ANGLING.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9326, 29 January 1896, Page 5

ANGLING.

Mr W. J. Alpo has a fine troafc oa view ia his window. The fish, which weighs 10| Ib, was caught in the Avon by a Christ* church angler. Our Rikaia correspondent writes :—The Rakaia river is going down, and if the nor'-west wind keeps away it will be fishable in a day or so. It will take that time to clear after the heavy flood on Sunday. THE SEVERE WEATHER. Oar Springfield correspondent writes— The shearing on the back country runs reveals the losses of sheep during the late severe winter to have been in no wise exaggerated —the count ranging from one-third to one-half less than it should be. To be added to this is the loss of the lambing, which is merely a nominal one on most stations. A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA. A paper was recently picked up at Tβ Kaki, on the coast of the Chatham Inlands. The paper is dated the 30th of October, 1894, and had written on it:— "This paper was cast adrift from the Southern Cross, to test the current, in latitude 47<leg 28min south, and longitude Il4deg 15min east." It is signed " A. G.," probably meant for' Alfred Child, the commander of the steamer. There is also a note to the effect that all was well. ESTATES COMPANY PROPERTIES. An auction sale of city and suburban properties, under instructions from the Realisation Board of the Bank of New Zealand Estates Comp-.ny, was held at Wellington yesfenlay. None of the city properties reached the reserve figure, and consequently they were all passed in, but in some instances private offer* are likely to be accepted. The suburban lota met with a ready sale. THE GOVERNOR. His Excellency the Governor and party arrived at Queenetown on Thursday last. The borough councillors met his Excellency and presented an address. The Mail reports that on Friday Lord Glasgow drove to Arrowtown. An ascent of Ben Lomond was to be made on Saturday, and on Monday the party were to proceed to the Head of the Lake. ACCIDENT TO BWHOF JULIUS. The Timaru Herald reports that his lordship Bishop Julius and his daughter were victims of a slight accident at Beaconsfield on Sunday. The Bishop had officiated at afternoon service in the pretty little church there, and he was just leaving with his daughter in a buggy for St. Andrews, when in rounding a corner near the- church the vehicle was somehow capsized. His lordship got off easily, but his daughter was somewhat shaken by the accident. THE POMAHAKA ESTATE. The Pomahaka correspondent of the Clutha Leader has the following—" It is very heart-breaking to see two or three of the deserted farms crowing nothing but weeds and thistles. When one thinks of the high hopes with which their late owners entered on the work of cultivation and improvements, it seems a terrible calamity to have to lose all that money and time. I am no carping critic of the Government, but would it not be much better to have the whole of the estate settled and the homes oi bappy, smiling families rather than lapsing again into a sheep walk ? I have yet to meet the man who, knowing the land and situation, says it is not too dear." THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS, A Press Association telegram from Auckland reports that the Hon. A. J. Cadman, Minister for Mines and Railways, arrived at Huntley on Monday from Te Aroha. Mr Ronayne, General Manager of the Railways, accompanied him from Te Aroha and came

( on to Auckland. Mr Cad man was to addresi I his constituents at Huatley last night. Ha ! will remain several days in Waikato as he intends co look into the sugar beet question. SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS ACT. At the Auckland Police Court yesterday, before Mr Northcroft, S.M., charges for breaches of the Shops and Shop Assistants Act were preferred agaioat Wm. Learnwith, of Queen street. The defendant pleaded " Guilty." It is said that Mr FergueoD found the girls worked on alternate days ten and fourteen hours and on Saturdays sixteen hours. Mr Northcroft fined the defendant 53 on each charge and coats £4 7«. IMPORTED GAME. A Press Association telegram from Dune, din states that Mr John Roberts, when iv London, arranged for the shipment nf 20 pairs of ducks (8 pair golden-headed widgeon aud 12 pairs of English mallards) and 12 pairs of partridges. These were put on board the Mnnian on the third deck. On her arrival last Sunday the Otago Society received 23 ducks and 20 p*rlridgo3, eleveu of the ducks and four of the partridges having died. The birds alive were in excellent condition. The ducks, Uialf of which are for the Soiuhlaud Society, will have to be confined until after next moulting season. The tan pairs of partridges were liberated yesterday in the Taien. QUEENSLAND? ACCLIMATISATION. Mr Daniel O'Connor is at present on a visit to New Zeltej|id from Queensland, and has forwarded w> the Hon. Mr Seddon a letter of introduction from the Premier of Queensland, stating that he is desirous of making arrangements for obtaining supplies of ova or young tiah for acclimatisation in Queensland. Mr O'Connor is well known on the other side as an authority on pisciculture, and in connection with this industry has rendered considerable service to his colony. He has visited Christchurch and Wellington, and is greatly pleased with both places. EXPLORATION. The Olago Daily Times publishes the following paragraph : —The party headed by Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., in searching for a practicable rouie from Lake Manapouri to the coast, comprises Messrs Ciuuie Bishop, Kenneth Ross, and Andrew McFarlane, and, as already stated, the Go. vernmenfc are rendering every assistance. The Union Steamship Company, in addition to conveying the party to Dusky Sound, have kindly supplied a fine sea boat for landing ami use on the coast, which Captain Cameron has caused to bo fitted up with life belts, sails, oars, and every possible requisite. The party will bo dropped at Resolution Island, and, if possible, Mr Henry will bo induced to join and proceed : with them, his bush experience aud local knowledge boing invaluable. Unfortunately a hitch has occurred in connection with Mr Chamberlain's expedition. It was intended that Messrs Chamberlain aud R. Murrell (of Mauapouri) should leave that place this week, followiug the track discovered by Mackenzie's party last year, to meet the explorers coding from Dusky Bay ; but as Mr MurreH, whoso guidauco is indispensable, cannot spare the necessary time ju3t now, this pare ot the plan has been given up. Arrangements will be. made, however, to meet Mackenzie's party ab the spot where they will strike Lake Mauapouri, if they Come through from the Seaforth Valley. SHIPMENT OF NEW ZEALAND , TIMBER. Mr Freyberg, the Government timber expert, met the Sawmillere , Association at Greymouth on 18th mat. The Press were excluded from the interview, but the Argus learns that he denied being in any way responsible for the failure of the Rangitikei'a cargo, as he was re called from London before the shipment arrived, and had no knowledge whatever that the carg* was on its way. Mr Freyberg stated that he had found by chemical tests that turpentine would remove. aU._fitains from New Zealand woods, peculiarity was that it for any other wood but New Zealand. He contended that the best Ggured rimu for furniture would fetch 303, aud a lower grade of the same kind of wood for street paving would command 20s per hundred feet. He regretted that tho Govertment had not spent bi in advertising in London to try and advance the timber industry. It was resolved by tho meeting that the Government procure a wharf in London for the benefit of the timber trade of the colony, Tlnd appoint a capable man to look after cargoes when they arrived. It was pointed out that if this was done and a charge of 3d per 100 ft made on the timber, it would be sufficient to meet all expenses.