THE RAILWAY SERVICES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13921, 27 March 1909, Page 4

THE RAILWAY SERVICES.

Tho acceleration of tho express train from "Wellington to New Plymouth is a stop in the right direction, though ir is like that of tin? infant just teaming to walk, a very short ono. Until tluHon. J. A. Millar became Minister, for Railways all attempts to get the service accelerated were met with tho stereotyped reply that l it can't be done." Mr. Millar, however, has apparently insisted upon it being done, and twenty-five minutes is to' be saved on the journey by eliminating a few small stopping places. Even this onh increases the average speed by a little less than three-quarters of a mile per minute, and if ithe time saved by omitting small stopping places is reckoned it will probably be found that the actual speed is not to be increased at all. I Yet it could be increased materially. The trains between here and Marton are much lighter" than they used to be and "the heavier tf a^ins iisod { frequently to run ah^ad of tmie and .have .to wait for the el >qk. And the very, small improvement now to* be made in tho northward service is due to the fact that tho South .Island traffic has to be considered, not to any desire to study the convenience and comfort of people living between New Plymouth and Wellington. The service from here tc Wellington is to remain at present — itr acceleration is not .necessary in the interests of the Lyttelton There is no good and sufficient reason why at least an hour should not be taken off the time occupied in the journey both ways. Again, there is" no good and sufficient reason why it should take two days Ie travel between Napier and New Plymoiith. ■ The distance ir only 25 miles greater than between Wellington and New, Plymouth, which is covered in the -day, faiid- is. 92 mile? less than that- between Inverqargill rand Christchurch, which is covered, in less than fifteen hours. The connection might easily be made at Palmerstou if any desire existed on the part of the Department to meet the wishes of the people who use the railways. Representations on this subject are being made by the Napier people, and it is a matter which might well be brought tc the notice of Mr. Millar, when he visitr hero shortly.

i > The New J lymouth Homing . Pigeon : Club held i\ vac© for young birds ip»m i An moho oi Tliurstii.v. Sixry birds, ' representing nine members, started in the race, with the following result : — W. Francis' Black Eagle, time 2hr. 28£inin., velocity 988 yds., 1; B. Bayley's Blue Light, 2hr. 28min., 983 yds., 2; J. Sparks' Remover, 2hr. 29imin., 982 yds. Ht. sin., 3; V. H. Beal's Egmont, 2hr. 30min., 980 yds, Bin., 4. Messrs Collins Bros., Ltd,., wholesale stationers, of Auckland, have for the past six years held annual writing competitions in connection with their New Graphic Copy Books. This year among the successful candidates are Flora Collins, Nellie Hurle, Darcy Newell. Charles Crone, Katie Fuller, Winnifred Morrison, Doris Trigger, Reggie Brokenshire, Alice Cocker, Almenia Whitehead, and Eric Lepine, of the West End School, New Plymouth. A recent issue of the London Weekly Graphic contains a fine half-page pici ture of Taranaki Cadet, officers and bova in uniform, taken on the bank of 1 a "stream near Sentry Hill, where <a former cadet battalioii. camp was l.r!cj. The central figure is Colonel Loved 4 T . 1 with whom are also Messrs. H. Dempsey, Bary, Sullivan, Prichir«l a.. I others, and half a dozen boys. Other pictures of the cadet movement at Home appear with this, under the heading of "Making of. Men." . Athletes generally will regret to learn that the injuries which the Wellingtonamateur, W. H. Pollock, received recently, when contesting the long jump, are more severe than at first supposed. The cartilage of the injured knee has been badly torn and muscles severely strained, while in addition the ankle is sprained. Medical attendance has been found necessary, and it will probably be quite a month before Mr. Pollock will be able to get about. This mishap will perhaps mean permanent retirement from the athletic arena, which Mr. Pollock was anxious to reenter for the last time next season. According to the Waihi Daily Telegraph, a petition is being 'taken round the electorate for signature, which in due course will be presented to the Premier and to Parliament, praying that legislation be introduced to cause a fresh licensing poll to be taken in Oh'inerauri, or that the present licenses be allowed to continue. The petition asserts that a great revulsion of feeling has taken place since the last local option poll was "held, and that the carrying of no-license « in Ohinemuri is prejudicial to the best interests of the district. The petition also emphasises the fact of the occurrence of so many irregularities at the recent poll. A report was published that Mrs. Hannan, one of the Penguin survivors, received a present of £50 from Mrs. Matthews, of Spring Creek, whose son was saved in the overturned boat which brought Mrs. Hannan ashore. Mrs. Hannan assured the nommitte administering the relief funds ttat she had received no grant from Mrs. Matthews; In order to clear up the point the secretary of the fund wrote to Mrs. Matthews. A reply has been received, stating that no. grant had been, made, and that there had been a public misapprehension as to the manner in which young Matthews was saved. He has told his ' mother that he kept his position in the upturned boat, without assistance from anyone, by. pressing his feet against the thwarts while holding tightly to a rope, and ihat the person whom Mrs. Hannan assisted must have been someone else, who failed to reach the shore. . The opinion already expressed by Captains Stewart and Aldwell, of the Pateena and Te Anau respectively, that the ill-fated Penguin struck a derelict in Cook Strait; is borne out by information received from Mr. R. B. D. Eyre, Collector of Customs for Blenheim, who was interviewed by a reporter. He is of the opinion that if the Penguin struck a derelict, it was the scooner Pet, laden with timber, which ran on the rocks at the entrance to Pelorus Sound some time ago, and came off ten days' later. This theory is borne out by the fact that, after the disaster, large quantities of timber came ashore at Kaikoura and along the. Flaxbourne beach. Together with the timber, the bulwarks, decking, fixtures, and debris, similar to a schooner the size of the Pet, are to be seen. All this points to the fact that the opinion expressed by Captain's Stewart and Aldwell bears some significance (says, the Herald)-, and the only way to clear, up the mystery is to locate the spot where the Penguin lies.

