LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 25 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Timaru Harbor Board yesterday set up a committee to enquire about securing a small tug for the port.—Press wire. The Wellington City Council has decided to sell or let the right to place neat and suitable advertisements in the tram cars. Wirths' Circus is gaining quite a reputation as a rain-producer. In nearly every town where it has shown recently the first night's performance has ushered in beneficial showers, at least, as far as the farmers are concerned. Not even wet nights, though, can keep the crowds from "Wirths'."

A free and wonderful exhibition is to be given at 12.30 p.m. sharp to-day at j the Municipal Baths. Raymond, the gaolbreaker, who is with Wirths' Circus, is to be fettered and manacled, and thrown into the baths, whence he guarantees to emerge alive. The performance is said to be very interesting. At the Dunedin Police Court, George Austin, who defied the court by refusing absolutely to obey a maintenance order in respect of his illegitimate child, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The Magistrate, Mr. Widdowson, exhibited the utmost patience in what was a trying scene. "A bull" was spotted on one of the targets at the Rifle Association's meeting this week, but discovering his mistake, the marker telephoned to LieutColonel Okey, who was in charge at the firing party end, and stated that it was not a bulls-eye, but a "blow fly," which had risked alighting on the target! This is a true bill.

Air, Lysnar, Mayor of Gisborne, will leave for Wellington on Sunday to attend a conference of committees set up in different centres in connection with the handling of frozen produce in London. At the coference the whole positio will be discussed and the Premier interviewed before he leaves for London. Definite proposals will be brought before the conference for consideration. The conference will probably be held on March 1.

The meeting of the Wellington Farmers' Union Mutual Fire Insurance Association was held at Palmerston on Thursday. The report on business transacted for the quarter showed a considerable increase, over £20,000 in new proposals having been received. The total insurances in force were £150,000. The chairman reported that no claims for fires had been made during ten months, and the association was building up a good reserve fund. The Chief Postmaster advises that additional post office receiving-boxes have now been installed at the following streets in town:—Corner Pendarvcs and Eliot streets; corner Devon and Eliot streets; corner Devon and Hobson streets; corner Devon street and Belt road; corner South road and Belt road. The wall receiving-box at Mr. White's store, Courtenay street, will be closed forthwith. All the above boxes will be cleared twice daily, and are for letters only. How do accidents happen? Well, that is a matter of circumstances mostly. It is reported that a shootist on the Row? Rewa range at the Association meeting who had the misfortune to have his cleaning rod jammed in the bore, promptly put in a cartridge and "sent her off," with the object of clearing the j rod away. The result was as fortunatu ' as it was unexpected, as the discharge simply bulged the barrel. Had the unexpected not happened, it is difficult to surmise what would have had to be recorded.

On their next New Zealand tour, Wirths' Circus will bring with them the following world-famed "stars": The Flying Jordans, six in number; the Kitcheners, performers on the aerial bars; the Adelia Trio; the Meers Sisters, said to be ' the finest equestriennes in the world; Ryan, a Dutch comedian; twelve artists in all. These artists were specially engaged by Mr. Geo. Wirth in the United States a few days ago. They sailed to-day for Sydney, where they are due to arrive on March 20, in time for the Sydney season, which commences on April 1 next.

At the annual meeting of the Inglewood Fire Brigade the following officers were appointed: Captain J. W. Rolston (re-elected); Lieut..C. Reid (re-elected); secretary, Geo. Lamb; first foreman, E. Harvey; second foreman, S. Hutton. Captain Rolston was elected delegate to attend the annual conference at Hokitika. The Brigade is now in a very satisfactory condition, several hundred feet of new hose having been obtained and a new drying rack erected. During the year fires were very scarce. There were several false alarms and a few chimneys ablaze, but no actual conflagration.

We are informed by the secretary of the Taranaki Employers' Association that the New Zealand Federation, which is doing so much good for employers in connection with the labor laws, has now received word from the Labor Department that section 13 of the Shops and Offices Act will not be interpreters to interfere with any partner who may be engaged in his shop behind closed doors—that is to say, so long as he is not engaged in or assisting in the sale or delivery of goods after the hours fixed for Assistants. This will give some idea of the good work that is being done by the Federation, and shows the advantage of employers federating for their own protection.

