LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 187, 6 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Patea residents have subscribed £IOO for the improvement of the local school grounds.

It is estimated that during the past year 546 Chinese arrived in New Zealand and 579 departed. The relatives of the late Mr. H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., particularly desire that no flowers be sent in connection with the funeral obsequies.

The timber mills in the Northern Wairoa have been considerably inconvenienced of late owing to the want of vain, as in that district all the logs are brought down the river during freshes.

¥esterday Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, In-spector-General of Hospitals, accompanied by Messrs. H. Trimble (chairman of the Education Board), Messrs. Ballantyne and Whetter (inspectors), and Mr. F. P. Corkill (chairman of the Central school committee), paid a visit of inspection to the Central and Courtenay street schools. His report will probably be made public at a later date. Had any member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Anmials been on the Lepperton station at 5 p.m. yesterday we venture to think that a heartless or thoughtless person would have had an information laid against him for cruelty, to four young turkeys. These four birds were en route from Eltham to Urenui, and were doing the journeyon a very sultry day, too—in a case that was so small that difficulty must have been experienced in getting the birds iuto it. Its dimensions were 18 inches long by 11 inphes broad by 10 inches deep, and it was not suitable for two birds.

At a sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Mr. A. F. Broker, J.P., presiding, one first offending inebriate was convicted and discharged.

In a recent issue of the Mercantile Gazette there appeared a lengthy list of advances made on dairy cows in the Taranaki district by the Minister of Agriculture during the month of December.

During January the rainfall was 2.09 in, as against 2.64 in in January, 1911. Rain fell on 14 days. The maximum shade temperature was 72.96 degrees, as against 75.35 in January, 1911, and the mean temperature 08 degrees, as against •4.8 is January, 1911.

Labor is reported to be unusually scarce throughout the Gisborne district. A canvass was made throughout the town the other day to secure a gang of men for some drainage work in the country, but without success. Farm laborers have been asking for as much as 2s per hour.

A fly, said to be the Hessian fly, has made its appearance in several crops in the Totara and Kanroo Hill districts, Otago. This fly made its appearance in Masterton about 20 years ago, and did considerable damage to crops until a natural enemy was liberated, when the pest disappeared.

Concerts sometimes pay. The receipts for the' concert given in the Wellington Town Hall by Mr. John McCormack totalled over £450. The Auckland receipts were just over £400; At the concert given in the Exhibition Hall, Melbourne, and the Town Hall, Sydney, the receipts averaged £630 per concert. A. Greymouth syndicate interested in mining recently sent a. representative to the Mt. Owen district with a view to obtaining accurate information in regard to the mineral possibilities of that region. The report was very favorable, s.nd the syndicate has applied for 100 acres of argentiferous country at Silverstream, on the right bank of the Owen river. Mining matters are now brisk in the Murchison county.

The Carnegie Library Committee should soon be in possession of two trypots, a second, the property of Mr. J. Sampson, of Bell Block, having been offered for presentation. The relic at Bell Block was acquired by Mr. Sampson from Mr. S. Bundle, arid last saw active service as recently as ten or twelve years ago on the occasion of a whale being washed ashore at Omata. It is at present reposing in a paddock opposite Mr, Sampson's house.

Referring to the money' amassed by waiiters, a correspondent points out. that in New York. Mr. Charles Miller, a waiter of Astor House Hotel, retired with a fortune of £20,000, and the head waiter of the Waldorf Astoria owns a racing stable, a motor car and a steam yacht. In Vienna, again, the colors of another head waiter are among the most prominent on thq racing field. The head boots of a famous hotel in the Trossachs is said to have amassed £l7,OiH) in five year*.

"If it had not been for frozen meat London would have starved during the strike," said Mr. Shelton, representative of the New Zealand! Produce Association. ''There was a quantity of frozen meat in the stores, and it was taken out and distributed under great difficulties. I saw the chaos that reigned in the distributing trades, and it was surprising that they managed to get the food out at all. The Tailways were stuck up and could not bring any meat from Scotland or Ireland, the usual sources of supply." Last night saw thp opening of the mixed bathing season at the municipal baths. Last year this pastime had a very popular run, but owing to the unseasonable weather until quite recently swimmers were late in making a start this season. About thirty devotees of the bath, were present at last night's "splash," and found the water all that could be desired. Every attention to patrons was paid by the custodian (Mr. F. G. Morris) of the baths, and-it is hoped to have another night's sport very shortly. The East End Bathing Reserve Committee made a profit of £32 10s on the recent combined picnic and moving pictures entertainment. The total receipts were £44 8s 10. The committee has decided to erect two more swings, to repair the ones at present in use, to erect a 6ft. iron fence alongside the men's shed, and to provide additional seating accommodation. A meeting is to be held shortly with the object of forming a branch of the Royal Life Saving Society. Members will be enrolled by Mr. W. H. Fletcher, secretary of the East End Bathing Committee.