INTERPROVINCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 140, 15 June 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

INTERPROVINCIAL.

The Tapanui Courier says that hares are now more numerous in that district than they have bceu for many years, and they seem to be getting a .strong hold in that part of Otago. Well-developed strawberries, an oddity for this time of tho year, were picked last week in Mr. D. T. Montgomery's garden at Greenvalo, near Otago. Even in high places thero seems to be much ignorance of the geography of New Zealand. Tho Oamaru Mail has received «n envelope addressed to some one in the office of the Chief Secretary for Ireland to "Oamaru, Australia." Mr. Albert Wyatt, who gave fimely warning of a wash-out on the railway line nenr Normanby the other week,- h*s been voted £5 by the Railway Department. The fatality list in Dunedm lately has apparently been heavy. Kir. Graham, in his capacity of coroner, attended no ( less than iourteen inquests last month. The Port Molyneux correspondent of the Free Press, Balclutha, is, informed that a party has taken up five acres on the beach to work the deposit's of black sand with some new improved appliance. The recent West Coast band contest resulted "in a profit of £20 14s Id, the receipts (includng £50 reserve fund) amounting to £192' 14s 3d, and the expenditure to £172 0s 2cl. The Denniston Band will hold the cup until the next contest. When the infant son of Mi*. Joseph .Beere, of Mossbwn, was christened at Ravensbourne the other day the child was handed to the officiating minister (the Rev. Dr. Nicolson) by his great grandfather. Four generations were represented on the occasion. Spurious half-sovereigns are being circulated in Canterbury and Auckland, principally in the country districts. The coin is a good imitation of the real thing, but slightly smaller. The Mayor of Cambridge (Mr. Buckland) estimates that for an expenditure of £6000 the town can get an efficient water supply, with enough surplus water to allow of a profit of £100 per annum after all expenses are paid. He also intends to see what can be done in the way of lighting the streets by electricity. At the sitting of the Mataura Licensing Committee the other day a solicitor, Mr. Inder, _was ordered by the Chairman of the Bench (Mr. Stratford) to be placed under arrest for contempt, on account of his conduct in Court, and was ultimately fined £2 for obstructing the business. Mr. Inder asked for a stay of propeedings, and said he would apply to the Supreme Court for <i writ of prohibition. 1 The Timoru Herald hears mat owing to the prolonged spell of fine weather the tanks belonging to a good many people who depend upon them for a water supply are now empty. Carting water will have to be resorted to if heavy rain does not soon fall. • • The Government has agreed to lend the Hasting 3 Borough Council £2000 at 3i per cent, to enable a site for abattoirs to be purchased. It is proposed to establish a cotUge I hospital at Daureyirke. A dairy factory is to be established at Timaru. The Napier Borough Council proposes to increase the wages of its workmen. The increases will total about £300 per annum. « News comes from Rotorua of the death of the last of the Maori cannibals, Paiara Te Ngungukai, the tohunga and bonescraper. Deceased, who was about ninety years of age, took part with the Axawas in the wars of 1834-36 against the celebrated chief Te Waharoa.' • Owing to the long spell of practically rainless weather, water tanks in the neighbourhood of Timaru, outside the borough supply, are running low. Farmers who want to break up lea land cannot get on with that work at all, all the ground is so hard. Although .it is rather early yet, lambing has already commenced on some of the farms on tie Canterbury Plains. At Templeton thero are sevejal paddocks in which healthy-looking lamb 3 are* to be seen. The skeleton of what is declared to be a large moa has been found at Waikare* moana, in a good state of preservation. Invercargill and the Blutf are going to make a huge success bf the reception to the Fourth Contingent. A people's ball on a gigantic scale will be one of the functions. The Napier Garrison' is establishing a museum at the local drillshed. Amongst the exhibits are some weapons secured by the British troops in South Africa. The question of selling cattle by live weight has been discussed by the Waikato Farmers' Club, which has unanimously agreed that the system is preferable to that of selling by dead weight. The club has set up a committee to work put a scheme. It was stated during .the hearing of the miners' dispute before the Auckland Conciliation Board that the Waihi Gold Mining Company has given £1000 in various sums to the widows and orphans of deceased miners. • ■ The Maoris are not uehindhand in mourning observances for the "late Queen. All letters sent to Mahuta, the Waikato "king," by his people are not "according to Burke" unless they bear the badge of mourning. This is done by the sender drawing a black line all round the. edge 'of the front of the envelope. A fire-escape, in the nature of a camvas shoot, has been invented by Sergeant Siddells, who- is in charge of the Gisborne Police Station, The inventor guarantees to remove 50 people from a balcony or upper Btory in yen minutes. 1 The farmers in Ohinemuri, Upper Thames, have combined to establish a cooperative dairy factory. An effort is to be made to rescind the resolution of the Heretaunga Dairy Companj| Hawkes Bay, to lease the factories to Messrs. J. E. Nathan, of Wellington, for three years. The new volunteer drillshed in Dannevirke is to cost about £1000. The engines and boilers which were at one time used by the Cumberland Quartz Mining Company, Reefton, have been purchased by Mr. Russell, of Brunnerton, who intends to use them in working the Tyneside coal mine, in the Brunner district. The mine has been idle for some 1 time. , , During the past five months (says the Mail) something like 350,000 bushels of oats have been shipped from Oamaru. One of the features of the Metropolitan Winter Show at Invercargill will be an exhibition of the Arctic dogs which Herr Borchgrevinck left at Stewart Csland on his return from Antarctica. / A large warehouse in Invercargill, at the corner of Dee-street and Spey-street, has just been sold to Messrs. Briscoe and Co., Limited, at £9500 It is just about two years since Mr. Walter Guthrie purchased this property for%£sßoo. Tho members of the Westport Harbour Board, who will be in Wellington next week in connection with the Royal visit, will hold a meeting here to discuss the question of a loan to carry out some important works.

—————__— — t As a result of a raid made at Brooklyn by secret service agents, the plates for making counterfeit £20 notes of the Bank of Scotland, which the British detective service has been vainly seeking for years were secured. In order to encourage Russian trade in the Persian Gulf ports, offers are mads ■ to carry Russian merchandise freight free, [ and »to guarantee the consignees against loss up to 20 per cent, of the value of tbft good*'