LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 5, 30 June 1911, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Entries for the Dominion Show at Hawera number 1220, as against 813 last year, a very big increase. Work in the Midland railway tunnel at the Bealey end is progressing rapidly, and upwards of 100 men are employed at present.

Large numbers of swaggers have passed through Mosterton during the last few weeks, which is evidence (says the Age) of the scarcity of work in the North Island just now.

In ten yearß the population of New Zealand has- increased by 44 per cent; Australia's population 17 per cent. New Zealand's population went from 772,71b to 1,107,811; Australia's only rose from 3,773,801 to 4,449,493. • Mr. A. G. Knight, of Puniho, informs us that Major Hazard was killed at Otapawa, near the, river Tongahoe, Hawera, and not at Okutuku, as stated in an article reprinted by . us recently. Mr. Knight 'further states that there were no Imperial troops at Okutuku.

Mr. James Wade, who i's retiring from the ..position of chairman of the Education Board, is to be the recipient <ofj a souvenir presentation photograph at next meeting of the Board. The photographer bad charge of the Boardroom for a while yesterday, securing the pictures of the members and staff.

The Government has purchased a block of iand at Tc Whitia Tarn, comprising 1378 acres, and intend cutting it up into 50 and 100-acre farms. The piece, which is described as good dairying land, is about one mile from Norsewood and 63 miles from Napier. It will probably be some time before the sections will be ballotted for.

Sealed bids are used in auctioneering property in Japan. There is no shouting. The auctioneer announces to the audience that he lias such and such a piece of property for sale and invites bids. Those who wish to bid write their names on slips of paper. The paper is folded and placed in a box. When the auctioneer sees no more bids coming he opens the box and sorts out the bids. The highest bid takes the property.

A Spanish galleon, still wonderfully weil preserved, has been unearthed by the workmen employed in excavating the Panama Canal. The discovery was made near Nombre-de-Dios, on the C'arib bean Sea, about 40 miles from Panama. Amongst the relies recovered were two old brass cannon, a brass figurehead, and some pewter utensils. A galleon of similar build was found near the same spot about a year ago, but it was not in so good a state of preservation as the one just brought to light.

How a husband's determination to live on Pitcairn Island resulted in a divorce is told in despatches from California. Mrs. Nellie B. Clark, of Los Angeles, has been granted a divorce from her husband, Lincoln Clark, on the ground of desertion. She had no desire to be Queen of Pitcairn Islartl, but her husband had an ambition to be King, so he left Los Angeles about two years ago, and did not return. Letters received from his son Roy described the-father as being the recognised ruler of the community, which now numbers 123. It is stated on good authority (says the West Coast Times) that the Miners' Union in the Buller district (including Reefton) intends to run a candidate to support its cause at- the next general election for the House of Representatives, A well-known Westport resident's name is mentioned its being selected by the Union. The Grey Miners' Union (according to the Westport Times) recently held a poll as to whether it is desirable to run a miners' candidate at the forthcoming election for the House of Representatives, and the voting resulted in a majority of five to one in favor of the proposals

Twenty-three years after his failure, a Cockermouth farm laborer named John Bird has been able to pay his creditors in full with interest. Bird started farming with limited capital. In September, 1887, his liabilities were nearly £450 after the sale of everything, and a dividend of only 9d in "the pound wa.s paid. Since his bankruptcy he has worked as a farm laborer or handy man, his wages averaging £1 per week. He has had a family of twelve children, nine of whom are living. With a hard .struggle and few luxuries, but with the aid of a careful wife (says the London Dailv .Uail) Bird has been able to pav the mil amount of his debts, with 4 per-cent. interest.

"Tlio capita! town of the butter province: The railway station at New Plymouth; Taranakv-New Zealand.'" In such an excellent publication as the Auckland Weekly acws one would expect to find above such a description a picture of the New Plymouth of to-day. But the current issue reproduces a photograph of the New Plymouth railway station that has passed hevond the ken of many New Plymouth people. Old residents tell us that it is an excellent picture, a faithful reproduction of the wretched buildings and vurds which made the railway traffic so difficult to handle here for many years. The seawall is shown only'a" few feet away from the verandah of th* station itself. and there is perched on its crest a bath-ing-shed that has not been there for fifteen or twenty years. In front of the station itself is shown Mount Eliot, a prominent bluff, whereon are now to be found such buildings us the Grosvenor Hotel, the Tracadero, Griffiths' Buildings, the U.S.S.Co.'s offices, and the New Zealand Express Co.'s offices and bond stores, and so on. The picture, wliilst it gives people outside the district a totally wrong impression of the town, is valuable to us aa showing what strides the town has taken of recent vears and a comparison with the up-to-date picture whioh our Auckland contemporary is sure to publish, in ordinary fairness,'will be to the advantage of the town. The Weekly News recently returned to Mr. W. A. Coliis, a« being of insufficient interest, some pictures of the New Plymouth breakwater and the petroleum fields looking towards New t'lvmmith. This antiquated version of pictured Taranaki, however, can hardly he claimed to be of transcendent interest, except as a relic. One hardly knows whether to be amiKed or not at the mistake our Auckland friends have been induced to make.

