LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 167, 24 October 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The other day (says the Gisborne Times) a teal duck flew on to the lawn of a gentleman's residence in Pailmerston road with a couple of young ducklings on her back. When approached the duck flew off, leaving, the young ones behind. It is said that when wild ducks breed inland and have hatched their young, their first care is to get the brood to water, and it is a strange fact in natural history that few people have seen the mother bird performing this difficult and hazardous task. It is considered that the bird was engaged in the task on Sunday, and, becoming exhausted, flew down to the lawn for a rest.

At the recent Anglican mission at Foxton, says the Herald, a question was asked as to whether dancing was wrong as a means to raise funds for church work. The missioner said the question was one for the vicar himself to decide. Another question was: Is it wrong for a Christian to dance? The missioner said he could only express his own opinion on this matter. He thought dancing was perfectly legitimate, and'although it may be a danger for some it was a matter for the individual conscience to decide. Dancing depended upon the women, and if they set before them high ideals of conduct, and refused to <lance with men who were rowdy, intemperate, ungentlemanly, no harm could ensue. Although we were free-will agents there was "a moral and individual lesponsibilitv to (jod.

Whaling is an industry that has been carried on regularly and with more or less success m Australian waters for halt a century. In the earlv <lavs the nardy whaler, cruising round the stormy waters off the South Island of New Zca'ow l ol ' p d boats and captured his "fish wherever they spouted. But the modern method-picture, quely described 1,1 t, . ,e November issue of "'Life"—is more comfortable, though not unattended by risk. It seems that a certain times of the year the whales, like the swallows go north, ami at these times enterprising whalers, with headquarters at AVhan"amumu, north of Auckland, run out" a string of nets, entangle the passing leviathans m a mesh of wire, and despatch their prey with harpoon and lance. If the lance fail; a steam launch appears on the scene and performs the happy despatch with a bomb. The dead whale then towed ashore by a hawser, cut up, and turned into oil, bone-meal and oven potte.l meat. The article debiting these processes is extremely interest>"g, and is accompanied by somcthin" like a dozen of perhaps the best whalin" pictures that have ever been taken for reproduction. Of half a dozen other Vutialmn articles perhaps Dr. Fitchett's leview of Mr. Ernest Scott's new book, lei re Napoleon"; his editorial notes on the domgs of the month being, of course bright and informative as usual. The repar departments of the magazine are lull of good things. j

the hides: Dairy factory Com■Pty ' s taking the necessary steps To pin the Hell Block Company as a creamery. The Eltham Dairy Factory manufactured 145,575 lb. of butter in September. Tlie test was ;3.(>5, and the amount paid to suppliers was £541>2. The Westport Coal Company was thi successful tenderer for the supply 01 coal to the New Plymouth Harbor Board, and Mr. J. W. West similarly in regard to cab hire.

Messrs. A. and G. Price, of the Thames, have turned out their thirtythird locomotive for the Railways Department. The latest engine is of the four-cylinder balanced compound type and with its tender weighs 73'/ a tons. The spectacle of University graduates, really clever and eminent in the medical profession, unable to write three consecutive lines without a spelling mistake is," says the Hospital (London), "one that is not only painful, but, unfortunately, far from rare." A visitor to New Plymouth, who is touring the Dominion, states that 110 other town can equal Auckland for flowers. And, as far as lie has seen yet. there is no place with more beautiful natural scenery than is provided within easy reach of New Plymouth. ,He is immensely pleased with the Recreation Grounds, and is much struck with the very tine walks which are being opened up around the town. Complaint is made that several of the manhole covers in .our streets afe much higher than the surrounding roadway, and the effect upon passengers in fastrunning vehicles is not pleasant. The same gentleman considers it high time, in the interests of safety and comfon, that open stone drains at street junctions were abolished as far as the borough is concerned. That at Eliot streev is said to be particularly detestable.

The bootmaking trade in Palmerstoji North is said to be almost at a standstill, not because of the lack of work, for there are more orders in hand than manufacturers can do, but because of the impossibility of obtaining workmen. It is declared that a factory will have to be closed down this week owing to this reason. Napier, Masterton ana Gisborne also require workers in all branches of the building trade, and six months' work is guaranteed stonecutters at Tiniaru.

The high prices ruling for fruit at present is a matter for serious thought. Speaking to a local fruiterer last week, we learned that the destruction of the Fiji plantations was responsible for sending bananas up to an abnormal figure. "Why, fancy! they will be 5d a lb, I am sure, next month; now they run me 4'/od wholesale. There's nothing in them, sir. I like to see bananas Id a lb—thea they go off some. It is better for both buyer and seller." In furthei conversation, it transpired that the popular banana was not singular in being "dear." Other lings were almost as high in comparison. We mentioned having received three oranges for sixpence at a shop in town. "That is so," replied the man behind the counter; ''yet I am on to bet that not a fruiterer in New Plymouth has not lost on them lately. The position is this: There is only one vessel a month on this trade just now, and the fruit won't keep sound for that time. Perhaps I get one good case out of four at the end of the month. And these cost up to 10s, while mandarins are 12s a case. Lemons are ninepence a dozen, and we get a shilling. Yes, the prices are certainly prohibitive, and the prospect is not pleasing, either. You see, the Hawke's Bay gardens are frozen out, and we will have to depend on Auckland and Nelson for our fruit shortly." It has always appeared peculiar to us that in a country so favorably placed as ours for fruit growing, fruit is denied the great majority of people owing to high prices. '"Combines" and "fruit rings" do suggest themselves as affecting the market seriously, but in the present position, according to our informant—and we feel satisfied he thoroughly understands the matter—there is the additional factor -of circumstances altering (the price of) cases!

Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (First and Second Groups), are notified that subscriptions will lie due and payable today (Monday), at the Secretary's Office, Cuirrie street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30, from 1 p.m. to o p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.— Advt.