LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 45, 14 July 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The act of shaking hands with a friend (says th c Golden Bay Argus) is hot actually considered a dangerous practice, but 011 Saturday week a man named Thomas, Croucher, while greeting" in this manner a footballer just returned from Takaka was unfortunate enough to break a bone in his right forearm. New Zealand has an abundance of salf-water cfciyfish, andi Professor Prince urges that they should be exploited more fully than they are at present, 'iihe value of thc supply, he saysi has never been, fully realised. With the crayfish it' is possible to create an industry here just as large as thle lobster industry in Canada, which was worth over £1,000,000 per year. A brief tale of a lover's disappointment and disillusionment is telegraphed from the Bluff. A bridegroom from Stewart Island, accompanied by a Bluff "best man," states the correspondent, visited Dunedin for the purpose of "wedding a local lady, a barmaid in one of tho hotels. The manager of the hotel shook his head and informed the wouldhe bridegroom that the bride had "paclted her swag" and flown with another man. All inquiries were fruitless, and the Stewart Islander went home ' lamenting. i The peculiar sight of a wliale floating • upside down was witnessed from tli'e Maori during that vessel's last trip from Wellington. The steamer passed : close by the cetacean early on Tuesday [ morning, and the officer on the bridge was able, to see that it was apparently [ alive, although only making slaw pro- ' gress. It is considered probable that | thc wliaJe had had an encounter with 1 something, an.l had suffered serious injury. The portion of the whale visible ! was perfectly white, and estimated at ! about 20ft. in length. | "At Seacliff 2o per cent, of the calves were lost at one time through cod- ! dling.'' said Dr. Truby King last night. I "Now tb ( . calves are kept in thc open air there is no mortality nor tuher--1 culosis, and they grow 3501'b in one year as compared with! 2501b twenty-five I years ago under the old system of coddling." The sjieaker went 011 to say 1 that the supply of fresh air was just as requisite for babies as it was for j calves, and eoually good results could lie expected if children were, brought up in a healthy atmosphere. "I believe- tV.at if people would revert to an old custom and do their own marketing they would TCduee the cost of living a good deal," said Mr. G. IfThomson in the House of Representatives on Thursday. "Even in the country districts people now insist 011 having their necessities brought to their own doors, and so tWey.are increasing enormously the cost of distribution. I bave noticed in Dunedin the very huge number of cash shops that have sprung up lately, especially butchers' shops", and people who are doing .their marketing must find an enormous reduction in thc cost of living." With the price of kauri gum ranging up to £l9O per ton, the industry in the Northern Wairoa district has again assumed a ph.is'e of activity (statesi tils Auckland Herald). Scttlersi in many localities arc receiving a- much as £1 per week per man for the right to dig over their 'properties. Home digger's arc earning as: much as £5 per week, but the average •winnings approximate i-1. The mild vinter. combined with the high market rates, lias enticed large numbers of Maoris to re-cugagc in the industry, and numerous settlers who possess' gum territory arc also exploiting their holdings. Grnssed areas are being prospected, and appearances indicate that many years must elapse hetor all the gum is exhausted.

A .sys:cm whereby farmers in the >ack country could secure wireless comininication with the towns is stuweirtod li.v Mr. Kins-Watt, vice-president of Die Wireless Institute of Victoria. IHe .hinta ilia.i ilit* farmers in tin' various 'oealilies should organise them selves iifo a co-operative body, Mibscribing to i tiind which would provide a, wireless dation for each member, anil a central station at the nearest le '■vn. where an jpcrator would he on duty. For the <lllll of £2O eae'h a body of ]0 siiljserili•rs could purchase instrument-'', in'liidinß a transmitter, wilii « range of 1(1 miles. 'llm cost of the election of the mast aerial and the assembling (if i.'he instruments would depend upon th" ihility of the erector. That matter of .lie supply of power could be dealt with >y having, at the central station, a small plant for charging aieiunnlators. During Ins visit to Sydney Dr. I hacker, of (.'lrristchurcJi, wlio 'was a ;reat believer in the prowe.-x of "Dieli" \rnst, ex-champion sculler of tile ■vi)rid, and one of lii* slannchest baek■m, had a chat with the ex-champion in onncetioii with future prospects in the nulling world, states a. ChristcihMrch 'ovrespomlent. "Dick is very detornined and most hopeful of being able ,o come back," said Dr. 'lihacker, "and it present is in the beast of health, le has undertaken to assist a rinilolder, who ras taken up a. section of ough country, in clearing his hind, and o,r some time past has been engaged u bush whacking Til the ln'4, fortiigllt lie -look 1211) otT his weight, and low scales about 15s| 41b. If lie coninues' to improve physically at the ivescni rate it is his 'intention to renin to the sculls and join h'elton in us training for a match with. Pea ree. vliich will he arranged shortly.' Arnst yill lesf himself t'lvoroiighlv before inallv deciding !o muke another at"lnjd to ani-ex 11 1- 1 world's cliamiiion'lii|>. and the lees: that can b" said tlllit be i> il; liea.tlj," (1;t an !s. lilmlinikncgvi shrd .shri,' nnfwy p

