FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 58, 2 December 1907, Page 2

FROM OTHER PAPERS.

A Nelson paper notes the fact that a very pretty bird, a while-breasted quail, probably the native quail, is to be seen in fair numbers at present in the Mot-upiko district. Several of them were observed by anglers i| lp holidays 011 the river flats at Koliatu. 1 our driving, I think,. is far and aivay the best in Wanganui. I have admired it otten; in fvjt, it is the best 1 have ever seen, but it is overwhelmingly fast, and it is reckless." —Remark by Mr. R. L. Stanford, R.M., in dealing with a motorist charged wit'a reckless driving at tho AVanganui court. "The present prosperity of tho Dominion," said a witness in the farm labourers' disputo at Christchurch, "is the result of tho long hours and hard work done by the early settlers. If they hail worked under those demands the Dominion would not have been in anything liko as prosperous a state as it is to-day."' A gentleman well known in tho Woodvillo district was in need of about 60,000 ft. of building timber. He wasn't pleased at baring to , pay almost _ 255. per hundred, so he journeyed to the King Country last week, and told a representative' of tho "Examiner" 011 his return that he had no difficulty in making arrangements for all tho timber he requires, and it will bo landed where he want-3 it, at 18s. 6d. per hundred feet. Mr. G. Watt, of "Abergeldio," Cambridge, who has just returned from a trip to the Old Country, says whilo he was in Scotland'many enquiries were made regarding tho obtaining of land in the colonies; and he did his best to explain them to those who sought the information. • They did not approve of the leasehold tenure; thoy could get land cheaply enough at Home by leasing; in fact, it was now nearly 50 per cent, cheaper than it was 41 years ago. All the enquiries wore for freehold land. Mr. Watt exhibited newspapers to show what land was fetching in Now Zealand, and tho Home peoplo could hardly helievo that it would ■pay to give such high prices. He quoted one farm that was sold in the Manawatu district that realised £50 per. acre, and. that completely astonished .everyone; Three clever sketches done in water colours by Lionel Terry are on view in Dunedin (says the "Daily Times"), and are attracting considerable attention. Let it he said and believed that tho artistic skill shown in the finished studies is of more moment to tho onlookers than the present notoriety of the ; fiij-ist. The sketches are. cleverly finished.,-and, in tho absence of any title 'on_ either,-: may be fittingly liamed"Virginibns puerinquu." All are enclosed in one frame, and.aro intended to interest children. One scene shows a little girl watching a sitting hen, and confidently counting the chickens before they- are hatched. Another depicts two children, playing draughts, ono of the players being obviously in a.tight corner. Tho third dispays a little girl seated on a bed, and receiving a lesson in sewing. The pictures, which were painted by Terry for the Kantane Home, wore forwarded for display by Dr. P. Truby, King.

A curious ease has just been tried -at Milton by Mr. Cruickshank, S.M. A man named Patrick Calvey had been employed' by one George A. Lilburno carting rabbits, ' and thcra was a sum of £5 due to liim. He' alleges that lie was paid with one good pound nuto witlj which were enclosed four pieces of valueless brown paper. On the other hand, Lilburno swore in court that he paid Calvey in five good notes. After hearing longthy evidence Mr. Crnickshank said he would further consider the matter at homo. If it was against Lilburno he would immediately (says the "Mirror") have to order Ilia arrest for perjury. Tho affair was so barefaced. He could not allow, this sort, of liankypanky business to go on. There, had been a • deliberate swindle on one side .or tlio other, ' It was a very, difficult matter, to-decide, tie ; would like to see it tried by a jury. His Worship montioned that in England and-on tho Continent, if the amount was over £2 ■ the judge had tho right to send tho case to.a jury. t ; r The "Otago Daily Times" states that the prosent state of the labour market, from all accounts, is such that there, would appear ; to bo no reason why anyone should be out of work. As a matter of fact, the "Times" states, work in the country- is going begging. The announcement recently that several immigrants wero to arrivo in Duncdin in the course of this and the next month brought forth quito a host of enquiries, and the new arrivals could liaye boon placed ten times over. The probability is, however, that nono of them will get of far as Duncdin, owing to tho demand tor labour in tho north. . The near approach .of • shearing operations has brought the usual rush of Australians to the Dominion', numbers of men arriving by every succeeding intercolonial boat. It is a well-established fact that there is a big proportion of working men who will not leave the towns, and as callers at the local Labour Oflico are few and far between, thore must be ample work in tho town as well as in the country, the only diiforencc bc-ing that in the latter thero is nothing like a sufficient supply of tho. necessary article coming forward. Generally, the "Times" adds, the present would appear to be a prosperous time for tho worker, with, furthermore, a dccided prospect of its continuance. 1 Instances of. delays to shipping catised by the insufficient supply of. railway trucks at Lyttelton wore given by Mr. Albert Kaye nt the meeting of'the Christcburch Chainbor of Commerce, according to the "Press." Tho Westport Coal Company's _ Cauopus (which usually'takes 15 hours to discharge) .was, on January 15, held up for four days; on February 25, two days and a half; rin March 12, eight hours wore lost; on March 23,"she was detained for a .similar period; on May 13, a whole day was lost; and on August 5, three days wero spent in getting cargo discharged. Within the: last nino months tho company ' lias lind to hulk 2<)5G tons, apart from tho v quantity which would have been hulked ,in tho ordinary course. The Onion Company's little list was:—Rakanoa, lost three days between January S and 15; Waipori, three days lpst between January 10 and 22; Rakanoa, two days lost betwenn February 22 .and 28; Kamona, two days and a half between March 14 and 22; .Taieri, lost one day between March'l4 and 18; Kamona, lost two days hotweoh-April 3 and 12; Waipori, lost one day and a half between June 25 and July 3; Kini, one day lost between August 16 and 22; Koonya, lost ten hours botween October 30 and November 2; Taieri, lost two days and :i half between November 1 and 7; and Wnitiori, lost ten hours between November 4 and 6 In softie cases the company had _to discharge timber into hulks and retain it. there until trucks woro available; coal also had to be hulked.

Some examples' of what- ,polito letter \rritin French is wore giveu .it tho Christchurch Supremo Court during the hearing of •i Ciiso in which a claim was made for commission. The writer''of the letters (says the "Press"), who was in the witness-box,-inter-preted them. In one he threatened to leach ftho person to whom the letter was addressed a lesson which would cost him dear. "I am not." lie continued, "going suddenly to assault you—l would have done so if \vo had boon in Franco--hut ■ I know the laws ;of this country. I know I am in an English country, and I am going to employ the means provided anybody who has been robbwl." Further on in the same effusion, tho writer stated: "Mr. , havo you any conscience? If so, examine it, and compare your pn;ef.--FOs iov.Mils me and mine towards you." In another communication ho wrote: "In acting in darkness as von do. von think you will have more chance of succors. There is your error. You will go more and more in the mud. He careful that you do not go deeper and deeper in that mud until it will ho impossible for you to get'out of it. As for me. I am far. away from any dancer, and seated 011 tho firm land. T ••■>!*: out that you do not go down further and'further to tho neck, and if you do not listen' tt> the voice of reason, which must dictate _to you to get out, you will go very rapidly into the abyss —or find yourself in tho abyss." -Further on he wrote: "If tho love of money has not completely obliterated the sense of honour in you, I hopo you will give mo an interview."