LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13331, 21 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The latest addition to the Telephone Exchange is No. 736, Mr John T. Williams, dealer, 10 Park Place. According to an exchange it is rumoured that Mr William Brewer, of Waitotara, will contest the Patca seat at the forthcoming general election in the Opposition interest. So far it seems tho only definitely announced candidate is Mr P. O’Dea, M.A.. who is an avowed Liberal, a scholar, a fluent speaker, and an indefatigable worker at everything he puts hia hands to. The present drought is having a disastrous effect on the roads hi the district, and motorists, especially motor eycl'.sts, are greatly handicapped by the loose shingle and dust which they have to pass over. We know of one of tho lade- who Ims stored his bike until the run conus, declining to risk himself and hia maciv.ve on the treacherous surfaces. The read from Palmerston to Wanganui is very lad in places. A motorist who made the trip on Saturdav last noticed on the toy. of Eaitoke hill what looked like the maik of a water cart across the road. It appears that the showers which fell litre r night were purely local ones, and the cage of the .rain belt was defined very tbamf on the dusty road. Tlie motorist fouud the effect of the rain most pleasant. Bis machine had been almost unbearably hot tefore, but the cooler surface where the ra;u had fallen, and the improve a mt n adein the road even by so little ram, made the rest of the ride quite enjoya ile.

“The house was empty; at leant. 1 w» the only one in it” —a modest ajO noai suming witness in the Supreme Court. A presentation from the Wellington dk ecsc to Bishop Wallis is being promoted and an advertisement in another columi notifies to whom subscriptions may b sent. The dismantling of the big art room af the Technical School was commenced thi morning. The room will be rc-erocted a part of the art department of the new Technical College in ingestre Street. The Weather Bureau reports as follows: —Northerly, strong winds to gale, expect unsettled and cloudy weather; rain prob able; glass fall: sea and tides moderate but sea increasing in Straits after 24 hours. A hoy named Hartwell, aged 12 years, was drowned in the Waitotara River on Sunday, since when dragging operations have been conducted without any trace o£ tbo body being found. No particulars are to hand as to flow the accident occurred. "The unfortunate part about American law is that, if you go far enough, you can prove the positive and negative, and all shades between them."—Mr Justice Edwards, at the Supreme Court, to counsel who quoted an American authority. To-morrow week (Wednesday, March 29) is the last day for making additions to the new borough roll. Out of 2000 people entitled to go on. about 1800 have so far neglected to make any application. If they do not apply before to-morrow week, they will not be allowed to vote at the approaching* election. One of the .most violent blow-outs ever experienced on the Taranaki oilfield* occurred yesterday, when mud and oil were thrown fully 50ft above No. 3 derrick from a depth of 3(>Boft. The is liul't high. This is regarded as flfhinctly encouraging justification of the company’s policy in continuing this bore to a greater dept. At No. 2 bore oil still flows freely. Captain Newton, harbourmaster, reporting to the New Plymouth Harbour Board yesterday, said that in the course of sweeping and surveying the approaches to the harbour during the past few weeks, he had discovered that the position of the port as published in the New Zealand Almanac, is 3J miles out of position, being that distance too far east. This was confirmed by the Department of Lands.