LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 66, 14 April 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

llc'-ardiug UK' harbor loan of MOO.OOO for which Messrs King and Connctt arc nt present negotiating in England, rumr,r states that Hie terms the Hoard \- considcring are .C270 : U00 i*ued at !>S licit at 4';« per vent. We ca-nuol voueli for the figures, although we lv.wi- reason to believe they are eorrcct. If tlto loan is underwritten at PS after paying all Mutation expenses, it must he considered satisfactory, and in (lie present state of llio money market, it is not likely 11ml tin.' »»>ney eonld lie got under 'A% We understand that the balance of .025.0(10 to make up Hie .caOlt.UW authorised under the Empowering Act is not proposed to be raised ai prcHcnt, Hie i-l.nrg.-s on the C275,U00 eiial.liug the Board to keep within Hie estimate on which the loan proposals were based when put before the ratepayers. At Kapouga on Saturday. Klthani defeated tiie local team by 11 points to nil. 11l couiiectii.il with the retrenchincnl now eliccled in He cost of tire pub uservices, it has been alleged that the ,-nilwavs could be worked with :«)()((| fewer men Hum are at pres.oit engaged. K thief was at work at the Patea races on llondav. A well-known gentle-1 man rider had a -heavy gold chain, with : locket attached, valued at £2O stolen from the jockeys' room during Ins absence. It was reported that twl' watches were, also extracted from coats JiaDgißg to tie loom. : ,_.,.:..- J

The Wellington-Naples mail, despatched on sth Hard), arrived in London on the morning of the 12th inst. It is understood from Sir .Joseph Ward's late speech Unit the District .Courts are doomed to bu sacrilicod on the altar of economy, A large number of swaggers are reported by the Age to ]>;• in evidence i" the Wairarapa, One of the .unemployed told a reporter of that journal that he had been all round the East Coast without succeeding in getting work. On a recent Sunday (says the Nelson 'Colonist) a large school of whales—to 'the number of fully fifty—entered the West Wanganui inlet, aid disported themselves in its waters for about six hours, eventually going out with the receding tide. This interesting and unusual visit was witnessed by several residents of the locality. It is estimated that the average length of the whales was not less than 30 feet.

Teachers and pupil teachers' Saturday classes open at Stratford and New Plymouth on Saturday, 17th hist. Subjects include blackboard and model drawing (Mr. E. P. Kenton, instructor), cookery ('Miss .McDonald), dairying (Mr. F. J. lioatlev. M.A.). nature study (Mrs. E. tieddes and Miss M. Webb), chemistry (Mr. F. J. Hcatley. M.A.), cardboard ('Mr. W. J. Evans, at Stratford), physiology and first aid (Mr. O. Johnson, at New 'Plymouth). The Marlborough Herald says:—'"We understand that writs for slander have been issued liy a well-known medical practitioner against a Blenheim resident and his daughter. It seems that information of the slanderous statements only reached the medico on Saturday, anil liv 2 p.m. on Tuesday writs were issued." The sums of £SO and £2 respectively only are claimed, so that botb actions will be tried before a judge of the Supreme Court without a jury'"

Apropos the reported dearth of employment, a South Canterbury correspondent 'writes to the Press pointing out that the rate of wages demanded is responsible for the state of affairs, lie states that he recently communicat-

Ed with the Labor Department, asking to be supplied with a farm hand, but was informed that no man could be sup-

plied unless he was offered 23* per week

to start with. (Juite recently, continues the writer, tliere were six farmers ap-

plying at the Tiinaru Bureau for helps on the farm, and not a man could be found that was willing to work at even 25s weekly. "To meet the difficulty," he adds, "I am now laying aside two-fur-row ploughs, with six horses in each, and giving the men I have 30s per week and found."

The death of the giraffe on the Marama on the night preceding her arrival at Sydney was the subject of very general regret on the part of the passengers, ft appears from the statement made as to the cause of the loss by one of Wirth Bros.' managers that the animal was affected by the motion of the steamer, and seemed decidedly unhappy. It was standing up at the time, and being unable to keep its feet, fell down and "sprawled about the cage. It could not recover itself, and, as Messrs Wirth Bros.' man expressed himself. ''lt was I a timorous and nerveless animal, and I after a minute's struggling it simply I broke its heart." "'This is an unlucky I trip for us," he subsequently remarked, "as the Polar bear died on the first I night out from Auckland, and we had to 1 throw him overboard. The giraffe cost us £IOOO, so von can see we are having •a, bad time of it." The giraffe wis I taken on to Sydney, and will be stuffed ! and sent to Melbourne, where it will I be placed in Wirth's museum of animals that have died.

