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Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143788, 11 May 1912, Page 2

Tho Wellington office ndvises that tho Wimrnera, Ulimnroa, Victoria rind Maungnnui will probably bo within wireless range to-night. Mr, G, H. Saunders, of the Umpire Pictures, Ims imported a complete cinematograph earners plant, which is, »0W on view in Mr, \V. Fraser's window, It is a splendid piooo of workmanship and is English-made throughout, Thera were slaughtered for local coip sumption at tho abattoirs lust month, 100 cows 69 bullocks, 8 calves, Col sheep, 99 lambs, and 141 pigs j 140 tripes were also cleaned, One bullock and four pigs were condemned, Campared with tho corresponding month of last year tho figures show an increase of l 9 cattle, 121 sheep, 5 lambs and 16 tripes, and tv decrease of 5 calves and 56 pigs, There were slaughtered for export 35 cows, 1 ox find IS bulls, tin increase of [ill cows, 1 oy pud p bulls over lust year’s figures, Tl|o foes for the month amounted to £134 3d, £l3 17s 6d more than in 1011, Mr, J, Grnpen, up Omdmngn fisherman, says ho lias often been surprised with the contents of Ids fishing pots alter drawing them, but lie got flip surprise of Ids life op Wednesday whW bo lauded a well-conditioned stag, Mr, Grupen (the gtar rei>orta) bad placed bis lislilng net on what is known as tho middle bardc in the Maiuikau Harbour, between the north channel, traversed by coastal steamers, and the south channel, used by the Wajuku steamer. The entrance into the channels is at tbs Horn, travelling from Onehunga. As already stated, the net contained a stag with antlers quite three feet long. It bad the appearance pf having just died when caught, as its flesh was quite sweet and fresh, Someone said it was six years old, How the animal got into tho harlMHir ip a mystery, and also where it camp from, It may have been chased from t-ha ‘(Vnitiikero ranges and fallen over a, cliff into tho Manukau Harbour. Tlio middle bank is always hare for miles a| low ! water, and ho doubt the animal got stranded there and was gradually Forced on to the highest point of the hank by the flood tide until it got entangled m the net and drowned.

A good warm raincoat and a good pair of boots for the', cold ffoafhor, and thorn yon am, defying the elements. At The Hush they’ ye a splendid lot of tweed om'oonts from sms !ld to CDs o<l, raincoats (grey! £il)s 6d, boys’ overcoats from 6s Od, men’s famous “Tread-along 1 hoots 16e 6d,Best line in Taronaki/for the money,''

Tho Arawa arrived at Hobart at 9 a.m. on Friday, She landed 172 passengers. and 271 are proceeding to New Zealand.

The services in the Whiteloy Memorial Church to-morrow will be conducted in tho morning by Mr. H. T, Peat, and in the evening by the Bov. J. W. Burton. Tho evening subject will be “The Father-heart of God.”

The Auckland Herald gives tho following incident as having happened during church service at Gisborne; “A lady bad some little difficulty in finding tho number of a hymn that had Just been given out when another sitting behind her leant over the desk to help. Having so done she was about to resume her seat when sho found that her headgear would have carried olf that of her friend in front had it not been firmly tied under her chin, for both were securely locked by a hatpin. A third lady had to go to the rescue. A staunch opponent of matrimony stood in the iiagistrate’s Court at Christchurch and revived memories of recent blood-curdling melodrama. “Why did you leave your wife?” asked the Magistrate. “Which wife?” indignantly demanded the accused. “Well, how many have you?” asked the Magistrate, “None whatever,” was the reply. The sub-inspector here intervened, explaining that the lady in question was merely “tho mother of his child.” Mr. H. S. Taylor, who spent fifteen years in tho Murray River districts of Victoria, Now South Wales, and South Australia, states that the town of Benmark is now having forcible illustration of the disadvantage of an unlocked river. There are, lie says, dried fruits there valued at £IOO,OOO that, cannot bo sent away, because the river is (innavigable. Five pounds a ton is tho rate for cartage, but it is likely to bo raised shortly to £7 10s per ton.

