LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 109, 24 September 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Beyond the faet that the flag was ilown at the Post Office, that the banks were closed, and that special lectures were delivered to the school children, there was little else to remind New Plymouth that yesterday was Dominion Day. It is understood, says the Eltliam Argus, that the Bill which is to bo introduced shortly by the Government to confer pensions for, Maori war veterans will provide for a pension of 10s peaweek. A veteran receiving this pension will not forfeit his right to receive an old age pension by qualifying in the ordinary way.

At the Trades Council meeting last week the question of the increase in the price of meat was under discussion, and one member stated that his butcher had stated that the increase was due entirely to the increased cost of fat bullocks." Another speaker stated that a cursory glance at the abattoirs monthly report would satisfy anyone that there were very few '■bullocks killed," being mostly cows. Mr. F. Black, consulting engineer of Wellington, has advised the Borough Council that he is unable to fix a date for visiting New Plymouth, and will not be able to go into the matter of redrafting the tramway scheme for at least a month or somewhat longer. As soon as he can see his way clear, however, to fix a date ho will advise further and wilt then lose no time in entering upon the whole question,

The usnal weekly session of the Good Templars' Juvenile Temple, No. 25, -was opened last evening. Bro. G. H. Maunder was in attendance and gave the Juveniles a very entertaining address. Bro. 11. Tweedalo was presented with a special prize, won at the recent recitation competition for general excellence. The session which was attended by a large .number of juveniles was closed by the Superintendent at 7">o p.m. Next week's programmes is set down as competitions.

The quarterly meeting of the Loyal Egni-ont Lodge was held last evening. P.G-. Arch Hooker .occupied the chair in the unavoidable absence of the N.C-. three candidates were proposed for membership and P.G. Isaac. Morrison was elected N.G. for the remainder of the term. A considerable amount of discussion arose.as to the advisability of procuring a safe for keeping all Lodge documents, and it was resolved that the Lodge, procure a safe when funds are available.

It .is stated on good authority that tohungaism is rampant in the northern parts of the Wairarapa. The whisky "cure," which has been much before the public of late-,, in various courts of the Dominion, is mainly prevalent, and it is said that the effects, especially upon the, female natives, are nothing short of appalling. In one pa the "cure" is being used to such effect that the women are in a continual state of intoxication, the demoralising effect of which will be readily imagined. A lady who was too anxious to get; ashore; from the ferry steamer at I)e----vonport, Auckland, came to serious grief last Saturday afternoon. Instead «if stepping on to the wharf, she stepped into space, and next moment wart floundering in the water. Two male passengers dived in to her assistance, and in a very bedraggled and dishevelled condition the ladv hauled to safety. Her peggy bag, which was floating between the vessel and the jetty, was also rescued and restored to its embarrassed owner, who hastened to hide herself from the public gaze as quickly as possible.

■I bore are sure still a -few enthusiasts left' in New Plymouth where matters theatrical are concerned. A member of the News stall' returning from the telegraph off-ice a I i? o'clock yesterday mornwas confroutc l by the unusual experience of finding somebody on Devonstreet. Seeing two young iadi.es standing on the footpath ami scenting a possible murder or some other domestic tragedy he enquired if he would be of any assistance, only to be met with the reply "Oh, no; we're only waiting for the box plan of the pantomime to open." After this there i: no room for even an avant coureur of the. stamp of Mr. Charley Berkeley to say naugihtV tilings about the theatrical indolence'of New Plvmouth.

Tlic usual wei l;!v of the TC<*mont Lodge. No. i 12. was livid in the Lodge room last cvpjiiugi bein? opened by the C.T. Bi'o, I'. 11." Pepporoll. A eoniijiittw consisting of the RC.T., Societal j, Bros, lioberts, and ]■;. Iledley wadset up to make arrangements for the concert to be held oil the 7tli of next month. A report \va* submitted by the com emir of th" Committee re the bazaar. Tin- "ommittee was invited to meet with tlie bazaar executive eommittee to-morrow e'vcniug io (discuss the same. The pi for tiie evenin« «'iis set down as "Sistcra' Night," in charge of the Vice Templar and"Firaineial Secretary. The eliair was occupied by the V.T. Sister ii. Iteid. The following items were <*nut ributed:—Pianoforte solo, Sister A. Kisic-r L Lamerton; n c'latidns, s : -=ler W. Tlaitnell (Juvenile Temple). Sister fi. Connet!, Sister |i, I(encored), pianoforte d'liet. Sisters T!. I!,i<,|i-n and 0. 'Way. A competition v,a> arrang.d bv Hie Sisters nu somewhat novel The Broihem were each Mippli,.,! with a list of words of somewhat similar founding, and tiiey uere reipiired to <*•>«•« use a short piece of poetry, each line Io terminate with line of the piven -.vonk The competition brought out many aspirin" poets, and provided so:; e i)i(.i>re»tin>; composi'ffi?' Jii'o, (J, .v. ,',/ydcn eventuall v won the prize.