The West End School will re-open tomorrow morning. There were three ' teachers on the sick-list at the hour for ~ opening yesterday, and it was quite im- ' possible to carry on. It is stated tliiit phosphatic rook u .' to be found in certain parts' of the Masterton district, and that, in view of tile GovernmOn bonus of £SOO, early steps will he taken to prospect it. At Hawera several "amusement parlors" have been opened, and at a meeting of the Borough Council a resolution was carried that tho side shows be placed on the same footing as billiard saloons, and tlhat the hour of closing be 10 p.m. "It is strange how mothers wjll persist in thrusting 'dummies' into the mouths of their children in spite of their protests," said Dr. Truby King at a lecture in Wellington. He illustrated the evil effects of its use in adenoids and j malformations of the mouth and teeth.

An almo-t unlimited domtmd still exists for domestic servants in New Zealand, states, the Wellington Immigration Bureau. Nearly all the young women who have come out as domestics have been engaged before landing, and there is little sign of the supply meeting the demhnd. The fixing of the site far the railway station in Manaia is creating much commotion in that township, and there have already been several warm discussions between representatives of the townspeople and County council. The former wish the station to be erected on the hospital reserve, and the latter favor one on the main road. States the Wairarapa Age:—"As showing the rapidity with which: pigeon's fly, it may be mentioned that a telegram was despatched from Blenheim on Friday shortly after the birds hod' left for Masterton, but the birds reached hero before, the wire." On tile otiheT hanA might not the fact have equally demonstrated how slowly telegrams travel —at times? Good dairy cows are at present comn anding good prices in the Hawera district. At a sale held by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., on account of Mr H. A. Mills, at Manaia, on Wednesday last, a grade Jersey cow realised £29 10s. At Mr. R. J. Linn's sale, Normanby, on Friday, a Jersey was sold fo r £3l 10s and another for £3O. Eight others realised £2O or over.

The usual fortnightly meeting of it,lie Loyal Egrnont Lodge, 1.0.0. F., MIT., was held last evening, N.G. T. S. Orompton presiding. One candidate was proposed (or membership. A framed past officer's certificate was presented to P. G. Bro. W. H. Wood, for past services to the lodge. A letter of condolence was ordered to be sent to the widow of the late Bro. John Crockett. A letter of recommendation was granted to a member who had left the district. On Wednesday evening (says the Patea Press) some excitement was caused in Waitotara by a collision between two motor cars belonging to Maoris at Kai Iwi. It appears l that the carg were full of passengers, most of whom wetv Merry. The car at the hack was started off at a great rate and crashed into the benzine tank of the first car, knocking a big hole, in it. The benzine escape! and caught fire from the engine of tin- hack cay. In less time than it. can bo. told, the 'occupants, tumbled out of the ears in a most undignified manner. A large crowd rushed to the scene with rug-, blankets and sticks, and managed to smother the fire before much damage was done. •« Negotiations have for swine time, been conducted between the Agricultural Society and the Defence Department, with a view to Hie Department's taking over the Coronation Hall fo r use as a drill' hall, and following the determination to remove the headquarters of the XI Regiment fro.u Hawera to New Plymouth, it has been decided to ''arry this into effect. The Agricultural Society has, however, reserved t.li'c right to use the bui'ding for a fortnight each year for its winter shows, and tn exchange for the 'hall takes over about ten or eleven acres of tile Rcwa Rewa rifle range fo r its stock shows. Now that tile society /has its own shiow giounds it will he able to properly equip them and provide that aocomino'lation for Stock which is* absolutely necessary if the shows are to grow. The Defence Department reserves the right to hold its annual camps on the ground. An extraordinary story comes from Luiravady, says thle Weekly i,Sr*otsman. In a railway carriage which travels twice to Limavady Junction each morning and to Deny again at 11.33 a.in., leaving Deny again at. 4.50 in -the afternoon, a thrush has built lier nest, and is at present engaged in hatching four eggs. The nest is' bui!t on the top of the steam heating pipe under the carriage seat, there being, of course, no teat now used in the train. J low the nest was built is a mystery, as the carriage is used every day except Sunday On Wednesday last, through a change m the arrangements, the train, wliirli usually leaves Derry at 4.60, left ten minutes earlier, and the thvu-h. not heing aware of the new time-table missed the train. Whether the bir.i travelled by t'ble next train has mot transpired, but on Thursday a .,omm.. , was ""tiwl Hying .off lier m «f. usual. Tile Ti.ilway officials Imve mnv made nrrang.vr.mts that the enri-'.-u-e in which the n,,s t is l built shall Jj used again until the eggs have been matched.

