LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 239, 14 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day is the forty-second anniversary of the White Cliffs massacre.

A law has been promulgated in France protecting genuine champagne. The population of Sydney is estimated at (121,t-A), an increase for the vear of 15,200.

The Native Land Court opens on the loth inst., when it is expected the sittings will last for a week. Arrangements are being completed in Paris to establish Greenwich time at a given date, within a fortnight. The 4.25 p.m. train from New Plymouth will be delayed till 0.25 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, on account of the races at New Plvmouth.

The New Plymouth Swimming Club acknowledges the receipt of a donation of £1 towards the club's carnival prize fund, and the committee has allotted it as the prize in the G6 yards ladies' bracelet.

Some huge boulders are being lifted from the harbor bottom in connection with the dredging operations at the Breakwater. Yesterday there were three stones lifted, each weighing about a ton, and numerous smaller ones.

Owing to the scarcity of men, a number of farmers' daughters are. assisting in the work of stacking grain in the Ashburton district, which proves that in cases of emergency they can emulate women who helped in the pioneer settlement of the Dominion.

The recent gale caused so much sand to accumulate on the railway line at the Breakwater that the lines had to he cleared each day before the trains could proceed. Yesterday men were engaged in clearing up after Sunday's gale, and close on 100 tons of sand had to be moved. Some remarkable facts were stated regarding child labor in the country at a meeting of the Auckland Country Teachers' Association. Towards the end of last year circulars were sent out to tho teachers of country schools, asking for particulars in connection with the effect of child-labor on the work of the children attending these schools. It was shown by the replies that a great number of children had to work very hard before and after school. One return showed that a child haa to milk thirteen cows night and morning, whilst quite a number of the returns showed children milking seven cows.

A narrow escape from drowning, in which a Boy Scout named Knight did excellent work, occurred at the Henui railway bridge yesterday morning. A little chap named Kopcr, aged 3'/ 2 years, was fisliing with his mate Pepperell, aged about five years, when Roper fell into the water, which was nearly five feet deep. Pepperell ran and told Mrs. Scammel], of Molesworth street, but Knight happened 011 the scene and pullpil little lioper out and resorted to artificial restoration to bring the boy back to consciousness. Mrs. Scannell had the boy taken to her house, and later, under Dr. Fookes' treatment, he recovered. Boylike, Roper's first utterance on becoming conscious, was to ask for his fishing line. Scout Knight is deserving of all praise for his action during the incident, as there can be 110 doubt he saved a life.

Writes the Canadian correspondent of a contemporary:—During the dark days now with us, a perfect epidemic of crime lias broken loose in the city. It may he traced to the cleaning out process which has recently taken place in the American cities of the coast. Thugs, sneak-thieves, and hold-up men—to cmploy the vernacular—have plied their trade with amazing impudence. Only a short time ago a suburban bank was rifled of all the money on its counters while spectators looked on, and almost daily men arc robbed at the point of the gun. Our police force is good, as far as it goes, but in common with many other public institutions it needs to be brought into line with the phenomenal growth of Vancouver in the last few years. We have only one policeman to every 10-lU imiabit.ints, or one officer to patrol ninety city blocks. There wore .some twenty women barristers at the recent great centenary dinner to the Bar in Paris. They formed but a fraction of the great assembly, but tbpy were certainly not. the least interesting part of it. Tt is related of one lady barrister that owing to her golden locks and youthful appearance, a shortsighted judge ordered the usher to "remove that child from the Court." If ladies are ever admitted to the Bar here where the ceremonial is so differentit remains to be seen if they will be compelled to wear grey wigs. If so, their appearance after a day in court will be very unattractive (states an exchange). The masculine wig is presumed to be" for the purpose of adding dignity to the appearance of the counsel,' but a barrister's wig, when elevated on even the plainest dressing of a lady's hair, suggests obvious dillicultics. Perhaps, before the (irst lady is called to the liar, the quaint custom of wearing the wig will be abolished.

H - Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. Tischt, ehai.man of the Pioneer Settlers' Memorial Committee, explained to a meeting of members that the contract for erecting the obelisk at Motnroa was let for .WO, that good progress was being made with the work, and that it would be necessary to collect a further sum to provide an'iron fence. The committee discuwd a programme for the unveiling ceremony, which will take place on Friday, March 31. the. anniversary day of Taranaki. Tile pioneer settlers will assemble in Brougham street, and form a procession and march to the rail-, way station, and proceed by train to! the site of the obelisk. It has been suggested that a ladv pa.ssenger who arrived in the first vessel be asked to unveil the panel mi which is to be inscribed the names of the first six vessels that arrived at Motimm. A large iuar<|iiee will be creeled near (he sile of the obelisk, | in which I nlichen!) ~-ill lie provided. A small commit( ee was set up lo make the necessary arrangements.

'IT:KTII!\'<; UMRIiIIOE.I. Teelliimr diarrhoea can n-lieved verv quickly with Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy. There is hardlv nny other ailment that pulls baby down so quickly, and you should not let it continue an hour, hut gi-t Chamberlain's colie, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy

The ratepayers' meeting in connection with the borough loan proposals takes place this evening at the Town Hall. Cabinet yesterday decided that New Zealand should be represented at Glasgow Exhibition this year.—Press Association.

The caretaker (.Mr. \V. W. Smith) of Pukekura Park has been busy of late clearing up and ,inning all the dead leaves and material lying around, so as to prevent; any lire getting a hold in the place at so very dry a time as tile present.

