News Items.

Hastings Standard, Volume IX, Issue 5148, 15 March 1906, Page 3

News Items.

One farmer at Tikokino estimates his loss through the blight in potatoes at £IOO. " Ah, darling!" he exclaimed, "as we sit together under the spreading branches of this noble tree, " I do declare, on my honour that you are the only girl I have ever loved/' And just a suspicion of a smile crosred the dear thing's features as she replied : " You always say appropriate things, John ; this is a chestnut tree." " Tell me," said a ..cbool teacher, " what is the meaning of the word nil ?" The boy who was questioned had no difficulty in answering. " It's the score that the English teatns make against the New Zealand footballers." Some excitement was caused in Victoria street, Auckland, on Thursday morning by a motorcar breaking away suddenly and running into a verandah post, causing considerable damage. The motor car, which belongs to Mr Samsel Lu::ford, of Palmerstou North, was standing in front of !)e:der and Cror.ier's when, in the absynos of h 6 driver, the brake becalm- loose, and tbe car, with two occupant, in the back .i ht . started d:.wn the hill, turning 10 toward... the Blue Post Dining Rooms, »nd coming into contact with one if tbe verandah posts. The post snapped as a result of the impact, and the verandah tumbled down, smashing two of the windows of the restaurant. Fortunately no one was hurt. The Duuediu correspondent of the Ohrietctaurch Truth says : •• For t-oinf 1 time past considerable haul ship has been felt in coiise | jU"iic- ! of bides being exported from New Zealand and afterwards returned to the colony as dressed leather. During tbe past few months tbe position ha.-* been more actit* by tli» action of certain Home agents in buying up all the raw material they can secure, and leaving the local Uumers a \cry bare market in which to fill their !■ •ji'i'.Ym- !>.!- ot supplier It is now suggested that, in addition to an increase'.! duty on some classes of imported leather, an export duty should be placed 011 hides."