TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1911, Page 9

TELEGRAMS.

DISTANT MOUNTAINS SEEM HEALTHIER. ADVANTAGES OF TAUPO. [EX TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] AUCKLAND, This Day. After spending a week's holiday at Taupo, Mr. C. J. Parr (Auckland's new Mayor) expressed the opinion that Auckland people who rush away from their, homes to the Blue Mountains and other resorts in search of a change of climate, are incurring needless expense and trouble. " Two days' journey away is Taupo, where the climate is," says Mr. Parr, "at least equal to that of the Blue Mountains and greatly superior to that of any other spot in New Zealand. It is situated 2000 feet above the sea level, and its bracing air, which is kept free from moisture by the surrounding pumice lands, is delightful. Already it is the great inland resort for the people of Gisborne and of Napier, and an indication of its popularity is given by the fact that on Easter Monday thirty parties motored from Napier to Taupo. It is going to be the leading sanatorium of the Dominion." YOUTHS AND LIQUOR. POLICE ON THE LOOK-OUT. fBV TSLEGBAPH— SPECIAL TO THB POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Tho police are still trying to check tho purchase of liquor by youths. Charges were heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday under the new Licensing Act. In the hrst John Dillon Morland, twenty years of age, pleaded guilty to a charge of having wrongfully repro sented himself to be over the age of twenty-one years to Thomas Barker, barman, at Tattersall's Hotel. Defendant stated that "he occasionally had one oi two drinks at hotels, and at the time the offence wa6 committed had wanted a drink badly. He was fined 60s and costs, in default one month's imprisonment. The barman and the- licensee were also convicted, the magistrate stating that the fact that the lad was questioned allowed that there must have been some doubt as to his age. " I maintain that where there is any doubt whatever as to a person's age the proper thing for the barman to do is to refuse to serve him," add«y Mr. Bishop. Sub-Inspector M'Grath stated that a number of men had recently been questioned, and in one case a married man of twenty-eight, with a family, had been refused liquor. Francis James Booker, a youth of eighteen years, was charged with having falsely represented himself' to be twentyone years of age to the barman of the Queen's Hotel for the purpose of obtaining liquor. Mr. Bishop. S.M. : What did you get thb drink for? Defendant: I didn't feel well. Mr. Bishop: I shouldn't think you did ! • Mr. Russell, who appealed for the licensee, stated that the defendant had stated that ho was over twenty-one years. ' . Mr. Bishop : Why, he looks as if ho ought to be at school. Mr. Russell stated that the defendant had been wearing a cap and overcoat, and had appeared to the barman to be more than twenty-one years. Mr. Bishop : Then I should cay that the barman was considerably lacking in sense. Mr. Russell explained that the boy had come back after having had the drink, and had told the licensee that the barman had served him with liquor though he was under the age of twentyone years. The lad, tho Darman, and tie licensee were all fined. VEGETATION OF NEW ZEALAND INTERESTING INVESTIGATION. [BY TELEGBAPH — SPECIAL TO THB POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Since December Dr. Cockayne, F.L.S., has visited the greater part of the Dominion from North Cape to Bluff. Until the end of March his time was, devoted to the examination of sand-hills in order to complete a report for the Government on their reclamation. The month of April Ayas occupied by the doctor in connection with nis coming book on the vegetation, of New Zealand,' and recently he returned from the southern part of Westland. "For the purposes of my work," he said to a reporter, "I visited the country of the Franz Joseph Glacier — almost the most remarkable .of its kind in the world." Extensive as this glacier is, at one time, long ago, it extended to the sea coast, and the main object of Dr. Cockayne's work was to show how the ground left bare "by tho glacier "had received its present plant covering. - " Contrary to what hae hitherto been stated," he continued, "the forest which surrounds the ice is not the usual New Zealand tropical forest with its tree-ferns, but one composed of the southern rata, which is usually found at a considerably higher altitude. Tho glaci-sr iteelf can be ex plored by means of a most excellent and at the same time sensational track made recentTy by Mr. Peter Hendee for the Tourist Department. This track spans doep ravines with spiderweb-like bridges, creeps round the faces of sheer precipices, descends into deep gullies through which foaming cataracts rush,' and winds through lovely forest and dense subAlpine scrub. From the end of the track the ice itself can be gained, and, with the aid of a guide, any moderate walker can reach the bottom of the great ice fall, with its stupendous pinnacles and yawning 4 -blue crevasses. A point that may interest some of your I readers is in regard to. the totara. of South Westland. This is probably, although so common a tree, a species undescribed and distinct from both the common totara, with it© thick, ferrulod bark, and from the hills totara, which has a thin bark and specially large leaves when young. It will be remarkable indeed if my surmise is correct and if this tree will havo to receive a new name. At Hokitika I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Teicbelman, one of the foremost of New Zealand alpinists. He is making during his holidays a systematic examination of the Westland side of the Southern Alps, a work of extreme difficulty and demanding tho greatest endurance and enthusiasm. His panoramic photographs showing the peaks and passes of the dividing range are of the greatest geographical importance, and it is to be hoped that the doctor will publish with full details his important results." SICKNESS IN GHRISTCHURCH. [BI TELEGRAPH—- SPECIAL TO TSLB POST.} CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. There are still about thirty cases of scarlet fever at the hospital at Bottle Lake. Dr. Finch, District Health Officer,. says that no further cases had been reported lately. Enquiries made amongst doctors in different parts of Christchurch seem to show that nearly all the cases of scarlet fever in the city have been sent to Bottl« Lake, and that very few are being treated privately. All the doctors consulted said that there was nothing in the nature of an epidemic, and certainly nothing that might alarm the general

