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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144131, 28 June 1913, Page 2

At Stratford on Friday W. S. Bird•sall was fined £5 and costs for failing to attend a cadet parade. The offence was an aggravated one, the lad having missed thirty or forty parades and been fined bn a previous occasion. Another lad was fined £2 and costs.

Tho ringing of tho firobells shortly after 6 o’clock on Friday evening attracted a large crowd of people to the scone of the supposed fire at Mr. T. Furlong’s house in Young Street. Fortunately, however, tho cause' of the alarm was only a few sparks from a chimney, and the services of the Brigade were not required. At tho mooting of tho Brotherhood to-morrow Mr. W. F. Gordon will give an address entitled “Nebuchadnezzar's Band.” Four members of tho 11th Regiment Band will play a quartette “Town and Country,” out of compliment to Mr. Gordon who is one of the oldest volunteer bandsmen in the Dominion. Mr. R. N. Remind will take tho chair.

Early on Wednesday morning a fire was discovered to have broken out at Dr. Tovey's residence at Kaponga. The flames had a strong hold of the building, which, despite the efforts of tho brigade, was gutted. Tho furniture, too. was destroyed. A few articles of clothing and so;nc surgical instruments wore saved. Tho building was insured in the Phoenix Office for £325 and tho furniture in tho same office for £3lO.

Sketches and paintings from the majority of the exhibits of the Arts and Crafts Society in the-Brougham Street Hall. There are only a few specimens of crafts, but these all show that a creditable amount of skill and artistic ability has been expended in their production. Miss Ida Locking, Napier, has an exhibition of 30 pieces of leatherwork, consisting of. blotting pad covers, pocket books, card-cases, purses, bolts and many other useful and artistic looking articles. These were all designed, stained and executed by Mias Locking, and that they are attractive is proved by tho quick sale of most of them. Mrs. T. L. Paget, Strafford, exhibits a lino hearthrug which was worked and designed by herself. Mr. W. Bewley has on exhibition only, a number of relief carvings, clean cut and very appropriately designed. Some attractive needlework is shown by Miss Collins, of the Birmingham Art Workers’ Guild. Mr. D. Hutton exhibits some fine specimens of deep-cut enamelling work, consisting of paiuted enamels, and Limoges enamels. It is decidedly quaint to see one’s portrait in enamel, but Mr. Hutton shows several examples, which are suitable for lockets, pendants etc. There are only a few examples of Limoges enamels in New Zealand, and those shown by Mr Hutton should certainly be inspected. Altogether, the crafts section is a decidedly pleasing exhibition which is in itself worth many times tho small charge for admission.

For frosty weather the "Prcstweli” overcoat is a necessity. Made’ in tho latest style, in colonial and English tweeds, they are the finest overcoats sold in Taranaki. The low prices usually prevailing at The ICash apply to these overcoats too. Commencing at 255, they range up to the highest grade at 555. Call round and see our. outside t display.S

A parcel of 48 shares in the Taranaki (Now Zealand) Oil Wells, Ltd., were sold to-day at Webster Bros, at 10s 9d.

Corrugated iron, 6ft. lengths, is being retailed in Now Plymouth at 2s 3d, but fourteen sheets of this length, which had been used in connection with the visit of tho Dreadnought, realised 2s 6d per sheet at auction to-day.

Because her week-old kittens were taken out of their basket and shown to a visitor, a cat at Tiverton, Devon, carried them up four flights of stairs, through an attic window on to a narrowledge, and over a high roof to a sheltered nook where intrusion was impossible. As no trace of tho kittens could be soon it was feared they wore dead, till they were found playing on the topmost landing of tho house. It is suggested that tho cat brought the kittens back into the house when she found they wore no longer safe on the roof.

