Local and General.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10501, 17 December 1903, Page 1

Local and General.

The, Agricultural Department denies the assertions madid of undlue delay in th.c erectioni of sterilising plants at the Bluff and AiudklandThe matter has been pushed om wit'i all dispatch;, and the.works will,be completed in Alpril or May next-

The Feyyville (W.A.) miners arc engaged in a desperate fight against the local publicans—not in, the interests of the teaniperance party, but for a reduction in the price of beers from 9d ito 6d. The watchwordi of the strikers is "!Nio Sumrenideii": vnitil long isleev-ers are .reduced to' 6d-! ' ■

As a natural oon>sequenioe of the general crdar providing for a medical examination of recruits joining the New Zealand volunteer forces, eaoh of these corps which ha® not. a modii'oal officer .aittacbedl to it has been directed to secure the services of one as soon as possible. All medical officers attached 1 -to corps ■.are entitled! to full military privileges a>s regards coniimissions, long service medals, volunteer declarations.; for continuous -service, capitation, etc.

Ifc is cheering to know from the 'reports of the Government dairy nisteuictors, stationed throughout the colony, .that the season's. prospeaU of t-ho produce output are very bright. Ib is 'Confidently cacpectaJ that the exportsi of produce will show an increase of at least 25 per cent. Last year New Zealand exported dairy produce to the value of ,£1,750-' 000- This season (says the N-Z. Times) the total should reach £2,000,000.

St- Louia Exhttritiota, ii to txatetflk highest tower ,m -the. i»(o|rM» ?*i^>< **• , largest ougola im.tbfl .world (it will hold 7000 people) jnd tt» lairgart flagstaff in: the worldl, iwro w-hich fill , fly the world's large** .flag. Recently m strange epidemic of a virulent character occurred' among the native w& European population in thie neigjlj^otiii'hoodl of Hokiaioga. It appeared ;to follow uipon am qiibbneafc. of scarlet, fever, nndl ■ meed.c% andMreSuiltod in the death of several natives .and afc, least .three European*. , Dr. Pomanej 'Native Health Officer, visited' the locality reoea^jy ( and r«« .parts.that the epidemic,-iB pfnt rirtually aib am 1 end. . ' ..

Our Coromomdel correapqaeUat writes: "The Government hatt> pro* raised 1 a» auibsidy of £1000 towardi the Exhibition to, .be held , ,in _ yptilington, in November next, ukitfer th» auiapioes of the Wellington Industrial Ai&sociation, It is hoped their 1 experience, will not be ifche^same an the promoters of the Ni,& Gold Jubilee Exhibition, held in Coromandel ia December ,and January- last; « promise of isulbsidy uip to £250 wat made, but up ta the present not 01M penny has been forthcoming."

Ajpropos the de»tructiion of cattle in this colony after the application of the tuberculin test, it is interesting to note fiK>mi Paris cablegrams appearing in English papers that the Frenph Parliamentary PulbjU^ Health Committee has been engaged in dincussing the dangers arising from t.Ke use of Professor Koch's tuberculin, which, according 1 to late experiment* appears! to be more dangerous, than prophylaotici- A. deputation- proceed cdl to London at the end of last month to make further, iwresbigar tions.

At Wellingtoiu in a daimi under the Compensation for Ajdowtents Act, bi'oaiight by a igtanger nafcned Wfolloy, whose leg wa«i broken, whil&t h? wan working in a quarry on the farm, oC respondent, Moi-ri«on, the Ajrbitttar tion Court held the respondent was liuible, and decided that olaaxdiont was entitled to 2* 6d per week. In ainotta" 'case, Teal v- Sterwns, in wliiiahi ai cJaiimi was made for £75 as compensation, the application wa» diamLssod, :xb the claim for oompenr ution had not been, made in propw forlni-

| A! very sewous. difficiulty has. orop> pedl uip in connection with the: eieiivaition,' for the eloctrici tramway* »n Wellington. WJien the lforown" iraa taken off the road', to allow the wood blockingl, to ba iciommenced 1, the brick woiifc of ai large storm-wster culvert) was exptosedl, showing that eomebody had 'liliundered! ml *he matter oV levels. Wlnat is to be) done 1 has nott yet been decided upon;, bu* the. cotjistuu'Cition of the electtria '• traimiwaTi will not be affected—«olyi tlhe woodblocking 1 o£ that half of the street underneath wheih the culvert nuts.

A|j>i-ioposi fofl IW{ir'tih6i jK^rcKist whijfii will shortly visit Thames. A fceletgiaiini from Albany to tlie Sydnsy Morning Heraldl aaysi-—At seas«f tional intiident ooourredl during! the" pertfortniance at Wirth-s "cdfous. The wild beasts in the iaenagerie werf\ from soino cause, in *aifl unusual'y fretful mood, and the tiger* becam* so troublesome that it was found necessary to darlton' their oage. During the evening a man selling! fru't passed dose to a. caw containing a/ large leopard, and imprudently phu-ed his hand on the Tvoodwork f>f the cage. The leopai'd: thmi&t a penK through the bars, gripping the mian'rf shirti ah the; shoulder. Fortunately tfie shirt was not of a very strong material, and ; when, the man pulled bacik violently, it gave way, the wearer escaping with & 1 sevene fright-