"Do you think New Zealand lias I reached the height of achievement in social legislation!" a Cliristchureh reporter asked the Rev. Dr. (i. A. Gates, principal of the Pomona College, Clareniont, California. "Not by any manner of means," replied Dr. Gates emphatically. "It is only the beginning of wbal will' go on here' and all over the world. The most prominent thing that strikes anyone with his eyes open must be the advanced position of your labor legislation and administration. You have taken 'hold of that big problem with a firm hand. I l'md all manner of opinions about the men who say the labor laws 'are ruining the country, and that if cannot stand much longer because capital is being driven out. I naturally asked people who told me this if they would give mc an instance of capital being driven out. Not once have they given ;'. definite and specific reply. Capital is ultra-conservative. I know, but 1 do not believe that it is leaving the country. I cannot see very much in your labor laws that is extreme, and whatever extremities have been reached. I find a disposition on all sides to go slow and carefully re-consider."

Some delving scientist calculates that

the Chinese had taxicabs some sixteen hundred years ago. Dr. (liles, professor of Chinese at Cambridge, is responsible for this discovery. While tracing the dynastic histories of China, he came across numerous allusions to a curious

chariot in which there was an arrangement for registering the distances traversed. It was lirst nieiitioivd under the China dynasty, which lasted from A.l). 2(15 to 41! l, and from time down to the middle of the fourteenth century frequent allusions to such vehicles, known as the "measure-mile drum chariots," arc to be found in the dynastic histories.

ITull particulars are given as to their construction, the luunher of cogs on each wheel, ok., being all definitely stated. lln th« completion of a translation of the specifications, Professor Giles placed it in the bands of Professor llopkinso-.i. of the Engineering Laboratory, with the satisfactory result that from a specification recorded 900 years ago Professor ifopkinson has constructed a model of a wheeled vehicle which accurately registers distance. At each li, or Chinese mile, mhich is ahout onethird of au English mile, a drum is strucfc, while »t every tenth a hell is rung.

! Allusion was made b,v Archdeacon Walsh last night, lit the social in his honor, to the scheme on foot to enlarge St. Mary's Church. At present Hie building'is too small to hold the congrc"ations llnit try to get accommodation at certain services, and a considerable sum is in hand towards the alterations. The Archdeacon, using his privilege as o former "parishioner," said that if parishioners were going to spend money on enlarging tlie church, they should trynot to spoil"an already beautiful cliurcli. He ventured tc think that a very much J.iv'cr cliurcli would not lie wanted in the"position of St. -Mary's, as the time was coming when we should have electric trains from Motuioa to i'iUv»y. a/ui fc'6 would: he need jor churclies at each end-im enlarged one at Tu Heiuii and a new one towards Moturoa. Thin hulug tho case, it might '»• s "lliI'itrnt to enlarge St. Mary's, by n transept ia which would b«a mullioiied window. This addition would cost much less than an extension of tlio building, which' might spoil the magniliceiit church Uicv now had. He hoped thai .Hi,, transept scheme would meet with the favor of those who proposed to c0iu-,,,,.,,,,,,-alo in the alterations the late ■Uchdcacon (iiivell. Utcr the vicar ',Mr. Evans) thanked (he Archdeacon lor ],in suggestions, which had lice." ,vcll received, and il was aiimmnceil that Archdeacon Walsh had agreed to draw up a sketch embodying Ins ideas {o r the proposed transept. With stinging sarcasm the t'o'iiniissiou which cmiuired into the iintis > Poor Laws refers to England as T.h UndofUopea.idClory,' report the Commission says this popular and patriotic lyric is sung with rapture by thousands of voices mil v> cert-tin elates of the eoiiiiiuinify into whose moral and material condition it has been our duty to nurture the* words are a mockery and a ialsehood. (),„• investigations prove the existence .„ „,„- ,„i,lst of a class whose conditio, and environment are a discrciit._a.id a peril to the Mhole community: continues the Commission, "and 110 however rich, can permanently hold ts own in the race of Internathma cm *- tition if hampered by <iu increasing 10. d of iliic dead weight, or can sucec*W perform the role ol soycre.gntj beyo d .|„. ~.„< if a portion of Us own folk at homo are sinking below the civilisations and aspirations of ils sublet a - abroad." The Commission is umum" > s in demanding the abolition "I t' Bool* of (luanliaus under the I ■ m T,aw and the l.rvaking up of hci obsolete system of mixed workhouses in Which' able-bodied pauper*. A™*"W and undeserving, aged pnup.' s, «h »- ' tramps, wastrels and incnla 1 y d. I c. t l.avc herded together. 111"*." 1 " 1 "* ~1,011110,, of the workhouse will enable the ~j,r!il wuiciuls to be appointed 10 their Tinht duties. The Commission. ,vhioh included ,o,„c of the inos ab_] students of '-the orobleni of po\eit> further recommended a ,f se . < _ , _ ltl !, ui, ,_" „f the term "Poor Law," mill; «"" pleasant association, the provision ol ' i» Unmioilation for the s.ck. he aled the mentally feeble, and th ve„„" labor colonies for the workl™ .. Vs of detention with «... l,e bil,»v for the wont works. tnc ie port is of such a comprehensive nature that it has created quite a stir in England. For Chronic Chest Complaints, .Woods' great Penperjjiint Cure, IsOiand |BJ9.i.