Tlie child and its claims were referred to by Bishop Sprott at the opening of the Lower Hutt Boys’ Home on Saturday. There was, lie said, a remarkable carelessness in regard to the child'life in the pre-Christian world, as there probably was to-day in tho non-Chris-tian where it was untouched by Christianity. One of the most striking differences between ancient and modern biographies was that in the former little or nothing was told of tho childhood of the hero. Even among the many biographies of the Old Testament, the childhood of Samuel was the only one that seemed to be lingered on with any affectionate and reverential detail. The birth of Jesus Christ cast a sanctity over all childhood.

Referring to the recent Mayoral election at Auckland, The Voice of Labour says; The Federation of Labour stands to-day exposed to the whole of New Zealand as an organisation without power, prestige, or influence. It stands exposed to the unionists of New Zealand in all its,hollowness as a bragging, bluffing. mug concern that could not win a half-hour’s strike or anything else. Its loaders have, ’with sickening and disgusting hypocrisy, maintained that the only reason they have not called a “general strike” was because they wero “considering tho public.” But the reason was that tho loaders knew well that they dare not call a strike, for to do so would mean to expose the weakness of the “Great Federation-” In view of the announcement that a prevention of cruelty to oysters campaign is to be inaugurated by tho president of the Alabama State Oyster Commission, a professor of physiology at a London medical school said: “The oyster has certain nervous structures and undoubtedly has a certain amount of nervous sensibility. Its nerves can be readily dissected, and that it can respond to a touch is shown by the closing of tlio shell if one taps on it when it is partly open. It is impossible, however, to say whether its nervous sensibilities are of sufficiently high development to enable it to experience pain. In any case it would bo hard to find a more sudden or more merciful way of killing an oyster than by eating hint.” The proprietors of the Royal Pictures and Orchestra are sparing no expense in bringing their popular house of amusement up to the highest standard obtainable. A large fireproof operating chamber is at present in the hands of a local contractor, and will be finished next week. The new lighting plant, duo at an early date, when installed, will furnish a light more powerful than anything yet seen in New Plymouth. Mr. Crust announces that a long list of West’s weekly star pictures have been booked for many months ahead. The first of those, a Nordisk masterpiece, entitled “A Sudden Impulse” will lie screened on Saturdnv next, to be followed by “The Four Dare Devils” (a great circus sensation), and Camille with tho divine Sarah Bernhardt, the world’s greatest living actress, in the loading role.

At Santpoort, in Holland, the ilrst house of two storeys, built of concrete, on the Edison system, Ims boon erected. Tho builders set up moulds, having the appearance of caissons, as high as the first floor. The cement was then ponied into the moulds and allow'ed to remain. When the time hud been allowed for the cement to harden, the mould was removed, and tile same process foil lived for the second storey-. In , one month the house was finished, and it is claimed that building in this way costs about one-half of tho sum that would be expended on n house put up in tho ordinary way. It seems that the concrete is made by a secret process, and thij moulds can only he obtained through the patentees or their nominees. One of the largest buildings ever constructed of concrete is in Bulfalo. It has a height of ton storeys, a length of 588 ft., and a width of 109 ft. The ancient wheeze aliont the sale of the sundial in a public gardens to a too-confiding countryman has. according to tho police in Adelaide, been revived with profit by certain confidence men or practical jokers (says the Sydney- Sun). The police are now busy inquiring into tho story of a farmer who it is said, drove up to the Botanical hardens in a light spring dray and told tho officials ho had come to take away the clock which he had purchased the' previous day. He, was simply laughed at, and told that ho was at tho wrong place. But the ruralist was

meats that the gardeners accepted liis offer to siiow them the clock ho had bought. Ho led them to tho sundial. Then came the enlightenment. The farmer said a collide of well-dressed, .young men got into conversation with him. They led him to the sundial, explained its workings, and proved its usefulness on a farm. They explained that it was their patent. They struck a deal with the country visitor, money was exchanged, and the men left, telling him to come along in the morning and curt his now instrument away.

