LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 189, 14 September 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A 'Kaponna bowling club is talked of.

Mr. Newton King's Kaponga bra:io!i premises arc now practically ready for business. There \vi»re no applications for exemption from jury service at the Supreme Court yesterday. The first jury was empanelled without a single challenge, Buch happenings are rare.

Schuapper are very plentiful in the North \Taranaki Bight just now and the fishermen at Moturoa are having good hauls. Yesterday there must have been over three hundred of these fisn brought in, one boat alone accounting for 130.

The Garrison Band is preparing a sacred programme from the works of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Handel, Haydn, Weiss, etc., under the eonduet of "Mr. C. H. Anderson. It is hoped to present this musical treat on a Sunday afternoon at an early date. There were six meetings of dairy company directorates at Inglewood yesterday to meet buyers. The only company which definitely decided upon disposal of its output was the Lepperton Cooperative Dairy Co., whose butter will be consigned through Messrs Collett and Co.

In the opinion of Inspector C'ullcn, of Auckland, the supposition that a constable must be a tali, imposing man, if lie is to "iill the bill," successfully, is not founded on substantial premises. "Some people," replied Mr. liishop, "say that they do not care a •pin for a. policeman unless lie is of imposing appearance."

The usual fortnightly meeting of ihu Loyal Jigniont Ivodge, 1.0.0. F., AIU., was held last evening,"Bro. A. Duller, N.ti., presiding. One candidate was initiated, and tlm lecture-master, P.P.G.M. Bro. McGahey, conferred degrees on several members entitled to receive them. Bro. A. B. Carr ,was elected Vice-Grand in lieu of Bro. Hildor, resigned, owing to his having left the district. "What do you mean hy flic .words 'without prejudice' attached to your letter?" asked counsel of a witness h the Supreme Court yesterday. His Honor intervened, suggesting that this question would be more properly asked of the witness, a country schoolmaster, when he went up for his solicitor'' exam. He added that it was like the term Mesopotamia. No one, even » lawyer, could be sure where it led to. reasonable men are not always the hardhearted enemies towards the man who has failed that the outsider so often imagines. At a bankruptcy meeting in Wellington, in an enquiry into the bankrupt's affairs, it was discovered that the

unsuccessful emu had had more than a fair share of troubled that fall to th*? ordinary mortal, lie had supported lii.s aged parents in the Inst year!- of their Jifi?, and had buried them decently. Much expense had 'been caused him through unavoidable family illness, added to which he had backed bills for friends who failed, through some cause or other, to meet their obligations. T'te estate showed but a slight deficiency, ami when the bankrupt explained thai he eould make no olFcr a majority of creditors rose up expressing sympathy with a man who had done his best, and who they knew had discharged his filial duties conscientiously. The official assignee followed with the observation that it -was a ease of downright hard luck or misfortune. Only one creditor opposed the resolution that bankrupt bo granted hi* immediate discharge. A special sample of a yacht and bonbuilder's handicraft is at present approaching completion in Mr. Hodder s establishment in Devon street. Th<; ; craft is of unusual build locally, being practically constructed in two hull*. , There are no ribs as usually 'under-1 stood. What might be called the first I hull is "diagonal built," the timber be I ing shaped into position somewhat liUo i staves in a barrel. Over this timb-•, another covering, but running longitudinally has been shaped, the hull hew* three-quarters of an Inch in thickness.' For this style of craft is claimed far greater resistance to rough usage, th? "give" being greater than in the ribbuilt boat. The launch, which is being constructed by Mr. Hodder for Mr. \V. Billing for the local fishing trade, is 23ft 4in in length, 7ft beam, and 4ft <lcep. She is fitted with aße DionBouton motor engine, of practically the same tytpe as used in the De Dion motor ears. The reversing gear is of a new type, the ."blades of the propeller performing this office without the on gine itself being reversed. The craft, which is a picture of symmetry, is inspected to be launched on Saturday, find ■ will be put into commission almost iinnieTiately. Sleeping accommodation is 1 provided aboard for three hands. Mr. Hodder has also in hand a stroii* dinghy for the -same client, and a ?G----footer motor launch for another.

