LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is proposed to open the cricket season to-day if the weather continue* favorable. A team from .New Plymouth anil Law will play Service and High School at Western Park.

An extraordinary general meeting of the Equitable liuildiiig Society was held in the Town Hall last evening, Mr. W. H. Kwing, presiding. £3OO was disposed of by ballot (Xo. 2 Group), Mr. F. Orbell proving the successful shareholder.

Arrivals in New Zealand from oversea during October totalled 1855, compared with 3205 in October, 1014. Departures were IGBI last month, against 12-10 a year ago. The Hawke's 13ay A. and P. .Society have invited owners of 1000 sheep and over to contribute a bale of wool to the Wounded Soldiers Fund, and up to the present four owners have responded. A Wellington message states that as a result of an appeal to the children of Wellington not to spend money on fireworks on (U\y Fawkes Day tile* sum of £9)B was raised for the relief of Delgimi children, compared with ,1:700 la.st year.'

Walker's Stables at Hulls were, destroyeil by fire yesterday morning. Nothing was saved. Three horses, i stallion, and six dogs were burnt to death. The loss is £2OOO above the insurances.

At the Dunedin Supreme Court, on Thursday, Albert Rogers was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment on a charge of robbery with violence at Kaitangata; Daisy Reeves was lined <:2f) for robbery; John McNamara was lined CIO for assault causing actual bodily harm, at I!oxburgh; John Karnshaw wa-, -c;;leiiied to nine months' imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud; and Frederick T.evy and Leslie Hilder was sei;tcr.;>ed to six months' imprisonment on a similar charge; William Henry Gardiner was sentenced to three months' imprisonment' on each of three charges of having received goods, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained, the sentences to be cumulative.

There was a representative gathering of settlers of the Puniho and surrounding districts yesterday at the formal opening of the Punihd branch of the Okato Dairy Company. This company recently decided to instal cheese plants and the Puniho creamery ha 3 been rebuilt and equipped in an up-to-date manner with a dual plant. Those present were the guests of the Puniho suppliers. Mr. J. yVooldridge, who presided, after a happy speech called; on Mrs. Wells, as the oldest supplier to the creamery, to cut the ribbon, after which he declared the brarieh open. Rev. Addenbroolce, Captain Knight, Messrs. Percival (architect), and McLeod (manager), also spoke. The visitors were then entertained at afternoon tea, which was dispensed by the ladies. At present the company is manufacturing butter, but it is understood that as soon as sufficient men can be secured, a change will be made to cheese.

Members of the Egmont County Council are imbued with a patriotic spirit. In asking for leave of absence at yesterday's meeting of the Egmont Countv Council, Cr. W. R. Wright wrote that lie was going to Wellington to see his son, Gunner Wright, away to the front, and it was therefore a case of country against county. Leave of absence was unanimously granted, and, later, a letter was read from tlie engine-driver, A. J. Adams, stating that he was enlisting, and asking the Council to keep his job open should he be lucky enough to return. The Council at once agreed, and passed a resolution that the same would apply to any employee enlisting. In regard to filling the vacancy, Councillors were of opinion that there might be a returned soldier available" who could fl)/ tlie bill, and it wa resolved to apply to the Hon. A. L. Herdman, in charge of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department

A Taranaki farmer received a very rude awakening, in the literal sense of the phrase, the other night. After an arduous day's toil among the cows he had retired to rest, probably to dream of big butter-fat returns, when he was suddenly roused by receiving a severe blow on the face, and simultaneously hearing a crash. Visions of an aeroplane attack flashed across the minds of both himself and his better half, who was also awakened, and this was accentuated when he discovered that his face was bleeding. A little light on the subject showed that the occurrence was due to the cord attached to a picture hanging over the bed giving way and allowing the laws of gravity full sway, so far as concerned the picture. Fortunately for the farmer, whose face intercepted its fall, the picture was a light one.

A building that mysteriously disappeared has exercised the minds of members of the Egmont County Council for the past month, and even now that its whereabouts have been located, some of the members are not satisfied. The Council last month were conslderingjusi'.:g the county shed, that had been ereet"(l some years ago in a reserve at PiSuima, when some of the riding councillors asked what had become of the building, as they had not noticed it of late, though its disappearance had not been noted. Since then they have instituted a search party, and at yesterday's meeting it was stated that the building had been moved some months ago three-quarters of a mile along the road and was now on a private section. It was stated that the removal was authorised and carried out by the late engineer and that the building was still being used for the purpose originally intended, viz., storage of tools, etc. Some councillors expressed the opinion that the present site would probably be more central, but the unbusinesslike method of removal without asking permission of the Council was condemned, and it was decided to ask the foreman for particulars as to who authorised it.

An unnaturalised Bulgarian, who was recently dismissed from the Government railway works on account of his nationality, found employment under the Wiiimate West County Council, but only to meet with a similar fate. Ls is said to be an excellent worker, had married an English girl, his sympathies are with his adopted country, and he had applied to he naturalised before the war broke out. In referring to the matter at the Council meeting, says the Star, the chairman said that this was a pretty iiiird ease, but the Council could not employ unnaturalised subjects of enemy countries. Nor did the Council want any British subject loafers. They wort not going to employ any young men who could or should go to 'tile war, and although labor was going to be scarce, the Council would not place the slightest hindrance in the way of any of it's eniplojees volunteering for the "front. He war. proud to say that already ten Council employees had enlisted, and when they came back their places would be open for them If they were able to again iako, up tha work.

Mutter* industrial arc extremely busy iu Auckland province. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. T. Harle Giles) informs us that his itinerary is made up till the end of February, some forty disputes having to bo dealt with by' that time.