Jhe cumbersome machinery of {!„, k,|„. (a lu " ejection i s now in motion and members if the Board arc u> cd the individual member.* of ()„. school committees. In tli«. best, csts of education, it is to he honed thai they will weigh wo l] (| le c .j ;l i Ilis 0 j y ()l ('iindtdiLfes, their records of service. Mid their ability tr. do honor to the vvrv important positions tliey aspire to fill. » nilst H-e have to he proud of hi miv (■ducation system, it must be admitted that initiative i s not particularly stiong point about many of our education board members, ami there i, injury (underlying their domination and election. 15>e old saying thai, some have outlived their usefulness will it the present eas-.. f nr u , I(mUrnl if the usefulness ot some of our wouldbe educationalists has yet arrived--).) ,'liis particular sphere of labor. f'fttion is probably the most mipoviaul department of (lie State, and if necesvai-v that tbo men in chart;,.' of I should be the right men. Tn order t 0 meet, the cnangiug conditions of life these men should be i-o-,--,,.,! 0 f virillf' and independence, and of this type of mini 1.1,e Taramiki Board has certainly a. share. The electors, the maiorilv of whom are the members of rural whnnl ((iniunltees have opoorhn.it v Ot i n--1 easing the leaven, and il is .hoe pit that the voting will effect Ilie sired change. iMr - Walslie, ot AVaipukn. whose fo>: terriers swept the poo] at. the last Dominion show, by winning in all th" seven classes for which thev *«, tered, is offering for sale pups of the same strain.

At about three o'clock thJs morning the li rebel! rang an alarm. The lire was situated in Mr. 0. 0. Steil'enson's waehhouse and cordial factory in Eliot street, but was soon got under control. Mention was made at the meeting of IK' Borough Council hurt night of the fact t.i.at dogs were frequently to ae found wandering in th» Theatre Royal during a performance, and the attention | of tin; inspector will be called to the | matter. The usual weekly meeting of the E«mont Lodge, No. 112, 1.0. G.T., was held last evening in Ulie louge-room of the Good Templar Hall. After the routine ■business had been concluded, on account of the increased membership of the Lodge, it was resolved to request the management committee to reserve the whole building for the sole use of the Lodge on Monday evening each week, i.e., usual Lodge night. A few friends entertained the members, and after ligh't refreshments were partaken of, a very enjoyable evening was brought to a conclusion at 9.45.

A deputation from the New Plymouth Orchestral, Society waited on the New Plymouth Borough Council last night, to ask permission to make a definite charge at a future sacred concert to be held in the Theatre Royal on a Bunda y night for the ■benefit of the Society. The deputation printed out that the recent concert at whie.li a collection was taken up, netted only £l7, or ataut i'/A per head, and rthis tad merely sufficed to pay off liabilities, leaving notlii:i t * in hand, even for tihn purchase of music. There were, apparently, a number of people who liked to get something for nothing. The Society did not propose to hold a concert oil their own behalf in the immediate future, but merely wished an intimation of the Council's views. If they could not he allowed to make a dbarge for the whole, or seme part of the theatre, ncrhaps they might hold, a concert, from which half of tlie proceeds should .go to them and 'half to charity. They were willing to provide cheap music, but if they could not make expenses, the Society would have to go under. The Council exprtosed sympathy with the Society's position, but pointed out the difficulty in the way of allowing a charge to be made for a Sunday concert, at the same time intimating fftlat an application for permission to hold another concert on behalf of the Society, at which a collection could be made, would receive favorable consideration. Tlie deputation intimated that though the Society was unwilling to make another early demand on the public purse, it was grateful for the intimation as y. guide in tiki future.