LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 245, 22 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Land Board transacted an exceptionally large amount of business at their meeting yesterday. A whole family, father, mother ami daughter—were committed to a mental asylum by the Dunedin Magistrate last week.

"Competitive examinations do not bring out the best that is in people, and sometimes they even bring out the worst."—Mr. H. Rider Haggard.

Sentenced to death in 1864 for the attempted assassination of Garibaldi, and subsequently reprieved, Antonio Cutelli, a Calagriiin brigand, has been released from the prison of La Fanignan. At the local court yesterday morning one first offending inebriate was convicted and discharged, and another, 1 who did not appear, was fined ss, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Mr. Fitzherbert, S.M., was on the bench. The clan of Williams flourishes like the green bay tree (says last Wednesday's Hastings Tribune). The other day there were about fifty .members of the family staying at the Masonic Hotel, Napier, the occasion being a wedding. The Defence Department has granted a further and final allowance to Sergt.Major Armitage in full settlement of claim for loss duo to an attack of typhoid caused, it is alleged, through an inferior water supply at the Kitchener camp.

The Fitzroy Town Board last night appointed Messrs. Kibby, Cutfield and Jackson as a deputation to wait upon the Taranaki County Council in regard to the weir recently constructed in the VVaiwakaiho river, for half of the cost of whose maintenance the Board is responsible, A contingent of competitors arrived in town last evening in readiness for the Taranaki Rifle Association meeting, which commences to-day. The Rewa Rewa range is stated to be one of the best in the Dominion, and the executive have the arrangements thoroughly completed, so that with splendid entries the meeting promises to most successful. In addition to those acknowledged yesterday, the secretary of the Taranaki Rifle Association has received the following donations to the association's funds:—J. K. Hawkins and Co., 2s, Nixon and Nixon 2s, J. Abbott ss, Hooker Printing Company, Ltd., ss, E. Dingle as, McEwen Bros. ss, Bcllringcr Bros, Ltd., ss, A. Lovegrove ss, and Friend 2s 6d.

Inspector Tippins reports that already he has secured 98 drivers' licenses in the town, and hopes to reach the century before the end of the financial year. On the first day of the races he "copped" a motor-ear man from as far away as Opunake, and relieved him oi fifteen shillings as license fee. The inspector made a real haul on the Agricultural Show days, enriching the borough funds by £2 10s on the first day.

In the following cases heard before Mr. Fitzherbert, S.M., at the local court yesterday morning, judgment was given for plaintiffs by default:—L. D. Nathan and Co. (Mr. C. H. Weston) v. E. Harrison and Co. (Hawera), claim £l2B Is lOd, costs £6 4s; G. G. Boulton (Mr. A. Standish) v. Walter Terrill, claim 8s fid, costs 8s; same v. William Hart, claim £1 (is, costs , r >s; M. Jones (Mr. A. Johnstone) v. Clias. Ed. Street, claim £29 14s Bd, costs £2 17s.

The Elthain and Waiongona picnic at To Hcnui beach on Thursday promises to be a big affair, as at the same time the East End committee's picnic will be held on the beach. A varied programme has been arranged, and there will be plenty of fun and healthy enjoyment. The swimming events in the Henui river arranged by the East End committee will commence shortly after four oclock, and the sports will continue until 10 p.m. Hot water will be provided for visitors.

In the defended case, Taranaki County Council v. James 11. Sheppard, of Vogeltown, claim lis Id rates in arrcar, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, plaintiffs were non-suited. Defendant, who conducted his own defence, produced a "final notice" for £3 5s and receipt from the Council for that amount. The clerk, Mr. Ellis, stated that the amount sued for was for balance of special rates which he had omitted to put in the notice, but which had been included in the rate demand. His Worship (Mr. Fitzherbert, 5.M.,) said he had no evidence that the demand was made in terms of Mr. Ellis' statement, and he was also not satisfied witli the explanation as to how the amount of tin; claim was made up.

The train which is due to arrive in New Plymouth at 7.28 p.m. did not reach its destination until 7.45 p.m. — seventeen minutes late—last night. The train was late when it left Stratford, and though an attempt was made to make up a little time, this was rendered impossible by the amount of shunting that had to be done at wayside stations. The train was stopped outside the Tnglcwood signal for a few minutes, whilst the local stationmaster boarded it, in obedience to instructions, and politely and carefully examined the ticket, of every passenger. Everything being found correct, the train was allowed to proceed. The opinion of several passengers who had engagements in town at 7.'io on this piece of departmental red-lape in thus delaying a train which hadlv needed 'Speeding up." would make inferesting reading. A simpler system of ticket checking is desirable in the interests of the travelling F'Wfc-

There was a very good attendance at a capital swimming Bports meeting for boys and girls yesterday, inaugurated by the Mayor. Details will appear tomorrow.