A delightful stoVy of the Prince of Wales is told in the Liverpool Post. “When undergraduates ask their friends to dinner and tho theatre,” says the writer, “it is understood that each person pays Ids own shot. One day a Magdalen man, meeting tire _ Prince of Wales, asked him to join his forthcoming party to dine and tho play. ‘I should love to go,' said his Royal Highness, ‘but—the fact is I haven't got the three shillings!’ 'Then why don’t you write home for some money H’ said his friend. T have,’ replied tho Prince, ‘but mother says I must make what I have do till the end of tho term-’ ” An organisation of domestic servants, numbering three thousand strong, has recently been formed at Cleveland, Ohio, by Mrs. Clara Rontzer, herself an exdomestic servant. The now union claims considerable concessions for its members, among which are a working week of 70 hours, a minimum salary of £1 a week, an outing three afternoons a week of not less than thaeo consecutive hours, and overtime for all work performed after 8 p.m., the sum thus earned being paid weekly. As the women enrolled in this union_ are thoroughly efficient servants no difficulty, is being experienced in securing situations where these concessions are granted, apd a largo number of mistresses have joined forces with their domestics in backing tho new- venture.

Tho schooner Hiram sailed from Boston last month with a crew of women, tho only man on board being the skipper’s husband, who had signed on as first mate under his wife. Tho captain of the Hiram, Mrs. Georgia, Orne, has owned and commanded the vessel for many years, and has the reputation of being K skilful and daring sailor. She had some trouble with the men she employed during a recent voyage of the Hiram, and so she decided to replace them all with jvomen. Mrs. Orne was at the wheel when the schooner pint to sea, and her orders were executed smartly under the critical eyes of the sailormen who had gathered to watch the proceedings. Tho Hiram, which was built nearly a hundred years ago, was sainted by every steamer she passed on her way out of the port. With the object of influencing the price of bread to the advantage of the consumer, a co-operative bakery was started in Auckland about three years ago. The movement was styled the Auckland Workers’ Co-operative Society, Ltd. Although Apparently successful in its early stages, the venture seems to have languished, for during the past few days the committee of directors has decider! to go into liquidation. No official statement is forthcoming as to tho causes which prompted such action, but it would seem that the difficulty experienced in advantageously securing the necessary' ingredients for the staff of life had much to do with it. While;a claim may bo put forward to the effect that the movement has, during the term of its currency, at least influenced the price of bread in the desired way, the fact still remains that this result has been obtained at the expense of shareholders and others. The committee states that loyal support was given tho undertaking by workers generally, and that inability to succeed was not attributable to them.

By a Wages Board decision the slaughtermen of New South Wales have been awarded a minimum of 30s per 100 for killing and dressing freezing sheep and lambs. This leaves New Zealand and Victoria as the only parts of Australasia where 30s is not paid. In Queensland the rate is 30s 9d for killing and dressing. Another important concession is that whenever a uiau commences work he is guaranteed 50 sheep or lambs. In other words he is assured 15s for his day’s work. There is a provision to prevent an output of less than eight or- more than ten sheep per hour. If the men decide to do more than the maximum of ten per ■hour the rate is reduced to 2Ss _6d. Tins, no doubt, is to ensure efficient workmanship. This award is made to cover the labourers also- The minimum rate of pay is 9s per day. Where the offal work is done by piecework the rates seems to be on a par with tho Wellington prices. Overtime, however, is time and a half, as against time and a quarter in New Zealand awards. Where beef butchers are paid b.V the week they are to receive £4 os, casuals I7s 6d per day. The piece-work rate‘for cattle is 2s o|d per head, the same as in Queensland. This is Jd. per head better than our New Zealand rates.

' Mile. Clementine Lorat, who is aged 62, Was recently .“evicted” from her flat at Versailles, where she had spent the last seven years in the dark. Mile. Lerat, who is said to possess a considerable fortune, formerly lived- with her sister. When her sister died seven years ago (says the Matin) Mile. Lerat, deepIv affected, resolved to cut herself off from tho world. She drew down the Venetian blinds of the windows of her flat and darkened the rooms completely by covering with black, paper the spaces through, which light passed, In addition she emptied her lamps of oil. Letters addressed to her sho refused to take in, and visitors to tho flat were turned away. Only one person was allowed to enter the flat, and that was a woman who twice a month passed food to her through a hole. Every three months this woman received in the same way a clieque with which she paid the bills. Recently the owner of the flat wished to carry out urgent repairs. Officers of the law proceeded to the flat armed with long ladders, which they placed against the windows, but they were fastened. They knocked at the door, but there was ilo answer. Finally they broke into the rooms, where they found the old woman in a pitiable condition. Sho was taken to hospital, where sho was immediately given a bath. Two cats of which the old woman was very fond died three years ago, apparently through lack of exorcise and food. Since then their bodies had remained on the carpet in tho drawing-room. Dickens in “Great Expectations” tells the story of Miss Havisham, the waiting, bride whose bridegroom came not. There is tile same story of decay and darkness—. the clock stopped against the outside world. Music at tho Kia Ora Rooms.—Mrs. Kirkby desires to inform her friends and patrons that she has engaged Mrs. Wood to play in tho rooms every afternoon and on Thursday mornings,, com-mencing-on Monday nest.

