LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 241, 17 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Wanganui farmer had a Jersey calf valued at £OO killed by a pea-rifle bullet on Wednesday. The Mormons in Xew Zealand have just concluded a conference at Whangarei. They claim a membership of 5521 in the Dominion, which is said to be an increase of 457 for the year. Last week was a busy time at the Waitara Freezing Works (says the Waitara Mail), over 100 head of cattle per day being killed. There is a prospect of this state of affairs continuing for a while.

Practically every steamer arriving at Lyttelton from London has amongst her cargo motor cars and pianos. The Athcnie, which arrived last week, landed no fewer than seven motor cars from the hatch during one morning. During the present month an area of 1,840,180 acres of Crown land in New Zealand is to be thrown open for selection. Of this quantity only 3217 acres are in the Wellington province, and this area comprises two pastoral allotments. Water for domestic purposes is (says the Manaia Witness) a disappearing quantity in Manaia, and among matrons and housekeepers generally there is the same keen anxiety, on the subject of the weather as there is amongst the farmers. While leaning out of a window with a baby in her arms, Helen Mason, an 11-ycar-old girl, living in Dunedin, overbalanced and pitched into the street. The baby was unhurt, but the girl broke her right thigh, and had to be taken to the hospital, where she now lies. The young Now Zenlander is fairly sagacious, as has just been demonstrated in Mastcrton. A parent advertised a reward for the recovery of a lost dog. The son found the canine right enough; but, in order to secure the reward, he handed the animal over to a couple of his mates, who interviewed the delighted father and secured dollars itiflicient to keep the trio in s ickjaw for a month.

Vice-Admiral Sir Hedworth Lambton, who recently married the widow of Lord Chelsea, will be the largest beneficiary under the will of the late Lady Meux, who has left to him the bulk of her large fortune. It is believed that the net income from which will, be derived from the legacy he will receive willamount" to £20,000 a year. Lady Lambton herself will inherit a quantity of jewellery, including some priceless pearls. Lord Marcus Beresford, who was so long connected with Lady Meux's racing activities, has been left a valuable farm.

A very important point to West Coast lessees was raised by Cr. Maxwell at the Egmont County Council meeting on Friday. When the question of gravel royalty was alluded to, Cr. Maxwell said he believed the Public Trustee had no legal claim to a share of the gravel royalty in the terms of the lease, which reserved all mineral right, but not gravel royalty. The damage was done to the lessors' paddocks by carting over them, and he believed if a notice were served on the Council for the full 3d a yard royalty by a lessor he could claim it through a court of law.—Times.

The Rivcrdale dairy factory has felt the effect of the dry weather and grass shortage, the milk supply having fallen off by about 1600 gallons during the past month. In consequence of the decrease. a couple of vats have been put out of action, and only eight vats are now being used, sufficient to deal with present supplies. The milk supply during the full flush of the season was maintained for a longer period this year than usual, but the increase in the percentage of butter-fat, which is usually in evidence in the early autumn, is not so noticeable in that district as usual.

In connection with the aeroplane flight at Papakura, it is interesting to note that before many weeks have passed, Aucklanders should have the opportunity of witnessing further trial flights (says the Herald). Mr. W. Henning completed an aeroplane some'weeks ago, but has bean unable to give time to trial flights. Mr. llenning's machine is a monopianc. Three other machines are in course of construction in the city. The building of a monoplane has been taken in hand by Messrs Dexter and Crozier. Good progress with the work has been made, but pending the arrival from Home of parts of the machine, operations have been suspended. For some weeks Messrs Stevenson Bros, have been at work on an aeroplane, and very satisfactory progress has been made. The aeroplane is "now taking definite shape, and its completion is well in sight.

A circular letter from the Department of Agriculture has been forwarded to the various local authorities drawing attention to the amendment that was made last session in the Noxious Weeds Act, 1908. The amendment requires that special orders declaring noxious weeds must be notified to the Department, and duly gazetted. Formerly, although not laid down in the principle of the Act, some local bodies notified the Department, but others did not. The result was that in some cases the Department knew nothing of the action taken by the local authorities, and its inspectors took no steps to ■ :iforce the clearing of the weeds declared. It also notified that ragwort, or ragweed (Seneca Jacobia) had been removed from the third schedule and added to the second schedule. It is now a noxious weed throughout the Dominion, and need not be declared so hv special order.

