LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12179, 29 May 1907, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tk« principle of encouraging employees *i» the matter of inventions and improvements in methods was touched on by Cr Harris at the Council table last night, when he gave notice that he would move in the matter of encouraging the Councils employees in this direction by giving bonuses for all suggestons adopted.

W« are glad to see that the question of the speed of motor cars is to be gone into by th« Borough Council. Cr Poynter last •vening drew the Council's attention to the nuisance, which, he said, was particularly noticeable on the bridge, and he gave notice to move that the Borough solicitors be instructed to take steps to make the by-laws effective. Mr D. D. Hyde, Government poultry •Xpert, remarked to an Auckland Herald representative yesterday that the Auckland poultry trade had gone ahead by leaps and bounds. The production from Ist April, 1906, to 31st March, this year, ■was about 15,000 head for export and the loc*l market, and 1,128,000 eggs — a great increase on last year. If gone about in a' proper way, this industry would take its place alongside the butter and frozen neat trade.

--*« deplorable state of the River Bank Road was the subject of a discussion at th» Borough Council table last evening, when Cr Harkness, referring to the plight of the numerous cyclists who had to plough through the mud, moved thaf the path on the Esplanade be thrown open to them. The sense of the Council was, however, quite against such a proposal, and the Mayor, remarking that cyclists could easily dodge the mud by going through other streets, said that when he had occasion to cycle between Aramolio and town he always went via London Street, which was very little longer, aud which was in a far better condition lor cycling thau most people thought.

At last night's meeting of the Borough Council a letter was read from the secretary of the Cambridge Domain Board, in answer to an inquiry by the Council, stating that the cost of procuring wild fowl for the Cambridge Domain lake was nil. The birds there were all wild and came becanse they were protected, and at the present time the lake was swarming with thm. He advised placing- a few Rouen ducks ou Westinere Lake. As they are mutfh the colour of native wild ducks it would be found that the wild drakes would come to them, and later on their mates also. When the wild ducks had Sot into .the habit of using the lake the oueu ducks could be killed off. He added that "£5 a pop" was the penalty for shooting at the ducks in the Cambridge Lake.

The Southland Newg states that an InTerc*rgill resident claims to have hit upon an idea which, if it can be practically applied—arid of this he is confident— will revolutionise communication by sea. His idea is to obtain motive power by electricity, the details of which seem feasible to the lay mind. If the plan could be put into operation it would mean an immense saving in working expenses, as tie necessity for fuel and firemen — two of the heaviest items of expenditure on steamers, would be entirely obviated. Incidentally he claims that the scheme for a fast service between Britain and the colonies a 20-day one — as has been mooted at the Premiere' Conference, and been received with a shake of the head, would be a certain result ; in fact, he thinks it would be possible to attain a apeed of between 30 and 40 knota an hour. The inventor has forwarded a rough sketch of his idea to Messrs Denny Bros., the well-known ship builders.

Tweutv-soven building poiinii* woVe granted in P.ilmorston North borough during the month ending Hie 20th hist.

The railway line from Taihape to Mataroa will be open for traffic on and after June 1 (Saturday next), from which date goods trains with passenger cars attached will leave Taihape at 8.30 a.m.. 1 p.m., and 3.40 p.m. for Mataroa, and leave Mataroa at 9.15 a.m., 2.43 p.m., aud 6.25 p.m.* for Taihape. A man named Henry McLcod, employed by a restaurant keeper in Parnell (Auckland), has been reported as missing since about four p.m. on. the 21st instant. McLeod had been in ill-health, and had recently come out of the hospital. He was paralysed in the right arm, and seemed to be in low spirits when last seen. He h 35 years of agev

During the gale at Dnnedin on Monday afternoon, a gust struck First Church Hall (in course of construction), snapped the braces, and hurled the heavy framework of the roof into the middle of the building. No one was working there at the time. It also ripped the ornamental work from the steeple of First Church. The damage is estimated at .£l5O.

When the new Legislative Assembly of Transvaal met for the first time at Pretoria, the committee of the Bible Society provided two Biblesj one in English and one in Dutch, to be used by the members of the Assembly in taking the oath. These books will be suitably inscribed and afterwards presented to General Botha, the first Premier of the Transvaal, as a souvenir of this historic occasion.

As showing the richness of the soil and the suitability of the country for dairy purposes, it may be mentioned that one of the settlers at Apiti, .Mr D. Curteis, has been getting a teat of 6.0 with the milk from his herd of Jerseys and Shorthorns for some months. The roots exhibited at the show at Apiti last Friday go to prove the capabilities of the soil in growing ciops.

