LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 219, 23 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a meeting cf directors of i':ie N':w FlymoutU Gas Company last week tlie usual interim dividend was declared. T'le crew of tlie Matatua, which arrived in Auckland from London on Sunday, include ten Belgian refugees. lien they joined tlio vessel they had only tlie elot'ie3 tliey wore. An interesting short articdle, entitled '"The L.S.D. of Dairyfarming," will he found elsewhi're in our columns. It is well worth the attention of every progressive dairy farmer. Timaru millers say that the wheat now coming to hand is in better condition than any milling wheat seen in South Canterbury for a good many years. A meeting of the social committee of . the Y.M.C.A. will be held in tlie Town Hall this (Tuesday) evening at 7.30 to make final arrangements in connection with the camp. Mr 0. J. Herriek, of Sentry Hill, forwards us an excellent sample of pure white clover honey from his Te Arei which is up to tlie usual standard of excellence in quality and flavor. Lit a meeting of directors of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company held (it Hamilton it was decided to increase the capacity of the Waik&to branch works from 2000 to. 3000 carcases daily. An Otaki dairy factory manager | states that while on a trip to Wellington recently he had seen 30,000 crates of dheese stored in refrigerating chambers there, owing to inability to get them shipped. 'lhc Public Works Bepanntent 'ills approved of the Taranaki County Couni oil's proposals for metalling 55 chains on. the Carniigton-.Mangorei iioiid, toward'.! T -he cost of which the Government grant £IOO, being subsidy of £ for £. The Arbitration Court at Auckland, after hearing argument on the application for tli e review of awards, intimated that they would probably come, to a

decision after hearing evidence im Wellington. ; A petition is being put in circulation, in Masterton asking, that local Germans be interned. This is t'le outcome oi strong statements made by certain local Germans against the Allies. The Stratford Borough Council is. taking steps towards obtaining a loan | of £9OOO for erecting municipal offiecs and library, the securitv being an annual rate of 11-20ths of a penny. Forty-eight thousands pairs of trousers, costing £12,400 have been ordered j her e by buyers for the French GovI ernment (says a Chicago paper). TV | contract is a rush order. The trousers I are of the workingman's type, for' use : of the sappers and miners of the army.

Mrs Harriet Hits', who has just died at Thurleigh (Beds.), lived to be over 102, and survived by ten years by her husband, who died at the age of 101 Mrs Hite had twenty-eight grand-chil-dren, and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Hite's youngest sister died at 98, ami her youngest brother at 83. Ten thousands domestic servants in Great Britain contributed to the fund organised by the Duchess of Marlborough's Committee to help the British Red Cross work. The amount received exceeded £1250, and provided one motor ambulance, and equipped twenty bed 3 at ftctley Hospital, Tlie trip to Urenui made by tile Motor Transport Co/s char-a-banc on. S'unda.v vas a most successful one, and tin? full load of passengers, being favored with ideal weather, wera able to enjoy the run wiflh the greatest comfort. I'iv Transport Company propose a trip to Mokau at an early date, and will probably include a launch trip on t'le riv?r in' the itinerary. Extract from a letter received from a Bluff anan with the Expeditionary force in Egypt:—"Lord Kitchener lias Bent word that we are to leave for the front at the end of March, and we are to fight with the French. We will be in the fighting line in April. Over .140,000 troops leave Egypt for the front in March. The Union Company lias noticed the Agricultural Department that it is'unable to provide cool storage on the Moana for San Francisco on March 4 for fruit, which various groweib of tiV .Associations of New Zealand had arlanged to send to the Panama Exposition. Suitable space, however, liad been reserved by succeeding steamers for San Francisco.

