LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 175, 23 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A large gathering of natives is expected at Waitara on February 1, when the "political situation" will be discussed by prominent leaders, among whom will be Dr. Pomare, M.P. The representative of a firm travelling through New Zealand had a look at the local oil fields and expressed the opinion that they are better than what he saw at Java and Borneo, and considers money invested in Taranaki oil will yield a good return.

It is said that 36 agricultural and pastoral associations have agreed to the proposal to ap ■ •■ ach the Government to set aside a portion of the racing tax, and allow agricultural and pastoral societies to distribute it lor the encouragement of horse-breeding. In the 12 months ended September 30 last 10,087 bicycles, valued at £31,208, and parts and material for bicycles, valued at £200,575,-were landed at the four chief ports of New Zealand. Both totals are considerably larger than for the preceding 12 months. The customs duty .amounted to £13,361.

It is reported from Wellington that the agreement between the shipping companies and the waterside workers mean that the latter will receive increased pay amounting . : to between £Bo,ooo' and £IOO,OOO per annum. This increase, of course, will be "passed on" to the public, and will probably be added to by the companies. The New Zealand Railway Review is frankly outspoken in its comments on the political situation, and the position as affecting the railway men particularly. It acknowledges" tho discontent and disaffection throughout the service, and adds that "this discontent was a factor in arousing the electors." But the outstanding feature of the article is its insistence on the fact that the present wage is considered not sufficient in these day's of high prices. Early rising was insisted on in the will of John Sergeant, a wealthy merchant, of Leicester. He left his fortune to his nephews, requiring them, if they wished to retaih it, to prove to his executors that they had risen at 5 a.m. in summer, and had employed themselves either in open-air exercise, study or business till 8 a.m., and at 7'a.m. in winter, occupying themselves in like manner till 9 a.m. Illness alone 'was to excuse them, and in that case the .missing days were to be made up by instalments, adding a half-hour to each day after they recovered. The bequests were in fhe' form of annuities, so that they could be withheld if any infringement of the conditions were shown.

A remarkable accident befel Mr. Fred. Farr the other day (writes the Waverley correspondent of the Patea Press). While closing a gate he left his horse and gig standing on the road. The arii : mal moved off'and 'Mr. Farr gave chase. As he came abreast of the animal he attempted to seize the reins, when the Borse, suddenly lashing out, struck his arm, dislocating his elbow and a finger at the same time. Almost simultaneously, the step of the vehicle came into violent contact., with his back, knocking Bim down. The horse then made for the wire fence, in which it beeame entangled. With his injured arm, Mr. Farr could do little to extricate the animal. The final act was the horse sitting back on the shafts, and snapping both off.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. ! H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., ■ a Maori named Tauri, alias Hori, alias Aparama, was charged with stealing from the premises of Ngakaraiki Hemopo, near Wanganui, a possum rug valued at £7, two greenstone pendants, £2 10s each, a tiki, £5, and a Maori mat valued at £2. Mr. Sam Jackson acted as interpreter. Senior-Sergeant .Haddrell applied for a remand for eight days, which' was granted, the accused to appear at Wanganui. From information received from Wanganui that a house had .been broken into and the culprit was supposed to have come to New Plymouth, Detective-Sergeant Boddam was on the alert, and he and Constable 0 Neill effected the arrest and discovered the missing articles in the possession of accused.

The terrible {story of the French bioscope operator who was three times tossed and gored by infuriated buffaloes in West Africa gives another illustration of the dangers are daily and hourly being run with the object of thereby profitably amusing the public. We have been used all our livies to the men and women who tame lions, dive into shallow tanks from a great height, do acrobatic feats at a high altitude, and in other ways endanger their lives and other powors of .enjoyment. The bioscope has offered new perils to the fearless. Only the other day the views of a volcanic eruption were secured at great personal risk to the operators. There are several bioscope operators at Tripoli, running the ordinary risks of warfare. No tragedy, as far as we know, to equal the horrible fate of the "African World" operator has yet resulted from the invention of the cinematograph, but it is possible that, as the public taste grows more jaded, the operators will be called upon to take greater risks. At a time when there has been so much talk about prohibition, says the Auckland Star, it will come as a shock to the lovers of the "cup that cheers" that they will most likely have to pay higher for their special fancy in the near future, as the tea market both at Calcutta and Columbo is very firm. Dui'iw the last year or two it is estimated that the price of tea lias advanced quite twopence per pound wholesale, ami althoueh merchants and importers arc naturally very reluctant to raise the price of a commodity in such constant nw, it is to be- feared they will soon be compelled to consider the. question of an increase. Of course, if Russia does take off some of the duty on tea, it would immediately cause a sharp advance in price, apart from that which has n 1 ''on i]v tnVen place. At the present time (he <r:h on tea in Russia is Is fid per pound, nnd if only the odd figure were removed it would raise the price for the rest of tlip world, as the consumption of tea in Russia would increase correspondingly.

Tlie subscription list for the purchase of the llawke's Bay A. and P. Society's new showground at Tomoana, near Hastings, now stands at £23OG. It is reported that an eminent horticulturist "has grafted a tomato on to a potato, and called it a 'pomato' plant." i e should next graft a pomato on plum iiiul grow pomatum, suggests another horticulturist.

Judicious advertising will always bring its legitimate reward, says an Invercargill paper. No better example could be advanced than that shown by the inward passenger list of last week's incoming steamer, which includes a family of Russians who, possessed of comfortable means has decided to settle in New Zealand, and has chosen Southland as being the ideal spot for future location. The stveu Ayrshires which were purchased in Scotland for the New Zealand Government arrived in Wellington by the Delphic and are now undergoing the necessary six weeks in quarantine, at the end of which they will .be forwarded direct to the State Farm. Farmers will be interested to learn that these cattle were purchased on the records of their dams. This fact should ensure their being heavy milkers, and the strain therefore is likely to be much fancied. Mr John McCormack (says the Sydney Sun) asked a fee of 75 guineas from the Philharmonic Society of Melbourne for the "Messiah" Christmas night concert. It was more than the Society was prepared to pay, and they were arranging to cry the engagement off when the Irishtenor came down handsomely by saying he would sing for a fee of £SO and half the profits of the concert. The Philharmonic agreed, and Mr McCormack was handed a cheque for £260 the day after the concert. The Society did well out of the event, but probably regret they did not close with the tenor's first offer.

The regular meeting of the Egmont Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held in the lodge room last evening, Bro. C. Pepperell, C.T., presiding. Two new members were initiated, and it is a great pleasure to report that these new members were promotions (we might almost say) from the Juvenile Temple, for they had been for several years active members of the for several years active members of the Juvenile Temple. After the rou,tine busines was disposed of the lodge was resolved into an open meeting, when a good programme was provided by the C.T. In his opening remarks, the C.T. pointed out that as Good Templars aim at keeping its members away from the liquor bar where the social element is the attraction, so the lodge must have some counter attractions in occasional social evenings. The programme included songs by Mrs. Yates, Miss Butler (encored), Miss Hayden, Mr. N. Howell, and Mr. N. Mclsaac (encored). A dainty little supper was then handed' round. The C.T. reminded members that at next meeting there would be the quarterly election of officers. The lodge was then closed in due form.