LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 43, 12 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On account of the funeral of the late Mayor, the local picture shows wall commence their matinees at 3 instead of 2.30 p.m. this afternoon. The duties of a chairman: To stand up; next, to speak up; thirdly, to shut up; and lastly, to "stump up"—as humorously defined by the Rev. Burton at the Good Templars' Hall last night. Diptheria is raging in Victoria, and during tho fortnight ended on Tuesday, 30C cases were reported. In the metropolitan area there were 308 cases in the fortnight, against an average for the same period of three preceding years of 65 cases. The president and council of the New Plymouth Employers' Association respectfully request shopkeepers of the town to close their premises this afternoon between 2.15 and 3.15 p.m. as a tribute of respect to the late Mayor (Mr. G. Tigch). A correspondent as a means of furthering the use »f New Zealand butter at Home, that friends or relatives in the Old Country should be asked when they are written to if they use it, and if they do not, recommend them to buy it, and explain the cleanly and sanitary conditions under which it is produced in the Dominion. With the advent of the dairying season (says the Wairarapa Times) the demand for milkers is increasing, and the l«cal Labour Department luts received a number of requests from settlers in the Carterton district for farm hands. The same paper is responsible for the statement that a large number of milking machines are to be installed in various daries in the South Wairarapa this season. The Pahiatua Herald says:—The sum of £2BOO is a fairly large one to be drawn by one man from butter and cheese factories for milk supplied during one season, but this amount, within a fraction, was received by a dairy farmer in this district for last season's supplies. Of course the milk was not taken from one farm, and this cheque did not all <*o to the banking account of the dairy farmer. A considerable sum was expended in the payment of different families who in the majority of cases were milking on the share system. A short time ago a meeting was held by those interested with a view to forming a rifle club in New Plymouth. It was decided to communicate with the Minister of Defence on the matter. Messrs. Hill and Evans, convenors of the meeting, have received the following reply from the Minister of Defence: "I have to inform you that I have accepted the services of the New Plymouth Defence Rifle Olub, and that notification to that effect appeared in the New 7ea- i land Gazette, No. 61, of July 27. Mill." J

Very seldom does one see a runaway dray, yet one might have been witnessed at about 5.30 last night careering along Courtenay street from Leach street by Mir. A. Berridgc, contractor, had The horse, a heavy draught one. owned taken fright and cleared out. Coming down the hill near the Good Templars" new hall the runaway got on tremendous pace. It was unable to negotiate the Ourrie street corner, and horse and dray jumped the kerbing and dashed into the front of the Daily News office, smashing a portion of the building and bringing the animal clown. In a few minutes the harness was cut away, the horse released, and the dray removed. Strange to the horse appeared to be quite uninjured, as w«s the dray. Considering the pace with which the horse tore down the hill and smashed into the building, it is a wonder that it escaped ] alive and the dray was not smashed to matchwood. Evidently the kerbing broke the pace and saved them both, as well as the building from further damage. Fortunately none of the staff were an the front office at the time. The Rev. J. W. Burton will preach in the Whiteley' Memorial Church tomorrow morning and evening. The morning sermon will be upon "The Ninth Commandment," and l the erening subject will be "What is Religion r"

The price of sugar has been raised by another £1 a ton. In a country like New Zealand, where a few weeks' scarcity of rain is referred to as "a drought," it may be of interest to quote from the Rockhampton (Queensland) trade returns for the past 25 years to show the effect of a real shortage ol rainfall. In 1«80 the value of the exports amounted to £837,096, and last year reached £3,4*1,743. In 1895 the total value exported wa.s £2,064,273, but in 1902, the year of the drought, it dropped to £1,337,874, while in 1900, when the effects of the drought were over, it rose again to £2,035,258.

A wife-ibeater was severely handled by a Pennslyvania magistrate, to whom an Mused wife, a frail and delicate woman, hadi shown cute and bruise* on different parts of her body. She asked for some protection, and a warrant was issued for the man's arrest. When the delinquent appeared in Court, the magistrate left his desk carrying a heavy whip. "I cannot control myself in the presence of such a brute,' he exclaimed. Take off your coat and get down on"your knees." The magistrate then lashed him until he rolled over howling. "11l teach vou to strike your wife," said the indignant magistrate several times, and he desisted from flogging him only when the man promised never to strike his wife again.

When the members of the "Jack and the Beansttalk" Pantomime Company left Onehunga on Sunday afternoon for New Plymouth there were several thousands of people on the Onehunga Wharf to witness their departure by the s.s. Raro/wa (says the Herald). So large was the crowd that the wharf was packed to the end of the pier, and it outnumbered any attendance there sin e the historic departure of our contingents to join the troopships at Wellington, during the Boer War. Flowers and other tokens were exchanged between the pantomime girls and some of Auckland's youthful theatre-goers. Railway trucks were packed with spectators, while the rigging of the ketch FJsie was alive with young men. War crys and farewell snatches of songs came from the steamer, and were returned with vigor from the wharf. The last of the series of euchre parties arranged by the entertainment committee at Westown eventuated in the Westown Hall last night. Thirteen tables were occupied, and sixteen games were played. On counting up it was discovered that Mrs. P. Langman had won fourteen games and Mrs. J. Lobb thirteen, and they were accordingly awarded first and second prizes respectively. Among the gentlemen Messrs. P. Allen, S. Sole an* F. Sole tied with 14 games, and the play-off was won by P. Allen, with S. Sole second. After supper dancing was indulged in to excellent music provided by Mr. Pearson. Mr. E. Taylor relieved with an "extra." During the evening Mr. H. Cole amused the audience with several comic songs. Mr. R. Ridland made a capable M.C. In about three weeks a social will be held, at which the points prizes will be awarded.