LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 203, 25 February 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

•■r believe i£ I hail never put my foot inside the door of ft local body, I would be 500 per cent, batter off."—Tho comity chairman at Midhirst yesterday. The Patea harbor has had a bail run lately. The s.s. Havrera was injureA tliroug'li bumping on the bar last Week, and has had to bo beachod. On Saturday, the local paper reports, the s.s. liana dragged whilst leaving the port and also touched when crossing Hie bar. Tho Kapmii, which was to have left turned back after being acquainted of the Mana's experience. A remarkable illustration of the results of juvenile mischief has been found by the caretaker of Cornwall Park, Auckland. He recently undertook the animal cleaning of the basin surrounding the statue of Sir John Logan Campbell, and when tho water was run off found that it contained a great quantity of road metal. Tho cumulative result of a year's stone-throwing by boys of the neighborhood and elsewhere was no fewer than three dray loads, or about four cubic yards of broken stone. hi a certain country town within tho Otiigo borders (states the Dunedin Star) the main topic of conversation is as to the doings of one of its practising solicitors. It is openly stated that trust moneys to a fair amount have been juggled with. So furious is.the explosion over this matter that its reverberations have reached Dunetliu. People say that friends arc intervening and endeavoring to get the parties concerned to give time to find the money. In the meantime the matter has been brought to the knowlodge of the Otago Law Society, a body that may be relied on to jealously guard the honor of the profession. In the Magistrate's Court, Now Plymouth, Yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., judgment'for plaintiff by default was given in tlie following undefended crises:—\V. l'\ Burke v. I'ved. 11. Wigg. £0 (costs .CI 4s (id); Wcstport Coal Co. v. Norman .1. McLood. £ls 4s (His); Okey and others v. Henry Shirley, £l3 10s (£2 2s), with an order for possession to be given in seven days; Christiansen v. Frederick Win. Bardie, £3 5s (ss); Lister v. Frederick Wm. Hardie, £3 10s 5d (His). In the judgment summons case, Bullock and Johnston v. Alexander lloss, claim £1 14s 10d, an order was made for payment forthwith, in default two days' imprisonment. One of the Sedgwick boys, who has been employed on a station near Masterton for the last three years, called at a Wairarapa newspaper office recently and expressed the \My great pleasure he felt at having been given an opportunity of coming to this country. He had, ho said, been delighted with his work, and was very well satisfied with the wages he was to receive. These have been banked for him, and he has now a very respectable amount to come. The climate and freedom of New Zealand were, he said, worth coming for, and he expressed the opinion that if the charms of this country were only known in fireat Britain thousands of people would emigrate to the Dominion. The lad intends working his passage Home to see his friends in a year or two. "But," lie added, "I shall not bo satisfied there. I shall come back and take up a piece of land, if I can get it." .

Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Masterton, report having sold on account of Mr. 11. K. McKcnzie, a uumher of show 'bullocks to a Xew Plymouth client, at from £IG lo< to £-22,'wliicli practically constitutes a record price for fat cattle in tho Wairanipa. A Salvation Army meeting in Jackson street, Pctone, was broken up without warning the other evening, when a horse and cart, driven by a man who is said to have, been intoxicated, dashed into the ring. Several people, wore knocked down, and a wheel of the vehicle passed over the arm of one man, who was also much cut about the face.

A farmer at Aorangi lost a pig from a peculiar cause. The animal developed u swelling behind the ear, then went mad and died. When it was being buried a blow from a spade caused a frog to hop out of the pig's ear. The pig had been running in a swampy paddock, where it evidently picked up the frog, and inflammation of the brain caused its death.

Advice has .been received that two emissaries of the port of Bristol are at present on their way to Australia and New Zealand to advocate Bristol as a port of discharge for vessels loading freight in these waters. The two gentlemen are Mr. L. Kiseley, ex-Mayor of Bristil (and a prominent merchant of .that city), and Mr. Manning Lewis, Commerical Superintendent of the Bristol Docks.

A rara avis in the shape of a pure white sparrow was shot by Mr. A. Bail, of South Invereargill, the other day. The bird was pure while, not a feather of another color being visible anywhere. Mr. Ball's aim was very true, and, save for a smal mark on th'c head, the little bird was undamaged. It has been sent to a taxerdermist, and will be plucod amongst the exhibits in the local museum.

The Cliristclmrcli Press tells the following:—A day or two ago a man who was the owner of a motor-cycle was approached by a stranger, who announced himself as a prospective purchaser of the machine. After a careful examination of the motor cycle the stranger indicated that he was prepared to buy, but would like a trial spin first. The owner readily agreed, awl the stranger mounted and rode off. It proved to be a long trial run, for the owner has seen neither his machine nor the stranger since.

It has already been announced that an increased scale of pay to members of the Police Force is to come into operation on April 1. So far the details of the increase are not available, bub it is understood that they will involve ifn. additional expenditure of between £IO,OOO and £IB,OOO. At the present time there is a satisfactory number of applicants for admission to the Force coming forward, and the accommodation at the Wellington training depot is fully occupied. It is considered that with the increase of pay soon to be brought about still more men will offer for service.

To be married on the pinnacle of a sky-scraper, known as Ferry Building, was the unique experience of a young San Francisco couple a few days ago: The parties to these mid-air nuptials were Steeplejack Hob Simpson and kis 18-year-old Bweetheart, Maude Baylor, who calls herself Steeplejill. To cap tho' ceremony Simpson jumped into his swing and pulled himself to the top of the flagpole and down again, the bride afterwards going through the same risky performance. Then the pastor, the Rev. J. M. Heady, kissed the venturesome young bride, exclaiming as he did so, "I foci like, a real sky pilot." The education of Maori girls is engaging the attention of tho Presbyterian Church, and as the work of the Maori Girls' College at Turakina is being more widely known its influence is extending correspondingly. Last week ten young girls went from Parihaka and Opunake. One of them is a granddaughter of To Whiti, and another of Tohu, the Maori prophets of years ago. The Rev. R. Haddon, of Normanby, had clmrge o! the girls, and in the'course of a. short interview said that it was expected many more would shortly enter tho school. The Rev. Haddon expressed hope for the future of the Maoris, and lie contended that the raising of the standard would be tjie result of education and refinement. One of the difficulties in the past had been due to lapses on account of tho boys. The latter, though educated at Three Kings or Te Ante Colleges, had, after leaving college, gone back to their people and settled down, marrying girls from the kainga. All the good gained <by school training had been lost, and hopes were now centred in the Maori girls. If the girls are trained also, they will probably marry the boys from the colleges, and in this way the building up of the race will bo sure and effective. Notice is given in our advertising columns that lessens under the West Coa*t Settlement Reserve.! Amendment Act, 101.1, must combine and appoint one valuer. A meeting of lessees Is to be held at Opunake on Monday, March 23, to select a Taluor.