LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 95, 30 July 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. S. Bailey, formerly captain of the Waimiakariri Mounted Rides, has purchased Mr. Sheffield's farm at Oakura. The inward Brindisi and Australian mails brought from Sydney by H.M.S. Encounter will reach New Plymouth by this evening's express. Replying -to the statements made concerning the alleged' excessive transhipment charges at Wellington, the chairman of the Wellington Harbor Board at its last meeting, said that Wellington wias absolutely the cheapest port, for the service rendered, south of the line, and there were not many ports north of the line that accepted the same responsibility and performed the same service.

Tickets for the concert to be given in the Theatre Royal on' Monday evening in aid of -the Old People's Home Piano Fund are selling well, a new batch having to be printed yesterday. The cause is mast worthy one, and it is not surprising that no one has so far refused to give the affairsupport or purchase a ticket, which though only Is or 2s, means, with the Government subsidy, a contribution of 2s 2d or 4s 4d to the piano fund. The Rev. C. H. Laws, of Christchurch, president of the Methodist Conference, said the other day that during the period between the taking of the census of 11)01 and 1906 the population of Wellington and suburbs increased by 52.8 per cent. He did npt think many cities ot the Empire could show such rapid and marvellous development. The increase was three times that of Dunedin, 10 per cent, faster thian Auckland, and 20 per cent, faster than Christchurch. The growth of the suburbs had been abnormal.

A delightfully pleasant evening was spent in the Brougham-street Hall on Thursday evening when Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Herbert gave their New Plymouth and Stratford employees and their friends a social. Good music was provided by Mrs. Woods and the floor was all that could be wished for. During -the evening songs were sung by Messrs Ham, Walters, Hooker and Asher. A splendid supper was provided and done full justice to. The function broke up at an early hour with, the singing of "Aukl Lang Syne" and three ringing cheers for the host and hostess.

The world will never lack inventors. Last year alone over 30,000 people wooed -fame by applying for patents. Chief among the subjects dealt with were aeroplanes, sour milk, and roller-skates; whilst even the points of ladies' hatpins did not escape the vigilance of the inventive mind. In motoring, attention was directed -to audible and visible devices for warning of excess "speed. Machinery steadily encroaches on handwork in the boot trade; new fireguards follow the children's charter, new toys were more numerous than ever ; and there was quite a glut of devices relating to rollerskates. Women inventors numbered 648, or seventy-six more than in the previous year, Many of the inventions submitted were useless, for out of 30,603 patents applied for only 15,065 were granted. When is an injury wilful'and malicious? For example, if you are a woman and a teacher, and a small boy in your class makes faces at you, is it wilful and malicious if you beat him? This is the grave problem which is going to exercise the brains of the Supreme Court of America. Michael Burke, of Tolono, Illinois, is the small boy who did the deed and suffered his fate. His parents sued the teaoher for damages and won. Whereupon she ibecame bankrupt; But the law provides that bankruptcy does not cancel a debt incurred through "the commitment of a wilful and malicious injury to the person or property of another." So the parents had the teacher arrested to satisfy their judgment, and court after court has been appealed to to decide whether Michael was flogged with malice. The one satisfactory thing is the whole fact that he was flogged. "Child slavery" is again referred to in strong terms in the reports of inspectors of schools in New South Wales on the compulsory clauses of the Education Act. Inspector Connelly, of Young, says: "I am fully convinced ,that only the strong arm of a wise and beneficial law, framed in the interest of school children, can restrain the money-grabbing parent from' inflicting wrong upon his unfortunate youngsters by the imposition of tasks unsuited to their age and strength. The rabbit industry is responsible for a good deal of harm to country children." "Children may be seen at daylight/' says Inspector Smith, of Albury, "wandering from trap to trap, killing and releasing the game, and during the night silent peregrinations up to half-past ten o'clock are indicated by moving lanterns carried in juvenile hands. Deformed fingers tell too plainly that the setting of steel traps by children is a hazardous undertaking." "America," says Mr. F. G. Bolton, who has just returned from the United States, "is now doing much to hamper the influx of undesirable aliens. Canada has exercised an admirable supervision over the arrivals from Europe, and the result has been that a very large percentage of her settlers were farmers, or farm laborers, who have done wonders to open up the rich territories of the great northwegt—We want population—every sound economist tells us that—but what do we do to induce it? Absolutely nothing. In Canada substantial inducements are made to those contemplating settling — that's wihat is wanted in Australia and New Zealand. An organised effort should be made to secure immigration for Australasia. Our office in London is situated in a back street, the location only being known to those having a definite object in reaching it—otherwise it fails to catch the public eye. No attempt is made to push the attractions of tlie country. Canada's stare you in the face everywhere at Home, and thev are getting the people, a good proportion of whom might be induced to come this whv if inducements were offered. I don't know that New Zealand' would at all were it not for Mr. .Serldon's legislation, our footballers, and Dick Arnst—these are our great national resources abroad! What we want to do is to develop our great primary industries—our labor laws will always prevent us being a manufacturing country—and attract the tourist," An "Old Maid" fell from the "Bridge" down below, And the river's cold waters soon ■kissed; Though rescued she was in condition "Solo" That all crept about the house, "Whist!" But after a "Nap" she cried, in tones

