LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 156, 19 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The secretary of the Pukekiira Park Board has just.reeeived the sum of £1 Is as a donation to the Park funds from ChrLstchurch, from an old schoolfellow of the chairman's.

Before leaving Wellington for the Old Country last week, Sir Joseph Ward said he was not at all dispirited about the present condition of political affaire. In his opinion it was not the rellex of the opinion of the country itself, which could only be tested at the ballot-box.

One of the finest picnicking spots in New Plymouth is the Omata side of Paritutu. Parties need never go short of pure water as a spring against the hill provides ample pure water. At present there is .some difficulty in reaching the spot, but when the track that the harbor employees are gratuitously making is finished access to the locality will be e*»y.

To a pressman Sir Joseph Ward explained the objects of his trip to England, incidentally disposing of a good deal of speculative gossip regarding the ■ matter. "I am going home on a pleasure trip chiefly, and partly on business," he said. "During my official life, though I visited England many times, I had no opportunity to attend' to anything but purely official work. Now lam clear of responsibility of all kinds, and I • am availing myself of the chance to enjoy six months of comparative leisure, rest, and change. It will be my first long holiday in an active life . of 45 yea;-s. Yes; you can say definitely that I will be back in New Zealand next May." said Sir Joseph, when one of the many rumours regarding his plans was men- . tioied.

The Egmont Lodge, 1.0. G.T., met in their lodge-room last evening. The lodge was opened in due form by Bro. L. Pepperell, C.T. Preparations are being made for the modest sale of work to be held on Thursday, 28th inst. A very good report was given of the progress of the Snojyflakc Lodge, Eltham. The lodge, is making steady progress, with only two inactive members. The harmonv of the evening was in the hands "of the brothers. The programme they had provided consistad of a reading by Bro. L. Goodacre; piano solo, Bro. F. Boulton (encored) ; also a number of choice selections on the new hornless gramophone. In the prize competition for the sisters, Sis. Lamerton and Sis. B. Legg were the prize-winners, but they declined the speech so warmly demanded. The inevitable, supper followed, and the lodge was closed in the usual order at 9.45. A traveller on the Oeo road (South Taranaki) reported he saw a novel sight recently. He met a farmer driving°out of his farm gate a two-horse vehicle laden with cans of milk, and followed by two men, one carrying a plank and the other a timber jack. The traveller's query, "Hello! Going stumping?" elicited the reply that tiny were taking milk to the factory. This interested the visitor on the Oeo road, and lie watched the trio for about a quarter of a mile, and during that distance the milk vehicle on three occasions got very small on account of the wheels dropping into deep mud holes. When this happened the man would put the plank under the cart and the "jack" into position. Thus one man would lever up the jack and one heave on the wheel, and the way horses and men lifted together showed that they had done the same thing many times. Oeo road (states the Opunake Times) is not classed as a back-blocks road.

At a meeting of the committee of the Central School Carnival last evening, over which Mr. G.. Tabor presided, it was decided to invite the inmates of the Old People's Home to be present at the fete, and to make reduction in entrance charges to children. The Taranaki Garrison Band will take part in the procession, and give selections during the afternoon. Afternoon tea will be served in a big marquee, to the accompaniment of the strains of an orchestra. It was decided to ask the wholesale houses to close at noon on Thursday, the da,- of the carnival. Entries have been received from all the schools round about for the tug-of-war. Mr. Bennett kindly consented to act as time-keeper. Photographs of the "March of Flowers" are now on view in Messrs. Healy, Griffiths and Burrows' windows. These will give the publie some idea ~f the spectacular effect of this picturesque march, although the children, when photographed, paraded in mufti, not in colors, as will "be the ease on the day of the carnival. The children have been training assiduously for this event, under Mr. Lints, and yesterday it only took them eight seoonds to form the striking tableau representing the letters, "The end." In addition to the names already published, the following firms will take part in the procession: Messrs. Creinor, C. 0. Hawke, Lister Bros., W. Jenkinson & Co., Marfell Bros,, Hole, the Dresden Piano Co., the Geisha rickshaw, and the New Zealand Express Company. Warner's Rust-proof Corsets, Roslyn Unshrinkable Underwear, and Hoyle's Pri»t« in #tr<- demand.—Advt.

