LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 210, 4 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the gale yesterday the sandmovement at foot of the wharf was particularly strong, making it very trying on the eyes of those who had to negotiate it. A large amount of sand was shifted by the wind, and alongside and on the rails there was a heap some four feet high and about thirty feet in length.

As anticipated bo opposition was offered to the re-election of the old members of the Taranaki Licensing Committee. ' Nominations' closed at noon on Saturday. Only five names were received, and the following will constitute the committee until the next licensing poll: Messrs. W. Ambury, J. B. Connett, D. H. McDonald, W. L. Newman, H J H. Okey, M.P. Mr. A. Crooke, Sm' will be chairman, ex officio.

During the past year the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society has liberated fry as follows:—Stony River, 8600 rainbow, 400 brown; Warea, 1000 rainbow; Wanveranui, 1000 rainbow; Inglewood district, 10,000 rainbow, 6000 brownTanki, 2000 rainbow, 3000 brown- Te Henui, 3000 brown; Huatoki, 3000 rainbow, 3000 brown; Mangorei, 3000 rainbow; Mangamahoe, 3000 rainbowBaker's pond, 125 rainbow; Kiri 5000 brown; Waiwakaiho, 9500 rainbow, 2500 brown—making a grand total -of 66,625

With several small boxes yet to come in the subscriptions received on account of Pukekura Park Saturday total about £143. Of this amount one lady alone, Mrs. Avery, jun., collected about £ll. All the ladies who participated in Saturday's collecting campaign deserve high praise for. the surprising success of their efforts, in face of the exceedingly impropitious weather. The public have responded liberally, and undoubtedly had the rain held off the funds of the Park Board would have benefited to a still larger extent. Several private subscriptions that have been promised have yet to come in. .

Eight candidates have been nominated for the five seats on the Gisborne Licensing Committee, and ten for Hawke'e Bay.—Press wire. The Hawera Star reports that Mr. T. E. Erley's farm of between 66 and 70 acres on the South road, Inaha, has been sold at £7O per acre. Mr. W. A. Veitch, member for Waagnnui, says' that the Labor Party has not yet come, to a decision with respect to its future action as a party. A new 4-seater motor-car, owned by a Kapuni resident, caught fire whilst travelling along the Manaia road on Friday, and was completely destroyed . . A Canterbury visitor, who was in Daunevirke lately, was enthusiastic as to the prospects of the inland towns of the North Island. "Your country towns are absolutely forging ahead," he said, "while country towns in the South Island are dead." •

Mr. W. Cattanach, who was sent by the Victoria Government to the United States to organise a land-seekers' excursion to Victoria, has cabled from San Francisco that the movement will be a success. The steamer chartered is to leave San Francisco early in April. At a meeting of ratepayers at Pihama on Friday evening called to consider the. desirability of the Egmont County Council raising a loan of £40,000 or strike a higher rate, it was decided to object to the proposals. Meetings are to be held in the other centres of the county.

The Auckland fishermen continue to dispose of their fish at the wharves, no settlement of the dispute between them and wholesale dealers having yet been arrived at. Most of the boats are out at present, and only one or two are arriving daily. Fish is fairly plentiful, especially outside the harbor! > The provincial towns of Taranaki do not appreciate talent when it comes along. At both Stratford and Eltham the Kosina Buckman concerts—equal to the very best that have faced the footlights ■ in Taranaki—were miserably podrly attended. Stratford has of late been lamenting the fact that first-class shows pass by the town. The reason should now be obvious.

A new camera for photographing the aurora borealis and other northern light phenomena has just been made for Professor Stormer, of the University of Christiania, Norway. It will be used to measure the relative brightness of the aurora at different periods, and to enable a cinematographic reproduction of it to be made afterwards. Trie photographswill be taken at night, and will require a considerable time for exposure—from 2% to 8 minutes each.