LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 278, 21 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Earawa took a consignment of sheep and cattle for Auckland last night. Harry Lauder, the famous Scot humorist, has broken down seriously through overwork. Owing to the energy of the clerk (Mr. M. Fleetwood) all rates due on March 31, 1912, to the St. Aubyn Town Board, have been collected. During the present financial year the Masterton A. and P. Association has received £527 15s 3d in donations, and £977 10s in subscriptions. The Temuka Leader, which has been conducted for many years by Mr. J. M. Twomcy, has been sold to Mr. R. E. Martin, who until recently was organiser for the Opposition Party in New Zealand. Mr. Martin will take possession on June 1. The petition in circulation in the St. Aubyn town district and the Moturoa district, in favor of amalgamation with the borough, is being largely signed. It is understood that so far practically no refusals to sign have been met with. The petition should be ready shortly for forwarding to the Minister for Internal Affairs, through the Borough Council. At the meeting of dairy factory delegates, held in Waitara on Friday in connection with the proposal to utilise casein, it was decided that the Agricultural Department should be asked to send one of its officers to the district to explain various points, and factory delegates are to pay a visit to Wangaehu district to hear the views of farmers who have their skim milk dealt with by the extraction of casein.—Mail. Dogs in parks, churches, and other public places are not to be tolerated, but both the canines and many of their owners fail to realise this fact. In a report to the Pukekura Park Board last night, the curator (Mr. W. W. Smith) referred to the number of visitors who continued to bring dogs into the park. Dogs were at all times a serious menace to the well-being and tameness of the water-fowl, of which there are now 54. The committee of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce proposes to ask the Minister for RaiLways to provide a fast train from Timaru to Christchurch and back two days a week. At present Christchurch business men can visit Timaru, spend some hours there, and return the same day, while Timaru men visiting Christchurch must stay a night. The committee unanimously endorsed the Palmerston North Chamber's approval of the stand taken by the Defence Minister regarding the enforcement of the Defence Act.

On Saturday evening about 5.30 Mr. R. J. Linn was proceeding home at Normanby in his motor-car, and as he was running short of benzine, he pulled up opposite Mr. Shrimpton's store to obtain a fresh supply. Whilst in the act of filling the tank an ; explosion occurred, and in a few seconds the car was in flames. Unfortunately the hood was up, and this greatly hindered the efforts to extinguish the fire, and the car was practically destroyed, with the exception of the engines. The cause of the explosion is not known, but it may have been caused by the lamp used (it being nearly dark) whilst filling the tank.—Star. In discussing with the Waitara Mail the proposed Local Government Bill and the proceedings of the conference in New Plymouth, Mr. Jas. Hine paid a high tribute to the keen insight and familiarity with the provisions of the Bill shown by Messrs. C. F. Bellringer and Maxwell. Mr. Hine declares he was astounded when the conference, after adopting, without any material alteration, the whole of the resolutions carefully prepared and submitted by Mr. Bellringer, rejected him as their delegate to proceed to Wellington. The miserable country versus town spirit was apparently responsible for such ungenerosity, says Mr. Hine. The Egmont Lodge, 1.0. G.T., held their weekly meeting in their lodgeroom last evening. Owing to the rain the attendance was smaller than usual. Bro. G. Hayden, C.T.. was the presiding officer. One new member was initiated. It was reported that Bro. A. Tickner, formerly a member of the lodge, had died lately; a vote of sympathy and condolence with his friends in Auckland was passed, and ordered to be remitted by the secretary. Various committees were set up, and the visitors who reported oh the work in Waitara expressed themselves as very hopeful. The entertainment consisted of impromptu speeches, and was decidedly lively. The lodge was closed in due order i at the regular hour.

A representative of the Edison-Beach storage battery tram cars waited on the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) yesterday, and intimated the willingness of the firm he represented to send its expert from Australia to confer with the local Borough Council on the subject of these cars. He produced literature showing that the cars are running with perfect success in over sixty towns in the United States, including New York, and that they cost one-third less to install and one-third less to operate as against the trolley cars, whilst the cars have a power factor of 90 per cent., as against not better than 50 per cent, with trolley cars. Moreover, he stated that the Edison-Beach people are prepared to guarantee the efficiency claimed for the cars and that New Plymouth would thus be indemnified against any loss supposing the cars did not fulfil expectatitns.

