LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 218, 3 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is estimated that in Holland there are not more than 2,500,000 acres of firstclass land, vet on this over 5,000,000 people, make their living. Last year the export of butter and elieese totalled within a trifle of £4,500,000. On each of the farms, which run to about GO acres, there is carried live stock to the extent of 22 cows, 0 heifers, 40 sheep, 15 pigs and one or two horses. Of the holding gome 24 acres are in grass, on which the cows are fed, and the balance given to such cultivation as is called for. The secret of the success of the Dutch dairy farmer is in efficient cows, excellent care of them, co-operation, and superior qualitv in butter and cheese.

Dreaming that there was a fire in tlie Orleans Hotel, New York, Mrs. Tela Kadt. 50 vcars of age, jumped from her bed 011 to the ninth floor of the hotel, ran to a window over an aif-shaft, and stepped out. She fell to a skylight on the second floor. Frank C. Boekell, night clerk, and Oscar Williams, elevator bov. were sitting under the skylight, when there was; a crash and a shower of glass, fiotli men ran to the third floor, find, looking out, saw Mrs. Radt lying on the roof. The skylight is of heavy glass, and above this is a heavy wire netting. The netting broke the fall of Mis. Radt and prevented her Irom going ihrough into the office. Mrs. Radt told the two men that she had dreamed that the place was on fire.

A Southland paper instances the case of a .Socialist who stood true to his principles and convictions. He recently purchased land 011 wliic.h coal deposits weie known to exist. The property which thus fell into his hands he intends to use to show his disapproval of the legislative action which threatened to make him rich, despite his loyalty to the ideal of a common brotherhood. His first purchase of 173 acres, valued roughly at between £IO,OOO and . £15,000, has been sold bv him to a syndicate for £SOO, and his two other holdings have been disposed of in like manner. The property be has sold for £SOO contains a seam of coal with a 17ft face, and, so far as our contemporary learns, this extends for some considerable distance, revealing at present enough coal to bring the lucky syndicate at least a small fortune.

A sensational confession is reported to have been made by one of the prisoners in the Sing Sing Penitentiary (states a cable message to the Sydney Sun). This man, whose name is fzzy, and who is described as head of the New York Un-der-world's Arson Trust, informed the authorities that he had certain information to give, and he was therefore brought from the prison to the District Attorney's office for this special purpose. The information supplied by fey related to the incendiary fires that have occurred in New York. It is said that he confessed that a member of the gang had started over 1000 (ires in the city within recent years, and that he gave a full list of the men who had acted as confederates. Among them arc wellknown Teilderdoin characters and insurance adjusters and agents.

The disbursement, of over a million and a-lialf pounds 111 dividends by the llroken Tfill milling companies this year shows what a magnificent asset Xcw South Wales possesses ill the Barrier silver lield. "A pood deal of this capital," remarks the Sydney Daily Telegraph, "was subscribed by "British and foreign investors. The investment of money in the Commonwealth by such persons is now penalised by a special tax. which will make the development of future Broken Hills that much more difficult. Unless private enterprise takes the risk of opening up these great receptacles of natural wealth they will in all but exception:'l eases remain dormant and useless. And equally patent is that (he fact that were private enterprise to lie allowed neither reward for its success nor compensation for its failure it could undertake nothiiii; on such impossible terms. Broken Tlill is regarded as one of the hotbeds of Australian Socialism, yet in its present prosperity the inhabitants have right under their eyes one of the most convincing object-lessons on the impracticability of the Socialist doctrine that the whole world affords."

Tin- Xriv X--iii,ui.i Dairy An.-m-ialimi (Auckland) pa i d out on .January 21st l'or milk received during December the sum 'if £t!K.4!)U.

