LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 195, 26 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

. The Pufcefcura Park Board wishes to acknowledge a donation of 20s froml Mrs Cory. The Eltham Borough Council has decided that. Thursday continue to be the statutory Mf-holiday. The first sitting of the Supreme Court in New Plymouth for this year will be held on Tuesday, 2nd February, commencing at 11 a.m'. There will be four sessions this year, as against three in recent years. The •Government geological survey party, located at the North Egimont Mountain House, is making arrangements for a geological survey of the mountain and its ranges. It is understood that the work will occupy some two or three weeks.

Says the Waitara Mail.—lt has been suggested to us that in connection with the poll to be taken in April on the Saturday half-holiday question, the towns of Waitara and New Plymouth should work together as much as possible, for it would be a great mistake if one town had the half-holiday in midweek, and the other the end-week day. We quite agree that the position under those circumstances would be utterly unsatisfactory, and though ourselves believers in the Saturday, we would prefer that things remain as at present than to have such a mix-up as that indicated.

A good deal has been, heard of the "Iron Crosses," which have been scattered broadcast among the German soldiers and the Continent for deeds of so-called valour, consequently a good deal of interest is being taken in one which is now on view in Mr R. Gibbon's shop window at Waitara. The cross is said to be one of those that was sold in London, and is a fac-simile of those awarded. It is just a plain iron cross, bearing in bold lettering tints words "For Kultur," and it reposes cri a white background, surmounted by the inscription: "The Kaiser's gift to his babykillers," tht latter, of course, being added in Waitara.

In connection with the recent University examinations, the following list shows Whether, in addition to the matriculation (indicated by M), the candidates also passed in the solicitors' general knowledge (S), medical preliminary (P) and engineering preliminary (E). — New Plymouth—Lewis Lancelot Bellringer (M.S.), Francis Alexander Bruce (M.E.), Donald Grant (M.), Irene Maida Hirst (M.S.P.E.), William Norman Leech (M.), Grace Bruce Mouat (M.E.), Vivian Stanley McMurray (M.S.), Eleanor Airini Pope (M.S.P.E.), lan William Pott ,(MvS.P.), Alix Keynton Warren (M.E.). Stratford.—Henry Albert Anderson (M.S;F.), Lawrence Manning King (M.S.P.), Augusta Manor (M.S.P.), Alice Cocker (New Plymouth) completed the examination.

A German naval officer was taken in London recently owing to his being in- ' sufficiently disguised. Two South African ladies were having lunch at a res'taurant, and the attention of one of 'them was attracted by one of the waiters. She was sure she recognised the face of the waiter, and she remembered having danced with him in Cape Town at a ball given to a German warship on a 'visit to the port. She gave information, and the officer was arrested, and it was 'proved that the lady's memory had not played her false.

While in Xoiiji Auckland recently Bishop AveriU' visited the Bay of Is'hiuds, where Mr John Clarke's residence 'was placed at his disposal. This house 'was the original home of Archdeacon Henry Williams. The building next 'door was the one in which the first .'printing press in New Zealand was installed. At Kerikeri Bishop Averil was shown the building in which Bishop Selwyn had his study. This place bears .the date of 1883. At the residence of 'Mrs Bedgood, daughter of Mr King (one of the party that came out with Swnuel Marsden), the visitor was showji a chair on which the first missionaries stepped when landing from the brk' Active.

At noon on Sunday last a serious accident happened to Mr Frederick Williams, manager of the Waiongona creamery. He was returning to the creamery with an empty cart, and When about a quarter of a mile from his destination we cart must have struck a post and capsized, for he was found on the roadside in an unconscious state by Mr C. Hunt, who promptly summoned medical aid. Dr Whetter was speedily in at r tendance, and after examining the sufferer ordered his removal to the New Plymouth Hospital, whither he was conveyed by motor car. It was found that the patient was suffering from a fractured jaw and a grave spinal injury, attended with paralysis. On inquiry late yesterday afternoon it was ascertained that Mr Williams' general condition was a lettle better, but the case in serious. The business of the Eltham Borough Council was got through on Friday night m the short space of half-an-hour.

Mr T. G. Mallei, of Uruti, arrived in New ■Plymouth last night bv the mail train. Women's Christian Temperance Union. —The monthly meeliug of the above will be held on Wednesday next Jan 27, in tlie Good Templar Lodgeroom. at 3 p.m. Business: Election of officers 1 and delegate to Convention. Executive please meet at 2 p.m.f The now-famous Dingo Embrocation, or Training Oil, can be "bought from the following saddlers: R. Edwards [TSev Plymouth), A. J. Kibby (Waitara), Pnrchas and Son (Urenui and Uruti), C. Meuli (Eltham), E. Grossman (Tariki and Inglywood), T. C. Street (Okato), T. J. Mildenhall (Opunake), E. Tobler (Okaiawa), S. Aylward (Whangamomcr.a), Cosgro'"> & Co. (Manaia), &c.

