LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 February 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A meeting of the Nelson College Old BovV Association was held at the Camera Club's room last evening tc consider a suggestion to form a Nelson College OH Boys' Football Club. In the absence cf the President (Dr B. A. Gibbs) Mr C. H. Broad was voted to the chair. Mr Broad expressed himself strongly in favour of the formation ot an Old Boys' Football Club. The feeling of the meeting was in favour ol the proposal, but several present ex pressed the opinion that the formation of a. new club would have a prejudicial effect on football in Nelson, and would tend to weaken the Nelson Club, -whose players were drawn chiefly from ex-pupils of the College. On the other hand it was argued that with the large number of free place pupils leaving College each year there would be room foi the new club as well as the Nelson Football Club, and further that a clue would strengthen the tics of cxpupilt with the College. It was proposed b> Mr Murray, and secondod by Mr Ed mundsen, that an Old Boys' Club be formed. It was stated, however, that nothing was known as to the number-ot active players likely to join the proposed Old Boys' Club, and an amendment, proposed by Mr E. S. Cresswell, anc seconded by Mr Dickson, bhat the meeting be adjourned for a week, was cai 1 - | ried. The many friends of Mr and Mrs F. W, Worlcy will learn with deep regret of the death 01 their youngest son, Keith, which sad event took place yesterday. On Friday week the deceased was running acioss a paddock to catch a horßO, when he trod on a piece of glass, presumably a broken bottle, and cut his foot. He was taken home, where he received medical attention, the wound being stitched up. For a week the lad got along nicely, and the out had almost healed. Tetanus then set in, and in spite of the skill of Drs. Gibbs and Barr, who did all that was possible, ■the case became hopeless, and the end came yesterday. Keith was a bright little lad of ten yearß, and he was throughout plucky and patient, bearing up wonderfully. To the bereaved parents will be extended general sympathy for the loss of a son m such trying circumstances. A stir has has been created at Maryborough (Vie.) by the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of Mr W. M. Akhurst, managing clerk for the firm of Cleary and Cummins, auctioneers. Akhurst, who is a son of Mr A. C. Akhurst, Mayor of Canlfield, was married about a week prior to Christmas last, and returned with his bride, after a short honeymoon, at the new year, and settled down in a comfortable home. A few nights ago Akhurst told bis wife that he had business to do for his employers at Moolort, and that he would not be returning home that night. Since then nothing has been seen or heard of him, but the bicycle on which he left Maryborough was returned next day to tha place it had been hired from, being sent by rail from Castlemaine. Messrs Bisley Broa. will hold the following sales : — On Saturday, at LO o'clock, at Longford, on account of Newman Bros., household furniture and iffects; at 1.30 p.m., at Lynch' 6 rards, 1000 sheep, cattle, and horses ; on rriday, 28th, ram and ewe fair at JKiohnond yards, with 400 rams, 600 sheep .nd 300 cattle ; on Saturday, 29th, at jity Yards, special horse sale of 30 i and -3-year-old draught and light lack harness horses; entries "iw being eceived; Saturday, 22nd, 32 acTes at fern Flat, Murchison, in the estate of he late Mr B. Kingdon. On Saturday, 2nd, the firm will sell the property at toke'knowa as "Aanesbrook."

