LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 77, 26 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before Mr A. Crooke, K.M., a first offending inebriate was convicted ant discharged. There will be family bathing at the Municipal Baths to-night, under the supervision of the New Plymouth Amateur Swimming Club. The iimaru Press Association agent desires to inform the public of the Dominion that the new watersiders' hall elected there by. the llarbor Board and Railway Board has been officially opened 1 J The scenery at " Aotea," and the music of the XI. Regiment Band, together drew a good attendance yesterday. The band provided «u excellent programme, which included several of the selections to be played at the band contest at Auckland. The recent rain lias done much for Messrs. Sole Bros.' beautiful grounds, which havo nover looked more enticing, A well-attended meeting of pioneers and veterans was held in the Town tt rl on Saturday, Ilia Worship the Mayor (Mr G. W. Browne) presiding, to iliscuss arrangements for the joint celebrati°" of ll 'e anniversary of the Province of Taranaki and of the Battle of Waireka on March 31, It was eventually decided to call a public meeting to further discuss tho matter. It is understood that the Beach Committee at Moturoa is anxious to take a hand in the function, and with the three bodies cooperating, a fitting celebration may be expected. , l'ho Jiou. secretary of the citizens' 1 c °mi"'ittee of the band (Mr R. Elli 3 ) desires to acknowledge receipt of donations as under towards the band fund, as from November 1 1913, the date cf the citizens' committee assuming office: N. Iv. McDiarmid £1 10s fld, C. W. (iovI , £ 'l„ 2s ,' Ta ™naki Herald, East End Card Club, W. J. Chaney, Archdeacon Evans, W. G. Malone, Dr. K. A Walker, .Mrs E. A. Walker, Dr. I!"""' If each; N. T. Maunder, Pike and Waters, Fitzroy Brigade £1 each; Telegraph Dot Club, E. UriffitlH, 10 White and Sons 10s each; W. Fraser, W. C. Weston A Shuttleworth, John I'aton, Thos. Avery, W. I«. Gordon 10s t)d each; New Plymouth Fire Brigade tin, Michael Jones 2s (id; total, £-20 lis.

,A serious accident happened to Mr. Fred Hodge, an employee of tin: Alton dairy factory, on IliurHday morning. He was about to put tile belt on to u pulley driving the water-pump, and this was done successfully, but unfortunately he was caught in the belting and carried up to the shafting, with the result that his right arm was torn off just below the elbow, his face and chest also being severely bruised und cut about. Three doctors attended the sufferer, who was then taken to the Patca Hospital. At the time of writing he was reported to be progressing as favorably as could be expected Mr Fred Ilodge 'is the eldson of Mr 11. Hodge, of Alton, and is only 21 years of age. lie is very popular, and will have the sympathy of nil who know him throughout the 'district Mount Kgmont and its environments seem to be just sufficiently off the beaten tourist track to have been a little neglected in the past.. Certainly to one who has not visited that locality a booklet issued by the New Plymouth Expansion and Tourist league comes a* a surprise. It, only shows the absolute necessity for advertising the scenic attractions of the Dominion and the New I'l.vmouth organisation would do well to distribute its publication far and wide. A glance at the photographs reproduced 'in the booklet amply proves that those who have toured through the North Island, leaving this portion of Taranuki out of their route, have made a mistake—a pleasant mistake, however, for it leaves something in store for them on future occasions—Otago Daily Times. _ Kirm belief in the future of the King Country was expressed by Mr. C. \i. Wilson, M.P. for Tauraarunui, in the course of a brisk chat with a southern reporter. Mr. \\ ilgon has been a settler there for four years, and the progress that has been made, during that time, lie says, can only be described as marvellous. The increase has been shown both in regard to wool and dairying, and there is a general air of prosperity throughout the district. 'This ,veai, he adds, a very large quantity of grass seed will be required. The bush lias been cut down in huge areas, and the burns have been generally excellent. The urgent demand is for more loads, more roads, and yet more roads," and by way of illustrating that necessity, lie states that some wool could not find its way to the market owing to lack of transit.

riie boy scouts' camp at Egmont i)oa-l continues to attract numbers of visitor's. One gentleman who saw the camp recently remarked on the excellent discipline which prevails among tile boys. On Saturday the Rev. H. T. Peat address-id the boys in the large marquee, liis subject being "Steps to Manliness." Yesterday morning's service was conducted by the Ten. Archdeacon -Evans, 10-night the Iter. Itobsou-will address the lads on "Play the Man.' Scoutmaster Sullivan desires to aekno vledge additional assistance from Misses W. Sole, Doile, Weston and .larvis, and from Mesdames Ere they, Hovett, Oolson, Milne, and H. Way. 11,. aim, desires to thank Mr Bayl.v for the loan of a yrnmoplione. Tn the competition for tent tidiness and general work, No. (i (Waitara) tent is leading by one-quarte ■ mark from No. 5 (Central) tent. A number of visitors found their way to the camp yesterday. The New Plymouth Boy Scouts who have been on tour in Auckland, under Major P. W. Sandford, were met- at the foot of Mount Messenger t,v a party oF motorists from New Plymouth vest or- I day. The liovs were in fine'fettle, though somewhat, dusty, and their clothing showed signs ol' most efficient I darning at the hands of Major Bam!foid. They told the New Plymouth party that they expected to reach TTrenni last night, thus completing « march of 28 miles for the day, and would reach New Plymouth between 4 p.m. and 5 pjn. to-day, after a "trek" of some '.!■■>() miles. Major Sandford remarked that, lus party had been most hospitably treated all through the journey. At Mokau the boys were gUcn a great reception, and were taker., for a trip up the Mokau river. The boys, when last .seen by the motorists, were making gamely for Urenui, still dragging the "trek" cart. Our informant that it was «up to" tho -New .Plymouth people to give them gome sort oV \ecepi!on as. they march in to tlie t«. ttaf.

