LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 18, 9 June 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. D, Hughes, sewof 'Manaia, lias just sold a line of 70 fat bullocks to an Auckland ouyer at £l2 a head'. The Lyttelton Times states' that ihe Fa ijraeTsl Conference decided: to, wge the 'Government 'to provide tfluut tlie rule of ithe road th'ojuld be tauglhit in the primary sdhools. Hon. A. Li. lierdman anticipates t'likit the 1913-14 Public Trust Office returns will show an increase of about £1,000,000 in tilie value of estates and accounts administered, making, a total of about £12,000,000. A North. Canterbury farmer is reported to* have sold a growing crop of 23 acres of white clover to a Mpeeulator for £B4. The buyer harvesited the crop, in good condition, and got a groan rej turn of £G3O.

So far as is known, no New Zealand mails were on the ilMaited Empress of Ireland. The Post Office authorities despatched a ctfblc 'Of enquiry to Canada on the subject, and definite information will be given immediately on receipt of a reply.

Judging by the number of applications recently, there is a shortage of teachers in the district (statosi the Nelt»on 'Mail). For two positions of assistant teachers at itihe 'Reeftorn secondary school, at ia salary of £IBO to £2'lo a yeair, only one application was received; while the position of assistant teacher at the Westoport seoondary school, ait a minimum sakry of £2lO, failed to bring an applicant. American newspapers -record the death at CWijcago on April 7th of Cyrus It. Wainmah, known as 'The Poet of itlie Rockies." He made his reputation by writing the song, "Sweqfc Marie." It was written in honor of Mis|j Marie Jones, a convent school girl sit Lonidlori, Ontario, whom he afterwards married, and who sued l him for divorce in 1912. Mr. Warman was a railway engineer by profession. X woman in Wangamui hn|.-», through \ indulging Ijn the pastime of sending offensive letters anonymously, got herself in|to Me courts' and ; lajided her husband in £IOO damages and pocits. From evidence 'before us tihere is a woman in Eltliain; who is likely to get into the same trouble. It is feurpfiaing what small links of evidence occasionally betray tlie writers 'of anonymous letters.—Eltham Argus. A good deal (has been "heard about t!he invasion 'by tlhie Hindus of tllie King Country recently, and it is stated that they are entering into competition with white men to isuch an extent that the latter are unable to make a decent living where they are. A letter received recently by Mr E. J. Carey, from Otorohanga, in the King Country .(says an Auckland exchange) stated that there were a great many Hindus about fhait part of the New Zealand', and they were 'making thiiigs "pretty had" for w'liite men. "There are thirteen woirkinig on a job close at liana," said 1 tSiie writer, > "and 'their iood ibill amounts to just cm 12s per week each. 6b they could afford to do work cheap." The Invereargill corresponuenit of .a font'l.'ern paper tcVgraphs that something 'in the nature of a burlesque was witnessed at the River ton Police Court or Tuesday Three appeared ibefore Mr. Hutchison, &'M., and asked to Ibo exempted fronii military training on tine ground (that they hail i-eHgi'ous scruples. Eac-Ju man was. armed with a Bible and copious extracts from the Scriptures, and these were recited to Tli' l Worship, but in it ones thai were humorous rather than pi'oufi, in liiupjyort of their cases l . Tsm Magistrate met every extra,ct 'with an equally forceful rebuttal. Mr, Hutchison appeared to know the (Scriptures exceedingly well. After a good 1 deal of talk, the Magis- . Irate refused the applications.

Writes a correspondent to the Ilawera Star: Almost every week there is a law-, suit over .milking on shares. In many cases there are faults 011 both sides I was ypeaking to a man who had just been oflced a situation, t'o: milk nearly a hundred cow* on shares. He refused to sign the agreement because ihe would have to pay two-fifths of the share money, all (the (shares to ihe ill' the farmer's name. 1 am alluding to factory shares. I liwve made searching enquiries, and I 'have only ihcord of two instanc&s wllaere this had agroed to by milkers, and in both eases, the share n«o,ney .had 'been umieli (higher than the milkers expected! 'to pay. This kind of avaricious. scheming is grinding the faces 0? the poor, and any milker wtaj signs sujeli «n agreement is encouraging sweating. J know of many farmers .who are lenient and generous with tl«oir milkers 1 , and it is unfair to bring discredit 011 fanners as a class by un-Gliristiaii such as 1 have mentioned.

