ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 222, 16 September 1909, Page 3

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Some interesting information is furnished by Messrs Wyatt and Kerr, who are engaged in Avinning kauri o-um from the bed of Lake Taharoa, near to the Maunganui Bluff (says the Dargaville correspondent of the New ■ Zealand Herald). %he enterprisirig prosecutors of the .work carry on operations from a 12it by . l^tt raft, built on barrels, and are equipped with one of the diving costumes used •in recovering the Elingamite The depth of the lake m its deepest^ part is 42ft, and so far satisfactory returns have reAvarded the unique method adopted to win the resin. Mr Wyatt reports that aAVonderful wealth of timber lies merged, and that barrels of huge kauris lie prone on the bed of the lake, bearing a perfect similitude to trees felled and found on shore. Ihe lake floor is formed of a species or pukahu, similar to that found m kauri forests, and termed • "bukau by bushmen. On the barrels and m the branches of the trees the gum •has remained as when the giants stood erect in the pristine forest, and quantities of leaves brought to the surface/.show a surprising state of •preservation. When secured they are of that peculiar russet colour seen on young growing kauris, but exposure to the air renders them , dark and soft. Miro berries are plentiful, and also the leaves of the tumatakuru, a tree Avhich groAVS very much like the tanekaha, but AA'hich is not noAV found in the district. It is,' hoAvever, plentiful in Hokianga kauri forests. As vieAved at th 3 depth of 42ft, the appearance of the kauris is perfectly natural, and some specimens of the bark, encrusted Avith gum. leaves and timber, will be forwarded to the Auckland Museum. Mr TSerr describes the lake bed as being a beautiful garden, one lovely groAvth attaining a height of 4ft.

One of the first things the beginner in bee-keeping will want to know is all about the sting. After pointing out the need for patience and order in the industry, Mr Hopkins, in The Bulletin on Bee Culture, issued by the Agricultural Department, shows that all beginners suffer more or less from the effects of beesting poison, but he assures, the nervoias novice that "in most cases the Fad effects wear off gradually as the system becomes inoculated against the poison, till finally little more inconvenience is felt from the sting 1 than would be caused by the prick of a needle?' Mr Hopkins adds, however, that in rare instances people are to be found who suffer so severely that a? stii% is positively dangerous to them, their system never becoming immune to. the poison. Beekeeping is especially commended to all women in search of an outdoor life. Mr Hopkins remarks that women make capital apiarists. "There is nothing." he says, ''connected with beefarming, but what' a young woman can accomplish." As to profits, Mr Hopkins sets them down at from 17s to £1 per annum from each colony of bees in a well-conducted apiary and in a good district. Hints on beekeeping are given in plenty throughout the work, valuable alike to bfcginner and professional, and plans and diagrams.are given of plant and equipment, and the rearing and keeping of bees are thoroughly gone into, and much, interesting information of the biology of the bee is furnished, together with a treatise on the bee ?n relation to agriculture.

In proposing the toast of "Rotorua, past, present and future," at the annual dinner of the Chamber of Comsnerce on Wednesday evening, aad alluding to the origin of the name of the "Priest Bath," which was named after Father Mahoney, who dug the bath out, Mr B. S. Corlett created some amusement by giving one of that gentleman's utterances when taking his departure from Rotorua. It was this: "Heathens I found ye, and heathens I leave ye." There is just a possibility that if Father Mahoney visited Rotorua to-day (says the Hot Lakes Chronicle) he would still retain the opinion so far as some of Its residents are concerned.

The following story is told about the party of Maoris who have gone for a tour of America: —An old Maori is said to have gone ashore at Rarotohga to have a look round. The Tieat was very oppressive, but, despite this fact, the old Maori mustered up" enough energy to purchase a cheap thermometer, and, after addressing it to his home at Te Aroha, asked a postal official how much it would cost to send. The inquisitive man asked what the parcel contained, and received the startling reply that it was a thermometer he was sending to his people to prove how hot it was in the Cook Islands!

In their annual report the directors of the Wanganui Freezing Company state: —"The past season has been

theSvorst since the commencement of the frozen meat trade some thirty years ago. This has been brought about by the persistent fall in prices, followed by the utter collapse of the English- meat market. The balancesheet shows that after paying the authorised dividend (£2762 los Yd) the company commenced the year with a credit balance to .profit and loss account of £2650 5s 2d., /During the year the Avliole of the reserve fund (£6000)- Avas transferred, but, notAvithstanding this, there Avas a deficit of £6824 15s 7cl, making a total loss for the year of £15,476 10s 9d."

Opunake has lost a relic—the old cannon that stood at the foot of the flagstaff on the cliff. It Avas a relic of the early days, forming part of the salvage of the wreck .of the Lord Wolsley at Te Namu, a wreck that is remembered as the occasion xipon which the Maoris were so hospitable to the ship's passengers. Some harebrained idiots evidently wanted to knoAV what sort of a noise a cannon Avould make, so on a recent Saturday night they crammed the rusty old A\ reapon with explosives, affixed a slaw fuse, and fired it. The cannon exploded, and the gun and gun-car-riage Ayere bloAvn to smithereens, some pieces of metal being, found in the main street of the toAvn a quarter of a mile aAvay.

A couple of years ago there arrived in Woodville two well-dressed gentlemen, and from their speech it Avas immediately understood they were foreigners, although they spoke, the English language perfectly. They quickly ingratiated themselves with the manager of The Examiner, for they said they had lots of advertising to do. But first of all they wanted an introduction to one of the partners of one of the leading businesses of the town, and would the manager of The Examiner oblige by introducing them to him. They produced a well-printed business card, which showed they were the accredited agents of a large firm doing business in the Dominion with its headquarters at Dunedin. Everything appeared genuine, and the introduction took place. The result was the placing of £50 worth of horse and cattle medicine with the Woodville firm, and if the money was paid down there would be a very liberal discount. The discount was tempting, consequently the money was handed over. The gentlemen then made arrangements for a large advertisement in The Examiner, and although they Avere offered a big discount for cash, they preferred paying every throe months. At the end of the first three months the manager of The Examiner discovered the head office of the company in Dunedin had been closed for a month, and their new address Avas not known. Now for the sequel. The Woodville firm that purchased the £50 worth' of goods managed to dispose of a few horse poAvders and drenches, Avhich, so far as the firm kneAV, gave every satisfaction, for

they had no complaints. But liiHt week thejr disposecf of some tins ol! ointment which was very highly recommended for sore teats and sueli like ailments. On Friday the settler returned the two tins, and each contained a block of Avood, leaving only an inch of room for the ointment 1 The next horse or cattle medicine man that attempts to do business in Woodville is promised a hearty xe~ ception.

"A Devoted Parent" writes to the Dail.v Mail:—l sent my son to one of the preparatory schools of the hieliest repute in this country. His report at the end of the first summer term, while passing lightly over the educational subjects, dwelt most seriously on the want of "keenness" for cricket (in a boy of eleven). Neither foreign languages nor _ mathematics wore seriously dealt Avith, and the following subjects, among others, were conspicuous by their absence: — English, composition and literature, modern history, natural and physical sciences, and the all-important physical training. A friendly remonstrance to the head-master produced the reply that not only the demands of the two public schools to Avhich the boys proceeded, but the parents' own wishes called for the curriculum given.