THE YEAR-BOOK.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13575, 6 December 1907, Page 4

THE YEAR-BOOK.

The New Zealand Official Year-Book, which has now reached its sixteenth year of issue, is an admirable compilation, abounding in information relating to the Dominion, the only fault to be found with it being the lateness of its publication. For this there is some ex-

cuse on account of its bulkiness — it runs into nearly nine hundred pages — but an effort should be mado to get it out i of the printer's hands before Parliament meets, instead of being left until the printing of Hansard and numerous Parliamentary returns throws upon the Government Printing Office au excessive amount of work, all wanted in a hurry. ' This year, it is true, an appendix, printed on pink paper, is added giving the new Customs tariff, and this would have been impossible had the volume been issued six months earlier. On the other hands the information hi ofchor sections is incorrect and out of date. Apart from th,is fault the Year-Book is au encyclopedia of very great Value, which oiight to bo widely distributed in libraries, roading-rooras, and similar places at Home and abroad, for in that way information relating to tho Dominion on almost every conceivable subject would be widely disseminated. A capital feature, which is added thi3 year, is a number of maps of the outlying islands, such as tho Cooks, Ihe Chathams, tno Snares, the Auckland Islands, and others.

Tho cottage at tho North Egmont Mountain House has been booked right up to the middle of January. Mr T. Donovan, who visited the brass band contests lately held at Ballarat, was able to gather information and pick up wrinkles which should be useful when the local contest is hold in February next. Some sheep arrived from South this morning for shipment to Auckland. Thirty-two cattle and 120 sheep will ho sent north by the Rarawa to-night. Tho cattle are mostly fats for the Auckland market. The Christmas tree and fair promoted by the*young people of Whiteley Church was largely attended last night. Good business was done at the stalls. At intervals a capital programme, consisting of vocal and instrumental items, recitations, and selections by tho Whiteley Orchestra, was rendered. About £15 was gained as the result of the effort. Mr D .Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner, and Mr C. J. Rcakes, Assistant Chief Veterinarian, will probably leave Wellington for London at the end of next week (sa3 r s The Dominion). They are going Home to inaugurate for their respective divisions new systems of inspection at the Home end. Their colleagues are arranging to giro them a send-off. The town of Taihapu, '•; r.«:ie of the slump prophesied when tho terminus of the Main Trunk Railway got past it, still continues to prosper, and a good time is expected in the future, so the Wanganui Herald was informed by a business man from the inland town. The fact that it will be a stop-over station on the railway is expected to have a • considerable influence on business. The Borough Council, with an eye to trie possibilities of the future, has decided to go in for a municipal opera house. A recent visitor to the North Egmont j Mountain cottage, who may have been imbued with an exaggerated idea of his importance, carved his name on one of the walls, thinking, perhaps, that in time to come it would be read by unborn thousands who would raise their hats in reverence as they passed thee spot where once he had eaxxed; His - mischief was reported to the committee, and a prosecution might have followed had not the person referred to apologised and paid a sum asked for to repair the damage. The routine of passing five^Chinese who arrived from Sydney at Wellington on Wednesday through the formalities demanded by the Customs regulations was broken when the aliens were asked to produce their papers at the Customs Office. After fumbling in their clothes for some time each of the Chinamen produced the following recommendation and handed it over to the officials with the characteristic Mongolian smile: — "Health Office, Hong Kong. This is to certify that lias been washed and thoroughly disinfected by steam. His effects have also been disinfected." At the recent Eisteddfod" at Ballarat the Brass Band Championship of Australasia, carrying with it a money prize of £200, was won by the Newtown (New SoutH Wales) Band, which scored 235 points. Perth City Band was second ■ with 234 points, and took £50. In the contest for the Boosey Cup, valued at 80 guineas, the Perth City Band was first with 417 points, and Newtown second with 408. Collingwood won the quickstep with 192 points. In the B grade Broken Hill took the Challenge Cup and £75, scoring 156 points, while the Zeehan (Tasmania) Band was. second with 154. Prout's Band won the B grade quickstep. The test piece for A grade was "Souvenir de Wagner," and for B grade "The Mountain Sylph." A story is tola* in the Home papers that recently a well-dressed man wearing a fur-trimmed overcoat asked a policeman in Manchester at midnight to be directed to a neighbourhood in which common lodging-houses abound. The constable gave the information, and shortly afterwards noticed the gentleman walking up Deansgate with a little crowd of wretchedly-clad and half-half-starved creatures around him. Invited to explain his action, the m?»n with the fur coat said : "The fact of the matter is, I have returned to Manchester to-day after an absence of eighteen ! years in the colonies. My last night m Manchester was spent on one of the infirmary seats. I have just' been np there now to invite as many outcasts as i could find to have a Ded and a square meal. You see, I have got that Carnegie feeling." An accident which occurred at Pal- j merston on Monday evening had a fatal termination on Wednesday. It is stated that as two little girls, Lucy Goldfinch and Alice Stubbs, were returning home from school on Monday they were accosted by a man on horseback, who asked if they would like'a ride. They refused, and the man rode on. A little later they again came up with him, and seeing that other children were being given a ride accepted the offer to have a turn. The two children got on the horse together, the girl Goldfinch being in front, and then, it is alleged, the man caused the, animal to start off with a jerk by striking it on the flank. Both girls were thrown off, Lucy Goldfinch falling on her head on the road, and her companion landing on top of her. Tho latter escaped unjiurt, but the other child was picked up in an unconscious state. She continued in this condition practically all night, and, after a rally next day, died on Wednesday morning.- — New Zealand Times.

