LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 286, 30 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the special meeting of the Taranaki Petroleum Company to be held this afternoon the directors will ky before the shareholders a full statement of the position of affairs in connection with the negotiations with the British capitalists for the sale of the company's interests and the formation of a new company. A good deal of interest is being manifested in the meeting, which takes place in the Good Templar Hall.

In consequence of the King's Birthday falling on the same day as the Taranaki County Council ordinary meeting day, the day of the meeting has been postponed to the next day, Tuesday, June 4. 1 F. G. Blake, clerk, engineer, and trealurer of the Ellesmere County Council, ■as arrested on Tuesday on a charge of ■isappropriating moneys belonging to ■e council. He appeared at the Leeston Birt yesterday and was remanded on

()llowing holidays will be oby the schools in the Taranaki n Board district during 1912:er, on Friday, August 23, reon Monday, September 2; midon Friday, December 20, reon Monday, February 3, 1913. ew Zealand Times is in a posistafce that the Government has iir W, Hall-Jones a further exor three months of his appointHigh Commissioner, which exThursday, This Sir W. Hallnes has refused, and the position of gh Commissioner will bev acant on turday. Mr. Pallwer, secretary to igh Commissioner will be vacant on pding the appointment of a successor ISir W. Hall-Jones.

HWo fewer than 18 school districts in He Taranaki Education Board district Riled to elect school committees at the ■nnual meetings of householders on Kpril 22. They are as follows: Car■ngton Road, Hurimoana, Huirangi, ■ohuratahi, Marco. Mangachu, MohnBau, Okato, Oaonni, Oeo. Okoke, Puniwhakau, Pohokura, Purangi, Pembroke, ftariki, Tanora, and Waitara. The [Board has decided to call meetings for 'the purpose of electing committees for the above schools on June 24. Roslyn football jerseys are the best.--Advt. ' '^"7

The Railway Department is being urged to run a train daily from Waitara to New Plymouth sufficiently early to' allow childrento attend the High School. "Will you allow ine to ask you a question?" interrupted a man in the audi- , ence. "Certainly, sir," said HTe lecturer. "You have given us a lot of figures about immigration, increase of wealth, the growth of trusts, and all that," said the man. "Let's see what you know about figures yourself. How do you find the greatest common divisor?" Slowly and deliberately the orator took a glass of water. Then he pointed his finger straight at the questioner. Lightning flashed from his eyes, as he replied, in a voice that made the gas-jet quiver: "Advertise for it, you ignoramus!" The audience cheered and yelled and stamped, and the wretched man who had asked the question crawled out of the hall a total wreck.

A despatch from St. John's Newfoundland, by wireless to Montreal, states that the sailing fleet off the east coast of Newfoundland reports the worst season in the history of the sealing industry. The total catch is only 50,000 seals, which is less than one boat secured in 19*10. The fleet sailed on March 14, and comprised 2000 men and many vessels. On March 20 they struck an ice "pan," with 30,000 seals, which they speedily slaughtered. Then followed a hunt by -the steamers, ploughing through the ice for the main herd, which usually floats down on the ice from the Polar regions. This search was kept up for hundreds of miles through the ice in every direction, but the steamers were out for more than a week without success. It is believed that owing to a succession of gales the herd went south earlier than usual. The

average catch is 300,000 skins, representing a million dollars. With the best luck it is not expected to exceed one-third this year. This means a staggering blow to the general trade of the colony, which depends largely on the sealing industry for its supply of money for the spring business.

A letter has been received by an Invercargill resident from a friend in San Francisco, in which he states that there were 40,000 unemployed in that city, many of whom were attracted by publicity being given to the fact that work would shortly be commenced on the great fair which is going to be held in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. On arrival they found the work had not been commenced, and to prevent further congestion the municipality had advertised in the newspapers. Soup kitchens, adds the correspondent, are in full swing, and much want exists, but it is expected that conditions will right themselves in a few months, when the work on the building will commence. In Oakland, the other side of the bay, there are 25,000 unemployed, and it is estimated that in the United States there are 5,000,000, out of a population of 95,000,000, or 5 per cent., who have no work at present. In connection with the Panama Canal Exposition, it is to open in February, 1915, and close in December of the same year, and the various States and foreign nations are selecting their sites.

An incident arising out of indistinct handwriting is associated with the Duke of Wellington. Jane Loudon, author of many once-popular books on gardening, wrote to Wellington asking permission to sketch the Waterloo beeches in the park at Strathfieldsaye, and signed herself "J. Loudon." The Duke, who, de-

spite his age and weakened sight, insisted

on conducting all his own correspondence, replied as follows:-—"F.M. the Duke of

Wellington presents his compliments to the Bishop of London. The Bishop is quite at liberty to sketch the breeches which the Duke wore afc Waterloo, if they can be found. But the Duke is not aware that they differed in any way from the breeches which he generally wears." Mr. Edison's latest plan is the simplification of modern education methods through the medium of the biograph. To this object he intends to devote the next few years of his life, and a fortune of £600,000. The famous electrician declares that with the biograph he can teach children what heretofore they have been compelled to painfully learn by means of printed words, figures and diagrams. "In this way," says Mr. Edison, "any concrete thing can be learned with a maximum of efficiency and a minimum of effort."

