LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Midhirst Dairy Company "aid out .CIS,DM la>t Saturday. This was for milk.supplied and 'bonuses. Yesterday, Arbor Day, was observed as a holiday at the primary schools and by the Government offices.

ilr. C.ralmm Moffat's famous Scotch comedy, "Utility 'Pulls the .Strings," is to be staged at tlie Theatre lluya! on .Monday, August Hi. The exports of New Zealand increased in value, by £-[,000,000 sterling during the past year, owing to the high price of produce in time of war. The. Chief Postmaster advises that the English and American mails, via San Francisco, will arrive here tonight (Thursday), 15th instant.

At the Tnqucat hold at Manaia on Tuesday concerning the death of Peter Greaves, tiie jury returned a verdict that deceased had commitebd suicide by cutting his throat with a carving knife while temporarily insane.

The members of tiie North Taranaki Hunt Club -will meet this afternoon at Mr. G. Foreman's property, AYaihi. A good meet is'assurcd, and tiie followers of the pack will receive a hearty welcome from Mr. and Mrs. Foreman. A new motoY-'bus sen-ice between Inglewood and Purangi Is to 'be started on August 1. Practically every road of importance in Taranaki is now served by the motor-'bus, which lias revolutionised traffic and done much to facilitate business in the 'province.

Anothpr newspaper has made its appearance. the Waiuku News. Tiie first number is a distinctly creditable production. and with a closely settled and progressing district to work upon the new concern should make good. Tiie managing editor is Mr. W. Tf. Hutchinson, well known in South Taranaki journalists circles.

The annual meeting of the Xew Zealand Sliecpowners' Federation was opened in Wellington yesterday Mr. H. I). AcInnd, of Canterbury, presiding. After some business 'had been transacted, the meeting was adjourned m order that those present might receive tlie executive of the New Zealand iSlicarers' Union, relative to tihe shed hands' award.

The hospital beds and equipment forwarded to Trentham on Tuesday by tlie Mayoress, Mrs. J. E. Wilson, were not from the Victoria league, as was stated yesterday, but were provided by tlie ladies named. The balance (£2 ss) of the donations received is to be sent to Miss Nathan, honorary secretary of the Military Hospital Guild, Wellington.

In tiie New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, R.M.. two by-law cases were decided which were adjourned from last week. Frederick IP.attenham. <>!: at". for driving a drill along the Main South Road without proper side-lights was fined £1 and costs, 17s (id. Tiie <ase against Edward Jones, of Tariki, for driving an unlighted vehicle, was withdrawn.

A record score at Rugby football was established at Ohristchureii 0:1 -Saturday last, when Christ's College defeated the Christchurch Club's 3rd fifteen by 102 points to nil. Eleven of the collegians scored, between them, no fewer thu.ii 2fi tries, of which twelve were converted. The losers were at a disadvantage, in that they only played with thirteen men, but they stuck to it pluekily to the finish, in spite of Pile rapidity with which the gigantic total was piled up.

In the course of hi 9 decision in the ease in which two men were charged at Hawcra with being found on licensed premises after the closing hour, Mr. Kenrick, S.M., .said: 'I think it unwise of persons to remain on the premises after closing hours, for if found it is the duty of the police to bring them before the Court to satisfy 1 the Court that their reasons for being there were not contrary to tho Act, and licensees should not encourage persons to remain." Both informations were dismissed.

In the Magistrate's l Court at Hawcra on Tuesday, Mr. Kenrick, S.M., gave judgment in the case of Johnston and Fisher v. J. E. Roc, in which plaintiffs claimed as milkers on shares £9 14s 6d, defendant counter-claiming for £3O 12s, cost of cutting and grubbing gorse and repairing fences. Plaintiffs' claim was not disputed, the action depending on the counter-claim. The Magistrate found for the plaintiffs on both claim and counter-claim, being of opinion that tJicy had carried out their agreement. Costs amounting to £ls 17s Od were allowed plaintiffs.

