LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 254, 25 March 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A road-making company is in contemplation at Wanganui. the idea being to organise a plant and staff and make contracts with local bodies for making specified lengths of tarred-surface road. New freezing works —the third within a distance of eighteen miles —are shortly to be erected between Hastings and Napier. Mr. 8. Luttreil, architect, ot' Christcliurch, has also received instructions from Messrs Hortlnvick and Sons, of the Paki Paki Freezing Works, to draw plans for the extension of their works. The mayor of Foxton, who has been making investigations, has ascertained the fact that the water and drainage syslem at Kllham was producing a revenue of .£SOO per annum, and that no rate in connection with the same was being collected. The installation bad cost £IB,OOO and the money had been borrowed from the Government at .W a per cent., which included sinking fund. In tlie .Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth yesterday, Mr. A. Crooko, iS..M., gave judgment for plaintiff by default in the following cases; —James S. Fox v. F.li/.abelli Whaler. :CG 3s Id (costs £-2 Ss lid); Xew Plymouth Sash and Door t'o. v. Hermann Seliultz, Cll 7h i Ms); Ceylon Tea Co. v. John Larkin. IH.s 'id (os); John Grayson v. Win. I.eighton 10s 4d (15s) .same v. Frederick Furze £2 IDs (Ms); C. 10. Ntcll'anscn v. Alexander Melville, i'l 15s (l.'isl: Reynolds and Co. Ltd. v. Warner ISros., £lO 7s lOd ( .€1 10s lid). In the judgment summons case, Uruce (Mr. liewlev) v. George V. Dempsey, an order was made for payment of lHs on or before March 27, in default » days' imprisonment. The judgment debtor in a case called in the Court yesterday was an elderly farmer, Win. Ooldlinulli'of lviverlea, who could neither realfnor write, lie told Mr. Hutchen, wpLftppeared fo'r the judgment his family of eight milked 50 cows, which were all under a bill of sale. lie never saw (he milk cheques, which were handed over to the owner of the farm, lie himself had received only £3O since November last, and had been in bed for about live months. During his illness tlie originating summons had been issued and judgment was given in his absence for a debt lie knew nothing about, lie had no record of his receipts, except a somewhat vague memorandum book, which, lie said, his family made up. The case was finally adjourned until April 7 to enable him to bring a statement of receipts and expenditure, and witnesses, lie made an application for payment of his travelling expenses, which the Magistrate promptly refused.

The annua) collection at Napier in aid of the hospital has produced up to the present £424 10s, and there are still a number of outside contributions to come in.

While the newspapers were full of the Zabern troubles, two grave personages in evening dress were seated on a night at a table in one of Paris' most fashionable nocturnal cafes, conversing quietly in German. Their appearance attracted the attention of another reveller, who, after staring at them with an insistence that seemed 4o make them very uncomfortable, came across and said in a distinct voice: "When you get back to Berlin you might tell the Kaiser to treat tire Alsatians a little better; what has been going/on at Zubern is disgraceful." Without answering, tlio two men hastily called for their bill, and, making a sign to two detectives seated behind them nt another table, quitted the establishment as, quietly as possible. The two Germans were Prineo Adalbert, son of the Emperor, an i Prince Henry of Prussia. Some time ago it was decided, savs the Sydney Daily Telegraph, to bui'hl fifteen houses for the Government ollicials, at a place called Myilly Point, about a mile from Darwin. These houses, which were constructed of wood and corrugated iron, were not very strong looking edifices, but they cost from £ISOO to £2OOO each. The total cost of the whole bunch is estimated to have been about £26.000. According to a statement made by Mr. W. E. Hayes, a surveyor, who has been in' the Territory, only five of the houses are tenanted. The district was found to be generally an unsuitable residential area for women, and now the ten abandoned dwellings are occupied only by the industrious white ant, and with his help, Port Darwin residents affirm, the next strong wind will blow the Government residences off the face of the earth. In view of the widespread misapprehension which appears to exist in regard to the correct postage payable < -- newspapers addressed to the Australian Commonwealth an<t to the United Statea of America, the following is published for general information:—The rate of postage payable on newspapers printed and published in New Zealand addressed to the Commonwealth of Australia is one penny for each newspaper not exceeding 20oz. in weight. For newspapers exceeding 20oz. on extra charge of one halfpenny for each additional 10oz. or fraction thereof is also payable. The following are the rates on newspapers addressed to the United States of America: For each newspaper, one penny for the first 4oz, and one halfpenny for each additional 2oz. or fraction thereof. These rates also apply generally to newspapers which are not printed and published in New Zealand.

