LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 199, 11 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During Ihe past twenty vours male offenders between the ages of l(j and 21 convicted annually bave : fallen from 1(5,000 to SOW).

The East End Bathing Reserve Committee has made arrangements which enable picnic parties to secure hot water free at the reserve every afternoon after one o'clock.

Six hundred operations were performed in one day in New York hospitals on I In: occasion of a surgeons' congress, and each was performed by an acknowledged .specialist. New York courts have decided that Mr. Edward liusse'.l Thomas must live on only £IO.OOO a year, and devote the rest of his income, £23,000 a year, to paying oil' his debts of £211.300.'

Tt is reported that raspberries will be scarce at Motneka this season, as the absence of ram is having a detrimental effect on the berries. The price at present is 7s to 8s Od a bucket

An officer of the Agricultural Department informed a Star reporter on Monday that the herd-testing associations in Taranaki ami other parts of the Dominion were all doing excellent work

lor some months past a man named MeQuilliam, alias" O'Brien, has been wanted by the local police on a charge of alleged indecent assault. He has now been arrested at Rotorua and remanded to New Plymouth.

A remarkable surgical operation has been performed at Hamilton, Ontario. A youth hail bis hand shattered in a mill. A 'bone was taken from a freshlyslaughtered sheep and grafted into the liand. It is expected that the operation will be a complete success.

The following will represent the New Plymouth Fire Brigade at the forthcoming Fire Brigades' demonstration at Wanganui in February:—Lieut. A. Boon Foreman J. Clark, Secretary H Ford Firemen W. Sadler and W. Roch; emergency fireman, W. Way. A picture by the French painter Degas has been sold in Paris to an American for £17,4(10. This is a record price for the work of a living artist. Degas (wlni is nearly SO years old) originally received £2O for the picture that has now realised quite a fortune.' A novel idea was that of a well-known young lady, not far from Wellington, who lately ha s been for a trip to Japan. As well' as securing a beautiful trousseau for herself, she has had the foresight to bring back a complete outfit, and a',l of pure silk, for the-bridegroom-to-be.

The secretary pi the Expansion and, Touris,'; Lc.'-iic is receiving letters from all parts of Xew Zealand daily applying for information regarding the district and for the illustrated folders. Local people would assist the League by taking a supply (which, with envelopes, can be obtained from the secretary gratis) and forwarding them to their friends.

A reek'.eSs practical joker turned off Hastings' town water supply at the Haveloek reservoir on Xew Year's Eve or early on Xew Year's morning. The foolish trick was discovered early on Wednesday morning, and the pumps at tlw powerhouse were quickly put into action. In the meantime the steam fire engine was kept ready in the event of an outbreak in the borough.

In 1911 the fire loss in the United States was 2.31 dollars per capita, as compared with eighty-one eenls in France, fifty-three cents in England, and twenty-one cents in Germany. The fire loss in Xew York in 1911 was 2.45 dollars, as against sixty cents in Paris, fifty-four cents in London, and eighteen cents in Hamburg. Boston, a city 'of about the same size as Hamburg, had a (ire loss of .V2fi dollars per capita, or more than eighteen times as great. The American record as regards railroad accidents is almost equally bad. And the road buck to sanity* and safety is long and hard. Suicide lias now become a serious menace to the United States. Xot only is the number of suicides increasing yearly, but an advanced intellectu.il condition on the part of the people enables them to commit suicide in such a manner as to be undetected, and the death passes as one that is natural. A recital of these misleading methods supposed to have been employed is not advisable, but they have been numerous and ingenious, iii the whole of the United States during 1911 there were 15,630 suicides, and over 5000 deaths suspected to be cases of self-murder.

