LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 193, 4 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The new concrete bridge known as Lambert's on the Junction Road' beyond Tarata is to lie formally opened for traffic on Tuesday next. The Waikato Co-operative Dairy Company paid suppliers of home-separated cream for the month of November, 1909, the sum of £1504 10s 4d; 1910, the sum of £5400 17s Od; 1911, the sum of £7755 14s 5(1; 1912, the sum of £14,240 4s lid 1 . During the month of December the Egmont Butter Box Factory manufactured 24,942 butter boxes and 47,650 cheese cases. This is a considerable increase on the total turned out for the same month the previous year when the total was about 50,000.

Mrs, C. M. Alexander, wife of the Americal evangelist, underwent a serious operation at a private hospital in East Melbourne last week. The operation was performed by Dr. Rotliwell Adam., and at latest advices the patient was making satisfactory progress towards recovery.

A party of New Plymouth High School '<>\s to the number of about 30 left town yesterday afternoon on a cycling tour to Mokau. They were to' stay overnight at Urenui, and continue their .journey to Mokau this morning. The trip will extend over several days. The tents and boys' baggage is being taken by boat to Mokau by the Principal, Mr. W. H. Moyes.

There was a pathetic interest in the competition far school children's home garden plots, held under the auspices of the "Foxton Horticultural Society, and judged recently. Among the garden plots entered: was one by Calloway Robinson, who was recently drowned at the Head's. After his death his sister looked after the plot, and the judge, without allowing sentiment to influence' him in his decision, awarded the first prize to the dead boy's handiwork, which had been so lovingly preserved -by his sister.

What is considered a very remarkable operation in surgery is the almost complete recovery of Mrs. Mary Mariano, of Orange, Mew Jersey, whose back was broken more than two months ago in a fall down a flight of stairs. Instead of using the plaster cast resorted to when a spine is fractured, Dr. Edward Calvin Seibert performed an unusual operation by reinforcing the fractured vertebrae with fine wire. The surgeons, who are watching tlie case, say that the woman's nerves are regenerating, and that already she is able to move her legs and feet.

Au important missing link in the telephone system of Northern Taranaki was brought before the notice of the Clifton County Council yesterday by Cr. O'Sullivan, who moved that the Government be asked to link the northern and southern telephone systems by connecting up the Kotare and Waitaanga telephone stations. It was pointed out that these two stations were about eight and a half miles apart, and by linking them up it would greatly facilitate business. At .present. Waitaanga was connected through to Te Ivuiti via the Ohura, whilst Kotare was connected at Tongaporutu with the New Plymouth-Te Kuiti line. The motion was carried.

At the meeting of the Clifton County Council yesterday, Councillor O'Sullivan brought up the question of purchasing a plough for use on the metal. He sideral that it would be a good investment, as picking the metal up was too expensive. Some discussion ensued as to the adaptability of a plough for the' purpose, 'several of the members bein"of opinion that the plough' went too deep and did more harm to the roads than the money saved, and was, therefore, false economy. Cr. O'Sullivan was of opinion that the plough could he regulated to any depth required, and would prove a good investment. Ultimately the progressive element prevailed, and the plough will be procured.

A quaint and pleasing ceremony took place at the Teachers' Conference last night, in the shape of the presentation of "purses" to the Teachers' Benevolent Fund by delegates representing the various branches of the institute. The contributions were entirely voluntary, and as each delegate walked up to the platform and presented his district's "purse" he was greeted with rousing apnlause. Auckland bended the list with £3O, and the oilier contributions were: North Canterbury £lO, Wellington £(5, Southland £4 4s, Taranaki £3 3s. Nelson £3 3s, Marlborough £4, South Canterbury £1 •"is. ITawke's Bay £3, Grey £2 2s, Westland £1 Bb, Ota go £5. Tt was mentioned that the Otngo branch had also donated £4O fo one of its members who had fallen on bad times. Mr. Davidson, of Dimedin, wrote enclosing a cheque for £1 bringing tlie total donations up to £74 6s, representing an advance of t'lS 3s on last year's contributions.

■Burglars with a souse of humor and revolvers are. according to the Sydney Sun. operating in Portland, Oregon, The following U the story the Sun's cable correspondent tells:—"Two 'burglars have been conducting an extraordinary campaign of crime in Portland. I'.xactlv at o o'clock every morning they •break into sonic house in the select part of the town-, wake up the occupants, and then one covers them with a. revolver, forcing them to keep their heads under •the bedclothes while the other ransacks the place, collecting valuables and the choicest food from the pantry. They then sit down before their victims and enjoy a. good meal. One night, 'although the. locality was patrolled by 50 special police, i.hpy broke into a house and stayed for an hour and' a-half. The terrified occupants could' hear the police passing the house, but dared not cry out. The burglars finished their meal and Mien sal'elv made off. taking a valuable 'haul of silver and jewellery.

All event fif considerable interest will take placo ai Huk-anui, forty Mile Bush, on January 2.5, when Taipu, second son of the late King Maliuta, will be married to the ■daughter of the influential Taupo chief, To Heuheii. A large', baud of natives is now engaged'.in.the erection of a meeting-house for the occasion.

Labor is a very expensive item in the Manaia district, on ace/junt of its scarcity. On one farm tliij owner is paying four milkers from £2 to £2 5s "and found, and is quite pleased that the men are working on his place instead of someone else's. A farm adjoining this one, consisting of 200 acres, is being leased by some Swedish farmers at a rental ot £3 as per 'acre, and is being used for dairying.

The Auckland dredge recently pulled up rather an unusual, bucketful from the Waitemata Harbor.; It was a la-rga stingiareo which made . this unwonted journey out of its proper element, and when it fell back into the well of the dredge it was promptly harpooned. The horrid monster m-M-ured Bft 3in from .snout to tail, and was about 4ft in breadth.

A Colorado professor look linger prints from the lingers of iiis daughter when she was born. HI years ago, and has taken them every year since. A comparison of these print-; by experts shows that there has been absolutely no variation 'or change in the .markings since birth. And yet 1 all the investigations have failed to show any two persons ;<i the world yet whose linger nuirking%ifro precisely alike. A fossilised skull of an extinct whale has been neatly mounted and encased at the Otago Museum. ;It was found in a block of sandstone at Mil bum by Mr. Russell, and presented to the Museum by Dr. .Marshall. The work of excavating the skull, whieh is a fine specimen, was performed by'the taxidermist (Mr. Gibson), who sipetit about a month on the process, which had to be carried out with great care. The fossil is said .to be upwards of 6000'-years old. Further details are- given by the Pahiatua Herald of the accident at Jvonini on Saturday morning resulting in the death of Thomas Donald McFarlane, the 13-year-old son of Mr. A. McFarlane, chairman of directors of ,qhe Ballance Cooperative Dairy Company. The unfortunate lad left home ab'#ut 0.45 o'clock to take the milk supply from his father's farm to the Konini butter factory. He delivered the milk, and, obtaining the return of ■skjm milk, proceeded homeward. * He waff standing up in the -milk cart, and the ;reins became entangled in iln's feet beforfc he left the factory yard. He was tugging at the reins trying to free them from his feet, when the axle-box of the cart struck one of the gate posts. The result was that young McFarlane was thrown forward and fell under the cart. The wheel of the vehicle passed over the side of his head and neck, killing him instantaneously.