LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 168, 3 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

From Mr. Hoffmann, of the British, and Continental Piano Co., we are in receipt of a well-got-(ip wall calendar. At the suggestion of tlie Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne), the secretary of the local branch of the Navy League -has written to the New Zealand headquarters of the League, asking that the battleship New Zealand should put in a day in the port of Moturoa during her stay in these waters.

Owing to several difficulties and the stress of weather, it has been decided to postpone the spring show from Thursday next til! the following Thursday, December 12, and the date of the closing of entries will now be Tuesday December 10, at the secretary's office, Brougham street, at the new Tourist Bureau, next to' the Harbor Board's office. Mrs. Seddon, widow of the late Prime Minister, four years ago presented six choir stalls to the parish church of Eccleston, in Lancashire, where Mr. Seddon was born, and a marble tablet on a. base of black marble, is now being added, bearing the inscription: "To the glory of God and in loving memory of Richard John Seddon, P.C., L.L.D., Pre mier of New Zealand, born at Eccleston 1845, died 1906."

When does a person evade payment of toll-gate fees, within the precise meaning of the Act? This question perplexed the Taranaki County Council yesterday. At a previous meeting the toll-gate keeper at Puniho reported that a motorist had ridden. through the gateway without ,having paid the usual levy. Subsequently the defaulter, on being approached by another official of the Council, discharged liis liability, and the Council delegated its chairman (Mr. J. Brown) to ascertain whether he could not be prosecuted for evasion of the toll. Yesterday. Cr. Brown reported that the Council's solicitor had advised him that they had no «ase against the motorist. Commenting on this, a councillor remarked that the toll-gate keeper had "held up his hands," but the motorist did not even then stop, to which the chairman rejoined that as far as he could gather it had to be proved that the toll-keeper had actually slnit the gate, before an offending driver could be prosecuted for evasion. Cr. McAllum: "That means that a person will have to knock the gate down first." Cr. I!. Stevens: ''The toll-gate ought to be constructed on the same principles as the portcullis in an ancient baron's castle." Cr. McAllum: "I know what to do when 1 go through the toll-gate next time!" The chairman: "That does not enable you to go through free of charge."

In a week or so the tea-house iifthc Pukekura Park will be open on Sunday afternoon, in addition to week days. The total receipts of the Hawcra Show this year wore £1194, as against £1094 the previous year, an advance of £IOO. Mr. J .McNeil has donated £5 5s annually for three years towards the funds of the Expansion and Tourist League. Middleton's Hotel at Opunake has changed proprietorship, Mr. W. K. Connoil having sold out his interest to Mr. Gibbs.

Almost the whole of the rooms at the North Egmont Mountain House arc booked for Christmas week, only a few three-quarter bedrooms being left. It has been definitely decided to hold the postponed public meeting in connection with the Garrison Band in the Town Hall this evening, at 7.30 o'clock. "The growth of all vegetation in Pukekura Park this season is quite phenomenal," reported the curator at last night's meeting of the board of control. Yesterday's torrential downpour was purely local. Some of the suburbs even missed the visitation, which played sad havoc with the flower and garden beds. The lunatic who chopped down a telephone post at To Kiri about ten days ago turned out again on Monday night, and successfully chopped another one through.—Stratford Post.

Mr. W. Birdling, who went through to the King Country, via Awakino, last, week, informs the Waitara Mail that the country is looking in tip-top order, and that the prospects are splendid, both ia regard to. dairying and stock grazing.

In connection with the installation of cheese at the Mells dairy facfo'ry, an extraordinary general meeting of the "suppliers was held at Mokoia on Friday afternoon, when it was decided to increase, the capital of the companv from £4500 to £IO,OOO.

H. F. Callaghan appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., on a charge of drunkeness and was further remanded till the 9th inst. f)ne first-offending female inebriate who was arrested for drunkenness on Saturday, and subsequently bailed out, was convicted and discharged. , At a meeting of the Carnival Committee held last night, a number of details were attended to, and -the balance-sheet showed that'the Carnival had resulted in a net profit of £l2O. After exhaustive enquiry the committee declared itself satisfied with the result of the treasure hunt, and decided to pay out the prizes. The nominations of the Eltham brigade for the Fire Brigade's demonstration at New Plymoutß next Thursday came to hand on Saturday, after entries had closed, and the question as to whether the Eltham men will be able to compete will be, decided at the conference of Taranaki Fire Brigades, which will take place on Wednesday night.

It is stated that houses and land which cogt £IOOO can be bought in. Christchurch for from £SOO to £OOO at. the present time. 'A Taranaki resident, who was in the Cathedral City a few days ago, was offered a property' that cost £3500 not long ago. for under £2OOO. Living generally in Christchurch, he says, is cheaper than in any other citv in 'the Dominion. \

The bad weather and one or two other unanticipated, difficulties have necessitated the postponement of the Horticultural Society's Spring Show from Thursday next till the following ThursDecember 12. Entries will now be received by the secretary (Mr. A. Snowball) up to Tuesday, December 10. There are no fewer than 2DO classes for children and adults.

the takings of the performance of 'Our Regiment" in Now Plymouth amounted to about £55, and after paying all expenses /which on account of the performers lui ving to travel from Strattord and stay overnight at New Plymouth were necessarily heavy) a profit of £2O has been realised. This sum will be de\ oted towards the cost of sending a team of New Plymouth Territorials to compete at the military competitions at Chri'stchurc'h.