At a meeting of the governing' body of Christ's College yesterday the Governors approved of the system of exchange of masters submitted to them by the headmaster. The system will accordingly come into operation immediately. The first master is Mr. Lutton Carter, M.A. (Cambridge) who will arrive in New Zealand in May. Mr. Carter has been assistant master at Clifton for the past fourteen years, and has been principal assistant to Mr. Otto Schipman, head of the modern language department, and th'e best-known teacher and reformer in modern languages in England. He is a scholar of Pembroke College. Cambridge, and a famous old Cambridge Blue. He was president of the Cambridge University Club in 1896. The system is reciprocal and one of the New Zealand members of the Christ's College staff will be sent home to join the staff either of Clifton or Rugby. Napier's record wool sales have produced much rejoicing. Says the Telegraph:—"There was fun at the railway station this morning amongst the woo'.buycrs. A very pleased squatter, who had apparently been up all night rejoicing over the good times, was endeavoring to extend his personal and sincere thanks to the visitors for their generosity in buying his dip. In the middle of a big ring he stood, with arms extended, eyes flowing, and mouth wide open. Kvery time he got a few words out; the buyers eoinmcnced one of their popular choruses. -[lore we arc again.' As so<m as (he refrain was reached the appreciative one would try to squeeze m a word or two edgewise, but bang went the refrain, and he was drowned again. "When the train steamed out again the buyers' friend commenced to talk to the onlookers, but even thev would not tolerate him, and he was left in his solitude."

A feature of the entertainment at the Kmpire !>!,•(,„,,, ]>.,| a(;o lilst nijrht was the delightful musical programme provided by the combined orchestras of the Empire and Roval Theatres, under the cowluctorslvip of Mr. A. V. Carbines. An enhanced orchestra consisted of two violinr, one clarionet, two cornets, one saxophone. ~m . double bass, and the piano, and the admixture of strings and wood wind produced a beautiful balance and n. splendid tone. Probably the two star items in a long musical programme were Laval',ee's dainty "Bridal" Rose" overture and Sullivan's well-known entveacte, "The Lost Chord." although, where there was so much to choose from, choice became mostly a matter of personal predilection. Two stirring Sousii marches, including the inimitable "Stars and Stripes" anil operatic selections from -Tl Trovatore" and "Faust," were also greatly appreciated, whilst; the lighter dance music 'lent acceptable variety to an admirable programme. By special request (he same programme will be repeated at the T*mpire Theatre tonight.

A Mauri gentleman of somewhat aristocratic appearance, and who claims relationship witli the Maori "Royal family," was the subject of some interest at the luhiluhi races. The Waikato Times states that his get-up was at once imposing and grotesque. T| ( , worft . a frock-coat and top hat, no vest, and a dazzling pink shirt. No collar adorned his neck, but attached to. his collar band was a spotted blue lie of no.-plain design. His nether garments consisted! oi a pair of riding breeches, over the bottoms of which were pulled a pair of startling socks. hc',d in position by a' pair of red suspenders. Truly a wonderful sight! (

Statistics given by an American correspondent of the London Evening Standard show the extraordinary progress of the film industry in America. There are 25.000 picture theatres in the States ench showing about five times a day. Allowing an average of 1000 ft of mm to each picture, we find.that as much as 125 million feet of film arc used every flay. About 250 million dollars are invested in this amusement enterprise in the United States. Extravagant prices are often paid by companies for special films. Recently the Vatican was ottered 400,000 dollars for the privilege of taking a picture of the Pope receiving visitors. Mme. Sarah Bernhardt received £OOOO for appearing before the camera as Camille. and Mine. Rejane received £-1 a rehearsal and £4O a. perfermance. An aeroplane drama has been known, to cost as much as £1 per foot, while 25.000 dollars for a single production is considered nothing out of the ordinary.

The achievement of the ox-New Zealander, Clutsam. in Berlin, is something of an interesting musical event. His opera, ''King Harlequin," was produced at the handsome new Kurfurston Opera House in Berlin on Friday night, and to the New Zealander belongs the distinction of being the first British composer to have a serious opera produced for the first time in the German capital for many years. Both British and German critics compliment iMr. Clutsam. The Berlin papers all noticed the production, whi'.e the London press considered the event so important that the Times, the Daily .Mail, the Daily Telegraph, and, in fact, all the leading dailies, had long accounts telegraphed over. For the most part the criticisms are very favorable. The critic of the Boersen Courier, who prides himself on being the severest in Germany admires the richness of the musical ideas and the skilful working of tliem. and says the composer should be encouraged.

The services in the Whitelev Memorial Church to-morrow will be conducted in the morning by Mr. H. ,T. Peat, and m the evening by the Rev. J. W. Burton. The evening subject will be, ■"Temptations, and how to Overcome Them."