LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 240, 10 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"The Opposition caught us napping at last election; they will never catch us again."—JSon. Geo. Lauraison at Stratford,

The Hon. G. W. Russell mentioned at Stratford on Monday evening that if 360 votes had been reversed in ten electorates, the Liberal Party would have gained those ten seats.

A aouth Taranaki farmer recently sold his farm at a price well over £6O an acre. He has quickly repented the sale, for he has offered the purchaser over £7OO to cry off the dead. The price for dairying land is still mounting up in Taranaki. The other day two sections at Inaha, which had previously been sold for £6O an acre, changed hands at £BO. The prediction made some time ago that the best land in Taranaki will some day reach £IOO an acre looks like fulfillment in the near future. Whether it can be profitably worked at these huge prices is quite another matter.

At the Frankley road sports on Monday, despite the unpleasant weather, the children had a very enjoyable time. An abundant supply of toys and other prizes had been procured, as a big attendance was assured, had the weather been kind, consequently the children who did attend and enter for the various races, which were_ organised and supervised by Mr. Hamilton, were particularly well catered for, and will look forward with a lively anticipation to next year's sports. Among the adult runners* the most successful was M. D. Julian, who won the 100 yds and 440 yds handicaps and was also second in the half-mile, a performance that enabled him to annex the points prize.

The abattoirs report for the year ended March 31, which was presented at last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, shows that during the past year 12,325 head' of stock were elaughtere'd, representing a decrease, compared with the previous year, 'of 325. The animals passing through the abattoirs were 856 cows, 1122 bullocks, 80 calves, 1601 pigs, 7138 sheep, •1528 lambs, and of these 41 cattle, 59 pigs, 12 eheep and 1 lamb were condemned, an increase for the year of 10. Stock slaughtered for export comprised 178 cows, 6 bullocks, and 137 bulls, an increase iof 2C5. Of tins number 49 were condemned, an increase over the previous year of 42. Fees for the year totalled £1146 14s, rents £4O, and extraordinary traffic fee* £4 12s, the total being £1491 12s. The receipts are a decrease on the previous year. During March last stock slaughtered for local consumption comprised 133 cows., 41 bullocks, 7 calves, 578 sheep, 166 lambs and 99 pigs.

The purse of sovereigns presented to Mr. McCluggage on-Monday night contained 215 sovereigns.

Some £lO was realised in aid of the Agricultural Society's coronation hall, as the result of Monday's cricket match on 'the 'Recreation; between borough and county councillors. The match, which had to be abandoned on account of the rain, will be continued on Thursday week. The arrangements for Monday night's, sociad at Stratford were made by the Liberal and Labor League, of which Mr. N. J. King is president, and Mr. Garrett Wilson secretary. Mrs. Bianohi and Mr. S. Bernard supplied the music for the dancing, Messrs W. Ryan and T. Lawson were M.Os, and Mrs. M. 11. Brooking catered for the supper. Mr. John Campbell, a well-known resident of Waikiwi, Southland, put up a record performance at the Owaka sports, having received the following prizes: First, champion sawing; first, the 18in standing block chop; first, married men's race; first, tilting; second, handicap sawing from scratch; third in 12in chop; third, committeemen's race. This is indeed (remarks the Southland Times) a most remarkable performance for a man of Mr. Campbell's age. Oven twentyfive years ago Mr. Campbell was cham- | pion all-round runner of Southland. j A Ghristchurch land and estate agent I in a large way of business challenges the statement as to stringency in the money market. He stated that his firm had arranged quite a large number of loans during the past few months, some of them for very substantial sums, and the rates of interest had been from 5 to 5 1 /. per cent. There had been a slight change noticeable lately, and he attriDuted this to the fact that the Advances to Settlers Office was not lending so freely. People with money took advantage of that to ask for a higher rate. He had no doubt whatever that t'hero win money in the country, as his firm was frequently receiving offers of substantial sums to be le»t oft mortgage. One of the most extraordinary sale 3 of dairy stock ever known ia tk« world was perhaps that sals a few montus ago near Paeroa, when a heifer ealf from a cow making over 600 pounds of butter a year was sold for half-a-crown. Of •ourie, the seller (says tht Dairyman) had not the remotest idea in tllie world what he way selling, but equally tke buyer had no more knowledge, either. If there ever was an ''awful example" of "blind groping among cows," surely this is one. It seems that in the farmers' interests compulsory testing of dairy cows should now be insisted on, and if the yearly yield of butter-fat wero firebranded on each cow, then she would always realise her true value. Opportunity was taken by the president of the Taranaki Agricultural Society (Mr. W. Ambury) to interview the Prime Minister in New Plymouth yesterday in regard to the proposed exhibit of the Agricultural Department at the winter show. Mr. Mackenzie explained that the Hamilton show dates clashed with those of New Plymouth. He had, therefore, written to the northern society asking it to alter its dates, so as to avoid having to split the exhibit into two sections. If the Hamilton society found it impossible to fall in with his request he would consider the advisableness of sending the whole of the exhibit to New Plymouth, in preference to forwarding half to one show and the remainder to the other.

