LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 299, 12 May 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A new division has been added to the births, marriages, and deaths column in the London Times—that of betrothals. Tt was only by a typographical error that a contemporary stated that a "bug" factory was being established in Wangamii. Jt should have been "'rug" factory.

The Balelutha Free Press understands that divorce proceedings have been commenced, and will be heard at the next sittings in Dunedin, wherein a prominent North Island business man is cited as corespondent. The petitioner is a district resident, and the respondent is not quite unknown at the Clutha. The damages claimed run into four figures. We understand that the Employers' Association intendseallinga general meeting of all employers and keepers of shops and warehouses at an early date to discuss the question of holidays generally and arrive at some satisfactory and definite arrangement. A meeting of the executive of the Association was held on Wednesday evening, when certain proposals were adopted to lie brought before the larger meeting in due course. At the last meeting of the Waitara Dairy Company's directors, the matter of the district being represented at the forthcoming Winter Show in New Plymouth was brought foward, one of the directors stating it was the intention of Huirangi and the district suplying the factory to make a big exhibit to be called the "Waitara West district exhibit." He asked the directors to consent to the company's butter being included in the list. The request was granted.—Waitara correspondent.

As an object of admiration the sixfoot guardsman is out of date, according to the views expressed by Dr. Arthur Keith, conservator of the museum of the Royal College of Surgeon.*, in the course of a lecture on "Pigmies" at the Royal Institution. "We all want to be tall," lie said, "but the ideal of great stature is an absolutely wrong one. This is the time of the small man. More than ever before in the world's history energy, alertness, ,md quickness of brain are required. and these are characteristic of short men rather than of tall. Great stature brings its .burdens, and giants are usually dull of wit." Auckland business men are complaining loudly of the excessive noise made by the electric tram cars, which has become an intolerable nuisance. It is asserted that in Queen Street no business can be done between 4 and 0 p.m., when the tram traffic is greatest. The company is to be asked to provide less noisy and better cars. One hundred business men are willing to contribute a guinea each towards a fund for employing counsel and meeting any other incidental expenses. It is believed that the noise of the cars can be obviated by the installation of improved under-gear. It is alleged that the deed of delegation between the Council and the Company has been ignored in certain respects. Recently a bioscope operator, seeking realism, posed before a living-picture camera on a quicksand, rfe not only risked his life, but nearly lost it, in order to provide a thrill for picture palace .'audiences. This, particular picture was possibly not the complete success anticipated (says a writer in the Throne and Country). It was not until the operator found his own precious body, plus a useful camera, sinking into the sand, flint he noticed his "sitter" had actually disappeared up to the neck. Their yells brought assistance, which, luckily for them, was at hand, or both would* have been missing at the next morning's breaklast table.

The Ngapuhi tribe petitioned the Native Minister recently to take steps to preserve their lands anil prevent their disposal, Mr. Carroll replied: ''Legislation in that direction was on the statute book, but many applications were made to the Governor to have the restriction removed, and the lands were disposed of. Wliat am I to do?" asked Mr. Carroll. "To-day, while I am here; you want lands restricted; to-morrow, when I am away, applications for the removal of restrictions will be forwarded." Mr. Carroll added: ''l am urged by the pakeha to acquire Native lands thrown open for selection. To keep pace with the progress of the Dominion, it is essential {hut these lands should be used and cultivated. [ cannot 100 strongly urge you to adopt the methodH of your pakeha neighbors, and liy diligent industry to make your lands profitable. The land must be worked. Yon had plenty of time to consider what should be done with them. If yon ave wise you will commence now to work the land; if not, it may soon happen that all idle lands will be made available to the pakeha for that purpose." The Mayor of Ilawera is calling a meeting of delegates of local bodies to consider proposals for the laying down of a tram-line between Ilawera and Kaupokonui. The Mayor, in referring to the matter, said it was now prac tically clear that they would not get the railway to Opunake until all the main lines were completed, and there was every reason to believe that these lines would not be completed for many years yet. There was no doubt that the borough of Ilawera was enthusiastically in favor of making a tram to Kaupokonui, and he believed some few years ago there was a movement to guarantee any deficiency on the costs of working that line. At that time the prospects of the line paying were very good, but they were very much more so to-day. The line would be run through rich country, and would be fed by the big dairy companies. The Kaupokonui dairy factory last season had had to pay in cartage charges something like £IB2B IDs 3d, and this season it was expected thai the cost would run into £2OOO. Riverdale had had to pay £OOO for cartage, and it is estimated that the Pihama, Joll's. and Hawera main road factories would have to pav in cartage charges between £BOO and £9OO. When the proposals were first put before the local bodies the cost of the line was estimated at £OO,OOO, but lie now was given to understand that the line could be built for £50,000, and the revenue from the factories mentioned would pay the interest charges upon the capital cost of making the line.

