LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 55, 14 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The attempt to form a private company to work the. clay deposits in the Maurieeville district has failed. Some counterfeit half-crowns are in circulation in Christchurch. They are well made, tout evidently mark very easily, and their lightness is easily detected. An agitation is afoot in Wellington. Wairara.pi, and the Manawatu to petition the Minister for Justice to obtain a modification of the long sentence passed on Powelka. His Honor Mr, Justice Edwards, m\ the application of Mr. T. S. Weston (Weston and Weston) has granted letters of administration of the estate and effects of the late Mr. Thomas Morrow to the next of kin.

Upon the Mayor introducing the .-subject of trams at last night's Coundl meeting, Councillor Wilson moved that .the Wellington City Council be asked | to allow its electrical engineer to report ! upon the New Plymouth proposed iwmj way system. The motion was adopted, and a committee .was set up to draw up a statement of the requirements and to i arrange for the expert's visit. ' The half-yearly meeting of the Lohje Motutoa (Druids) was held last evening, there 'being ai fair attendance. The bal-ance-sheet was read and adopted. District President Bro. Coad, of Ingiewood Lodge, installed the following officers:— A.D., Bro. W. Lints; V.A., Bro. Arnold; secretary, Bro. H. J. Gilbert; Treasurer, Bro. J. "Harvey; 1.G., Bro. J. G. List; 0.G., Bro. Stoekcr; A.D.B.'s, Bros. Cooper and Thompson; P.A.G.'s, Bros. G. Dickinson and W. Yardley; Auditor, Bro. K. Lee. At the Borough Council meeting last night Councillor Bellringer moved that the Post and Telegraph Department be asked to .place a receiving-box for telegrams in the centre of the town on the same lines as those at the railway stations. He mentioned that in New Plymouth the Post Office was "away up on the top of the hill there," and it was very inconvenient. Councillor Wilson suggested that the request be made for this receiving-box to be placed at Curriostreet, and this was done. The motion was endorsed unanimously. A South Taranaki 'breeder writes to Us warmly thanking the captain iind crew of the Corinna and the railway officials for the care and attention thev showed in connection with m consignment of .stud cattle that arrived )k-p last week from the South Island. In regard to the railway officials, he writes: "For the past fifteen years I have had occasion to travel long journeys by rail with valuable animals to various agricultural shows, and on most the railway officials have done all thev could be expected to do, and oftentimes under very trying circumstances." After a .prolonged, animated, am! amusing debate at the Borough Council meeting last night, Councillor Dockrill's motion to refund 'half of the dog-tax .paid by Mrs. Wood was lost by a large majority. Councillor Doekrill explained that the collector, Mr. Tipnins, and Mr*. Wood were agreed upon the facts that when the collector called the first time she hadn't the cash, next time he couldn't give change, and he promised to call again, but he had not called when the os penalty became due. The fun waxed Marions as one after another of the councillors jumped to their feet to explain that they'had been buttonholed iby the fair owner of the noodle, but fix 1 state of the finances and the fear of a rush of Mated dog-tax .pavers for reductions rendered -her iblandishments vain. Some, of the councillors who don't discuss the expenditure of hundreds took .part in the debate. Probably the most successful pig-breed er in Australasia is Madame Mellxi'* father, Mr. T. Mitchell, the Victorian contractor. A Scottish stonemason, tic emigrated to Victoria., and rapidly made his way in the colonial world as a contractor. 'He built the big Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne, out of which contract he did very well, but was very hard hit by the bursting of the land boom. However, a second Carnegie, he rapidly made good his losses, and to-dav is one of the most prosperous men in the Commonwealth. In addition to a limekiln (which 'brings him in an income of about. £35.000 a year) he has a vcrv payable gold mine and a 5000-acre farm about 25 miles from Melbourne, as well as a. considerable amount of freehold property in the citv of Melbourne. On the farm in question Mr. Mitchell indulge* his hol»bv—pigs. Here he runs Holstrm cattle and baconers, having a thoroughly up-to-date bacon factory on the property, where he converts his mw material into ihig-h-class bacon and hams. Some time since Mr. Mitchell decided to try the Devon, but desisted on the advice of a ourer, and continues his adherence to the Tannvorth ind Berkshire cross. Mr. Mitchell finds his bacon 'business one of his most profitable undertakings. BOOTS AND SHOES, WHO SAYS HIGH PRICES? Buv vour footwear at the Melbourne's Great .Rebuilding Sale, and you need not pay more than you did a year or two years a«o. and your savins* will be greater than ever. Undoubtedly the price of raw materia! has advanced, but our buyinrr orcranisition—ever on the qui vive—anticipated the rise, and contracts were placed at the old prices bv our manager when in England, which will carry us well on to the end of 1010. Most stores—were thev in the hapnv position we're in—would sell at advanced rates—fully 20 per cent.—and pocket the extra profit, But that is not the policy of the Melbourne. We sell as we buv. Take as an example our famous l<ss 0d welted iboots for men. Here is a boot that other stores sold at 255. Now put j on an advance of 20 per cent. This, you f will see, 'brings the price up to .10s. Had | we to do the same thing with our fam-1 ous 16s 9d line we'd have to ask vou 20s for it. But we're not doin? it. That is the point. We're still selling at old prices; hence the increased savings above mentioned.—Advt. For Influenza talre Woods' Grpat Popper mint Our New fails.. 1/1 B'C.

Rifleman C. Speck, of the Stratford Defencu Riflo Club, shooting at the 800 yards range, has made twenty bull's-eyes in three "shoots," without a sighting shot. How wns this for a record? asks the Stratford Post.

