The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1895.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10478, 2 December 1895, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1895.

We learn from the New Zealand Herald that the men employed on the Awakino Road, tho completion of which would give overland communication between Auckland and Taronaki, were to be taken off the work at the end of November, and that in consequence the opening of the road has been indefinitely postponed. This, in the face of a Ministerial assurnnco that the work wculd be finished during the present summer, will come as a surprise to the public. At present, our contemporary states, there is a fair bullock-waggon track to the Mangaotaki River, 22 miles from Te Kuiti, thence to the work which has been in band on the Awakino end of the road is only tea or twelve miles, the opening of which would give at least a practicable bridle or stockdriving track through, and it is difficult to understand why the operations shou'd be suspended when this desirable end is so neatly accomplished. If the funds granted by Parliament hive been exhausted, surely this is a case in which a joint might be strained, and a small further sum be authorised by the Government ; such an expenditure on their part would, we feel sure, be confirmed by Pa-liamenfc, for there can be no doubt in any reasonable mind of the great importance, not only to Auckland and Taranaki, but to the whole colony, of opening road communication between these provinces, and thus uniting the two great railway systems of the North Island. Not only that, for the opening of this road would give an alternative telegraph route between Auckland and Wellington, a work the importance of which has been urged upon successive Ministries for years past, and which would obviate the delay and inconvenience which occasionally arise through breaks on the present route on the East Coa9t. We would commend the matter to the attention of onr member, who, if oar contemporary's information is correct, should lose no time in urging upon Ministers the necessity of going on with the work, and of pushing it to completion during the present summer.

A case brought before the Stipendiary Magistrate at Palraerston North last week by the Stock Inspector against a settler named Wallis shows how urgent is the necessity for the rigid enforcement of the Public Health Act in regard to the spread of disease through the medium of cattle intended for human consumption. In the Gase under notice, the defendant was charged with hindering the Inspector in the discharge of his duty by disobeying his orders in respect to a cow which was under suspicion of cancer. According to the evidence it appears that the Inspector had some suspicions, but had not condemned the cow, contenting himself with asking jWallis to keep it pending further examination. Wallis, however, sold the animal before the Inspector had a chance to do this, and the charge, as above stated, was consequently laid. The Magistrate dismissed the case, holding that Wallis had not wilfully hindered the Inspector in the discharge of his duty. It seerus to us, however, that Inspectors should be allowed more extended powers than they appear to have. Cancer is so horrible and loathsome a disease that no regulations can be too stringent, which have for their object the prevention of its spreading. Wherever there is a. mere suspicion of cancer in a beast, isolation should be resorted to until the nature of tlie disease can be decided, and if cancer is proved to exist, the animal should be slaughtered, and destroyed under supervision of a Government officer. Inspection should also be more strict than it is. The institution of public abattoirs would go far towards reducing the risks run by the public through eating cancerous meat but more than that is required. All sales of cattle should be attended by an inspector, all milk suppliers' herds should be periodically visited ; even private dairies should not be exempt, for the disease is sometimes contracted from animals kept for family use, and inspectors should have the fullest powers 'to deal with suspected as well as proved cases. No price can bs considered too great to pay for the purpose of checking and eradicating as far as possible this most foul disease which seems now to be increasing year by year, and we should like to see tho number of inspectors doubled if necessary to cope with the work. The institution of a public abattoir might also engage the attention of the local authorities.

Among the regulations in force at the hospital is one which forbids the admission into the institution of patients suffering from the effects of drinking to excess. Whilst all very well in its way, the rule is one which may be too literally read, and too harshly enforced. Au instance occurred on Saturday evening, in which it might well have been slightly relaxed. A young half-caste, who had been imbibing too freely, fell from his horse near the Henui, and as he appeared to havo sustained serious injuries, application wu made for his admis: km to the hospital for treatment, The regulation reforred to was, however, quoted, and admission refused. He was then taken to the police station, and tended to the best d£ their ability by the sergeant and constables, who had an anxious time lest ho should succumb to his injuries whilst under their care. Surely the rules of the hospital are not intended to apply to such a caso as this. Tho man received his injuries whilst under the influence of liquor, it \a true, but we imagins the rule must have drafted to apply to persons suffering directly from tho effeots of drinking. In this cqs& the man ras suffering from injuries' sustained by a fall from his horse, and common humanity should have soon that he had the attention that was necessary, whether he were Maori or white man. If the regulations of the hospital are so strict that they cannot be departed from even to »o small an extent, it is time they were alterad.

