LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 227, 19 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Inglewood School will hold its annual seaside picnic at the Breakwater to-day.

The matter of appointment of an extra foreman for the western division of the Waitara riding in the Taranaki County Council was dealt with by a sub-committee of the council yesterday, there being present: The chairman (Mr. J. Brown), Crs. J. R. Hill and G. V. Tate. Out of four applicants for the position, Mr. R. Kinloeh was appointed. He will have the roads inland from Mangaoraka bridge (Tarurutangi), and also Paraite and Corbett roads under his control, and Foreman Holmes will supervise roads on the north side of the main road. At the same meeting tenders for the erection of stables at the council's offices in Powdcrham street were dealt with, and Messrs. Hardwick and Danks' tender (£01) was accepted. During the month of December, 31 patients"were admitted to the New Plymouth Hospital, 30 discharged, and 32 remained in the hospital. There were no deaths for the term, during which lh operations were performed. The Superintendent (Dr. Walker) reports that the year was a busy one, the annexe having been open during the entire period, and the isolation ward also in use for over nine months. Notwithstanding the large proportion of junior nurses and probationers, the work has been satisfactorily carried out, and credit is again due to Miss Brown and her seniors for the thorough training of the juniors. Altogether 214 operations were performed, there being nine deaths from this cause, of which four followed serious accidents and occurred within 4S hours of admission; of the remaining five two were admitted in a hopeless state and did not live twelve hours. Considering the large proportion of major operations, concluded the report, these results must be considered highly satisfactory.

Irish blight lias been discovered in potatoes on two separate farms in Tasmania.

Owing to the increase in the number of suicides by means of lysol in Melbourne, the coroner has recommended that restrictions be placed on its sale.

The stone to be used for the construction of the monument to the early settlers is at present being carted from thu Harbor Board's quarries to the site near Barrett rj»ad overlooking the harbor. Claims totalling £50,000 have been made against the Railway Commissioners in connection with bush tires in Albury district, New South Wales, possibly because sparks from engines caused the fires.

A man named M'Crorie, cook at Langledale station, was found dead in a room at Waihopia accommodation house near Blenheim yesterday morning. Deceased, who was aged 75, is said to have taken part in the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. There are at present in the Old People's Home 27 males and four fe-1 males, according to the report of the matron (Mis. Bayly). Since 7th December there were three admissions and four departures, while two deaths (R. Gray and P. Dale) occurred. A mean theft was perpetrated in Hawera recently, when one of the mission boxes in St. -Mary's Church was emptied of its contents, about live shillings in silver. There were two other boxes, but it happened that these had been cleared by the Vicar a morning or two before the theft was committed. For December month's operations the T. L. Joll Dairy Company will pay out £11,775. This is exclusive of what will be paid to Kaupokonui suppliers, whose milk has been delivered to the Joll Co. on account of the Kaupokonui fire. The Joll Company's output for December was 310 tons of cheese against 305 tons for the same period last year.—Star. The chairman of the Stratford County Council at yesterday's meeting again had occasion to refer to the state of the council's finances, and the necessity of going slow in authorising expenditure. When that day's accounts were passed for payment the overdraft would amount to £13,000. He warned them that there were only two ways of improving the position, putting up the rates, and keeping down the expenditure. A couple of days ago a man, who is employed at one of the camps at Mokoia, attempted to board a moving train at one of the crossings near Hawera, with the result that he was dragged over the cattle stop. The man managed' to swing himself on to one of the carriages. It was only ' the prompt action of the driver in pulling up the train that prevented what might have been a serious, if not fatal accident. It is understood that police proceedings will follow.— Star.

"For this time of the year there is a very healthy enquiry for town properties," remarked a New Plymouth land and estate agent to a newspaper man yesterday. "Much better than was thu case twelve months ago. In fact, from whatever cause—although I am inclined to put it down to a large extent to the restoration of confidence in our oil wells—it is satisfactory to note a much brighter tone pervading the community as a whole. The croakers seem to have been settled for the time being, which is a good job, eh?"

