following resolution was carried unanimously: ''That this meeting of ratepayers approves of the local Bill now feeing promoted by the New Plymouth Borough Council giving them power to grant building leases of that portion of the racecourse east of the Avenue road." I For Chronic Chest Complaints. Woods'] "teat Pepnerinir.t Cure. 1/6, 2/8. I

Following nre the vital statistics for the district of Now Plymouth for the mouth:—Marriages 12. "births 30, deaths 10. A deputation to the Minister of Agriculture will be introduced by Mr. Okey. M.P., when he comes to New Plymouth. The speaker of the deputation will oxplain the position in regard to noxious weeds. Operations by the Ciisborno Harbor Board's new dredge Muni are attracting much attention. The vessel appears ii> be doing her work well, her bucket* cutting into the papa rock and lifting it in large pieces. A motor cyclist who was accuser at Guildford (England) of exceeding the speed limit pointed out that the ho was smoking at the time had nearly an inch of a.-ih on it when he was stopped. The case was dismissed. A leasehold under the State in New Zealand is the best tenure in the world, ft enables the concentration of the whole of the. capital at the disposal oi >ne settler on his holding, which he enjo\s at a price that renders possible a life >f comparative ease.—Southland Time.-:. Deer are becoming very numerous , n some of the hill country' to the easi oi Mastertou, and farmers' -are not regarding them as by any means an unmixed •blessing. A herd of 35 took possession of a settler's turnip paddock a few d:ivs ago and played havoc with the contents. The meeting of the Hope of *>mout Juvenile Temple, No. 25. 1.0.G.T° was held in St. Mary's Hall last night." The Temple was opened in due form by C.T. Sister D. Eva, and there was' a good attendance. 'Bro. J. C. Legg provided the programme. At the conclusion -refrohments were handed round. A few days a.go says the Temuka Leader) a, two-year-old girl—the daughter of Mr. Edwin Bull, of Peel Forest—was playing near a sheep dip, when she •fell in and iter cries 'brought her ■yonnir •brother, aged seven, who, "at the ri.-k o~ ihi.9 own life managed by leaning over into the dip to reach his sister and lira.;? her out. There was 4y« feet of water in the dip, and the girl was sinking for the second time when her 'brother saved her. The dismantling operations at the old gaol tat Invercargill resulted in some rather startling discoveries regarding the ravages of the omnipotent white pine borer. The building was erected in lSii3, and through the agency of the all devouring grub, beams actually crumbled to powder on being hurled on to the ground. The 'borer had eaten into evenvariety of timber used on the premises —white pine, red pine, black pine, totara, and even (Sin x 2in hluegum studs. One or two of the country members of the Stratford Hospital Board have the idea that the town mem'bers devote too much of their attention to the beautification of grounds. Mr. Maxwell said yesterday: '"Beautifykg the grounds is all very nice, but I can t forget that we are not here for the grounds, but to do our Ibest- for the patients." And at a later stage: "There are very many people in the back'bloclks who are paying rates to our hospital, and who haven't any of these beautiful surroundings*"