The three houses in like. Strand l .that are to make way rox the New, Zealand Uoverumient Offices iui the eoimsc of the next few mon-tite are practically the oldest now existing iu tub famous itihoroughfare (writes a London correspondent). Two of them, Noa. 413 and 415, now occupied as la pecjond-lwiiul trunk .shop and nnusipal instrument shop respectively, are '2OO. yearsi oldi, and possess very line eaves and cornices carried round the entire building. Deeds in the possession of the owners, the Corps of Commissionaires, taJce them back to 1747. Once gardens ran along the backs of the houses'. The property was sold as a freehold 22 years ago for £2700, and to-day the value had increased over tenfold. i

The ltev. j. 13. Halt, Presbyterian minister stationed at Ormond, had a very exciting experience in the Kanaki'.naia creek one day during, tfli'e recent Hood. When the reverend gentleman reached! itlie creek on iliis way home to Ormiond he found it ill a dangerously flooded condition. Being, anxious to get home, -he urged his horse forward, but soon found Uilimself in difficulties. Eider and horse were swept down 'byi the turbulent current. The saddle-girth broke, and 'Mr. Hall was washed oil his horse, lleinig an expert swimmer, he succeeded in .reaching'the Kaivakatiaia side of the stream, lie was, afterwards joined b\ his four-footed companion. Some days afterwards the saddle was founl a considerable distance down the stream. Mr. Hall remained at Mr. Win. Morn 1 -' residence till the llood subsided, and then returned home, looking little, itlie worse for his stirring adventures liv flood! and field. REXONA. The Rapid Healer is an Ointment nliich heals with remarkable rapidity. Unlike the old-fashioned ointments, which are very slow in their action, Rcxona speedily effects its cures after a. very few applications. Sold in triangular pots at Is fld and 3s. Obtainable everywhere.

A strong branch 'of the Brotherhood has just been formed in Hawoja.

The engineer tailed in to report estimates (that the wall of the Waverley «|fcjrage dam can (be repaired at a cost of fslK>.

A big anepting cf the Reform party will he neld in Elt'iiam on 'Saturday, the lllth inst., at 2 o'clock, the principal bihines.i being the selection ,of a candidate lor Bgmont. The president of the Agricultural (Society asks us to remind all stewards •of the Winter fchow to attend at the Coronation Hall this evening at 7 o'clock.

A puline demonstration and address on "Handling .the Apple Crop" will be given at [Trenui, in Mr J. 0. Wilson's orchard, ion Thursday of 'this week at 2 p.m., by Mr Wim. C. Hyde, Government Ownard Instructor.

The secretary of the H'awera Winter Show nas written to the secretary of the New Plymouth Veterans? Association, invitim; members of the' association to visit the Miow, whichi opens on ■Tune 24. Season tickets v ill be issued to them on arrival.

A lantern lecture on town-planning will be delivered in New Plymouth on July 11, by Mr Davidgc, engineer to the London County Council. He is reputed an excellent lecturer, and the subject is one which should appeal to New Plymouth' people.