Dog-lovers will read with a sympathetic thrill the story of what befel a fox-terrier bitch belonging to Mr. A. Sherwood, of Seatoun (says the Dominion). Last Wednesday week, when Mr. Sherwood was from home, the terrier was put into a rabbit burrow on his section, and did not come out again. Next day, as she still did not appear, Mr. Sherwood began to dig for her, but without success. He renewed the effort on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and turned over great quantities of soil. Mr. Sherwood was very fond of his terrier. He had first come into possession of her as the sequel to rescuing her from a deserted whare, where she had been shut up for days. In this second attempt to save her life he not only dug around the "burrow day after day for four days, but he repeatedly crawled about on the ground, calling her name, and laying his ear to the soil to listen for the familiar whine. No sound came, and at length Mr. Sherwood gave her up for lost. And then, last Thursday evening, while he was sitting at tea, he happened to look out of the window, and there was the terrier limping on three legs towards the house, all earthy, and painfully thin and feeble. "She was soon in his arms by the fireside, .while he examined her injuries. One eye was stopped up with earth, and the other partially filled. All her paws were red and raw from the task of scratching her way out of the ground, and the two forepaws were badly swollen, but none of her limbs were seriously injured. Her master washed her, bandaged her wounds, gave her food and medicine, and placed her to rest beside the kitchen fire. She soon began to brighten up, and by next morning was well on the way to complete recovery. She had been nine days without food or water. WINTER TOPCOATS. AT THE MELBOURNE. TVre is no store in Taranak! so well p>>!' '■•-> iin.:.: v (>oats of quality at such '■ .< ■■■' i - ,if Ihi! Melbourne if one but !>■•■ ' " think. 'l'" !:'!'»■ !'- 'i • ohvioiii* In :' "itshe.lt, Ui:-. '■■ . of Kiii'h low '.' ■• i-i liiivl-ny ;Y.:- Mm.' ,\ish and sePi..; ■:!'■ .-. i< >.'. :: nrarein that a c ,i> ' ■ ■ i ' in' . ( ill li'n 1 ,' Com ■ ■■ ■ , ■■ ' .- -\.-,ir '■ •■ > ■■■i'li -I ores in i ir ~- i,; .:, ,|!.;.r;in : , ■ !:•■! '■.ivi'rs of 1 : \. vjnii'! ■ I ■ i;iil'T sillll- ■.-..- -' ..• Ii ■. , '. «..villi be a e'v-:"-i. ilvjur 'nil--i>il if I I'm husfft cash .I'-. >in. -■ ■:■ K 1 . In imti' "ssions granted i ■ ■. ; , , ~■ •' 'm wonder- .' ii .■ . , ■: i. .. ■ i . ijui.eni .1 t_»..p- ■ .. ~i; • -i" ,i'ii not allow this fani. . li-in t m.lersell all oompetil..-. Ami I'- > ■ ~i|.; . --J , .n. Here mi- .:. . - I ; !.-' ' 'ii -i,. ii 1 -..jiv tIIOSP ■-■ !-,.\. t.-.v, :',-,!■ . inilar tru,..,ls tint ,:-, - •mii.;! - ■•-•. ! .-, -i, „■ ~ : < dune. Sir. ii i'-l ■ ',: ' i '■ jiU«, well taili. ■•■.| -I.i.i.i '■■ ,: Handsome hydrnrit,.; ~ ■■■■! . a , nr 50/ . for'37/B. Sp: t .-i-' ; i) ■ . ■•' .i :■;?:<:-. i- - hnid ■\ ,.-i.... ,1 .!.■• .:') . .NolMiv over,,.ii. 1... Snii.if Diva J nought,'' made of fin.' in--1 ci'ii- •i'iivi'netted dark prey «o■.-11 -.1. •■i|i;.-nili'llv tailored and (jnMterl. .'l9/G. I'.e-t quality Burberry ooaK 4!>/fi. Dozens of other lines, of course.—Advt.

"I was told of districts in New South Wales, through which I travelled recently by rail," said a returned Aucklander to a Star reporter, "where there has been scarcely a sprinkle of rain for twelve months. New Zealand farmers don't know what it is to see a paddock bare of pasture, with the unfortunate stock without a bite of natural foods. Stock were dying, I was told, in many districts, through inability to supply them with food and water. The big sheepowners arc having a very bad time of it. If the drought does not break soon there will he a reaction in the Sydney boom before very long, in my opinion. The weather bureau reports are daily scanned in the city with intense eagerness, and it is said to see one after another turning away with the same significant remark, 'No rain yet!'"

After a long spell of inactivity New Plymouth is beginning to show signs of making emphatic progress, and for some time past the building trade has been brisker than usual. One of the most' handsome structures _JJiat has been added to the town's public buildings lately is the King George Coronation Agricultural Hall, on St. Germain's Square, which has been erected by the Taranaki Agricultural Society for the accommodation of winter shows. Those who have not already inspected thebuilding will have an opportunity to do so on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of next week, when the annual Winter Show will be in progress. Very satisfactory entries have been received in all sections. And a very successful exhibition is anticipated. ' Additional interest will be lent to the show I>v the presence of the Governor, Lord Islington, who will perform the opening ceremonv. Special train and reduced fares will be available. I.i t ■