LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 March 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Greater New Plymouth scheme entailed upon the Borough liability for loans raised by the Countv Council amounting to £OBSH Is -Id, the annual interest being £264 4s 2d. The appointment of the following trustees of (lie Tutu cemetery is gazetted:—Messrs 11. Geangc, ('has. Curtis, A. V. McKcnzie, A. Castles, Jos. Mabey,' \V. S. Currie, and J. ];. Ludwig. At the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday, the jury, after live hours'' retirement, returned a verdict of not guilty in the case against Amo llcmi Temeti, charged with the theft of .£,143 from another Native. Mr 0. R. Croll, advising engineer for -Messrs. Borthwick and Sons, is at present engaged in preparing plans for the extensive additions to the Waitara Works which will give greater slaughtering and storing capacity. This will involve now plant also.—Mail, -Messra. Morey and Moore, of New Plymouth, drapers, were yesterday adjudicated bankrupt bv the Registrar of the Supreme Court (Mr. A. Crooke, 8.M.) The meeting of creditors will be nt the office of Mr. ,1. S. S. Medley D.0.A., on Friday, March 13. at 230 p.m

A Manaia lady was presented with triplets on Monday. They are, says the local paper, attracting a good deal of attention, so much so that the public are notified that they can onlv see the three babies, which are healthy and doing well, between the hours of four and live in the afternoon. Large crowds witnessed the institution of carnival week at Wellington yesterday, when a lengthy procession of gaily-decorated motor and other vehicles went through the city to Newtown Park. Athletic events, dances, cadet and Are brigade displays filled up the afternoon and evening.—Press message.

For myself I have heard several tenors, been pleased with some, amazed with others, appalled with not a few. And some of them were eminent tenors, too. But of all the tenors I have heard none wag so soul-satifying as our recent visitor, the French-Canadian, Paul Dufault (wrote E. D. Hobcn in the Christchureh Evening News). New Plymouth theatre-goers who havo leanings towards a high-class concert company have a treat'in store for them shortly, the Kennedys, entertainers, having decided to pay a visit to the town at an early date. This company comprises a talented combination well fitted to deal with mirth, music, and melody to the enjoyment of thoir audience, and should be accorded a good reception.

There was an interested audience in the Magistrate's Court at Waitaia yesterday, during the hearing of the gaming cases, and they appeared to find ample amusement from the spectacle of the Magistrate endeavoring to battle with the mysteries of "double event" racing charts. Comments on the case in all its hearings were at times quite audible; indeed, one bibuloi-s individual loudly advised counsel for the defence to "speak up," but was summarily subdued by Constable Lapouple.

We have received a donation of £5 from the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. G. W. Browne) towards the fund for the erection of a guiding wire from the crater of Mt. Egmoiit. Last winter Sunday evening concerts were given by the New Plymouth Orchestral Society under the leadership of Mr. Carbines, and the proceeds were placed in the hands of his Worship to dispose of as he thought fit. From this fund the £5 has been taken, the Mayor considering the cause a most deserving one. About £7 is still required to pay for the erection of the line, which is now at the houe, and we would be pleased to receive further donations.

The season that is drawing to a close is said to be probably the worst ever experienced by the small farmers of the •Hutt Valley (says the Times). Blight h*s been rampant in the district, and there is hardly a holding that has not suffered through the ravages of the pest. Farms that gave promise of an abundant harvest of tomatoes and potatoes were practically laid waste by blight in a night or 'two. In one instance, a farmer who had sown four acres of tomatoes, to the growth of which he paid special attention, sprayed the plants on a Saturday evening, and on Monday morning discovered the •crop totally destroyed and blackened as •if swept by fire. In Taita and Epuni Hamlet the loss is considerable, and many small farmers are confronted with the fact that their year's labor has avail, ed them nothing but desolation and •waste.

In 1843 the late (Sir John Logan Campbell forwarded to his relatives in England a number of Maori curios, These articles have been presented by Sir John's daughter, Mrß. Humphreys, to the Auckland museum. The exhibit includes a whalebone, hoeroa, an extremely rare Maori weapon, made out of the rib of a sperm whale. There is also a beautiful specimen of a taiaha, which differs from the majority of such implements in the respect that it is elaborately carved from end to end. A smaller taiaha of the smooth, or uncarved variety, and still carrying a wisp of dog's hair suspended from the head, is also among the collection. Another valuablo article is a carved feather-box of the type used for holding the huia feathers wherewith the chiefs were accustomed to decorate their heads. Tho carving is magnificently done, and is remarkable for finish and for detail.

A Manaia resident who has just returned from a visit to Auckland informs the local Witness that Devonport, one of the city's suburbs, is the home o» most of the absentee landlords of Taranaki. It is a bit curious, he says, that they should all drift into this particular suburb. It may be a case of ''birds of a feather," but*more likcly it is because of the special attractions of the locality and the advantage it offers to people of means and leisure. They form among themselves a kind of exclusive caste or society of landed aristocracy, and their homes bear all the appearance of opulence and comfort. They are mostly men who found themselves in "easy street," entirely by big rises in land values of the last half-a-dozen years or so. They live mostly ill big houses with spacious and wellkept grounds around them; they Iceef expensive motor cars; their sou are finding their way into the professions and their daughters move in society, "It would be instructive," says tho informant, "to know just the amount of money, in hard-won rents, that finds its way to Auckland annually from the rented dairy lands of Taranaki." ,

All the teams which have entered for the -big tug-of-war at the East End beach are requested to assemble in the pavilion at 7.45 sharp to-night, when the draws will be arranged for the three nights. It is intended to arrange these so as to suit the convenience of all teams as far aa possible. The competition will be commenced at 8.30 p.m