The death of Mr Eugene Zimmermami, the famous American caricaturist, took place a few weeks ago The deceased, who was 52 years of age, started life as a boy on a farm doing odd jobs, and was successively assistant fish pedlar, baker, and sign painter. He was connected with Puck, and afterwards as cartoonist on Judge. Mr Zimmcrmann is perhaps better known to the public us "Zim." The German newspapers report from Constantinople that the Kaiser lias presented tho Sultan with a magnificent and costly lamp to be hung in the famous Mosque of Sultan Selaheddin, at Damascus. The lamp is the work of lurkish and Arab artificers, and is made of bronze and gold, and after the best Arab models. .Sultan Selaheddin is til* famous Saladin of history, a ruler foi whom tlie Kaiser had always professed undoubted admiration. The usual weekly meeting of tile Egmont Lodge 1.0. G.T., No. 112, was tsld last evening. The programme for the evening was contributed by tlia brothers, and the items were provided by the following:—Mouth orizan solo, I>ro. Arnold; reading, Brs. L. Pepper.']]; five minutes' address. Bvo. Nelsonsong, Bro. Kelson; harp solo. Bro. Tiickefts: song, Bro. White: harp solo, Bro. E. Medley; recitation, Bro. 0. W. Hartnell. A light slipper concluded a very enjoyable evening. The Oamaru branch of the A.S.ii.S. 'passed the following resolutions:—(l) iaat the attention of the Government be called to the fact that millers are charging £lO ipe'r on for Hour,, presumably manufactured from wheat imported by the Government at (is 3d per ■bushel and sold to millers at os Ud. The country is bearing the loss of ski per bushel, and we consider it now time for the Government to fix the price of both wheat and Hour, to prevent consumers being further exploited. (2) That the executive of the A.S.R.S. be urged to ask for an advance in pay all Hund, owing to the l extraordinary increase in the cost of living. l'here was an exciting runaway from I'langleigii I'ark on Sunday morning. Mr and Mrs. Frethey and Miss Frethev were driving home from church in their phaeton, am' t after leaving the Frankley enter the park the ' ,ors!? ••ightened at a .motor- < v i ' ■> ieenr. and suddenly swung right rc.ind, with the result that Mr

r:id Mrs Frethey were thrown out of the vehicle. The ihorse bolted, and Miss Frethey, realising that she could do nothing to cheek the animal, jumped clear. Beforo reaching the Frankley road the phaeton struck a fence post, vhic'i was snapped in two. and the. splashboards on that side of tile vcliieV c utiered considerably. The horse continued its mad career down Frankley road, and when near the hospital gates collided with a tcleuraph 'Pole, the rear wheels of the phaeton being torn away. The horse was ultimately stopped near the Good Templar Hail. Mr and Mrs Frethev were unhurt, and Miss Fr.'thev "'•o 'nrtunntcl'- escaped serious ininrv. The horse and harness were not damnt'ed. but the phaeton was smashed, probably beyond repair.

ChalT is likely to be a big price this winter. It is said that as much as £8 per ton has been offered for oats in the stack, previous to chaffing. The Okato Dairy Company has, it is understood, sold 2000 boxes of butter at 1/1 per lb., for shipment to Vancouver, from now to the middle of April. A settler of the Waimato plains, who "ecently made a trip round the moun;nin, was much struck with the improvement made in recent years in the farms along the coast from Opunakc to Xew Plymouth. Hi also commented upon the freshness of the pasture, as compar?d with the dryness of that on tlie plains. As illustrating the increasing popularity of the Stratford Mountain House, the following forthcoming trips may be mentioned: Stratford High School girls, during this week; Stratford High School ,liovs, next week; Eltham Band. March 14; and Stratffird Band, March 21. Post. At the Wnganui ram fair last weeK Mr .T. Blair, of Hawera, topped the market for fl'Ock Romnevs with an average of s'guineas. This district is not looked on - as being suitable for sheep by outsiders, but the fact that many well-known flocks from Hawlce's Bay, Manawatu, etc., were represented, shows that it'ean Hold, its own with sheep as well as in dairying; Although a- rise in the price the 21b loaf of bread to fivepence was announced in I'aTmerston a little over a fortnight' ago by the Master Bakers' Association-,' the increased rate has not tasted' long; and practically all bakers have reverted to 4%d. It is stated tliat tlie "cutting" of prices has resulted in reducing the price of bread. By taking- Remuera into the city, the are;-, of Greater Auckland will be nearly dor-bled. Remuera involves about 2520 acres, and the capital value is appraised at £2,111,000. The population of the city will be increased by about 0000. During the last two years the area of' the city lias been increased from 1780 acres to 3320 acres, by the inclusion of lArchhill, Parnell, and f«rev Lynn. The inclusion of Remuera will bring- the city area np to 5840 acres.

