Untitled

Mataura Ensign, 16 January 1914, Page 4

A Chertsey farmer recently disposed of a line of wheat of three seasons ago, amounting to 3000 bushels, at a rery satisfactory price. At the same time he also sold last season's yield.

The novel sight was witnessed a few miles from Masterton the other day of a Maori woman ploughing in a field, while a number of stalwart"Maori men. sat upon a fence near by and watched operations.

Judging from remarks made at Tuesday's meeting of the Farmers' Union at Ttmuka (saya the 'Leaderr'), unless something radical is done to stamp out the small birds' pest in South Canterbury the orchard industry is likely to become very expensive by reason of the complete netting protection required.

The members of the Gore Fire Brigade held a practice of five men and three men events last evening. Several members have only recently joined the brigade and these are now being initiated into the handling of the gear. The practice was a very satisfactory one, the new members showing a keen interest in their work.

Arrangements have been made with a Government photographer to take moving > pictures on Monday next of harvesting in Asiiburton County. The pictures are to be taken on an extensive scale, and will include the standing crop, the men with the reapers and binders, stooking, and threshing from the stook. The pictures should, prove an excellent advertisement for the Dominion when reproduced. 1

On® of the effects of the gale of wind on Tuesday last was the blowing down' of a chimney ■on the farm of Mr Coster at Morton Mains. Mr Coster's daughter Jessie was in the vicinity of the chimney attending to some work at the time when some of the falling bricks struck her, badly injuring and crushing one of her feet. The young lady was conveyed' to a private hospital at Invercargill, where she is progressing favorably.

A large gathering of Roman Catholics has been arranged: to take place at Riverton on February 11. The gathering is under the auspices of the Catholic Federation of New Zealand. Excur. sion trains at school excursion rates will run from the various centres, inchiding Gore. - A sports gathering will he held and several of the clergy and 'the prominent laymen will deliver addresses on the occasion. The arrangements are in the hands of an Invercargill committee, and it is estimated) that fully 3000 persons will be present. It is an old saying that one has to go form home to hear news. District residents will read with astonishment the following paragraph, from the Ashburton 'Guardian.' It may be mentioned that the distance between Gore and Morven is over 200 miles. "An AshburtorivCounty farmer who has just returned from a visit to Southland told an Ashburton 'Guardian' reporter on Tuesday that the whole of the potato crops from. Gore to Morven were rotting with blight. Hs was previously through the district a fortnight ago, when the crops appeared to be alright."

A particularly mean theft was perpetrated in St. Albans the other day. A little girl was sent to a store in Fitzgerald Street, with a sixpenny' piece clutched in her chubby fist. On the way a man jumped off his bicycle and said. "Come here, little girl, and hold my bike while I pump it up." During this operation the man found out where the little girl was going and what she had in her hand. Thereupon he took the sixpence, gave the child two halfpennies, and cycled away, leaving the unsuspecting youngster to think that she had effected rather a good exchange. "

A husband has to maintain his wife whether slie behaves well or badly, according to Mr J. S. Evans, S.M. (says the 'Dominion')- There was a matter before the Magistrate's Court the other • day in which a wife, who had been in receipt of maintenance money from her husband, had telegraphed to him to the I effect that §he did not want any more money from him;; that she had .sold his itinriii-o and could keep herself. The magistrate observed that the "telegram did not relieve the man of responsibility to keep his wife. "The lrusband has to maintain his wife," he remarked. Mr Jackson: "If she behaves herself." The Magistrate: "Whether she does or not. There is only one escape, and that is divorce." Mr Jackson: "Do you mean to say, your Worship, that if a woman leaves home and refuses to live with her husband he is bound to maintain her?" The magistrate replied that if she did even worse than that {he husband would still be" liable for her maintenance.

Within three months, said Mr It. C. Biafeop, manager of the Christcliurch (ias Company, in the Conciliation Council the other day, there will be 110 lamp-light-ens left at, C-hristchurch. '! he auto* matio gas-lighter will have replaced them, This step, he said, v. as orced upon the company because of t! o <]e- [ mauds of tno union for higher wa^es.

The tourist traffic to Mount Cook this season has been exceptionally hea.y. The new Hermitage has been used for the sleeping accommodation of a large number of visitors, and the furniture to ■equip the hostel fully will be in the building very shortly, a contract having been let for the supply of it. The traffic over the Milford track has also been good tor the last few weeks.

At the monthly meeting of the Otago Lan<l Board 011 Thursday last the Head Office wrote intimating that the Minister had approved the Land Board's recommendation that Mr John Andrew Laurie be allowed to surrender his r.l. over section 31a, Conical Hills Settlement. The board was asked to determine as to how the section be now dealt with. It was resolved that the surrender be accepted; the section to be re-offered on same conditions as before.

The boys brought out three years ag-. from London to settle in New Zealand have not forgotten Mr T. E. Sedgwick, who opened up the 11 ew lands for ilt-em. Among many letters received by him at Christmas was one from a boy now in the South Island, who, after passing the compliments of the season, writes: "Time flies, it is true. It seems but only yesterday we came here, weak, half-starved Londoners. To-day we can boast a good sound health, and a few pounds to start us in the world. I nmst say I feel grateful."

The stocking as a purse was featured in a case in the Wellington Magistrate's Court the other day. A woman who was alleged to have no means of support retorted that she had a small sum of money in her possession. The fact that her possession of money was not revealed by any police search of the defendant when she was arrested was remarked on. "I had the money down my stocking," she exclaimed as ! she triumphantly clinked £1 17s 9d on |to the top of the vvitness box. "You | can't get a conviction against her if she has money," said the Magistrate, land ha dismissed the charge.

' What is obviously wanted is less education for the average child and more tutoring for tho exceptional lad (says the Auckland 'Herald'). If children were all taught to read common English freely, to write fairly, and to figure accurately, however slowly, there would be an immense advance upon existing conditions and if little children were conditions, and if little children were turned away from primary schools when obviously better at play, they would grow to happier, more intelligent, and more useful lives, even though they failed to pass standards and never attained to proficiency certificates.

The Cook County Council lias the honor of owning the first* motor roadroller to be imported into New Zealand. The new machine has many advantages over the old types of rollers; one of the most important, especially to a local body, is the saving in the running cost. The roller is driven by an oil eneine instead of steam, and this obviates the necessity for having to keep a stock of coal and) a large supply of water, which woul3) be an inconvenience when the roller i& operating upon up-country roads (says the Waneanui 'Herald'). There is an auxiliary kerosene burner, so that after being started with petrol, kerosene can be used' as fuel, thus reducing the cost of running without reducing the capacity wor work. The roller is fitted with differential gear, but pins are supplied, so that a fixed gear can be used when necessary. The roller has two speeds forward and! one back. It is a 10-ton machine, and is of sufficient power to climb any grade on ;the district roads.

Those coat frillings so much in demand this season can be seen at the fancy department of Thomson and Beattie to-day. The range is quite new, having been ordered by cable direct from the Homeland. The prices range from 9d to 1(5 3d, and we are sure they will please you, they are so pretty.

Wanted, team. To let, cottage. For sale, motor car. Lost, motor car side curtains. "Wanted, two unfurnished rooms. Bargains at Boyne Bros.' great summer sale. Southland County inserts notice re unpaid rates. Fresh and smoked fish at O'Sullivan and Tinnock's. Holiday excursion tickets to Auckland issuable for retain for two months.

Great sale of jewellery at 25 per cent, reduction afc Baker's.