The steers shown at the various shows I>y Mr. W. -Birdling, and which were so successful in the prize list, paid the penalty of their size at the freezing works on Tuesuay. On being weighed yesterday the two five-year-old Shorthorns weighed respectively 1478 arid 1444 lbs., whilst the four-year-old Herefords topped the beam at 1207, 1222, Uiß2 and 1121 lbs. The fat talicn from them was 589 lbs., of which 181' went into oleo, 42 gut, and 420 was crown. Mr. Harding purchased the animals, which will be shipped Home by next steamer. —Waitara correspondent. On Tuesday night about eleven o'clock the rear of Messrs. Bennett and Sutton's warehouse was the scene of an exciting incident (says, the Hawera Star). It appears that Mr. Sutton was working in his office at the time. Hearing suspicious sounds he sent for the police. Sergeant Griffiths arrived shortly after and, witn the assistance of some residents who were attracted by the report of the incident, arrested three men, and after searching them at the station, lodged them in the lock-up. Two of the men gave considerable trouble, but the third submitted quietly. The importance of Taranaki's hinterland as a sheep producing and sustaining country is rapidly becoming more pronounced, and received a splendid advertisement by a large shipment of sheep which arrived at Stratford per rail yesterday afternoon. These sheep, to the number of 2040, were en route from Mangatera (near Dannevirkc) to Douglas. They were consigned to Mr. Phillips in thirty-four trucks, drawn by two large engines. One engine was a particularly large one, and the first of its class to come up this way. As the bridges on the Toko branch were not constructed to carry such heavy engines, the train was taken on by the little Toko engine, which had to take the freight from Toko to Douglas in two trips.

At the Stratford County Council meeting yesterday the chairman stated that when in Wellington he had made enquiries re the prospects of obtaining "metal from the Mt. Egmont quarry. He had not been able to interview the' Minister of Public Works on the question, but had seen the "next in command," by whom he was assurred that the Minister was in earnest in pushing on the matter, and, in fact, the engiiteer-in-chief was now in the district, and intended paying a visit to the extension with a view to satisfying, himself that the quarry located by the prospectors was a suitable one. He thought, however, there would not be the least hope that the quarry would be in going order withing 12 months. They hoped to be supplying stone in 12 months, but would be remarkably lucky if they were. From this, the chairman stated, the council could see that they would have to make other arrangements for this season's metal, and possibly also for next season as well.

The coming winter promises to see great progress at the port. Although the liarhor extension will not be completed, there is a prospect of three vessels arriving here from the Old Country. Taranaki merchants have arranged foi the sailing vessel Margit to load general merchandise at Liverpool for New Plymonth. This vessel, of which full particulars have not yet been received, is believed to be nearly double the size of the Viganella, which arrived here last winter from Liverpool. Tt is understood that she will bring about 2000 tons ol cargo. The Maoriland Shipping Co.'s new steamer Lauderdale, which is now approaching completion, will bring cargo to this port, but it is not yet definitely known when she will leave or whether she will sail for New Plymouth direct.. A fairlv law cargo is said to be offering. The National Dairv Association of New Zealand is arranging for the charter of a vessel to load fertilisers, etc., for New Zealand, and New Plymouth will be made n port of call. A sailing vessel was said to have been first sug" gested. but now it is believed the association is negotiating for n suitable steamer to berth at New Plymouth.

A £lO note lost in Auckland was advertised for, and live minutes afhr publication of tiie paper the note was returned to the ollice, anil the reward paid tothe finder. This .rave tha journal an opportunity to point out that advertising pays.

A visitor to the Kllerslie races, who had the good fortune to have a winning ticket, felt a hand bein« inserted into his pocket as )n\ was making towards the totalisntor to collect the dividend. He turned promptly and seized a man bv the throat, and 'held him until a sergeant arrived.

It is an old saying in Paris, as in America, that 'the profession of journalism leads to most things in life if one know* when to leave it, and there is a curious example of the fact in the new Ministry j for in the Briand Cabinet there are ten men, all of whom have been active journalists, and ten out of sixteen is a fairly good proportion. A painful accident befel the three-year-old son of Mr. Thos. Fyfe, of the W'hauwhtut Valley, Xorth Auckland, last week. The child went into the milking yard during milking operations to get a cup ot nmk when one of the cows made a savage rush at 'him. The beast's horn caught the little chap in the mouth and tore the chock almost to the ear. The doctor found it necessary to put twelve stitches in the wound.

