LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 5, 6 June 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The' annual meeting of the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce will be held in the Chamber at 7.30 to-night.

The Directors of the Gear Meat Company report that the past half year's transactions have been very satisfactory. An interim dividend of five per cent, is declared.

If the request of the Ohura County Council is complied with, the name of the railway junction, Okahukura, will no longer torture the jaws of the King Country residents. The proposal is to change the name to "Massey Junction." It is stated by the Manawatu Standaid that a> large London concern, having branches throughout England and New Zealand', intends opening a branch in Palmerston. The company trades in frozen meat, butter, and cheese, and other dairy produce. Messrs. G. H. Bullard and W. Slaughter, members of the Workers' Dwellings Board for Taranaki, will leave by the mail train this morning on a visit to Haw-era and- Manaia, to inspect land suitable for the erection of workers' dwellings in those localities. The Postal and Marine Departments are now formulating regulations governing the equipment of passenger vessels trading on the New Zealand coast. It is understood that the classification for wireless will include all except a few of the mosquito fleet, which carry only i limited number of passenger?, These r.ay be exempted from the obligation to 'listal wireless. The regulations will 'be gazetted shortly. The use of electric light irons at Inglewood appears to be gaining, a firm hold on the public fancy. A Borough Councillor states they are used for toasting and for footwarmers, and the Council decided on Wednesday night to increase the rate' for such general utility electrical appliances. The late electrical engineer, it was stated, used to gauge the price by the number of womenfolk in the household, but the Council is of opinion that this method-is now obsolete.

One of the sights of the Dominion Dairy Show, will unquestionably be the display of farm produce by schools, eight of which have entered. The space to be occupied by each exlribit is 10ft. by 4ft. and one lias only to bring Okaiawa's last year's effort to mind to appreciate what eight schools will accomplish in the way of display. It was generally admitted that the only exhibit in this class in 1912 was a brilliant success, and regret was expressed that other schools,had not entered. However, on the present occasion, there is a good muster, and the united display will be, on an exceptional scale. " ;

An Auckland taxi-cab driver had an unenviable experience on Wednesday. He was chartered by four well-dressed men to drive them out to the races. When they got there they suggested that-he should wait as they only intended stopping for a couple of races or so. This he did, and drove the four back to the city about an hour lator, congratulating himself on having had a good fare. When nearing the city on the return journey a halt at,a \yaj|ji"de hotel was suggested. The four men went in, and the taxi-driver awaited their return, but seeing no signs of them after he had waited foi* about half an hour, he went into the hotel, only to find that his four passengers had left some little time before by a back door.

Several breaches of the Borough bylaws were dealt with at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M. Barrett Honeyfl'eld pleaded guilty to driving a gig without lights, but explained that he was in the gig alone, and one of his lamps went out, the other burning brightly. His horse was restive, and lie was unable to relight it. TW Inspector (Mr. Ben Tippins) stated that an accident had nearly been caused as a result of a vehicle carrying only one light, and his superior officers had ordered him to prosecute in such eases as this. A conviction, but no flue, was recorded, Wesley Hooker, for a similar offence, was fined 5s and 7« costs. For keeping an unregistered dog David Charteris. who did not appear, was fined 5s and costs.

Amongst some of the amusing stories fit ji smoke ooncprt in Dannevirke, one told by a well-known fanner in (lie locality was notable for its originality. One (lav a Territorial called at his bouse and ensured liim in conversation for some minutes. "T subsequently discovered." said the speaker, "that while he so enffasred me some of his mates made « raid on my fowlrhouse, and 'bagged' the whole poultry run." Tn consideration of the farmer's irenerosity in saving nothing about the matter', the delinquent*, on their return home, had their photograph taken and forwarded one to the Hrmer. apparently to remind him of their happv visit, '<rt was very srond and kind of them." said the farmer, "and in order to show my deep appreciation of their thonjrhtfuln'ess and snortsmanlike action. I llave had the photograph framed and hung it in the fowlhouse!" EXHILARATION. First thing in the morning take a cup of steamiug-hot Orescent. Tea, and the effects will be exhilarating. The rich tlieine has the property of expand- , ing the arteries nearest the surface of 1 (lit! skin ami so causes u Jlow of warm blood. Three grades of Ci .-scent. 2/-.! 1/10, 1/8 per lb. _ 111

Evidently Bishop Gleary had a narroil escape frort fatal injury during his Mil* way journey near Wanganui last week* At the opening of the Girls' Palish School, Ponsonby, on Sunday, one of th« speakers congratulated the Bishop upo» escaping injury. Dr. Cleary, when replying, said: "It was a very close shavfc I was reading my offices, and had judl leaned back, when the bullet grazed my forehead. Had I been leaning forward as I was a moment before, that bullet would certainly have gone right through my head."

The following new books have been added to the Carnegie Library:—"The House of Spies" (Warwick Deeping), "The Sins of the Father" (Thomas Dixon); "Trying Out Torchy" (Sewell Ford; "Problems of the Pacific" (Frank Fox); "The Amateur Gentleman" (Jeffery Farnol), "I'd Venture all for Thee" (J. S. Fletcher), "The Adventures of Mi»» Gregory" (P. Gibbon), "The Rise of Roscoe Paine" (Jbseph Lincoln), "The Postmaster" (Joseph Lincoln), "Molly McDonald" (Randall Parriah), "Friar Tuck" (R. A. Wasow). ' One Runanga youth, who, having once been an anti-militarist, attended the recent camp, and becamife a convert to the defence system, is experiencing a pretty unenviable time at the hands of some of the people in the State collieries district (says a Greymouth correspondent). Wherever he goes vile epithets are hurled at him, the women and children being particularly prominent. It is said that some women even go the length of spitting at jiim. The feud with tho supporters of the scheme is an old one a* Runanga, where social gatherings nave come to sudden conclusions through the refusal of Territorials, "who are looked upon with same apprehension as a ' scab," to leave when requested to do so. This condition of affair is becoming so pronounced that.the people who generally remain silent are getting disgusted, and will yet act in a manner which will not only cause a revulsion of feeling against the malignant anti-mili-tarists, but will also be a trifle disconcerting to those prosecuting the present cruel campaign.

A wonderful example of the triumph of the will over physical disabilities is to be found in the case of Mr. J. Schwier, of Moreton, near Ongar. Mr. Schwier farms nearly 100 acres of land, and is one of the most successful agriculturalists in Essex, althQtogh he is totally. Jilind. Mr. Schwier was trained as a musician, and made several appearances on the London concert platform; but at the age of fourteen, he lost his ,sight. "It affected my health," he told a pressman recently, "and I got tired of looking out for pupils and concert engagements, so I took a smalt piece of land in Essex. From that I have gone on, until I now farm nearly 1000 acres. I have over 100 cows and a flock of 600 sheep. Besides this, I have a hay and straw business. Nearly all the land I farm I have bought since I commenced business." Mr. . Schwier was too modest to talk about his own abilities, but it appears that he is known as a keen judge of cattle. He does all his own buying and selling, and no one can beat him in the quickness with which he can reckon up the quantities in a haystack, or tell the quality of the hay.