The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1900.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11789, 5 February 1900, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1900.

At the last meeting of the Christchurch City Council'a discussion took place upon the lighting of the city, and as the question of public lighting is of some interest here we will quote some of the remarks of Councillors. Tho Gas Company had submitted a certain offer to the City Council, which Councillor Prudhoe considered should be accepted, since it would make Christchurch »ne of the best lighted cities south of the line. There were many j cities in England, he added, which were now replacing electricity by incandescent light. In supporting the proposal to accept tho Gas Company's offer, Councillor Gray said the Council had given its consent to a seven years' contract with the Gas Company in the face of the proposal to use the Waimakariri for electric lighting, a scheme which ho thought too costly and that the alternative scheme of generating power by stoam would be used. He was not avareof any city at Home where the municipalities used their own electric light that de ponded on water. All used steam. Ho also found that in twenty-four cities lighted by electricity the total loss had been £23,000 per annum, or nearly £1000 a year each. At Launceston (Tasmania), after going carefully into tho matter, they had agreed to a scheme of electric supply from a river some five miles from the city with plenty of water power. Tho estimate was £4 5,000. Further expenditure and liabilities on tho account up to the year 1803 amoiinted tp £87,000 Tho receipts for the year; together with £1850 per annum which they calculated for lighting their streets, were £4900 whilst their, expenditure was £6062. Councillor Gray also pointed out that even if they lrul electric lighting of their own they could not look forward to. having to all tho lighting of the city, for they would havo to fight tho Gas Com- 1 pauy. Tho offer was eventually accepted, only four Councillors opposing il.

1 The usual monthly meeting of the Raleigh Town Board takes place to-night. The Rev. F. Walker leaves for his new home by the Gairlooh thU evening. 1 The Colonial Piano and Organ Importing Company has a new ad\ crtisemont, in which is a caution re piano tuning. An enquiry into tho circumstances surrounding the Stratford fire will probably bo held on Friday next. Walter Bentloy contemplates a New Zealand tour with '• The Silver King," •'The Bells," ''Garrick,'' and several Shakesperian dramas. At Ttible Bay on December 30th there were no less than ninety-three vessels, of which fifty-seven were steamers, lying at the wharves or in the roadstead. Twentyfour of the steamers were transports. An elderly native named Henaro Paparoa appeared before the Magistrate this morning on a charge of stealing two £20 notes, the property of Tamati, of Wanganni. The accused was remanded .till Friday next. Dr Lcatham, who has been laid up since Wednesday last with a sharp attack' of influenza, is recovering but is still very weak. He hopes to be able to leave in a day or two for a short holiday, during which Dr Homo, who has been attending to his patients during the past few days, will continue to look after his practice. Another instance of the door being locked after the horse has escaped is furnished in the Stratford fire. Included in the loan passed last week was a sum of money for a water supply. Provision was also made for improving the Town Hall, which was destroyed. The marriage rate in New Zealand in 1899 was 7-24 per thousand. Jn 1889 it wa.s only 5-94. The birth rate last year was only 25-12 por thousand, while ten years ago it was 30-07. The death rate in 1889 was 9 44 per thousmd : last year it was 10-24. On January 3i\l the R-ak.iia luf I Wellington for -London v. Itli a record shipment of dairy produce, but her lccord was beaten before tho month was out by the Paparou, which took 1055 tons of butler and 332 tons of cheese, nearly a half of the cargo in each casa being from Taranaki. Last year tho United States produced 3,182,2420z of gold, as compared with 2,774,9350z in 1897 ; and 60,000,0000z of silver, against 53,8600z in the previous year. The production of copper in 1898 was 235,000 tons, Avhich was considerably more than all the rest of the world put together produced. The effect of the dear money' market in London during the latter half of 1899 is apparent iv the reduction of capital applications as compared with the two previous years. From July to December, 1897, over £81,000,000 was applied; for in the same period of 1898, nearly £65,000,000: while in the last half of 1899 only £45,000,000 was applied for. Mcohanisji has bsen installed in one of the steeples of St Patrick's Cathedral, of New York City, for ringing the chime ofbells. There are 19 belts, which vary in weight from 3001 bto 70001 b. The mechanism for striking consists of horizontal air cylinders, with piston rods attached to central stu-ls projecting below the centres of the clappers. The piston is only used for a stroke one way, the weight of the clapper returning it. The bells are operated by a keyboard which is in electrical connection witli magnets controlling the valves of the air cylinders. In his efforts to keep iv the van of civilisation the Maori has confusing ideas of the meaning of certain English words. The other day an elderly Ethiopian entered a New Plylnouth hotel and asked for a quart of beer. The landlady demurred about supplying him, and openly hinted that the drink was for " the missus." The idea was indignantly scouted by the native, who emphasised his denial with the remark that he had no wife ; that he was, in fact, a teetotaller. The man's relative value of the words " widower " and teetotaller is interesting.