LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 224, 4 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Port Arthur was taken by the Japanese on January 4, 1005. The Sydney Christmas train and tram traffic easily broke previous records. The minimum salary of all male teachers in State schools has been raised to £llO in New South Wales.

''Some of you men work like horses and spend your money like asses" said a magistrate to two working men who were charged with drunkenness. The total area of England, Scotland and Wales is 30,214,153 acres, excluding water, and the total under crops last year was 32,144,005 acres (exclusive of 12,844,220 acres of mountain and heath land used for grazing). In tlio Marlborough provincial district the grass and crops are more abundant than they have been for years past. In many districts barley is the principal product, and the yield is expected to be well over fifty bushels to the acre. In one part of Marlborough, Flaxbourne, the much dreaded caterpillar pest is in evidence. The only suggested remedy is early sowing, as in Starborough the caterpillar is unknown, due to the fact, it is said, that the farmers there invariably sow early, and consequently the crops are ready to be harvested before the caterpillar makes its unwelcome appearance.

As a boy Mr. Marconi, the value of whose system of wireless telegraphy is being so strikingly illustrated, is 'said to have shown little sign of elevernes. In fact, one of his teachers once said he could never learn anything off by heart. He began working on his wonderful invention when he was 17, and at 21 he startled the world with his demonstrations of the power of wireless telegraphy. He is now only 33 years of age, and he is by no means content to rest upon the fame he has won. Indeed, lie still works 12, 14 and sometimes 10 hours a day. ''Wireless telegraphy," lie says, "is still in its infancy, and in the near future I hope to be able to circle the globo with wireless messages." A number of the Acts passed during last session of Parliament came iiito force on January 1. These are flie Crimes Amendment Act, Destitute Arsons Act, By-laws Act, Indecent Publications Act, National Provident Fund jet, and the Post and Telegraph Amendnent Act. Under the Crimes Amendment let, judges and magistrates are given pclver to order that a prisoner be reformatory at the end of his senteke, for a period from three years in the Magistrate's Court cases to ten years in Supreme Court cases. Facilities are provided by the Destitute Persons Actifor making the path of the wife and child deserter more difficult. A number of <Ji(ticulties which existed previously in the way of prosecution for the publicatha of improper matter are overcome bylfche new. Act governing them. *

A Cnvershiim man had his Christmastides spoiled completely, and in a manner to leave him soured for evermore. And he had expected to be ever so happy—happier by far than thousands of men. He went with the girl of his heart to Knox Church last Friday to be married, but alas! alas! it was an unlucky day, though the heavens and a fair earth smiled upon them. The solemn ceremony was begun, hut was not carried to. a happy end. When the bride was asked by the kindly parson to "plight tie full assurance of her faith," she jibbediiike a spirited Ally, and refused to say "I will." They coaxed her and coaxed her for an hour-and a-half, but silent the maid remained. And the parties went home, the bridegroom "as melancholy as an unbraced drum." The stubborn bride, so far as we know, had not yet said "I will." —Exchange.

An accident of peculiar sadness, which caused the death of a little girl four years old, happened in Xorth Melbourne on the night of December 21, when Michael A. Hamilton shot his' daughter Dorothy through the centre of the forehead, and Wiled her. The whole affair was over in a moment, and, according to Hamilton, who, when interviewed bv the police, was in a state of distraction, it was the outcome of a dreadful mistake. He was handling a revolver when his little daughter approached the table at which he sat, and said: "Let me see it, daddy. How does it shoot?'" Hamilton began to explain to the child how the weapon worked, and, thinking it was unloaded, cocked it and pulled the trigger. A cartridge was in the, revolver, and the bullet pierced the child's forehead. She fell, and a stream of blood rilled from the wound. A doctor was called in, and foe, finding that the child was not dead, hurried her off in his motor car to the Children's Hospital, where Dr. O'Brien, who admitted her, performed an operation to extract the bullet. Xothinsr. however, could .save the child. The bullet was embedded deep in her.brain, and she sank and died soon after the operation.

Eight applications were considered in connection with the appointment of n medical superintendent in succession to Dr. Paget for the Stratford Hospital (reports the local Pnstl, and the Board had the assistance of Dr. Valintine. Inspec-tor-General of Hospitals, in their selection. The Tnspector-fleneral reduced the number to five, afyl after ballotting the final choice of the Board fell on Dr. Jamieson, of Eketalmna. When the Board resumed, Mr. Marehant rose and asked that his dissent be recorded—lie' had taken no part in the ballotting. His action was not directed against Dr. Jamieson—lie did not know him. He wished his dissent recorded because lie thought the Board's action was uneconomical and unfair to loqal members of the profession. The chairtnan said that ip his opinion it was bad policy to record dissent at such a juncture. Mr. Marehant had said his dissent was not directed against Dr. Janlieson, hut. the incident would be publicly reported, and Dr. Jamieson would 'know that he had not the unanimous yoto of the Board. Dr. Valintine stated jthat he was disappointed that the Board had not followed iiis recommendation 'ami appointed an honorary staff of l/ocal medical men. l However, he took tno view that as the Board were elected/ by the ratepayers lliev must he taken sir eipressiii<r their wishes. He did ntit think the course taken was the mijist aconomical. H» was disappointed btfcnuiy he felt that the scheme lie proposed VrtuH have been

A Timaru message states that H. C_ Vincent, an architect, of Ashburton, lost himself in the mist and rain for 3d hours on Saturday and Sunday on the Albury Hills. He was pretty well exhausted wheii met by a shepherd.

Seemingly the Tost Office clock has been on "the jamboree," or some other kind of high jinks, during the holidays, judging by the "hop-and-eurry-onu" style of greeting all and sundry these line young days. There can be no doubt about it j he's out of sorts. Wellington has achieved another feat in wireless telegraphy. On Sunday night it is understood that Mr. Buckley ana his staff at the Post Office heard Sydney Station, 1280 miles away, speaking to some other station quite plainly, but owing to the transmitting power of the Wellington plant not being strong enough, communication with the New South Wales capital could not be effected. Since the erection of the new aerials, from United Wireless Telegraphy Company's patterns, the receiving power of the' Wellington station has been greatly increased, which fact seemingly indicates that those in charge of New Zealand's first wireless station are capable of making the best of the material at their disposal. On Tuesday night again the R.M.S. Matai was distinctly heard when she was some 000 miles off Wellington. The operator on board the steamer was in perfect touch with the Wellington station, and told those in charge the readings of the barometer and thermometer, the former standing at 30.C and the latter at 05 degrees. Be was about to give the longitude and latitude which the vessel was in when some interference by other vessels caused thd local office to lose touch with her.—D» minion.