LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8094, 23 September 1904, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Zealand Bowling Association now has 32 clubs affiliated to it.

Captain Boddie, of the Eltham Rifles, is resigning owing to pressure of business.

Lord Plunket will pay bis first visit to Hawke's Bay next month.

The total subscriptions collected in Taranaki towards the Consumptives' Hospital now amount to £632.

"A perfect Hades." — Succinct and sulphurous summary of the King Country, by Mr A. L. D. Fraser.

"When Sir Robert Stout was Prime Minister."— A slip by Mr Seddon, who forgot that Sir Robert was only Premier.

It has been decided to establish a butter exchange in Matterton on similar lines to that recently formed in Hawera.

"This— this man, I call him, because he is a human being, and not a femalie." —Withering scorn of Mr Lawry.

The total gate takings at the five British football matches in New Zealand amounted to £6022. "There is no prospect of prosperity for the Maoris under the present Government."—M.r Kaihau.

As the bittern is becoming rare the Colonial Secretary has decided to have it ••protected" throughout the whole colony.

A company has been formed in Auck land to drain an extensive area or swamp land in order to get at the deposits of kauri gum which are known to exist in the bed of the marsh.

The first shipment of the new season's butter will be made by the Papanui, which sails for London next Thursday. 'I he shipment will consist of between six and seven thousand boxes.

The projected southern tour of the representative Taranaki hockey team lias been abandoned, owing to the inability to induce a sufficiently strong combination to make the trip.

In a year and a half no fewer than 90 children have left a Hawke's liay school owing to the migration of their parents. A similar number came to the school, but in consequence of the changes it did not prosper as it should have done.

A correspondent of a southern journal states that at present there is a greater quantity vi snow lying on the mountains in the neighborhood of Lakes Wanaka and llawea than bas been the case for the past fifteen years.

It is said that the streams running into Lake Waikareinoana are just teeming with spawning trout, and everything points to a very fine angling seuson. Several improvements are about being completed at Lake House and grounds, that visitors will very much appreciate.

The area of native land acquired by the Government up to inarch 31, 1904, was 7,958,793 acres, of which 18,766 acres were finally acquired during 1903-4. The uncompleted purchases to March 31 last were 110,635 acres. The total expenditure to March 31 last was £2,005,365, of which £535f was for 1903-4.

The annual report presented to the Waverley Co-operative Dairy Company stated that owing to the exceptionally low prices maintained in the London market throughout the season, the profit and loss account would show so unfavorable a resulf as a loss of £249 Is 9d.

The total amount of milk received during the year just ended by the Waverley Co-operative Dairy Factory Company was 38,1i2,0Q71b5, producing 1,445,b24H>s of butter fat, from winch 1,610,3171b5. of butter were made- This exceeded last year's output by 163 tons. The average test was 3.79, and it took 23,661b» of milk to make one pound of butter.

In reply to Mr E. GS. Allen, who asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he will, with a view to improving the dairying stock of the colony, import from Denmark or Canada stock of the highest possible strain for dairying purposes, Mr Dunran stated that the department has imported several shorthorn bulls and cows of milking strains, and a shipment of Dexter and Dexter Kerrieß is now on its way. It is tho intention of the department to import further strains bo »» to improve the dairy herds, and if on information asked for it is found that Canadian and Danish are better than British, then a trial may be made.

A supplement to the Xew Zealand Gazette just issued contains particulars of a novel invention of Timothy Beehane O'Connor, publican, of Victoria street. Auckland, who has grappled with the problem of hoW to prevent a jockey from "pulling" his mount. The inventor's idea is a bridle and bit made in such a manner that it is possible when in use to ascertain to what extent a racehorse is being pulled by its rider at any stage during a race, and has for its object the detection of improper riding on the part of jockeys. A small fan, shut close down, is fixed on the top of the bridle between the horse's ears, and is connected by a cord to a spring in the bit ring. When the reins are pulled beyond the set position the fan is opened out in proportion to the pull. Mr T. H. # Foy advertises for sale various agricultural implements. Superior board and residence is offered in private family. Special show of everything new in spring and summer drapery and millinery, corafnejjdh^ on Monday.; The cotton cairibrics, oany# yojls,', 1 'tfttbyrb;" dpTajnps a T? S'JHPlyJpvely, and will be on view in greajt variety at W- Sppnce, Economic. — A4vt,

, FH9NQ TACKLE,

V. J, Wrigley announces the arrival of * very expensive assortment of Bar tie; t and Sou' fishing tackle. An especially fine aisortnUmt of wooden .rods, including lulit cane/^.green-heart, lanoewood end hickory, at'" all prices from £4 to 7s M. Bristol steel rods a speciality, 10, 11, *ud 12 f»rt Xoqg; These rods aro justly Colobratod. .throughout this district. A very large assortment of flies, including Mve<al «ew varjet{ea. New minnows, new caM* new traces, everything new.- , Inspection invited. Bartjett's best casts, at Is, Is 3d, Is 64 each, or ss, 6s, and 7s 6d the halfdozen. Flies, mjnnows, casts,- etc., sent post free. Postal orders receive prompt attention, and must be aooompanku with cash. Rods prepared by competent workmen. Fishing licenses issued. F. 9. WWGl«Y,H*wem