There wore 94,515 old-age and invalid pensioners in Australia on-April 11 1913. The total annual payments amounted to £2,333,188. The value of Australian silver and bronze coins issued to April 14, 1913, was £816,220. This amount consisted of £321,900 in florins, £237,109 in shillings, £113,900 in sixpences, £108,200 in threepences, £25,260 in pennies, and £9870 in half-pennies. In the six months in which the Australian Maternity Allowance Act has been in force (from October 10, 1912, to 'April 12, 1913)/ the total number of applications from the sis States was 55,968, and tho amount paid £269,860. The amount paid to each successful applicant was £5. Quite a novel objection to trades unionism was revealed during the hearing of the gasworkers’ case before Mr. Justice Higgins in Melbourne. “His religious beliefs keep him out of the union,” a witness stated when relating that all the stokers except one employed by tho Hobart Gas Company were ■ members of tho organisation. When asked for further enlightenment, witness said tho stoker _in question joined tho union when it pvas first formed, but while on a visit to Melbourne lie attended a meeting of local preachers, and on returning said he would have to leave it “because he could not he mixed up with an unsaved body of men.” Tho proportion of loan money devoted to public development is lamentably and pathetically small. It may bo "said that Advances to Settlers and Advances to Workers are developmental in their character and this is theoretically true; but it is common knowledge that exactly as the ballot system intended to decide equitably between genuine settlers claiming the same section has been made to serve the ends of speculators and gamblers sp_ the national money-lending system, intended to secure cheap money for small settlors and thrifty workmen, seeking homos of their own, lias been twisted in many cases into tho service of another group of speculators.—New Zealand Herald.

At the animal meeting of tlio Bristol Chamber of Commerce Alderman Twiggs, Chairman of the Bristol Dock, stated that for the j;ear under review 40,831 tons of provisions were imported, an increase of 2796 tons for the year. Cheese showed an increase of '833 tons, lard increase of 220 tons, bacon and ham increase of 135 tons, frozen and canned meats largo increases and butter a decline of 1959 tons. Ihe decline of butter imports ho attributed partly to Bristol merchants drawing on London. “They do that,” said Aiderman Twiggs, “not because they like doing it, but because they are bound to adopt that course.” The principal reason, however, was the fallins-olt in Canadian butter imports. The art union in connectionwith the Taranaki Arts and Crafts Society si exhibition iu the Brougham Street ii&li was drawn on Fridays evening, when it was found possible to give fourteen prizes of the total value of £-2/, a fai larger sum than was at first anticipated. The lucky numbers and, the winners, in the order they were drawn, were;—766, Mrs. A. H. Rich, who is awarded pictures to the value of 372, Mr. A. F.. Groves, £3; 932, Mr, J. Clarke, £3; 692; Mr. 0. N. Firth. £2; 698 Mr' P. C. Morton, £2; 688, Morey and Moore, £2; 547, Mr. H. Obey, P., £1 10s; 237, Mr. D. Hutton; £1 10s; 889, Dr. Walker, £1 10s; 799 Miss Lithgow, £1 10s; 795, Mr. B. White. £1; 902, Miss Paget (Stratford), £1; 948, Mr. A; IV. M'Ewen, £1; 488, Mr. E. Lyttle, £l. Miss Nancy Redding, of Baltimore, an attractive heiress, was married the other day, much to the surprise of her fashionable friends, to George A. Lamaze, a waiter in a Boston hotel. Mr. T.amaze is the most handsome waiter in Boston, and is known as “Handsome George.” Ho made the acquaintance of the heiress some weeks ago when he served her and her guests at a dinnei. It was a case, so the bride says, of “love at first sight.” She had frequently heard her father, wealthy traffic magnate, declare that his daughters should many working men rather than idle youths in society. Miss Redding, who is a graduate of the Notre Dnmo Academy of Baltimore, an export golfer and tennis player, and a fine horsewoman, decided to _ put ; her parent's professed democratic principles to the test. She informed him that the waiter had asked for her hand in marriage. , Mr. Redding gasped with amazement, but finally wished the couple joy and'gave them a fivefigure cheque as a wedding present.