"Does tho Government assist farmers by subsidising steamers?" was a question asked at the Conciliation Board in | Timaru .during tho hearing of the farm I workers 1 dispute. The employers' representative remarked that money so spent would, bo put %o a much, better use if spent on road formation in the back blocks of tho North Island. Tho secretary of tho Maryland Hill Memorial Committee, Mr W. F. Gordon, reports having received tho substantial donation of £11 15s 3d from the officers cf the 58th regiment in England. Tho officer commanding Bays: "Pleaso accept it with our best wishes towards tho Dominion, which is so closely connected with our history." Four lads camo out from England to Duaedin. i\a stowaways on tho Kaikoura. They were dealt with in tho usual way by the Court. Dunedin people, feeling that it would be unfortunate that thf lads should spend a month in gaol, subscribed tho amount of the fines imposed. The lads will be looked after by tho Prisonei's' Aid Society. It was reported, says the Dunedin Star, that Lionel Terry had been seen at Wharo Fiat on Monday evening, and it is understood that mounted constablos woro sent to search the locality as a result of that report. Apparently tho man seen was not Terry, as it is stated that he was not nearly so tall, and he wore a black moustache, and does not therefore rosemblo tho man the police are 1 in quest of. Tho Primitive Methodist Circuit has had a prosperous quarter, as was stated in our report of Wednesday's meeting. We are informed that, despite several wet Sundays at the beginning of tho quarter, tho income, with a balance of £5 17s lOd from tho preceding quarter met the outgoings. The amounts raised for trust purposes were £4& 8s 6d at Queen Street Church and £39 2s 3d at Fitzroy. A sum of £12 9s 6d was raised for the Home Mission fund. Last Sunday bring tho 64th anniversary of tho appointment of tho first clergyman — Key. W. Bolland — to St. Mary's New Plymouth, 'special offertories were made to reduce the parish debt. An appeal was made for £50 from tho congregation. If that amount was contributed it was to be supplemented by £50 from a member of the church. The amount asked for was realised, something over £51 being obtained. „ This, with the handsome individual donation of £50 will bring the offertory to over £100. The secretary -of the Band Contest | Committee interviewed the railway stationmaster this morning to ascertain if arrangements could be made for excursion fares on the Napier-New Ply-mouth-Wellington lines for contest week. The stationmaster (Mr Day) said that he would forward the request to headquarters with a recommendation that it should be given effect to. The shipping companies may also be approached with a request for a reduction in tho fares between here and Onehunga during contest week. An interesting note on the season's prospects in South Canterbury has been received by a local gentleman, who has handed the letter to on© of our^reporters. The writer is well-known by New Plymouth residents and is competent to judge of the subject! on which he writes. Tho letter runs: — "Tho country ,jpevejt looked better or so well since we have been here, and if the crops mature and yield as they promise now it will be a .bumper harvest. I don't know of a weakly or sickly looking patch of crop in the whole district. Grass also is kapai. There is a big percentage of lambs and every prospect of them coming into the market early in tip-top 'condition." Mr W.,H. Wybourne, of Whenuakura, who is one of the principal sheep breeders of the North Island, and who was represented at the recent Taranaki Show, had his champion ram shorn last week, and the weight of tho fleece is re- i ported to constitute a record for the I Dominion. The ram was rough shorn, \ and was carrying thirteen months' growth of wool. , The weight of the fleece' was 431 b. The wool is at present lying on the scales in Mr Wybourne's shed for inspection by all interested. Valuing the wool at lOd per lb, the fleece is worth £1 15s lOd — close to the value of two fat sheep, at present ruling prices. , Many people refer New Plymouthites to the harbour that has been made at Timaru, and express the opinion that with enterprise we could have as good a harbour here. A former New Plymouth resident who is at present living in Timaru writes to a New Plymouth >\ friend thus: — "Tho Timaru harbour is proving efficient, and, with our new dredge scooping out the bottom, promis- | es to become one of the best harbours in the colony for the despatch of cargo." Timaru harbour, it may be mentioned, is built in a locality having no natural protection from th© ocean. Th© largest boats to enter colonial waters have been able to berth there for th© past nine months. Work on the Main Trunk Line continues to progress rapidly, and the gap between the railheads is now only some twenty miles. The principal work is now being concentrated on the three big viaducts and the spiral near Ran- j rimu. There is already, according to the Wanganui Herald, quite a largo amount of through traffic, many people appearing to prefer even the incomplete overland route between Wellington and Auckland to tho sea journey. Most of these have used Waiouru^as their "stopover" station when travelling northwards, but Taihape will in future receive the benefit of these, and already, wo understand, work is to be undertaken for greatly increasing the capacity of the Taihape Station yard to accommodate the increased amount of rollingstock. The programme of the Garden Party to b© held on New Year's day, to mark the official opening of the Recreation Sports ground, appears in another column. Among the many interesting items that have been arranged by th© committee is a seven a-side tug-of-war, j for a prize of £4 4s and the championship of Taranaki. Last year, this important ©vent, after a keen struggle between a team representing th© New Plymouth Fir© Brigade and a team of midgets captained by Mr Lints, jun., was won by th© former. As th© damage to the ground oh that- occasion was extensive, the committee has decided that this event in future must b© pulled "on boards, with batons fixed -to prevent the competitors from slipping. Th© alterations in the conditions should add considerable interest to the event.