The deceased per-ons rotates certified for stamp duly daring .lanuary ineludrd the following from New Plymouth:— Klizahelli Hayly. £(1210; Anne McVonn. f'2.":W: .lames Dennis Dytnond. £1004: Dugald Henry McKcllar. £,")(!!). revenue to the amount of £3O-10. and beer duty totalling £.V> were collected at I he port of New Plymouth dlirino- January. For the corresponding month of last year £IO7O was received in Customs revenue and £59 in heer duty. Writes the secretary of the Stratford Pclionl Committee to tlie secretary of the I'.ast Rnd Ueservo Committee, Mr. VV. 11. Fletcher: —"f bi'rj to thank von iind the Hast haul Reserve Committee for the excellence of the arrangement* for the school picnic on Thursday. The member.- of nty committee wore very pleased indeed.'and it was evident that tiie children and their friends thoroughly enjoyed (lie day. - ' The -heep gucssinir competition at the Atiawa Sport- on Thursday was won by A. Jones, who guessed 137 lbs. \y. Day. ntond with 140'/,lbs I>einl: - second. The actual weight of the sheep was MS'/, His The gate money and other takings at the sport- f ; ,r exceeded last V ear, and the ofticials express themselves as distinctly uratilieil with the support received from the outside public. In face ol past experiences the suggestion made by tlie Taranaki News in regard to the establishment of telephonic communis I ion between the Mountain House and a spot near the summit of Mount I'.gmont. is one worthv of immediate adoption (writes (ho Waverlev Tribune). If telephonic communication betwoon he spots indicated had. been an ostabli-hod fact there is little doubt '"«• »f Miss Oxonham would have been saved.

"These semi-rosones arc a f .,„. se to s ( KMotv. remarked a coastal settler to . - ens loprcKcutativi' on Saturday. The Government he continued. had l, e 'on "o>nc m for ion mam- of thoso reserves sniiplr for the gratification of a f ow In T', i,,sti| nces tliov !, bods of noxious weeds and w "< "" to eradicate them. as ,7 rr^"' 1 'l° owners and had nobody to 1,0 cursed. Tin -oul to ho damned It las ho considered q„ito time (his f ' hj" m ''' I' 0 " HP ~id nnt ''' , - tn the Mountain reserve, which hp considered a splendid national asset, and one which should not he touched. hut ,101 0 I'lontv of reserves scattered about, which could hotter bo done without. and lie jii-fanccd the Patuha ran-os '! '•""tamed a reserve of some thousands oi acr<*. unite sufficient to build ■ V"al;e i'ailwav. From a climatic the removal of some of the ~ as Taranaki could do with a little loss rain

Writes the Stratford Post of Friday's date:-The tone of New Plymouth is decidedly healthier than it has been for years. '/his is (lie opinion of a visitor to the old town yesterday. The splendid ad\oitisonient that the place has received under the auspices of the "boost" league is responsible for this happy state ol a flairs, and now closer than ever appears to bo- the long-looked-for "boom" o:i Which the optimists of Oil-opolis have pinned their faith for years. A resident speaking of a section of his fellow-towns-' men. remarked, "They're beginning to sec now what boosting can do. Why, we haven't had such a full town for a long time. People have come up to see what io place is like, and are going awav with then- minds fully made up to come again. -Every year,' i„ fact, one ladv and gentleman said, and no doubt there arc o hers imbued with the same splendid idea; while many who revisited us alter years of neglect expressed their surprise and delight at the advancement •New Plymouth has made. All. these people are spreading the good news whero\ er t hey go. and there is now no doubt we win bene-it more in the immediate .tine Y\ hat is now wanted," continued ■l>i» enthusiast, "is tor some of the shopkeepers to waken up to the fact that we mvo a tourist resort second to none ir tlie Dominion and then probably thev will High ton up tlieir premises with a" coat he i°i i "" 1 De '' on strfifit 0 like the thing. As the hlicet front is at present, it is little les* than an eyesore." There is a lot to lead between the lines of the foreHY"? t"' t), ",- ,lke " f tlw oltHilnß (. pit,,! of Taranaki it is to bo hoped such p easing optimism will soon be rewauled. as ,t deserves to bo.