Residents in the vicinity of the Otaki railway were afforded a touch of sensation when a bull, hailing from Te Horo, made two or three short calls at the various shops . His' stay, however, was very brief, but the occupants of the shops stayed for a lesser period, the intrusion of the animal occasioning some hasty retreats. On entering Mr. Barrett's bootmaker's ■ shop the animal lacerated itself in pushing through the doorway. He inspected the premises, and then passed on to Mr. Cockrell's. Mr. LandaH's premises received the next call, and then the bovine passed on to Mr. Ilartgill's new building. After careering round for a while, he entered Mr. Cornish's shop, hut hard, solid bars of iron, wielded by strong arms, drove him out. He was last seen charging along the road, and wearing what could only be described as "a worried look." Dominion. There is no alteration noticeable in financial conditions since the time of our last report (remarks the current issue of the Trade Review). The season's produce is going forward in good volume and continues to realise, on the whole, satisfactory prices. , . . Wool lias been going forward in larger quantity than hist season, but shipments appear to be falling oil' somewhat now, and it is anticipated that the sea.son when completed will hardly equal the previous one. t)n the other hand, imports are increasing steadily, and this will tend to diminish the available funds in the hands of the banks. The Post Oflice Savings Hank returns for li) 10 show a verv heavy increase in the excess of deposits over withdrawals, amounting in the year to £1,0)3,424. This and the bank returns which we reviewed in a previous issue show that there is an amide supply of money available for all legitimate requirements.

The mortgage tax collected in New Zealand for the year 1909 was £168,318 os lOd.

Native owners in New Zealand paid the enormous sum of £212 Os 9d in land tax during the year 1909-10.

The Pahiatua Herald states that cats are playing havoc among the rabbits in some parts of the Alfredton district. The total number of persons who paid land tax in New Zealand last year was 1!),7!I4. Of thi* number, 48 paid over £SOO each in taxation.

There were in August last 5455 occu-pation-with-right-of-purchase settlers in New Zealand, holding 1,758,405 acres of land.

The Manaia High School has been disestablished as from February 1. The Education Hoard regretted the necessity, but had no option, as the average attendance had not exceeded eleven.

Blenheim, one of the oldest established towns in the Dominion, is' about to go in for a water supply and drainage system, the proposed loans being £28,000 for water supply, and £36,000 for drainage. During the year ending March 31 last there were 798 Crown land defaulters in New Zealand, in respect of non-residence conditions. There were also 930 who failed to effect the improvements required under the Act.

As showing the serious effects of the drought iu the Otekaikc settlement, a Timaru Herald reporter was told that one farmer whose usual order for sacks wa* 3000 had this year reduced it to 300.

'While lying on the sands at Tahuna after bathing, a youth was bitten in the shoulder by a katipo spider (reports the Nelson Colonist). He was attended by two doctors, and is getting on as well as can be expected.

Mr. Upton Sinclair, of "The Jungle" fame, in a recent article advocates fasting as a curative agent, and he says '•there are sanatoria in America where hundreds of people fast. A twenty or thirty day.,' fast occasions no more remark than a good golf score*

A New Zealand commodity that commands an extensive sale in .South Africa is white pine, used in the manufacture of butter boxes. The demand is likely to increase so long as the supply holds out.

Prices for grass seed are likely to be abnormally high in the Dominion this season. There have been large shipments of New Zealand-grown seed to the United States, and the local harvest has been everywhere much lighter than usual.

A Wellington paper states that the farmers who have given employment to the Sedgwick boys on the whole report very favorably upon the general appearance and willingness of the boys, but their adaptability for the life yet remains to be proved. Elephants are known to have lived for 300 years. The biggest animal with Wirths' Circus is over 120 years old. The hippo., which was such a centre of attraction for young and old yesterday, is but three years of age. Jts weight is said to be over three tons. A hippo is not fully developed until it reaches nine years.

Hearing groans and a sound of thumping from the grave of a man who had been buried the day before, some inhabitants of a village in Roumania took to their heels. Later an exhumation was ordered,.and the doctors found that the man had been buried alive, and had died of heart failure just before the grave was opened. It is stated that a good many men are now out of employment at Napier, and many more would be shortly. It was hoped that the expenditure of loan money would tide them over the winter. They should come to Taranaki, where l\\c Railway Department is crying out in vain for men for the Stratford railway works.