Taranaki dairymen are finding great difficulty in obtaining suitable labor—and greater difficulty in keeping good meri.

The New Zealand Cadets arrived in Dunedin from Invercargill hint night, and on arrival were disbanded, each member of the contingent handing in his rifle and bayonet. Mr. S. Buick, of the Salvation Army self-denial fund this year,, collected £9O in Waitara and along the Main North Road,'with a few small amounts yet to come in.—Mail.

The Eltham Dairy Company has made 228,7701bs of butter during the past month, paying out £9450, or at the rate of ll%d. The average test was 3.5. Last year 221,088H>s of butter were made and £9222 paid out.—Argu« Sunday's postponed sacred concert at "Aotea" will be held next Sunday afternoon, weather permitting, when both the Taranaki Garrison and the Waitara Bands will be in attendance. A large number of persons visited these beautiful grounds on Sunday, but the general wetness of the surroundings detracted somewhat from their enjoyment.

In the Magistrate's Court at Inglewood last week 1 , Mr. W. <<'. Kenrick, S.M., gave judgment for the plaintiffs for the full amount claimed and costs in the case in which Matthews, Bennett and Co, sued Alexander McKay for C 7 Os 3d for commission on the sale of some steers. Mr. H. Thomson appeared for the plaintiffs and Mr. T. C. Fookes for the defendant.

The committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dumb x \nimals met yesterday afternoon, at which the Inspector (Mr. Collins) reported two cases of cruelty to horses. As the result of an interview with the owners of the animals, the suffering had in each case been relieved. The Society is taking steps to register under the Unclassified Societies Act, and registration will be. completed very shortly. Funds are required by the St. Mary's Troop of Boy Scouts for their forthcoming camp and for uniforms, and, with the object of raising these, a concert will be held in the Good Templar Hall on Thursday evening. A first-class programme is being arranged, several of the performers being "Geisha" stare. No one will question the wholesomeness of the movement, and it is hoped that the concert will be liberally patronised. Nurse Beetham, in her report to the Hawera Hospital Board yesterday, on the native health work, said the district this month had been visited by two or more Waikato tolmngas. Up to (he piesent she had heard of no ill results of their work. The chairman (Mr. Nolan) said steps ought to be taken 10 prevent these men practising. Mr. Goodland asked, by way of suggestion, whether there was aiiv use trying to put down tohungaism, when there was any amount of it among the white population in the form of quack-doctors selling quack medicines. No action was taken.—Star.

While visiting the Wanganui Show last week, Mr. A. Cliff (secretary of the laranaki Agricultural Society) got in touch with a number of leading "breeders. The Hon. J. D. Ormond stated that he would exhibit his sheep, draughts and possibly his cattle at the Taraiiaki Society's Autumn Show. Other well-known breeders, who will be represented at the Show, include: Messrs. W. D. Watson McLean, and J. W. Moore. Tliev are,' states Mr. ClifT, looking forward to exhibiting at the Show, and would have done so years ago had the spring show (now done away with) been substituted by an autumn show.

One of the most interesting walks in New Plymouth is that along the sea front, ou each side of the railway station. Lately the walk to the East has been impeded by the erection of a fence by the owner of one of the abutting sections. The East End Committee appointed a committee, consisting of the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne), and Messrs. P. C. J. Bellringer and J. Buttimore. to wait upon the owner (Mr. R. C. Hughes) with a view to having the fence shifted back from the patch. This they did yesterday, Mr. Hughes readily meeting "the wishes of the deputation, an action on Mr. Hughes's part that will meet with the appreciation of the public.

A remarkable oeurrence hag boon reported to the Federal wireless expert by the officials of the Hobart station (say's the Melbourne Age). One dav last week there was a faint ticking of the recorder, and when communication was finally cs•tablished it was ascertained that' the message was from none other than the members of the Mawson expedition at Adelio Land. The message had apparently been despatched to the station which was erected at Macquarie Jsland, in the hope that it would eventually get into touch with the Antarctic, and had travelled about 2000 miles further north until it was picked up at Hobart. it was forwarded to the secretary of die expedition. One of the features of the School Carnival next week will be the tug-of-war, and the district schools may now make entries at the shops of either Mr. J. Bennett or Mr. G. Griffiths. The teams are not to average more than 8 stone per man-boy and as the tug will not be pulled under the rules of the Daring Conference no overweights will he allowed to be declared. The competitors will be weighed on the ground before being allowed to pull. It is rumoured that" the Kaimate team, pulling against a venerable Kauri tree and Mr.'Flanagan's donkeys broke a three-inch Manila rope, and the committee is now considering the advisability of substituting a wire" hawser. The handsome gold-centred medals to be awarded for this competition are now on view in Mr. Drew's jeweller's shop.