The ordinary meeting of the Land Board was held to-day. The offertories at St. Mary's Church on Monday for the Church Enlargement Fund amounted to £88. Tlio only occupant of the lock-up on Saturday nighfc was a native named Aloku Mcka, who had been arrostedfor drunkenness. Ho was liberated on bail on Sunday. The Taianaki Trotting Club will probably hold a meeting this summer. A meeting of members has been convened ! to consider the arranging of a programme. Henry McLean, son of Mr George McLean, of Hawera, died this moruing. Deceased, it will be remembered, met ■with an injury to Mb spine whilst playing football on Queen's Birthday, *

The monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held to-day. About 10 persons commit suicido every day in Paris. - Constable Lister left for Mokau on Saturday to attend the races, which were held there to-day (Monday). There was quite a lsrge muster of town residents to see the special train off to Hawera at 8.45 o'clock on Sunday night. Ebony wood is hardened after felling by immersion in water for periods varying from six to 18 months. The web of the common garden spider is so fine that 30,000 of them, laid side by side, would cover an inch in width. In the 21 years that the White Star steamer Germanic has been in active service she has run over 1,500,000 statute miles. It is probable that Zimmerman, the champion cyclist of the world, and Parsons, the champion of Australia, will visit Now Zealand early next year. For the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club's Championships to be run on Wodnesday, J. n. Hemp ton is engaged in the 100 and 250 yards. A Wellington cabman has been fined 13s for allowing a woman to take charge ef the reins while proceeding along one of the principal thoroughfares. Some miscreant attempted to flood Papakura, Hawke's Bay, last Tuesday night by cuttiug trenches in a river bank while the river was in flood. , A couple of months ago certain of the Sydney tram conductors were discharged, and it is stated that since then tho receipts have averaged £70 a week more than they did previously. Asbestos towels are among the latest novelties. "When dirty it is only necessary to throw them into a red-hot fire, and after a few minutes draw them out fresh and clean. Hero-worship occasionally assumes eccentric forms. A Scottish station master preserves under a glass shade what he alleges to be a heel-piece of one of Mr Gladstone's boots, which was accidentally knocked off on a crowded railway station. According to the Trade Review, the value of exports from New Zealand for the twelve months ending September 30th amounted to £8,678,569, and the imports to £5,866,332, giving an excess of exports of £2,812,237. These figures are exclusive of specie. At the meeting of the Auokland Crown Lands Board, held on November 27th, it was resolved to rescind the resolution passed on September 24th, recommending the Governor to grant Mr Purser a lease oE the Mokau foreshore on similar terms to thao granted to the Manukau Company, and to postpone further action until Mr Purser made application under the Mines Act in proper form. A statement was made recently that tho stitch-bird and other rare New Zealand birds were being killed on the Little Barrier Island and sold a* sp cionons to collectors of birds in Europe. The Lands Department have endeavoured, says the Auckland Star, to ascertain the truth or otherwise of this statement, and a detective was instructed to investigate the mattor. These investigations go to show that the rumours are without foundation A Highland schoolmaster having become too fond of national drink, a deputation of his townsfolkcalled toreaiou-'trato, while a select committee awaited the result at the inn. Hours passed in suspense. At last, on the still night air, came tho sound of horses' feet and Bacchanalian song. A vehicle draw up at the door, and the landlord hastened out. Preserve us a' ! he exclaimed in dismay ; "it's the dipitation 1' Alas, they had succumbed to the attractions of the dominie's hospitality, and were all nigh speechless. A point in the amended Licensing Act of importance to publicans and persons against whom prohibition orders have,, been issued, is that any publican who alloivs any such person to be or remain on the publican's licensed premises is liable to a fine of not less than £5 or more than £10, and that any person against whom a prohibition ordur is issued who enters or is found on any licensed premises is liable to a penalty not exceeding £5. Anyone who accompanies such a person upon the hotel premises is liable to a penalty of not more than £10. An Arkansas daily soliloquises thus : " Some of our exchanges are publishing a curious item to the effect that a horse in lowa pulled the plug out of cho bung-hole of a barrel for the purpose of slaking his thirst. We do not see 'anything extraordinary in this occurrence. Now, if the horse had pulled tho barrel out of tho bung-hole and slaked his thirst with tho plug, or if the barrel had pulled the bung holo out of the plug and slaked his thirst with the horse, or if the plug bad pulled the horse out of the barrel and slaked his thirst with the bunghole, or if the bung hole had pulled the thirst out of the horse and slaked the plug with the barrel, or if the barrel had pulled the horse out of the bung hole and plugged his thirst with the slake, it might nave been curious. We have to acknowledge receipt from Messrs Macmillan and Ho, of London, of several volumes, forming part of their colonial library. Messrs Macmillan and Co, in publishing works of fiction at popular prices, have done colonial readers a service which they Bhould not bo slow to recognise. When we consider that many of the novels, which have been published by them for circulation in the colonies and India only at so reasonable a price as the-ie, are only obtainable at Home in the three volume form at a price which is prohibitive except to the comparatively wealthy classes, it will be admitted that their enterprise doserves success, Among the authors whose works have thus been familiarised to colonial readers are : Rolf Boldrewood, Marion Crawford, Thomas Hardy, Bret Harte, Charles Kingsley, Christie Murray, Mrs Oliphant, Clark Russell, Mrs Humphry Ward, Charlotte Yonge, and many others. Most of these volumes can bo obtained at the local booksellers.

