LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 104, 25 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ait -Timaru, yesterday, proposal to borrow £IO,OOO 'for street improvements was carried by 514 votes to-100.

Tho backbone of New Plymouth's trade is the fanners' custom. The farmers' daily newspaper is tho Daily News. That's one roaswi why it'is suc'h a great advertising medium*. The Hon. A. L. Hcrdman, Minister of Justice, lius written to Mr H. Okey, M.P., filiating that after conferring wish the Commissioner -of Police he has decided to station a sulb-inspcctor at New Plymouth as soon as tho number, of commissioned oflims at his disposal is sufficient to enable him to do so.

Regarding the rainfall, tho Christchurch Press says:—Most peoplo know that this lias been a remarkably dry season, but few. probably realise bow little rain Christchurch lias had lately. As a matter of fact, between Juno 27 and September 20, a period of twelve weeks, the total rainfall has been only .98 of tn inch!

An interesting ceremony took place at Ilawera on Wednesday afternoon, when the members of the Ilawera branch of His Majesty's Veterans, together with visiting veterans, assembled outside the Borough Chambers for the purpose of presenting enlarged framed photographs of the cairns and monuments erected in memory of their fallen comrades in South Taranaki to the local and district sclioola.

On Saturday, for the first time in the Dominion since tho war started, the totalisator returns showed an increase, the amount passing through the machines on tlie concluding day of the Avondale Jockey Club's spring meeting totalling £30,712. This made a total for the meeting of £51,280 10s, an increase of £137!) on last year's figures (says the Auckland Star).* "In England they did not want war," said one of the returned Americans at New York, "but now that it has come they arc eager for the fray. The general feeling is that the Allies' will be victorious, England's public men are proving worthy of tho confidence placed iu them. Factional differences are forgotten, and in this crisis Sir Edward Grey has arisen to the stature of a great mau. I think ho is one of the greatest living statesmen." The boycott of German and Austrian tyres, etc., is advocated by the Wairarapa Automobile Association, whic'h has carried the following motions:—"(1) That the New Zealand Asociation be requested to urge motorists to boycott German and Austrian oars, tyres and accessories upon the termination of the war; (2) that in anticipation of such boycott, this Association request the Prime Minister to instruct tho High Commisioncr in London to draw the attention of English manufacturers to tne largo trade of German tyre manufacturers in tho Dominion in the past, and ask them to take early advantage pf the prospective 'boycott and con jwent wider scope of business arising Dominion."

Xapuleon, who tried to smoke once, and then with dire results, instituted the French tobacco monopoly, which the Gorman Government now proposes to adopt as far as cigarettes are concerned. At a court function held early in 1810, the Emperor remarked a lady -wearing jewels of such magnificence that he enquired how her husband made his money. "He is a tobacco merchant," was the reply; which led him to seek further information as to such a profitable business. Before the war expired, Napoleon issued a decree restricting the sale and manufacture of tobacco exclusively to the State. It has remained a monopoly ever since, and for many years past lias brought in an annual revenue of over £1(5,000,000.

Mr, Xewtbn Kings' first sale of hides, skias, etc., since the outbreak of war was held on Tuesday at Stratford. There wag a good attendance of buyers, and the prices realised for skins and hides must bo considered very satisfactory. Sheepskins showing fair length of wool have declined l'/jd to 2d per lb since the last sale, but wore eagerly competed for at these prices. -Yearlings wero lower at from %d to Id per lb. Sound farmers' hides sold exceptionally well and showed practically no decline. Butchers' hides were easier at from y 4 d to %d per lb. Calfskins, as predicted, sold at very high prices, a few of the prices being: Five-pounders !)>/ B d, ll'/id, Is to Is 3d per lb for specials, equal to 3s lOd to (is 3d per skin; six-pounders, lid, ll'/id to Is 3d for specials, equal to 4s "d to tis 3d per skin; four-pound-ers, «%d, lid, ll'/ 2 d to Is Id per lb, equal to 3s 2d to 4s 4d each. Both hides and calfskins met with exceptionally keen competition. Bale wool and casks of taKow were practically unsaleable, no lines being cleared under the, hammer.

A tragic sequel to a boy and girl marriage after an elopement was the shooting to (loath <jf Uic young groom by the briJo's father at Ilaverstraw, on the Hudson River—a small town made famous as the scene of one of the battles in the American Revolution. On July 31 the whole district echoed with the details of Hi it tragedy of the night before, when Mr. William Clery, a local politician, shot anil killed his newly iimde son-in-law, Edward Newman, who liad called to inform Mr. Clery that he had secretly married his daughter. Young Newman, who is a New Yorker, made the acquaintance of Miss Clery last year at a summer resort, and the young couple cemented theii friendship, and a few i!:t,rsi ago were married without the kpii'.vledgu of either of their parents or Iri, wis. At last the young husband, summoning courage, called upon his fnUier-iii-litw to break the news of tlio marriage to him. Mr. Clery .v,-.as so enraged when he saw the young that he waited for no explanation, but drawing a revolver, shot him dead on Ufa When arrested, the young gi ,L wife's father declared that Newman i.' t'l wronged his daughter, and that he h.""J the girls' own confession to that effect. He had sworn to kill the lad, "and.'' said ho, "I took the first opportune " of di. i'ig so.' Mr Clery will plead the •unwritten law" as justification for hij a-'t. Meanwhile he is being held in l'>: county gucl flt Sing Sing, irtere ho will await trial.