For some months past the members of the Yogeltown Methodist Sunday School Uuikl have been busy preparing - for the bazaar which will be held in the Whiteley Hall on Thursday afternoon and evening,_ and as a result of their labours the various stalls will be heavily laden with a large assortment of plain and fancy goods, et-c.. and in addition there will be the usual lollie stall, bran tub shooting gallery, and other attractions' including Father Christmas, who makes his appearance early i n New Plymouth this year The bazaar will be'opened at 2 o clock by the Mayoress (Airs G W. Browne). • " '

Dogs are just are -irresponsible as "humans, and have again wrought sad \ n , Pllkoi : llra Park - 111 a to the lukekura Park Board last night the curator (Mr. W. W. Smith) remarked: I have again to report that dons have been worrying and killing the" ducks hatching on their nests on the banks in the Park. During niv absence, lately some person or pc-rsens have also been' helping themselves very freely to cuttings from the rarer of the native plants grow.ng in the Park. The latter visit L ] le 9ec °n«l m six months. It is some gardener who is doing it, I should imagine." "They (the thieves) axe peoole who really know how to- go about things, remarked Mr. Oovott. while Mr Newman facetiously ndded: •''! suppose we must be tlmnkful that they did not take, the whole plants." I tiied all over Sydney to purchase a map -of New Zealand., and— would you believe it?—l could find none." So said a res,dent of New Plymouth who Z just returned from a trip to Australia. He confirms what others have slid regarding the inefficiency of the New Zealand Tourist Bureau in Sydney. He went sr™? sn ■ "*• fir tion, and the boy in charge could tell him nothing regarding iliis country. This department evidently wants immediate overhauling. Our informant went on to say that a large proportion of the immigrants to New Pou'h Wales, after thev have had time to look around the country, are anxious to try their fortunes elsewhere, and a,;k about New Zealand but no one is there to supply information or take interest in them as potential settlers. He believes it would pav this country to have a live staff of agents in Australia to get in touch with these dissatisfied immigrants, who, in the ma jority of cases, are just the people Now Zealand requires. The "waster" element and it is not absent by any means, like' Sydney, which is a paradise for the lawman and would not leave such a congenial haven on any account. h

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"I don't think that you in Xew Zealand realise the inlluetioe you are bringing to hear upon Empire matters," said the organiser of the Overseas Club (Mr. E. Wrench), at a function of welcome in Auckland. He added that the example which this Dominion set by giving a Dreadnought to the .Mother Country has produced an electrical effect in other parts of the Empire. The general opinion both in the service and out of it is that the Government has selected a capable and a strong Boqrd for the administration of the Civil Service (says a Wellington correspondent). The only adverse criticism one hears is to the effect that it might have been an improvement to have had on the Board one outside man with ordinary business training.

To be the owner of a cat is not always profitable. At any rate, it was shown m the Magistrate's Court at Wanganui on Tuesday that a cat owner is not devoid of responsibility. The case was one between H. A. Vernon and G. Bennett. It was alleged that defendant's cat was the principal actor in a tragedy in plaintiff's poultry yard, when forty chickens were slaughtered. The. damage was estimated at £lO, but plaintiff got judgment for £7 10s, with costs £2 6s. The money subscribed to Tattersall's sweeps on the Melbourne Cup this year totalled £175,000, the Metropolitan £75,000 and Caulfield Cup £50,000. The Taemanian Government reaps in stamp duties Sd in every .Cl, in addition to a per cent, dividend tax on the prizes. This year the Tasmania)! Government has derived £58,750. and Tattersall's nearly £75.000 in commission, the total amount contributed bv the public being £775,000. 6

There arc various types of Imperialists, and one perhaps new to Xew Zealanders was referred to by Mr. E. Wrench, organiser of the Overseas Club, at a social in Auckland, lie spoke of an Irishman whom he encountered in America, who held himself a strong Home Ruler, but at tiie same time admitted that his customary relaxation on Saturday afternoon was to walk half-a-mile out of his usual way to have a look at the British flag. lie was a Britisher in a strange! land!

'That the publication of inspectors' reports, whic,h are critical and confidential reports to boards and committees, be made illegal," is a' remit submitted by the Wauganui branch of the Education Institute for consideration at the annual conference to lie. held at New Plymouth on .January 1. It was approved at a meeting, of tin* Wellington branch last week, with the remark from the chair that probably there was only one .district ill the world where it was permitted.

"It s a rjglit and proper thing, where the majority ;of employees in any industry are womvii and girls, that there should be a woman among the delegates to the Conciliation Council."' This was the. opinion expressed by Mr. Giles (Conciliation Commissioner), at Auckland, when welcoming a lady to the deliberations of the Council in the shirt and white workers' dispute. Mr. Giles remarked that this was the second occasion 011 which, in his experience, a lady had sat in the Conciliation Council, the other being in the hearing of the tailoresses' dispute.

The Rev. F. B. Meyer, the famous London preacher, has been declaring at Leeds that he does not seriously object to a "little courting" in chapel. One recalls (says a London paper) an'incident in a Midland chapel some years ago. The preacher was annoyed by the sound of whispering coming from the semidarkness under one of the galleries. At last he paused in his sermon and declared: <; Tf the young couple making love under the gallery do not come to mo in the vestry before service next Sunday morning [ will name them to the church." It was a chance shot, but next Sunday he found 20 couples awaiting him in the vestrv!

A bookseller advertised for a porter and man of all work. Among' the applicants was a big Irishman, gifted with more muscle than wits. lie walked into the shop, and glanced about rather uncertainly. Finally his eyes rested on a big notice suspended high above the door over a table covered with 'books: "Dickens' Works all this week for 1(5 shillings." This announcement at once inflamed the applicant's temper. '*() i came in to git the .job." lie shouted to the proprietor, "bnt Oi'll not care for it. Dickens can work all the week for sixteen shillings if he likes. Oi'll not. YeM •better kape Dickens." And out he strode.