LOCAL AND GENERAL

Clutha Leader, Volume XXIX, Issue 1548, 29 August 1902, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

This country is having too much horse rac'ng. It is being made a trade and your country districts are infested by a number cf blacklegs who bring all sorts of demoralising practises into respectable communities.—So says Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R.

The total value of butter imported by Great Britain in 1901 was L 19.297.005. Of this large import foreign countries sent 84 per cent and the colonies 16 percent. Thebutter imports of last yeur showed the extraordinary increase of 16,314 tons, of which Russia claims one-half. The countries which have largely increased their exports during the past three years are Russia, Denmark, Holland, and New Zealand. Canada sent in round numbers to the value of about one million pounds sterling.

Despite the rain, the outlook in New South Wale 3is exceedingly gloomy, and worse times, with great shortage ef stock, are predicted on all bands. As a sample of the hardships, the stockowners on one station a'one have spent L 50.000 in the last three months to keep the sheep alive. Trooper V. A. Hall berg, of the Ninth Contingent, was entertained at a social at Waipahi on Friday evening. The Chairman (Mr D. Thomson, teacher) in a suitable speech, welcomed Trooper Hallberg back to the district. He made feeling reference to those who had died in South Africa, and to those who had died so near home. The musical programme over, the Chairman, on helialf of the. residents of the district, presented Trooper Hallberg with a gold albert and Maliese cros*, suitab'y insiriberl. Trooper Hallberg briefly returned thanks. Tea and cakes were hand'd round, and the hall was cleared for dancing, which was continued until the meeting broke up at 1 a.m.

The Otago Liberal says Dunedin can'i be beaten anywhere in Australasia for the. way in which the hotel bars lavish.y and freely dispense the solid tucker. At 11 o'clock in the forenoon .there is a bill of fare put bifore each customer, and he is entitled to select anything he mav care for ; it is served up on hot plates, waiter in attendance, round tables, table clo'hs, serviettes, cruets, cutlery, etc., all free gratis and for nothing. The fare is not half and half ■ oyster soup, ham and eggs, grills, divelled kidneys, Welsh rabbit, orcelettes, oysters on shell, etc. It doesn't iound profitabe bnt it is done, and lone by all the houses. Wonderful the inducements held out to make people guzzle liquor.