LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 10 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The cantata 'Phyllis" was produced at litzroy on Wednesday evening, before a large and appreciative audience. The proceeds were in aid of the funds of the local school committee. On the 7th inst., Mr. Justice Edwards, on the motion of Mr. G. Grey, granted probate of the will of the late Mr. Francis Simpson to Mrs. Annie Simpson and Mr. J. E. Wilson, the executors named in the will. Mr. H. Okey, M.P., who recently wrote to the Minister of Railways rethe absence of a dining car on the mail train between New Plymouth and Aramoho, has received a message from the Hon. Mr. Myers, who states that he will inquire into the matter, and will again communicate with Mr Okey. A correspondent, "Householder," writes:—"ln many ways New Plymouth is behind the times. I will point out one matter which requires immediate looking into with a view to improvement. In other towns, neither as large nor as important as New Plymouth", coal merchants when delivering orders have to produce weighbridge tickets, eo ' that the townspeople may be sure of not being robbed. Why is this?" An Auckland resident who travelled recently from Auckland by the Main Trunk express was given some cause for alarm as the train climbed through a cutting at Paekakariki. The window opposite to one next which he was sitting in a sleeping-car was shattered by a boulder which had fallen down the hillside. Pieces of jagged glass flew all over the compartment, but the stone dropped back on the line. A young lady, who held the position of junior typist with a local commercial firm, was given a telegram to type, containing several business people's names. The proprietor, on attaching his signature to the telegram, was horrified to see all these names commenced with small letters, not one capital having been used. On mildly remonstrating with the young person, he was coldlv met with the reply. "Oh, I thought the telegraph office charged more for capital letters!" Wood's Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6, 2/1). For Children's Hacking Cough at night,

A resident of Taumarunui has discovered that sawdust saturated with oil is liable to spontaneous combustion, and forms a highly dangerous combination. A meeting of parishioners of St, Peter's Church, Palmerston North, has pledged itself to proceed with a scheme for the erection of a new church at a cost of £BOOO. A sum of £4OOO is at present in hand, and an active canvass is to be made to raise the balance. It is hoped to 'have the necessary funds to commence the work in a couple of years. "Your wife gets £175 a year, does she not?" enquired counsel of a witness at the Gisborne Magistrate's Court. "Yes, but any woman can easily spend that on herself," was the reply, which caused a good deal of laughter. "If you think you are going to get any of my wife's money you make a big mistake," added the witness.

The following Mureonigram appeared in the New York Times Book Review, under date London, March 16:—"Many of the English publishers are competing eagerly for the right to publish Captain Ronald Amundsen's book about the discovery of the South Pole. Large offers were cabled to him at Hobart on the publication of his thrilling narrative in the New York Times and the London Chronicle, in some cases on behalf of English and American, publishers jointly. Books by the great polar explorers have been very profitable in Great Britain. Sir Ernest Shaekleton's profit from his book was £IO,OOO, while Nansen made between £12,000 and £13,000 from the sale of his "Farthest North."

Probably no jewel has seen such a remarkable increase in value as the pearl, which is to-day worth about 50 per cent, more than it was only five or six years ago. A variety of causes have been at work, but the chief one is the manipulation of the market by a ring of Indian pearl merchants. A Hatton Garden merchant, who was asked what could be put as the two extremes of price for a single pearl, replied: "From a penny to almost any figure. I have seen one which sold for £35,000," According to this authority there is not much likelihood of the present price of pearls being lowered in the immediate future, although it is, in his opinion, a fictitious value, due largely to a "corner" in the East.

