LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 188, 18 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A French newspaper gives a very good test to determine the nationality of a. man. Set before him a glass of beer with a fly in it. If he asks for a fresh glass he is an Englishman; if. he removes the. fly and drinks the beer, he is a Frenchman; if he drinks the beer, fly and all, he is a German. This information may be useful to spyhunters.

Some New Plymou/Ji people are interesting themselves in the ease of young Kcilly who lost his leg as the result of an accident which occurred whilst working en a farm near YVhangamoinoiia. His claim for compensation failed, and his circumstances do not permit of his obtaining an artificial leg. Some of those, acquainted with his circumstances are endeavouring to raise funds to purchase the iirtiflcal limb for him. Mr S. G. Smith will be glad to receive subscriptions to the fund, a statement of which will be duly published. The case appears to be a deserving one.

A writer in it British contemporary declares: —"Kitchener must spmetimes smile up his sleeve, as lie learns oi the strange turns and twists public opinion takes. Just at the moment everybody seems to be getting excited about the recruiting juestion—excepting Kitchener. A lot of prominent people and papers are talking about conscription coming. But Kitchener remains silent. He knows that if he says the word to-mor-row he can have all the men he wants the day after. The King can't do it, but Kitchener can. Still, lie hasn't said conscription yet, and it's doubtful if he ever will. He has more men than rides at the moment. When that condition of things is reversed, the silence may be broken by a short, sharp sentence. It will be quite enough."

[ Early in the present year the biennial local body elections take i>lace Under | the legislative amendments of three years ago, all local body elections are to take place on the one day, so that in April next the electors will'ln- asked to vote for the return of mayors and councillors, members of Harbor Boards, members of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, ami possibly members of school committees. Prior to the legislative enactment in question, each loen! 'body held its. election upon a different day. Five separate election issues will now be submitted on the one day. In the past, mayors have always been elected annually, but under recent legislation, it is now provided that the Mayor, in common with the Council, shall in future be elected for a two-year term. The forthcoming election, therefore, will be the first occasion on which a mayor will be elected office for more than one vear.

Copper half sovereigns, base halfcrowns, and counterfeit .ClO notes have lately come under the keen eye of banktellers. The public will need to keep a sharp eye upon the change it receives if it wished to avoid loss The £lO notes which recently pot into circulation in Auckland, are not crisp and clean, but generally crumpled and worn. The copper half-sovereigns are usually for 1914, and have the Deorge and dragon on the reverse. Trie ring 01 the dummy half-crown is not clear and sharp like the genuine half-crown. There are probably in New Zealand forgeries of the new English £1 and 10s notes. They are very difficult to detect from the original article, the only difference being in the weight and. texture of the paper. The text and water-marking of the forgery are very neatly executed. J

YOU SHOULD BEAR IN MIND, Tliat by using the commercial eucalyp. tus oil, which is now bought at 6d per lb. weight and bottled, and on account of the large profit pushed, you are exposing yourself to all the dangers to which the use of turpentine will expose you—irritation of the kidneys, intestinal tracts and mucous membrane. By insisting on the GENUINE SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT, you not only avoid these pitfalls, but you have a stimulating, safe and effective medicament, the result of a special and careful manufacture. A trial will at once convince. Quality in a small dose distinguishes it from the bulky and dangerous products. Remember: SANDER'S EXTRACT embodies the result of 50 years' experience and of special study and it does as promised; It heals and cures without injuring the constitution, as the oils on the market frequently do. Therefore, protect yourself by rejecting other brands. SANDER'S EXTRACT posseses curative properties peculiarly 'ts own, and can be used with perfer* bs computed in wmnds and shillings.

A Afasterton \ ijsitor ■ to 'Gastlepoint states that a white porpoise has been seen for some time past in the neighborhood of what is known as "the rocks." Ue is opinion that lie is either Pelorus •.lack, or a near relative.

Air lJudge Meredith, who is interested in gold-mining in Australia and who is considered an expert in some phased of gold production, was in Taranaki recently on a visila He renewed his acquaintance whilst here with several mineral-bearing- outcrops on the slopes ■of Alt. ICgmont, which he had <Hermetically prosp.'Cted a few years ago, and has taken buck sauVies of the rock to Australia for assay.

