LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 51, 18 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Cabinet has decided to purchase the Mount Nessing estate, in South Canterbury, for closer settlement.- The estate consists of 6000 acres of Crown land and 30,000 acres of Crown leasehold. New potatoes in June! It can be done in Stewart Island, where the absence of frost makes the winter much milder that on the mainland. The seed was planted on February 24, and the sample was dug on June 24. The potatoes, though small, are sound and thoroughly ripe. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister in charge of the Advertising Department, has issued instructions that in future advertisements are to be inserted in those papers from which the Departments concerned are likely to get the most benefit, and that the Department is to be run as a commercial and not a political institution, and the distribution of advertisements is to be absolutely impartial.

The Court of Appeal was engaged yesterday afternoon in hearing argument in the case re the King Gold Mining Co., Ltd., an appeal from a judgment of Mr. Justice Cooper, granting an application of Richard Cock, of New Plymouth, to be taken off the list of contributors of the company now in liquidation. Mr. O. Beere appeared for appellant, and Mr. C. H. Treadwell for Mr. Cock. At the conclusion of Mr. Beere's argument, the Court intimated that it would take time to consider and if necessary would call on Mr. Treadwell later. The co-operation of the Taranaki Hospital Board was sought by the Wallace and Fiord Board yesterday, in making representations to the Minister of Internal Affairs that provision should be made in some institution for the compulsory detention of mentally defective girls and women. The Board did not go deeply into the question. "That means another institution," remarked Mr. J. R. Hill. The chairman (Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer: "It is a very, very farjeaching question." The secretary (Mr. j Lcpper) explained that the Hawera Hos- • pital Board had passed a resolution affirming the proposal, and Mr. G. W. Browne followed with the remark: "Who is to judge a girl?" to which Mr. D. McAllum rejoined: "Refer it to the BrotherI hood!" The chairman suggested that the question be considered at another meeting of the Board, and members, in consenting to this course, remarked that there was a lot in the proposals. The discussion then terminated with the following remark by the chairman: "If you are going to make people moral by' institutions—(A member: Bv law!)—I question the matter very much."

The Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday "cold-shouldered" a proposal from the Inspector-General of Hospitals (Dr. Valintine), that before appointing nurses it should consult with the Hospital Department. In a letter to the Board, he intimated that many trained nurses were applying to the Hospital Department regarding hospital positions. Several nurses were also arriving from England, and he suggested that, instead of advertising for nurses, the Board should, in the first place, notify the Department, which body would inform it if any nurses were available. "Well," remarked the chairman, ''l don't care what Dr. Valintine says. I think that when we want nurses, the colonial nurses should have preference." (Hear, hear). Mention was also made of the fact that a sister board "stultified itself" by calling for applications in England for a position. Members were unanimously of the same opinion as the chairman. Mr. Cutfield said that preference should be given to colonial girls, provided they were available, and, answering him, Mr. Bellringer explained that the Board never had any difficulty in filling the positions with mreoe TllC _ COIIUJI tioil

A Taranaki resident has informed a southern paper that land in this province has risen £lO per acre within the last three months. That resident might as well have made it £SO of an increase whilst lie was about it!

The Taranaki Jockey Club has granted permission to the committee of the Circular Road Race to use the club's freehold property on September 5 to enable the race to'finish at the racecourse, and also to allow a motor cycle race to be held at the same time.

Many farmers, says the Eltham Argush, are of opinion that there is every probability of Taranaki experiencing a mild and pleasant spring season this year. There is even now some growth in the grass, willows are beginning to bud, and blossom is making its appearance on the wattle trees.

We are informed, says the Waitara Mail, that some local boys are in the habit of carrying .22 calibre revolvers about with them, and do not, hesitate about firing them in the streets. This is a practice that should be sternly put down. It is well to know that it is an offence to sell firearms to boys under 1G years of age. Two men on Monday morning hired horses from Pepperell's stables, sayings they wished to ride to New Plymouth. They did not go there, and did not return with the animals. On Tuesday, Mr. Pepperell made inquiries as to the men's whereabouts, without avail. A rather remarkable fact is that a person may off with a horse on a bogus hiring agreement, and so long as he does not transfer it to any one else he can retain possession without being amenable to criminal law.—Waitara Mail.