There was visiting the State Farm on Wednesday (says the Patra Press) /in Australian farmer, .who is farming in n. big way there, having some 20,000 head of cattle alone. His herd of dairy cows is allowed to fun fn a paddock which is just seven miles long by five miles wide. He was most interested tu the crops of lucerne at the farm, and intends giving this plant a trial on his return.

1 The following are the details of a largo cargo taken on board the s.s. Orari in the Waiter® roadstead:—Beef, 0728 quarters; mutton, 5187 carcases; lamb, 13,4-28 carcases; pork, 311 carcases; veal, 483 pieces, beef, 280 cases; frozen sundries, 1188 packages; tallow, 840 casks; pelts, 177 sacks; casings, 64 sacks, wool 731 bales. There were (the Mail reports) 3o barge loads taken out to the Homo liner, the whole work being carried out without any 'break whatever. The s.s. Kaikoura is now taking in frozen produce, of which there are 25 bargo loads. The fact that Messrs Thos. Borthivvick and Sons are contracting to supply the Home Government with meat for the troops, gives good grounds for believing that our freezing works (says the Mail) will not be compelled to close down for l.rck of storage space, as is happening with other similar works. There are persistent rumors that tallow and soap works will be established in the town before very long. With the freezing works providing th c principal part of the raw material, such works could, of course, b e worked an tho nlost economical linoß. , '

The necessity of exercising groat care in the handling of benzine, which has a tendency t 0 flare up 011 the slightest provocation, was forcibly illustrated at Okato the other evening. A Maori carowner was opening a tin of benzine on tho roadside outside fox's store, where he had purchased it, and for the purpose utilised a chisel, with which he made a stab at the. tin. -The impact created a spark", which ignited the benzine, and in a moment there was a huge flame twenty or thirty feet' high. For a while the car was in danger, but it was moved to a place of safety. Had the tin been opened inside a building in similar circumstances, a serious conflagration would have resulted. Yesterday afternoon Mr. J. S. Connctt, president, of the Agricultural Society, received a telegram from Mr. Primrose McConnell, regretting that, for departmental reasons, he cannot possibly come to Xivr Plymouth for the autumn show, and to give an address to farmers, Mr. McConnell, in his telegram, shys he will be pleased to visit Xew Plymouth and give an address at a later date. The executive of the society regret that they are thus prevented from keeping faith with farmers regarding the address, which was being looked forward to with considerable interc.'S:.

A deputation was recently sent from Taumarunui to Wellington by a committee appointed to try and arrange for the Government purchase of the native township of Taumarunui. The project was favorably received and it is stated that if the Maoris of Taumarunui send in a petition expressing their desire to sell, the Government will send valuers to discuss the terms. At a conference of Maoris of the township held a few days ago hostility was shown to the scheme by all who spoke, a sore point being the possible desecration of their cemeteries. They decided that if the land courts would delimit and protect the sacred.places and separate the pakeha part of the township from tho native portion, the project of the sale anight be considered.

.Shortly after midnight on Friday llisa Barber, who is in the employ of Dr. Cowie, of Masterton, heard someone entering tile, house l>y means of a window. Hastily throwing a cloak on, she quietly left the house and proceeded to inform the police. Tile latter, accompanied by several other persons, proceeded to Dr. Cowie's house. The building was surrounded, and after a search Sergeant Miller found the intruder, a middle-aged man named Samuel "Wall, hiding behind a door in the sitting-room. The man offered no resistance, and was taken to tile police station. Wall formerly worked ;it Glenburn station. At the Court on Saturday morning lie was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Referring to the conference held on Friday between himself and representatives of freezing and shipping companies, the Eight Hon. W. F. Massey stated on Saturday that the result of the meeting was exceedingly satisfactory. "As to the nroposals from thelmpmal Government regarding tile supply of frozen meat for tile Allies, 7 ' lie. said, "the conference took up an extremely satisfactory, and, I think, patriotic attitude. Xo difficulties were placed in the way of the New Zealand Government, and T feel certain that, as soon as we get the details worked out, we shall have every assistance from the gentlemen who were present at the conference. We are now in communication with the Imperial Government, and T hope that in a few days we shall be able to submit definite proposals."