Tliw week at tbo Melbourne is to lie specially devoted to the sale of men's and boys overcoats and suits. Special prices on dozens of new lines that are particularly attractive and desirable. Every man and boy attending the forthcoming shows can now 'have no excufee for being ill-dre»sed while such llow prices obtain. Captain McLeod, a Wild West sfhowman, w.ho wa<s recently fined at Auckland for random shooting with a pearifle, got himself into I'urther prominence on Saturday night. At the Waikato winter snow a pairt of McLeod'-) performance is tto bore holes wiith bullets through threepenny piece® 'held by members of the audience and to shoot off the ash of cigarettes in people's mouths. A young man named Leslie Wilson, near Hamilton, stood «ujt in tho ring smoking. (MoLeod -fired and the bullet entered tho yoiung felllow'a cheek, finding an exit " through his mouth, grazing his tongue, and knocking out ithree teeth. A prosecution ia probable. y A paint of interest to landlords and tenants cropped, up n,t .the hearing of a case in the Wanganui Supreme Court, when His Honor Mr .lustice Edwards said that many, even among the legal fraternity, were of opinion that if a tenant paid rent by the week he was only entitled to a week's' notice. But that was not law. Unless there, was a special argreeinent, as to what lengith of notice was required, a tenant was entitled to a month's written notice. The pase was one in which a landlord, wishing to refbuild, gave a weak'a notice to vacate a 'house, but the tenant claimed that he Wits entitled to a month's notice. The landlord thereupon pulled down the chimneys and the verandah, and the tenant, entering an action, received £SO damage.!. Speaking to a reporter on the new use of waste gum lands in the north for fruit, growing, ithe Prime stated that these lands are at .present being inspected and classified by a Royal Commission. The Commission's report will not I>e available for H>me little, time, but Mr Ma'ssey believes that the work of the Commission will result in a very large area of land being opened up for settlement, and particularly for firu it-growing., Making a rough estimate, the Prime Minister thought that not less tluan 75,000 to 80,000 acres of this land would be made available. They run right through the North Auckland peninsula. As instancing that their capabilities are not only not_ unknown outsiide of their immediate vicinity, but are appreciated fey settlers in other parts of the Dominion, Mr Masscy mentiorieu that iiv the last six months a number of .people from fruitgrowing ael son had left for North Auckland 'to take up land there for fruit farms.

Last week a lady in Wellington, advertising for domestic Ovplp, lnul three application* from men. ail, according to themselves, "strictly sober," willing, anil vory much in earnest aibout gutting "honest work." One pound weekly and their keep was the wage and 0110 volunteered the statement, "Mi mind the haby for yiou, mum; I'm fii'st-rate 'Wit>h (tlie kids!" One of the trio, who lisvd) been a ship's steward, was chosen, and last reports were "most satisfactory." There are many men employed just 11 CUV—it always seems the same ait this time of the year; when coal and warm plothen are most needed 1 the trials and troubles of tihe unemployed begin. In England and Australia, the man as a general servant is greatly appreciated, and one sees> daily advertisements for a mile general. One fltouscholder who has tried the experiment in Sydney says she finds .men more oonticientious than girls, 'and also moire thorough. "They don't «et into a-apes and slain tihe door. They do all tli« work a m.iidrcrvant would do, niul do it better, and they also cook well. The men I employ had been in "the navy, and were 'bot.il thorough and steady and scrupulously clean." The Feilding freezing works proposition is being rapidly advanced, and Mr Hugh Roberts is holding farmers' meetings in all parts of the affected district. A meeting took place at Kairauga on Saturday, and in reply to questions, Mr Roberts stated that the works would cost £68,000, but that they would not proceed with the scheme until, as stilted, £50,000 worth of shares hade been applied for. Asked if the company was intended for speculators in addition to farmers, Mr Roberts pointed out that he did not think the Meat Trust, which had been mentioned, would come in for the reason that any shares held ovir •2000 did not give a vote. For 2000 shares 15 votes were given. Concluding, Mr Roberts said that an argument was brought forward at Marton that the district was a cow district, but any land adapted for cows was suitable for sheep. There was no doubt of the-advantages to be derived by farmers having the works of their own. Mr Balsillie referred to the deterioration in the animals while travelling. It was his opinion that the whole of their meat should he pooled and sent home to the receiving depots, and insteadl of being put into (lie 'open market, they should dictate, the prices. The Danes adopte'd this process with their butter, stating one price one week and another the following week. There was no doubt that a great deal of their meat was sold as Home meat. He believed that if they were going to succeed something of the lines mentioned should be adopted. .Tust why any farmer will go on with old time methods in cream separation is hard to understand. On page seven to-day, Griffiths & Co., in advertising the famed Alfa-Laval separator, shew how a farmer with eight cows and ifche above machine is £2O a year better off than the man who works as grandpa used to.