Anniversary Lay. Wednesday, March 31 , will be observed us a hcfliday by all Public Schools in the Ttvrauaki Education Board's district. In a recent letter to the Mayor of Auckland, Dr. Purdy claims that tiie population of "Greater Au-kland" is now over 100,000. He includes in tho "greater" area Ellorslie and Onehunga. A few days ago it was mentioned that the people of Palmerston North were petitioning against the removal ot Detective Quirke from that- town. It was rumoured on Wednesday (says a Pahnerston paper) that the order for Detective Quirke's transfer had been cancelled, but no official intimation had been received. Probably the largest load of vrool over carted by a wagon team of eight liorses in Otago passed through.Cromwell recently from Mount Pisa Station, it consisted (says the Argus) of 60 bales of scoured wool weighing 7 tons 4cwt. The driver was Mr <J antes Tait, and tlio team is owned by Messrs Reid and M ; Dow ell, the well-known millers of, Arrowtown and Luggate. We are inforr.iud that the Choral Club being formed b> Mr. Francis Cornwall promises to bo successful. A good number of names have bcon .sent in, and it is intended to hold the first practice in Ihe Que^n Street Church School-room en Monday, April 5. There is as yet a need for more sopranos, and it is hoped that this difficulty will be overcome; as it is only by enthusiastic support from vocalists that a society of this &ort can hope to succeed. The society will be absolutely undenomina- .J tional. The New Zealand Education Depart--nient ha§f been invited to send a representative to attend a conference of probation officers, who carry out '-the Children's Court Act in Australia; wh^ch will open in Melbourne on March 29.- The invitation cannot be accepted, but the Under-Seeretary of Education (Sir Edward Gibbes) is contributing a ; paper, outlining the work of a similar character conducted in New Zealand. The New Zealand Education Act makes provision for the establishment of truant schools, but there has, fortunately, been no occasion to utilise this ! power, as the average attendance at the elementary schools is remarkably high. Last year it reached 87.1, which means 'that only 13 children out of 100 were, absent. - ' Considerable interest ,was excited among the numerous spectators on the Dunedin wharves a day or two ago, by the spectacle of the ship's company of the s.s. Maheno indulging in boat-drill. Under the perfect weather conditions prevailing the exercise had as much semblance of a pleasant recreation as anything else,- but its utilitarian side was none the less obvious. The big steamer was hauled out slightly from the Rattray Street wharf, and at the given signal nine boats wore launched and manned by betwoed 70 and 80 hands." Tho crews rowed out in procession till opposife the Victoria wharf, and their heterogeneous appearance, as well as the oarsmanship of one or two individuals probably . more at home m the cook's galley than on the thwarts of*a lifeboat, provided some diversion for onlookers disposed to be nautically critical. Having gained a sufficient offing, oars were shipped and lug-sails hoisted, and with a capital breeze the flotilla sped gaily back to the Maheno, presenting- a most attractive picture. There was quite a buzz at the wharf on Saturday morning writes the Bluff corespondent of the Otago Daily Times, arising out. of the departure of the Natives on their season's,muttonbidding^ A number have come from' North Otago and Canterbury this year, and the contingent shipped at the Bluff tottalled no fewer -than from* sixty .to eighty. The coastal, steamer' Dorset was engaged . for _ conveyance. The steamer will go to Colac Bay, where the Western District residents will join and from there she will go to the South Cape Islands, Evening Island, Murder Cove and Moggies,- the last-named being' her farthest south destination. At the Bluff twelve truck-loads of baggage were shipped. There is no particular season set down for mutton-birdmg, but from now for about three months hence most business in this direction .is done. The exchange system between Maoris used to Be carried on pretty extensively not many years ago, when the Southern men would redeive some article of food in return for whatever was sent to their Northern brothers. Most of the business is now carried out on commercial lines, and in most cases strictly on the "cash" basis. Several important stipulations have been imposed in connection with* the regrant of preference to unionists in the grocery trade. In view' of the recent discussions in the Court of ArbitraI tion, with respect to preference and the value of tlie "employment-book, the provisions relating to the matter -m the ; new award will be read with interest, says The Dominion, It is declared to be the duty of the union to, keep at the office o*f the Labour Department an employment-book, wherein shall be entered from time to time the nam.es and addresses of all unionists who are out of employment, "together- with a statement of the branch of the trade in which each such member is proficient, and the najnes.and addresses of each employer for whom such member has worked during the twelve months immediately preceding the determination of his last employment." To secure preference a member whose name is on the employment-book must be equally competent with non-members to perform the particular work required to be done, and must be willing and ready to accept the employment offered within 24 hours after notification has been given to the Labour Department by the employer 'that he requires such worker. . * . Steamers arriving and departing from Wellington have a strange fascination for the public of Wellington. It is only natural that people should meet or farewell their friends, but over and beyond these there is usually a vast crowd in attendance on. the wharf to hinder the bustling business associated with snch minor events. Witness the arrival any week of the Sydney boat and note the crowd that almost blocks the quay alongside which the vessel is being berthed. Ihey are roped back until the lines are made fast, then they swarm round the gangway and give officials no end of trouble in their endeavours to keep a clear way for passengers and, those on legitimate business. A large number witnessed the departure fiorn the wnari of the Athenic (for London) at noon 'on Thursday (says The J)ominion). Some of the passengers took a chance of missing the steamer altogether, as at midday at least a dozen passengers were still in town when the White Star liner was on the move outwards. Fortunate- ] ly for them she had to wait in the stream for a couple of hours for some papers, or they would have been left behind. Their' consternation on learning the vessel had left the wharf was amusing. Sometimes a steamer does leave on time.

