LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXI, Issue 1855, 21 October 1904, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During September 2334 persons arrived in the colony and 1224 took their departure. The figures for September, 1903, were 2084 and 1008 re spectively. Mr T. E. Taylor has given notice of an amendment to the High Commissioner Bill with the object of providing Aat the Commissioner shall cease 'to hold office if Ee joins the directorate of any bank or tnc beard of any public company or trading concern, whetincorporative or not. He also proposes to reduce the tenure of office from five years to three. At the Anglican Synod, Auckland, a motion to empower women to vote at parish meetings was defeated by 5* votes to 46." A motion urging elimination of profits by private individuals on the sale of liquor in the interests of temperance reform, and municipal control of the liquor traffic was discussed, and the first half of the proposition was agreed to. A young man has been committed for trial at Wellington for an impudent fraud. He had borrowed a pound ,/rom a tradesman and, a few days later returned and*said: "l am a man of my word > A I have come to J) ay you," at the san time tendering cheque for £lO. He.got the balance, £9. Neediest to siy ithe cheque was valueless. , .'V* ■Dunstan Times says "iilUit the present spring is probably ottg of the most unfavourable experienced in the district for many years, and vegetation of all kinds is exceedingly backward. A few days more of the prevailing unseasonableweather, and the fruit crop of Central Otago will be ol the best a poor one. The Puke of Fife is the only teetotal Duke in the House of Lords. Besides his total abstinence, the Duke has the lurther advantage of being one of the few big British landowners who do not believe in the accumulation of vast estates. For some years he has steadily parted with his land as opportunity arose, holding that one man cannot control vast stretches of territory "to the ' best advantage of the community." The average Taranaki farmer has to secure all available assistance in his milk-pursuading operations, says the Manaia Witness. A record was established in this connection a few days ago. A young farmer was married at Iris bride's home at 2 p.m., the wedding lireakfast was partaken of at 2-30; at 3 he hitched up the horse and drove bis newlv-made wife to his farm ; at 3.40 she had disrobed, substituting a stockyard garb for her wedding dress ; and at 3.50 she was on the job milking ! If hard toil will do it, that 'marriage will be a success. The preserving of eggs is now carried on largely throughout the colony everysummer, even by those who have a few fowls only. There is no uncertainty whatever about the freshness of the eggs when a good preservative is used. For six years Norton's Premier Egg Preservative has been used very successfully by Mr Norton himself, who preserves thousands of dozens every year to supply the shipping' at Lyttelton, and by the largest poultry farmers ia the colony. It is sold in conveniently sized tins to preserve 300 eggs and upwards. The Tourist Department, says the Hutt and Petone Chronicle, is now talking largely of establishing bureaux in Australia, Great Britain, and, in fact, all over the civilised world, and unless Parliament puts its foot down upon the idea the colony will soon find itself involved in an expenditure of over £.100,000 a year to bring casual and utterly useless visitors here to see the" beauty of the country and the folly of it's rulers. There are other features of this question to which we may refer shortly. Meanwhile it behoves Parliament to exhaustively discuss the whole position befose sanctioning the Estimates, which will be brought on for consideration.

The Wyndham Farmer reports tiiat Mr Thomas Hardy, a young farmer in the Tuturau district, met with a painful accident on Saturday morning-. He had attended a ball at Redan the previous evening, and in company with a lady friend, was driving homeward when the accident happened, at about 4 o'clock on Saturday morning. He had driven safely as fur as the ridge overlooking Wyndham township, when his horse took fright and bolted, galloping madly down a steep hill. At the foot of the hill the road turned sharply. The pace was too fast, and the gig capsized, throwing both Mr Hardy and his companion out. The lady escaped with a fright and a shaking, bat Mr Hardy had his right sho-ulder-blade dislocated, and several muscles torn. He came on by the morning train to Jnvercargill, where he was treated by Dr Young. His injuries will take some considerable time to repair.

In view of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society's show on the 21th and 25th prox., extensive improvements have been made at Taluma Park. The large ring in front of the grand stand has been top-dressed and sown, and already a good swarUi of grass is showing. The floor beneath the grand stand lias been cemented, and conveniences in connection with the culinary department have been attended to, and various other arrangements made for the public and Committee's luncheons on both days of the show. For the convenience of exhibitors of stock, water-troughs are being provided to obviate the necessity of carrying water to the stalls. The Building Committee are at present considering the question of additions ,to the annexes of the Crawford Street premises, with the object of providing more adequate accommodation at the winter show, which every year attains greater proportions. It is anticipated that the extension of the Otago Central Railway to Omakau will mean a considerable exhibit of stock at the summer show and of produce at the •winter show from the Vincent County.