LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 159, 4 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In parts of Germany it is. illegal to play the piano after 9 o'clock p.m. There were 6157 applicants for land last year, and of these only 800 were successful. This is for both Crown lands and land for settlement lands. Deer are evidently taking kindly to the Tararua ranges, to the west of Masterton. Several have been seen of late on the low lands beneath the ranges. Mr. Payne, M.P., promises to be a joy for ever (says the Evening Post), a perpetual negation of his own name. He is a growing Payne. A Methodist Church property has been acquired in the city of Jerusalem, and it is intended to establish an evangelistic and education centre there.

Mr. Ralph Shirley, editor of the Occult Review, predicts the fall of the German Empire in 1013. He bases his prophecy upon astrological calculations. The Heather Blend Cup, presented by Messrs. Hawkins and Smith to the Taranaki Agricultural Society for the champion hunters' jumping competition, is on view in the window of their tea depot. A poultry farmer at Taradale (Wairarapa) lately caught a. stoat with six well-grown young ones on his property. The farmer states that he has lost 200 head of poultry through the depredations of these virmin.

A defendant at Kaiapoi last week assured the stipendiary magistrate that a party of four, of which he was one, cleared £9 10s in a week netting whitebait, and that the same party had divided £7, £6, and £5 per week eack when the catch was good.

Pet cockatoos are valuable birds, according to a statement made in a case at Napier, in which the defendant was sued for £4O damages for the destruction of a pet white cockatoo. It was stated that as much as £45 had been paid for one of these birds. Poulfcrymen cannot complain for want of good prices this Christmas (remarks the Lyttelton Times). Compared with last year, the prices are exactly double. On Saturday, December 16, in open auction, table chickens sold at 8s 8d and ducklings at 8s lOd per pair.

Mr. W. H. t Fletcher, the local Government observer, reports that the total rainfall for 1911' was 40.01 inches. Rain fell on 169 days. In 1910 the rainfall was 68.26 inches, distributed 'over 2LI days, and in 1909 it was 63 inches. In December, 11)11, rain fell on 22' days, and the total recorded was 7.73 inches. A Wanganui paper says that no almonds or raisins were available for Christmas. Such was the cheerful news that was received' by the Wanganui wholesale houses. It is surmised that the Tripolitan war and tlie. Sydney strike are jointly responsible for the unexpected famine. A remarkably new safe lock has been invented. It is provided with a phonographic mechanism, so that it can be opened only by the voice of the owner. Before the safe can bo unlocked the password must be spoken into the original cylinder by the one who made the original record.

The following figures show the business done during the Christmas season at the principal post offices throughout the Dominion:—Stamps: Sales (1910) £17,673, (1911) £19,888. Bags and hampers: Received (1910) 33,290, (1911) 37,904; forwarded (1910) 80,214, (1911) 80,804. Telegrams: Received (1910) 93,3-25, (1911) 99,408; transmitted (1910) 139,785, (1911) 153,673.

The Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Mr. J. S. S. Medley) reports that for the month of December, 1911, in the New Plymouth registration district, there were 31 births, 5 deaths, and 10 marriages. For the corresponding month in 1010 there were 23 births, 11 deaths, and !) marriages recorded. The figures for the year 1911 were: Births 303, deaths 125, «nd marriages 01; and for 1910, births 349, deaths 124, and marriages 100. New Zealand gained 100 new citizens by naturalisation last year, and in 27 years it obtained 7063 through the same means, the great majority being from European countries. Last year the naturalisations were in respect to natives of the following countries:—Austria-Hun-gary 47, Germany 18, Denmark 13, Sweden 18, Norway 15, Russian Empire 9, Syria 3, Switzerland 5, Greece 4, Belgium 4, France 7, Italy 8. United States of America 6, other countries 9—a total of 159 males and 7 females.

