LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual brcaking-up ceremony in connection with the Technical College takes place at the Good Templar Hall to-morrow afternoon at 1.30 p.m. An Auckland telgeram says that a boy named Douglas Sutton, aged 10, has been drowned in the Waipa River at Ngaruawahia.

Mr. P. A. McHardy, of Palmerston N., has forwarded to tne Y.M.C.A. a cheque for £IOOO to bo expended on Christmas gifts for soldiers at the front.

The Normanby Dairy Company yesterday'paid out to their supplier's a final payment over last season's butter-fat of five-eighths of a penny, bringing the total payment for last season to Is 7y 8 d per lb butter-fat.

The privileges of the publican's booths ■at the Stratford Baring Club's meeting ou January 1 and 3 were sold by public auction on Saturday, and were secured by Mr. E. Crabtree, of Eltham. The successful bids for the inside and outside booths were, respectively, '£l34 and £3O.

Tiie General Manager of the National Bank of New Zealand has received a cable message from London advising that the Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend for the half year to 30th September of a rate of 12 .per cent. per annum, which will be paid in the Dominion on January 4th.—Press Association.

The Bayly Memorial Scholarship sports will be held in Victoria Park, Stratford, to-day. The conditions have been modifled this year, the age limit being altered and some of the standards lowered. The entries are rather more numerous than hi previous years.

The colors of the Stratford District (High School have been gazetted as follows:—Alternate red and black horizontal stripes, one fifth of an inch wide, on a band an inch and two fifths wide. Badge, a shield with the words "Stratford District High School" on two bands running diagonally across same, and the motto "Palma non sine pulvere" on a scroll beneath.

Some forty mem'bers of the Central School branch of Dr. Barnado's Young Helpers League were entertained on Tuesday afternoon by the president.! (Mrs. E. Cock), at her residence, "Overdale." Several [musical items were rendered.by the children, who were regaled by their hostess with afternoon tea and Christmas caice. The first quarterly opening of the boxes then took place, and realised the fine sum of £8 Us.

In connection with agricultural classes six lads from the Eltham school have been to Hawera for three days. On the first day (says the Argus) they were taken to a cheese factory and given a practical insight into the operation of cheese making. On the second day they went to Mr. Mills' farm, where they saw a fine herd of Ayrshire cows and heard a lecture from Mr. Mills on the points of dairy c«wa. The third day they spent in »ohoil writing ei»y»,

The Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday passed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. E. Nops for the gift of a Jersey cow to the farm. , •

A special train oh Sunday will bring the Taranaki men with the Trentliam Rifle Brigade home for their Christmas leave.

A Dunedm telegram ' states that a transport is due at Port Chalmers on Monday. There are five officers'and one nurse on board.

The Waitara Mail suggests that the Waitara Harbor Board should hire a light-draught suction dredge for a period, in lieu of purchasing a new one just now.

The breaking-up ceremony at tire New 'Plymouth Boys' High School takes place at the school at 8 o'clock this evening, instead of 2.30 p.m., as originally advertised.

The Eltham Argus understands that a deputation from the South Taranaki Amusements Company i s to wait upon the Eltham Borough Council at its next meeting to discuss picture show business.

The Moa Dairy Company are this month paying out to suppliers £6055 10s. The rate for butter-fat was fixed at Is per lb. The directors have fixed 9 a.m. as the hour for receiving home separated cream.

The annual meeting of the Gear Meat Company approved the directors recommendations of a payment of ten per cent dividend for the year (fiwe per cent was paid in June), and a special dividend of live per cent. These absorbed £6OOO. A contribution of £2OOO to the Wounded Soldiers Fund was also confirmed, and £19.040 was carried forward. Mr, W. H. S. Moorhouse was re-clcetcu to' ttie directorate, and Mr Allan Strang was appointed in the place of the late Mr. Nicholas Reid.—Press Association. At a meeting of the Terrace End (iPalmerston North) School Committee, the following resolution was passed and forwarded to tho Education Board:— That owing to the number of male teachers finding it imperative to enlist lor active service, this committee is of opinion that the Government should hold out some, greater inducements to young people in the matter of salaries to induce them to take up the teaching profession." It was reported that, owing to sickness and recruiting, the greatest difficulty was being found in carrying on. —Press Association.

■Mr. T. Cuthbert, of Pembroke road, Stratford, has presented the Taranaki Education Board with a handsome shield fori) competition in agriculture among the primary schools. It is beautifully designed in silver, and mounted on' oak. In presenting the shield to the Board, on behalf of the donor, Mr. Masters said that the gift should create added interest in the agriculture plots. The donor was a keen enthusiast and a practical farmer. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Cuthbert, and Mr. Mackay, the chief inspector, and Mr. J. G. Ellis, agricultural instructor, were appointed to confer with Mr. Cuthbert about conditions.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Zaccheus W. Wells, of Mangorei, who was found dead near the Henui river after having heen missing for several days, were inquired into l>y the coroner (Mr. A. Crooke) yesterday. After evidence had been heard the Coroner said that Wells was an old man, rather feeble minded, and it was evident that he wandered away from his home at Mangorei. He probably fell and cut his head on a boulder, and in a state of semi-consciousness he was suffocated through his head being in a pool of water. A verdict of accidental death from suffocation was returned.