The. future of Africa., involving the question as to whether Mohammedanism or Christianity will eventually hold sway iu that land, was div,lt with bv the Jlev. 0. J. Kimbcrie\, secretary for New /calami ol lne { 111;rrh ]\lissjouary Association. in Si, Mai-v's Sc-hoc.koom bust night. Mr. K! : v„. r j , y illustrated his lecture "\\ r ith an inlere>tin'.f series of lantern slides, nmf '.•'•utincd hims-i:' to the purely Christian, am! not political, future of the Dark C'oni incut. ][e focussed the allrin!:.ii of Ins audience on the slave trade, pointing out. that il. was. still being i,i i i it;! mi hi ceiuiiii nans of .\li it a. -i .. ,„! ■ ;ii muuig to he de]iopul it lb ' 1 In lui In,. 1 (idei'a. In tlus conn . L; . 11. he rcierred par-

11. ~1 0 1:1. . .! ; ! IH-ll ICS, anil pointed out, mi !'„. o, her li;,nd. Ihe beu /ieial rule. , j, v the T.ril-i'-a aerviee. it! ;i.:i_ :o l-v ji,i.--■", >n u>rk, he dwelt oil Wc ■ '^111 1 achievements ui Lit. Krai i, a..'. .daekav, and

i f lit-, 1 in! pro; [ I it ju I nil wlktc uni.\ v • «-fo hvmi:tn sophiicii was i \ I I i i It ly its (li i lu ]ll i >0 vonis' Mi » i u!\ I ''') 1, , ,1 p .pit - ;. 11 >'• .'1 • :v • ;)!• . I >1 ai:pport of till' Mini \v,:• u I 1 it Wullld b'j oi;i• r ,')' i|i,' n! i.in--- J|oliiimniMianivin C- .-;: «•..;»* m l '. \\ (iood Templar !lall. \<!yi. AVE ARK FUJ/f.Y KQI'IPI'RD FOR FOBNITUKK K IQIOV ALS. We luivc a w.'il coiirtaous staff of export u>ov i-. ! • ' i- i,, li o!. ?ll u) ,„ iiiodious, v—: -rhi 7 «- v , r j t -- iko your niovintr aml taK-i 1 a li < . po^'ile oil voui luikU. '■ , ii,-, v,]ii n ruxl von move. } oii'il f: •• -r Msiem rriistltlp, j expeditions. moilcr.'v. • •>! price.—The YZ. Express Co., Ltd.

Xo fewer than 220,p00 „fat sheep and lambs left the Featherston railway station last year, which was a larger number than from any other station in the Dominion.

Cathns settlers have struck a gold mine in opossum skins, and they are being sent away by the 'thousands at 3s fid to ."is eaell for good pelts (says the fuvereargill Xuws).

lairing the streets and footpaths, dud (lie use of tar macadam has proved so satisfactory," says the Christchnrch city surveyor in his annual report, "that 1 strongly advise the Council to obtain as much tar as possible during the next year. i here is no comparison in the advantage which a tar-bound road has over a water-bound one; maintenance is far easier and cheaper, and a patch, of tarred material can always be applied as required, and the top kept in good condition ; also the street is far cleaner' and less dustv."

The credit of earning the largest medical fee on record belongs to a blind practitioner, Dr. Gale, of Bristol, who received £50,000 for curing a wealthy patient of lameness by electrical treatment. Jay Gould, however, must have spent considerably more than this sura on doctors in his lifetime. For many years before bis death he paid his doctors a regular salary of £3MM> a year, whether sick, or well, and for curing his daughter, Miss Helen (build. of an illness wljich lasted two months the railway king rewarded another doctor with ■£ 18,000. Sir Morell Mackenzie, for his attendance on the Emperor Frederick, received in all £13.000.

Stolen fruit, like stolen kisses., is proverbially the sweetest, and the truth of this has been verified during the time that the Star of Canada lias been ashore on the Kaiti beach, near Gisborjie. There has been a craving for souvenirs, and these have been got by fair means .or foul. Xumerous articles have been purloined during the past few weeks, and the store of ship's crockery-lias dwindled down to nothing. "'There were 15 dozen of every article of crockery," said Captain Taylor to a reporter, "'and now there is not one piece marked with the ship's brand.' A number of people boarded the steamer, and the last Tyser dinner plate left the galley during the tor" . .i' . n

In reference to the remarks made recently by Lord Chelmsford as to the isolation of Xew Zealand, the Sydney Daily Telegraph publishes a statement by an official of the t'nion Company. The latter admits.that while the journey between London and Sydney' has become shorter 'and shorter, that between Sydney and Xew Zealand has remained as it was almost twenty years ago. A quicker service would be a gi'fiat gain, he says, both to the 'Commonwealth and the Dominion. He continues: "More people would travel backwards and forwards, and in the present development of, settlement in Australia, the Commonwealth stands to win' immigrants from. New Zealand. On the other hand,' New Zealand would lose a large amount of that insularity which in many ways is becoming almost a defect amongst a considerable portion of its inhabitants. Their people could run over here and back again all in a fortnight's holiday, whereas they can hardly do so now."