After being held prisoner for just over a year by tho Cold Storage, Trust, Oupid has triumphed by bringing together Mr. Frederick Kelly and Miss Ava Mercer, daughter of a wealthy Missouri farmer. In the autumn of 1911 Miss Mercer, who was then 17 years .of age, wrote her name and address on one of the eggs sent out from her father’s poultry farm, and in a few words she invited would-be suitors to communicate with her. A year went by, for the egg, with many others, had been put into cold storage, and it was not until Christmas Eve, 1912, that it was offered for sale at New London, Connecticut. Mr. Kelly was tho purchaser, and ho promptly wrote to the “advertiser,” who lives at Moherly, Missouri. Letters and photographs passed between the couple, and the enterprising suitor visited Moberly. There he made a good impression, and their formal engagement lias just been announced. Miss Mcreor laughingly confesses that while tho egg was in cold storage she very nearly accepted offers of marriage from young men whom she had met, but she says that she is glad that she waited and “gave Cupid a chance.”

The Melbourne Herald of June 13, a copy of which Mr. J. Cunningham, of that city, has kindly sent us, contains a facsimile of tho menu of a dinner at the .opening of the Royal Cafe dc Paris, in Melbourne, on June 14, 1855.,/ The chairman on the occasion was Mr. George Coppiu, who achieved fame as an actor anti theatrical manager. The Herald remarks; —“That tho civilising influences of a good table were not despised by the pioneers is shown in tho menu of tho dinner given in Melbourne on .June 14, 1858, to commemorate tho opening of the Royal Cafe de Paris. The menu was tastefully printed red on a broad band of white silk, and the items read well, both as to quantity and selection. The facsimile is taken from a menu sent to Messrs. Frederick Grosse and Company, wine merchants, of Market Street, by a client of theirs, Mr. W. L. Newman, of New Plymouth, Now Zealand. Mr. Newman is a nepliow of tho late George Coppin, of Theatre Royal fame, who presided at the banquet, and ho suggests that if the Cafe is still in existence the souvenir might be handed to them. The cafe has gone tho way of many good things. Probably it had some connection with Mr. Coppin’s theatrical enterprise.” Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (First and Second Groups) are notified that subscriptions will bo due and payable on Monday next (June 30), at the Secretary’s office, Currie Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30, from 1 p.m. to-5 p.m., andWp.m. to-8 p.m.—Advi.

It is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. Tho recent fierce storm at Hokitika removed tho surface from large stretches of beach, and left exposed the black sand, which is nearly always gold-bearing. Regardless of the heavy rain and tho wild gale whcili had been blowing all day, parties of men were at work on the beach skimming off tho black sand and carting it out of tho reach of the waves. So quickly does tho beach formation change that the next tide may bury the black sand with several feet of ordmsand.

Following is a Bulletin story : A farmer told his son one day, in my presence, to get his axe and chop a four-horse load off the pumpkin, for market. I said: ‘lf there’s more than on© load in a pumpkin, it must bo a big one.’ 'Rather,' says the farmer,, with a broad grin. ‘I shoved the ladder against it and got on top to chop a load off last week. At the first lick I dropped the axe into the hole. S,p I lowered tho ladder and wont down inside to look for it. While walking 'about I lost my way, and met a man, who asked me what I was doing. I said, ‘Looking for-my axe.’ ‘No use, 010 feller,’ ho replied. ‘I lost my team of bullocks hero yesterday, and I bin lookin’ for.’em ever since!’ ”

Tho Government has acquired a small block of land at Willowbridge, South Canterbury, which is to be utilised for small settlement on a plan which the Prime Minister thinks may be utilised for working men who possess small capital and who may be given # a chance of quickly placing themselves in a position beyond immediate want. Tho proposal is that the Government shall build houses upon sections of five acres or thereabouts, and offer them to suitable persons, with the option of acquiring the freehold. The purchaser will he enabled to secure possession by paying a deposit of about £2O, and engage to pay for his holding by easy instalments on tho deferred payment system. At WOlowbridge-there are twelve of these sections, and purchasers have already been found for most of them.