The following remarks from the Hawke's Bay Herald will, we feel sure, be endorsed by newspapers and readers throughout New Zealand : — The Press Association's agent in Australia really ought to be taken to task for the rubbish he sends over. The other day he sent an extract from the South Australasian Register, to the effect that large quantities of wheat could be purchased in America, and the price there must rule the local market, as if New Zsalanders did not know tfyat the States exported •wheat. Next day wo had a long message telling us someone had discovered the fact that Shropshire sheep are very heavy, and mature in half the time taken by the merino, Teaching one's grandmother to sack eggs is at all times a profitless occupation, but when the lesson is sent over expensive ocean cable it is doubly ridiculous. Mr Forbes Robertson has been telling a Strand Magazine interviewer some of his amusing experiences during his stage career. The late Tom Meado, who was such a splendid ghost in "Hamlet," used to appear' in the Lyceum, and in a certain play knew little of his part. At his first entrance he completely stuck, and in order to assist himself, with a view to getting some idea of the words, he walked down with a tragic stride to the footlijhts, and Baid, '' Ah 1 here I am !" but the words would not coma, so he walked b.ick again. Still ho uould not remember, to so lie procoudud to walk onco more the footlights, and oven with greater emphasis than bufore, exclaimed " Hero I inn !'' and boiucbody in the galleiy cried out. " All right, Tom ;we see you aro. Get on !" Another anecdoto relates to the Barrio actor. Jn one part of the play, where Monde was ju.dgjng some ono wh,o was brought up before hioa, in order tp holphim3elf to remomberthotoxt, hekep'6 cryjng oufc — '•' Oh,' Paul J '—that ws-s tffe namp of the character -- " Oh, Paul ! " became tio frequent that somoone in the audience exclaimed in a very audible. whisper— 1 ' Oh, Paul, Paul, wherefore thou poraeouteet fchou me ?"