A startling illustration of the state of things existing in the King Country (waere liquor is not allowed) was given to tne House by the member for Egmont last week. The state of things that obtains there, he declared, bordered on persecution, and he recounted how a certain man got married, and took his bride home to a place beyond Te Kuiti. The very night of his arrival the constable went into the house and searched it for liquor, and finding none he "went through" the lady's wedding garments. "'Had he & search warrant!" asked Mr Taylor. "Yes," was the reply. "He had a warrant to search every house in the King Country." Mr Taylor: "That's a famous yarn."" "I pledge my reputation as the member for Egmont that it is a fact," solemnly declared Mr Jennings, and be added that in another place the constable entered a man's house and confiscated a | bottle of wmsky. ( The Minister for Public Works was asked by Mr Major if he would authorise an electrical engineer to report upon the question of constructing an electrical railway between Opunake and EHham, the questioner being of opinion that the many streams along the route would at little cost supply the necessary energy to carry out the service. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones stated that the streams from Mount Egmont in the district referred to became very small towards the close of the summer, and the construction of reservoirs would be extremely expensive. In view of this, it is very questionable whether sufficient power would be obtained to work an electric railway all the year round. Even supposing that the above conditions were favorable, there would appear to be no advantage in this locality in making or working an electric railway instead of a railway of ordinary construction where the ppesent rolling stock could be utilised.

Mr Vile asked the Minister for Lands (1) What are the Government's intentions in connection with the Levin State Farm? (2) Whether, seeing that the Government for three ycara prior to M»rcU 31. X 903, had made a loss of nearly £8000 in connection with the farm, the executive considers it wise in the colony's interest to continue to proceed with this farm? (3) Whether it would not be better to cut the wnole farm up into small farms, to be occupied by industrious settlers? The Minister replied that (1) the intention of the Government is to utilise the land as an experimental and stud farm, also as a site for the dairy school. (2) It is not correct to say that the amount named has been lost, as the bulk of it is represented in the purchase of stock, clearing, | stumping, fencing, draining, painting, buildings, etc. The enhanced value thus put upon the land would more than recoup tho Government for the expenditure. (3 is answered by No. 1.) During the debate in the House of Commons on the Imperial Defence Commission, writes the London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus, echoes of dissatisfaction were again heard at the smallness of the colonial contributions towards the Imperial navy. An official return was submitted, which throws an interesting light upon this subject. It appears that while the total contributions for the maintenance of the navy from self-governing colonies in 1903 were £284.604. and from Ind-a £100,000, the United Kingdom voted £33,653,500, or 24.26 per cent, on total public expenditure, and 3.81 per cent, on the total value of imports and exports by sea White Canada and Newfoundland made no contribution to the Royal Navy, the total contribution from the other selfgoverning colonies was .45 per cent, in proportion to their total public expenditure, and .12 per cant, in proportion to the total value of their imports and exports by sea; Victoria paying £42,000. or .51 per cent, in proportion to the total expenditure, and .81 per cent, in proportion to the total valwa of imports and exports by sea. The New Plymouth News reports that the first Mayoral election to disturb the serenity of Waitara's local' affairs will probably be indelibly imprinted on the memory of one or two residents. It appears that some enthusiasts "celebrated" the occasion, part of the celebrations consisting of the firing of -rockets. Apparently one of these was left about, promiscuous like, as Artemus Ward would have observed, and was found by a small boy, whose eye was attracted by the brass covering the detonator. In order to detach this from the rest of the rocket the boy invoked the aid of a smithy fire. Tho combination of boy, fire, and the contents of the rocket (guncotton) produced some startling results, proving, as one observer put it, "a regular Trinity of Mischief. Ai a consequence of the application of the fii«e the guncotton exploded, and the boy was badly cut about, and a man workinp near also sustained considerable injuries, while the building was not a little damaged. The man and the boy both required surgical attention, and it was not clear last evening how far the injuries really extended. It was a remarkable escape, however, from worse results, and doubtless the boy will in future be careful to keep such dangerous articles (in conjunction) at a respectful distance. A number of members of Parliament will leave Wellington to-morrow morning by the Manawatu train to make the Mokau River-Egmont Mountain House trip. The party will reach Waitara the same even ing at eight o'clock. An hour later passage will be taken by the steamer Tainui. reaching Mokau wharf at midnight. Members will stop on the- steamer for the night, and leave on the run of 22 miles to the Maryville coal mines shortly after daylight. After a short stay at Maryville, tire party will return to Mokau. thence go on to Waitara. reaching that place on Sunday night. Waitara will Ye left on Monday morning for Inglewood: from thence the travellers will go by conveyance (or horseback, as members wish) to the Mountain House (4500 ft), eight miles from Inglewood; back to Inglewood about six o'clock, where members will stop for the night, and they will leayt Inglewood for Wellington by express train at 8.10 a.m. on Tuesday, reaching Wellington at 8.15 the same evening. Any member of tha party desiring to be back in Wellington on Monday night can do so by omitting the trip to the Mountain House. Referring to the destruction of the bacon factory, the Eltham Argus says:— The alarm" was given shortly after two o'clock by the blowing of the Box Company's sleain whistle by the night watchman on tho premises, and by the ringing of the town bell by the town- watchman. The outbreak, so far as can be ascertained, was first witnessed by the watchman at the box factory, who observed thick smoke issuing from the main building. Almost immediately afterwards the flames broke through the roofs and walls, apparently somewhere in the vicinity of the engine room. Fanned by the heavy gale blowing, the flames leaped from end to end of tire upper story in a twinkling, and long ere the fire brigade could possibly reach the sceue, the whole of tHe interior was one seething furnace. Within an hour of the alarm being sounded nothing was left but a mass of frizzling wood, iron, bacon and hams on the red-hot concrete floors. The pnly fire in the premises was an one in the smoking kilns, but the fire did not originate in that quarter, which was, in fact, the last portion of the building to ignite. The manager, Mr Buchanan, left the premises lato in the -evening, when everything was secure and the draughts shut off and doors locked. In April last tho Trades and Labor Councils, at their annu.il conference, decided that an Independent Labor party should be formed Immediately. This decision was questioned by the Premier on Wednesday evening, when representatives from the conference submitted certain resolutions to him. In reply, Mr Paul, who acted as spokesman for the deputation, said tho question had been discussed at the last conference, and it was thought that they could do more for the cause of progress if they formed a Labor party- It had always been understood, however, that the Government need have no fear which side the party would be on. It amounted to this : That more service could be rendered to the progressive party by this step than if the Labor party lost ita identity. The Labor party had its platform, and with a distinct party to push on that platform, it could do more for progress by having a separate organisation. Mr Seddon said he had asked the deputation the question in reference to this matter to discover whether there existed a real grievance ; whether the deputation thought that under the existing position they considered that labor had suffered any disadvantages by the Liberal and Labor parties working together as one party; if there had been good cause for complaint; and for them to point out to him as head of tho Government and leader of the Liberal party, wherein labor had suffered by this joint working together? The attitude of the deputation was satisfactory to him. Of course, they were the best judges themselves, but from the experiences they bad had in Australia, he thought they must come to the- conclusion that over