The Glasgow Chief Constable in a report issued in April comments upon the remarkable increase of sobriety in the city. Apprehensions for drunkenness totalled 14,167, a decrease of considerably over 400!). While lack of money has no doubt contributed to increased sobriety, the Chief Constable states that the growth of temperance has l>e na factor. A great deal of money has been spent on amusements, which was just as avail- ' able for spending in drink. Compared with two years ago the apprehensions for drunkenness showed a decrease ot nearly 7000. Dr. Henry, visiting evangelist, told an Auckland reporter that he was' "wonderfully impressed with New Zealand and with the loyal support which your hospitable people have accorded us since our arrival from America a month ago. So far," he said, "'I have found New Zealand much more like America than England, i And do you know, I think that your Dominion is about the only young country to which the United states is willing to 'take its hat oft' to,' so to speak, bej cause of her successful legislation, which ! in some respects is regarded as even better than that of America." Dr. J. Malcolm Mason, late Chief Health Officer for New Zealand, does not intend giving up medicine because He has qualified as a barrister, and it is medicine, and not law, that he will practice on his return to New Zealand. He told a London c respondent that lie intends to specialise in the treatment cf consumption. Dr. Mason qualified for the liar in six months, which is about the shortest time on record. He had j .passed in general knowledge and Eoir.au I law before lie came to New Zealand, lmt he took up the remaining subjects—a formidable list—six months ago, withI out, however, giving up his medical j work at the hospitals. | There were one or two very humorous incidents at the ratepayers' meeting last night during the discussion upon the provisions of the local Bill to give the Council additional leasing powers. Cr. Doekrill was referring in grandiloquent \terms to the work done ny some erstwhile borough councillors and himself and his 1 own strenuosity in preventing the racecourse reserve from being filched from the people. "I was with you," said Mr. J. B. Roy from the oth-r side of the room. "I was referring to those who didf the hard work," remarked Mr. Doekrill, without the slightest suspicion of a smile. The meeting roared. The next hearty laugh came in tue course of the same speech, when Mr. Doekrill solemnly informed the meeting that "Cornwall Park was 1 in the centre of the outside of Auckland." Just as the meeting was breaking up Mr. Roy asKed Mr. Doekrill to give a clear definition of his meaning, amidst hearty laughter. Cr. Gilbert exclaimed at one stage that it struck him as strange that the Borough Council should pay its solicitors' to draft a Bill, and that, two other solictors s'hould come to the meeting flnd complain that they couldn't understand it. (Laughter.) Mr. Roy said that was not correct; they were merely asking for information,' to which Cr. Gilbert replied that if the solicitors understood it they needn't ask for information. Mr. Gilbert then went on to explain to the meeting what was really a very line legal point. The matter got more and more involved. Cr. Fred. Bellrin»er stepped into the breach, and it was soon < evident that lie was not the borough solicitor. Cr. Wilson's name was' mentioned, and he intervened with the naive remark that "I happen to know the truth of the matter." The speaker whom he had interrupted glared with a ' oall-me-a-liar,-would-you?" sort of glare, and sat down, after a while. The explanation went on, and the air became cleared. Men's Suits.—Worsteds in particular, our reputation for carrving the best in these is established. This season's are particularly nobby, are cut in the very latest style, with .hair-cloth fronts, good French canvas put right through th« coat, and verv good lining. They're brand'xl "The Prestwell," and you won't see their equal in New Zealand. Prices 25s to fi5s.—THE KASH, Devon Street, i New Plymouth.—Advt.

Two Petone justices lias rather a unique experience the other day. Before sentence was passed on u mail brought before them, the offender went down on his knees, and, putting bin hand* together, begged to be given a ckance, stilting tlwt he wanted to go up tne country. He emphasised, his plea for leniency by .saving that,, if he were let off on this occasion, he would submit to being put away for live 10.'.g, wearyyears if again iiv.' i u for an offence this side of Christmas i The funeral has taken place, with military honors, mt Xottingliam (England) of \Villiam Hind, a Crimean and Indian .Mutiny veteran. Hind, who was born in 1835, enlisted' at tin* age of nineteen, and in the 78th Highlanders .served in the Crimea an.l Indian Mutiny. It was during the campaign l in India that Colonel Taylor recommended him for the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery in volunteering to do a sick duty on. the Half-Moon Battery, near the fron Bridge, on the north-east side of Lucknow. Captain Maitland, referring to tills action, said: "Not one man in a thousand would volunteer to do this particular duty in the exposed position." A company is expected to he registered within a few days for the exploitatation of the Chatham Island blue cod fisheries. The trade was al>out to l>e inaugurated by the ill-fated steamer Duco. However, the enterprise will now be ibegun anew, and it is expected to be in full working order in three or four months from date. Australian interests in the proposed new Chatham Islands Fishing Company have l>een taken up, thus assuring a good market for the fish in the Commonwealth. Cool chambers are to be erected at the Chatham* for the reception of the fish, caught. The Xora Xiven, which lias been specially built for trawling in New Zealand waters, will probably be chartered by the new company. As she has also cool storage, and the Union Company's intercolonial steamers are •similarly fitted, the fish should arrive an Australia in good condition. The mission upon which the Senior Deputation Secretary of Dr. Barnardo'p Homes embarked two years ago has now reached its close, and the Rev. W. .1. Mayers, with Mrs. Mayers and Mr. H. Aaron, sailed for England in the Orvieto on May 20. Mr. Mayers' journeying* have talken him into all the States of the Commonwealth and from the South to the North of Xew Zealand. He has addressed on Sundays 304 audiences, and on week evenings "has delivered 423 illustrated lectures. The sum of €17,500 lias resulted from the various collections, personal gifts, and admission to meetings, and as the lion, treasurer (Mr. Howard Williams) has arranged that most of the expenses of the tour shall not fall out of the ordinary funds, the bulk of this lamount will be expended upon the "Australasian" Hospital to be built in memory of Dr. Barnardo in the Girls' Village Home, near Ilford, Essex.