-Mr. Percy Smith and Dr. Newman for some time past have been working at tlio origin of the Maori. The former believed that yierace came from India. During .his stay in England, Dr. Newman visited many museums in pursuit of his subject, and met many learned men. He also read a paper before the British Association, and at the Anthropological Society. In India and Java he prosecuted research, and met learned men there also. He found many things confirmatory of the view that the Maoris came from India. >Hc hopes shortly to publish a book on the subject. Mr. J." J. Meiklc, who left for London ■the other day, took with him full and complete data of his imprisonment, exculpation, and the manner in which his case had been dealt with by the Seddon and Ward Governments, up to the time of the payment of the £2500 voted by Parliament last session. Mr. Meiklc declares that he intends to tell the people of England about what he terms his ''criminal treatment" by the Government, and that he will be in London at the Coronation, to confront Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. Dr. Findlny on their arrival. He assures them of a warm welcome, and a hot time in the Old Country. It is a thousand pities that he received the i' 2500 from Parliament, a payment that cannot be justified. The granting of the money to Meikle was one of the most scandalous acts ever perpetrated by a body of men in charge of the public's purse.

New Plymouth is fortunate in the possession of several fine beaches (says the Kltham Argus). The East End Bathing Reserve has become very popular by reason of the energy which has been displayed in making improvements and providing necessary facilities at,that spot. Xow the Fitzroy people are also coming into the field, and will endeavour to emulate the East Enders. Some of the leading spirits at Fitzroy have a proposal under consideration which may be novel at New Plymouth, but which is considered ol«olete and old-fashioned in other places where surf-bathing is indulged in. They object to mixed bathing, and propose to erect posts to mark the line of demarcation between the sexes, the male element taking their dip on one side of the posts, and the females on the other. They would be all close together, but Mother Grundy would apparently be satisfied so long as the sexes didn't "mix." In the event of an accident the men would be handy enough to come to the rescue and fish a wet girl out of the waves. Barring accidents, the men must keep on their own side of the posts. This is the construction to be placed' upon the conversation of a Fitzroyitt* who was in Eltham to-dav.

YOU SHOULD BEAR IN MIND That r>y usrng we uommerciai eucalyptus Oil, which is now bought up at 8d per lb. weight and bottle, and, on account of the large profits, pushed, you are exposing yourself to all the dangers to which the use of turpentine will expose you—irritation of kidneys, intestinal tract and mucous membranes. By insisting on the GENUINE SANDER EUCALYPTI EXTRACT you not only avoid these pitfalls, but you have a stimulating, safe and effective medicament, the result of a special and careful manufacture. Remember: SANDER'S EXTRACT »m----bodies the result of 50 years' experience and of special study, and it does what is promised; it cures and heals without injuring the constitution, ns the oils on the market frequently do. Therefore, protect yourself br rejecting other brands. . . . . ~

A largely attended public receptions was tendered to Garrison Band at Wanganui last evening. Mr. D. Kemp, Patea, has sold Ills farm of 313 acres to Mr. Hill, of Palnierston North. The price was £45 per acre. The rumor that Mrs. Cameron had been lost on the Mountain side oa Thursday afternoon was fortunately unfounded (says the Stratford Post). Owing to the prolonged drought and the scarcity of feed everywhere round about Nelson the entries of sheep at the sales are very large, and good store lambs have been recently quitted at 5s per head and under.

Settlers had a very anxious time in the neighborhood of Huiroa during last week (says the Post). Grass fires were jraging in all directions, settlers having from 250 to 500 acres of grass completely burned. The fires spread with such rapidity that most of the settlers were compelled to shift all their household goods, and vehicles of all descriptions were put into use to convey them to & place of safety. Mr. G. Syme's mill was also in great danger, and it was only the strenuous efforts of a willing gang of men that saved it from destrftetion. Some fifty men were busily engaged* at the time, on shifts, and'managed to save the mill, although a good deal of damage was done, including the burning of several tram bridges and lines, the result of which compels the mill to close down for a time in order to get things put in order again.