LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 133, 23 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

No fewer than 222,000 fat sheep and lambs left the Featlierston railway station last year, which was a larger number than from any other station in the Dominion.

The Shannon correspondent of the Leyin Chronicle says: "Shannon spends over £IO,OOO per annum on alcoholic drinks'and sport, but is unable to keep a resident doctor,' 1 dn , . M „.

The High School Sports will be held on the school grounds to-morrow. All friends of the school are invited to attend and they are promised an interesting afternoon's sport,

ihe, .twilling season in tlie Recreation Ground lias opened. Bathers regret the removal of the spring board) and hone in the interests of cleanliness, which is next to Godliness, that it will he replaced. The curator (Mr. W. W. Smith) is busy catching eels In the lake by means of a Maori eel-basket. This will be good news for the ducklings. Wo are in receipt of the following from the New Plymouth acting-postmaster:— "Berne advises that telegraph communication by the neighboring routes with Bulgaria Greece, Montenegro and Servia is interrupted. Private telegrams for Crete must be written in Greek. French, English, Italian or German telegrams written in other languages are stopped on arrival. Berne also advises that the Bulgarian administration notifies that as a result of the state of war telegraphic communications between Bulgaria and Turkey are suspended." On Monday afternoon the Inglewood Technical School classes finished the year's work. A pleasant ending to the year was provided in the shape of an afternoon tea, which was arranged by Miss Tiplady and the girls of the'eooking class. Mr. Stratford, the headmaster of the school, thanked the instructress and the girls on behalf of the boys of the woodwork class, -and added'a special word of commendation for the tea and cakes, which were of so excellent a quality as to induce the boys to contemplate matrimony at the earliest possible time.

The member for Egmont appears to have very favourably impressed the House in his maiden effort, and he has since in a second speech strengthened the favourable first impression he created. A Wellington correspondent in a Southern exchange writes:—Mr. Wilkinson who did the Government the good turn of winning the Egmont seat 'for them, promises, with some practice and knowledge of the procedure and ways of the House, to be a very useful member in the debating ranks of the Government. He speaks sensibly and to the point and on subjects that he knows well enough to be able to say something of interest. He belongs to the sensible and solid order of speakers and, I should say. is uot the kind of man to outlive his first good impression.

Reserved decision was delivered in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, by Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., in the case in which Bernard Martin sued Allen Veale for the possession of a horse which be bought for £B, or as an alternative for the sum of £l2, the present value of the animal. Reviewing the evidence, His Worship said the horse had been delivered into plaintiff's possession by defendant, who came to his paddock next day and took the animal away again, alleging that plaintiff had misrepresented the condition of the horse, when bargaining with him for its purchase. The evidence on this point was somewhat contradictory, and that of Veale's assistant, the boy Jury, that plaintiff represented the horse to have been in a dying condition, his Worship said he could not accept, for it was inconceivable that plaintiff would have offered to pay £8 for an animal if he thought that it was in such a state. Veale had had ample opportunity of satisfying himself of the condition of the colt, before it was taken away. The Magistrate gave judgment for the plaintiff', allowed him £1 for the detention of the colt, and ordered the animal to be given up on payment by plaintiff of £B. the purchase pripe agreed upon. Costs amounting to £4 10s were allowed the plaintiff, for whom Mr. J. H. Quilliam appeared. Mr. G. Grey appeared for the defendant.

You will be thankful that there is a Drench like Sykea's. That is if you once try it. If you "Save any doubt about i'c—ask your neighbor. We don't know if it saved any eows of his last winter, but it saved « lot of cows—in a lot of places, and in quite a lot of time*.— SYKES, SHE FARMERS' CHEMIST.-

A local billiard saloon keeper will shortly figure in the Magistrate's Court in answer to a charge of having kept his premises open after hours. The Rarawa last night took 14 Shetland ponies, 10 young cattle and 2 horses to Auckland. Among her general cargo was 15 crates of cheese and i) boxes of butter. A traveller complains of the nuisance and danger caused to horsemen by settlers principally on by-roads allowing their horses to wander at large. This danger is considerably accentuated when the horse is tethered to a near-by fencing post with sufficient rope to allow it to wander right across the road. This, the traveller says he can personally vouch for as on Monday evening whilst riding near Inglewood his horse was thrown to the ground through tripping over such a tether rope, and he himself narrowly escaped serious injury.