The Victorian Minister for Education knocked down a wasps' nest the other day by making a Parliamentary statement to the effect that out of every 400 teachers who retired annually 300 were women, who left the service to be married. Whereupon the Victorian Lady Teachers' Association vigorously and indignantly repudiated the charge on the grounds that, uncontradicted, it would brand the department practically as a matrimonial agency. Not content with tho usual feminine argument, they quoted statistics to further confound the Minister, They state*! that of 271 teachers who retired last year 95 were men and 17C women; 20 of tii"ve were teachers of over 30 years' service, and inferential!)' beyond matrimony, while 80 were "junior" teachers, and while probably excellently qualified for matrimony, were not qualified teachers. And so they held that on the facts it was evident that the majority of qualified women teachers hail not left the service to be married.

The three greatest pests in the Northcm Territory are said to be the white ant—which sometimes grows to be tho size of a bee —the marsh fly and the great Darwin mosquito. Each of these insects liolds a record in his particular line, but as a champion in the way of destructive industry, the ant must be awarded the palm. According to the story told to a Sydney Daily Telegraph representative by Mr.' W. R. Hayes, a srveyor in the Territory, the white ant is bent upon exterminating everything in the district except himself. He is no daylight worker, but toils incessantly in the dark. He has attacked the forests of the place, and the ironwood which will gap an axe yields to the insidious power and the never-ending industry of this insatiable insect. The result is that there are acres of forest with trees like empty shells, the inside having been cleaned right out. An etymologist is engaged in searching for the white ant's natural enemy, or some other means of combating it, but up to the present the scientific investigations have been of no avail and the ant pursues his dark and relentless course, devouring everything between himself and. daylight. At Waverley last week, Mr. W. Werr, S.M., hoard an application for exexemption from military duties on unusual grounds, the applicant taking advantage of the "undue hardship" clause of the Defence Act. The applicant, a young man of 23 years, gave evidence that lie was engaged in dairy fanning, and his duties necessitated rising at 4 a.m. to milk the cows, after which operation general farm work occupied his time till the evening, which was not completed till about 7 p.m. He did not possess any conscientious objections to the Defence Act, but pleaded that, if compelled to attend parades, he would be a handicap to the company and retard its attaining a proper degree of elliciency, as, after his work, he was very much fatigued and not physically capable of taking an intelligent interest in territorial duties. The Defence authorities rather acquiesced in the plea. His Worship stated that he had granted ail exemption in another case where it was shown that npplieau't. w,\s engaged in delivering milk for residences, as it was essential, especially to the well-being of infant life, that milk should lie delivered as expeditiously as possible, and this necessitated those engaged in the business working early and late. In these circumstances, as in the present ease, applicant would lie physically deficient to a material degree on arriving at parade if the exemption application was refused, and exemption would !>e granted for one year or until defendant discontinued his present occupation, if he did so before that time. THE RIGHT PLACE FOR GETTIN'O GOODS DISTRIBUTED. Spend no time considering whom to get to do your forwarding. Come right here, and get the advantages we offer you as the largest and best-equipped carrying service in the Dominion. We forward parcels, ship goods, deliver them (collect payment on C.O.D. system if desired). We do prompt, efficient work —the kind you want.—The X.Z. Express Co., Ltd. 1)1!. SHELDON'S DKIF.STIVF TABULES. Pave tue way to success By giving you A good stomach And a cheerful disposition. They digest what you eat. Obtainable at Johnston Bros.'

A Times and Sydney Sun services* cablegram from London states that Mr Malcolm Boss has published a fascinating bookz, entitled "Climbs in the New Zealand Alps." Heather planted in the National Park that surrounds Tongariro, Buapehu, and Ivgaruhoe is growing well, aud enthusiasts state that should it spread, as appears probable, there are good prospect* that grouse might flourish if introduced. Fishing at the mouth of the Itaaffit.itii river last week, Mr. Rich, 0 f Long* beach, landed a trout 33 inches long and 21lb in weight (says the Hokitika Guar, ii ■ * . ' wlucl ' was caught on a pollock fly IS a record fop the rivet so far as ]g known locally. Yesterday's weather was atrocious, the dust-storms raising strong argul 111 s for th e adoption of the system of avenues and lawns in the streets, a» suggested by tkc Mayoi-presumptive, Mr J. h. \\ ilson, or some othfsr schema for reducing the dust nuisance. The meeting of lessees of n&tivd lands, for the- purpose of appointing a valuer for the renewals, under the Act of last year, was held at Opuhafce on Monday, when there were a large number of lessees present. There were threa candidates —Messrs. J. T. Quin, L E. Jackson; and A. H. Moore—far position. The result of the ballot wa# that Mr Quin was elected by a very decided majority. There were a lajga number of proxies, which were all disallowed. i