There was a very fair attendance at the Brougham Street Hall oh Friday evening, when the Taranaki Arts and Crafts Society continued' its first _ annual exhibition. The’drawing of the art union (the result of which appears in these columns) was the cause of , great excitement. Songs were given during the evening by Messrs. Hutton" and Fredericks, Miss Smith playing the accompaniments. Miss 1). Mills gave a pianoforte solo, which was much appreciated. To-night the charge for admission will be reduced by half (6d), while the attractions to the public will be doubled. Arrangements have been made for a grand concert, at which many of our best musical artists will assist. This fact should ensure a record attendance this evening, the concluding night of the exhibition. In the amiable way of villagers, they were discussing the matrimonial affairs of a couple who, though recently wed, had begun to find the yoke of Hymen a burden. ’Tis all along o’ them hasty marriages,” opined one caustic old gentleman who had been much to the fore in the discussion. “They did not understand each other. They d nob but knowed each other for a matter i of seven year.” “Well, that seems long enough,” said am interested listener. “Long eno’? Bah! Ye’re wrong. When a body’s courting he canna be too careful. Why, my courtship with Blary lasted a matter of nineteen years.” “You were certainly careful,” agreed the listener; “and did you find ’your plan successful when _ you married?” “Y r e jump to conclusions,” said the old man. “1 understood her then, so I didna marry her!”

The position of the rock oyster fisheries is much more satisfactory since the control of the beds was taken over by the State than was the case for many years prior to that. The indiscriminate picking which soon ended in the complete depletion of the beds has ceased now that the oysters are being removed and marketed ,by the Marino Department, and it is said that in a few years time New Zealand will probably be able to meet a demand twice as largfe as that of .the present day. The Government officers are replanting various parts of the Auckland coast, and are, greatly pleased with the appearance of the new beds. Numerous pieces of rook on .which there are young oysters have been taken by scows to certain localities whore they have been carefully deposited in shallow water. The experiment is proving a great success, and the new beds are expected to yield well at the expiration of four years from the-time they were formed. The Auckland oysters this season are large and of fine flavour and have been in great demand. The output last year was 7728 sacks, being at the rate of about 400 per week. This season the weekly average is 500. Supplies are now coming in to the market satisfactorily, and it is anticipated that the season’s yield will prove a record. The beds at Mahurangi, which will produce about 3000 sacks, will not be touched until later in the season, which closes at the end of October.

Tho monotony of the Perth unemployed demonstrations daily was relieved on Thursday by a stroke of practical humour (states a telegram to the Melbourne Age). The unemployed mustered as usual at the Labour Bureau, and, 300 strong, marched through the streets bearing an effigy of the Premier, Mi-. Scaddan, to the Esplanade, which is tho Perth equivalent to Melbourne’s' Tana bank. Mr. Bradford was appointed judge, to hold a trial on Mr. Scaddan for neglect to deal effectively with the unemployed trouble. The jury had been empanelled when detachments of police suddenly came on the scone and secured Mr. Scaddan’s effigy. They swiftly bore it to the police motor, in waiting,' and drove off amid the derisive cheers of .the unemployed. Though, the effigy was gone, the trial was proceeded with. A foreman of the jury was selected, and counsel for the prosecution and the defence were appointed. Counsel for the prosecution indicted the Premier for negligence, apathy, lack of provision, and of sympathy in dealing with the unemployed problem. Counsel for the defence was Mr. Yarlett, secretary of tho Independent Workers’ (Inion, whom Mr. Scaddan has persistently boycotted. His address was of such a character in aggravation of the charge that the “judge” called hiih. to order. Mr.- Yarlott then “begged leave to throw up his brief, as be was unable to plead effectively for a guilty client.”After a brief deliberation tho foreman of the jury delivered the following finding: “We find accused guilty, but recommend him to mercy, and urge that he be conveyed to a place of detention, to wit, the lunatic asylum.” Tho proceedings, which were quite orderly throughout, terminated after the “judge” had voiced his plaint that the police, in carrying off Mr. Scaddan’s effigy, had confiscated his own best suit, costing six guineas.