Owing to the recent controversy in local educational circles over the question of men versus women for the higher assistantships in our public schools,' the Auckland Herald reports, much interest has been taken in the election of representatives to the annual conference of the Xew Zealand Educational Institute, to be held in January next n.t New Plymouth. Quite a number of "tickets" were issued. There was a "woman's ticket," a "country teachers' ticket." a "male assistants' ticket." and possibly others. The various "tickets" were so conflicting that no one could forecast with any degree of certainty what the outcome would be. The result, as deby the scrutineers on Saturday last', is certainly surprising, fnr not a single woman has been elected. And yet women outnumber the men in the profession. i

What is work worth? This was a question addressed to Judge lleydon in the Industrial Arbitration Court at Sydney last week. "Now you have set me a problem," his Honor replied, "which is becoming more and more difficult, especially in regard to female labor. It is argued that work done by a woman is worth as much as if it were done by a man. But one does not hear the eonverse side of the case argued. Clearly the living wage of a woman is not so high as that of a man. We build up from the basis of a living wage. The woman has not a family and a home to keep, and yet the work is the. same." "What is the value of work?" repeated his Honor. "There is no measure of the value of work that I have ever been able to get hold of, except the old one of 'what you can get.' Work may he worth so much to one employer, ami yet it may not be worth so much to every employer. I can't find any wav in which you czn arrive at the value of work. Nowadays, you can't get at the value. In the old days it was the market price, but now the price is fixed by the Court. That is not the market price. It is the Court price."

A "gold divining company" has been floated in the Alexandra district, with a capital of £SOOO. A well-known South Otago gentleman claims to he able to locate gold in the same manner as the water diviner discovers water, A stray child on the C'hristchureh showgrounds expressed his plight with great exactness. A>ked by a sympathising stranger, "Are you lost, my little man?" he answered through the sobs, "No, I'm here: but my mummy's lost!"

A former resident of Dannevirke now in London, in writing to a friend, says the flying at Hendon is wonderful. A passenger was charged .CI ."Is for about a live-minute trip, more or less. Thousands went to see the exhibitions every Saturday afternoon. We (Feilding Star) are informed that fire insurance companies are increasing their rates by 20 per cent. Whether that is due to the bad financial outlook being likely to induce fires or because of the recent change of policy in regard to the State Fire Insurance Department, we arc not in a position to say. If this is so, the public will have; something to say to the Government.

According to the New Zealand penal code, tobacco is a luxury withheld from a prisoner until he lias served three months, and to a short sentence man who lias been a. smoker this prohibition is one of the keenest features of nis punishment. At Palmerston Court the other day a man named John William Anderson, with plenty of aliases, was sentenced to three months' hard labor for attempting to deliver tobacco to a prisoner in Palmerston Gaol. During the bearing of a charge of attempted suicide at C'hristchureh recently, Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M.. made some strong remarks about the foolishness of youths in love all'airs (says the Lyttelton Times). Accused, who was only 17 years of age, said he had been courting a girl for over a year when her parents stopped it. "Well, was she the only pebble on the beach ?" said Mr. Bishop. "There are plenty of other girls. I think you ought to be put to bed and spanked."

It is not generally known that the marine material taken from about -the 2000 ft level hi the petroleum bores is one of the finest fertilisers for rose-growing. It has been used by more than one local rose enthusiast with the most satisfactory results. Another successful rose grower was asked recently the kind of fertilisers he used. ''l first of all dig a, trench two feet deep," he replied. "Then I collect old bottles and crockery and deposit them in the trench. Xext I get my pea rifle and bowl over as many eats as are about; shove them in the trench, cover them with a thick layer of earth, plant the vines—and, hey presto! magnificent champion roses!