All interested in Labor matters should make an effort to attend the public meeting in the Good Templar Hall tonight, when Mr. McHugli will speak on Land, Labor, Liberty and a Living. Members of the local Unions will be interested to learn that the lecturer is a Pioneer Trades Unionist. Mr. McHngh is an old member of the Typographical Society. He founded the National Union of Dock Laborers in Great Britain and Ireland, and the American Longshoremen's Union, each having about 00,000 members, and last year he took an active part in the agitation which resulted in a large increase of wages for seafaring men.

Has man more powers of endurance than woman? A mountaineering authority recently gave an emphatic answer in the negative in the columns of the News, and now comes another authority, in a different line, to back up Ms opinion. "It is a curious thing," remarked Mr. Morris (Caretaker of the Municipal Baths) yesterday, "but girls are much better long-distance swimmers than boys. They can stand the water and endure its cold much more than the 'stronger sex.'" In support of his contention he mentioned that' the records for long-distance swimming in the local baths were held by girls. They might, not be better swimmers, but they could stay in the water much longer. It is surprising the distances that girls—mere children—have swum in the local baths. Girls under 14 years have covered four, three, and two and a half miles. One wee mite of 5 years has swum 220 yards, and yet there are many able-bodied men whose lives would not be worth a moment's purchase if they had to swim 50 y*rdi. A further meeting, over which the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) presided, was held in the Borough Council Chambers last night, for the purpose of arranging details in connection with the entertainment of the Canadian Cadets on the occasion of their visit to New Plymouth. It was decided, at the invitation of the New Plymouth Territorials, to invite the Cadets to attend the performance of "Oar Regiment" at the Theatre Royal. The invitation of the Sports Ground Committee and the Western Park Committee for the boys to attend a fete in the Recreation Grounds was also accepted. Mr. M. Jones was heartily thanked for his generosity in placing a brake at the disposal of the committee. Those present formed themselves into a committee with power to add to their number. So far the following persons have undertaken to billet varying numbers of boys:—Messrs. W. F. McAllum (6), G. W. Browne, 11. J. Gilbert, R. Ellis, F. T. Bellringer, G. Hale, F. P. Corkill, J. Johnson, J, Handy, A, McHardy, C. Crutch, and Mrs. Moon, all two each, and Messrs, 11, Stoeker,' 5.' KkO, X 0. List one each. Thirty-three boys have thus been provided for, leaving another thirty to be billeted. It is to be hop 3d that more residents will come forward with offers of accommodation ~, ~.., (~„, i, l>r . ~,.#■

About twenty ladies attended a meeting held in the Mayor's room yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of arranging details for the campaign to raise funds to cover the cost of the electric light installation at the new Mountain House. The Mayoress (Mrs. G. W. Browne) was in the chair. It was decided to hold the Garden Fete in the Recreation Grounds on February 0, A committee was set up to arrange a schedule for the floral competitions to be held in connection with the fete. Mrs. Hawkins, of Fitzroy, has undertaken to train children who will give an exhibition of the may-pole dance. Mrs. Hawkins, it will be remembered trained the children who participated in the mav-pole dance at the bazaar held in aid of the Fitzroy Fire Brigade. Sub-committees were set up to take charge of the afternoon tea arrangements and to supervise sweets, produce, and various other stalls. In the evening the may-pole dance will be repeated, and in all probabilitv an open-air picture show will be held. Boating on the lake, day and night, will be another attraction. It is also possible that "the children will be provided with a great treat in the shape of donkev rides. It,is understood that one or two gentlemen will place their motor-cars at the disposal of the committtee for the purpose of providing short rides ins\le the park for the "small fry." Efforts will also be made to arrange for a fancy dress cricket match. All things considered, the fete promises to be one of the most attractive and unique gatherings of the year.

