GENERAL NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7901, 31 August 1904, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

Replying to a farewell telegram sent by the Premier, Mr Bedell-Sivwright. captain of the British football team wired :—"I thank you in the name, of the teani for your wire. We shall -carry away with us memories not to be forgotten of our stay in New Zealand. Wo are all sorry to leave." -.

••-■■_'A -noteworthy feature in. connection with-the -recent'visit of the Governor to CljriEtcburcb:waa that the livery worn by the drivers .arid: at'endants: of .tho. vice regal carriages was the Royal livery; and. waa ..correct, in every .detail." It is understood that this is.the first occasion that vthe, proner..Royal livery, haa been seeniniho colony, -r

• The Stratford_ correspondent of tbe ..Tarao>»ki Herald says:—"When we resd the advertisement of .our Borough Council oslbn." applications for the post .of. slaughssrman.at the abattoirs with a s»lary of 200 Ruineas a..year and a tree house, it sots.us wondering why : parents f}ive_their sons a High School and Univetaity education to',qualify tbem for a school-teacherahip at iSIOOa year and.a bunk.in the porch.*' . .

Speaking a5 a meeting to further the funds of the Dunedin. Cathedral, tho Primate said that a gentleman now on his way to -England had left bebind him for their project-not:-only. A'looo as *a donation, but a challenge stating that he would give another .£IOOO if five other parsons ia Otago or Southland would .give a., liko sum. Were that, realised ihsy woald thus .have £7000. He was prepared to sacrifice himself to tbe extent of £1000 also.

A girl 15 years of age, employed in a box factory, at Adelaide, met with a painful accident a few days ago. She was engaged reaching for some goods off a shelf when her long hair became entangled on a revolving shaft, and before assistance could be rendered tbe unfortunate girl was completely scalped. She was extremely brave despite the fearful pain she suffered. A doctor wassailed in, and after attending to the naked scalp sent the patient, who was then in a semi conscious condition, to the Adelaide hospital.

At the end of last year New South Wiles's divorce record stood at 3GBO. On tho date when the now Divorce Act came into force in 1892 the ecore was 500 ; eleven years and a half since then have added the other 2580. It was in 1894 that divorce flourished most, 315 being put through. Since then there has been a steady falling off, till last year the figures got- down to 51. Of every 30 divorces, 10 have been for plain misconduct, and between 12 and IB for desertion; but the latter alone has only been a ground for divorce since 1892.

Wh*t is the height of impudence ? A defendant in a recent debt case, heard in the Manganui Police Court, shou'd about attain that eminence, Iv the case in question, the defendant, whilst admitting the claim, pleaded under tbe "Statute of Limitation," wbioh plea was uphold. Defendant after hearing the decision boldly marched up to the magistrate, clafming costs, which needless to hay were not granted, the magistrate remarking that defendant morally owed the amount, and that it did not redound to his credit to set up such a plea.

Two sweet girl graduates in Christchurch the other day had occasion to go to a furniture dealer's, and, not knowing the way, asked a policeman; who pointed out the warehouse over the street. The sweet girl graduates had crossed safely, and were stepping up the kerb when they heard a coo cc, and, turning round, saw the officer beckoning them. Thinking he had probably made a mistake, they dodged the bicycles, motor cars, and vehicles, and returned to where the officer stood. " I like to see young ladies going to a furniture shop " was all he said, but that was enough. The sweet ones fled, blushing furiously.

An attempt has this year been made to obtain data on which to base'an estimate of the value of the oversea tourist traffic to the colony. The Tourist Department have recorded the names of 5233 visitors coming from the following countries:-Australia 2726, United Kingdom 1795, United States and Canada 417, European Continent 102, Africa 64, India GI, other 'countries 6S. These figures cannot be regarded as complete, as many persons visit the colony who do not come into contact with the Department. It is therefore certain that tbe total number of visitors has not been recorded. However, taking these figures as a basis, and estimating, the expenditure of each person at £dO-"H low estimate—the value of the tourist traffic to the colony is shown to be considerably over a quarter of a million sterling per annum.

The trout fishing at Rotorua has been particularly good during the past season. A register was kept showing the catches made ia Rotorua Lako and adjacent waters. At the close of the season the record showed that 6952 trout had been caught, aggregating a weight of 13 'toaa locwt 3qr 21_lb. Amongst the fish taken were many weighing 121b to lSlb. Enormous.as tho registered catch was, it ia considered that probably a third more was actually taken, as many fishermen failed to supply tbe required particulars. The total quantity of trout taken . from the lakes aud streams in this district is tharefore calculated at close on 20 tone. Many of the greatest catches weremade by trolling in the lake. The Department is of opinion that indiscriminate trolling with a bait should not'be permitted. It is recommended that a trolling area in the lake should be striotly defined.

The reply made by Sir Joseph Ward to the question by Air Hawkins as to who paid for the telegrams signed '• R. J. Seddon," sent to Pahiatua during the election, was as follows:—"The hon. member will, I am sure, recogDiss that tho business of the people using the telegraph wires of the colony is sacred. I neither know of nor have I ever inquired into the telegraphic transactions passing through the telegraph offices from or to any person, whether a colleague or a private individual, I have never interfered except in case of telegrams which appeared to be of an obscene, offensive, or libellous nature, and in contravention of the Telegraph Act, and then only when submitted to me ofricial'y as to their admissibility. Without the consent of the sender or receiver of the telegrams referred to by the hon. member, 1 would uot be -justi-

fied in making such an investigation as the question involves. The hon. member does not give the-names of the receivers,; but I have the authority of the sender to say that the telegrams were Sot sent free, hat were paid for in the ordinary way." '

The matter of introducing new varieties of game suitable for rugged and non-settled regions is receiving attention. Several valuable gifts of sport animals have been1 received. Recently five tnar,; or Caucasian mountain goats, presented by the Duke of Bedford, arrived from ; Londpnv;..-...Six goats were originally shipped, but one was lost ov'er''boards The thar are now on Somes' Island, and it is proposed to liberate them in the'early spring ih some mountainous country, not yet .definitely decided on. These animals are sinsilar in tbeir habits to the Spanish wild. goat. ' Their most distinctive feature is the horns. A num.ber of wapiti,' the large Northern Amencaii deer, have been presented to the colony fay President .-Roosevelt. It is stated that when these,animals have increased in sufficient; number;?, they will provide excellent'sport both for our own people and visitors froni abroad.