LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 191, 21 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It i s estimated tfhat 300 tons of flout are required to satisfy the daily requirements of the Dominion. -A Masterton carrier told an Age reporter that he had advertised all over the Dominion for supplies of chaif, but had Tailed to secure them. It is stated that work on the Mount Egmont quarry has been stopped, and that there is every prospect of the Government abandoning it. Several good crops of barley have been harvested in the Wairarapa this season. As the Marlborough crop has been a failure, the demand for barley is very keen. A New Zealand trooper in Egypt writes on the margin of a newspaper sent to a Christchurch friend:—"More troops just arrived. Total in camp Tiere, 180,000. This shows' that John Bull is taking no risks."

The petition of Mr C. K. Wilson, exM.P. for Taumarunui, in connection with the election, is to be heard in the Supreme Court in New iPlymoufch at the '■February sittings—Waitara Mai). Mr D. H. McDonald, afc yesterday's meeting of the Tarariaki Hospital Board, announced that Mr Blackburn, of Inglowood, had offered to donate to the hospital a purebred Jersey heifer. The offer was gratefully accepted hy the Board.

Large quantities of fat sheep continue to be railed from Pahiatua (says the Herald), there being half a dozen buyers representing various firms operating in this district. The prices obtained are very satisfactory. Four and six-tooth wethers are selling up to 22s 6d, ewes 18s and 19s, two-tooth wethers 21s, lambs 15s 6d to 10s. All classes of fat stock are selling very well, beef making up to 30s a cwt.

"A Housewife" writes to the editor: "I suppose it is of no use for us to complain to tlhr; bakers about the prite c; bread. They say they can't help ir. Kut they can help selling us loaves that are two and three ounces short of the weight that we ipay for. It- ia like adding insult to injury to have to pay through the nose for bread, and then only to get lib. 13oz instead of 21b weight." At the weekly meeting of the North Taranaki Patriotic League at Waitara on Monday evening, it was announced that the Waitara Road Dairy Factory had forwarded a cheque for £36 16s sd, their month's contribution to the war and relief funds. The IVVaitara General Labourers' Union had also forwarded a cheque for £lO towards the distress relief fund. The total amount .raised in the district is now just over £1200.--Mail.

At yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Board tilie chaiwnan mentioned the case of an infant, between five and six months old, who was in the hospital, but. could not he discharged until a liouw was found for it. The mother was willing to pay something towards the keep of the child, but so far no one had been found willing to take care of it. He asked the members of the board to bear the matter in mind in case they should happen to hc-ar of a suitable private home.

An irate ratepayer on the Flint road wrote to the Stratford County Council complaining of the wandering cattl; nuisance. Cows, lie alleged, were turned on the road as soon as milked, and were a nuisance to iliim. The ownc-' had been warned, but took no notice. The ranger had not been up the road since August, "and," concluded the writer, ''we are wanting another big Ben Tippins." As a new ranger was appointed that afternoon, the Council took no action.

The Stratford County Council yesterday resolved to approach the Minister of Public Works again for permission to erect a toll gate on the Mountain road, within twelve chains south of the Waipuku bridge. If permission is granted, the engineer will at once take steps to prepare plans for the necessary gate and building. In support of the application, tihe chairman said that the intention of the Council was to widen the roads by four feet and tar-seal them. When tins was done, the ratepayers would be able to easily maintain the road, and the toll-gate could be banished. Cr. Anderson, who went as a deputation to the Minister when the matter came up previously, stated that he did not think there would be any diiliculty in obtaining permission, as the Minister had informed him, that if the proposed Motor Bill did not pass, he would not raise any objection to the installation of the toll-gate, provided that the revenue was spent on the main road and not on bye-roads. Slight discussion ensued over the allocation of revenue, but this was finally postponed, until there was some revenue to allocate. Crs. Coleman, Christoffel and Smith opposed the toE-gate.

Those who believe that the war will soon come to an end are probably mistaken. Professor McCallum, of Sydney, who was in Germany just before the war broke out, interviewed in Sydney last week, said he thought the war would be a very long and a very severe one. "In the first place," he added, "the resources of Germany arc not very great, but are organised and utilised with tlio greatest intelligence; and in the second place we cannot make peace with the Prussian Government till its resources are utterly destroyed, because the Prussian Government, through the Chancellor, has declared that treaties are of no value, so that satisfactory peace can only come when Prussia is no longer in a position to do damage. And to attain that result a quite enormous effort will be necessary. Hitherto Germany has only been kept at bay, A far harder task begins when it is a question of overcoming her. Not only is her territory so well fortified, but in that case the Germans will in a manner be fighting for self-existence, and will be fighting far more strenuously than even hitherto they have done."