An old lady, residing in Symonds street, Auckland, had a rather exciting experience last week. She was ill in bed, and the only occupant of the house «,t the time. A noise at the front door, which was locked, made her aware of the fact that someone was trying to get in. It ceased, and similar noises made themselves heard at the back. Then a man appeared at the window, and, opening it, attempted to get in the room. The old lady pushed him out, and closed the window after him. The man made practically no resistance, and retired quietly, but shortly after returned and put his fist through a pane of glass, again retiring without doing any further damage. Half an hour later the old lady was surprised to receive a third visitation. This time the 'intruder came armed with a cloth, with which he proceeded to obliterate all his finger-prints that showed in the dust on the window sill and on the glass. The following paragraph, culled from the annual report of the chairman (Mr. H. Ford) of the Pukekura Park Board, speaks for itself: "I would here refer to the discouragements which we have experienced from time to time through the contemptible dishonesty of persons who have stolen from the park choice plants and flowers which have been procured through the good offices of our curator, or sent in by public-spirited residents of the district. This has happened several times during the year, and the discrimination displayed in these thefts clearly shows that no novice has been at work. If the public would bear in mind that the grounds and their contents belong to the town, and promptly report any depredation which comes under their notice, the board might be enabled to make an example which would effectually stop this spoliation." Members decided to ask: the police to give heed to the report!.

The Mayor of Taihape states that so great is the progress of the town that ] in 30 years, owing to the receipts from | municipal enterprises, Taihape would be rate-free. ! The fine weather on Sunday brought out pretty well all the motor cars in town, and the breakwater seemed to be the rendezvous of a great numbei. Incidentally, two or three dead dogs were to be observed on the roadside between town and the breakwater. Acts of vanillism continue to mar the beauty of I'ukekura Park. Reporting to the Board last night, the curator (Mr. W. W. Smith) regretted that some one had cut down the only tree —a fine young oik of about 15 feet in height—a species of Pinus, growing on the side of the Vogcltown walk. It grew four feet back from the walk, and was the only one of these fine ornamental trees in the perk. The Board resolved) to bring the matter under the notice of the police, with a view to the detection and prosecution of the offender or offenders. On a recent Sunday morning monkey shooting was indulged in at Rotorua, and the fact that it was deemed necessary should act as a warning to those who have such animals as pets or in captivity. Xo doubt many visitors to Rotorua will remember the big pair of monkeys in one of the cages. On Friday an attendant entered the cage to clean it out, when he was savagely attacked by the male monkey, and could not be nwued until the animal was killed. The attendant was very badly bitten. Meanwhile the 'feniale monkey escaped from the cage, and was at large until Sunday morning, when two attendants, who had been hunting for her, succeeded in shooting the fugitive. The Mangatoki Co-operative Dairy Company has accepted tenders for its new cheese factories at Mangatoki, Matapu, and Mahoe, the successful tenderer , being Mr. F. M. Grayling, New Plymouth. The amount of the tender for the three buildings is between £7OOO and £BOOO, and is within £lO of Mr. Duffil's (the architect) estimate. The buildings (says the Eltham Argus) will be commodious, and up to the very latest requirements in cheese manufacture. The Mangatoki factory will have an overall measurement of 95 x 40, and the cheese-making rooms will be 04 x 30, so it will be seen that the directors do not intend to be pinched for space. The packing rooms will be 35 x 17. The curing room will be of large dimensions, 80 x 30, and will have a holding capacity of just upon 3000 cheeses. The Matapu factory will cover an area of 80 x 40, the msiking room being 85 x 32. The Mahoe building will be 76 x 40, and the making room 75 x 32. The Hon. G. Laurenson declares that the newspaper press of the Dominion is being rapidly bought up by the Conservative party, so as to beat the progressive element of this country. He was in Taranaki recently, and says he found that the province provides about _ns gross an example of the way in which ihe Opposition are buying up the newspapers as could be discovered. "In Taranaki," says the Minister, "there are twelve newspapers published. Of these, two support the Government, two arc independent, and eight are Opposition. From Wanganui to Wellington there are ten newspapers; three of these support the Government, and seven support the Opposition. I In the Wairarapa there are six papers; one supports the Government and five support the Opposition. In Hawke's Bay there are seven papers; one supports the Government and six support the Opposition. The LiberalLabor element of this country can only counteract this monstrous state of affairs by facts and figures used on the platform, and the present Ministry propose to make use of the means of putting the true facts of the present political position before the people of New Zealand."

