GENERAL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 254, 24 October 1907, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

A case brought before Mr. Widdowson, S.M., at Wellington, may procure a decision which may be of use in interpreting the statute for the suppression of smoking by juveniles. Alex. Johnston, employed by Mr. S. Jacobs, was charged with supplying tobacco to a youth named Stuart Little, under the age of fifteen years. Mr. Hay defended, denying the offence. He stated that the boy was sent to the shop by a man who resided in the boarding-house where he stayed. The man was unable to go himself, and he had arranged with Mr. Johnston to obtain a supply by the boy. The man paid for the tobacco, and smoked it, and the boy was only a messenger. He took it that the Act was framed to suppress juvenile smoking, and consecfuently did not apply in a case of that sort. The sub-inspector contended that the Act in such a case did directly apply. The boy had entered the shop, been supplied with the tobacco, and paid for it, and to all intents and purposes at actual sale had taken place. The Magistrate said he believed the intention of the Act •was to prevent boys entering shops and being supplied with tobacco; any exception to that rule would lend itself to abuse. He would, however, deliver his judgment on Tuesday next.

It is said that there are about 8000 sacks of wheat in the hands of farmers in the North Otago district, and thus that district can be little affected by the bill Sir Joseph Ward says he is going to pass this session remitting the duties on this cereal. So far as wheat is concerned, the remission of the duties would (says the "North Otago Times"), under ordinary circumstances, make no difference to'Ndw Zealand; inasmuch as the price, of wheat in the - Commonwealth so closely'approaches the price here that when *fre)ght"an"d "charges are added the two will stand" at about the same figure. With flour, however, the question is entirely different, and if- Sir Joseph Ward passes his bill New Zealand oour must depreciate iv value; but as tho value of one staple article depends on the value of the other, as soon as flour comes down so must wheat, for the New Zealand miller cannot afford to give a higher price than will allow him to compete with Australia. While there is some foundation for the strictures which a New Zealand clergyman recently passed on muscle worship (says a Sydney paper), the subject is one on which a good deal caa be said on both sides. Various critics, friendly and otherwise, have frequently referred to the tendency of young Australians to devote their thoughts to cricket and football to the exclusion of matters affecting the vital interest of their country: but it has always to be recollected that the indulgence in healthy open-air pursuits, especially in such a climate as ours, has an important bearing on the health of a nation. If we have given rather much .attention to athletic supremacy, it has to be admitted that in the arts and sciences Australians have also won laurels, and there are many examples of young men who were eminent in the battle of muscles afterwards making their marks in the more serious business of life. The fact is, that without the vigorous, healthy pursuits of youth the nation would soon languish into effeminacy, and while sport may be overdone, it is less an evil, in the long run, than the danger of going to the other extreme. The lack of wisdom in not breaking horses of" the bad habit of "moving off directly the driver puts his foot on tha step of a cart was instanced in Mornington, Otago, a few days ago. James Mitchell was in the act of climbing to his seat when the horse started off at a trot. Mitchell clutched at the breeching, whereupon the horse broke into a gallop, and Mitchell fell on the road, the wheel passing over his thighs. David Russell, the sole remaining occupant of the cart, was helpless, owing to the reins being beneath the feet of the terrified horse, which swerved on to the Town Belt at Monteculo. Here Russell managed to jump out before the horse plunged over the edge of the Maitland street gully, where it was 'Instantly lolled. Mitchell was attended by Dr. O'Neill, and was found to be badly bruised. The horse and cart belonged to Mr. Thomas Sneddon, grocer, of Maelaggan-strcet, Mornington. Quite recently a new industry has sprung up in Taranaki. On the property of Mr. Milne, Waiwera-road, Toko, large deposits of lime have been discovered. These deposits are now being worked profitably, and with good results from the point of view of others than the proprietors.