LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 68, 29 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"This was just a brotherly quarrel," suggested a barrister in the Supreme Court yesterday. There wasn't much fraternal affection disclosed in the evidence, v The arc lamp at the Post Office corner refused duty last night, with the result that those, having business at the Supreme Court went blundering about in the darkness. Seven settlers on the Upper Carrington road are petitioning the Taranaki County Council to raise a loan of £SOO for the purpose of continuing the metalling on the road from the end of the present metal to the boundary of the Oabura road district. A gentleman at present in Christchurch says that when the Governor inspected the new residence at Wellington he condemned the arrangement of the rooms. In consequence, extensive alterations will be put in hand, so that the residence is unlikely to be occupied for some months to come. The Public Works Department has notified the Taranaki County Council that Mr. Q. T. Murray, District gineer of Roads, has been appointed a' commissioner to enquire into the matter of control and, maintenance of the Waipuku bridge, now in dispute between the Stratford and Taranaki counties. The estimated expenditure of the Fire Board for the incoming year includes an honorarium of £25 for the superintendent, not as superintendent of the Fire Brigade, but as inspector of public buildings, explosive stores, and so «n. Superintendent Bellringer was averse to the motion pf accepting any remnueration at all, but the Board was insistent. There seems no doubt now of the ultimate success of the new tennis and croquet club. The promoters have received very satisfactory assurances of support. The meeting to launch the project is to be held to-morrow evening in the Town Hall. There is nothing like having a good start, and all interested are asked to be present. The chair will be taken at 7.45 p.m.

The cases of alleged sheep-stealing, the hearing of which will commence this morning in the Supreme Court at ten o'clock, will probably occupy the Court few a couple of days. There are numerous witnesses on both sides. The Grand Jury took several hours yesterday to hear the witnesses for the Crown only, without cross-examination by counsel. The sheep alleged to have (been stolen, and a number of other sheep, will be penned in the vicinity of the Court during the day. There were no judgments' delivered in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., convicted William Griffin on a charge of helpless drunkenness, and imposed a sentence of 48 hours' imprisonment. He 'had been remanded for a week for medical treatment, and he was ordered to pay £2 2s 4d the amount of the expenses incurred in. default another 48 hours' imprisonment. James McNiven, charged with drunkenness and the breach of a proMbifioJ order, was fined £2 and 7s ttflte. |

Playing at hockey one day last week one of the igirls at the Hawera District High School had an arm broken. She had the injury attended to, and was at school again in the afternoon. At the Education Board meeting last night the tender of Mr. N. J. King (£27!)) was accepted for additions to the Stratford District High School, and the tender of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company for benches for the woodwork room of the Inglewood Technical School. ' The many friends of Mr. W. H. Haw- [ kins, for many years chief wariter m the New Plymouth gaol, and latterlv ot Auckland, will regret to learn of' his serious illness. On Monday his son, Mr. G. Hawkins, well known in local athletic circles, received telegraphic information that Mr. Hawkins was unconscious, and was not expected to live. A branch of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders' Association, to be known as the South Taranaki branch, was formed at Ha were on Saturday. Messrs. •). R. Corrigan, Phillips, R. J. Linn, Tower, Short and Pettigrew, were appointed members of the committee, with power to add. Mr. Corrigan was appointed chairman, and Mr. F. G. Treweek secretary. The finding of the jury in the Eltham assault' case last night was quite unexpected. A juryman was heard to remark after the rising of the Court that he and his colleagues were of opinion that both prosecutor and prisoner were to blame for tlie fight out of which the case arose, and that it would be uuiair to make one suffer the penalty ot the law whilst the other went free. The jury had been practically directed to bring in a verdict of assault, and his Honor's silence wtsn the decision was announced was elo.' uent. When the Granc Jury was sworn in yesterday morning a juror did not answer to his name.. At the end of the list his name was: ailed again, and he stepped to his pl» e. The Sheriff informed his Honol that this made twenty-four, and one gentleman, was relieved from attendance. These facts evidently escaped the notice of the jurors themselves, for upon re-assem-' jblirig after the luiwheon adjournment the foreman informed the Court that they had counted up and found that there were but twenty-three of them. His Honor smiled as he informed the fore-j man that that wa's the correct panel. Evidently the jurors had an idea that there should have been twenty-four. | At the Education Board meeting last might the •'lTruant Inspector (Mr.j . Hooker) brought up the question of ' the irregular attendance of school children and the neglect jo* some scnool teachers in sending intimation of the same to the Board. It was decided that a circular letter be for to all committees asking that careful enquiries b'e made to ascertain jfithere are any children of schol age /n uhe district not attending any school;' and to report the same either to the Boam direct or to the teacher. A circular letter is also to be sent to all* teachers drawing their attention to the fact that defaulters' i returns are frequently forwarded to the ; office only partially filled in, and that I it is imperative such returns must be I correct, as the Truant Inspector has to; {produce them in Vhe Magistrate's Court i when prosecuting any parent for-a I breach of the School Attendance Act.