LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 202, 15 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual picnic of the Eltham District High School is to be held this year at Waitara, on the 20th Fcbrnarv.'

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday licenses under the Land Agents "Act were granted to F. I'. Corkill and Merwrt W. Wbitcombe.

Among the recent winners on the racecourse in England'is a (illy named Aslt i'apa, by .Matchmaker, out of Pop the Question.

To-morrow afternoon the second series will be fired in conned ion with the Xew Plymouth Defence Rifle Club's championship. The Patea Freezing Company is still working at high pressure. Saturday was a record day at the works, no fewer than 000 sheep and 41 head of cattle bene passed through (says the Press). A Departmental message states that the Maheno, Maunganui, Navua, Zealandia, Manuka, Wimmera. Makarini, Turakina and Mamarj, were expected to fce within wireless range last night. In connection with the recent outbreak? of ptomaine poisoning at Wanganui, the health inspector says that he still has eighty cases under observation, but all are doing well. Samples of the ice: cream which caused the trouble have been sent to Wellington for analysis.

Mis 3 Sybil Arundale, as Conda Van der Loo—the lady who causes all the trouble to the Van Buren household in "The Girl in the Train," furnishes a hint in wearing watches. Her's is worn round the ankle—a proceeding which is bound to call timely attention to that portion of the female anatomy, for which reason it may become the fashion.

The North Canterbury Hospital Board lias decided to establish a dental ward afi ' the Christchurch Hospital, and is advertising immediately for the services of a dentist who will be on the Hospital staff. It is hoped that with assistant dentists on the honorary staff, that the dentist will be in attendance for tw» hours daily at the ward. It is anticipated that the ward will be in full swing in about a month.

A return compiled by the Department of Agriculture of hemp and tow graded at the ports of the Dominion during December shows that 13,341 bales of hemp were graded, as compared with 8120 for the corresponding month of last year, an increase of 5421 bales. For the twelve months ending December 31, 1012, the number of bales graded was 100,408, as compared with 87.473 for the previous twelve months, the increase being 12,995 bales.

A number of settlers' sons in the Masterton district expressed their willingness to do the slaughtering at the freezing works in the district, should the slaughtermen refuse to work. It is thought that no difficulty would be experienced in securing the services of from fifty to, one hundred capable butchers. "More than that," said a farmer to ati Age representative on Saturday. ' "Our sons are willing to load the ships, should the necessity arise."

A criminal case in which there was a missing link in the shape, of identification was brought on in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when a voung man named Percy McQuilliam, alias O'Brien, alias (J rah am, was charged with ha villi? indecently assaulted a small girl, a"wl five years, at New Plymouth on January 2(), 1012. On behalf of the police, SeniorSergeant Haddrell Said that the accused had been arrested at Rotorua, but as the identification had failed he was not prepared to offer any evidence at all The .Magistrate (Mr. A. Crooke, S.M > accordingly dismissed the case

During the month of December Cut Eltham Co-operative Dairy Company manufactured .-50,0731b of butter, and the total payment for butter-fat, at the rate of 11'/„d per lb, 'amounted to £2074 Ihe average test, for the month was ;! .is" states the Argus. During the same per' iwl the company manufactured 0857 cheeses, weighing from SOlb to 851b each. J. he rate of payment was Is per lb for ,but *? r - fat > and the total payment reached the substantial sum of'£10,014; the combined payment for butter and cheese suppliers reaching the handsome toH •i £12,088 for the month.—Exchange. For some time past (says the Post) the Union Steam Ship Company has been running a regular boat between Newcastle and New Plymouth and Wanganui. The service has been maintained by the Karamu, a vessel of 934 tons. It has now been found that the Karamu is not large enough to meet the nequirements. so she will be replaced by the Kittawa (1247 tons). The Kittawa is at present discharging timber at Melbourne, and Sydney, and on completion of this will go to Newcastle to load for the ports mentioned. The Kittawa's arrival in Wangamii will create a new record, as she will be the largest steamer to go there. This record is at present held by the Inga, a vessel of 970 tons.

A civil claim for goods supplied to a man through the alleged agency of his wife was partially heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when W.'.L Gordge. storekeeper at Vogeltown, sued A. H. Herbert for £ls 2s 7d. Mr. A. Bewley appeared for the plaintiff, while Mr. Frank Wilson defended the action. According to the plaintiff, the purchases made by Mrs. Herbert were not extravagances, but simply necessaries required for household use'. There was a verba! arrangement that if she could not keep up her payments, he (the defendant) "would not see him stuck." Cross-exam-ined by Mr. YYeston. the plaintiff said that for the last two or three years the accounts had been charged to Mrs. Herbert. He did not approach the defendant for payment of the account until August last. Further hearing of the case was adjourned until January 28, when evidence will be given by the defendant.

The anniversary of (lie Untie of Waireka falls on March 28. and akeady members of the local branch of the Royal Society of His Majesty's Veterans are at work planning' to fittingly celebrate it. In place of the customary shooting match, it is proposed to combine with the early settlers of the district and hold a monster picnic, possibly on the Recreation Ground. Although nothing definite has been decided upon, it is in the minds of the Veterans to make a charge for addmission to the general public, with the object of raising funds to defray the cost (if obtaining, under the auspices of the Early Records Committee, the photographs of our pioneer settlers. In addition to the proposed picnic, a reunion of Veterans will be held on the night of the anniversary. With the object of ensuring that the function will be a complete success. the committee are getting to work early, and a aeiieral meeting of the Veterans' As«oc'jalio;i'i:- convened for iM p.m. next, Saturday in the Drill Hall.