LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12581, 30 September 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr A. Hamilton, Director of the Dominion Museum, will begin his huia i unt at the country near Taihape, in October. Hiraka te Ronga, of Taihape has interested himself in the project to find sufficient huias to place in sanctuary, £md thus preserve the bird from extinction. The chief agrees with Mr Hamilton that there are probably not more than one hundred huias now alive, and he and his people, with Mr Hamilton, will try to capture as many as possible next month. Another wail from the backblocks. .A settler at Kaeaea, in the King Country, writes to us— "The settlers in here tat present are paying close #7 v per, .ton lor cartage from Te .Kui^ JtfQ&k * heavy handicap on us, especially" with big families. Flour in here is 23 per lOOlbs., and everything else in proportion, ihe Government only metalled 1£ miles of main road last year. We might get a uTt more done this year, bei^g,. eRS?wn. year. I am speaking of the Awasino — l'e Kuiti road."

An indication that the recent extreme tightness in the money market seems likely to relax before long is given, bays the Gisborne Times, by the fact that some of the more important tending . institutions, which have, recently; been refusing loans have -notified intending borrowers that if they apply again' at the end of October they wifl m all probability be accommodated. How extreme the position has been locally is shown oy the statement of a gentleman closely connected with the inner working of financial circles who declared to -* Times reporter that during a recent week you could not have borrowed sixpence m Gisborne from recognised lending institutions, no matter how good the security. At the meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board last week a complaint was made against the hospital doctor for refusing to admit a lady patient to the public hospital on the ground that the father was in a position to pay for treatment at a private institution. Mr Tayler said this was playing into private practice. The chairmain pointed out that a resolution passed by the recent conference oveTr-rode such action. Mr Marx thought the doctor should be asked for an explanation. The chairman thought they coftld not prevent a doctor recommending a patient for a private hospital, but certainly a doctor should not stop a patient entering the public institution. It was decided that the doctor be asked for an explanation.

According to an American paper, telephone companies in the United States are furnishing their subscribers with selfwinding electric clocks" that "give* absolutely correct time. The clod^stjpplied-at a small annual rental, can be* placed: anywhere, and are connected tc thVtwiejifcOne wire by means of concealed wires. The telephone clock never stops; ' for it never runs down, and should it- very a- second or two in the course of the 24 hours, it will be correct again in at few boors,.* 4pr each day all the telephone clocks 'in 'the city are synchronised or set. This setting is done from the central office at some hour when the telephone is least likely to be in use, say, I ' 3 o'clock a.m. The setting requires only a moment, and is accomplished by a separate' current lrom the 1 master clock. The operation of -thfi" telephone clock is simple. The winding 'is done by means of dry batteries, which energise the magnet, and cause it to lift alternately two small round weights, each one of which in falling once will operate the clock for seven and a-half minutes. The system is said to be absolutely safe. The rental of a clock is about the same price as people pay for having clocks clean-* ed each year.

Some papers before the; Supreme Court at Dunedin in connection with the Salvation Army's appeal included one which set forth the religious ioctrine professed by the Army. It consists of eleven short paragraphs embodying well-known evangelical propositions, and is just about the length of the Ten Commandments. This document also included a copy of the deed poll, or instrument under which properties are held in trust by General Booth. His tenure of office is unassailable; his rights are so completely autocratic as to give u him the sole right to appoint his successor. In the' words of the deed: "The Army is and shall be always hereafter under the' oversight, direction, and absolute control of some one person, who shall be known', called, and styled by the title of General." . . William Booth shall continue to be the term of his natural life the Genetal, unless he shall resign. . . William Booth and every General who shall succeed him shall have power to appoint .his successor." For a parallel to snei absolute 0 despotism, remarks the Duuedin Star, one " has to look to fair Tibet. It is conclusive proof of the purity and the honour of the " Salvation Army that a constitution which seLtrs to belong to tie time of Abraham an-1 Isaac should •york s». well in the governance of a huge mass of people, who are quits in the forefront .n ail thatjrelates to up-to-date philanthropy. Canned milk, writes the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, is oneof the things which makes some sensitive folk dread a long sea voyage, but soon, apparently, this article which stands between them and the love of a life oa the ocean wave is to be no more. All tie way out on the Oswestry Grange, 9tates Mr M. Murdoch, the passengers had fresh milk, so fresh that a user might fancy that the ship carried its own cows. This luxury was due to a firm in Liverpool, which placed a bottled supply of pasteurised milk on board. The bottles were put in a cool store and taken out as required. This was an experiment on which the chief steward was commissioned to report, and Mr Murdoch is to get a copy of the judgment. Mr Murdoch is also greatly impressed with the system of public markets in vogue elsewhere. When he was in Liverpool he went every morning to the market place, in a great square in. the centre of the city, and he saw the consumers buying fruit and vegetables almost straight* from the producer's cart. v '*Tt is wonderful," he says, "to see the amount of produce sold to the working classes. It made one think that such a market was required in any city when one saw suck crowds buying their goods." Even at Las Palmas, on the way out, Mr Murdoch saw a well-appointed public market. It was Sunday when he landed there, but toe people were buying and selling all manner of goods.