LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 212, 6 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Great Britain imported during the ftS'nnH' 2 ' 286 > 947 >™° eggs, weighing 158,000 tons and costing £7,965,800, as well as £840,0*4 worth of poultry. "The Ave greatest women," says Professor Eenk, of Cincinatti, "are your wife, your mother, your daughter, vour sister and your mother-in-law." *

Opossums are proving quite a pest at Wakapuaka, in the Nelson provincial district, where the few pairs liberated a tew years ago have increased, until they are said to number hundreds. Great damage is being done in gardens, the opossums coming down in great numbers and playing havoc with particular kinds of crops.

Included m the sums collected in aid of Pukekura Park on Saturday were donations of £1 and over from the following:—Mrs. E. Douglas, Mrs. S. Hooper, Mr. R. C Hughes, Mr. G. W. Browne Mr. E. Cock, Col. Ellis, Mrs. F G Evans, Sir. A. Standish, Dr. Leatham, Burgess and Fraser, Dr. Home, Mrs. Cannell, Mr. G. H. Maunder, Mrs. E. T Morahead, Mrs. Wm. Bayly, Mr. and Mrs. Messenger, Mr. A. C. Fookes and Mrs. Nicholson.

The attention of those free pupils who have put in two years at the New Plymouth Technical College is drawn to the fact that a student shall be qualified to be the holder of the Technical scholar!r p 'i. s ?!r or ' if for two ears lie has » e «i the holder of a junior technical scholarship, an Education Board scholarship, a National scholarship, or any other scholarship of which the Minister may approve, or if he has passfd the Matriculation examination, or the Civil Service junior examination, or the special examination for senior free places. A technical scholarship senior shall he tenable for three years.

A sitting of the Arbitration Court will be held at the Supreme Court at 10 o'clock thia morning, before Mr. Justice Sim.

Some day a serious accident will occur on the North Egmont Mountain House track unless the rule whereby the driver of every horse-drawn vehicle or motorcar must telephone to the gate before being allowed to commence the journey either to or from the house is more strictly observed. Only on Monday a serious collision between a motor-car and a heavily-laden waggon was only narrowly averted. As a result of Saturday's collection 'of' £lsl 16s, the Pukekura Park Board now has a credit balance at the bank of £2B 6s Bd. Some £37 10s is due to the board at the end of the month from the Borough Council. . This will increase the bank balance to £65 10s Bd, and it is estimated that at the end of March, after all outstanding liabilities have been settled, the board will be in credit to the amount of £5 14s Bd.

When the nanies of the Crand.Jury were called over at yesterday's sittings of the' Supreme Court one juror (Mr. T. C. List) failed to respond, and was fined £5 for contempt of court. When Mr. List later on attended and explained the circumstances of his non-appearance, His Honor remitted the fine and discharged him from further attendance. A common juror was exempted from service on the ground of partial deafness, whilst another application for exemption was not entertained.

A serious loss, has been sustained by a lady staying' at an hotel in Palmerston North. She was wearing three Valuable diamond rings, -which she left in the bathroom at night, having forgotten to take them with her to her room. She did not* think of them again till next morning, when she suddenly remembered where she had left them, A hurried search was made, but the rings were missing, someone having evidently annexed them (during the night. Their value is stated- to run well into three figures. Drug habits sometimes manifest themselves in very peculiar forms (says a Manawatu paper). At one of the flaxmills In the Foxton district there is a Maori workman who is a "painkiller" fiend. His daily consumption amounts ty three bottles—one before each meal. While this supply is maintained he is an expert in his particular branch of the trade. The other day, however, his stock ran out unexpectedly, and for a while the habitue was in a bad way. He was practically "laid up," and it was not until a fresh supply was available that he was able to resume work.

