LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 305, 17 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Of 2S(i candidates who sat at the recent examinations under the Inspection of < Machinery Department, 223 passed. ] The Grand Ducal Council of Mecklenburg lias passed a Bill imposing a 25 per cent, increase of taxes on all bachelors above the age of 30 years. Nearly 200,000 settlors are expected to arrive in Canada from the United < .States during the present year, an increase of 50.000 over last year's figures. The Sydnev Daily Telegraph states that in West Australia the Scaddan (La- ■• bor) Government has in 18 months piled up a deficit of £300,405, in face of the fact that the Liberal Government left it a credit balance of 113,000. It is estimated that the acquisition of the llillersden estate, Marlborough, will provide holdings for about thirty settlers. A considerable proportion of the country is mountainous and not capable of carrying many sheep. It is stated that about 13,000 acres can be cultivated. ' There will be a splendid display of dairy produce at the New Plymouth Winter Show, which is to be held on June 11, 12, 13, and 14. The entries in the butter section which has already closed approximate last year's record entry. Entries for the farmers' butter classes, and for the cheese classes do not close until May 31. A message to the London Express from Cettinje, dated April 2, says:—Austria has made a swift reply to Montenegro's refusal to stop the. siege of Scutari. Four Austrian cruisers appeared to-day outside Antivari and Ducigno. When the news was telegraphed here the King was taking his afternoon siesta. The Court Chamberlain read the telegram to the King, who replied, ''Don't interrupt my sleep!" One evening recently the Chinese at Shanghai had good reason to believe that a miracle was happening. It rained rice! From 10 o'clock at night till midnight i groups of Chinese were on their knees scraping together the grain, which, like a gift from the gods, fell in little showers. The explanation of them iracle was that some miles away the roof of a granary had been whirled for miles by the same > agency, to fall in showers when and 1 where the force of the wind abated. We wonder what English sportsmen would think of the following, clipped from the Eastern Telegraph, New South Wales: —While a youth named Bert Law--3 rence, working for Mr. G. L. George, of B Rokewood, Tambar Springs, was crossing 1 'H. he was attacked by a fox. 3 He managed to heat it off with a whip '> handle he was carrying, but the fox re--8 turned to the attack. Lawrence had,' r in the meantime, managed to secure a * short stick, with which he despatched " Reynard. The fox, an old one, had r tusks three inches long, and its skin was !? a very fine one. £ Passengers by the Japanese mail „ steamer Yawata Maru, from Melbourne _ to Sydney, witnesed a fine sight on the

run along the coast. When the vessel was between Gabo Island and Green Cape, on Thursday afternoon of last week three big waterspouts were sighted. The columns of water rose fully 80ft high, and the ocean for some distance round them was considerably disturbed. They were heading northward, and when last seen opened in cloud formation at the top, spreading like immense umbrellas. Three more waterspouts were observed when approaching Sydney Heads.

While shooting a Okutuku a resident of' Waverley had a narrow escape from ' certain death. At the time the accident happened, the luckless (or, rather, lucky) one was wearing a heavy overcoat. • Suddenly and unexpectedly, a gust of wind blew the coat against the barrel of the gun, and by some unexplained means the firearm fell backwards and the charge exploded, blowing the right shoulder of the coat to smithereens, and severely singeing the flesh. Had the shot found a billet a couple of inches lower, a large portion of the shoulder itself would' have been shattered, and death would probably have been the re-1 suit. At the sitting of the Physiothera-: peutics Congress in Berlin on March 27. Dr. Rosenthal presented for inspection a new apparatus invented by himself, by means of which it is possible to cinematograph any internal organ, thus enabling a view of its actual working to be seen, and in ease of illness aiding in the l location of the exact centre of the disease. The congress was allowed to see the internal working of a stomach, and the medical men present were at once able to detect the presence of disease. The invention, which is an adaptation of the X-rays, is very simple, and it is declared that it will revolutionise the system of diagnosis. There will be no longer any need for doctors to operate to discover the nature and location of disease. The apparatus makes all diseases visible. Levin orchardists are discussing the possibility of inducing farmers in the district to interest themselves in a scheme for a co-operative orchard. Mr. H. Newport, who mentioned the subject at a meeting (if the Levin Chamber ofi Commerce, is one of the leading fruit growers in the district, and is an authority on pomolofical matters. He pointed out that there was a demand at present for 30,000 cases of apples from the Argentine; and that one demand would yield (at fis a bushel offered) .€OOOO. Such a yield could be got from one hundred and fifty acres of land. The prcsi-. dent of the Chamber (Mr. E. S. Lancaster) agreed that it would be well to go further into the matter, and it was decided that Messrs Newport and Marco Fosella be appointed a deputation to wait upon the Levin Farmers' Union to ask their co-operation to this end. New Jersey is contemplating the greatest suspension bridge in the woil.i It will connect New Jersey and New York, and will cost ,CSOO,OOO. It will be 8.130 ft long, 17oft above the river Hudson, 201 ft wide, and the steer towers from which the cables will be hung will be 600 ft in height. The central span of the •bridge ' will be 2800 ft long. The bri.L/. will have two tracks for subway trains, two if or elevated railways, and four for tramcars, with two 3fift driveways and two 80ft sidewalks. It will stand higher than any other bridge in the world, and will be exceeded in length only by two others—the Manhattan bridge, over the East river, at New York, which is !)i!ooft long, and the Tay bridge, in Scotland, which is 70,77fift.' Its shorter length is due to the fact that the land on both banks of the Hudson is at the point suggested high, necessitating comparatively short approaches. The characteristics of Ceylon Tea are robustness, flavor and strength, the liquor being very palatable, and having a fine silky texture. Crescent Tea combines, in a happy degree, these characteristics, for the blending is carried out by an expert. Sold bv all storekeepers, at 2/-, 3/- and 1/8 per lb. 0 It was a fearful shock to see His look of pain and misery; His cough, it madu the houses quake; His wife, she wept disconsolate. His children joined the mournful ihrnn!.'. And said: "We won't have father lorn;." T!ut all is changed, his life's se.-inv-lie's taking Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. 10