INTERPROVINCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1909, Page 15

INTERPROVINCIAL.

The Marlborough Herald states that the plantations in tho Starbourgh nursery, which was established by tho Government near Seddon, but was abajidoned '■as a nursery last year, is now in a ruined condition. . The property covers j about 120 acres, about 30 acres of which aro under plantations, anrf tho whole of it has been let for grazing purposes. Taranaki, according to Mr. R. Gibb, Government apiarist, has, roports the Stratford Post, tho doubtful .honour of being tho only part of Ney Zealand in which the largo wax moth is found. This pest of beokeepers, while in the caterpillar stage, eats through tho comb, destroying a lofc with the brood therein; but it is not very difficult to get rid of if strong Italian b«es are used, and care taken to keep the' bottoms of the hives freo from cracks. Tho Waihou (To Aroha) branch of the Farmers' Union has established a Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, which has proved a great success, and one of especial , advantage to the farmer and grazier. Last year the company divided £1170 amongst its_ shareholders, and customers, and it is now firmly established. The Horowhenua Chronicle remarks that although not yet the "big gooseberry" season, a record in tho way of cabbage growing has to be recorded. ,Mr. A. Ireland, gardener for Mr. F. Rhodes, who is an enthusiast in his work, has just cut a monster cabbage which, when weighed,, turned the soale at 27ilb. Col.-Sorgt. Bosworth, whoso death a.t New Plymouth is announced, was for*merly of tho 57th and 49th Regiments. An exchange states that Mr. Bosworth saw a good deal of service in the Crimea aud in New Zealand, his breast being covered with medals. He was 84 years of age. A few days ago a log of wood was struck in. the Gisborno Oil Company's Waitangi bore at a depth of about 190 feet. The wood was blackened on the outside, states the local Times, but was in a good •state of preservation. The obstacle was passed through 1 , and gas has been showing freely in the bore since. At the meeting held the other evening for the formation of a Beautifying Assooiation in Marton, a very liberal offer was received from a prominent nurseryman, who, the Rangitikei Advocate announces, agrees to supply plants all the year round for a garden plot in Marton Park, on condition that the association attends to the upkeep of the plot. Mr. Samuel M'Latchie, aged 70, builder and miner, and a resident of Charleston for upwards of forty years, who died in the 'local hospital on Monday, bequeathod his small estate to the Charleston Hospital. The officiating clergyman, states tho Westport Timos, read the deceased's will on the conclusion of the burial servico. . The North Otagp Times 6tates that last week an expTessman of the town of Oamaru, who had put £15 in his pocket with whict to purchase a horse, found later on that he had lost, purse and money. The loss was a heavy one to him, but he was fortunate in the fact that some one with a jutft appreciation of what was due to the loser found it. The purse and money were returned to him by a fellow-townsman. Two of the local bodies in Greymouth ar«i hard pushed for cash at tho present time (says the correspondent of the Lyttelton Times). Tho Harbour Board has been hawking its £50,000 loan about for the past twelve months without success, while a crisis seems near at hand, for interest charges and final payment on the dredger Mawhera, totalling £500, have to be met within tho next foiu weeiks. Unless the Government advances the money it is possible tho board will find itself in a very awkward fix. Ihe Borough Council is also suffering from a depleted treasury chest, and finds itself compelled to retrench. A writer in tho Timari 1 Herald states -that a young fur seal has been hanging about the western side of the north mole for a few days past, spending a good part of the day amonp the rubble of the mole, backing itself into a crevice fcr shelter and safety. It is about 2£ feet long, with a head about as big as a terrier's, but I with smaller teeth, canine and other. It has a short, gruff, quick bark, much like a dog's, and a snarl still more like a dog's when disturbed. It bears Bears of wound 3of some size on its back, and several small spots of hvr have been grazed oft' its head. There is somp talk of erecting a freezer on Long Island, one of the group of islands used by the natives for mutronbirdinjr. Th? Maoris who use this island are ioud_ in their protests against a froezer being- placed on it, t for they are afraid of their island becoming infested j with rats if euch a thing eventuates, and in that case the island will be useless as j far as mutton birds aro concerned Another grievance they havo is that last year they left a quantity of cooking utensils, kerosene, etc., on the island, all of which have disappeared since last Beason -^Western Star. At a recent meeting af the Katikati Cemetery Trustees, reports the Auckland I Siar, a rather uniquo offer ivas mado bj> a local resident regarding certain damage done by fire to the boundary fence be- j tween hie property and the cemetery. The resident in question offered «o $rect a new , fence at his own exponsr provided the trustees supplied him with a site for a double ffrave free of charge. The chairman, who moved that the offer be accepted, qualified any questiqnable infer- j onces which might be taken from such acceptance by expressing the fervent hope that tho proposed new fence might Tot from age before the grave in question was claimed. Tho offer was unanimously accepted In his monthly report to the Southland Education Board,' telegraphs the lnvercargill correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, the board's inspector said that the young people examined by him at Winfcon and Riverton for prospective vacancies in the board's service were few in number, and all of the female sex. Tha total absence of boys from the ranks was a serious matter. It would almost seem that, in spite of all the attractions recently added to the Reaching profession, tho position of teachers was not favourably regarded by the average youth. Less serious views of life were beginning to prevail, and the dignity and honour attaching to an occupation were now taking second place, and its ease _and emoluments the first. The strongest reason for the unpopularity of the teaching profession among lads was almost without a doubt the serious study which must be undertaken, first to reach certificated status, and thereafter «>• keep abreast of the rapid advance or educational ideals that necessarily curtailed the time availble for sport. A labourer who had been offered employment, states tha Napier Daily Telegraph, told tho employer that ho would sooner be out of work than work for him. A pleasing inoident is related by an Auokland paper. A family of children attending the Ponsonby school lobt their breadwinner, and were suddenly left in poor cirqumstances. Led by the 'teachers, the pupils showed their sympathy with their schoolfellows in a practical manner, contributing thoir penco towards a collection, which roalised upwards of £13. Mr. J. ri. Reed suggested to the Auckland Supreme Court that a youthful lawbreaker should be whipped by ' a police officer in tho precincts of the Court, as was dono sometimes by order of tho Lower Court. Tho Judge said that if he httd not tho power to give the order the constable 'would be iiablo to consoqiiencos 'of hating committed an assault. Tho Star reports thai the .oooinraondation was not adopte' l by the Court.