Local and General.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10499, 15 December 1903, Page 1

Local and General.

Ait the present fritae tiww are 45 registered- flaxmilte' in Southland. The colony's Bill for Education la«fc year amounted 'to over 1 half ai million, the exaob figures being £5^568 7» 8d; of that sum! £27,&53 \9»-2A t *m spent on buildings- - : Major Taylor, tho ohampioa cyclist, 6tates that he will leave Auckland ■• n Boxing Day to carry out his Auetra* lian engagements. He rides at- Palmenston North on Deaemibeir 23rd.

Our tourist traffic sKould; be worthi something to us; the <W\sernment'«r» spending money to developiti'-Lajt year the Tourist and; Beallhr Department cost ithei country £22,977 Is 6 ?.

Th© Agriciultonral Department lias signified its intention' to apply the provisions of the Slaughtering . and Meat Inspection Act to pigs, so that in future ,pigs may only be killed ut duly licensed premises-

, Tlhe Siapier Bowling dubs intend - inviiting the Nortliern Bowling Cluiba' Aissociaition to hold the championship fooirs in Niaipier in, Januaiy, 1905, providedi the Hasting® Clu;b will assist in entertaining! the visitors.

From school class to cow-sliedl W* learn that Mr George Hutehinson, master: of the Wellington Oollego staff, has resigned his position In order to devote hisi whole attention Wi the milking machine whichi he ht» patented. Christinas millinery, latest fashions at the Beehive. Pictture hate, fancy straws, latest shapes, new gems and pjicnia ihata- ;NW eltock" of floiwjrti feathei-s, and millinery trimnringfl. A. Couit, ii)e well known cheap draper, corner of Mary street, Thames.—Adtt-

The United Fire Brigade*' Aisaoctiation. of Kew inland will be rapre* rented! at the demonstration of fire brigades in G-eelcngt in March, next* Probably about twenty men will be sent, to be chosen from all parts c* the colony. The traffio to Uotomiial has nearly douibled since 1901. For the yew ended 31st March, 1902^ tlbe total number of passengers bookedi by rail way to Rotomai was-5606 ; for the year ending 31st Mairohi, 1903, the number Was 10,891.

During 1 the past eight mooiha of the financial year about 16,000ewfc more butter, ajbbut 100,000 more carcases of mutton^ and. 117,000, more .■carcases of JaimF ware exported from ■■* New Zealand than- during tUa oorre&ponding period lalsti yeairi It is stated down South, .'that the bottom lias .siidden fallen out of th«* bacon trade. A.t the pi-esent time some factories are offering' sides at 7d pei- Ib, amd, it is. anticipated, there will be severe oamipetition 1 between . manufacturer® 1 of tlnis line at the b&> ginning of the year. Tho two .pairs of Canadian moose sent to New Zealand by the Hudson* Buy Company abouti ai couple of years xigo, and liberated _in the ■wilds of Weistlandlflrerepori'tedl to be thriving. .They keep well into the bushi «ioiimtry. It is .not known yet whether they have multiplied yet. There lias bean considerable discus sion, in Wellington in the prers and tho piiljpiit in Tegai'd to aMeged Sabbath desperation alid the morals of the oonunimiity generally. The: witroivter&y w»s started' by opinions ex pressed at a meeting of the "Wellington Ministers' Association*. ■

The {raffia return® of the Government, railways far the four weekly .period ended November 7tli show » substantial increase in all dkspartnientist The revenue from all sections throughout the colony for the parted stated amounted to £161,590, againn£l3B,49o for the corresponding term last year.

Major Williams, offioer in charge of Ihe Christchurdhi dorps 1 of -tlhe Salvation Army, who was fined 10s and costs on ohairges of causing people to collect in tho street, declined!, on •principle to <pay the fine, He 9aiJ that eivon if ho had tho wealth of v Carnegia he would not pay. Be suaordingly -went to prison, and spsat 24 hours' indaircerationu

A father who appeared at tine Christchuroh Police Court,, charged wntfo ft breach, of the School Attendance A'ert; stated that his son was 13 years" of age, and "had been at school for mnrvan years*, and could not count eig'htpeoce in coppei-s. The Truant Officer ' do* elaredl thait tho lad'« attendance was vory irregular, and 'his schoolmaster stated tliat he was as inteHigeint as other b.oy» if ha went to aciiool regularly.