LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 77, 9 July 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The cadet officers' school of instruction was continued last night, Colonel Malone lecturing on "Marches." One of the features of the production of "Browne with an 'E'" at St. Mary's Hall on Thursday evening was the very fine scenery and' staging. The scenery, we understand, was painted by Mr. W. E. M. Guy, of New Plymouth, who deserves great credit for the excellence of the work.

It is reported that there is some probability, of the Moumahaka Experimental Farm, being converted into an experimental dairy farm, and that some of the Jersey stock which are to be purchased in England will form part of the herd. Taranaki farmers will no doubt be pleased to hear of this.

The Taranaki Education Board's inspectors have completed the criticism lessons of pupil teachers. The pupil teachers were gathered at central schools, and took classes for certain subjects, and thejr methods were then criticised by the seizor teachers and the inspectors. This year's criticism lessons are stated by both inspectors and teachers to have been the best ever given in the district. At a meeting of the Ministers' Association held yesterday in the Baptist Qhureh the following resolution was recommended to be brought before the different churches on Sunday:—"This congregation, being of the opinion that the legalising of bookmakers is a grave menace to public morals, and tends to foster the gambling spirit among tne people of our Dominion, respectfully urges upon the Government the desirability of introducing legislation this session for the abolition of bookmakers' licenses." '

_ A highly interesting demonstration of lifting stumps by a new method was given at Mr. Henderson's farm. Albert Road, on Monday last, and the results were a revelation to the large number of farmers present. Mr. Leggo, an expert from the celebrated Nobel's explosive works, supervised the arrangements. The procedure is as follows:—A number of holes are dug at intervals round the stump, and a few plugs of blasting gelatine are put into each. These are joined with a wire, and this wire connected to another wire about one hundred yards long attached to an electric battery. When the battery is brought into action the whole of the charges "explode simultaneously, and the stump, no matter how ■bi<r, is torn out of the ground. This method of stumping costs very considerably less than by manual labor, and there is absolutely less danger in doin? it with the battery than without it. Messrs. Okoy. Son and Arnold. Ltd., are the local agents, and their representative, who was on the ground, has had-suffi-cient practical experience in using this system to be able to advise anyone interested. We imagine there will be considerably more stumping done, consequently rrore land made available for the plough, in the future than in the past. The se .ices in Queen-street Church to-morrow will be conducted bv the Rev. John Xixon. Morning at 11. subject "The Little Rift within the Lute"; evening at 7. object "Thou art Peter" (a sermon to Oangemen).—Advt. ' J J

A mysterious affair (says the Featherston correspondent of the Dominion) is being enquired into by the loenl police. It appears that a hag containing cash was sent by the stationniaster at (ircytown to Featherston, and it is reported that it duly reached the latter place, but it cannot now be found. It is presumed that it has been stolen.

"All a patient has to do to cure an influenza cold is to go to bed, hang a boot at the foot of the bed and drink whisky until he can see three boots," jocularly remarked a councillor at a meeting ol the Wairarapa South County Council.

'•Then if he is well wrapped in blansets and sleeps for 12 hours, he will be cured. I have heard it claimed for this method that it is infallible."

The Stewart Island correspondent ol the Blull' Press says:—Muttonbird fat is largely used 'here for cattle and pigs. If either animal is troubled with insects or skin disease, lukewarm fat rubbed over the body will soon remove all trace of the trouble. A farmer in the Taiau Plains used nothing else for cattle, and they were always in good condition. For softening leather it is good, if not better, than anything else. Eighteen tins (about (iewt.) of mutton-bird iat were consigned last week to an Invercargill firm of fellmongers. Mr. C. 11. Poole (Auckland West* walked over a precipice on Friday night when pursuing Mr. Dive (says the Post). Mr. Poole started his speech by playing on Mr.Dive's name. "Mr. Dive," he said, "has taken a neat header." "Into a Poole," interjected Mr. Massey. Mr. Poole was not discouraged. He pursued his liquid '"line" of speech. He expressed a hope that Mr. Dive would learn to swim. "If he will I will try to exercise all the common-sense I have to help him," declared Auckland West. The Opposition's laughter was instantaneous and hearty. A lawsuit bearing a resemblance to the Tichborne case has just ended in Boston, when, after a trial lasting !:!:> days, a Dakota ranchman named Daniel Blake Russell, who had been trying to establish a claim to be the long-lost son of the late Daniel Russell, of Melrose, Massachusetts, was declared to be an imposter. The affair is an unusually interesting one. Daniel Russell, who was once a State Senator, died in 1007, leaving an estate valued at half a million dollars. He had two sons, William and Daniel Blake. Daniel had disappeared from his home in 1885. Until his mother's death she had kept a candle burning nightly in her window to help s.-ai retrace his footsteps. A* clause in .the father's will stated that if the absent son returned within twenty years alter the testator's death, and?* proved this identity, both sons should share whatever pi the estate was left. About a year ago a,man, announcing himself as Daniel Blake Russell, the absent brother, registered at a Boston Hotel, saying that he had been ranching in Dakota, and began litigation for a share of the property. Xo fewer than 305 witnesses were called, many of them swearing that they knew the claimant when he was a boy in Melrose before ISBS. William Russell denounced him, and got detectives to bring evidence that he was a (FrenchCanadian named James Rousseau, whose home was on the Canadian border.

