LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 147, 30 September 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During its 111 .years of existence the Gisborne Co-operative. Society has hand-, led about £44,000, and has not lost a shilling. A female dairy farmer was fined £5 at Christchurch a few days ago for selling milk adulterated with water. The milk contained 40 per cent, of water. There was a much better attendance of members on the Park Tennis Club's courts yesterday afternoon, and excellent work was done by the "working bee." The ladies provided afternoon tea. On Tuesday, the Hon. J. A. Millar received an anonymous letter from Christchurch, enclosing a note for £SO "conscience money." The money was sent to Mr. Millar in Iris capacity as Minister of Railways. Mr. Foster Eraser has just now (an Australian writer says) an opportunity of putting to a practical test his theory that young Australia, is physically and skilfully degenerate. There are three Australian boys now in England, all in their teens who might be matched against any three youngsters of corresponding age whom the Old Country can prodluce—Frank Wootton in the saddle, Frank Beaurepaire in the water, and George Gray with .the cue—and methinks it would be a bit of odds on Australia's three nippers! After the sculling championshrip race on the Zambesi river, somebody in New Zealand cabled to the Westminster Gazette: 'Does Arnst represent deterioration third generation ?" In response the Gazette says: "We confess ourselves I not in a position to answer the question ' in consequence of lack of knowledge of the family history of Amst for three generations back, but we can imagine our reviewer, against whom this thunderbolt is hurled, saying that New Zealand is not Australia, nor is the climate of the two countries the same.. But we need not trouble to quarrel about deterioration. Arnst has won a good victory, and (has proved himself an excellent seuk ler. 'We all congratulate him on the fact, and ,we should be just as pleased to have any theories scattered by the appearance of an Australian eight at Henley to win the Grand Challenge by sinew and courage trained in the garden colonies."

The Rangiora Road Board has purchased over 20,000 small 1 birds' heads this season, at the rate of 9d per dozen. A successful competitor at a recent boxing tournament asked to be allowed to take his winnings out in " barbed wire!" A rink proprietary is negotiating for a site on which to establish an open-air skating rink on the beach ai Gisborne. Another record breaker has been discovered in Masterton. A young lady slept, without awakening, for two days and two nights last week. A rumour has been circulated in Wellington that unless the Land Bill receives the support of the Government party, the Ministry will go to the country on it. Keeping the cradle full. A witness in a Waihi Court case stated that he was the father of nine young children, and added that he found it "pretty inconvenient to keep the pot boiling under the circumstances, in this town at any rate." It is stated on good authority that at this time last year there were aibout two hundred shearers in Masterton waiting for engagements, whereas this year there is not one. and sheepowners are experiencing considerable difficulty in getting men. » A motor cyclist who traverses the Ashburton county described a peculiar phenomenon be witnessed upon the Maronnn road recently, when he rode into a cloud of small flies, or midges, and did not ride clear vf their dense numbers till Ave miles had been covered. "Than the ladies there are no better canvassers. The men think they do a lot. They talk away in their clubs, and they talk away in their 'pubs' (laughter), but the ladies work, and when a lady gets going she'll do more than ten men." —iMr. Hemes on the lady as an electioneering asset. '"The Local Bodies'—well, my opinion is that there are far too many of us. Many of us ought to be wiped out of existence. Fancy nine men sitting round a table and debating for half an hour as to whether a dag was a lap-dog or a poodle!" The Mayor of Wanganui East, at a Chamber of Commerce banquet. It was reported in Picton that a right whale, presumably tire one lost by the Te Awaite whalers recently, had been found floating with the tide near -Port Underwood by Messrs Baldick Bros., who towed it to the beach. CuttimgHip operations were at once commenced, and ttie "find" promises to prove a most valuable one.

The crew of the steamship Syria captured a shark while on a recent journey through Suez Canal. When the fish was opened the men were horrified to find a man's head, three straw hats, two fowls,' and a largt quantity of bones. The length of the sil'.ark was lift., and it weighed about 8001b. On Wednesday afternoon, a number of representative citizens, including the Mayor and three or four borough councillors, also the chairman of the Stratford County Council, had an opportunity of testing the capabilities of the new 25-30-h.p. Arrol-Jolinatone char-a-blanc imported by the .Motor Transport Company for the Opunatke service. With a full complement of passengers, the car left town shortly after 3 p.m., travelling along Ok Carrington road as far as the 'bus terminus, then across to the Avenue roijd and back to town.; and on to the Breakwater and back, the full time occupied being about 40 minutes, including a short stop at the Breakwater, and the distance covered about nine miles. The car is exceedingly comfortable and is capable of doing 18 to 20 miles an hour. It takes the hills with ease, and should prove very suitable for the coastal road. In tile Police Court yesterday morning John William Campbell pleaded to a charge of obtaining goods from Leon Ting by false .pretences. Detective Boddam prosecuted, and stated that the accused, who food been in the employ Mr. C. Clarke, went to the Chinaman's shop and, representing that that gentleman needed certain goods for a dinner to be held' that' night, purchased £3 worth, and charged them. He subsequently sold the stuff to Mrs. Hale, at .the Trocodero, for £l. The accused, who had thirteen previous convictions for drunkenness, false pretences, theft, and asault, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Messrs H. F. Russell amd J. F. Eustace, justices, were on the Bench Rua, the so-called prophet, visited Opotiki recently (says the Opotiki Herald). He was accompanied by three of his wives and a number of followers. Whether he or not smoked the calumet of peace on his entrance to the township we know not, but his visit was highly appreciated, and many business people have reason to remember him as a "jolly good fellow." Rua, just prior to his visit, had become possessed of a substantial sum, variously estimated at from £2OOO to £SOOO, part of the proceeds of the sale of the Waimana lands, and during his stay 'here he splashed it about in cavalier style. The sharers of his joys i&nd sorrows were gaily bedecked, and shone resplendent in jewellery and other incidentals dear to the feminine heart, whether it be concealed by a black or a .White skin. But his prodigality was not •confined to kickshaws and geegaws, and drapers and clothiers, horse dealers and buggy-makers were all liberally patronised by him. Has Germany ever produced a Johnson or a Jeffries? asted Mr. Hogg, M.P., in. the House, in the course of his protest against the Defence Bill. Had any country on the Continent produced a Sandow ? No. If one wanted to find people of muscle and courage one had to go to Old England. (Applause). New Zealand would do all right if it husbanded its resources and developed the country and its manhood, and gave them a good education. Then they would be able to battle their way through life, not only in New Zealand, but in all parts of the world. (Hear, hear). What had we in New Zealand to fear? Were we pigeonbreasted? Why should we rely on firearms and put'mantraps in the garden when there were no desperadoes about? The attempt to promote war was made for trade purposes. The jingoes were the. mercantile classes, who wanted to go to war so that they might get rid of their rotten meat, of their shoddy, of their bad .smokeless powder. (Laughter). All this talk about militarism was due to the sunvemongers, who were more to be shunned than the pickpocket. Why, the scaremongers went to church, and during prayers, with their eyes turned down, scanned armv contracts. (Laughter). ' ° Everyone that works hard enough to perspire freclv should wear nothing but the "ROSLYN" unshrinkable pure-wool flannel, "Delta" finish.* Never hesitate about giving Chamberlain's Cough Remedy to children. It contains no narcotic of any description and can be given with confidence. As * quick cure for coughs and colds to which children are highly susceptible, it is unsurpassed. Sold by oil chemists and all housekeepers.