The Regrettable state of the recreation reserve in Pukekura Park, which is under the control of the Sports Committee, was referred to at a meeting of the .Park Board last evening.. The subject was broached by Mr. ETC'. Hughes, who said that for some time past he had felt that the committee had lost its usual energy. He added that its funds had been lessened by some of the principal football matches being held at other places. "It seems," he remarked, "that we cannot go on as at present. The grounds are in a bad state and the rent is about £SO in arrears." He therefore suggested that a committee should be set up to consider the question of the Board resuming possession of the ground, in order to "make something out of it." In this connection, he recalled how, when the control diverted from the Board, the ground was paying its way. Members, while unanimous that the ground was sadly out of order, were inclined to the opinion that the Sports Committee should be given on opportunity of improving its finances. At the same time the Board held that it was imperative that something should be done immediately, otherwise in a couple of years there would be no grounds left. It waa estimated that at the present time it would cost fully £IOO to level and top-dresa the ground. Mention was also made of the neglected state of the terraces. Under the circumstances Mr. Hughes, who, in common with other members, was entirely sympathetic with the committee in its position, agreed not to press his suggestion. Eventually members delegated Mr. H. Ford to interview the committee, with a view to deciding upon some line of action at the next meeting of the board. i For assaulting his mother in tha pre- | senee of her dying husband, an indivii dual named Arthur James Ruff wu senI tenced by the Palmerston North Bench last week to one month's imprisonment. If he had ill-treated a horse he would probably have got three months' hard. The mother, in 'her evidence, stated that accused was her eon and had been living with her in Summerhays street for some weeks prior to the assault on Tuesday last. On the day of the assault he came home and witness told him there waa a letter for him on the mantleshelf in the room where his paralysed father lay. On seeing the letter he said it was not for him—the letter was addressed "Ruff," and be waa "Professor Bruff," and he was proud of the name. Accused read the letter, which was from his sister, asking him to lead a better life for the sake of his poor dying father. This evidently made Mm wild, and he swore at witnesSj using dreadful language. Witness then left accused and went to his father, who advised heT to get the police to remove accused. Accused then came into the room, took witness by the throat and tried to choke her. His father pleaded with him not to kill his mother in front of him, whereupon accused said, "I will finish her now." He rushed out into tho kitchen, as witness thought, to get a knife. Witness then rushed lip the street and screamed "Murder!" She also stated that accused came home penniless and without any clothes. She had clothed him, put boots on his feet, and he had eaten her food without paying anything. Witness further stated that .she was in deadly fear of accused. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. Our prompt and reliable methods always impress folk whether they employ us for moving furniture, passing entries, forwarding parcels, or checking baggage. What can we do for you in the way of forwarding or express work? You may be sure that whatever work you want done, we will do it well—The" N.Z. Express Coy., Ltd.—Advt.

The lUeuln paper says pig-hunting ha* come into sudden favor, as a Sunday pursuit, in the Waimarino bush. All day Sunday the sound of gun reports wer« audible from Raetihi, the ''game" beinff apparently in good supply. A farmer in the Levin district has been in regard to the growing cu piia.pluiit, for sheep. It was found, however, that the sheep were not partial to (hem, and the experiment could hardly be looked upon in the nature of a success. The Wellington Post is conducting «, crusade against what it terms "pictured horrors." In the course of a leading article that paper states that it hni previously opposed the appointment of a censor, but now considers, owing to tin gradually changing subjects introduced by the cinematograph, that such an anpointment would be in the best interest* of the young. Mr. David Ziman, well known in connection with the Reefton mines, hag left for England. On the success of Mr Ziman's mission to London will depend in a large measure the future development of the quartz mining industry in the Reefton and Blackwater districts He takes several properties Home with him the chief of these being a scheme te float a syndicate with a capital of over £SOOOO to work the Prohibition mine at Waiuta.