The lKgiewood Borough Council has acquired a new steam l'uiicr, wiucn lias just come to hand, and wm under steam m Inglewood yesterday for the first time. Tiie pay-out last week by the Kapokonui Oaii'y Company to milk suppliers for December amounted to i'iu,Joo 15s, at Is 'per lb. for butter fat. Riverdale paid £5483, being at the rate of an advance of Is per lb. for bui.ter fat. At a meeting of the directors of the Patea Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Company on Saturday, it was unanimously resolved to still further increase tiie freezing accommodation at the works and to proceed with the work immediately. It was also resolved' that a presentation be made to Mr F. Amoore, who lias so successfully carried out the work o'f re-oreci'lng the buildings destroyed by fire last year.—Press.

_ Every man who has left Napier to join the expeditionary force or any of its reinforcement drafts has been presented with a very complete and useful kit by a committee of Napier ladies, of whidh Mrs Kitto is president. That the men highly appreciate the kit is proved by the number of letters of thanks which have been received. The direc/ors of the Lowgarth Dairy Factory contemplate the erection o? considerable aJdiiions to the factory in concrete, new and larger making and curing rooms being urgently required. Plans and estimates are in the hands of Mr Frank Amoore and will be considered at a meeting of directors at an early da-<;. The days of the old wood and iron factories are rapidly becoming things of the past, and up-to-date concrete bitiMimis are taking their place. Quality of output and economy of working are promoted by the erection of factories on modern lines.—Argus.

A complaint readies the Eltham Argus j from Ngaere that there is frequently I considerable delay on the part of the railway people in the despatch of cheese and butter from the Ngaere railway station destined for New Plymouth.' Our informant says that sometimes several trains are allowed to pass without an attempt being made to lift the produce. Quick despatch is urgently needed 'for butter and chaase, and delays of any kind should be avoided as much as possible. For some reason or other the rodents —tihe weasel, the stoat, and the ferret brought into this country some years ago, for the purpose of killing out the labbits, are viewed with a great deal of antipathy, more especially by gun men, who never miss an opportunity of shooting them whenever it offers, says the Otago Daily Times. Trappers, also, wage consistent warfare against them; but, in spite of these several disabilities, the rodents appear to be increasing. Whether they are fulfilling the purpose: for which they were brought here is j hard to say, but. the majority of opinion is that they are not, as, if there is any feathered game or poultry in the district, the rodents pay all their attention to them. As ah illustration, the foreman of he electric power-house at the Fraser river informed a reporter last week that he had lost a whole batch of forty-two chickens in one night by the depredations of stoats.

While bhere has been a general outcry for rain in New Zealand, Otago has experienced a thoroughly good - reason, 'states the Times). Reports of excellent grain crops, fruit yields, abundant stock feed, and of satisfactory wool clips indicate a pleasing measure of prosperity and a continuance of the progress of the important resources of the province. North Otago, however, has hardly fared so well, although it is felt that evon that district may yet recover very substantially from the dry weather. Crops in the Totara and Maheno districts are said to be in splendid condition. South Otago gives great promise from an agricultural point of viow, wheat, oats, and turnip yields being of higji order. In some respect tha't district, indeed, is described as being a veritable picture, and the crops are everywhere well forward. Further south, in the confines of Matoura district, particularly a'; the. river flat lands and in some of the valleys, th« crops would gladden the heart of «'iv farmer. The recent brief spelli of c.v-i-ptionally dry weather has not materi:;''-- affected tiie crops. Central Otago i us experienced a good season, althou;; i in various districts early frosts spoiled the fruit yields. On the whole (adds the imes) Otago can claim' to have done well. The green pastures and other conditions prevailing cannot fail to impress (visitors from the north. A North Island farmer at ■present in 'vlie soutli expressed admiration at the flourishing; state of affairs.

A striking example of burning patriotism and fortitude came to the notice of a ITimes reporter recently. A French naval reservist by force of circumstances found himself last Friday week at Taumarunui. He desired to get to Wellington to make arrangements to rejoin a French vessel, but had not the means wherewith to carry out his desire. He was too proud to beg for money to accomplish his purpose, so he set out on foot. Then ensued a long and weary tramp of 250 miles; each night the cold earth was his bed and th e olouds his blankets; he would not accept any money from kindly disposed persons he met on his journey— only a little food to sustain his strength. His purpose was steady and th e long tramp was safely accomplished at about midnight last night. His last day on the road was perhaps his worst. Not a morsel of food had passed his lips from the day before, the howling gale had chilled him to a frozen walking automaton, whilst the driving rain had completed his distress by drenching him to the skin. It was this piteous spectacle of a man—an heroic victim of an (heroic fortitude —that accosted Constable Chapman and asked to be locked up so that his case could be brought to the notice of the French Consul. Upon hearing the man's story, however, the constable refused to take him in charge; instead he provided him with a decent supper (which the man ate ravenously) and with a decent bed. The matteT was brought to the notice of the French Consulate next morning.