Speaking at a social function at Xapier on Friday last, Mr. J. Vigor Brown, M.P., said that the prosperity of the East Coast was to be stimulated by an early commencement of the Xupie'r-Gisborne railway. The Ministry had fully considered the position, and had promised hini: that next year there should be put in hand a ten-mile section of the line commencing from the Xapier end of the route. The Ministry was quite aware of tha good prospects licfore suoh a line,, and of the certainty that settlement on a large stale, with a proportionate increase in the productiveness of the district, would follow its construction. He felt sure that his hearers would welcome the news. The district had striven for many years in this direction, and now was at 'last to witness the commencement of a return for its labors.

The Christchureh city engineer (Mr. Dobson) has replied as follows to the letter forwarded to him by the New Plymouth lwrough engineer:—''ln reply ioyour letter inquiring the cost of tarred footpaths and macadamised roads, the cost will vary so much with the nature of the surface and the prices of grit and tar that I qo not think our statement* will be of much use to you. It would be better for you to examine our surfaces and compare tiiem with those with which you have to deal. With tar at 4'/sd per galloa and grit at <fs per yard, a well macadamised road would cost you from 2d to 3d per square yard for two coats of tar and one of sand, the first coat to be allowed to dry. A single coat would cost from h'/jd to 2d, dependent upon the state of the surfaces. Our footpatJrs have cost us about the samt."

Writes a correspondent of the Bulletin:—Watching the Terra Xova digging away towards Taiaroa Heads, Port Chalmers recently, en route to the South Pole, I tried to persuade myself that it was the Pole the party was bound for, and not Davy Jones' locker. An old-time whaler of alwut 500 tons, the ship drawing Wit 3in, and had considerably less than i'it of freeboard. The dogs were accommodated on the top of the wheelhouse; dozens of bags of coal were piled on the ice-liouse and lasted to the miz-zen-mast;' tflerc were some even in the crow's nest. The quickest way to get from the bow to the stern of the ship wws to drop overboard and float aft. With V4?ry fine weather the party may get to its advertised destination; but if the weather is stowing its nasty temper down 'South Jonesey will probably have another consignment on his hands just at a time when it is natural to expect peace and mirth and goodwill to all men.

A few days ago a hammer-headed shark was scon close in shore at Arran Bav, near Cowes Bay, Wailieke (says the Auckland Herald). -Mr. C. lusley, a visitor, shot the monster, which was afterwards photographed. It measured lift from nose to tail, and, weighing as it did about Bcwt., it took several men to haul it ashore. Bathers on the harbor beaches arc at present much perturbed by reports that sharks have been seen in the harbor. It is stated that two large specimens cam* close in shore at Devonport on Saturday, one of them evincing a desire to form acquaintance with the occupants of a rowing boat. Considering that Aucklanders have no public bathing facilities worth mentioning, apart from the beaches, it is a great pity that such undesirable visitors should arrivi to further reduce the available water, But tihev ■strengthen very greatly the undoubted* claim -that the people of Auckland have upon the authorities for the construction of a sufficiency of baths. Rome very important resolutions have been discussed at a largely attended native gathering which took place recently at Taiporohenui, near Hmvera, those present representing Maoris residing between White Cliffs and Waitotara. It is very reassuring to learn that the tone of the meeting was distinctly favorable to social reform among the Maori people. The proposals adopted are of far-reach-ing significance, and show that the Marois are fully alive to what is necessary for the welfare of the race. Here are a few suggestions made by the president of the Union of the Maoris of the Corporation Area, who made an eloquent appeal to the tribes tn give careful consideration to the rcqiiircmiuts of the present and the future in their own best interests:— All Maoris within the area to make a stand amainst liquor drinking; co-operation to be sought with Uhe authorities in putting down all disorderly and unseemly behaviour within the district; all Maoris to return to the Faith, and a strict observance of the Sabbath to be kept; all Maoris to commence farming in deadly earnest. Really no more progressive resolutions could have been framed by a meeting of intelligent, patriotic, thoughtful Europeans.