Some unusually big eels have been taken from the Waipoua river of late. Ihe Wairarapa Daily Times learned from Mr. C. Bannister that he and .Mr. Duckett had recently caught a 251b eel, while a 201b eel had' been caught bv Mr Campbell, and a 221b eel by ilr. Field, the record catch, however, was madebv Jackie, the Maori, who caught three eel's at different dates weighing 101b, 301b, and 551b respectively. ' The Minister for Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie) has received reports from the orchard instructors upon the fruit crops of the Dominion. Regarding laranaki and Wellington West, the instructors state thfu in the southern portion apples were good, and in the northerri portion fair. Pears were moderate, and Japanese plums very heavy, contrasting with Luglinli plums, which were light. Peaches were light to moderate. In Nelson peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, were heavy. Raspberries were poor.

There was quite a wireless seance in the head olliee laboratory of the Post and Telegraph Department in Nathan's Buildings, Wellington, on Wednesday last. Among those present were the Prime Minister, General God ley, Captain Spencer-Smith, Mr D. Robertson (Secretary to tne Post Olliee), Mr Buckley (chief electrician), and a few of the smartest telegraph operators from the office. Communication was established with the Huddart-Parker steamer Ulimaroa, then en route from Port -Chalmers to Lvttelton, and an animated conversation was maintained for some time, the reading and sending beinjg quite clear at both ends.

According to a colonist who has just returned after nine months' residence in the Old Country, Now Zealand products arc becoming very favorably known in London and other cities of Britain. Many consumers have got the habit of asking for New Zealand butter, for instance, arid it i< only necessary that the quality of our produce should be kept up to ensure an increasing consumption. The Dominion was generally credited with being very prosperous, and the only fear in financial and other circles seemed to be that we might go ahead too fast. In some quarters the impression existed that we were always borrowing money, and that if we required any advice it was to be cautious.

It may not be generally known (say.s an exchange) that the 'late Sir Clias. Dilke visited New Zealand in 1881), having made the passage in one of the old Panama steamers. He also spent some time' on the then wild West Coast diggings, and drove through the Otira Gorge to Canterbury. He was also in Manawatu, walking up the beach from Wellington, and swimming the Ohau, which he found a rather trying experience. He accompanied the first superintendent, Dr J. E. Feather.ston, to the great gathering at Parewanui pa in December, lSOlf, when the purchase money for the Manawatu block was paid over to the owners. Sir Charles had always a warm corner in his heart for New Zealand, and took a deep interest in everything concerning it. He was greatly taken with Wellington in those far back (lays, long before the Empire City's i'anie and prestige, when tne "little fishing villace" and its environments had a clmrm all of their own.

The scarcity of labor threatens to be a serious affair at Te Kuiti and surrounding districts (writes the New Zealand Herald's correspondent). Very few men can be got, and there is a great deal of work. Besides a big amount of money being spent by local bodies and on Government works, much employment is offering as the result of private enterprise. Contractors and laborers are in demand, and many men will be required for months to come. Apart from the ordinary revenues available by the local bodies for expenditure, there is £/4,000 available for roamng and railway purposes, made up as follows:—Borough loan £30,000, Waitomo County loans £•■>s.ooo. Government road works £lO,000, Railway Department £6OOO, Government grants to be spent by County Council £3OOO. The farmers are also looking for help, and find it impossible to secure men. Upwards of 20,000 acres of bush was felled during last season, and all that has to be grossed and most of it fenced. Agricultural men are also wanti c-d and all kinds of farm hands.

"Already, as Kdison tells us, we can read a word through 31} inches of solid wood." says Collier's Weekly. "Of the unguessed currents and forces which play through a little room we are only at the beginning of knowledge. Within the present generation medicine suddenly leaps into a new realm, annexes the kingdom of mind, and assaults disease from a fresh vantage ground. Religion adds to her old-time emphasis of individual righteousness a new vision of social justice, ealini" on the fresh springs of science, wiuout forgetting the old wells of sympathy, to irrigate and fertilise poverty and ignorance. The law itself, too often felt to lie the enemy of the downtrodden and the tool of the astute, is turning its ability towards shackling hostile manifestations of massed wealth. Increasingly, industry seeks the eflicieney, health, and goodwill of lots of workers. Quietly, in a million of homes, life i.s well lived, honorably ended. Education both widens its own domain and spreads itself among the unlearned. The desire for peace at home and abroad gains on men's unruly impulses. Sectionalism and tactions die out. Civil wars are forgotten. The goal of the ages is nearer than it was a lllou.sand years Ago; nearer than a hundred years ago."

Tim usual fortnigntlv meeting of the Loyal Egmont Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., was heid last evcninjr, N.O. Tiro. Mntheson presiding. There was a fair attendance of mouthers, male and female, and two candidates were proposed for membership. The district officers. D.G.M. Bro. Burgess and C.Scc. Bro. ('. E. Bellringer, pa id flieir annual visit to the lodge, and wore accorded lodge honors. lm thanking Hie lodge for their reception, Bro. Bur-ge-\s made special reference to the illness of the Prov. 1 >ro. F. K. Hardy, who would have been present if his health had permitted, ami an unanimous wish was expressed that the worthv brother would soon be restored to fulfil his (intie.-. Corr. Sec. I'ellringcr referred to the position of the Order throughout (lie district, and was pleased to state that the order was progressing, and everyivlioro the district officers had been most cordially received. P.G. A. It. Carinas prijfsenti'd wiin a framed Past 0111ci"'-" I'jj'bleni. and a similar firesnntation was mijde to p.C. A. .1. Duller. Bro. Duller having |,.ft t.lie district, P.P.U.M. received the emWem on his beiia!f. 'I he presentation was miule liy M. Ilurgess, who impressed on the v«iw:r;T I'iemliprs the advisabilitv of ;1 ,(- J ending their louyes ami .qualifying for their decreet. The district officers tonlerred degnV.Ooif memhers qualified to receive tham,