LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 54, 13 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The s.s. Rarawa was Imrbound at Manukau last night, and is expected to get out this morning, returning again to Onehunga to-night or first opportunity. A settler away in the backblocks asked the Hospital Board on Saturday whether the Board issued tickets against accidents or sickness, and if so, at what price. The Board docs not issue little accident policies of this kind. The Hospital Board was photographed the other day. The members intend presenting a framed copy to Dr. Leatham. for so many years superintendent of the hospital, and will have one placed in the Board room. Mr. F. W. Saudford has oll'ered to make the frames of puriri. and the. chairman will see t.i the rest of the work.

A woman who applied to Mie charitable aid authorities the other day for medical treatment said she wished to be examined hy a doctor before she di'd. as this would save all the trouble of -an inquest. The secretary said the a.pi'.icant was seventy-three years of age, -.i»nl said she suffered from heart disease. She was afraid of falling dead at any moment, and had a. horror of a post mortem examination.

Frequenters of the Recreation Grounds will be glad to learn that the Board has in effect said to its curator, '"Woodman, spare that tree," in regard to a spreading pine on the little picnicking ground near the peacock's cage. There is a nice grassy slope and playground thereabouts, and it is a favorite spot for little family picnics and lunches in the summer months. The curator desired to make a bed of veronicas there, but the Board has preferred the tree's company to its room, if such a reversal of the old phrase is permissible.

On Friday last an accident occurred at the Egmont road to a little girl named (trace Bishop, daughter of Mr. .1. VY. Bishop. It appears that the little girl went into a shed to get some potatoes for dinner. She had feft the shed, and her little brother, of about ten years of age, pushed the door to an began playing with a gun which he found there. He, of course, had no idea that the pun was loaded, but upon his pulling the trigger the gun was discharged. The charge of shot went through the door, and about fifty or sixty grains of shot entered the girl's legs. She is now in a private hospital in New Plymouth.

Dr. Valiutine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, had arranged to meet the Hospital Board on Saturday morning. In fact, the meeting was arranged on that inconvenient day to suit him. He did not put in an appearance, nor was the Board notified of any change in the doctor's plans. In the circumstances Mr. Mcßeynolds, who had come somewhere about forty miles to attend the meeting, suggested to the chairman that ''next time" the Inspector-General should endeavor to visit New Plymouth on the date of a Board meeting. Mr. Bellringer replied that there was evidently a misunderstanding somewhere, for Dr. Valintine was not the man to treat the Board with intentional discourtesy.

The easiest way to pass a University examination under the existing system was described by Professor Von Zedlitz at a meeting held in Wellington to consider the desirability for University reform. He said the best thing to do, in relation to 'law, was to take the GO questions set for the last five years, and narrow them down to, say, 25 ''probables," after the manner of the sporting reporter, commit to memory the answers to these questions and leave the rest to the doctrine of chance. The cliance was that the questions set would be wirliin the scope of the 25 answers committed to memory. The professor was firmly of opinion that the student, unlike most backers of horses, would be on a "certainty."

Writes the Wellington Times: "Many were the pessimistic remarks made when it was announced that the New Plyniouth A. and P. Society had finally decided at a.late hour to hold a wintei show, hut the success achieved must have surprised its most optimistic promoters. The root and vegetable displays •were easily the feature from an educative view-point. The turnip section was naturally weak, considering th.\t nearly four-fifths of the crops have failed through disease, while the potatoes made a poor display, but the mangel, carrot, and onion displays were excellent, the quality being superb. The pumpkins and melons were remarkable. There were some good exhibits of kumerasi Some nice vegetables were staged, ibut the fruit section was disappointing." •Referring to the sentence passed on Powelka, the New Zealand Times says: The man's history prior to getting entangled in the law and escaping from custody was not discreditable. On the contrary, it was such as would verv probably have secured for him on the original charges the indulgence of probation or at least quite nominal punishment. Yesterday the Supreme Court destroyed him 'body and sou! as effectively as would the more expeditious step of throwing him in front of a locomotive. The concurrent expiry of these sentences could be understood—their accumulation will shock the public conscience and ?eem a judicial mockery of that enlightened policy of dealing with crime and criminals of which we have lately heard so much. People long ago gave up trying even to guess at the principle guiding the Courts in sentencing prisoners, and the riddle .grows no easier with the passage of years.

Xo noticeable change (says the New Zealand Trade Review for the current month I can we reported in tile conditions prevailing in the money market. The factors that have assisted to make for ease—full exports and moderate imports —are still in force,, bhoueh the former are. of course, tapering off considerably as the season advances. Local governing bodies are taking full advantage of the provision*, of the State Guaranteed Advances Act of last session, and the applications to the Government for loans to •be raised through its agency, with State guarantee, are so numerous that the Government is restricting its approval to those which are wanted to pay for works of "necessity," such as water supply and drainage. For those desired to provide "luxuries," such as electric tram services, the applicants have to make other arrangements. The ■Xapicr Borough Council recently arranged for a loan of £134.2.i0 from the Australian Mutual Provident Society at i l / s per cent., with a currency of 34 years. A sinking fund of one-half per cent, is provided for, secured by a special rate on borough property. The loan is to be expended on various local works, only about one-half of which would come under the" Government definition of "necessities." In the open market monev is in good supply at 5 to 5Vs per cent, for loans on mortgage security. ' j Men's Suits.—Worsteds in particular, j our reputation for carrying the best in | these is established. This season's are j particularly nobby, are cut in the ven j latest style, with hair-cloth fronts, good F-"nCh canvas put right through the coa*. verv good linings. They're branded Presfcwell," and you won't see their equal in Xew Zealand. Prices 25s to fins.—THE KASH. Devon Street,' Xcw Plymouth.—Advl.

A young man named Richard Fitzgerald was driving a plough at Boorhamon (Victoria), when he accidentally placed his right foot in front of the* coulter, which cut through the boot and completely severed the great toe. Fitzgerald recovered the toe, and, having unyoked Ins team of horses, returned to his employer's residence. He behaved in such a cool and collected manner that his employer had difficulty in believing the cause of his return until Fitzgerald produced the too from his pocket. The sufferer was driven several miles to Uutherglen, but on arrival was too weak from loss of blood to allow of the administration of chloroform. He calmly bore the pain while the injury was treated without anaesthetics.

Twelve farmers at Horrelville, North Canterbury, are likely to reap the reward of reliance and industry. They wish to c'ltain railway facilities for handling stock, and they have oll'ered to give the land and erect the yard* themselves or pay the Railway Department £2O towards the cost of erection. On a'previous occasion they gave £SO and the ifd for the siding. A petition representing their latest .proposal was presented to the Minister of Railways, who, speaking to sx reporter on the matter, said: "When I see people prepared to help themselves, I have a stronger inclination to help them than I have, to help those who think that the Government should do everything. I will 1* glad to consider tho petition and see if the request can be granted.