After it had been briefly discussed, Cr. Morey withdrew his motion at last night's meeting of the borough council. "That in -view of the proposed electric tramway system between Fitzroy and the Breakwater, the owners of all veran--dahs over footpaths in Devon Street, between Te Henui ami Outfield Road, at present exceeding the 12ft. limit, be notified that such verandahs must be either removed or narrowed to the 12ft limit on or before January 1, 1914." His purpose ■ had, he explained, been sufficiently served by giving publicity to the matter. Shopkeepers had had time since he gave notice of his intention to move the motion, to raise their voices in protest, but apparently they were quite prepared to bear the expenditure involved. At hvst night's meeting of the New Plymouth borough council a letter was read from the Kaponga town board inviting the Mayor to attend a complimentary social to be tendered to the Prime Minister, at Kaponga, on Friday next. The letter added that occasion would be taken to bring before him the claims of Stratford as the junction of the Opunakc railway. After a discursive discussion it was decided, on the motion of Cr. Clarke, seconded by Cr. Jackson, that the Mayor should be asked to attend the meeting, with a direction to advocate the coast route of railway from Opunake to New Plymouth, and 'to oppose the junction of the proposed railway from Opunake to the main line at any point south of Eltham. Two amendments were rejected, one requesting Mr. Browne to attend the meeting and submit, in the form of a report, any information gleaned, and the other leaving the whole matter of attending the meefing at the option of Mr Browne.

Some farmers were talking in the train on their way to the -uatamata show on the adulteration of milk. One of them related an incident that happened at one of the factories on the Taranaiv. coast in the days of the Crown Dairy Company, when the penalty for adding water to the milk was the forfeiture of a month's cheque. An Irishman had long been suspected of taking a greater quantity of liquid to the factory that what came from the cows, so a supplier decided to have a joke. While someone occupied the attention of the milk and water farmer a supplier lifted the lid of his can and dropped in a small trout, also letting the manager into the joke. When the milk was poured out the supplier was more surprised to see the trout than ony one. He got a "bad time" right away. When asked for an explanation for the appearance of the trout he could not give one, as, he said at the finish, "I have always used pump water." He had to forfeit his £4O cheque for the Times.

A rather unusual incident ia recorded in a Christchurch paper. A poultry owner, who had been blaming a weasel for slaughter among his poultry, discovered the real offender a day or so ago. He was attracted to his hen run by a loud squawking .among the fowls, and he found a hedgehog gnawing at the leg of a hen that was held down by the animal. He at once killed the hedgehog, which was a particularly large specimen. The same morning another resident discovered that eighteen chickens had been killed in his fowlrun, and on the same night he caught a hedgehog making its way in the run. Again the animal was large in size, and again the execution of the marauder was speedily effected. A resident of Upper Riccarton has stated that he found a hedgehog taking milk from his cows as they\vcre lying in the paddocks. The discoveries have caused considerable surprise among the victimised people, by whom the hedgehog was regarded as a harmless animal, and a friend rather than a bloodthirsty thief. The eighteen chickens were not oaten, but had merely been bitten and the blood sucked out of tkem. VISITING CAEDS.-Wheii yo* ma out of cards, send your order for mor* to the Daily Newß Printery. t/8 for SI, »* «/• for 100 (postage patfl).