The unsatisfactory state of the Greymouth bar is causing sawmillers serfam* inconvenience, through their inability to ship the large stocks pf timber now on the skids at the various mills throughout the district. It is stated on reliable authority that timber to the value of no less than £20.000 is now on the skids at the various mills and.sidings. This amount should nave been shipped, and the cash should have been available for distribution before the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, however, the shipments will now be delayed- until the middle or end of January. An amusing incident was witnessed a w«fc or two ago at Aberdkire, near Cessnock (N.S.W.) in which a couple of new chum Scotchmen had a bit of Australian experience that they are not likely to forget, nor are those who witnessed it, says the Sydney Evening News. The newcomers were taking a quiet stroll in company, when an emu—a tame bird, owned by a resident of the town—approached them rapidly. They had never seen an emu before, and were evidently not favorably impressed. They made off at a smart run -in the direction of a small gum tree, with the bird in pursuit. It gained on them at every step, and when they reached .the tree was only a few paces -behind. The Scotchmen dodged round the tree, and th<s emu followed, being evidently intent upon making their acquaintance. The men were not having any, and, at last, thev swarmed up the tree. That settled the emu, and after gazing at them in a stirprised manner, he quietly walked away with a disappointed air. Powelka lias not been heard of lately, but his name is still potent in many parts. A village near Wanganui. Makirikiri by name, suffered a mild panic on Christmas Eve, when it became known that a burglary had been committed at a local store. The Wanganui Chronicle states that the inevitable rumor as to Powelka having "turned up again" cans-' ed the trouble, but it was discovered that the offender had merely been celebrating the festive season "by getting into a state of intoxication. However', the owner of the store produced the inevitable gun when he heard the intruder' and iired twice at what he took to be the retreating figure of the burglar. Neither shot took effect, and the man got clear away. An examination of the premises showed that the window bad been broken, and some pairs of dungarees extracted. Palmerston was accused of panic when Powelka wal abroad in the j land, but human natuJ appears to bej very much the same in fther parts, judging by the above little"ncident. ' ° ! Three doctors from oyfer the sea, f After trying their pills upon me,' Said ; 'Laxc-Tonic prevails, Where our skill oftpn fails, « You'd better try them and see." ' Laxo-Tonie Pills, 10</ 3 d and Is 6d.—Obtainable at Bullock and Johnston's.

A rumor was current in Wanganui on Tuesday that Mr. Veiteh, M.P., had been offered the position of Minister of Labor in the Ward Government. It his also been stated that Mr. Veiteh will be offered a seat in Mr. M'assey's Cabinet. A rather peculiar position for Mr. Veiteh to be in!

Interesting information has just been received in Sydney concerning the finding of a fine pearl in Torres Straits. A native diver named Luftinan was fortunate enough to get a pear-shaped pearl, which was sold for the large sum 0f.£3000. Out of the proceeds he paid the Papuan Industries, Ltd., at Badu, the boat-debt due to the company, and also the balance of the debt on the London Missionary Society Church at Mabuiag (amount to £72), the village to which he belongs. He< mnde the latter gift as a thank-offering and quite voluntarily. The boat has now become his own property.

What is considered to be l a pretty sure indication that there will toe an early session of Parliament is the fact that an order has been made by the authorities postponing the annual leave of all telegraphists in the Wellington office for the present, and' a notice' to that effect has been posted in the operators' room. After the Christmas' and New Year rush it is usual for the members of the staffs to be 1 allowed to ta.ke Uieir leave in batches of ten or twelve at a time, and it is common gossip that the only necessity for a full staff in January could be the expected extraordinary session of Parliament. There was a lively scene in the Palmerston North Square on Sunday evening, when Mr. Freeman,.a Socialist who unsuccessfully contested the Wellington Central seat, essayed to deliver an address near the Bank of Australasia. Socialists in Wellington had been holding street meetings denouncing in rather violent terms the defence system and the military authorities. Many young fellows in Wellington resented some of the said, and took an active part in the street meetings on'the other side. Mr. Freeman had no sooner started on Sunday night (says the. Manawatu Times) than a number of young fellows in uniform sang choruses and expressed their disagreement with the speaker, who could not get an innings. Presently a young fellow in civilian clothes — it is suggested that he had hastened away and got out of uniform —got up, and, amidst general plaudits of his mates, delivered an excellent speech in favor of military training. The police took Mr. Freeman's name.