Mr Rutherford, in his Amberley speech (says an exchange), took a glance into the future. "The time will come when, let the limitation bo A' 15,000 or .£20,000, it will be reduced. Indeed, I anticipate — of course, I shan't live tp see it — that the time will come when no adult will lie permitted to hold more land value than will graze .a cow; and as by that time State Socialism will be rampant, people will clamour for the State to provide the man to milk the cow."

It is not generally known among farmers and those who have to do with the killing of stock for their own consumption that it is a statutory offence to remove the ears from the hides and skins of cattle and sheep. This fact was clearly demonstrated in the Supreme Court yesterday, during the hearing of the cattle-stealing case, several witnesses stating that it was only lately that they became aware that a substantial penalty was provided for those who thus offended. »

A correspondent writes us drawing the attention of the Borough Council officials to the fact that the two lamps in, the lower portion of London Street, between the railway crossing and Denby's Hill turning have for some months ceased to light that locality.' The lamps were erected some time ago for the convenience of residents in London Street, Springvale, and Mosstown, and ac the number who use the road at night is considerable, the Borough authorities would be conferring a great benefit on them, by attending to the matter, especially as the road at that point is extremely lonely and dirty. ,

The vexed question of rates on Government property cropped up at thy Council table last evening, when Cr Harkness said that though the carts of the State Coal Depot were making full use of ihe streets, the depot property paid no rates whatever. He thought the Government should be placed on the same footing as other coal dealers. Cr Harm thought the Council should give an expression of opinion on the matter, and Cr Spriggens gave notice of motion that the Council make representations to the Government with respect to the payment of rates on all its property.

"The public do not appear to realise how cheap potatoes arc at the present time," remarked a produce auctioneer to a Post reporter, yesterday. He added that the present price in the store is now £4. 10s to £5 a ton, which is far cheaper than they have been for years past at this season. It is singular, too, to note that at Wellington the greater portion of the supply is even yet drawn from New Zealand, only about 25 per cent, coming from Tasmania. The colonial supply is, however, apparently getting used up, and there are indications that in a little while the Island State will have to be drawn upon to a much greater extent than at present.

Much alarm is being occasioned among the dwellers on the Hill, the principal residential quarter of Newcastle, New South Wales, by a recurrence of the "creep" which took place about a year ago. The ceilings of some of the houses have cracked, and the ceiling of one house has entirely collapsed. The cracks in the dwellings which were repaired on the occasion of the former subsidence have again opened out. While the actual damage has bo far been comparatively little,, some of the residents have become so alarmed that they are making arrangements to quit the locality, at least for a time.

The month "fasting" fad seems to be taking on like hot cakes in our di»Jriet, as in all other districts in New Zealand, and aLo in Australia. No further than Hunterville there is the biggest man in the North Island indulging in his 'month's fast. He has adhered manfully to his resolution for the past ten days, and has lost so far 18lb» in weight. He subsists entirely on warm water: It is remarkable that Taihape was not the first town to start the fad, although we have a few subjects who have subsisted on warm whisky for fully a month. It will be interesting to observe the enduring qualities of warm water. — Taihape Post.

Oh the 12th June (says the Taihapo PoBt) the Wellington Typographical Union will apply .to the Arbitration Court at Wanganm for an award to fix the rate.-, of pay for all compositors at £.i 10* weekly, and a reduction of hours from 48 to 44 per week. At present compositors engaged on country papers printed within a certain area are entitled, under the existing award, to £2 2s per week, but tlK> bulk of the men are being paid £2 ss. If the Union succeeds in its application the majority of newspaper proprietors will be forced into the position of installing typesetting machines. No country paper in the colony could afford to pay £3 Ids for hand-setting for a week consisting of 44 hours. With a view of fortifying our position, we are taking steps to put in two type-setting machines at a very early date.

The man in search of comfortable underwear cannot do better than pay a visit to McGruer and Co.'s, who are at present having a special display of Boslyn underwear. Here are a few special linea : Men's heavy ribbed pants, 3s 9d pair; men's plain ribbed pants, 3s 9d pair; men's worsted pyjamas, 17a lid pair (guarnteed unshrinkable). Please note that during winter months we close at 5.30 p-.m. — J. D. McOvu#r and' Co., Avenue. — Advt.