News and Notes.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 4108, 8 December 1898, Page 2

News and Notes.

On fourth page to-day will be found a contribution by Mr J. W, Kenah on 11 Exhaustion of the Soil," and an article on " British Expansion."

The net profits of the recent A. and P. Show at Palmerston North amounted to £1392 145.

The Manaia Tomato Board has deoided to put the matter of repairing the Bwiming dam in hand at once.

In reference to a paragraph in' Farm and Dairy Notes as to the sickness of Robert the Bruce, Mr Hardley requests us to state that he has secured the services of Clydesdale Willie (a worthy son of Robert's) for the remainder of the season.

• A grand entertainment in aid of the children prize and picnic fund will be held in Mangatoki Hall on -Friday exening next. An excellent programme is promised.

Mr Hornby left Manaia on Monday for Tasmania to meet Mrs Hornby, who is returning from a trip to the Old Country.

A fire under peculiar circumstances oeourred in New South Wales, when a stack of hay, containing about 50 tons, was almost totally destroyed. The fire was deliberately oaused by* a little boy, seven years of age, who had as an accomplice a little girl somewhat younger. He had expressed his intention of doing it to several schoolmates, who, however, only treated it as a joke. The deed was apparently done in all innocence, the youngster's sole object being to create a bonfire.

The Hellers play at Manaia on Monday night next. It is to be regretted that the hall improvements are not completed, thus giving more seating accommodation, as this company will, no doubt, be greeted with a bumper house.

The Sohool Committee meets on Thursday at B.IS p.m. in the Publio Library.

Thomas and Holland's sawmill and bark mill at Belgrove, Nelson, have been burned. The engine only was saved, and the loss is estimated at £500. Shippers of goods and produce to Auckland by the Northern s.s. line will now require to arrange their cargo to arrive at New Plymouth on Monday and Thursday morning trains for the Gairlooh, leaving Monday and Thursday nights. The Kanieri leaves Waitara for Onehunga every Friday. '*

The output of butter from the various dairy factories throughout Taranaki is computed to be 30 tons daily, whioh affords an indication of the magnitude of our staple industry.

The Black Diamond Minstrels, at Manaia, are practising assiduously, and intend putting their show on the boards shortly.

Commenting on the passing of the Old Age Pensions Bill, the Liverpool Mercury says :— " In the face of the adverse report of the committee of experts who investigated the subjeot on behalf of the Imperial Government, the audaoity of the New Zealand Ministry can only be described as reckless. One would imagine that with a population not much larger than that* of Liverpool, and with a public debt of £44,366,618, Mr Seddon and his colleagues would abstain from a confessedly risky experiment to whioh the wealthy Mother Country fears to commit herself. But with a, lightness of heart which would be culpable even if the oolony were in a flourishing financial condition, theyhavs persisted in a scheme which will entail, at , their own estimate, an annual burden of £160,000, and may not improbably cost much more."

It is about time that the Railway Department opened its eyes to the fact that nnlesß rates of freight on goods are reduced a considerable amount of traffic will be lost to it. The Opunake wharf is nearing; completion and when done at|great amount of traffic will come to this district by that route, by sea to Opunake and wad to Manaia. The rates of freight will he very much reduced and the purchasers will reap the benefit. We will give an exiample. Take Bugar for instance, a necessary of life:— Sugar per ton from Auckland to Patea by sea, thenoe to Hawera by nul and Manaia by wagon costs at present 48s freight ; via Qpunake it will cost 38s ; from Wanganui by rail and road 40f., and from Wanganui by sea to Opunake and* thence by road will cost 35s 6d per ton freight, a reduotion of 10s from Auckland via Opunake, and is 6d ironu Wanganui via Opunake. Sugar has; been taken- as an example because it is 1 an article that is greatly used ; but the reductions on other goods would be quite as much, and on some lines more. Not only will Manaia goods be brought by that route buft goods for the whole of the Waimate Plains will also. The railway department cannot afford to lose the goods trafflo that the requirements of the Waimate Plains brings to it. — Waimate Witness.

A friend of birds suggests a3 follows : — Every thoughtful or observant person must admit that, as an insect destroyer, a bird is the best of friends to the orchard and garden ; yet bird depredations are often so great in the berry and fruit seasons that the owner of orchards or gardens '.finds it necessary to protect himself by destroying his otherwise helpful little friends. With a little forethought and observation he could spare his friends and his fruit as well. A row of mulberry trees near an orchard will furnish fruit for all the birds that are in the neighborhood. The trees are inexpensive and of quiok growth, and the fruit is preferred by the birds to any other. With mulberries at hand, cherries, strawberries and blackberries will not be molested. The expense will more than be made up by the fruit saved from the birds, who are nature's protectors of fruit, tree, and vine from their inseot foes.

Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera aiud Diarrhoea Remedy can always be depended upon and is pleasant and safe to take. Sold at Hawera General Store.

Mr H. George, of the Hawera Wheel Company, begs to announce that he has opened a Bicycle Glass in the Drill Hal, and will be pleased to give further i nfortna tion on application at the shop, Highstreet. — Advt.

An item of important news is that I carry very large stocks of Boots, SI toes and Slippers at both my Eltham and Manaia shops, and selling as obeap as any Ihouse in Taranaki. L. Hili, Soot Manufacturer Eltham and Manaia. — Advt.

The approach of Xmas is brought to our notice by the immense display of seasonable goods now on view at Gilmour's, Manaia. A complete set of travellers' samples of Electro-Plated Ware, bought low, and being almost given away. Inspeotion invited.— Advt.

iTAt the election of president of th Broadford shire (Victoria) Councillor Doherty (the ex-president) and Councillor Corney were both nominated for the position, and as both reoeived an equal number of votes the matter had to be deoided by lot. It was supposed that the name of each candidate was put in the hat, but afterwards discovered that two pieces of paper, one marked " President " and the other a blank, were put in instead. An outsider drew out the one with the word "President" on it, and the ex-president deolared himself duly eleoted. Subsequently the mistake was discovered, but Councillor Doherty refused to have the draw made over again. A deadlock has thus been created, the three councillors who voted for Councillor Corney refusing to recognise Councillor Doherty as president. On Monday there was no meeting, but Councillor Corney attended and explained that legal advice had been obtained on the matter pronouncing the election illegal. It is expected that the Supreme Court will be appealed to.

While speaking at Christohuroh on the Salvation Army farm at Peckenham, Commandant Booth gave some interesting information as to the manner in which the dairy herd was* managed. In the winter the cows were largely fed on ensilage, whioh was praotioally a kind of green jam, but even in summer they were not allowed to roam about the paddooks of their own free will, as the Army had found out that a man could by careful cultivation, get far more green fodder from an acre of ground than the most industrious cow could achieve by nibbling. The cows were kept under strict Army discipline, each milking was carefully weighed, and the cow whioh failed at the end of three months to show a good average tally was promptly courtmartialled. By the adoption of these means, added to the system of strict cleanliness, the Army hoped in time to own the best milking herd hi the Australian colonies. The next English and European Mail ! via San Franoisco will olose at Hawera on | Wednesday, the 31st of Deoember, at 6*15 a.m. Supplementary, on Friday, 23rd, at 6 p.m. Due London 25th January.

It is stated that a 'local resident on opening a fairly large sized shark, which he caught a few chains out from the mouth of the Waingongoro, found a full grown trout.

A remarkable feat in shorthand writing has been performed by Master C. Collins, son. of Major Collins, of Wellington. The boy won the shorthand prize at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and at the presentation laatweek it was stated that after three months' tuition he had taken a speech read over to him verbatim.

There was no business for the Licensing Committee, to meet for yesterday.

Borough Counoil invite tenders for taking permanent levels of Hawera streets. "We are sorry," remarked, the Chairman of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board meeting on Wednesday, " that some of the tenders for supplies are so low; they are too low to pay. Extraordinary prioes have been given for some things." In reply to questions, it was stated that butter was to be supplied at 7£d per ft all the year round, milk l|d per quart, and potatoes at 3s 6d per owt. — Herald

Some further experiments with the firing of dynamite have been conducted by Mr Arnaboldi at Auckland, and again the utter futility of attempting to do anything with castiron gunß was very forcibly demonstrated as the gun flew to pieces at the first shot, the inventor with his usual run of luck escaping without a scratch. When the smoke oaused by the explosion had cleared away it was seen that the gun had burst, and pieces of it were thrown about 150 yards into the air, falling a quarter of a mile out in the water of the bay. The | shell had gone about two feet higher than it was aimed, and had struck the bank of soft clay. It penetrated about 18in. into this bank, then, describing a circuit, came out on the same side as it went iv, tearing ovt about a barrowful of clay, and fell close to the gun without exploding, the reason for which was that, owing to the impetus [ lost by the gun bursting, it did not strike {•with sufficient force into the clay to cause the dynamite to go off.

W. D. Soott has a large entry of useful hfersea for the fair at Opuuake on Saturday next. Two draught horses lost. Washing or cleaning wanted. W.O.F.T.A. advertises entries for Saturday's sales.