MILITARY OVERCOATS. ARRIVAL OF A SECOND SHIPMENT. The Melbourne Clothing Company, Ltd., has much pleasure in announcing the arrival of a second consignment of clean, specially selected, British Army riding coats, with good long capes, as issued to the Royal Field Artillery. These famous coats are the kind known as "first grade" and are the very best of their kind supplied by the British Government to its forces both at home and abroad. These coats are undoubtedly the ideal coats for farmers and others exposed to cold and rain. We have only 100 coats in this shipment, and they are sure to he "birds of passage" in our three Taranaki stores. We have, too, on the best authority that the sale of these coats by the army stores ia likely soon to be stopped, so wc would advise intending buyers to make early application to either of the Melbourne's three stores—New Plymouth, Stratford, and Prices as usual— the lowest :r. '' 'rana'ici. . !

la the S.M. Court yesterday Robert Hart was lined os and costs for allowing two horses to stray on tlie railway lint at Moturoa.

At Klthaiii yesterday Nicholas Albert Maddrcn appeared be/ore Mr. W. G. Kenrick, S.M., on a charge of wilfully setting fire to a farmhouse situated at Finnerty road, Lowgarth, ihe property of John Robertson, on January 23 last, Aceused was represented by Mr. 11. Spenee, solicitor, of Stratford, and De-tective-Sergeant Boddam, of Ne,w Plymouth, conducted the ca.se on behalf of the Crown. At the conclusion of the case, which lasted nearly all day, the accused was committed for trial.' Bail was allowed, self in £IOO and ojie surety of £IOO and another of £SO. Bail was not forthcoming, and the prisoner was brought to New Plymouth last niglu in the charge of Constable Boulton, of Fitzroy.

The joys of the secretaryship of an education board. At yesterday's meeting of the Tarannki Judication Board Mr. Whiteombe, the secretary, read voluminous correspondence concerning the Board's balance-sheet, which the Audit Department refused to pass in its present form. The trouble appeared to be that the Education Department required a balance-sheet in such a form as to facilitate the compilation of the Parliamentary returns, hut the Audit Department required something totally different. The Board expressed the opinion that the two departments should endeavor to come to some agreement so as to lessen the work and worry of the boards' officers',' an opinion which will be commonly shared.

We have received a copy of Mr. Win. Jolliffe's "Parliamentary Electoral Law" which has just been published by Messrs Ferguson and Hicks, of Wellington. It aims at simplifying the Statute Law relating to Parliamentary elections, and contains the provisions of the Legislature Act, the Second Ballot Act, and the Amendment Act of last session, arranged in one logically continuous course, thus enabling the reader to ascertain the law without having to refer to three separate Acts, while the Addition of a full index enables him to lay his finger upon "any point lie may wish to look up. The work has already been adopted and supplied to the Government for official use by every electoral registrar, returning officer and deputy-returning officer at the coming election. It should be of the greatest assistance to candidates and their committees. The work is procurable from all bookseller* or the publishers, the price being ss.

The annual installation of the Worshipful Master of De Burgh Adam* Lodge, Xo. <U(i. 1.C., was held last night at the lodge-room, and drew a very large and representative gathering of the brethren of the mj'stic tie, visitors being present from Ingleuood, Hawera, and Stratford, whilst the Mount Egmont and Nganiotu lodges (New Plymouth) : were also largely represented. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland was represented by Wor. Bros. Ellis, Brooking, Haniirt, Gold water, and Hammond; the Grand Lodge of Xew Zealand bv Past Provincial Grand Master Bro. F. P. Corkill; and the. English Constitution by Wor. Bro. C. E. Bellringer. The retiring master. Wor. Bro. G. W. Corney, was assisted by Wor. Bro. E. Whittle as director of ceremonies in the installation of Bro. Robert Ellis as Worshipful Master, other officers assisting in the impressive service being Wor. Bros. Brooking. Xixon, Haininoiid, and Beadle, addresses being given by Wor, Bros. Brooking and Hammond. Bro. W. Hoskin acted as musical director. After the installation Wor. Master Bro. Ellis invested his officers for the ensuing, year. The W.M. subsequently invited the members present to attend a banquet in Brougham street hall, where usual toasts were honored > and a pleasant time spent with music, song, and storv.