Writing yesterday, tho schoolmaster at Bell Block stated -that about teu children, were absent owing to an epidemic of chicken pox. The school wa*> not then closed. — Holidays are to bo observed by the public offices of the Government at Chri-tmas and New Year tunes as fol- • lows --From December- 25 to 28 inclusive, and January 1 and 2. In tho glorious Weather £*«•*«** tho garden pavty held at "St. KiKta in aid of the Anglican Maori Mission funds was a splendid success. It was, indeed, a treat tobo ab o to partake > of tho dpl^hts of wandering around the beantifuT grounds which Mr F Bay* threw open for the occasion and iboadioiuing grounds of Mr I. V.KjOtkui. Tho arrangements for tho party wero undertaken by a committee of ladUo. of St. Mary's congregation, of Which Miss Devenish was secretary. Attcrnoon tea and sweets w^re served on-.tbo "round. A produce stall was well patronised. The Garrison Band played a number of items and a quartette party from St. Mary's choir rendered vooal selection.*. It is anticipated -that tho Maori Mission funds will be augmented to tho extent of about £27 as th© result of the party. A short timo ago proceedings v/cro taken against two New Plymouth boys who were alleged to be responsible for certain damage done at the breakwater. What were perhaps considered by tho culprits as practical Jokes had been carried on for some time, and it was hoped this action would act as an example and prevent any recurrence. This, however, » does not appear to be so. A number of ladies were yesterday picnicking on Paritutu, when an officer from one ofr the boats lying alongside the wharf made his way to them with .startling news. He had observed a number cf youths "larking" at the foot of tho rock, and subsequently discovered that tho gorse had been fired. Owing to tho dry nature cf the scrub, the -flames •" quickly spread. The officers, knowing that the ladies were higher np the rock, immediately took stops to acquaint them of their danger. Without delay the doscent was made. Dense volumes of smoke were now rising. But for tho prompt action of the officers, the picnic party, might have been cut off, and /the consequences might have been very serious. Mr. Newton King will sell three bicycles at his mart to-morrow afternoon. i The quarterly general meeting of th© Chamber of Commerce /mil be held tonight at 7.30. i • Nolan and Co. advertise * large entry of poultry for to-morrow's sale. • At their mart to-morrow, Messrs. Webster Bros, will sell a quantity oi useful hardware, boots and shoes. A reminder is given of the unreserved sale of drapery and clothing to be held by Mr. Newton King at his mart tomorrow afternoon. Brakes will leave Morley Street, South Road and Devon Street at M& am. in connection with the Animal Railway Picnic at TJrenui on Sunday next.— Advt. f748 -