LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 236, 10 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Midhirst school held its annual picnic at tne Henui beach yesterday in lovely weather. His Worship the Mayoi visited the beach during the day, and tendered the picnickers a welcome.

An old muii at the Napier Magistrate's Court the other day, on being asked his wife's age, stated that she was about sixty, "lint 1 can never get her exact age; all 1 know is that she is pretty ancient." A little girl,.aged seven, was bitten by a sheep dog at Dargaville. The animal was beaten oil', but again attacked the child, who was severely injured about the legs and arms, the llesh under the arm-pit and on the body being very badly lacerated. The reported misconduct of three youths in damaging some of the property at the East End Bathing Keservn was brought before the committee last night, when it was decided to request Inspector Tippins to see that the borough's property on the reserve is protected.

During a Holy Communion service at St. Stephen's Church, Ashburton, on a recent Sunday morning, a man, whose only wearing apparel consisted of a singlet and a pair of dungaree trousers, entered the church. After oll'ering to light one of the communicants, who remonstrated with him, he was persuaded to leavo the church.

The Hon. D. Buddo, Minister of Internal Affairs, states that an Order-in-Council has been made, under section 10 of the Gaming Amendment Act, 1911, that Art Union of London Tickets can now be sold. The sale of these tickets has been prohibited under the Gaming Act itir a few years, and the exemption is made because the art union is conducted solely in the interests of art. Mr. W. Bewley is the representative in New Plymouth. The other day a Nelson business man was forced through the Bankruptcy Court owing to pressure of his creditors. He had filed to protect his creditors, and subsequently paid 20s in the £ and had a surplus. The D.O.A. remarked that only on one occasion since he was in the position, 12 years, had an estate paid in full. Tho creditors met a few days later and presented the debtor with a leather travelling bag and his wife witli a leather bonnet-box.

The East End Bathing Committee have decided to hold another of their popular gatherings at the seaside on Thursday, February 23, from 4.30 to 9 p.m. An attractive programme has been decidca upon, including life-saving from the surf, football, strolling minstrels, buns and treacle, sketching competitions, singing competitions (comic and sentimental for amateurs), skipping (fancy), beauty show, racing in the surf, etc, concluding with a few good sky rockets and flares. A settler residing on the Egmont road lost a valuable draught foal last week under peculiar circumstances. He had tied the foal in a shed for a while, and on going to loosen it noticed that a packet of Cooper's sheep dip, had been knocked down from a shell overhead, and had been broken open. He examined the animal's mouth, but could see no traces of it having swallowed any of the contents, and accordingly turned it out with the mare. Within an heur and a half the foal was dead.

A meeting of the guarantors to thb proposed Mt. Egmont Hotel was held in the Town Hail last night to discuss matters in connection with the propos'al. Mr Newton King presided. Mr G. F. Robinson's report on the site was read, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Robinson. Those present were unanimous that there must be no delay il anything is to be done this season, and, after some discussion, it was resolved to adjourn the meeting until after a special meeting of the National Park Board, which will be held in a few days. There are very many Americans (says the New York correspondent of tlie Sydney Herald) who rank the yellow man Wu Ting Fang, for several years Ambassador for China at Washington, very little lower—if at all—than Emerson or Roosevelt, or even Lincoln or Washington. And at one American university, with 5000 students —more than a score of whom are Australians—a Chinaman last year took by vote second place, speaking English, of course, as a debater to send forth as a protagonist in oratorical contests with rival universities.

The Taranaki Bowling Tournament was concluded in splendid weather at Inglewood yesterday. The shield wan secured by the representatives of the Opunake Club, with Stratford as run-ners-up. The winners played consistently well from the start of the tournament, 'and at the conclusion of the second day's play they had a heavy mortgage on the trophy, never having met with defeat The pleasure of lowering their colors on the only occasion during the tournament was secured by Patea. The arrangements throughout were admirable, for which the Inglewood Club deserves congratulation. The turnament will be played on the Patea and Waverley greens next year. The proceedings at the Gisborne Borough Council's last meeting were of a lively nature, and the meeting extended until 2.30 a.m. The mayor complained that work was not being carried out in a proper manner and that the instructions of the consulting engineer, Mr. Marchant, were not being carried out. Councillors defended the local engineer. After a discussion, which wa« at times acrimonious, on a motion of censure against tho mayor, an amendment was carried by five to one, "That this council affirmi its continued faith in the ability of its engineer, and that it does not desire to hear any further criticisms of the engineer from his Worship the Mayor." The mayor voted in the negative. The mover and seconder of the original motion and two other councillors did not vote on the amendment. A New Plymouth lady writes as follows to the editor of the Feilding Star: "I was coming from the railway station the other evening with a parcel, which proved to be larger and heavier than I had expected, hut as I was making my way home as best I could 1 noticed a group of hoys in front of me. '1 wondered if they would make any remarks at my expense, but, to my relief, nothing of the kind happened. When I had passed on a little way I heard footsteps behind me, and a lad about IS years of age came up and asked me if he could carry my parcel for me. I gladly availed myself of his offer. He said his name was Charlie Bacon. 1 asked him if he were a Scout. He replied 'Yes,' and said that he was supposed to do such things. As 1 was passing a neighbor's house 1 had occasion to go in. I asked him if 1 should relieve him of the parcel, hut he said he would take it home for me. As he went off with it lie called out to ine to watch how easily and quickly he could carry it, .showing by his bright and cheerful manner that it was not only from a sense of duty, but also from the love of doing a kind action. Sir, I am sure you will join with me in hoping that Charlie. Bacon and his comrade Scouts may long be spared to do many such acts of kindness and courtesy."

