LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 172, 13 August 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An extraordinary Gazette published last night furtlicr prorogues i'arliumeul to September Otli. On Tuesday morning, wailst digging a grave ill Hamilton East mni'terv, ai: old .man named William Joseph ReveM employed as sexton for many years fell down dead.

Thirly-one domestic servants were added to the population of the Dominion by the ifrrival of the t'orinthic from London. Only four of them, however, were wanting work on arrival, all the others being" already engaged.

At a school committee meeting at Oannevirke, the Kev. E. Kobertshawe, in discussing the cost of improvements nade to the school during the year, expressed the opinion that the time was not far distant when the high schools of the Dominion would have 10 pay their own way. He said the Dominion's education bill was enormous at present, and this course would be the only way of relieving it.

Referring in his speech at Dunedin to the millionaires of England, Dr. Findlay

said that England had determined to make millionaires pay, and some of them had been having sleepless -.lights since the advent of the new legislation affecting them at Home. "And," he added jocularly, "we villi' timl tllieir money coming cut here, where our safe and utterly uns'ocialistic laws will attract it and make New Zealand the home of timid capital.'' An Auckland paper fitailcs Jthat a curious iind was made in the Imsh neir Taurangii a day or two ago. Sonic sportsmen came across an old Maori whare in which were two .barrels <f gunpowder, which was contained in an old military chest. There were also two old-faMiiiin-'d military rifles and some old moulded lead bullets.'. The contents ol the barrels had disintegrated ht > the original ingredients, tiie saltpetre, charcoal, and sulphur lying in three layers. It is supposed this plant has lain undiscovered for 80 years.

' Vendors of bituminous coals in Wellington are exorcised over tlie competition of an Auckland company, which is delivering lignite 'lit ii i-heitp rate to nearly the whole of the smaller townships in the Wellington province. Foi

reason (says the Dominion) Taupiri lignite is said to be carried on the railways at a lower rale than l.Luminoiirt coals. As' ii is considered that the concession in freights offers an undue advantage to the Northern company, it is probable that the .Minister for kailways will lie asked to make a readjustment.

Dr. Hoi-kens' -Bibliography of Xew Zealand Literature'' is on the point of being issued from the (lovernment Printing Olliee. The bibliography names and describes the title and contents' of every book in which reference is made to New Zealand from the time of Tasnian (the

lirst to refer to Xew Zealand) down to Ihe present day, constituting an almost invaluable reference to the studcnts.of our colonial affairs, who will be enabled 10 discover from the titles of the works t,nd the summaries attached the contents of anv work mentioned.

Diogenes is sn-id to leave cxpende much time searching for an honest mai and apparently Mr. W. P.urnctt (chili: man of the Otago Central Railwa League) has long been busied in a simila quest (says the Otago Daily Times He was one of the deputation wliic waited on the lion. li. McKenzie tone! ing the extension of the line aforenaii and received the most straightforwar of negatives. Whereupon Air. Burnet held out his hand, saying, ''l am delighi ed to liave at last met an honest pol tician."

Sonic idea of the increased rates in connection with accident iu-iirancc necessitated In- the passing of the Amended Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act. 1111(8. was given at the n ting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board last week, It was stated that the Hoard's agreement and policy with a certain company expired tit the end of the present month, the rates being 10s -ptr cent, for manual laborers and Is per cent, for clerical workers. The no.w rates', owing to the increased liability under the Act abovementioned, are ila (id per cent, for ordinary manual laborers, Wis per cent, for quarry workers and men employed on reclamation works, and Ss (id per cent, for clerical workers.

I The Papeete correspondent of the | Sydney Morning Herald, writing of the I .Maori entertainers who passed through en route to San Francisco, says:—" 11 was a sight to see them arguing with the Chinese in the. shops over the cliangc they got. They had had a certain eleI meiitary grounding in the matter ol French coinage before, they set foot or. I Tahiti, but what use was it all when I they found American dimes and cent; | thrown in with francs and centimes, and other articles of coinage too numerous to- mention? They simply gave it Jp and lirak everything for granted, and gave everybody credit for being honest.. because, perforce, they had to. If thee had to stay here much longer they would lie among those whom the gods make mad in Papeete." Wellington restaurateurs who have been complaining that the counler'luncli. the free eoi|con|ilaiit of beer in a certain fourpenny bar, has developed into a straight-out, meal, to the detriment of sixpenny, liinepeiiny and shilling doing looms, brought their grievance definitely before the committee of the Wellington l.iicnsed Victualler.,' Association on Wednesday morning. The chairman of ihe Association I.Mr. .UcFarland) said its policy was "live and let live." It would not be wi«e to abolish the ancient custom i)i' a mild counter lunch ('■fingerpieces" such as bisciiils and cheese and various ih-l.itsi, hot the members as a whole did not countenance the free meal idea. Subsequently the committee interviewed- the hotelkeeper mentioned, ami he agreed to modify his bar provender! in some respects.

A remnant of the Mam-is" ancient landed possessions' still remaiiw within a short distance of the heart of Wellington i-i,.i. Oij the Thiakori hills, nearly opposite the Botanical f.arden main entrance, is a block of liative hind. 28 acres in extent, known as Tinakori South, (t includes the prominent knob at that point, and runs northward to the gravel-pit. In January the land wae vested in the Aotea Maori Land Board. So that it could be profitably utilised! A* it lies close to Northland, some day the settlement of that suburb will spread over it, hut a fair -amount of expenditure i on reading is necessary to open It up (says the Now Zealand Times). Two roads running north and south' are proposed, and the City Council has been formally notified of' the Board's intention, so that any .subdivisions in the neighborhood can fall into line with the nroposols for throwing open Tinakori South for 'building on leasehold allotments.

Some .'days ago a strange light in the western sky was reported. Since then further hannenings have occurred. The Waimatc Witness says':—"The presence of a light in the skies, well out to sea. iind in a southerly direction, drew the attention of Mrs. (ianilin and farm hands at about 10 o'clock on' Monday night. The light wag too high up to lie due to a passing boat, so a good teles'cope was used to obtain « better glimpse of the stranger. What was rewaled caused the spectators some surprise. A luge bladder-shaped object was clearly disce/nijde. lighted up completeand veins or ribs about jf were made visible. There could he no illusion about the shape nor the ribs', and the object J did not move along, hut tumbled over and over, shifting but slightly from the one place. The watchers Vpl the ti-I»-I scope on the visitor for some time, but i later left their vigil convinced that the | presence of the object needed explanation. A number of other residents report having seen the strange sight." "I shall never' bo heaUhv," said Leah. "Stuff and nonsense," said Ma; "the idea. For your ills which seem chronic, You'll find pills Laxo-Tonic, A.ncver failing and safe panacea." LftXO-TONIC PILLS. 10' id and Is OdBullock and Johnston. Agents, New Plymouth