Monday last was the anniversary of a sad episode, in t-lie troublous cnrlv history of New Zealand. Tlic Rev. J. Whiteley was an aged Wcslcyan clergyman, who had labored thirty-seven years in New Zealand. It was'his custom to ride to different outposts in Taranaki on Saturday to oflieiato on Sunday. On .February !•'!, ISO!), he, being tlion over sixty years of age, was proceeding to Pukearnhe, a blockhouse at the White flil!'-, "'here Lieutenant (Jascoigup and hifamily rc-ided. On that'.lav a small band of Maoris had descended on the redoubt and bad slain (Jascoiirne. his wife, three children, and two ICiisriislinien. As the missionary, after crossing the stream, began to ascend the hill on°\vhioli stood the redoubt, he was ordered bv Maori voices.to .go back. He rode on. A volley was fired, and his horse fell, lie was seen to kneel in an attitude of prayer. Another volley was fired, and the brave man passed away. The bodies were, taken- lo New Plymouth for interment, ami an obelisk was .erected in memory of the ei<rht persona thus sluu-di tered at the Cliffs. .." I

The usual monthly meeting of tin Harbor Board takes place to-day.

The Tariki School is holding its an. nual picnic at the Breakwater to-day.

At lawn tennis yesterday Fitzroy defeated St. Andrew's Club at Stratford by 149 points to 81.

As showing the splendid work being done by the new dredge, there is already sufficient deep berthage available to accommodate big ocean-going steamers.

A correspondent writes:—"There were over 105 names attached to that requisition to Rev. IS. S. Osborne published in your paper yesterday, but you only give 100. Please correct.

The domestic servant problem is apparently becoming acute in some parts of the Manawatu district. An advertisement is appearing in a Palmerston paper unking for the services of "a good general or boy for housework."

In the Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer, J.P., William Hart was convicted of drunkenness, it being his first conviction within the past six months; but he was re. manded to appear before the Stipendiary Magistrate on Saturday morning on a charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order against him.

Thursday has been fixed on which to hold the half-hojiday ju.thp St. Aubyn Town District. At the last meeting of the Board it was resolved that 10 per cent, would be added to all rates unpaid after March 1,; also that a letter be forwarded to the Taranaki County Council drawing its attention to the state of the South road through the Town District.

Mr. C. H. Poole, M.P., has been engaged to speak at -Eltham this evening, and his announcement for the Theatre Royal has been cancelled. Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., will speak as advertised, and will answer reasonable questions on the topic of his speech. Many will no doubt avail themselves of this opportunity of hearing Mr. Taylor, who has been in the forefront of Temperance Reform for the last twenty years. Local theatre-goers will be pleased to learn that the Katherine Grey Company will return to New Plymouth on 13th March with the spirited drama, "The Third Degree," which 5s by the same author as ■The Lion and the Mouse." No actress has made such a favorable impression as Miss Katherine Grey, who is acknowledged to be the best actress that lias so far visited New Zealand, and it is certain that a crowded house will await her.

A meeting of householders was held in the Borough Chambers on Wednesday evening to elect representatives to the Technical School advisory committee. The Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch) occupied the cliair. Mr. Ballantyne, director, and Mr. F. J. Heatley, organiser, were present. After Mr. Ballantyne had explained the purposes of the meeting, the chairman called for nominations for the position of elective members of the committee. Messrs. F. C. Bellringer and G. H. Dolby were duly elected. A meeting of the committee will be held shortly.

"A sale that will startle Taranaki" is how the Melbourne's great annual reduction sale which commences on Saturday is described. That the firm is out to smash all existing records is evidenced by the extremely low prices quoted in the sale inset published with this issue. As the sale is for a period of three weeks only, intending buyers • ill be well advised if they will niako their purchases early.