A Masterton dealer'exnresaes the opinion that beef will reach .'.'Oh per hundredweight before many weeka have passed. A strange (mortality amongst small bird's has Ibeen observed in Masterton during the last few days. Dead sparrows. 'have been counted by tho score. Thecause of tho mortality is not known. The West Coast Times reports an instance of wheni three men employed at one sawmill were summoned to attend aft jurymen. It was found impossible to continue operations at the mill, as no substitutes could he found, and 15 men were? thus thrown ilde. Thi* Public Petitions Committee reconimendel on Wednesday that the petition of J. J. Mcikle for compensation for wrongful imprisonment should be referred to t)he Government for consideration. Tho reeoninitmillion was agreed to without discission. The Xo-lieunse crusade has already been coiiwiwiiced in tho Wiairarapa and Paihiatua electorates, and it is to be vigorously prosecuted until the day of the poll.nest year. Arrangements have been made for quite a number of prominent social reformers to visit the district*, named. Even a mild season seems to have its disadvantages. A Thames farmer give* it as his opinion that owing to the absence of frosts this winter the various pests, such as grubs, caterpillars, etc. r will be more than usually numerous during the coming season, and that crop* will sutler in consequence. We aire informed on ™ood authority that money is very plentiful in the Urewera Country just now. Cheques of £IOO and £2OO are quite common, the Maoris taking delight in displaying them to their envious white (brother. We understand that the manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Opotiki has received word that the sum of £20,000 will shortly be paid into the Bank for the purpose of dealing in land purchase from the Maoris as the result of the recent acquisition by the Government of a portion of Uhe Ur&wera Country.—Hot Lakes Chronicle.

In an editorial the Lyttelton Times remarks:—"The hockey girl and the golf girl and the tennis girl and the cyclinggirl are simply illustrations of the triumph of the open-air life. They are not peculiarly colonial, but the opportunitiej and the necessities of existence in young countries have made them essentially a part and parcel of our life. There in no destruction of womanliness, no lessening of sweetness, and no depreciation of the charm of feminine spirituality. The girls simply realise that God meant them to he well and frank and generous, and, cradled freely in the ample bosom of Mother Earth, they are gathering that strength of mind and of character and of body that will fit them in turn to become tihe wholesome mothers of a greiu and wholesome race." To understand, in its widest sense.'fch* meaning of "(touting," one must live in Rotorua, says' the local Times in a recent editorial. "This homily," continues the article, "ghall not in any degree concern the railway station tout. He is a 'positive' degree of his species. There are 'comparatives'—and there are also 'superlatives.' The 'comparative' degree of 'touting* in Rotorua consists in that order of Government employee (no less) who is in receipt of his regular pay, whatever it may be, but finds pleasure and profit in the sale of various side lines which cult into the trade of ttor bona fide Rotorua salesman. Now, don't run away with the idea that the Times is wild-goosing over .this business. If pressed for particulars, we shall simply supply names and dates. But .here's the fact. There are paid Government officials in Rotorua who are augmenting their salaries by the sale of such unconsidered trifles as—say tennis balls and typewriters. This isn't playing the gam*. It must and wall be squashed.' . ." A correspondent of the Nelson Mail states that a new industry is likely to spring up in the Golden Boy district whereby a good use' will be made of all the waste and useless timiber that often 'ies around the farms of the country settlers—<viz., charcoal burning to provide fuel for suction gas lengines. It has been tried on a Tangye suction gas engine for over a year with never-failing results, and the owners will not use coke in any circumstances, as it is stated that although charcoal costs twice as much ton for ton, yet the actual cost 'of nomng the engine is less by. nearly half. The engine requires far less attention; less stoking, and runs very steadily—in fact, it does not slow down until only three .inches of charcoal are left in the ibottom of the generator. It is said that the gas from matai charcoal is nearly as strong as town gas, and that one can use a 25-b.h.p. engine on 2s a day. Under .jthese conditions charcoal should be a boon to many bock-country settlers where, coke and 1 oil cost much to cart» as they mifflht drive machinery from.their waste timber.