LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 59, 27 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The mail train was nearly two hours late in arriving here last night. The delay was due to a washout at Waikane, near Levin. A Ohristclmrch grocer has initiated the profit-sharing system, by admitting a, number of his older employees into his business. A matrimonial agency is to be established in Whangarei, and the Northern Mail notes this is another sign of the progressive era in tdie town. The North Taranaki Hunt Club's annual ball is to be held on Thursday, August 29, the night of the WellingtonTarana/ki football match at New Plymouth.

Farmers and the public generally are invited to attend a lecture by Professor Mills in the Town Hall this afternoon at 2 o'clock, on "Intensified Farming as a learned profession."

The Glenhope station, on fche Midland railway, is to be opened oij, August 1, This is an epoch in railway construction in the South Island, as the line here passes from the eastern to the western watersheds. Greater Wanganui has a population of 1.5,178, with a debt of £370,000, the average rate of interest being 4.30 per cent, and sinking fund of 1.34 per cent. The tramways, which cost £65,!>47, last year earned £3OO over and above every charge. The two Blenheim borough councillors who recently made a tour of various borough councils in the North Island have presented a report to their council, in which they give New Plymouth credit fcfr possessing the best electric light service they had seen. The latest fish story comes from Te Awaite (says the Picton Press). It is reported that the Perano party of whalers captured a shark weighing five tons, and over 18ft in length. On being opened up, the monster was found to contain & fair-sized sea-lion. Thus the Christchurch Spectator, which is owned by Mr. G. W. Kussell, M.P.:— "Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, ex-Prime Minister, continues as leader of the Liberal Party. There is no desire on the part of any member of that party to displace him from a position he 'has filled so honorably." Hawke's Bay is not the only part of the Dominion where the "motor-hog" has gained notoriety. In the Waikato last week, a party travelling at night, and at

high speed, ran into a herd of cows, with

i the result that one cow was killed, and \ several rendered more or less useless. The car and occupants also fared badly. A Thames fisherman reports that he saw. a remarkable shoal of fish the other day. Off Coromandel there must have been thousands and thousands of schnapper, and the men who got amongst them had a profitable time. Between Coromandel and Thames the sea was almost alive with the fish, and it would seem that the gulf had a sudden incursion of

fish rarely experienced. An order has been placed with Messrs. Collier and Co. for an upright grand piano for the new hall at Awakino. The order was open to all piano firms in New Zealand. The instrument is a Brinsmead, with full iron frame and check action, and is similar to those installed in Fuller's theatres throughout the Dominion. The piano has a splendid tone, and is altogether a fine. piece of workmanship. A reply has been received by the New Plymouth; Borough Council in answer to its application to have the foreshore from the end of the railway reserve to Henui river vested in the council. According to the Department, from inquiries made it appears that the foreshore referred to is already vested in the New Plymouth Harbor" Board. It would therefore require an Act of Parliament to vest it in the borough council.

The North Taranaki huntsmen turned up in targe numbers on Thursday afternoon at the weekly meet, which was held at the homestead of the Master (Mr. A. H. ITalcombe) at Urenui. Several good runs took place, and at four o'clock the hunt adjourned to the 'homestead, where all partook of Mr. Halcombe's bountiful hospitality. Thanks were returned to the host and hostess by the. deputy-master (Mr. B. H. Chaney) on behalf of the club. The day was wound up by a basket social in the Urenui Hall. The venue for the next meet will be Mr. Jennin's farm on Waitara road.

A father good story comes from a rural district in Taranaki (says the Auckland | Star). A professional man owned a cow, whose milk supply was unaccountably deficient. Various experts were consulted, and the best and most abundant fodder provided, yet still less and less milk was the result. The owner's wife had ideas of her own on the subject, and. speedily put .them into practice". Early one morning, armed with a kodak, she secreted herself in the milking shed. She •had not long to wait. Soon Molly was in the bail, and, when milking had been well started, click went the camera, and the cause of the falling-off of the milk supply was no longer in doubt. The picture which the kodak revealed showed Molly in process of being milked, and the milker was a near-by neighbor of the owner. The police have the picture in their possession,, and further developments are likely. Meantime, the lady is Hio recipient of many congratulations on tiie success of her clever little scheme.

The use of the telephone for fraud purposes figured in a case heard at the Redfern Police Court, Sydney, a few days ago, when Eva Stevens, aged 17, was charged with a daring form of imposition. She pleaded guilty. The evidence in the case went to" show that Ethel Holmes, an employee at McMurtrie's boot factory, Redfern, received a telephone message while at work on June 27. It said: "Come home; your mother has had a fatal accident." Holmes hurried home in great distress, and found that the message was false. Shortly after she left the factory a little girl called at McMurtrie's office and tendered a note, which she afterwards stated she bad been paid a penny by Stevens to deliver. In consequence of the note the clerk handed the child Holmes' wages, amounting to £1 its 10d, which she said she delivered to Stevens. Holmes, on her return to work, found that her name had been used for the purpose of robbing herself. The Magistrate sentenced ac" cusrd to three months' imprisonment, but suspended the sentence on condition that securities were entered into. He also ordered accused to make restitution to MeMurtrie or go to gaol for fourteen days.

To-morrow afternoon at llio flood Templar Hall Professor Mills, of Wellington, will address (lie New Plymouth Brotherhood on '• Industrial Foundations for a World-wide Brotherhood." Mr. Mills' reputation as a speaker lias preceded him. and no doubt the hall will be filled. A collection will be taken up on Mnilf of tiie Brotherhood.

The seventh of the series of fortnightly winter addresses on special subjects will be delivered in. the Whilcley M'emorial Church to-morvow evening. The subject is "What are we to think of other religions?" and the. Tiov. J. W. Burton will deal with Hinduism and Buddhism—two religions with which he has had personal and intimate contact.