Candidates at the 'recent general election are now coming forward with their election expenses, says the Dominion. Mr A. H. Ilindmarsh puts his down at £1 7s 6d for printing and advertising. Also he received £3O lis Stl from the Labor Representation Committee, which sum was spent' on printing' and advertising and the hire of halls. The" Hon. A. L. Herdman's return shows an expenditure of £73 2b ltM, on advertising, hire of halls, and salary of secretarv. Mr IT. E. Holland declares an expenditure of £9O ■ la. on advertising, printing, and rent - of halls, and he received £O9 12s 8d in subscriptions and contributions ffom various unions, In connection with the firo on board RimutaUa, reported by cable on Friday, it is pointed out that the steamer, although a freqnent visitor to those parts, had no Now Zealand cargo aboard. Tlie vessel loaded at Australian ff"* England on her last;trip, sailfinally from Svdney on January sth for London and Liverpool. On the last dav of '.January the vessel called in at Durban; The Rimntaka' is a twin-screw steamer of 7952 tons gross register, and it owned" by the New Zealand Shipping Comrimy. She was built at Dumbarton in 1900} her principal dimensions beings Length. 45T.7 fee;t breadth, 68.2 feet; depth', 30.8 feet.

A motor-cyclist riding towards New Plymouth without lights had a narrow escape' from collision with a motor-car on the Oakura deviation last evening. The cyclist was travelling at a, good pace up the on the wrong side of of tile road, when the car came sud.dently round one of the bends. For. itunately the bigger vehicle was not I scorching, and the chauffeur, having goo>( control, was able to swerve land avoid tlie cyclist, but only by inches. It is stated that the practice of cycling, driving. and even motoring without ligh»V iS: becoming all too prevalent, and needs checking, otherwise a serious accident will be chronicled.

The evidence of spectators had' to be taken by the judges of the. annual bridge-to-bridge swimming raco at Wanganui before they were able to .announce the result. The engine of the launch in which the judges-, were stationed failed just as the competitors were completing the distance," as ' the launch was carried away by the current, the judges were unable to sea the finish of the race. They made inquiries among those who, had a better view, and then announced their award. This led to much contention, as many people considered that the'man who was placed third won the race by a good margin. The latter haß offered to swim tho race again, but no solution of the difficulty has yet been reached.

Perhaps few people realise that on Tuesday, February 23, New Zealand celebrates a very important centenarv ■n the birth of the first European child (a boy) born in these islands (writes 1 b correspondent of the Dominion). If' is exactly 100 years ago since two of Bishon Marsden's party at the Bay of Islands became the first happy parent; in New Zealand. The father was .Tohn ' King, a fiax-dresser and twine and roppmr.ker, brought from England to help instruct the Natives in the art of making ropes. On May 28 next another centenary takes place that some people perhaps will think more important than the one just mentioned. This ig the birth of the first little girl in New Zea•land. Again the parents were members of Bishop Marsden's party at the Bay of Islands. This time the father'i naimo was William Hall, a shipwright, brought from JCngland in the same party. It is worthy 0 f record that the first white child born in the South' Island is still hale ( and hearty. He ia Captain John Guard, the veteran whaler, of Port Underwood, born at Te Waiti! Tory Channel, in 1831. But to the North Island belongs the glory of having the first little boy and girl in New Zealand. ' 'We draw the attention of our readers to the advertisement of Messrs. Grant and Campbell, real estate agents, Hawera. This firm undertake the sale or exchange of all classes of real estate, including farms, houses, hotels, busi. nesses, etc., and their advertisement >9 well worthy of perusal.