1 At last Monday night's meeting of the Pukekura Park Board a scheme for assisting in the maintenance of the parlf was put forward by Mr. N. R. Mclsaac. In a letter to the board, he said the scheme came under his notice whilst he was living in Christchurch, where he believed it was a great success. There a number of business men, instead of binding themselves to a fixed annual donation towards the upkeep of the grounds, engaged a casual laborer to do a day's work in the park. In this way the gardens received some material assistance, and perhaps a deserving case 'of charity was relieved/ It need not necessarily be charity,-but probably many people would feel disposed to donate in this way towards the park.at New<Plymouth. At the same time, he did not think it would decrease the present revenue in any way, and would perhaps give people a greater I interest in the park. The board resolved to heartily thank the writer for his sugI gestion. One of the most curion3 cases in Australian legal history has concluded in the acquittal of Dr. Samuel Peacock after three trials on the charge of murdering Mary Davis, aged 27, by means of an illegal operation at his hospital at East Melbourne in August last.' One peculiar feature is that, though the girl is held to be dead, her body has not yet been found. The circumstantial evidence was sufficient to satisfy the High Court as to her demise, but it was not sufficient to connect Dr. Peacock with her death. Such was the decision on the appeal from the original trial. The evidence given by Clifford Poke, an accomplice, was not corroborated, and so the' case for the Crown rested on rather weak Foundations. In ordering a re-trial the High Court pointed out that the Judge at the first trial should have directed the jury that there was no corroboration of the evidence of Poke; had the Judge done this, the jury must have returned a verdict of not guilty. The reheaving has been comparatively brief, occupying little over a week, and has cleared up the matter so far as Dr. Peacock is concerned. What became of Mary Davies will probably semain a mystery. Mr. T. E. Sedgwick writes from London as follows:—"The last six months at Home have been a weary and difficult time, but the results have exceeded my most sahgunine hopes.' AH the Colonial authorities, both at Home and overseas, have realised the value of town boys on farms' The Home authorities will, I hope, soon begin to assist the migration of steady lads and lassies to the overseas Dominions without their qualifying for such assistance by becoming "unemployed" or "paupers," and I have circulated reports and manifestoes to the 600 Boards of Guardians and a thousand individuals, have written articles in. various papers and journals, have interviewed several hundred people {privately, and lectured on New Zealand at numerous centres, both in London and in the country. As a result I have now nearly all the money I need for the next party, and can raise the fares for 500 boys, if necessary. One friend has promised to pay for the fares of some (parties of girls, and a quartette of gentlemen have adopted the scheme for one portion of Australia. Birmingham and Manchester will soon be in line with Liverpool, and . I hope Bristol and other towns will follow suit. We are arranging some big boys' meetings in London and elsewhere. The scheme is rapidly developing. In fact, it would not surprise me if 1000 lads and lassies sought brighter lives and prospects within the Empire during 1012, and more next year." Mr. Sedgwick is a benefactor of New Zealand, and deserves the heartiest assistance that, ca'n be accorded him both here and in iEngland. MELBOURNE CLOTHING COMPANY'S ANNUAL REDUCTION SALE. ~ This great annual event, looked forward to by hundreds of Taranaki people, is now in full swing. Tremendous savings on staple goods are afforded all those who visit these sales, and the sale now on offers greater inducements than ever before. Carefully read this list. It will pay you to come and make heavy purchases. 72in. unbleached sheeting reduced to lid; "Just-Out" boot polish, two tins for 7d; twelve quarter marcella quilts reduced to 12s, 0d; 8s lid linen tablecloths reduced to' 6/6; indigo print reduced to 5d yard; art needlework reduced to half price; 36in, white calico, 5d yard; men's Kaiapoi socks, three pairs for 2s 3d; men's worsted trousers reduced to 10s 6d; saddle'trousers reduced to 7s lid; children's straw hats, half price; men's celluloid collarsfi! Sd each; men's mlue denims, 2s lid pair; men's grey denims, 3s 6d pair; men's fancy vests reduced to 4s Gd; boy's chrome balmorals 8s 6d pair; men's kip watertights reduced to 13s lid; men's chrome shooters reduced to 12s 6d pair; men's saddle-tweed suits, 355; men's Kaiapoi suits, 27s 9d; men's cashmere socks, three pairs for 2s 6d; Redio cloths, green 6d, yellow, two for 7d; men's flannel undershirts reduced to 2s 3d; pure linen damask reduced to Is 3d yard —Advt.

The local Friendly Societies are about to establish a dispensary in Hawera. At a meetng of the Taranaki Agricultural Society's committee held last night it was decided to incorporate the 'Poultry Society in the A. and P. Society. The annual poultry show will therefore be held simultaneously with the forthcoming winter show.

The wonderful Guernsey cow, Dol!y Dimple, owned by Mr. F. Lathrop Ames, of Massachusetts (U.S.A.) has recently gvien birth to a bull calf. Mr. M. 11, Tichenor, of Wisconsin, was the successful bidder for the calf,'paying the sum of £ 1200 for him. He is to be delivered when six months old.

Miss Frater, a young lady of Yea (Victoria), stepped from under her morning shower last week, and was horrified to see a large snake in the room. The reptile came close to the lady, and, raising its head, threatened to'strike. The lady screamed vigorously, and it disappeared. On the same day the snake ■made a second appearance, and was killed.

A general meeting of suppliers to the Meremere Dairy Factory was held at Ohangai on Saturday afternoon for the purpose of considering whether the company should take up the manufacture of casein as a by-product. After a full discussion it was decided not to do so, a strong feeling being evidenced in the direction of installing a cheese plant, and this latter question is to be discussed at another meeting next week. The Petone- Chronicle has something to say in favor of the reduction of the cost of the Gubernatorial establishment. The cost for years past ias been over £20,000 per annum. We ought (says our contemporary) to be content, in this democratic country, to have the services —as Governor—of someone who would not need to be paid more than £2OOO or £3OOO per annum. The residences would have to be retained, of course; but there is no need for them to be elaborately maintained.

The meeting 'of called at Opunake by the Egmont County Council for the purpose of discussion the question of either raising the rates or raising a loan was attended by between 20 and 30 ratepayers. Mr r W. C. Dudley occupied the chair. After a deal of desultory discussion, Mr. Looney, in proposing a motion, said that the present method of patching the roads was most unsatisfactory, and sooner or later something would have to be done. He thought it would be premature for so small* a meeting of ratepayers to pass a resolution, but in order to test the feeling of the meeting he proposed: "That this meeting of ratepayers recommend the council either to raise the ra,tes or raise a-loan." Seconded by Mr. D. Ross. On a division being asked for, the motion was declared lost by one vote.—Hawera Star. '-