Our Mukuu correspondent telegraphed yesterday:—Exceptional rains fell lust night and caused the highest flood ever known in the Mokau [liver. The Mokau punt wf.s carried away. The telegraph lines are down, and the roads are in a bad way, many culveris being washed away.

Exports of New Zealand produce during the week ended Tuesday le.-t were valued as follows:—Butter C-17,321; cheese £103,50:1; frozen lamb .<: 100,005; frozen mutton .-080,318; frozen beef, etc., .C 00.381; gold ;C20,80-l; grain and pulse £2li4!t; hides and skins .C25.4U2; kauri gum .1:4:148; flax and low ■1;:i7,7".f1; tallow .€10,81,1; timber .uWTS; woo! £(18,105.

Another big tungi is in progress s.t Waitotara. the Maori Toerangi ovalwhom the (angi is being held, says the Patea Press, is one of'the last of the family, and was connected v. jib Kcreopa, a well-known Native eliie f of the early <lays. Toerangi was ore i.f the men who was taken prlso'ier early in the eighties for ploughing up the hud held by some of the settlers i:i the Taranaki district.

The heavy rain of Thursday n/ghfc caused, all the coastal rivers to be in high flood, but they quickly subsided and very little, if any, damage war, recorded. Yesterday afternoon a number of Maori boys found the increased \olume. of the baonui River much to their liking, as they were to be observed by passers-by from the Main Road bridge disporting themselves in the water, naked and unashamed, their glistening brown bodies harmonising well with the waters of the river, which had been discolored by the flood. There were 250 national registration forms delivered at the Mount Eden Oiiol, and 240 of these were duly filled in, mostly by prisoners, and returned. The postal officials made enquiries about the 250 th form (reports the Auckland Herald), and gave a general reminder that the penalty for non-compliance with the Act was a heavy fine or a year's imprisonment. The reply came from one of the prisoners. '-'l'm not going to 1111 it in," he said, "what's the use? I'm doing a 'stretch' of fourteen years, and if you like to give me another year you can. It doesn't matter to me." Regulations under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, 1015, are published in Thursday's Gazette. They lay down the conditions under which returned soldiers may take up Crown and settlement land, and contain the forms of application for sections. The soldier is to be required to give full information regarding his physical condition, financial conditon, dependents (if any), and experience in agricultural pursuits. There is to be a ballot if two or more men apply for the same section. The land may be bought on deferred payments or leased. If it is leased the. Land Board may suspend the residence condition if satisfied that the land can. be effectively used by the lessee for the purpose for which it was acquired without residence.

Despite the fact that a large number of men have left the district to serve their country, there-are apparently some misguided individuals in the vicinity of Rahotu, who find time hang too heavily on their hands, and, not having the inclination or pluck to volunteer, vent their surplus energy in destroying the property of self-respecting settlers. A few nights ago several of these vandals visited the Kahui Road, and for a distance of about three miles removed numerous gates, damaged several chains of fencing, and put a milking machine out of action. This week they again "played up," a resident on the Main Road being the sufferer. On Thursday morning his garden bore evidence that would have led him to the belief, had he lived in Belgium, that the Germans had paid him a visit. The wire fence that surrounded it was cut, evidently with pliers, ill a very thorough manner, alongside each post. All his vegetables were uprooted, a cycle that he had been loaned the previous night and that was in an outhouse was considerably damaged, while his horse was discovered later near the cemetery, with some fencing wire twisted round its nock and trailing gracefully behind. Fortunately the animal had sustained no injury. The night was a rough one and so the miscreants vere able to do their dastardly work unmolested. The police have the matter in hand.

In the course of a report to the Minis, ter of Mines on the New Plymouth oilfield, Mr. P. C 4. Morgan, Director of Geological Survey, says:—"Practically all qualified observers are agreed in the belief that the source of the New Plymouth oil is at great depth, and that probably the principal oil-horizon will not be found at a much less depth than 5000 ft. Clearly, then, the future of the field depends on the result of deep boring, and liores less 'than 3000 ft. in depth will not be directly important in deciding whether Taranaki possesses a prolific oilfield or not. They may, however, in places he moderately profitable, and may indirectly be of groat value in furnishing the structural data of which at present there is so great a lack. The area most deserving of being prospected appears to be the strip of country that extends for fifteen iniles south-south-east from the Sugar Loaves, and contains somewhat numerous gas-vents. Bo far as can be judged from the data at present known, the first deep bore ought to be in tho neighborhood of Moturoa, where a considerable amount of oil has already been obtained. Had the area to the south-south-east already mentioned been more thoroughly prospected by means of 2500 ft. or 30(ioft. bores, possibly this opinion would need modification." The" New Zealand loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., and Messrs, Webster, Dobson and Co., draw the attention of the pnblie to their Stratford sale, which they are holding in their Stratford yards on Tuesday next, 10th inst. Full particulars will be found in outadvertising columns on page S of this issue. Muss will be celebrated at the Catholic: Churches to-morow us follows:—New Plymouth, 11 a.m.; Waitarti, fl a.m. Vespers at New Plymouth at 7 p.m. Mr. Newton King draws attention in this'issue to his Stratford Springing Heifer Sale, to be held mi Tuesday next Kt 1-2 o'clock. Mr. Newton King draws attention in o;ir advertising columns to his stock sale at Kohuratahi on the 17th inst. Tlic.j is a good entry of useful cattle, and those wishing to stock up are strongly recommended to attend (his fixture. Tenders ore called for the erection of Everybody's Theatre, New Plymouth. The Taranaki Transport Co. notify having purchased the carrying interests of Mr. O. A. Mullou, and that the company is prepared to undertake carrying on the New Plymouth-Otmnake road,