A gentleman closely associated \yU4i tlie dairy industry remarked to a HaWcia Star rcporti ;■ on Friday that ons of the largest companies in the-Hawora tii:-,tric., hail no fewer than 3000 crates of cheese of last month's nake still in store in New Zealand owing to the lack of -shipping -ffacilities. He considers fill at 1800 of these should have hecii on tlie. water 'by now. The delay in forwarding shipments upset everything by the time Ihc twentieth of the month aline around. ■ ■

At the Salvation Army hall yesterday, special wclc.iMv services were accorded to Adjutant and Mrs Home, who have just i'iYivcd in N■■'. I'lynumth from Waihi. .bnrlug liir -i !•■ :.es these officers, who have a >'pl ii:! ii reputation behind them, gave earnest and telling addresses, an.l >po:--" of the great pleasure i<, was to la -ii to be appointed to New Plymouth. The meetings were largely alitciide I; id «ere of a bright character, the I'ai I ami' r Randinaiter ißoc'k doing gcod >■ ie. while .Mrs Home presided at the n :'u:i. x

Some ei' the new season's iioiity '.3 now coming on to the market, and the. quality of the local product is said to he fair superior to that of the. first extraction of last year. Air 0. Merrick, of Sentry 11 ill, showed us a sample of his fr.cney, which had been drawn off two days' after extraction, and the hydrometer test of this .reached the phenom<ral figures of 1.435. Mr JTerrick states that though the quality is so rich itihis year the average quantity extracted will be less than that of last year, due to an unfavourable spring.

The Tourist and Expansion League has been conferring with 'several local automobile drivers wit'h a view to initiating a round trip a'bout New Plymouth. The proposed route would include Aotea, Krelhoy's beautiful, gardens at h'raukley Park and Duncan's extensive nursery gardens, besides .several interesting pieces of native Imsh, taking in some ne.v views. It is probable that a tea kiosk will be opened at AVestown if negotiations are satisfactorily completed, Allis Duncan having heen approached with a, view to establishing one. A. trip of this description throughcut the beautiful suburbs-of New Plymouth will serve to further popularise cur town as a holiday resort.

An interes'tSng route march was made by the New Plymouth Deieneo Rifle Club en Sunday ■morning. Lieutenant Crutch ccinmanding.,. About 45 of the members turned out at..7 a.m. und a start Mas made for open country along the Carrinaton Road. Thence the squad crossed to Franklcigh Park and from there to Frankleigh road 'advanced in skirmishing cider being attacked en route by Sergeant Ard'iu and some Western TO'cinibera of the club. -A plea'ami hivak was made when -Mrs Arden's grounds were reached, morning tea being very kindly provided. Falling in liihrcc cheers were given for the hoste.ri, and tho route was set along the Frankley road to town, the Drill Hall being reached at lfi.ofl, terminating a useful and most enjoyable -morning's "work.

It is often claimed that the small birds have done away with the caterpillar pest in New Zealand, but the periodic visitations of the latter show that it is not so. Iu the Wairarapa, caterpillars have recently appeared among the crops, and a number of farmers have been compelled to cut their oats while still green in order to .save them for feeding purposes. Practical farmers contend that it is the cultivation of the land a: lore less heavy stocking of sheep t,.e' has done more to get rid of the eatei 'ir pest than small birds, and the 1. t evidence that this is the correct v!> .v in that invasions of caterpillars come from uncultivated land where they have found a safe harbor. Notwithstanding that the caterpillar does eonaiderablc damage periodically, it is surprising how little, is known of its habits, except only when" they become obnoxious, and no explanation has been forthcoming why the pests should make its invasions into crops only on occasional years.

The commercial progress of Taranaki is largely bound up with the successful outcome of the efforts that are continually being made to create a safe deepwater harbour at New Plymouth (states the Eltbnm Argus). Fortunately there is now no doubt as i.o the harbour having (hvp.-.water berths. iPractical evidence of that fact was given by the berthing of the Waikure, the ill-fated ship thii-ii was afterwards accidentally destroyed by the Germans when they bombarded Tahiti. 'When the big vessel was accommodated at the New Plymouth wharf she was drawing £tJ feet S inches, and had a cargo of 5000 tons. With i.'hat evidence before the ompffters of Taranaki all doubts are set at rest as to the workability of the port for large ships of 'heavy draught. -What is now wanted is a combined movement on dhe part of Taranaki importers to arrange for shipments of goods to be discharged at the'breakwater. The imports into Taranaki are sufficiently large to warrant such a movement, and sever - steamers a year could be arranged foi without much difficulty. Combination upon the part of the importers is all tba'ti is required, and the calling in at New Plymouth of a few ships per annum would be of more solid advantage to the town than the tourist traffic which is so eagerly sought for. But itihe whole of the Taranaki district would profit by an increase of the shipping trade, for it is undeniable that by ships coming direct to New Plymouth general merchandise is cheapened and all-round benefits conferred. The advantages are not confined to importers, but exportera also will benefit.