there they were simply on. the fringe of what had been, obtained in this colony, anj) thsjt there they were now only approaching the position that already existed here. However, if it came to parting, he felt sure they would part on the best terms. Of course, if it had not been for the fact that the party represented by the deputation had formed part of the Liberal party, the advanced legislation now upon the statute book of the colony would never have been obtained. What he feared by any separation was that it might bare the effect of driving away from the present Labor party those who had hitherto been working in harmony with them. He' had always felt proud to be Minister of Labor and head of the party, but if in future he was simply to be head of |he Liberal party, then the! responsibility of the change, would rest upon themselves, and be had no doubt they would weigh well the position. , J. R Stewart and 00. wilMiold a stock, sale at Auroa on Wednesday next. The McCormick h*y rakes have'backbone, »re w»U trotted, wad. wilj. no* sag.— Adfl. - i *»• ' v • ■ •"* V- 1

Before the Licensing Bill escapes from committee, the Premier will move that if, as the result of the appeal now contemplated or pending before the Privy Council in connection with the Port Chalmers local option poll, it is established that the petition lately presented concerning lue poll is a valid petition, "it should be heard and given effect to as if Una Act had not been passed." He also proposes that if, as the result of the petition and the proceedings thereon, the poll is voided, a fresh poll shall be taken, and the proposals submitted shall be those prescribed in cases where licenses exist in the district.

The merits and demerits of the practice of dehorning cattle were discussed at Monday's meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Inspector (Mr Seed) submitted a case to the committee in connection with tfrs dehorning of a well-grown bull a; the laita. .me beast was examined by a v***™ ll "^ surgeon,' who reported that it had to be cast so as to allow the operation to be carried out, and was suffering great pain, the dehorning having apparently been carried out in a crude manner, the beasts head presenting a sickening appearance. Mr Seed is strongly against dehorning, which he considers cruel whichever way it is done, and he pointed out that it is illegal in England to dehorn cattle at any age. It was eventually decided to instruct the Society's solicitor to take action in the above case.