The Otago and Southland millers have decided to reduce the price of flour to a tariff the basis of which is £lO 10j for sacks in Otago and £l7 in Southland. The difference is to cover the railage charges. This means a reduction of £1 per ton by the Otago firms and 10s by the Southland firms. Wc learn 00 inquiry that the reason for the reduction is that certain Canterbury millers overstocked their warehouses with New Zealand wheat, which was purchased at high prices early in the season, in expectation of high values, and that the present drop has led them to try a bit of cutting in Otago and Southland, this provoking the retaliation now recorded. No doubt the Canterbury speculators have burnt their fingers. Housewives will profit by the development. The law of compensation is eternal.—Exchange.

The following new books have been recently added to the Carnegie Library: "Behind the Picture," M. Mel). Bodkin; The 'lving Behind the King" and " Marriage by Conquest," Warwick Deeping; ''ln Exchange for Love," Charles Garvice; " The Broken Sword," Moriee Gerard; "The Light of "Western Stars, Lane Grey; "One Woman's Life,'' Robert llerrick: "Tho Utter of the Contract," liasil 'King; "Her Marriage Lines," M. C. Leighton; " The Lady Passenger," A. W. "-Marchmont; "Molly's Husband." Richard Marsih; "The Prince of Graustark," G. B. McCuteheon; "Dust from tho Loom," Edward Noble: • A liride of the Plains." Baroness Onzv; "The Great AMiit-e Army,' Mux Pembertoii; "The Woman in the Bazaar," Alice IVrrin; "His Official Fiancee," Berta Ruck; "Sir Penywern's Wife," Florence Warden: "Powers of Darkness." F. M. White; "The "Jfcuse of the Misty Star," Anon.

At tho monthly meeting of the- Central .School Committee, the headmaster reported that during the five weeks since his last report the average attendance hud been J33.9. being <>3.B per cent, of the average roll of 573. Tile number on the roll at present was 55(i. Fifteen pupils had been admitted and 3!) l.ad lett since the last report ; of tlie latter 10 from the Central and 7 from Courtenay Street liad gone to the new .school at Vogeltown. Considering tlie weather recently experienced, the attendance liad been most satisfactory. Since the fast report the platforms in two more, rooms had been removed and tile desks so placed that, the light, fell over the, left shoulders of the children, a change that had proved liencfinia] to hotli teachers and pupils. Tt- was decided to request the board to allow the Vogeltown School to be treated as a side-school to the Central.

-At Nolan Tiros. 1 Mart on "Friday next. :>t two o'clock, a i-eallv choice lot'of furniture will be sold without reserve. ITav. i ng been in use only a few months, jt to new and well worth inspect-

The subject of the purity of farm Reed -was discussed by the Now Zealand Coun'.il of Agriculture yesterday. Jt waa observed that Mr. A. 11. Cockayne, State Biologist, 'had estimated \e'.v Zenhind's animal lom through weeds to amount to .C 1,000,(KK). and that tho greatest factor in the spread of weeds was impure seed. The council resolved: " That a 'Bill -should he introduced to control the sale of seeds, anil to provide for the strict examination of .imported seeds, '»vitli power to p 'dWbit the introduction of any containing deleterious weeds or worthless seeds.'" The annual report of the iVtralford Fanner.-.' Co-operative Dairy Company slates that for the past season there were '240 suppliers who deli vend •'>:!,lili'J,!)li3 lbs of milk, producing lbs fat, and 1,538,748 lbs Imuer. the o<'er run and i-o-t of manufacture 1.0'.H1. Tlie working account shows a balance of £15,074 is sd, bringing the average paid for butter-fat to l-1.21d. Payments to suppliers amounted to .C(i:i,!l74, and the butter sales realised .C88,:J77, while selling and management expenses were i'lSl'f. The retiring directors, Me.-~;'s W. 11. Were, ,1. llilne and 11. Bowling, are eligible for election. A gratifying feature of tlie year's work is the very satisfactory reports from the London agents us to the quality of the butter.