INTERPROVINCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 15

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Lake Wakatipu has again reached normal level after the extensive flood of three weeks ago, states tiie Southland Daily News. The flood resulted in a remarkably quick rise in the lake, consequent on heavy steady rains, and iho level of the lako is variously said to have risen from sft to 7ft. In any case, the old wharf was completely submerged, and the more recent structure within 6in of undergoing the same fate. The volume of water which passed out over the Kawarau Falls was enormous, and the scenic effect correspondingly magnificent. An Eltham tradesman sent a shipment of goods per train to a station on the Toko line. A person to whom they were consigned complained of their nonarrival. Tho consignor produced tho railwaj receipt for the goods, ard the railway people declared they had been put off at the flag station. In course of time the goods were discovered on board the Corrinna at New Plymouth. How those goods found their way on to tho steamer is the little duzzlo that how requires solving, says the Argus. The story of the woman who in the early days preferred to walk to riding in the train because she was in a hurry, is fairly ancient and not too authentic. It finds an echo, however, remarks the Wairarapa Daily Times, in an incident witnessed by two Masterton residents, while returning front Wellington by the evening train on Tuesday. The hat of one. of the passengers blew off while the train, was negotiating tho Uimutaka Incline. The owner thought it was lost, but another passenger jumped off tho train, ran back for the hat, which begot, and then returned to his carriage, which ho was able to overtake without any serious difficulty. The Greymouth correspondent of the Otago Daily Times %ates that Mr. E. Peters, of Kumara, who had the rights to the publican's booth at the Kumara raoes on Tuesday, left a gladstone bag with the the day's takings (estimated at £40) on the counter of the booth whilst he went to watch a race. On his back being turned the bag was taken. There are few boot purchasers who attempt was made last Thursday shortly after midnight to set fire to the Jockey Club Hotel, but fortunately the outbre?k was discovered before it had obtained much headway. A shirt soaked in kerosene had been placed against the outside of the front door and lighted, evidently with the object of destroying tho builcling Tho lessee (Mr. H. Drake) was away in Dunedin at the time, but his wife and family of nine children were in bed in the hotel when, the outbreak was discovered. There are few boot purchasers who realise how heavily the cost of imported footwear has been increased by indirect taxation. The other day an InvercargilJ importer showed a representative of the Southland Times his invoices for a, line of ladies' evening shoes imported from Austria through a London agent. The Hue consisted of white shoes, some of kid and some of canvas, some beaded and some plain. These shoes are not manufactured in the Dominion, so that the duty on them is not required for protective purposes. The shoes are comparatively cheap, such as working girls might be expected to buy. The invoiced price of the parcel was £20 13s 4d, and the duty paid amounted to no less than £18 19s 4d. This works out at a duty of about 91£ per cent. The figures in the aggregate are astonishing eno^jh, but the effect of the duty is more clearly seen if it is calculated on a single pair of shoes. For that purpose a pair invoiced at 2s 9d may be taken. First of all the fixed duty of Is per pair is charged, then, as the' shoes are of Austrian manufacture the preferential ! duty of 6d per pair is added. Apart from the fixed duty there is the ad valorem duty of 15 per cent., which works out at 4Jd, and in addition there is a further preferential duty of 2£d. The total duty, therefore, amounts to 2s Id, which brings the net cost of a pair of 2s 9d shoes up to 4s lOd. The packing and landing charges have to be added, and the result is that a pair of shoes formerly sold at about 5s now costs something like 7s 6d. Imported shoes worth only Is per pair pay the fixed duty of Is ; imported shoes worth 30s pay no more. A rather good story is told by the Lyttelton Times of an absentminded clergyman at Christchurch. A. couple had arranged to be married in his church. At the appointed day and time, the bride, the clergyman, and all who were interested assembled except the bridegroom. They waited and waited, and as the errant man did not appear, a messenger was £ent to his house, where he was found. He hastened to the church, witb the explanation that he had mistaken the time, thinking that ifr was later in the day. The clergyman severely frowned him down, and after the service was one of the foremost in expressing his opinion of the bridegroom's inexcusable forgetfulness. A few days later another marriage was arranged to be solemnised in the church. The parties and their friends assembled at the appointed time, but there was no clergyman. As on the previous occasion, they waited impatiently, and then someone went post-haste in one of the traps to the vicarage. The clergyman was dis- [ covered there, smoking and reading and taking things very quietly. He had completely forgotten about his appointment. "You cannot mix brains and beer without making a muddle of it," was the expression used by Air. D. M'Laren, M.P., at the Trades Hall, Dunedin, on Wednesday evening, with resulting hearty applause. "I would advise every map in the Labour movement," he said, "to lea\e liquor alone. We have far too much to contend against to-day to do it with muddled brains. Fighting the forces that we are — the very keenest intellects at the disposal of modern capitalism — we cannot afford to play with the work. We require to have clear brains and strength of character to win in the struggle that we are engaged in at the present time." These sentiments were very well received by the audience, and approved with applause, reports the Otago Daily Times. Queenstown residents are keenly anticipating the new steamer with which it is proposed to replace the condemned old wooden Antrim, which has performed nigh on fifty years' seivice on the Lake. On mentioning the age of the Antrim, remarks the Southland Daily News, one naturally discusses the early boat traffic of the Lake. The first steam vessel to take up duties on the Lake was the tiny Expert from Victoria, in 1C623. and the Victoria and Nugget follow- ! ed almost immediately. A huge tramp boat, christened the Wakatipn, nUo saw service at that time, but she was too big and clumsy, and was later discarded. Of the boats at present on the Lake the wooden paddle steamer Antrim and the more attractive screw ship Ben Lomond were constructed at the Lake in 1867, the Antrim being put together nt Greenstone and the Ben Lomond at Kingston. The latter, it may be added, once upon a time had another deck, but it made hsr roll so much that it had to be removed. Tho grand old Mountaineer is easily the "baby" of the fleet, not having been commissioned until 1878. She also was put together i^ Kingston.