We are asked to state that it wasD.M. Crozier, and not David W. Crozier, who was convicted of drunkenness in the S.M. Court on Tuesday.

YOU SHOULD BEAR IN MIND That. r>y usin<j the Commercial Eucalyptus nil, which is now bou«ht up at fid por lb weight ami bottle, and, on account of the lnr;re profits, pushed J you arc exposing Yourself to all the dangers to which the use of turpentine will expose you—irritation of kidneys, intestinal tract and mucous memhvafles. Bv insist ins? on the fiENUIXE SAN DEI! EUCALYPTI EXTRACT you not only avoid these pitfalls, but you have a stimulating, safe and effective medicament, the reMilt of a special and careful manufacture. Remember: SANDER'S EXTRACT embodies the result of 50 years' experience and of special study, and it does what is promised; it cures and heals without injuring the constitution, as the oils on the market frequently do. Therefore, protect yourself by rejecting other brand*. ,

Fully five hundred men arc now at work on the Strntford-Ongame railway line.

Dr. Hupert Iloskinjr, of Masterton, i* suing Mr. Grove, of Auckland, for £IOOO damages for alleged Zander in eonnection with matters at the Cook Islands. The attraction of the big Government bathhouse at Rotorua has been still further increased by the opining of a new public "Pries?' bath for the use of ladies only. Wauganui is shortly to lie further enriched by an addition to its public memorials in the shape of a monument to the late Major Kemp, given by the Maoris of the district. Farmers are advised to carefully examine every sack purchased, as uirty, whitey-grey patches oil the outside of the sacks indicate Hie cocoons containing the embryo potato grub*. Asks a writer in the Auckland Star: ">By killing rats are we getting rid of the greatest Ilea carriers'; Of all tinmost objectionable, di.-gusting, loath somee reatures I consider the unregistered, (lea-covered, neglected mongrel dog the greatest. Our city is full of these creatures."

Speaking at Stratford on Monday regarding the Opunake railway, the Minister for Public Works suggested an entirely different ro.ute as* a possibility. He said that so far the most sensible people he had met were those living beyond Opunake, who wanted a lino from Opunake to Xew Plymouth round the other side of the mountain. Such a line would probably tap more country and better towns than the other route.

Up to the present Auckland sportsmen appear to be well satisfied with the shooting season; practically all reporting good bags. Speaking to a reporter on Thursday, a prominent sportsman said that the season was the best experienced for some years. Ducks were plentiful and pheasants unuMially abundant. The summer had been ideal for breeding, and there were plenty of insects for the young birds. The condition of the game was generally good. In reply to the challenge issued bv Mr. W. T. Wells to Mr. D. J. Hughes for the latter to resign and contest the Waimate scat on the Xew Plymouth Harbor Board again, Mr. Hughes writes to the local paper: —"The challenge from Mr. Wells is unique for one w,ho has suffered defeat. A vanquished foe never dictates terms. All true sportsmen will agree that that is an ancient and British custom given to the victor. I shall have much pleasure in accepting ft challenge from Mr. Wells when my scat again becomes vacant. In the meantime he can study the workings of the Auckland harbor which, would-be experts say, is so essential a qualification for gaining knowledge for usefulness on the New Plymouth Harbor Board."

The Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister of Public Works, has a robust contempt, for the toll-gate as a devicefor raising county revenue, and lost no opportunity while in Manaia of giving expression to his opinion on the subject (says the Witness). In motoring through from Eltham to Manaia his objection to this mediaeval survival toek the. practical form of refusing to .pay toll and, with party, tie passed through the barriers, smilingly indifferent to the veiled threats of the gatekeeper. To one of the hitter the Minister remarked: "This relic of barbarism is a vanishing institution, and when it goes, as it will one of these early days, 1 shall see if I can't find something better for you to do than interfering with the freedom of the lieges on the King's highway." The Minister of Public Works, speaking in South Taranaki the other day, said he recognised that they had a very line district, and that the land was capable of much greater improvement. In fact, he supposed they thought they were the hub of the country and the garden of New Zealand, but he liked to see that kind of pride, and believed it had a good effect. He did not think, however, that they were making the best use of their land. Of course, the country was new/ and had not been settled sufficiently long for them to obtiiin the best results. One of their main troubles was that it had been buah country, and they had not arrived at that stage yet when they could make the best use of it. They had greater prosperity ahead. They complained about their means of communication. He wished they had been with him when travelling through some parts of New Zealand. They would then think they were living in a little heaven. He sympathised with the backblock settlers, but here they had first-class land, and were on their way to the accumulation of wealth. When he saw a factory at every corner, a schoolhouse every few miles, and good roads, he concluded that he was in a prosperous district. They would no doubt be delighted when he told them that he had promised to assist in providing bridges across the Mangawhero and Otakeho streams. He did not say that the. Government would give all the money, but they would give as much as they were asked for—half the cost.