Polmlu Geyser at Rotorua gave a magnificent display on Sunday, :ind played at intervals for uj minuted. A | largo crowd of visitors was present, and was greatly interested in the display. "Slmll 1 delay the train, sir';" asked a railway ullicial of the Right lion. W. F. llassev at Palnierston Xorth 011 -Monday, when the l'rime -Minister was still being depututionised. "No," was the reply, "1 never delay trains." Evelyn Xesbit, the former wife of Harry Thaw, who ha* gone l>aek to the stage, declares that if the latter is released oil bail, as recommended by the commission that has been enquiring as to whether he would be safe at large, he will be a menace to her life.' The Federal liureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of America has issued a report showing that the otlieial indebtedness of all the Governments in the world totals .C 8,400,000,000. This is an increase of '2O per cent, in the last ten years, and double the indebtedness of forty years ago. Inside a bloater she was preparing for breakfast, Mrs. liucliam, of the Alexandra Tavern, Norwich, saw a glittering object the size of a large pea. Persuaded that it was a gem, she had it submitted lo a jeweller's test, and it was pronounced a genuine diamond. It had apparently once been set in a ring. "Wo keep a stall' of 500 cats," said Mr. J. G. liroadbank, the Hoard of Trade representative on the Port of London Authority, recently, is a lecture at Mansfield llouse, Canning Town, on ''The Thames and its Docks." (kits, he said, were found far more effective than poison in their constant warfare with 1 rats.

•About midnight a collision of motoi cyclists occurred iu front of the l'oa Office. Dr. Suttie steered into Devoi Street from l'owderham Street, by \vu of Silver Street. Another cyclist cam round the other corner of the l'ost 01 lice, out of Kobe Street. Both header down Queen Street, after minor repair to handle-bars had been effected. For the first time in the records 0 mountaineering in New Zealand, Hua peliu has been ascended by climber* us ing skis, Mount Ruapchu has alwa.y been a popular holiday resort, au< among other Auckland climbers thi year were Messrs \Y. P. Mead and I! S. Drake. At a height of UOOOft tli< party found the snow to be in gooi order for the use of the ski, and til re miles to the summit were covered ii this way. The same method of travel ling has since been successfully employei by other parties. The British battle-cruiser Tiger, tlx "mystery ship," was launched on Do cember 15 at the Clydebank Shipbuild ing Works, where her keel plate wa laid 011 June 20, 11)12. Details of th< new vessel have been guarded strlctl; by the Admiralty. Her engines arc de signed to give the hitherto unattempta horse-power of 100, COO, calculated to dc velop a speed which will eclipse tha of any naval vessel afloat. I'nollieia reports give the Tiger's dimensions as Length "over all, 700 ft; beam, 90ft; dis placement, 30,000 tons. Her armamen is said to comprise eight Kl.ain guns ii pairs in turrets on the centre line, am twelve 6in guns in easements, with tw< 2I in submerged torpedo tubes. The latest thing in fly specifics is as simple as it is ingenious and effective, remarks the l.yttiltou Times. It consists of a small, narrow and shallow tin trough set into the bottom of the upper portion of the window. Kerosene is placed in it. The sun, which attracts the flies, apparently makes slight fumes lof the kerosene go up the window - though they are not noticeable in the room—and directly a lly reaches the window* it seems to be unable to get away, and drops inevitably to perish in the kerosene trough. A large boardinghouse was cleared of flies in this way in the past week by troughs on two windows, and no one who was not told about it could have detected the apparatus on the window at all. Great- interest, according to Mr. ISrucc, of the New Zealand Agricultural Department, who has just returned from India, is felt 111 Xcw Zealand by many of tho wealthy class in that country who are desirous of retiring from business or administrative duties. lie met dozens of Anglo-Indians who would be worth each from £IOO,OOO to £200,000, who made extensive enquiries about these southern lauds, with a view to settling in them, and assured them the Govern- J incut Tourist Bureau would supply them with sullicicnt information to convince I them that this would prove an ideal resting place after the tropics. "Hut," j he said, "[ told them they would have to get over the habit of having native I servants putting their boots 011 for them."

Seated oil the platform which surrounds the boathouse at Kovesboiirno (l)unedin) basking in the westering sun, a party «f eight or nine young men, their ieet dangling over the placid waters of the harbor, rested themselves on Tuesday evening after their labors during the heat of the day. They found food for comment and laughter in watching the antics of sonic other voting fellows who were disporting themselves in the water, when, crack, ami without the slightest warning, the front part of the staging gave way and precipitated the fully-elothed ones into the water beside the swimmers. It was fortunate that it was high tide when the accident occurred, as had it been low water some of the victims might have been injured on the rocks beneath.—Otago Daily times.