A witness in the Magistrate's Court in Invercargill stated that some farmers of Southland employed Chinamen to do fencing work tor them. A farmer justified the practice recently by saying that white labor was scarce and the work was urgent.

Wearers of glasses have noticed how they become dun when subjected to a sudden change of temperature—as, for instance, when the wearer goes from the cold oikcr air into a warm room. This may be prevented by rubbing the glasses with soap every morning. They may be polished bright alter the soap is applied; but an invisible film is left on them that will prevent the deposit of moisture. Prophesying is a very dangerous business (says a writer in the Uunedin Star). -Mr. Clement Wragge predicted a year of great drought in Australia and NewZealand. Nature has responded with tremendous Hoods in some parts of Australia and a most unusual greenness in other parts. New Zealand has been a bit dry in spots, but that was only because very heavy rains on the West Coast involved drought and nor'-westers on the East Coast. Mr. Wragge must try not to go more than a week ahead.

Tho proposal to establish a district high school at Opunake was brought before the Education Board last night by a letter from the Opunake school committee. The Board was in favor of establishing the school, provided the requisite number of pupils is guaranteed, and the Opunake School committee will be asked to make full enquiries throughout the district as to the probable attendance at such a school, and to forward to the Board a complete list of the names, ages and qualifications of intending pupils. For several years past the Government has been trying to obtain live specimens of the huia, and several expeditions that have been fitted out have returned without meeting with any success. Among many people it is thought that the huia has gone the same way as the moa and other native birds. This omnion, however, seems to be a little premature. We have met several enthusiastic expert ornithologists (say 9 an exchange) who are quite certain that the huia is not extinct. The'latest information is itat in the direction of Mount Holdsworth (Wairarapa) the distinctive notes of the bird have been heard.

At the fust annual meeting of shareholders of the Fitzroy Tanning Co., Ltd., on Monday night, the chairman of directors (Mr. W. Healy) stated that the prospects of the company were very bright. The demand for the company's leather was, such that the capacity of the works was taxed to supply orders. Patents for the manufacture of leather by the new process of .tanning had been obtained in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and other leather producing countries. The question of disposing of the foreign patents was being considered by the directors. Mr. W. Healy and Mr. G. H. Lindstrom (retiring directors) were re-elect-ed, and Mr. C. T. Mills was appointed auditor.

The woman of pioneer type who could swing an axe or handle a shovel, as well as preside in the region of domestic affairs, is not so common as she used to be (says the Dominion), but she is not yet extinct. A local resident strolled through a settlement not far from Wellington the other day, and observed the wife of a settler ably assisting her husband in a bit of pick-and-shovel • work. The task in hand was that of "trenching" the section. While her husband labored at the bottom of the trench, the woman cast the spoil over a distance of eii'ln feet. She had perfect command 'of her shovel, according to the observant passerby, and appeared to rather like the exercise than otherwise. Further on, the traveller came across a couple of women energetically employed in grubbing gorse. No girl cares to postpone her wedding a day if it can be avoided. She is sometimes slow to name the date for the happy event, but when once her mind is made up on the subject she usually objects to any hitch in the arrangements. At Cambridge on Wednesday last, Mr. Eggo, of Napier, and Miss Smart, a local girl, were married by the Rev. W. Gow. Last week Miss Smart was one of the occupants of a buggy that capsized in the French Pass road some miles out from Cambridge, as the result of which she sustained a broken arm and other painful iqjuiies. In spite of this she kept to her agreement, and went through the marriage ceremony on the day appointed. An editorial note in the Journal of the Department of Labor, signed by Mr. Edward Tregear, is as follows:—"The present issue of the Lahor Journal is the last which I shall have the honor of editing. For eighteen years the publication has held its own, and has been the means of giving information and causing thought to many readers. If, as has been alleged,, 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,' then the authors of the Labor Journal have reason to consider it a success, for it has been the elder brother of similar official publications among every nation engaged in industrial work. Therefore the sorrow which attends the 'good-byes' uttered as one grows old is softened by the thoughts that hands full of vigorous youth will uphold the standard. Farewell!" It is interesting to note in these days of small families (says the Otago Daily Times) that! the prize given bv the fruiterer? at their fourth annual'picnic for the lady with the largest family on the picnic ground was won by a comparatively young-looking woman, who, although having left some at home, produced nine children for inspection by tinjudge. She was accompanied bv her mother, husband and two sons-in-law and three grandchildren, and they made a fine, healthy and intelligent-lookin" group, which would he a credit to any community. Another interesting point was the difficulty which the judges had in coming to a decision as to which wan the heaviest baby under twelve months old. Two babies, a boy and a girl, drawing the same weight dressed, had to be stripped and weighed without clothes. The boy (almost seven months old),proved the winner, turning the -eale at ■>%% lb, beating the girl by 4oz.