LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 134, 24 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tho Wellington Evening Post refers to the Legislative Council as ''an irresponsible, unrepresentative, and singularly unintelligent 'body." We would iike to hear the Post's equally frank opinion of the Lower House. For ability, power and character the Legislative Councillors can lose the representatives of the present, House of Representatives, and the Post knows it as well an any other observer. The Taranaki branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals applied to the Education Board yesterday for .permission to arrange for addresses to the children in schools under its jurisdiction at times suitable to the head teachers. The Society -believed. stated the secretary (Mr. G. F. Robertson) that the addresses would stimulate the children's sympathy and co-op-eration in the movement, and would have ji valuable educative effect. The request was granted, subject to the approval of the school committees, and provided the addresses wore given outside of school hours.

At yesterday's meeting of the Education Board the committee of the Tngleiwood branch of tho Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society wrote offering three prizes to the pupils of the Slate schools belonging to the Moa School Committees' Association, and the Egniout Village School for the best essay on "Scotland's Famous Men" who had achieved distinction since the year of the Accession of Queen Victoria to the present day. The prizes wore one guinea, half a. guinea, and five shillings, respectively, and the essays would be limited to 1000 words. The essays would require to be forwarded to tho secretary of the Association not later than December 20, 1012. It was decided to eoncurr in the proposal. Mr. Kennedy mentioned that the other branches- of the Society were proposing to follow in Inglewood's footsteps.

A marked revival in the llaxinilling industry is reported from Otago and Southland. It is understood that Mr. W. A. Jury, who lias so successfully carried out the Opunake-New Plymouth mail contract for the past six years, has again secured the contract for the ensuing term, and in addition has secured the Waitara-Awa-kino mail contract. In these days of small families (says the Mataura Ensign) it is refreshing to chronicle the fact that a couple on Monday welcomed the addition to the family circle of their 30th grandchild. Their II) children all survived, and of the 30 grandchildren 21 are boys and nine are girls. Wealthy person* arc assuring their lives in order to pay heavy death duties without the necessity of realising part of their estates (says a recent message from Home). One policy is reported to have been taken out for £300,000, others for £250,000 and £200,000, and many for sums between £IOO,OOO and £200,000.

During the year ending June 30 last there were eleven alarms of fire in the New Plymouth Fire Board district. These are defined by the Superintendent (Mr. F. C. J. Bell-ringer) ms follow: — False alarms (2), mysterious (3), unknown (2), and four others on account of: boiling tar, incendiariism, combustion of rubbish,, and painters, burning -paint with'spirit lamps.

"Owing to the consummation of the Greater New Plymouth scheme," remarks the secretary of the Fire Board, Mr. T. L. Buxton, in his annual report "The Board has a largely increased area to -deal with, and as the greater portion ie not served with high pressure water Supply, the Board, acting upon Inspector Hugo's recommendation, lias decided to procure a motor fire engine with pumping apparatus attached, as soon as possible. The machine will be made specially to suit local conditions and should prove a very valuable addition to the Brigade's plant. It has also been decided to procure a hand-drawn chemical engine, which should be very useful in the suburbs."

The Early History Research Committee met in the Municipal Buildings yesterday afternoon. The Borough Council ■forwarded the communication it had received- from Mr. J. H.. Collier, of Wellington, relative to his proposal to establish a memorial of, the work done towards the colonising of the Dominion by the late Colonel Edward Cibbon Wakefield. The committee li'eid that the matter was outside -its province, and after some discussion decided to refer the letter back to the Council. A compilation committee was set up as follows: —Messrs. W. D. Webster, P. White, G. F. Robinson, W. H. Skinner, R. Cock, H. Olcey, M.P., W. J. Penn, T. C. List, W. Jennings,'Newton King, T. Ilammerton, J. C. Davies, J. S. McKellar, W. Newman, J. Skinner, -S. Percy-Smith, W. W. Smith, W. Humphries (secretary) and the Hon. T. Kelly. It was decided to leave all documents and photographs in the hands of the chairman and the secretary for safe custody. Several donations were received: Messrs. C. W. Govett £1 Is, G. W. Browne fl Is. W. Penn 10s fid, J. Skinner 10s (id, W. T. Jennings 10s fid, P. White 10s fid.