Sounds of revelry were heard issuing from one the cells at the Lambton Quay police station, Wellington, the other evening, and enquiry elicited the information that no fewer than eiirht women had been ta.kon into custody during tile afternoon and evening. The premises on the corner of Queen and Victoria streets, Auckland, formerly occupied iby the D.'S.C. (now in liquidation) have been .purchased toy Jno. Court. Ltd., drapers, for £70.001). The premises have a frontage <;i Queen street of JMJft and to Victoria street of !)4ft.

The Oamaru Times says that the Timaru dredge has .picked up a number <>f large stones embedded in the silt at ihc harbor entrance. These have, probably been drawn away from the mole, tlie end of that structure being aw close up to dee,p water, owing to the sloping uvay of the harbor bottom due to the dredging.

Workmen are at .preseut engaged in making repairs to the Main South road near Morshead's hill. The road from this point to the foot of the Onvata hill has been badly cut up, many dangerous holes having formed. Cyclists to the breakwater have great difficulty in negotiating the stretch referred to, owing to the bad ruts and the greasy nature of the road surface.

A terrible paper in the Wide World Magazine, by Rook Carnegie, describes the .penal salt mines of Targuakna, Rouninnia. It is a. convict settlement for the worst class of criminals. Salification of the blood and tissues of the workers brings on premature old age. Each convict must cut half a ton of salt daily, and received 30 per cent, of the profits of his work. The patients in the hospitals are dying of premature decrepitude at the ages of forty to forty-five years.

The huia apparently is now almost extinct. At all events, though several efforts have been made to locate these rare birds, all have 'been unsuecesful. Mr. Hamilton, of the Dominion Museum. has made several pilgrimages into the wills in search of the birds, but each time he has failed to find any, though certain Maoris said they knew where tne birds were to 'be found. Mr. Buddo thinks it may still be possible to secuw some huias and to remove them to peaceful quarters.

Powelka did not realise that he had been sentenced .to more than seven yean yesterday (says the Manawatu Times). It was only aiter he was got back to the cell that he learned what the sentence really meant and 'he again collapsed. He was soon after taken to the New Plymouth express for Wellington in a cab and taken into a reserved compartment handcuffed to his captor, Constable Gallagher. The blinds were drawn part of the way down but a crowd collected and some of them peered under the blinds, one woman apparently kissing the glass of the windows and coming away with a smirk and the remark that she "hadseen him."

A tragedy of an unusually pathetic nature, for which a runaway motor car is believed to have been responsible, occurred late one ■night on the main road at Liskeard, Cornwall. A cyclist, passing along the road in the half light, found the body of a 14-year-old boy lying dead on the road, with his neck broken. While he land another passer-by were bending over the bodv discussing what they should do, a railway packer named John Toms came up, struck a match, and looked into the dead Iwy's face. "It's my only son!" he said. The bov had. gone out to meet his father, who was returning from Liskeard. It is believed he was struck in the back by a passing motor. St. Mary's Hall last evening wa» crowded to the doors when Miss Aileen War/bn, who is about to take up music as * profession,, gave a piano recital. Warren's playing of all her number' was a distinct treat, and was very hea:tily enjoyed by all those who were fortiinate enough to hear her. The gifted young performer opened her programme with "Beethoven's Sonata No. 0," followed by several well-known clas? sieal numbers. Chopin's "Sohefzo in B flat Minor" met with great applause. The final number on the programme was the "Rhn,psodie Hongroise No. 2" (Liszt). This was a revelation, and was encored. Miss Warren was ably assisted by Mr. IL Neville Hen|n,ud as vloeftlist, and though apparently suffering from a severe cold, his numbers were thoroughly enjoyed.

In replying to the toast of "The Manufacturing Industries" at a valedictorv lmnquet in Christchurch. Mr. G. T. Ponth asked: What kind of a person would a. visitor from nnother sphere tO' this consider a manufacturer to be from a perusal of the statutes affecting labor, the fulminations of the Trades and Lainor Council, and the denunciation of the Cathedral Square agitators who call themselves Socialists? He was very much inclined to believe that the manufacturer mould be regarded as a roan who poisoned the air with the smoke of his factories, as one who generally greuad the faces of the poor, and who was constantly required to be under surveillance with a Court specially set up to try him for his offences. He (Mr. Booth) did not know what the Dominion would have been without the manufacturers to develop its resources. It would not be so happy or so prosperous as it was if it had no manufacturers. Wages would not be so high and the coat of living' would be increased, besides which they would not be brought into touch with the outer world.

A meeting of intending members of the new tennis club was held' last evening, Mr. M. Rudd' presiding. He reported that a conference with a committee of the Pukekurn Park Board had taken place on the ground, and these gentlemen had met the promoters very liberally, agreeing to lease to approved trustees of the club sufficient of the Park along the Carrington road frontage for the purpose of laying out four tennis courts and a croquet lawn. The suggested lease was on the most liberal' terms. Moreover, the Board was willing to hold a special meeting to deal with any application. The site was a very suitable one, near the Vogeltown entrance to Pukekiira Park, almost level, although at .present covered with few and some few brakes of blackberry, which would soon be eradicated. _Jt was decided to make a formal application for a lease of the grounds, and the draft letter was approved. Committee* were set up to obtain estimates of the cost of ploughing and of laying three grass lawns and ah asphalt court, a* well as to draft rules and submit them to a future meeting.

Men's Suits.—Worsteds in particular, our reputation for earrving the best in these is established. This season's ar« particularly nobny, are cut in the ver* latest stvie. with hair-cloth fronts, good F-ench canvas put right through tIM coat, "nd ver- srood linings. Th«y'r« brands Prestwell," and you wont fee their equal : " New Zealand. Prices 25s to f!Ss.—THE TCASH. Devon StreetNew Plymouth.—AdVv.