These specials for Monday shoppers at the Melbourne: Lovely cream and white flannelettes 6d yard, famous “Frentwilla” flannelettes (cream or white) 9d yard, splendid all-wool colonial flannel Is yard, large white towels Is each, largo brown striped towels Is each. Every line‘a record smasher.*

We have to thank the RegistrarGeneral for the complete volume of New Zealand Statistics for 1910.

Agriculturists in the North Island will learn with surprise that in some districts in Southland some large paddocks of oats are still in a green state, in fact, seem to be just coming out in ear. A representative meeting of plumbers and tinsmiths was held at Stratford on Thursday, when draft demands were drawn up to be submitted to a meeting to be held in New Plymouth. The residents of Whangarei are in trouble as to the manner in which the municipality has “outrun the constable” in connection with the erection of a town hall for that centre. Originally it was estimated that a site could be acquired, and the building erected for £BOOO. The site cost £2OOO, leaving £6OOO available for the building, but alterations in the plans wore agreed to which brought the estimate up to £6400. The tenders received ranged from £7295 to £BIOO, the lowest tender being accepted. Now it is stated that the total cost of the building by the time it is finished and equipped will be about £ll,000, dr £3OOO above the original estimate. The architect attributes the increased cost chiefly to the unsettled conditions of the labour market. The Prime Minister’s latest utterances on the Civil Service point more and more towards the abandonment of tile proposal to classify the State employees outside the Postal and Hailway Departments. The difficulties which have arisen over the .provisional classification scheme (over 1500 appeals have been made from the four thousand employees concerned) hav.o evidently caused tho Government to stay its hand. A mooting of the Public Service Classification Board was held last week after receipt of reports from departmental heads respecting the big budget of appeals referred to them. It is generally understood that before anything further is done, the matter has to be considered by Cabinet, Tho impression'Ts gaining ground among those most closely in touch with the position that the classification scheme will be abandoned. The shareholders in the Hawera County Electric Light Company may (the Star says) congratulate themselves on this year’s operations. For tho first time in Hie company’s history tho directors are able to place before the shareholders a strong financial credit balance, and doubtless year by year will now show a steady increase of business and good profits for the shareholders. The operations fpr the year just ended show a profit of'£lßs2 Is, and this will enable the payment of a dividend of 5 per cent, on ordinary shares, and 7 per cent, on preference shares. In addition to this, a sum of £SOO will be placed to a reserve account, and £617 3s 8d carried forward to next year’s accounts. The company’s general business has been expanding in a gratifying manner, and the revenue from light, power, meter rent, and trade account shows an increase of £7OO 0s 9d over the previous year’s total.

In a recent issue we published a paragraph from the Melbourne Argus with reference to a charge against a Ballarat school-teacher of splitting a pupil’s tongue. The incident has been officially reported upon by Mr. Fussed, Assistant Chief Inspector of tho Education Department. Mr. Fussed states that the infant mistress of a Ballarat school had occasion to detain a young pupil after school hours for correction. In playful admonition the teacher, being alone with the child, spoke of “cutting off a piece of a talkative little tongue,” and told the child to put her tongue out. The teacher playfully made a snip with a pair of scissors, and, to her consternation, found that she had made a slight incision in the tip of tho girl’s tongue. After dressing the injury she took the child home, the little one chatting to her on the way. The teacher explained the incident to tile mother, and expressed her contrition. As the father was a lodge member there was no doctor’s fee, but. the teacher paid the parents £5. The pupil was soon back in her class, as bright as over, and tho parents considered the incident closed ; but an exaggerated and incorrect account of the matter appeared in ono of the local papers. The teacher, who has a very good record and is held in high esteem, has suffered so acutely as a consequence of her impulsive and imprudent act that her health is endangered, and Mr. Fussell expresses the opinion that no further action is called for.