For some time past it has been apparent that the Taranaki Garrison Band is in a bad way, and its appearances in public have been few and far between. Indeed, for all the music the public has got from it of late the band might be almost concluded to be a defunct body. Obviously there is a screw loose somewhere. The nature of the trouble was explained to a News representative by the secretary, Mr. F. Coleman. The main trouble lay, he stated, in the dilatoriness of the Defence Department in the payment of the subsidy to the band, as Garrison Band in Taranaki. The band had been kept on a string for some considerable time past by the Department, Two years' subsidy was due. As the result of repeated representations the, authorities had promised to pay the band £124. The subsidy per year bad. however, always been £BO, but had, with the reorganisation of the Defence Forces, been cut down to 10s per bandsman per annum. This reduced the local band's yearly subsidy to £l2 10s. The bandsmen had, continued Mr. Coleman, come to the opinion that if that was all the support the authorities were going to give it would not be worth while remaining a Garrison Band. Those at the head of' the battalion had. however, offered to endeavour to bring the subsidy up to about £SO per vear bv means of contributions from the'battalion's general fund. The band was in consequence waiting to see what eventuated in this connection and with regard to the overdue subsidy before deciding on its future policy. ' Till then it could not put its house in order. The band has fairly heavy financial obligations to meet, but the secretary is confident that once the two year's subsidv is paid its finances will be -able to be put on a solid basis. The band had bad luckrecently, losing about £OO. worth of uniforms and instruments in the fire in Mr. Robertson's house. Incidentally, Mr. Coleman is of the opinion that the business people of the town would help matters along somewhat if they assisted the band more in the direction of offering employment, when there were vacancies"! to bandsmen, so that the band would not lose their services. Since last year (he points out) the band has lost 14 of its members through removal from the district. The majority of these could have been retained in the band bad suitable employment been provided for them. -i •.

Another batch of cases against Territorials for failing to render personal service will be heard at the Alagistratc's Court to-morrow week. In the Arbitration Court at Wellington the other day, the fact was remarked that there had never beun a strike in the Taranaki district. A whale 60ft in length was stranded last week in the Aotea Harbor, at the' back of Kawhia, and is being inspected daily Iby numerous parties of interested spectators. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday judgment for the plaintiff by default was given in the undefended cases of T. C. List v. Munga Bishop, £7 Os lOd and costs £1 8s (id; and L. H. Jury v. F. G. Bailej', £1 and coste ss.

The district coroner (Mr. A. Crooke, S.M.), will hold an enquiry in the Magistrate's Court on Friday morning into the cause of the fire which took place recently in a house in Gilbert street, owned by Mrs. Bramlcy, of Fitzroy, and occupied by Mr. S. d'A. Grut. Mr. P. Paora wishes to return thanks on behalf of the promoters of the scliemc to erect a new church at Rewiti in the Auckland Province, to those who have subscribed to the fund. The new building was estimated to cost £lB7, and about £lO2 has so far been subscribed. Subscriptions are still being received by Mr. Paora. Thus the Rev. P. T. Williams at a mass meeting of girls at Auckland recently:—"The homes of the world are what the women of the world make them." He was shocked when he saw women in the streets of Auckland wearing heels 3in high, with their skirts gathered round them like the draping of a vase, and hats on their beads which were ridiculous, ]f these women only knew the contempt which all true men had for them they would never wear such things again. There have been more deaths from measles this year than for any previous year. A rather remarkable case is reported from Lanark, near Grenfell, where Mrs. John Mahon, aged 01, and her daughter, Katberine Mahon, aged 24, both died one night. The whole family had been suffering from measles, and the two deceased had been nursing them, and not thinking the cases serious did not get medical advice. The mother and daughter were the last two to contraot the complaint, and seemed to be doing well, and did not take to their bedi. The medical evidence was to the effect that death was due to natural causee, resulting on measles.