The clerk reported to tho meeting of the Haw era County Council ou Sutur•ay that .tiiero were ouly two outstanding rates unpaid. An endeavor will lie made to collect the?*. Despite die abilities of tdie indefatigable Mr Tipping, ti.ie streets of Hew Plymouth aire hii'coted with «. pest "f stffay doffi, wjjoso uiteiitions to cyclists A, an<l other ipasscngcu; through the stredvfi' are both dangerous and annoying, * motor-cyclist wibo was aiding at a v«ry modera/te puce diowra Devon street on SaltundUv evening ran .into one of tiheae pariahs, and in the subsequent entanglement his machine \wus twisted not a little. The dog escaped unhurt. Tree-planting along certain parte of tho West Coast of the North Island was advocated at the conference of tho Farmers' Union, Wanganui, by Mr. K. W. Dalrymple (Marton), who moved: "That the Government be requested to resume for tree-planting some of the waste lands of the sea-coast." Mr. Dalrymple, who referred more particularly to the foreshore between Turakina and Rangitikei, said that the present revenue derived was Vid an acre, and the Timber Commission had expressed the opinion that if the land were planted with trees, a revenue of £3O per acre could be derived from it. The proposal met with the general approval of delegates, and was adopted without opposition. New Zealand has its deer-shooting; the Northern Territory offers something in the way of buffalo; and there arc various kangaroo-hunting grounds in New South Wales; but for the moat part Australasia has little to present in the nature of big-game shooting. Therefore, an article on the cost of making an excursion into the nearest big-same oou/itry—that is, Africa—and the method and procedure on arriving there, will bo of interest to those of our readers whose ambitions lie in that direction. Such an artiple appear* in the June issue of Life, just to hand, and it is also of interest to general readers, for it describes the picturesque aspects of the country, and the prospects that lie in it for tho trader and the hunter. The author of jf% the article—which is the first of three—is Mr, G. E. Archer Russell, a wellknown Adelaide man who put in three strenuous and exciting years in midAfrica. His photographs are cxoeMant. The Hon. D. F. Denham, PrgdjHt oT Queensland, who is returningUn Niagara.from a v&it to London: told .1 reporter in Auckland Miat at present tilings .were not very good in linglani from the emigration point of view. The apparent cause was' the general prosperity at Home, particularly among the fanning classes. His Government liad ( ti ed various methods of assisting im migrants. For some years "nominated passages tad been granted, portswm already in the State ibeing allowed to nominate friends or relatives in Britain tor assistance in-making their way t» Queensland. At the present time the ordinary assisted passage at £7. was in loree, and while in London he had completed arrangements whereby the immigrant might be brought out for a ® , i payment of £l, and might pay the i limnee after Ms arrival. Canada' had. of course, e big advantage over the c'ther in attracting immi ' grants, but there were indications, that the title in that direction was beginning to slacken. Things >ver e not good in Oanada this winter and evidently profitable openings for the immigrant wer? not «s numerous as formerly. His, Government, said Mr. Denham. still believed in getting immigrant of t<he best class, even if tho supply warn not large. The crew attached to a threshing mill had an exciting -experience at Crown terrace at an early hour on Friday morning (says tllile Lake County Pre-s). The' men were sleeping in a iiarn, the door of which hail been left open for the purpose of ventilation, and aftout 2 a.m. a wandering cow stalked maieutieally into the dormitory. Finding that she bad made a mistake in dwns so slie closed the door, and then tile troubli - commenced. The animal endeavoured to • make an* exit by tihe window, and the crash of breaking <?ias.s awoke the sleepers. Two of the men, who on til' previous .evening .had regaled their com- V rades with 1 talesi of encounters with wild ' 1 Si m m "nd pig-hunting in ! the Taranaki bush, immediately took to the Taftert», while Beveral otliei&tnok refuge under their respective At length one man,'who appeared li> retain his presence .of mind during thfe trying ' ordeal, exmrtcd a rapid flank movement, and ftftpr opening the door drova the animal 'out Thlen the '"heroes of a hundred fights" descended from tlio rafters and the rithpr "braves,", emerged from their places of refuge.