It is curious to find a demand for larger families even in Berlin, which has a greater density of population to the square mile than any other of the great cities, with the exception of Paris. A recent writer in the World's Work gave some striking statistics of the increase in population in the various European countries during the nineteenth century. When France and Germany faced each other in the Napoleonic wars the population of France exceeded that of Germany by more than 10 per cent., the territory of both nations being about equal in area. By 1908 the population of Germany had almost tripled, while that of France had increased by less than half, so that the excess of about four million inhabitants in favor of France in 1800 had given place to an excess in favor of Germany of twenty-four millions. It is significant that the increase in the population of the German Empire lias not been due to accessions of territory carrying with them large numbers , of inhabitants, but has. in fact, gone in the face of an extraordinary and continuous loss through emigration to all parts of the world, especially to the United States. France, on the other hand, has lost but few of her citizens by departure. There has latterly, however, been some evidence that the rate of increase in the population of Germany is beginning to experience the same deelinp which has been noticed in most European countries during recent years. In view of the proposal to increase the Kaiser's civil list on account of tht increased cost of the upkeep of his [Court, his theatres and the establishment of the Royal princes, it is interesting to note that the Kaiser spends £ 100y000 a year—amounting roughly to an eighth of his civil list—on supporting the Royal theatres and opera houses in Prussia*. This curious fact, the Daily •Mail's correspondent reports, was revealed in the Budget Committee of the Prussian Diet by the Minister of Finance, Baron Rheinbaben, who was defending his demand for a Government grant of £42,500 for the purpose of modernising the Royal Opera House in Berlin. It was stated that the Emperor devotes £75,000 annually towards the upkeep of the three royal play-houses in Berlin alone, and his Majesty contributes proportionately to the support of the Hirer other Royal theatres situated at Wiesbaden. Hanover and Cassel. The Kaiser's expenditure consists of contributions equivalent to the annual deficits. The expenses at the opera houses and theatres have been vastly increased by his Ma.jestv's fondness for lavish productions. The gorgeous revival of Verdi's "Aida," produced under his personal direction in 1008, cost £IO.OOO. One of the costumes worn by the King of Egypt was embroidered in gold and cost £l5O. i It was announced that the municipality of Berlin is ready to purchase the Royal Opera House at Berlin, and it is rumored that it will be converted into a naval museum. If the transaction is carried out the Kaiser will fulfil his long-cherish-ed ambition of erecting a magnificent new opera house more in keeping with the present splendor of Berlin, costing about £1,000,000.

THE CONSUMER is the sufferer if he permit a substitute to be palmed off on him as "just as .good." If such substitution concerns an article of common use it only means inferior goods; but if you expect results from an original and standard medicine, and then find you are injuriously affected by the concoction which an unscrupulous dealer has recommended, you realise the importance of procuring "just what you want." •Remember —SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT is the original, tried and approved article. If vou procure the GENUINE SANDER 'EXTRACT you will obtain the prompt relief which only a scientifically prepared medicament can give. It contains ethereal particles which are not present in other eucalyptus products, and is free from irritating by-products. Quality in small dose distinguishes it from the bulky and dangerous products. It isjinique, safe and effettive.