An indignant defendant at the Invercargill Police Court last week caused a little amusement to those present (says the News). He was charged with failing to clear his property of noxious weeds, and when asked whether he pleaded "guilty" or "not guilty," he replied: ''Your Worship, I am guilty according to law, but not to justice." He stated that he had been unable to obtain labor to cut the weeds, and further added that the pest on his property had been the result of growth on adjoining Government lands.

At the meeting of the Stratford County Council yesterday the engineer drew attention to the fact that hundreds of pounds' worth of pipes came into the Stratford County every year, of which 30 or 40 per cent, went in freight. He considered that it would be a saving if these pipes could be manufactured somewhere in Taranaki. The matter had been discussed by the Whangamomona County Council, and he thought if several of the local bodies joined together to secure the necessary machinery and manufacture pipes at a suitable place a considerable saving would be effected. -Reference was made to the fact that the Moa Eoad Board was now manufacturing pipes, but the engineer stated that there were various objections to handmade pipes, on the grounds that they were too expensive to handle and could not be made in the quantities required. During the course of discussion, it came out that councillors considered that the Mt. Egmont crushing plant site would be an ideal one, as there was plenty of material and water there Not only could pipes be made there, but houseblocks, etc., all of which would be payable side lines. The matter was ultimately left in the hands of the chairman and engineer to report on at next meeting. In the eyes of the Stratford Hospital Board the. air in New Plymouth apparently possesses certain peculiar properties, which tend to act on the good nature of residents in that town. Some weeks ago the secretary of the Stratford body wrote asking the Taranaki body to exercise every care in admitting Stratford patients, who claimed urgency, to the New Plymouth Hospital. "It appears," wrote the secretary, "to be a growing practice for people in bad health or circumstances to clear out (from the back country especially) to New Plymouth. Possibly the people are more beneficicnt or the climate is less rigorous." To this effusion the secretary (Mr. Lcpper) of the Taranaki Board reported at its meeting yesterday that he had replied, inter alia, as follows: "Surely your board knows that the matter lies entirely with what the doctor considers, in his opinion, is in the best interests of the patient. In the case in point (to which the Stratford Board previously referred) the doctor did not know where the patient came from. He only knew he required hospital treatment at once. I understand he will not leave the hospital alive. Your flattering suggestion re our people and our climate, and why your people come to New Plymouth, is not, in my opinion, correct. They come here to get the best medical advice. Personally, I do not blame them." The Impounding Act is a very difficult one for the lay mind to understand, and apparently bristles with pitfalls for the unwary, and rangers and others impounding cattle oftimes do not know just when they are within the law. A question that has exercised the minds of many has just been submitted to Mr. F. F. Martin, counsel for the New Zealand Counties' Association, by the Waipukurau County Council. The query I submitted was as follows: If cattle that ■have been seized by the ranger for impounding should break away from him into the owners' or another person's property is he able to follow and take , them off without giving notice to the owner of such property? 'The opinion of the eminent counsel was that, at common law, there was no liability, apart from negligence, for casual trespasses by cattle on private property when being lawfully driven along the highway, if they are removed as soon as reasonably practicable. This carried with it that the person in charge of the cattle might enter upon the private land for the purpose of removing such straying cattle, and the ranger would certainly have that right. He saw nothing in the Impounding Act abrogating this. The sections of the Impounding Act penalising any person who drives cattle from the land or out of the herds of any other person without giving twenty-fours' notice, or without proper authority, did not, in his opinion, apply to the ranger, who was a public officer performing a public duty. He had the authority of the statute to drive the cattle to the pound, and was performing a statutory duty in driving them to the pound, if, however, the cattle got mixed with the herd of the occupier, so as not to be readily distinguished from them, he considered it would be prudent for the ranger to give the necessary notice.