public. Influenza, on the other hand, is reported to be more prevalent than it has been for some time. SHOOTING SEASON. Cfll TSLKGBAPH — SPECIAL TO TH* POST.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mr. E. J. Righton, secretary of the Acclimatisation Society, who returned from Lake Ellesmere yesterday, states that tho opening of the shooting Eeason j was marred by the bad weather. There was a very large crowd of sportsmen at the Selwyn, but no bags worth recording were secured. A party of six guns, on private property at the Selwyn secured ninety-three pukekos. There is a fine show of birds this year. AWAITING OWNERS OR DEATH. [BX .TELKGfiAPH — SPECIAL TO THE .POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The City Council's tumbril made two trips through the streets yesterday and secured five "bags" of stray dogs. In all forty-three animals were taken to the central yard, and four of them were claimed quickly. The others await owners or death. The ■collection is a motley one, and eighteen may be truthfully de- ! scribed as mongrels. The rest range from greyhounds and spaniels down to pugs and an Eskimo. INDUSTRIES WEEK. [BI ZSLSGKAPH — SPECIAL TO THB POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The report that Industries Week was abandoned in Christchurch this year is emphatically denied by Mr. C. Reginald Ford, secretary to the Industrial Association. Mr. Ford states that the commit tee had arranged to have Industries Week this month, but it would have clashed with the Wellington Industrial Exhibition, at which many Christchurch firms intend to exhibit. The manufacturers had promised their hearty support to the local week, but had expressed inability to provide good exhibits simultaneously at Christchurch and Wellington. Industries Week locally had been postponed, therefore, until the spring. STATEMENT AND A CHALLENGE [DS TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THB POST.] PALMERSTON N., This Day. A Palmerston boot manufacturer complained in the Manawatu Times recently of the want of more protection on the importation of boots, and stated that if unions would preach and 'practice using locally-manufactured articles instead of trying to hamper the, manufacturers it would be better for both parties and for the country as a whole. Mr. P. K. Pritchard, vice-pre&ident of the Wellington Boot Operatives' Union, was in Palmerston yesterday, and in reply to these statements, challenged Mr. Batson to state how his business had been hampered by the union, and eaid that individual members of the union are doing their utmost to foster colonial production, and the union is at all times willing to give its assistance to the same object. [PEESS ASSOCIATION.] LANCASTER PARK. CHRISTCHURCH, 2nd May. At the meeting of tho delegates to the Canterbury Rugby Union it was decided to enter into partnership with the Board of Control of Lancaster Park to retain the park as a sports ground. The conditions proposed by the union are that tho board and the union shall raise £1000, the union finding no personal guarantors, £2000 to be spent on improvements to the grounds, and the Verm of mortgage for £10,000 to be at least ten years and the rate of interest 4£ per cent. A sub-committee was eet up to wait on the Board of Control and was < given full power to act. > WINTER FEED. NEW PLYMOUTH, 2nd May. Warm rains have now been succeeded by cold and frosty nights, but winter feed promises to be plentiful throughout the province. DEER POACHERS FINED. DUNEDIN, 2nd May. At Lawrence to-day, David Taylor and George Donaldson, of Beaumont, were fined £10 each on charges of deer poaching. Similar charges against John Sharp and John Dunlop, of Rongahere, were not concluded. HOKITIKA HARBOUR. HOKITIKA, 2nd May. At to-day's meeting of the newly-elect-ed Harbour Board, Mr. H. L. Michel was elected chairman. A poll was taken to- 1 day in connection with a. loan of £25,000 for harbour improvements, and was carried by 533 votes to 74. NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. DUNEDIN, 2nd May. The directors of the National Insurance Company have declared an interim dividend of 9d per share, payable on 15th. May. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. ' CHRISTCHURCH, 2nd May. The freight on the Home steamers for wheat having been reduced from 20s to 15s per ton, there is a bbttertone in the wheat market, though at the same time there is no improvement on the offers from London for New Zealand wheat. Farmers are, however, holding firmly, and but few sales have lately been made. The 'highest price reported for wheat for shipping is 3s Id, but pearl alone would probably command rather more. There is no change in oats, and at the price ruling for chaff shippers cannot compete with Marlborough in the North Island markets. Tho nominal quotation is 80s, but it is stated that for local consumption, 85s on trucks is, however, really worth more in the country districts on account of the shortage of feed, and consequently there are few sellers for shipping or town use. The demand for potatoes is not quite so active, though the price, 75s at stations, remains unchanged. The North Island is not purchasing very i freely, as plentiful supplies are expected from Southland. TIMARU ITEMS, TIMARU, 2nd May. A man named Thomas, an itinerant showman, has been committed for trial on a charge of setting fire to three wheat stacks near Morven some weeks ago. Bail was not forthcoming. A distressing feature in connection, with the typhoid" cases at Fairlie is that Dr. Cook's wife and her sister wea % e taken ill, "and, later, the doctor. Both 1 the doctor and his sister-in-law are dead, and Mrs. Cook is not well enough to be informed of the fact. The Mayor (Mr. Craigie) announces that instead of the usual banquet in connection with, the installation, he will spend the money, on books for the public library.