The largest volcano in the world is • in the Sandwich Islands, The crater |, is 20 miles in diameter, and the stream, of lava flowing from it is 50 miles long, and in places four miles "wide. American Customs authorities estimate that the Government is robbed of ,14,000,000 annually through the organised smuggling of women's apparel into the jort of New York. "As trustees administering public money, I don't think that we should give assistance to people who even only occasionally take a glass of liquor. s ' Mr.. 11. XV. Short, acting-chairman of the Benevolent Trustees, Wellington. ''Twenty-five pounds in two months! | Why, that is not much," said an applicant for admission to thu Ohiro Wellington. "Yes; I knocked down in a couple of months. Why, I've ,*peat £25 in a week before now/' he added. However, as he had fallen on evil days, and had been ill, assistance was giv*n. It was .seasoned with a little sermon by the acting-chairman on thrift, and the evils of knocking-down cheques.

At last night's meeting of the Borough Council, Cr. Dockrill drew attention to the speed at which motor ears were often driven through the town. There had been close; shaves from serious accidents and it was desirable that steps bo taken to put a slop to a practice tha't was distinctly dangerous. Tht- Mayor said it was viut easy to •« I certain the regulation gpucd. Cr. DockI rill: Vou can easily do so at corners. The latest census prepared by the I town clerk of Taihape puts tile total population at 1000. When the borough was constituted three yeare ago !'s capital value amounted to £71.000, b.it new it han reached the satisfactory figure of £150,000. When money becomes more plentmu, Taihape will raise a £30,000 loan for public improvements, including a municipal opera house and council chambers on a fine corner si to owned by the municipality. A fine specimen of a sea lion was' an object of much interest at Blufl', having been brought up by the llinemoa from the Auckland Islands for the Wellington Zoo. He seenivd a bit out of his ' element boxed up on deck, but, although somewhat sleepy, a Band put inside tb's cage would cause a sudden wakefuln '-jd and a vicious snap. Otherwise he was all peacefulness and good nature. The Bluff Press remarks: —"The sea lion appears to be fretting considerably; he absolutely refuses to eat, and the poor beast is undoubtedly reducing himself by his copious tears." . "In South Africa," says a writer, "the Englishman supplies what the Dutchman lacks. The one is slow, the othdr prompt and decisive; the one is cautious, the other adventurous; the one patient and persistent, the other impatient and aggressive. English assertiveness, English quickness to resent injustice, the English passion for sport, for fair play, indeed the very loftiness of English intolerance, all these are assets which I South Africa could very ill afford to I part with. Wherever he goes, the EngI lishman carries freedom about with | him "

Another story about the .party of Maoris Avho have gone for__a tour o e American theatres:—An old "Maori is said to nave irone ashore at Rarotonga to havo a look round. The heat was very oppressive, but, despite this fact, the old Maori muiiered up enough energy to purchase a cheap thermometer, and, after addressing it to his home »t Te Arolui. asked"a postal official how

