LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 185, 23 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Wellington telegram says that the price of butter is to be advanced today by a penny, to Is 3d per pound. The reason given is that the market is affected by the firmness of the rates ruling at Home and in Vancouver. The rise affects all brands sold locally. Six weeks ago the Porridge Pot at Whakarewarewa broke out to the height of about 20 feet, yet last week the surface was so hard that a man's weight could be carried (says the Rotorua Times). The caretaker was photographed standing in the middle of what is usually liquid mud. Besides the squad from A Company, New Plymouth Territorials will be represented at the Christchurch military competitions by a detachment from B Company. The squad has been training consistently, with excellent results, for some time past, and will leave this morning for South. It will comprise: Colour-Sergeant R. G. Sole (in charge), Corporal IPLauchlan, Bugler Knauff, and Privates A. G. Jennings. J. Claffey, C. Gilbert, Patterson, Turnbull. Knight, Elliott, Haigh, H. Sole, Julian, Higgs.

A noticeable improvement in the quality of the butter coining forward to all the grading stores is reported by the Dairy Commissioner (Mr. D. Cuddie). Many of the best brands arc showing remarkable similarity in .flavor, texture and color—a uniformity which did not obtain a few years ago. To a large extent this evenness of quality has been brought about by the pasteurisation oi the cream and the use of the combined cnura and butter-worker. Examinations made of the various consignments oi cheese coming forward for shipment have also revealed a gradual improvement in this product. Judging by the improve,) quality of both butter and cheese, as disclosed at this end at the time of grading, our dairy produce should undoubtedly give a large measure of satisfaction to overseas buyers this season,

A "visitor from the Gisborne district, referring to the system of party telephones, gives the following account of Gisborne's extensive telephone service:— There is hardly a Maori whare, 'to say nothing of the settlers' homes, for many miles from tiie Gisborne township but that has telephonic communication. What the system has done for the district is shown by its flourishing state, and that the system is valued by the settlers is evidenced by the fact that every new house is considered incomplete without the 'phone. There are hundreds of miles of private wires in every direction. One batch of settlers had the 'phone put into the band room, arid by arrangement were linked up on band practice nights, so that, although twenty miles distant, they were able to, sit and listen to the music.

It is well known amongst officials of charitable institutions that miners have a sense of independence and honesty of rare quality (says the Southland News). Years ago a digger of the Waikaia district, who was then in straitened circumstances, fell ill, and was for some time an inmate of the Southland Hospital. A balance of £2 remained unpaid on his hospital account, and at his request the Trust, as it then was, wiped the amount, off the books. Recently the old fellow died, and, having prospered in the intervening years, he was able to leave an estate worth about £3OOO. The beneficiary under the will, another old Waikaia digger, in going through the deceased's papers, came across the Trust's communication, acceding to the request that the £2 be wiped off. He at once instituted enquiries, and finding that the amount had never been paid, sent a cheque in satisfaction thereof. Except for a stowaway who has been returned, the only passenger for the Antarctic by the Terra Nova is the big Siberian dog Czigane, and (says the Christchurch Press), he doubtless will be looked forward to renewing his acquaintance with any survivors of the big pack of dogs taken to the Antarctic by Captain Scott. Czigane did some good work during his stay in the Antarctic, but he seriously injured his back by falling down a crevasse while hauling in a sledge dog team. He was thereafter absolutely incapacitated from sledging work, but he managed to get back to the base alive, and when the Terra Nova went south last year, he was put on board and brought back to Lyttelton, and appears to have recovered from the effects of his accident. Commander Evans was at first disposed to leave him in Lyttelton, but as he was regarded as the ship's pet, and it was thought he might pine away after the ship had gone, Czigane was allowed to go away in the Terra Nova. AT THE MELBOURNE.

If anybody asks you to buy ANYTHING that men or boys wear, anywhere else but at the Melbourne, say "NO," because from sow on to Xmas we present a clothing distribution in Taranaki of such colossal magnitude that you can multiply your purchase savings almost beyond computation on practically every male merchandise need. We have no wish to pose as pessimists, yet we cannot wholly ignore the warnings uttered by our leading financiers; so, to ui« an old expression, we are "taking the bull by the horns" and reducing stocks in anticipation of the quiet times ahead. Our stocks of splendid new high grade suits are exceptionally heavy, even for this time of the year, so that in addition to offering special price inducements to buyers we can offer unlimited choice of selections. Don't allow yourself to be "rushed" into paying tall prices elsewhere while the Melbourne presents values like the following: Special men's Kaiapoi tweed suits, 29/6; pure Petone tweed suits, nice dark patterns, 355; P«tone saddle tweed suits, dark grey, 39/1; nobby Roslyn boxed suits, medium weight, nicely finished, 35/-; handsomely finished striped suits of Cheviot tweed, 49/6; real indigo Belwarp boxed suits' will mot fade, 59/6; men's brown and green striped worsted suits, very finest finish, eut and make, 59/6 and 65/-; stylish indigo Venetian, indigo eoating and indigo check vicuna suits, 65/-, worth five guineas; boys' Kaiapoi Norfolk suits, 13/9 to 18/6; boys' varsity suits, 7/11, 8/9, 9/6, 10/9, 11/6 to 16/6; young men's suits of brown, green and mixed worsteds and Cheviots, three-car-ment, with extension button knickers 29/6 to 39/6, sizes 13 to 18; fine Petone Norfolk suits, 14/6 to 21/-; splendid selection.

The collections already to liand in aid of Dr. Barnardo's Homes amounts to £sl Is 3d, which the hon. secretary (Mrs. 'Dockrill) has forwarded to London through the Bank of New South Wales. There- are still a few collections to come in, and as soon as they come to hand the balance will be forwarded to London. Mrs. Dockrill wishes to thank all those who so kindly gave their services in collecting the money. Considering the time of the year, the financial results of Band Saturday must be written down as a success. The receipts were- £52- ig S) aiu i th ere - ia stm one box to come. in. The most successful lady canvassers gleaned £9 7s Sd and £0 respectively, while fully kilf of the total amount was collected by the Boy Scouts. Wondrous to relate, no bad coins found their way into the boxes, but several bicycle nuts were unable to explain away their presence. The band played numerous selections, and during the day the energetic band of workers were provided with afternoon tea by Mesdames Browne and .White.

A minor explosion in a street gas-lamp, loud enough to resemble the muffled boom of the dynamiting of a safe, alarmed two Napier business men on a recent Sunday afternoon. A safecracking exploit in the preceding weekhad caused tiiem both to enter their business premises on Sunday afternoon to see that all was right, and this encroachment on the Sabbath nearly led to «. tragedy. Tradesman No. 1, hearing the muffled explosion, thought it had occurred in the building of tradesman No. 2, and hastened thither; while tradesman No. 2, equally on the alert, remained inside awaiting developments with a loaded revolver. The result was that while the man outside was peering into a window looking for the burglar, the man inside was ready to shoot as soon as entry was attempted. The decision of the former to call the police, rather than enter on his own account, probably saved ihi s life. As he stepped into the light he Was recognised by the watcher within, and mutual explanations followed.