The blackberry pest is, we aro told, becoming less troublesome in this district, and there are signs of the gradual decay of the plant. From more than cme source we learn facts leading to this conclusion. A farmer on the Mangorei road yesterday etated that lie thought a borer insect 'has come to the assistance of the settler. His own farm was badly infested with blackberry a few years ago. Now, although it is not by any means free, its condition has greatly improved, owing partly to the cutting the plant and its natural decay. Four jf»ftrs ago he readily gathered from one patch enough blackberries to make 30 gallons of wine. Without moving l a yard he would fill an iron bucket. Next year the berries were equally plentiful. Last year he could not gather enough to make jam for the household, and this year the .berries were just as scarce. "The Lightning Calculator" writes, submitting the following conundrum:— "If it takes the Borough Council several weeks to remove an unsightly and dangerous accumulation of boulders just bordering on the footpath in Cu'rrie street, how long will it take that goahead body to instal a, tramway system from Fitzroy to the Breakwatpr' Even now, the whole of the boulders, have not been removed, whereby hangs more than one tale of woe. I myself have witnessed two catastrophes at night, through people not noticing the formidable pile. Only yesterday a resident came a severe cropper. His references to borough councillors and things in general when he picked himself up from among the stones would have caused even the boldest aspirant for civic honors to quail. The stones are also a source of danger in the daytime as a lady cyclist, who is at present minus some skin, can testify." A message received in London 011 March 16 stated that the Spanish Cabinet had resigned again for the fourth time in fourteen months. For the fourth time Senor Canalejas, the Premier, went to King Alfonso and tendered the resignation of the whole MinLstrv, and for the fourth time his Majesty told the Premier to take heart and to continue in office. It would appear even that the King is getting a little impatient of these constant appeals for his support, which take place on the average every fourteenth week. When the Premier approached the King to inform him that the Cabinet had done it again, his Majesty, according to a Reuter telegram, asked him whether he could rely on a Parliamentary major"Yes, sire," replied the Premier. Then," exclaimed his Majesty, "remodel your Cabinet as you think fit, for you have my confidence, and I hereby assure you of it again in the most emphatic manner." The Cabinet .will accordingly he reshuffled and the new Ministers will take the oath to-day. The Cabinet resigned on January *l, 1911 ; because it felt uncertain of its position; in April, 1911, as a result of the revision of the famous Ferrer trial; in January, 1912, on account of the Cullera riots in the preceding autumn; and on the present occasion because it lost its Minister for Public Works.

Speaking to a Wanganui Herald reporter on Friday, Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P. expressed himself as very sanguine regarding the progress and ultimate complete success of the United Labor party. So far as it has yet gone, the party's progress 'has exceeded his most sanguine expectations. He himself has addressed a large number of meetings in various centres, and the receptions he has been accorded, and the interest aroused, justify him, the says, in feeling assured that the new party has a very bright future before it. The most notable recruit to <a£i.P arty on ' George Fowlds. "When Mr. Fowlds severed himself from the Ward Ministry in September last," said Mr. Veitch, "he madTthe following statement: "Whenever a truly democratic party arises in this country a party pledged to definite principles, principles which it believes in, and which it is prepared to fight for—it shall have my whole-hearted support.' Well," continued Mr. Veitch, "the United Labor party has come, Mr. Fowlds supports it. The inference is plain. He considers it the democratic party, the party he has been waiting for. Not only has he declared himself a member of it, but he will at once enter upon a vigorous campaign m support of it, and intends to travel the whole Dominion at his own expense to address meetings in the interests of the United Labor party." HELPLESS AS A BABY. The man or woman who is suffering from Rheumatism, Gout, Sciatica, or other complains arising from uric acid poisoning, is oftentimes as helpless as a baby. The stiffened muscles and joints cause intense torture, and frequently reduce the victim to a state of utter helplessness. Don't remain the victim of uric acid poisoning. REfIEUMO is a scientific preparation, to be taken inwardly. RHEUMO gives prompt relief; after the first dose the pain and swelling usually disappear, and a cure is generally effected within 48 hours. Sold by all chemists and storekeepers at 2/6 and 4/fi per hot He 1 , VTSTTTNG CARDS. When you mn out of cards, send your order for more »the Daily News Printery. 3/<5 for 50,

Owing to the liberal help of the ladies and to the work of the energetic secretary, Mr. G. Borlas, the second) of a aeries of dances, held in aid of the Garrison Band, last night was an unqualified success. Dancing was kept up till a late hour, a tasty supper being supplied. Messrs. W. Way and J, Gray acted, as M.C.'s.

A statement in regard to 'his resignation from the position of chairman of the directors of th'e Bank of New Zealand was made hy Mr. Ifarold Beauchamp to an Auckland Herald reporter yesterday. "My reason for intimating to the Government my desire to be relieved of the position of chairman of the Bank after the expiration of my last term, namely, on March 31, was 'solely on account of my, health," said Mr. Beauchamp. "I wrote to the Minister for Finance to that effect on February 6 last. Prior, however, to tli'e receipt of my letter by at least a. week, the Cabinet had resolved not to reappoint me. This was no doubt due to the attitude which I had always assumed as chairman of the Bank. In otter words, I would, not at any time let my own opinions be subservient to political exigencies. That is all I have to say in this connection at present."