LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 68, 11 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Powelka search in the Mokau district has ended. Senior-Sergeant Dart satisfied himself that Powelka hadn't been in the district. The posse of police has returned to their regular routine work.

The membership of Hie Masterton A. and P. Association was increased by 94 at the meeting on Saturday. The total id now 1033, and it is hoped that another 100 will be added.—Press Association.

.Eltham Co-operative Dairy Company's total' output for this coming season has been sold by Messrs. W. Weddel and Co. to British buyers at the extraordinarilygood price of 11 %d per lb. f.o.b. This constitutes a New Zealand record for butter transactions. . The Stratford Daiiy Company has sold its output of butter at H%d.

During the month of August 51 cows, 138 bullocks, fl calves, fi7B sheep, and 94 pigs were slaughtered at the municipal abattoirs for local ensumption. Compared with the corresponding month of last year these figures show an increase of 5 calves and 1 lamb, and a decrease of 15 cattle, 35 sheep, 04 pigs. There were condemned 5 bullocks and 1 sheep. There was a story in circulation in town on Saturday that Powelka had been caught in the Mokau district and brought in to the New Plymouth gaol. The tale was too good to be true. Shortly after the business places of the town opened for the day, a motor-car scurried through. Three ''bushy" chaps, iwho struck a local De Rougement a* resembling disguised policemen, were in it, and another man whose attire included a rope round his neck. The yarn went like wildfire, but the "heroes' of it were three busluncn who had brought a mate in to the hospital suffering from an injury to his leg, the injured member being "slung" from his neck by a rope, and ropes about his body to keep his knee- straight. During the afternoon another blood-curdling story was told of a clwse on Marsland Hill," a man being alleged to have been fired at five times by the police and badly wounded, in the mistaken idea tha't he was Powelka. The man who set the tale going hadn't much respect for the, murksinanhsip of tho local police officers. The third story concerned the man who bore the ropes in the car. It was alleged that, this was the victim of some rash revolver practice by the searchers in the Mokau district.

At a function at Wellington, Sir John Findlay gave a clever sketch of members of the British Cabinet. Hero are some of his mots: "Mr. Asquith— Typical John Bull in face, gait, figure, character and pluck, if not solidarity; a great mental athlete; he seems to be completely without passion; once satisfy him a proposal is a good one and you have no finer advocate that Mr. Asquith. Mr. Lloyd-George—he idol of the masses; no man lias bitterer enemies and none has stauncher friends; he is in politics for the cause. Sir Edward Grey—A face vivid with sincerity and kindness; features' as chiselled by the Greeks; he stirred us as we were never stirred before. John Burns—One of the bravest and kindest spirits in England to-day, and as tender as a child; no man in the House is more popular on either side than John Rums. Mr. Winston Churchill—Courage shines through his face; he is a man who is never afraid; he is never better than when the Opposition is shrieking at him; his speeches are prepared with infinite labor, written and memorised." ' Concluding, Sir John Findlay said: "There has never been an abler Administration in. Great Britain than that of to-day." He thought the leadership of the Liberal Party after Mr. Asquith would "fall to Mr. Lloyd-George or Mr. Winston Churchill. A remarkable story was.told to the Brunswick (Melbourne) uoliee last week by a bov named Joseiib. Painter, who visited -the police station at midnight.! Painter, who is sixteen years of age, stated that he was apprenticed to Dr. : Hunter, dentist, of Bendigo. He remembered leaving Dr. Hunter's surgery at six o'clock in the evening and walking homewards to Bnller street, .where his people resided. Before he reached home it occurred to him that he had not closed the back door of the surgery. He returned to tho doctor's premises, I and saw a light-colored motor-car standing outside. The surgery was lighted ' up, although it was in darkness when he left it an hour earlier. He opened the door and entered. His,.memory failed I him at that point. He recovered coneiousnoss to find himself .walking along a street in Richmond at eleven o'clock. He was then speaking to two men, who told him- to go to.town and get a bed. Continuing his. story, the boy said he walked into the city, and as lie had I an aunt at Brunswick lie took the train jto that suburb. At that time he had in his possession a brief-bag belonging to his employer, and containing an overcoat and about £S or £lO worth of gold filling and other articles, the property of Dr. Hunter. Arriving at his aunt's place, he related bis story, and was sent by her to the police station, accompanied by a neighbor. One of the constables to whom the boy told his story had hail some experience with anaesthetics, and lie was satisfied from the odor of chloroform and the boy's general appearance that he had been drugged in some way. The boy stated further that he remembered that it was li.fia p.m. when he readied Dr. Huiuer's surgery. The last train for Melbourne had left Bendigo five minutes earlier. The suggestion, therefore, was that the boy was drugged and brought to Melbourne in the motor 1 oar.

Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (First and Second Groups) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable today (Monday), at the Secretary's office, Currie-street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.—Advt