CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 210, 24 January 1913, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

STRATI-OR]) LOAN SCHEME. At its meeting last night the Stratford Borough Council decided to place before the ratepayers a loan scheme for £42,000, including £12.000 for drainage, £4OOO for water supply, £OOOO for the bridge and £20,000 for street improvement. It was resolved to put the proposals before the ratepayers in four separate issues. Notice of motion immediately given to rescind this resolution, which was carried on the canting vote of the Mayor, with a view to placing the proposals before the ratepayers as one issue, but it is unlikely that this will be carried (wire* our correspondent). TIIE VETERANS. The Taranaki War Veterans will be ■well cared for next March. The anniversary of the Province falls on March :il, and that of Waireka on March 28, and the two occasions will be jointly celebrated by a picnic of veterans and pioneers at the Recreation Grounds on March 27.' The younger men of the town, who entertained the Veterans lswt year, have come forward again and in> tend to give a supper in their honor. -The Empire Picture Company have offered to put on a special patriotic programme, musical and pictorial, on the evening of the supper. Last year the Veterans were entertained to dinner and then adjourned to the Picture Palace. This time the order will be reversed.

DEVELOPMENT. While our exports remain high there should be a big balance between their value and the necessary outlay on imports, and this balance should go towrfrds the development of the country. If this could be brought about, the pinch that is to come from the high price of money in the world's markets would be much less severely felt in this Dominion. We pay the price of luxuries in a way that a self-contained country does not. arid the 'age of extravagance must cost ns more and more, and the cor responding reaction be greater than will be the case in America or Europe. The ba'nk returns, in the face of rising exports. a fiord-sonic 'grounds for the belief that, although we may be comparatively at the commencement of the road, we are on the way to pav the price.— Auckland Star.

THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE. Not a few of ilx; slaughtermen in the different works are sorry just now that they are affiliated with the Federation of Labor, because of being dragged into a strike—legal description "cessation, of work," not a strike!—with which they have little sympathy. Tt is reported oil good authority that several of the butchers at one works drew cheques last reason amounting from £230 to £250. They are well treated by their employers in every way. and are well-satisfied. Bpt they must obey the behest of the Red Feds, to "sheath knives!" Things have come to an extraordinary pass in this country when our second largest industry can l)e held tip absolutely by about nine hundred men, or a majority of 1100, who are able to indict losses running into tens of thousands .of pounds on the community, and eanse no end of iconveniece.

FISH-OH! At Moturoa yesten lay there was a curious incident that attracted a good deal of sensation at the moment. Two litde girls named Lady Jane (Irey lleloiise Juliet Cleopatra Smith, aged three years, and Florence May Kate Mattie de Motniorency Jones, aged two years, throe months, eleven days and four minute*, were walking on the beach, when a terrific whale approachedcd them with a roaring sound, from about two points south by-east by north from the Sugar Loaves. With commendable presence of mind the two children waded into the water right up to their ankles and seizing the cetacean by its loft lower bi-cuspid dragged it ashore. The monster measured 432 feet in length, 2!) feet in breadth and was copper rivetted throughout. Subsequently the children .made a fire of driftwood and cooked and devoured the whale for luncheon. It's skeleton now lies—like this storyoil the beach.

GOOD BUSINESS. 'Another ■patriotic business man of New Plymouth, whose business will take liini on a trip, to, the towns between New Plymouth and Gisborne, for the next few weeks, has intimated to the Expansion and Tourist League his willingness to distribute the League's artvertiHing literature on his way. Yesterday the secretary of the League received word from the manager of the New Zealand Government Tourist Office in Sydney that he was arranging to distribute the illustrated folder.in New South Wales, and was also including Taranaki in the itineraries lie was arranging for several tourists who were about to "do" New Zealand. The (secretary also received a letter from the editor of the Agricultural Journal stating that, a photographer was being despatched to North Taranaki to take views of all places of interest. These will be sent, to the High Commissioner in London who is about"to inaugurate a' vigorous press advertising campaign of New Zenland's tourist attractions, etc. An English gentleman who was in the Itotorua district heard about Taranaki\s beauty spots, and decided to shorten his visit in the thermal regions and come this way. He arrived yesterday, and with his'wife motored to the Mountain, where no doubt he will have as enjoyable a time as he can obtain in any part of the Dominion. The press of Australia are also beginning to turn an ear to New Plymouth's claims as a tourist resort, as witness the following paragraph, culled from '-Fairpin v." under the heading of "A Glorious Site": —"Within ninetv minutes' ride (by motor car) of New Plymouth is the new hostelry, recently bnill. at. sin elevation of over 3000 ft:. on the sunny northern slope of Mount Eumont. Fai:!naki. New Zealand. The eonducted 011 the lines of a first-class hotel by Mr. -T. P. Murphy, lately of The Hermitage, Mount Cook. What a matchless sanatorium this should lie!"