worker.

The Captain of the New % Plymoulu' Volunteer .Fire Brigade has received donations of £7 7s from Messrs. Burgess, Fraser and Co., and £3 13s from Messrs. Webster and M'Kellar. The Bluff correspondent of < the Otago Daily Times states that >a mysterious discovery has just been reported from the vicinity of Murray River and Saddle Point, on the Foveaux side of Stewart Island. An island cutter was round in the neighbourhood hatting, and one of the crew, an Austrian, went on shore in a dingy. In exploring about he discovered a solitary individual wandering among the rocks. On being communicated with .. tne stranger was found ±o be a foreigner, who seemingly did not understand a. word of English. After a, time it wa» discovered that he was a Frenchman. To all appearances the man was in w depths of distress, both as regards food and clothing. Indeeed, it was fouAd that he was collecting shellfish for nis subsistence. The Austrian waft «nnbled to make him understand dr lew Words, but the stranger seemed tp oe, mainly desirous of being left abn*Incdeecl, he seemed to resent interference and therefore the cutter people left him as they found him. No one on the island knows anything about him, neither as to who he is, nor the , circumstances under which he came to be where he was found. The matter was reported to the police, and no doubt steps will be ,takento probe *he subject further. " Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (First and Second Groups), are notified that sub*cr'iptions will be due and payable on' Morday at the Secretary's Office, Cttt- ' rie- Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. X pang of regret is experienced by many of the ladies who purchased trimmed millinery too hastily, before Ijseeing the very -best.' Messrs. Blytn . and 1 Co.. have just. ope>ned their -first shipment of imported models; lovely * goods — correct in style, • modest in price. Have a look. , a 726" There, will he a baptismal service in the Baptist Church to-morrow evening at 7. A Bible reading will be given on Baptism, as taught in the New Testament. The services, in Whiteley Church tomorrow will be conducted in the morning by the Rev. M- J. Hikler, and in 4he evening by 'the Rev. T. G. Brooke. At the special request pi the circuit officials Mr. Brooke will preach a spe-. cial sermon on 'Christian Liberality. Strangers are cordially invited*. At the Primitive. Methodist Church,Queen Street, to-morrow, * the Rev. J. , Guy .will conduct a special children s^ service in the morning and will preasch* at night. At'.Fitzroy Rev. H. Whits is .the preacher for the $ay. Special attention ~is drawn to the circular letter enclosed in' this evening's Herald. Mr; Samuel Barry, the eye^ sight specialist, has established in Auckland the largest and 1 most modena sigh6-testing business in the Dominion, and in visiting New -Plymouth on March 30 and 31 assures the public that he offers a perfect optical service ,which ensures satisfaction.