NEWS AND NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 31 October 1910, Page 8

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Goveirnmieint lhas purchased 14,000 acres of land in the iKaiwaka block, Hawke's Bay. A large area of the land is at present leased hy Mr G. P. Donnelly, and Mit^ Chambers, who are waiting their leases. The Government is also negotiating for 'the purchase of several other blocks in the same district.

The French naval estimates of expenditure on new ships already under construction or to be laid down in 1911, show an increase of £680,000 on those for 1910— the total being £5,600,000. The laying down of two hattleshins of 23.000 tons" is proposed. .

The opinion of the Railway Department as to the wisdom of paint-ing-wooden, bridges was recentiv .sought by the Hawke's Bay County Council. ;. The railway experts do not recommend the application of paint, as it has been proved that' the pigment tends to diminsh the ,lif c of the timber used for bridge work. They consider that heavy bridges should be built of Australian hardwoods, and recommend that suncrack in the timber should be filled with a composition.

To a musician named Henry Carev England owes the composition of her •national anthem. It was written j.« honour of George ill., and ' was ' first sung in pulbic by its composer iri 1741, on the occasion of the publk rejoicings over Admiral Vernon ? s defeat of the Spaniards at Portobello. It soon became popular in the theatres, where it was sung whenever royalky made an appearance. It was printed for the first time in the gentleman's Magazine, under 'the name of its author. It may be added that Carey received such' little recognition or ■ recompense, for giving his country an anthem that four years later he took his own life in order to escape from the. pangs of poverty and misery. .

Labour is generally a temperance party everywhere.. Five of the six Ministers in the Soutn Australian Labour Cabinet are teetotallers. tu the -Federal Ministry of ten members there are eight total abstainers. Of Labour's 22 members in Soutii Australia 20 are temperance men. These facts are sure to count against the present hustings cry. of the Liberals that' Labour is allied with the Liquor party. They may also make for mor i "definiteness" on the part of the New Sout h Wales Labour party. ■ ) —