sure, "I'll not provide doctors more lucre, I'll 'Beggar my neighbor,' some Peppermint Cure, And this beastly old chill I will 'Euchre!'" 23

The Danncvirkc Borough Council hus decided to build a municipal theatre at a cost of £BOOO.

The following item appeared in an exchange: '-On Wunday, July 24, at Ashhurst, the wife of Joseph J. Powelka, a daughter/'

During last month 1974 persons arrived in New Zealand and 2452 persons departed. In July I'JO'J the arrivals numbered 192!) and the departures 2671. Kaleyards have just been opened at Te A'wamutu, built by the Town Board at a cost of £SOO. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company held the first sale there on Saturday.

Taken in all, says the Pastoralists' Review, the Commonwealth is in iirstrate condition, and the growth of grass and crops for the time of year is exceptional. If good' spring rains come crops throughout Australia should be fully equal to those of last jear. A buyer who travels throughout practically the whole of the Wairarapa- district informs the Daily Times that his observations lead him to the conclusion •that there has been a very large increase in the number of sheep in the Wairarapa during the past twelve months. A cage with five miners aboard suddenly dropped them within 15ft. of the bottom of the 1150 ft. level at the Waihi Company's No. 5 shaft on Tuesday afternoon. A miner named A. Lucas was thrown out, and was badly injured. He was conveyed to the hospital in an unconscious condition. Mr. A. F. Wilding has written Mr. F. ■M. B. Fisher, M.P., stating that he is writing an up-to-date book on lawn tennis, utilising material he has been collecting for some time. This makes it all the more probable, states Mr. Fisher,' that the champion of England will not come out to New Zealand for the Davis Cup matches.

Mr. Edward Travis, R.A.M., a young musician who recently toured the Dominion with a travelling company, on Thursday completed sixty-three hours' continuous piano-playing in the Masterton Town Hall, and claims to have broken the world's record. There was a large crowd of people to witness the conclusion of the feat.

A social and dance was held in the Brougham Street. Hall last evening, mnder the auspices of the Garrison Band. There was a large attendance, and the proceedings were much enjoyed. Mrs. George's orchestra provided music gratis, and Band Corporal Horne acted as MX). The proceeds will be given to a imieimber of the Band who ha® recently been afflicted with illness. At the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Thursday a creditor conducted his own case against a> woman debtor. The Magistrate, 'Mr. W. R. Haselden, informed the creditor that there was no personal liability against a married woman.' "But she has property in Invercargill," said the creditor. "Well, proceed against her estate," replied his Worship. "As the law is, if she has millions I could not make I an order."

What the Auckland papers describe as a mysterious affair, is at present engaging the attention of the police. It appears that a married lady took passage a week agb for England, leaving her house and furniture (inclusive of a pianoi) in the hands of an agent for letting purposes. Three days later, according to a neighbour, in the stillness of the nigjht there was a noise in the building as of someone moving furniture, and shortly afterwards a cart was seen to leave the scene laden with something other than human freight. Subsequently the horse and cart were found abandoned along Richmond street, fn the vehicle was a piano, and the men associated in tM incident had decamped for some reason not apparent.

The visit of two detectives to a house in Chrisfcchureh last week disclosed! the pitiful circumstances under which a woman and her three children had to live. The husband and father, an able-bodied man, was discovered in be:l, and although he said he had been looking for work at the Labor Office, this was found to be untrue. Beyond articles which were identified as having been the contents of certain neighbors'' meat safes, there was practically no food in the house. Tinchildren slept on straw, covered with rugs, and the rooms were the most untidy the police had ever seen. The man spent most of 'his time at hotels, and when Ins wife obtained money lie took it from her. He was brought before the magistrate in Christchurch, charged with being an idle and disorderly person, without .lawful means of support, and the chief detective said that the only thing to do was to make him work/ If he were allowed to go he would just go back to the old- style of living. The accused said that he had been unable to get work. The (Rev. F. Rule said he thought he coulc get work for the man, and he was remanded until next day to see what could ibe done in the matter of finding work for him.