GENERAL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 2 April 1908, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

That appalling disaster, the wreck of the Wairarapa, off the Great Barrier about 14 years ago, with its terrible loss of life, was called to memory (says the Otago " Daily Times") by what will virtually be the last meeting of the Wairarapa Belief Fund Trustees. The meeting was attended by his Worship the Major (Mr. J. Loudon) and Messrs. W. Wills and T. S. Graham Mr. Graham, ■who has arcted as secretary, submrt'cetf a statement to the meeting showing that there was still a sum of £9 4/11 in hand, with no further calls for relief. The trust deed of 1895 provided that any surplus should be handed to the Public Trustee, but the trustees of the fund yesterday resolved to ask his authority to pay the amount over to. the Shipwreck Belief Society. The Publicr trustee was written to accordingly. A mining forecast for the current year was given to a representative of the " New Zealand Times" by a gentleman who is described as one of the best authorities in the dominion. He stated that there would iv all likelihood be an increased output from quartz and coal mines, but a falling-off in the output of kauri gum and alluvial gold. With copper at its present low marKet price, very little attention was likely to be paid to prospecting for that mineral. Thee Reelton, Karangahake and Waihi mines, he said, would be the principal producers this year, with the Blackwater coming on later in the season. Aease bearing some rather peculiar features engaged the attention of Dr. McArthur, S.M., at Wellington. A blacksmith sued his late employer for damages for wrongful dismissal, and the latter urged as his defence that the claimant had been a very bad workman, and did not know his trade. It appeared however, that the employer had given the claimant a " reference" on the latter's dismissal, recommending him to employers as a good workman. Taking this as a text, Dr. McArthur delivered a very pointed expression of opinion on the subject of testimonials in general. As often as not, he said, they were not worth the paper they were written on, and were merely given by an employer as a kind of palliative to a workman on his dismissal. He warned the blacksmith then before him never again to say f> man was a competent tradesman when he was not, or that lie had dismissed the man in order to make room for a relative to whom he had promised work, when he got rid of him because he could not perform the duties that might be expected of him. It was always best to tell the truth in this matter, as in every other said- his Wprship, and it is more likely that the blacksmith also thinks so at tl/j present moment, for his " testimonial" lost him his case, and with it several pounds. That an empty benzine tin may explode was demonstrated in Featherston on Monday, reports thei " Wairarapa Daily Times." A youth named Charles Aitchison was carrying a lighted match through his father's shop, and as the flame came near a newly-emptied benzine tin, it ignited the vapour still clinging to- the side. The tin exploded with a loud report and was completely smashed, while one of the workroom windows was blown out. Before leaving for England on Friday by the Arawa, Messrs. Jas. Eeid and Richard Keene, of Wellington, concluded the purchase of tte Bunanga Station from the executors of the late Mr. H. B. Crawford, of Hamilton, Auckland. This station consists of (50,070 acres of partly cleared and partly heavily timbered land, situated about 20 miles to the south of Lake Taupo. There is enough cleared land at present to run 500 head of cattle and 20,000 sheep in\ the summer. The timber consists of rimu, matai, and some totara maire, and other native trees growing in rich profusion. The price ha 3 not been divulged. Recently a waterspout burst in the vicinity of the source of the Bucklerburn Biver, Glenorchy, Central Otago, causing the largest flood that has been EBbwn in this channel "(says the "Lake Wakatipu Mail"). All the neighbouring gullies received a share of the waterspout, and for a time great torrents poured dowir. them, washing everything in front of them. In one of the gullies two miners were encamped, and they just escaped being washea down into a deep gorge. All their provisions and most of their clothes were swept away. "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," and in this case the extraordinary rush of water brought down a tremendous quantity of wood. Most of the local people took tho opportunity of laying in a quantity of fuel that will last' them for a few years. The Premier has sent the Hon. C. H. Mills a. cony of a dispatch from the Secretary of State, in which he says that an old iron gun can be supplied to the Captain Cook Memorial Committee as a trophy for the memorial at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound. The gun is of the same type as those used about 140 years ago, although the date of manufacture is unknown; it weighs, approximately, 19cwt, is Sft long, and of 3in calibre. There is no carriage available. The gun will be supplied free of cost, but the cost of carriage from England to New Zealand must be paid by the local committee. Mr. Mills has written to tho Premier asking if he will get ono of the large companies trading from London to the Dominion to bring this interesting historical trophy out free, as everyone is willing to do something to commemorate the visit of the great discoverer. Ship Cove was made a national reserve many years ago. One indication oi" the early coupling up of the iron way to provide the overland route to Auckland, for which we have been waiting many years (says tho "New Zealand Times"), is the preparation by the Railway Department of the through time-table. This is a task full of difficulties, as a proposed deputation from the Feikling Chamber of Commerce to the Minister of Railways indicates. One essential is to provide an almost continuous journey from Auckland to the Bluff, utilising the rail to Wellington, the steamer as far as Lyttelton, thence by rail to the end of the journov. Can must be taken not to land passengers in Auckland or Wellington at, an unearthly hour, and the branch railway services must, lit in as nearly as can be devised. The "Manawatu Daily Times" states that the North mail will start from Wellington about 11 a.m. or noon, reaching Auckland in good time for breakfast. At iirst the journey will occupy twenty or twenty-one hours, but this will he reduced to nineteen when, the central section of the line consolidates. To make good time, stops will be cut down to a minimum. Paekakariki will have to be a stopping place for water, Palmerston and Marton, because they are junctions, hence gathering grounds for passengers, and Taihape because it will also be a centre of traffic. Feikling, according to the "Daily Times," is to be left out. / For. Bronchial Coughs take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6 ana. 2/0.