Discussing the question or migration of criminals, Mr. R. B. Williams, in an address in Wellington, mentioned that we in New Zealand were.sometimes apt to plume ourselves that Australia supplied us with a large number of our gaolbirds. That thLs was so was proved by statistics, for last year, of the whole number of convicted persons received into our gaols—2fi39 males and 238 females —the Australian States furnished us with 237. The other side, of the ledger allowed, however, that in New South W?.!M .alone—not all Australia-New Zealand was credited in the list of nationalities of convicted persons with having contributed no less a number than 207. These figures indicate that New Zealand has furnished a fairly liberal quota, to the criminal population of Australia, if they were all counted. "We are," remarked Mr. Williams, "ambitious to lead in most things, but in this respect we would vastly prefer to be behind all the rest." One of the bent advertisements that New Zealand has received, so far as a particular class of possible visitor* Hn concerned, is an article in Blackwood's Magazine, in which Mr. A. F. Leatham discourses most eloquently on "Stalking the Red Deer of Otago." As one who has been following that sport for ten Vears past—-he claims to have been tlv« first Englishman to shoot in the Hunter River Valley—he expresses a doubt Vliother anything in the way of sport ein surpass it, "Gorgeous scenery! A climate so bracing that ai mail ea n W alk from sunrise to sunset without feeling unduly tired! Morions trophies in the form of stags' heads far surpassing anything to be found in our own country! What more can the heart of a hunter desire?" Mr. Leatham speaks enthusiastically of the size and quality of the heads that fall to the successful deerstalker, and declares that they arc equal to any of the forest heads of Central Europe, and far superior to those of any stags in Oreat Britain at the present dav.

The Early History Research Committee will meet this afternoon. The committee, has set up a sub-committee to revise the passenger lists, ami has decided to hold a pioneer picnic on March' 31 next. Subject to 'their consent Messrs. S. Percy-Smith, John Skinner and H. Putt have been added to the committee. Over 2000 children learned to swim at the local municipal baths durng the last four years, and thus, as statisticians would doubtless tell us. so many less persons will die by drowning. When they can swim certain distances the children are awarded official certificates of the Swimming Association, which has its headquarters at Christchurch. During the season children from the local schools visit the baths in batches for the purpose of receiving tuition. Most certificates go to pupils of the West End School, owing to its propinquity to the baths compared with the other schools in the Borough. The natatorial instruction of children in common with bathing generally received a severe set-tack last season on account of the unseasonable and cold weather. On this account no certificates were competed for. Given good weather, there is no reason why the baths should not this season regain their old-time popularity. Sinee its opening a few weeks ago the attendance has been very promising. Last Thursday there was quite a crowd at the baths. With the completion of the improvements to the bath-house, the hot saltwater baths, which are gifted with considerable curative powers for rheumatism and certain other ills, are coming greatly into vogue.

SECOND INSTALMENT SALE OF LONDON "JOBS." The Melbourne's second job sale, now on, is crowded with magnificent bargains, entirely transcending the first job sale of a few weeks ago. Our managing director has succeeded on his second attempt in securing an aggregation of goods at such reduced prices as to almost defy imagination. Anyway, the goods are here, the sale prices 'fixed, and it only remains now for every man and woman in the district to come and take advantage of the great economies offered. Seeing is believing. It is only necessary to visit any one of our four stores, at Stratford, New Plymouth, Inglewood or Eltliam, to be convinced that the values are as represented. If you cannot pay us a personal visit, write (including cash) for any of the sale items, and if the goods do not meet with your entire approval return them and we will cheerfully refund your money. Here are a few trade-disturbing prices: Check glass cloth, linen. 14 inches wide, 3d yard; "Ivv" black mending wool, 5d "ball; men's white handkerchiefs, 6'for Is; Indies' pure linen hemstitched handkerchiefs, 3 for Is; women's rough serge costume skirts, 3s lid; Vinolia shhaving soap, 8d stick; ladies' white embroidered aprons, Is 6d; men's merino singlets, Is 6d; men's brown cotton pants, Is Ud; fine lace curtains, 2s lid; damnsk serviettes, 22 inches square, 8d each; and a host of equally alluring bargains,-—Advt.