“One of the Company” writes with reference to a paragraph which appeared in onr issno of Thursday : “Your local with regard to tlie appointment of one of the officers in the New Plymouth Guards Rifle Volunteers calls to mind the circumstances under which that corps camo into very brief existence. It was in September, 1881, that Te Whiti delivered his oracular potato-cooking speech which led to the investment of Parihaka, the capture of the prophet and his principal chiefs, and the dispersal of the largo number of disaffected Natives who had been congregating on this coast and creating a general feeling of insecurity. When the Government decided to take effective measures in the interests of public safety, both the local corps, the Taranaki Mounted Rifles and the Taranaki Rifles, offered their services to go to the front and were at once accepted, these being two of the finest volunteer companies in the colony. It then became necessary to make provision for the defence of the. town, and a public meeting was convened, at which Major Stapp, then in command of the district, stated that another volunteer force must bo raised or martial law proclaimed. The former course was promptly adopted, and the same night the New Plymouth Guards were embodied and a good many members sworn in. Mr, F, P. Corkill, late of tho sth- Lancashire Rifle Volunteers (Liverpool Rifle Brigade) was elected first lieutenant, and Mr. T. K. Skinner second lieutenant. During the next two or three weeks active recruiting was carried on, and the strength raised to about 100 men, who wore drilled into something like shape bv Sergeant Nixon, a staff sergeant and father of our present local engineer and electrician. A few days before Parihaka tho corps met to elect a captain, and, as Mr. Corkill declined to accept the position,’ the choice fell upon Captain F. L. Webster. who had seen service during the Taranaki war. Like nil or most of the troops engaged in the Parihaka affair, tho Guards were armed with the Snider (converted Enfield) rifle. They never had a uniform, the sole exception being Private C. W. Oovett, who possessed a serge tunic which made him the envy of his fellows. A system of pickets was arranged, but the need for this service did not arise, and the bloodless capture of Parihaka enabled the Guards to be disbanded after an enrolment of nob more than three months.”

During the past few days White and Sons have opened several new patterns in dress tweeds. The keen demands for a stout tweed for knock-about skirts is well met by a very fine material the firm are showing at 2s lid per yard. It is 54 inches wide, and can be done in four different shades.*

“ The world’s debt in 1900 was £7,000,000,000,” stated Mr. C. K. Hobson, of Trinity College, Cambridge, in a lecture on “The Export of Capital,” at the London School of Economics and Political Science recently. With all the precautions taken by the State to insure that people coming to tho Dominion from abroad shall be of a class that will be a benefit to the country, instead of a menace, there is still one avenue through which a considerable number of undesirables gain admission. The avenue is provided by the ships trading to New Zealand from British and American ports. When a Home liner is in New waters there is always anxiety regarding the members of her crew and her stokehold staff. It is well known that criminals, desirous of evading the punishment consequent on a breach of he law, often take to the stokeholds as a means of eluding the police. Once in New Zealand they seek an opportunity to desert so as to avoid returning to the country where arrest is awaiting them. In most of the ports of the Dominion desertions fake place, and the police are frequently unable to trace these men. Speaking to a reporter, a Christchurch detective, with considerable experience, stated that the desertions of sailors and firemen admitted more undesirables to the country than the public thought. Time after time, when men were arrested for crime, it was discovered that they were criminals who had arrived in the Dominion in the stokeholds of some Home liner. Wellington and Auckland are the worst ports for tho traffic, because the proximity of the cities to the wharves makes desertion from ships a comparatively simple matter. In Lyttelton the opportunities of escape are not so advantageous, but the country offered a haven. Descriptions of deserters are always given to the country police stations, and the opportunities afforded the police in the rural districts are better than in the cities, where a man’s trail is quickly lost.