LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 189, 19 November 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The births in the Dominion for the quarter ended September 30th exceeded the deaths by 3009. A grub has been playing havoc with the raspberry canes in Nelson, but it is stated that the apple crop will be a record. The average daily number of trucks leaving Rangataua railway station (near Taihape) at present is 25 (equal to CO,OOO feet of timber). A shunting engine is kept busy continually. The following amounts were paid for October milk by the following factories: Mangorei Co-op. Dairy Cov.:1910, £2911 1")S 8d: 1». £3OI-i Hs* 7,1. oakura Co-op. Dairy Coy. : 1910, £974 17s 4d--1909, £BO3 Gs Id. A wave of righteousness appears to have swept over the Wellington and Dunedin City Councils of late. A few weeks ago Councillor Ballinger found his position becoming untenable in the former owing to the fact that his firm had a pecuniary interest in certain municipal contracts, and this was followed by the discovery that Councillor Shaddock's •firm had sold certain goods to the Dunedin corporation, resulting in the matter being brought before ' the magistrate Councillor Connor, who made this matter public, has unearthed another alleged | irregularity. Councillor Stewart, who is said to be •• shareholder in a certain company, is alleged to have voted on the adoption of the electric power and lighting committees report, which ineluded the passing of an account to the said company for a large sum due on a contract between the latter and the council. The passing of a smaller account in which the same councillor was interested in, is the basis of another charge, and as the law provides for a penalty in these matters, when proved, the result should pr,oye, interesting.

The New Plymouth Horticultural Society's certificate for the best exhibit of cut (lowers and pot plants at the Rose Exhibition was awarded to Mr. Newton King. The Government has remitted the polltax of €IOO in the case of a Chinese student "who desires to study at the Roys' Iligh School for Ave years." The name of the school has not been disclosed.

The \\ tlliiijtoii City Council tramwaymen have made demands which, if conceded, will cost the municaplity an extra £BBOO a year. There are liiOO men involved—and their votes count.

The Inglewood Record reports that shearers at work in Mr. M. F. Standish's wool shed found it occupied by a grey fur opossum, but how or when the marsuptial took possession is entirely unknown. Another opossum, a ring-tailed one, was shot some short time ago. Mr. Standish has the grey chap in a cafe.

YVhen, after a long droughty spell, rain recently descended on Timaru, the Town Council was sitting. A councillor called the attention of the deputy-Mayor to the patter on the roof and for some minutes the Council did not proceed with the business, preferring to listen in rapt enjoyment to the golden raindrops. Mr. T. Horton, the Hastings nurseryman, who passed through Wellington on Tuesday, told a Times reporter that the disastrous frost experienced in Hawke's Bay has proved quite as severe in its consequences as was at first reported. A number of growers have been * practically ruinfcd and will have to give up their holdings unless they have some assistance.

The first of the series of municipal concerts was given by the Garrison Band last night at the Kawaroa Park rotunda, in the presence of a good attendance of the public. The following programme was submitted under the baton of Ban i master Cummings:— March, "Sons of t!v Brave"; waltz, ''Fleur de Luce"; popular selection, "Memories of the Past"; march, "Uncle Sammy"; waltz, "Angelo Mio"; plantation melody, '•Clorinda"; march, "Washington Greys." The inquest concerning the death of Albert Stinson in the accident to the Opunake motor coach on Wednesday was opened yesterday morning before the de-puty-coroner, Dr. H. A. McCleland. The following jury was empanelled:—ll. J. Gilbert (foreman), E. F. Clarke, A. IT. Ambury, E. Dingle, S. J. Jackson and A. Veale. Detective Boddam appeared for the Crown. After formal evidence of the identification of the body, the inquest was adjourned till next Friday, to allow of the attendance of the principal witness, deceased's brother, who is ill in the hospital.

Mr. T. M. Wilford, Mayor of Wellington, offered a reason recently as to why a great deal of this extraordinary legislation gets on to the Statute Book." The Mayor was welcoming to Wellington the members of the Poultry Conference. He stated that he wa9 not an expert in poultry matters, and added,, "but we are expected to know all about all sorts of things." One day they (presumably members of Parliament) were dealing with the matter of magnetic brakes on tramcars, the next day discussing whether or not a baker's cart was a shop, within the meaning of the Shops and Offices Act, and then unravelling the problem of whether a strike was not a strike, and that was a reason why they were criticised by the experts in the newspapers. The order and general decorum of the Auckland Magistrate's Court was disturbed on Tuesday by a brief passage at arms between Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., and Mr. C. J. Schnauer. The affair took its origin in a very long case, in which Mr. Schnauer had been acting for one of the parties in the capacity "of counsel. He wrote a letter to Mr. Kettle, and this letter the magistrate considered to be a demand for a decision !n his client's favour. Accordingly, on Tuesday, Mr. Kettle traversed all the facts of the case, including the letter, concluding by characterising it as ''a most objectionable letter to write to a magistrate." Mr. Schnauer rose to speak, and said that he wished to explain, but the magistrate said that he would not hear him on the matter. Mr. Schnauer-still made one or two such attempts to speak, but eventually he was told to sit down. He (Mr. Schnauer) was evidently smarting under what he considered harsh treatment, and he used the word "unfair," whereupon the magistrate ordered him to show cause, at the conclusion of the sitting of the' Court, why he should not be committed for contempt. Subsequently, however, it was arranged that his Worship should hear Mr. Schnauer on Tuesday next.

It is understood that the Veterinary Section of the Agricultural Department will shortly be in possession of the results of enquiries concerning the number of non-breeding cows in Taranaki and other dairying: districts. The matter is of considerable importance, and definite information will be of considerable value. Mr. John Gell, the inventor of the new telegraphic instrument which established a world's record in London, was formerly assistant officer-in-charge at the Wellington telegraph office. He invented a machine which was an adaptation of the typewriter, the sending instrument actuating one at the receiving end which automatically printed the characters as they were transmitted. Mr. Gell's invention was taken up by a local syndicate, and he was sent home to place it on the market. He lias probably effected some further improvements in the apparatus in order to reach the speed mentioned in the cable message. The value of the new transmitter will be apparent when it is mentioned that the ordinary top speed of an operator using the Morse code iii vogue here is about forty words a minute, though for short tests sixty or even more words may be sent bv expert men. In America the code has'been simplified to some extent, so that a rather faster speed is maintained.

MANUFACTURERS' Ot'TLET SALE at the MELBOURNE. As if by concerted action manufacturers with overstocks have sought this store, knowing its leadership in wide distribution and its continually active business. As is by common consent this store has been elected the "Market Place. TYe have been lairly assailed with offerings by manufacturers' ready and willing to make concessions for tha sake of prompt cash payments. The problem has been what not to buy. It was a task of gigantic proportions to select 'the wheat from the chaff—to skim the cream from the milk—to throw out the commonplace and accept onlv the exceptional. None but the best of manufacturers were allowed to become tributary to this event. We have picked and r,° S ™ c °'? l ref "! , . v : '»<l gathered under this roof the Big Prizes. Those who have been waiting must act now and quickly, foi, wait if they will for a decade, no such opportunity could possibly be presented again. Come early. The crowds will bp enormous, of course, but we are desirable practices, were prevented." piepaied for a history-making event. STOP IT! A neglected cough or cow may lead to serious bronchial or lung troubles. Don't take chances, for -Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery for Coughs and Colds affords perfect security from serious effects of a cold. Small dose. Pleasant to take. Every bottle guaranteed. Obtainable