Special low pnices .for men’s 'warm underwear are quoted by the Melbourne, Ltd.; —Men’s strong brown cotton singlets Is lid, pants 2s 6d; merino singlets Is lid, 2s 6d; merino pants 2s 6d, with spliced seats 2s lid; men’s fleecy lined singlets and pants, 2s lid; natural singlets, winter weight, 3s 6d, 3s lid, 4s lid; pants to match, 3s lid. 4s lid, 5s 6d;' famo<ls'“Wolf” and “Jason” brands of pure woollen underwear, ss-6d to- 7s-13d.*

A country pupil' who rides a pony to the Girls’ High. School every day found one morning lately that her pony had gone without her, so she carried. her saddle and bridle, a ration for tho pony’s mid-day, meal, and her books all tho way to school, where she found the pony all fight, but, it is said, the girl was punished for being late. A thirty-six weeks’ test of butter stored in an envelope of paraffin paper packed in an Oregon pine' box has proved satisfactory to Melbourne experts. The cost of the envelope is about 4d, and ah Oregon box can ba made for about Is. Without the paper lining the Oregon emits an odour. It' was also shown that tho paper tended to prevent tho evaporation of moisture, during the thirty-six weeks the loss was only 7ozs. The thing happened something over twenty years ago, but it has just come to the knowledge of the Lake Wakatipn Mail in a casual way. There were three candidates for the Wakatipu seat —two of them gone, alas I The school children had their favoured candidates. One champion announced his faith by saying: “I’ll bet you a hundred pounds O’Meara gets in.” Another enthusiast answered: “I’ll bet a thousand, pound* Larnach will win.” A third calmly and confidently declared his faith by saying: “I’ll bet threepence on Fraser!” History records the success of the candidate .who carried the youngster’s threepenny bit. And he has been in Parliament ever since, continuously representing Wakatipu. From time to time Ministers of the Crown enlighten audiences by lifting the veil of the daily Ministerial routine. Mr. Rhodes, Postmaster-General, told a number of his Halswell constituents the other day that a few days ago ha had opened a new post office ,in the backblocks, on the following day had been called on to preside over a meeting of the Ambulance Association, and talk of bandages, and fractures, and first aid, and then had found himself presiding over a convention of beekeepers, and talking honeyed words. That day he was officially opening a public hall, and on the following .day he would be officially winding-up or, releasing the new chimes at the, Timaru Post Office. Then ho would have a day .. of deputations, to cap it all. The' ingenuity with which, clever workmen, restore damaged masterpieces of painting is shown by the means recently taken to rescue,a famous Madonna by Botticelli. The Madonna was painted on a wooden panel at least four hundred years ago. Not long since ,the wood: began to crack, and it was feared that the pointing would be ruined; Bini ( a restorer was found who said that he could save it. His first step was to paste thin strips of, tissue paper on the face of the picture, pressing the paper into the uneven surface of the paint. He added layer after layer, until a thick body of paper concealed the pictjrre. Then the restorer turned tho picture over and began to sandpaper the board away. After many months of careful work he had ail the wood removed, and nothing but the paint adhered to the paper. Next . he glued a piece of linen canvas very carefully to the paint, and slowly and patiently removed the paper bit by bit. The work took nearly a year; but when it was finished the painting was in a condition to last another four centuries. Prosecutions under the blackleg regulations are not of frequent occurrence, and therefore some interest attached (the Post says) to the- charge heard at the Stratford Court on Friday morning; when P. Beere, Inspector of Stock, proceeded against J. A. Ludwig for having removed young cattle across the blackleg boundary, without seeing that they had, been inhooulated within twenty-one days previously. Mr. ... Beere explained that forty head of cattle under, eighteen months of age had ' been taken four miles over the border in the direction of Tatu. In all post offices there were maps showing the blackleg boundary. The department did not wish a heavy penalty to be imposed, as the offence was the first at this part of the boundary. Mr. Kehrick, S.M., skid tho minimum fine provided was £2 and the maximum' fine £2OO. Defendant would be fined £3 with - costs £3 6s. The S.M. said buyers of young cattle which they desired to remove over the boundary should take steps to secure a written guarantee of vaccination. Mr. Beere explained that defendant was told that the-regulations had been complied with, but the vaccination marks on the beast were about four months oldl