much it would cost to send. The inauisitive man asked what the parcel contained, and received the startling reply that it was a thermometer he was sending to his people to prove how hot it was in the Cook Islands! "The husband is the head of the home,' said Mr, C. C. Kettle, S.M., during the hearing of «n application for a sum* mary separation order in the Auckland Police Court; "at least he used to In considered so Rome years ago/ Ji« continued, "until <»f recent yeiu< certain things have conic to pass; woman's rights have come to the front and things are somewhat changed." A woman, he said, swore to love, honor and obey her husband in all lawful commands, and I the law required on the husband's part that he should conduct himself properly. ".Somebody must rule a house," he said, a little later on, "two people •ai'inot drive a. coach." —lierald. There are sigus of a- revival in the sawmill and flux industry. All along the Manawatu railway line are to u seen scores of acres of bleached flax, nnd all the mills there are working. It appears that there will be a five-years' shortage shortly of good Manila; hence the rise % iu price of the New Zealand article. The improvement in the timber industry has also been mo6t pronounced. All the mills in Ohakune and Hangataua except two are in full working ord>r, and in other places along the line southwards. A Wellington traveller who ha? just returned from the West Coast of the South Island states that he did more business there last month than ill the preceding six months. Since the installation of the electric street lamps, quite a number has been •wantonly smashed. Blame has been laid on the shoulders of the small boy, , but recently the lynx-eyed inspector got on the trail of two men who were re ; sponsible for the destruction of some of the ITine street lamps. They eoni fessed to having committed the act . whilst under the inlluence of liquor, i They paid for the destroyed property . and forwarded a letter of apology to the Council, This was read at last night's meeting. In the ensuing discussion, the Mayor stated that it was originally intended to make an example of the individuals concerned, but the borough soiicitiH' had advised that there ' was no case against the accused. Cr. Wilson could not understand why there • was no' ca.se, when the culprits had aetually confessed. Me protested against the way in which the ease had been "fixed up." They had tried for years i t.o alight on the persons responsible for : the smashing of the lights, offering rei wards in vain, and now, when they had > a clear case against a couple of the 5 culprits, the Council simply allowed I them to pay the cost of the destroyed , property and apologise. He moved 3 to the effect that the borough solicitor ' asked to give in writing the advice • he gave the Mayor regarding the matI tor. This w*b agreed to. Creditors who are at the same tine The second greatest State in Ame^ca, > Pennsylvania, with 7,000,000 inhabiti ants, has now joined the eighteen others i which had already declared for the "pro. • bation indeterminate sentence and } parole of adults convicted of crimes." i Of course, all American judges have ai- > ways had the power to suspend s?n----5 tence, but for the obvious reason tint : judges are peculiarly sensitive to the . unwritten law that power has been spart inglv exercised. Now, almost as a nnt- , t or of right, the ordinary first otlVn It will be liberated immediately after scry 1 tence "on probation." and only in ease 5 of misconduct will he be called upon lo , serve his For a second conviction the sentence "it* relatively heavier than at present, while a third conviction for an offence calling for more th in ' a year's imprisonment brands him as ■ a habitual criminal, and subjects him, to n ot less titan thirty years'—and in | i some States, to life—imprisonment. In ! I order still, however, to show that the • object of punishment is correction and , not vengeance, even in these nominally irreclaimable cases, the man may be put upon probation whenever, after onl- - of his term has expired, the court believes that it is safe to give him another chance. This class of legislation is evidently open to great abuses, but in actual practice it seems to have Icvated even the judges into a new sense of extra-routine responsibility; and, beyond all doubt, by saving first-offenders from the taint of the gaol, it has rescued very many useful men to society. But s°me of tlie newer States are, perhaps, not yet, ready for it, for in them • the temptations "to irregular courses art I many, and the aids to orderly living are not plentiful. But ultimately probably all the .States will adopt the same system.

The clttim of tho itondon and Cana-1 dian papers for British pre-emption of I the Polo, iB bound to recall tiro old-time sarcasm of the Irish-American poet, John Boyle O'Reilly. Referring to a then, territorial dispute lie remarked ; that Britain had annexed every place but Hades—and that she "possessed by virtue of colonisation."

A number of apparently healthy | horses have died suddenly in Christchurch, and the inspector for the S.P.C.A. suggests that they were cholad by tight collars. He says it is the easiest thing in the world to choke a horse. One of the lady members of the Society ventured the opinion that the men in charge of horses "did iot know enough to come in out of the <w et."

Recently a cyclist was run down by a string of horses that were being 'ed along Avenue road. Thu borough m- t spector was instructed to investigate i and report on the matter. The report was read at last night's .meeting of the Council. The inspector entirely absolved the man in charge of the horses from blame, giving it as his opinion that the collision was due to the confusion of the cyclist. One of tho councillors, who happened to be an eye-witness of the affair, differed from the report, statnig that thu accident was caused by the horseman'* -negligence. No action was taken in this caw or in the ease of i collision between the motor car of a medical nii v n and an express, upon which iiie inspector also reported, finding in iavor of the express owner.