The annual meeting of the Taranaki Agricultural Society is to lie licM in the Town Hall on Thursday evening.

It is stated that the owners of a liner recently delayed in the Waitara roadstead receive ,£IOOO for demurrage, representing 10 days at £IOO a day. < In our local columns in yesterday's issue the name "E. Coikill"' w as inadvertently inserted for E. Dockrill as treasurer of the Marsland Hill memorial.

'•Fair maidens wear nae purses," .says an old Scotch proverb. The experiences of gatekeepers in this part of the world leads to the belief that this old saw needs revising. Isabella Margaret Munro, who wandered away from her home at Leppcrton last week, and was subsequently found lying in the open after spending two nights thus, died in the hospital lon Sunday. The interment takes place [ to-dav.

A meeting of the Harbor Hoard was held yesterday to discuss matters in connection with the harbor loan. The proceedings were in camera. The "decision arrived at will in all probability ibe made known in a few. days when the Board will again meet.

Ratepayers and qualified householders are reminded that claims for enrolment on the municipal roll will not be received after to-day for tile election of councillors at the end of flic month. In addition to those mentioned by «s last week as probable candidates for the Council, \yv learn that an endeavor is being made to induce Mr. Geo. Bishop, of the Taranaki Hotel, to offer himself for the central ward.

The usual fortnightly meeting -of the Loyal Egmont Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U.. was held on Monday, Bro. I!. A. Newton, N.G., presiding. There was a fair attendance of members, and two female candidates were initiated and one proposed. Two male candidates were proposed for membership. The auditor's report and balance-sheet for the March quarter were read and adopted.

Tlie Western Park committee met last night, and it was decided to close Hie main football ground for play during the present season. The committee will lie well repaid, we think, for this compulsory loss of revenue, for the newly-sown Held would hardly stand a season's play. The committee has had a very good financial year, having been enabled to expend A'HiO upon improvements. The travelling public were loud in their complaints on .Monday at the total inadequacy of the accommodation provided by the Railway Department between Stratford and New Plymouth (says the Stratford Post). The carriages were packed to suffocation, and standing room was not obtainable on the platforms. During the journey front New Plymouth to Stratford at night the cold drove people from the platforms into the carriages, where a number preferred squatting on the floors to freezing outside.

It is estimated that not more than one in ten of the spectators at the Caledonian sports on Easter Monday belonged to New Plymouth. From this it is quite evident that the people or the town do not appreciate the vast amount of work which is done by the ofticfils of the Caledonian Society or the resultant benefits to the town. The people who toiled so hard on Monday got nothing but the sport in return, hut the inrush of some hundreds of visitors to tho town must have brought some cash to the tills of business people.

The Caledonian Society, on short notice, held its lirst smoke, concert in tlie .Brougham Street Hull on Monday evening, when tliere was a fair attendance of member*

and vsitors, Mr. A. Humphries presiding in the absvnee of the president, Mr. A. Mel lardy. Toasts honored were "The King," "The Caledonian Society," "Kindreil Sports," "Visiting Competitors," "The Recreation Committee," "The Caledonian Secretary," "The Ladies." "The Secretary of the 'Smoker,'" and "The Press." Songs were contributed by .Messrs. F. Cornwall, Marr, R. Beunock, McLeod, Perry, Schnackenberg, Taylor, Douglas, Somervillc, Elder, Haslam, and Stohr. Mr. Cameron danced a fling to the bagpipe accompaniment of Mr. McLeod. Mr. Holding acted as accompanist during the evening. A very enjoyable evening was 'brought to a clo6C

by the singing of the National Anthem. The thanks of the committee are 3ue to Messrs. Humphries and Co. for a [donation of a plenteous supply of popular "White Horse Whisky," and to Paul's Brewery Company for a liberal donation of ale, which were appreciated while in no way abused.

A conference oT delegates from various Rechabite'ten'ts in the Turmiuhi

district was held on Monday at Hawera to consider flic suggestion to form a sub-district on this coast. Representa-

tives were present from New Plymouth, Wanganui, Cardiff, and Hawera. Bro. W. Bigelow, of New Plymouth, was voted to the chair, and Bro. fl. Kilvington was elected secretary, ft was decided that it was advisable Inform a sub-district from New Plymouth to Wanganui. inclusive, to be called the Taranaki sub-district, with its headquarters hi Hawera. Draft rules were considered and approved for the new sub-district, ft was decided to adopt a more aggressive policy than Heretofore in obtaining new members aii(Tin opening new tents. A vote of tlianks was accorded to the JTawera brethren for arranging the convention and for their hospitality, and the conference adjourned till 9th November next at Hawera.