LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 279, 18 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There was quite a large influx of visitors to New Plymouth during the holidays. A campaign against rats is being undertaken in Ilawera, where the rodents are said to be plentiful. Highly complimentary reports are reaching the Dominion of the quality of New Zealand cheese this season. The Gjtrrison Baud discoursed a programme of music at Pukekura Park on Sunday afternoon to an appreciative audience. A conference of delegates from the Ilawera, Patea and Waitotara County Councils is being arranged to discuss the bylaws relating to vehicular traffic and motor cars. For the first tim# in New Zealand's history this year witnessed a train census. The Main Trunk express, outward bound from Auckland on the night of Sunday, the 2nd instant, had to render an account of its passengers. The Moa Road Board evidently lives well within its means. The balancesheet for the past year shows that during that period the sum of 17s Gd has been paid for interest on overdraft. The annual rate that the board has to work on amounts to £1997 Ss 2d. Four shipments of frozen mutton and lamb from the new Waingawa works Wairarapa) have reached the Old Country. The whole of the shipments have been sold at satisfactory prices. Tlj.e price obtained for one shipment was equal to the best Canterbury. What industry and perseverance can do is well illustrated by a Levin brickmaker and bricklayer. Two years ago he started to build a brick residence for himself. In his spare time, bit by bit, the work was done, till at last a fine brick residence is the result of his labors. A young man met with a peculiar accident at Beaconsfield the other day (says the Feilding Star). He was helping to rope an old boar which had been used for a greasy pig competition, when the animal turned and ripped his leg above the knee, making a long, deep wound. The victim suffered great pain, and the wound caused much loss of blood. In the Police Court on Saturday morning, before Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer, J.P., a first offending inebriate was convicted and discharged. His Worship, however, intimated that the Bench of Justices was determined to deal effectively, if possible, with the drunkenness in New Plymouth, and offenders might not be so leniently dealt with, in future. A resident of Nelson makes the proposal that the Land Tax Department be abolished, thus saving from £30,000 to £40,000 per annum, and that the valuation be made by the local whom the tax should be levied, and to whom it should be paid. Some might levy '/id, some %(1, some Id, according to their requirements; all subsidies to be abolished. A Feilding settler has been carrying on exhaustive tests both in his district and the Rangitikei of a remedy for the extermination of Californian thistles. He claims that so far the results have been entirely satisfactory, and after a certain period the thistle can be dug out or pulled in a perfectly dead state to the extreme end of the root shoots. Trials are to be held under the supervision of leading farmers. Another of the pleasant "Happy Hours Assemblies," conducted by Mrs. O'Driscoll, was held in the Brougham Street Hall last night. There was a good attendance of dancers, who found that, as usual, nothing had been left undone that could add to their enjoyment. The floor was in perfect order, the music was excellent, and, as if to give additional zest to the proceedings, the weather was delightfully cool. Mr. B. Bullot, as M.C., kept the ball rolling merI rily, but smoothly, until about 11 p.m., when an adjournment was made for supper, which had been tastefully spread in the ante-room. Dancing was then resumed until the early hours. Miss Crozier presided at the piano, extras being contributed by Messrs. O'Driscoll and Johnson.

A very common trouble in the ordinary dairy is to find an animal with the point of the teat closed, either due to a bruise of the teat itself or to infection of the milk duct, which causes a little scab to form over the point of the teat, and unless this is properly handled with care and cleanliness the infection is apt to cause a loss of the entire quarter. The proper manner in which to handle and treat such cases is to thoroughly wash the teat in an antiseptic solution, then dip a teat plug into a healing ointment' and insert it into the point of the teat, allowing same to remain from one milking to another. In this way closure at the point of the teats can be overcome in a very simple and satisfactory way. Never use a milking tube if it can possibly l)e avoided, as there is much danger j of infecting the entire quarter by the use of the tube.