SPECIAL SALE BOYS' SMART VARSITY SUITS AT THE MELBOURNE. For ten days only the Melbourne, through the agency of its four stores — at Xew Plymouth, Inglewood, Stratford and Eltliam—places before the people of Taranaki an unparalleled offering, consisting of 100 boys' smart varsity suits at the extraordinarily low price of 8/9 the suit. This is no "catch," as the low price might imply, but a genuine offer of bright, fresh goods from one of the Dominion's best-known clothing manufacturers, who sold us the parcel only on condition that his name was not divulged. The suits are made of good serviceable tweed, correct winter weight, and the colors are in pleasing shades of blue, green and brown. Each suit is faithfully tailored, pants well lined, with ■buttoned hip pocket. Shirt has box pleat and buttoned breast pocket. Each suit complete with leather belt for 8/S). Alto—u "■*'■""'• "-°"edeut.--Advt.

The s.s. Nairnshire, which completed loading at (he Waitara roadstead on Tuesday, tok the following cargo from the local freezing works:— 20lOqrs beef, 400 pieces beef, 140 carcases pork, 1511 carcases mutton, 03 casks tallow. "

A poll was taken at Kelson yesterday on two loan proposals, the first of £3200 for the erection of salt water baths, and the second of £I2OO for the extension of waterworks reserve. The first was defeated by 48!) votes to 391, and the second carried by -013 to 269.

No applications were received by the New Plymouth High School Board of Governors in response to their 'advertisement for a junior assistant, at a salary of £BO per annum and board. The board decided yesterday to advertise afresh, and in additional centres.

"This must be a pretty "good country," remarked his Honor, Mr. Justice Chapman, at the Supreme Court at Nelson, "if a laborer can go in for a gold watch," His Honor added that he did not know if the Cost of Living Commission had yet visited Nelson, but if they had not they might be able to get some interesting evidence.

"The most pitiful thing in the life oi New Zealand is the large proportion of her native-born sons who are unskilled workers. The waste in the use of incomplete equipment is very great, but the greatest waste of all is in the incapacity of her untrained workers."— Professor Mills before the Cost of Living Commission. The experiments attached to the manufacture of cordite at Maribyrnoug were completed recently when the first stick of cordite made in Australia was successfully produced with compounds made at the factoiy. The establishment is now fully manned, and the manufacture of large supplies will be proceeded with. Nitro-glycerine was also first produced this month.

The Brougham street hall was crowded last night on the occasion of another of the series of euchre parties and dances, held under the auspices of the Western Park Committee. In the euchre tournament the ladies' prize was carried off by Mrs. W. Harvey, with Mrs. W. Bennett second, and the men's competitiin was won by Messrs. A. Wylie •and W. J. Brown respectively. .. A tasteful supper was provided. Mrs, George's orchestra was in attendance.

Are New Zealanders of to-day less independent than their forebears? The chairman (Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer) of the Taranaki Hospital Board thinks so. Speaking apropos of an application for relief at- yesterday's meeting of the board, he deplored the fact that the spirit of independence which used to characterise colonials seemed to have gone. Other members followed in a similar strain, one of their number stating that it was regrettable, but it was a fact nevertheless. Regarding the case in point, Mr. E. Maxwell remarked: "We have no right to contribute towards the decline," Members agreed, and the application was refused.

"You said in your article on the newsvendor nuisance on the through trains that the questionable books retailed on them were not offered to members of the fair sex," said a visitor to the News office yesterday; "but that is not the case. Two of my girls were going down the line the other day, and one of the train pests offered one of these prurient books to them. Knowing from personal observation what was going on, I cautioned the girls before they left against buying these books on the train, and the girls promptly refused to buy. This was not enough. The wretch pestered them for a considerable time until, being unable to stand his undesirable attentions any longer, they promptly complained to the guard. After that they were left alone."

The funeral of Mr. Wallace Hartley, the heroic bandmaster of the Titanic, whose body was recovered aim taken to England, took place at Oolne, his native place, amid remarkable scenes of general mourning. Thousands of visitors came from all parts of the surrounding country to the little Lancashire town and thronged the narrow main streets. Flags waved at half-mast from the town hall and other public buildings. The funeral was largely of a public character, and was attended by the Mayor, in his chain of office, and Mr. Black, the musical director of the White Star Company. The cortege was a long and imposing one. After an impressive service at Bethel Church, to which the solemn strains of "Nearer, my God, to Thee," gave an especially affecting touch, the funeral procession, headed by several bands, marched slowly through the narrow streets to the cemetery.