In the early days of November, just over sixty years ago, ivhat were then called great efforts were being made to reinforce the British Army in the Crimea.' And the number of men it was proposed to send out was 11,900! These were to be collected from, widely separated military centres. The 97th , Regiment, 1000 strong, was to be brought from Athens, and the 62nd from Malta. The !)oth was ordered from Dublin, and the 34th from Corfu. A further battalion of the Grenadier Guards was sent from London. Many of these 11,900 men were to be used in filling up depleted regiments. The cavalry in particular, had suffered terribly. Ten regiments of cavalry had been reduced to about 1000 men. These were to be built up to a force of 5000, and from regiments at Home, it was said at the time, there would be no difficulty in supplying 2000. Recruiting was declared to be going on with great briskness; but what was brisk recruiting in those days was an addition to the Army of 1000 per week. For tho Empire's vast new armies now London alone has given sometimes hb many as a thousand men per day.

The now-famous Dingo Embrocation, or Training Oil, can be bought from the following saddlers: R. Edwards (Nev Plymouth), A. J. Kibby (Waitara), Purchas and Son (Urenui and Uruti), 0. Meuli (Eltham), E. Crossman (Tariki and Inglowood), T. C. Street (Okato), T. J. Mildeahall (Opunake), E. Tobler (Okaiawa), S. Aylward (Wliangamomona). Cosgroy ft rv,

Manaia, just now, is a favourite hunting ground for commercials. A local business inan, according to the Witness, reckons that they visit him at the rate of about sixty a month. Sections for building sites in OpuuaJke are firm, judging by the competition for the sections in the estate of 11. S. Crowther, sold by the Loan and M.A. Co. on Monday (says the Times). The bidding started at £26, ultimately rnching £6B. The bidding was s'|jir.ied. The sections (2 roods IG perches) are situated in Crownville. It will be remembered that a eabls some tiaue ago reported that Hawera .Dairy Factory had gained premier position at the great Islington Dairy Show, in London. The judge's remarks hav.j since coire to hand and they are highly appreciative. As to Hawera (Ist), he says: "Really good cheese, well made, and left little to be desired." Mangaramarama (2nd), "The same remarks apply to thi3 entry." Mataura (3rd), also good cheese.

If anyone doubts the possibility of successfully growing fruit in North Taranaki, he should pay a visit to the orchard of Mr H. Cole, on the Veale road, a mile or two out from New Plymouth. At the present time this successful grower's picturesquely situate] place is a sight to behold, his various fruit trees, from plums to oranges, being laden. The plum crop is unusually prolific, there literally being tons of fruit weighin? down the trees. The orchard is well protected from the prevailing winds. Given this protection, and intelligent culture, it is clear that fruit can be as well grown here as in Nelson cr Auckland. Mr Cole has. been disappointed this year with his peach erop. As soon as the fruit, matures they are attacked by a disease Which, according to the Government expert, has made its appearance in many parts of the Dominion this year. Peaches will, on this account, probably dearer than usual.

Referring to the death of Mr Hugh Boyle, which occurred on Sunday, the Opunaka Times say a; Though a rip<; age, the old man continued to work his farm unti] compelled to "lay up," death soon fol'owing, due to senile decay. It can be well said tlhat deceased, by his steady application to work, did not "rust out, hut wore himself out." Few, perhaps, in these latter days, when passing the old gentleman by the wayside, recognised under the quiet and isolated individual, noted by fleeting time, a man who was in his younger days a striking personality. lie came to New ■Zealand from Victoria as a member oi 'lnspector Brannigan's force, to carry out police duty for the New Zealand Government. As a sergeant of police oil the West Coast, deceased performed many duties that required valour and courage. It was in the stirring days of the West Coast, wlien gold escorts bad to be provided over "blazed tracks and down winding gorges.' 1 Only those of the "older school" can measure the worth of the man and the duties he performed to his fellow men in the ■stirring days of the diggers' camps and the reckless, roving life of the seekers after gold. A man of fine physique, lie had to stand to bis calling with the firmness of steel. Deceased was bom in Ayr, (Scotland. Peace to his ashes—and for the closing text of a useful life can well be applied, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Deceased, who leaves a widow and only daughter, was buried on Tuesday at Hawera. alongside his son, who pre-deceased him some few months.

Says a writer, in yesterday's Hawera Star:—T'xn quite sure Mr Peter Dawson, or any other performer, must be very Uhankful that his audiences are not composed entirely of people who tak.T 'Musical's' view. He says that insistent recalls are all too common in Hawera. I will tell you what is more common there, and that is the awful wooden expression which many people seem to think is the correct thing to wear at concert,!, etc., and who the whole night long never show in any form whether they appreciate the efforts made or not. A splendid crowd to sing to, tlhat. I

suppose 'he world must include such individuals, but thank heaven it also includes others who are not ashamed to give expression to their feeiings by reflated applause to such glorious treats a-. 1 we all ioo rarely receive in Hawera. To sit and listen to that wonderfal gift | Mr Dawson possesses, is a treat most of us will never hava ngain. 'Musical's' remarks re doors, etc., everyone mast agree with, but. ha should have confined himself to that. I know for a fact that Mr Dawson does not consider it baa ' taste of the audience to make repeated demands on his good nature." Mr Peter Dawson appears at New Plymouth this evening, and local people will have the privilege of listening to one of the Most 'gifted singers that has toured New Zealand.