Ladies, don't risk a substitute for Warner's celebrated corsets. Remember, every pair is guaranteed.—Advt.

The Wellington Gas Company's revenue for the last year amounted to £103,990. After payment of 10 per cent, for the year a "big sum of money was carried forward.

A Christchurch telegram reports that a fete was held in the public gardens there yesterday in aid of the Domain Board funds, and it is expected the total receipts will be close on £lOO6l. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before Mr. Fitzhcrbert, S.M., for riding cycles in Devon street at night without carrying lights, Bert Johnson and Joseph Hellyer were each fined 10s and 7s. A Wereroa farmer stated to a Levin Chronicle representative that lie did not remember such a year as the present for grass crops. "I have put more land under the plough than in any previous year, and yet 1 have more grass than at any period during ille time 1 have occupied this land."

w I The matter of the Waipuku bridge has been considered frequently by the Stratford and Taranaki County Councils. Finality in the matter seems now in sight, as at next meeting of the Stratford County Council Cr. Porritt will move: "That the council proceed with the erection of a ferro-concrete arch at Waipuku river." Says the Patea Press:—Owing to the formation of the shoal patch in the river, and neap tides, the local coastal steamers were unable to 'get out on their usual draught on Monday afternoon. Each vessel "had a buck at it," only to find their exit barred by a sand bank in the river. All the steamers thereupon returned to the wharf and were lightened to get out on Tuesday afternoon.

At the last meeting of the Patea Harbor Board the chairman (Mr. Pcarce, M.P.) urged upon members the advisability of exercising caution in the expenditure of money on new works. With Mew Plymouth on one side and Wanganui on the other, each doing its utmost to capture as mucli of the shipping trade as possible, there was no guarantee that the surplus revenue of the Patea Harbor Board would continue.

The Wellington people had great difficulty in understanding the leaders ot the Japanese Antarctic expedition on Wednesday when they landed, they not understanding English, and there being no interpreter available. The Chinese Consul-General, Mr. Hwang, came to the rescue, and though his knowledge of the Japanese language was very limited, he eventually succeeded in making them understand what the visitors required. They are taking a supply of canned provisions, fish, oysters, and fresh water with them. , . ~^.4!.'daft) It is singular how untoward circumstances sometimes decide the future. Referring to the death of the late Mr. Haylock, oae of the oldest inhabitants of Akaroa, who passed away recently at the age of seventy-eight, a southern contemporary states that the ship in whir* Mr. Haylock, his father and three brothers came out, the Monarch (in April, 1850), was really bound fov Auckland, but through stress of weather she put into Akaroa, where the passengers decided to settle. Mr, Ilaylook's father, started the first Hour mill in the Canterbury province. Deceased left a family of fourteen. We don't hear of many families of fourteen in these modern days in New Zealand.

Mr. (!. V. Pearce, M.P., who spent a holiday on Mount Egmont, asked by a Patea Press representative what he thought of the ppssibilities in the way of hydro-electric power from Mount Egmont streams, said the proposition could not be seriously entertained. One of the streams which he had heard mentioned as being eminently suitable for the purpose, he found to be quite dry some distance up, so much so, in fact, that his party had a picnic in the dray bed of the creek. Lower down the mountain it collected a few trickles here and there, but Mr. Pearce would not consider it seriously as a power producer, as its power could only be based on its lowest estimated capacity. Two successful Canterbury farmers, both of whom now occupy distinguished public positions, wcro discussing in Christchurch ou Saturday tho old days and the old methods (says the Times). ''Most of us," one of them said, "remember the time when we bad to borrow money to keep going, and had to pay 8, 10, 12 and even 15 per cent, on tirstcluss security, and were glad to jet the money at that price." The other replied that lie knew a farmer who, between thirty and forty years ago, paid as much ns 80 per cent, interest on money borrowed on a crop of oats. It was stated that the money-lenders of those days had at least two recognised charges. One was the interest and the other a commission of 10 or 12 per cent, for arranging the loan. Very often a year's interest was charged when the term of the loan extended over only a part of the year. Other charges were made, and it was not at all unusual for a borrower to find that he had to pay £SO for the accommodation of a loan of £IOO.