Writing aibout the trawler men at the Dardanelles, Mr. Malcolm Ross says:— "Like most sailormen, they are fond of animal pets, and scarcely a trawler or a sweeper but has one on board. Two little black retriever puppies played about our feet the other day coming up from Tenedos. Then another, handsome and intelligent, adorned the bridge of another trawler. But the strangest pet of all is a friendly hen that sedately walks the deck and makes friends with anyone. She will pick the matches one by one out of a box held up to her by some recumbent Tommy on the deck, and on a hot day you will see her go up to the mate and draw his. attention by peeking at his leg. That means that she is thirsty. I They both walk for'ard, the mate fills j.ier dish, and she has her drink. In connection with the enlarged area of the Taranaki Education District, which comes into effect in August next, the chairman of the Board stated that it was thought probable that after the census New Plymouth would be found to contain a population of over 8000, and so would be an urban area, entitled to two members. In dividing the district into three wards, alternative proposals were to have been brought down. It was now found that the division had to be made before March 31st, and as the census would not have been taken then, New Plymouth would have to be included in one of the three wards for the first year, and the Board would thus consist of six members, if the result of the census rendered it necessary, an alteration would be made the following year. The Central School carnival committee met last night, when there were present: Messrs S. G. Smith (chairman), C. Sadjler, R. L. Mellroy, D. J. Hughes, J. Elliott, Saunders, J. R. Hill, N. Day and H. Dempsey (secretary). The secretary submitted a balance-sheet, showing that the total receipts were £202 10s 7d, and the expenditure '£s(l Oa 4d, leaving a credit 'balance of £206 10a 3d, which was allotted as follows:—£so to the New Plymouth Ladies Patriotic Committee for comforts for soldiers; £6 10s to the Omata Ladies Sewing Committee; the balance £l5O, to the No. 1 Stationary Hospital. The balance-sheet was adopted, subject to audit. The Sports Ground Committee are to be asked to reduce the fee £lO 10s, for the use of the ground on carnival day. A donation of £1 os 6d from Mr. Baker, and two dozen medals for baby shows from Mr. W. Ambury were acknowledged. Votes of thanks were passed to the willing band of workers, who assisted the carnival in any way.

A five-seater Ford car, well known around Inglewood, will he sold on Saturday afternoon by Webster Bros. This car is in good running order, and will be sold absolutely without reserve. Inspection in New Plymouth on Friday and Saturday on application to the auctioneers. BOILS AND CARBUNCLES. Boils begin as little pimples. If Dr. Sheldon's Magnetic Liniment is well rubbed in at' this time, they will disappear, and give you no further trouble. If a boil is developed, blood and matter must be squeezed out, and the wound dressed with Dr. Sheldon's Magnetic Liniment. Persons suffering from boils should rub the parts affected thoroughly twice a day with Dr. Sheldon's Magnetic Liniment. This will prevent the growth of a whole crop of boils. Price, Is 6d and 3s. Obtainable everywhere. Johnson Bros., New Plymouth, and •Huacock, Cbtmist, Eltham, -

Amongst the recruits farewelled in Waitara on Friday night were four young fellows who had left their (arms to the care of neighbors while they art doing their country's work, says tho local Mail. '

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., the case in which A. 13. Waldie (Mr. A .R. Standish) proceeded against William Family (Mr. H. E. Billing), claiming £3l Ws 3d for goods sold and work done, was continucd. Mr. Billing raised a legal point concerning the validity of the case, and the Magistrate upheld the point and dismissed the ease.

A Wellington telegram s ays that an, effort was made yesterday to get a full stokehold complement for the Lytteltom ferry steamer Maori, in order to cope with the Christmas traffic. Men could not bo obtained, however, and the vessel left at 8.15 p.m., twenty minute* late, still working on reduced boilers, as she lias been doing for several weeks.

On the Xew Plymouth bowling green' this afternoon, short matches will be played by selected teams, and a most interesting afternoon may be spent there by visitors. As the proceeds'are to be devoted to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, it is hoped that there will be a large attendance. Afternoon tea will be provided, and Mrs. Woods' orchestra will be in attendance. The small charge made will help a good cause. Members of the New Plymouth Harvest Labor Committee visited Bell Block yesterday to inspect the IB acres of wheat put in last August on Mr. H. Western's farm under the supervision of the Settlers' Wheat Committee. The crop appeared to promise well, considering the unsatisfactory nature of the weather this season, and should be ready to cut in the course of a month or so. Manures were provided free by Bortliwick's, the Gear Co. and .Kempthorne, Prosser and Co. So far the cost of putting in the crop has not been a penny, and the harvesting will also be done gratis, townsmen Slaving offered to do the work. Mr. Ambury, Mo with Mr. W. Sole, has taken a leading part in the scheme, informs us that there is plenty of this special labor available to help farmers. A good many of the High School lads have offered to help in harvest operations during the holidays, whilst one Hawcra resident has also offered to utilise his holidays similarly. So far the committee has not received many applieations~from farmers for assistance, but doubtless if the present fine spell continues they will be glad of the help that the townsmen are prepared to give for the "good of the cause." Yesterday, a farmer at Bell Block applied for the assistance of four men, who will go out to work to-day. In this issue we advertise particulars of an auction sale of a handy little property situated just past the corner of Dawson and St. Aubyn streets. A splendid lot of new suits for the Christmas trade has opened up at the Melbourne, Ltd. 'Buyers of thesa suits are requested to make their selections early in order to avoid tho last moment rush. Any suit selected now may be laid aside for later delivery on payment of a small deposit.