At a »eeti'ng of the Trustees of St. John 1 * Methodist Church held last night a resolution was carried wishing Bishop Mules and Mrs Mules % good voyage and a safe, return 'in qpniiection.* with their coming visit to Englandi An Auckland. Press Association wire says t— "Preparations have been iii hand for some lime by residents in the electorate of Fjanklin and others .to suitably recognise the .services of Mr/W. 5\ ftlassey, Leader of the Opposition, and these have taken concrete form -ili the shape of a silver Ua and coffee service, and a silver rose bowl and salver, which will be .presented at a garden party at faernta on Saturday. That Mr Massey is held in general esteem is evinced by th« fact that all classes have subscribed." Publications Received.— The "London Magazine" for January is to hand from Messrs Jackson and Company. The opening article is descriptive of the life of the railway workers of England, their long hours, their responsible duties, and their poor- pay. W. B. Maxwell' 6 new serial, "Hill Bise," is continued, together with Q. B. Sims' VBohind the tieenes ill London," the Little Italy of Clerkenwell being described in the latter. Short stories are contributed by John Le Breton, Constance Clyde, Ella Tybout, Walter E. Grogah s arid Harris Burland, the last projecting his hero into a future horseless London. The number is p'rofnsely illustrated throughout. — The current number of "Life" is also to hand, and, as usual, it is full of "snappy" all round matter. — The publishers forward the February number of "The Young Man's Magazine," and the Secretary to the Navy League sends the December number of the "Navy League Journal." — The January "Postal Guide" supplement from the Chief Postmaster, Nelson, and the ; "Railway Time Table" from the officer-in-charge of the Nelson Railways, are also acknowledged.—The "New Zealand Building, Engineering, and Mining Journal," after its 12th year -of useful oxist^nce, lias issued its final number notifying that it has now ceased publication. A farewell conversazione will be tendered to the Bishop and Mrs Mules and family in the Druids' Hall to-morrow evening. A cordial invitation is giver to all adults of the Church of England to be present. Bishop Mules is going to England to attend the Lambeth Conference. A meeting of the Albion Football Club was held in the Foresters' Hall last evening, there being about 40 members present, the president, Mr C. Snow, beinsj in the chair. It was decided tc inter several teams for the passing comifltition in the Rugby Union's gym--1 'thana-. A strong committee was formed to make arrangements for entertaining 'he Petone team, who are playing a match with the Albion team on Easter Saturday. It was also decided to hold the annual meeting next month. There was very little rain yesterday ifter the fall of a couple of hours in the morning. The sky cleared at night after a light drizzle, and to-day it is 'landless, with a south-westerly wind. The weather was again very warm thiE ifternoon, the glass being over 72 in the shade. It is not generally known that homing pigeons are protected under an Act if Parliament, and as a result of recent ■xperiences members of the Nelson Horn- ' ng Club ars taking steps to register iheir pigeons. -The object of the "Homing Pigeon Protection Act, 189 b," is to place the pigeons at the disposal of the Government of the colony, and if every oflicer thereof, in carrying messages whim the exigencies of the public 1 service may require the same Shooting i homing pigeon (registered) intentionilly or negligently, killing, wounding, disabling, ■ ensnaring, or otherwise in jurin?. entails a penalty not exceeding Up. To injure a homing pigeon wher being conveyed to the point of departure ! for a message entails twice the penalty, or up to £20. A search for mysterious treasure buried by one or his ancestors in that portion of the wall of -Joan of Arc 's tower at Eouen which formed the •Id dungeon of the castle, is beinp •onducted by an Englishman named Wrigglesworth. The treasure, according to the .' London "Daily Ex-pre-s," had bn'en a family tradition, but its whereabouts were unknown. Mr Wrigglesworth states that one of his ancestors wa' o bailie, or mayor, .t H»ue:i at the time when the town belonged to the English. He says that he discovered quite recently some papers which Drove that treasures belonging to his family were hidden in several places in the ruins of the old town of Rouen. One place indicated waß a hole in the Joan of Arc tower, covered by a stone on which the word "Open" was cnt in English. The place was examined, and a stone wp.s fonnd bearing" the letters "en" — the !a^t two letters of the word "Open." Mr Wrigglesworth has had. photographs taken of all the places indicated, and in. every case tho photograph shows that the brickwork has been interfered with at Bomo distant date. One of the statues in the tower, of which a photograph has been taken, is that of an ancestor of Mr Wrigglesworth. Ho has writton to the Ministry of Fine Arts for per mission to take up tEo stone bearing tho letters " en. • • and secure the treasure, if ho can find it. In his third report on the Australiar Federal Public Service, the Commision »r, Mr D. "M'Lachlan, shows that foi the 12 months preceding January 1 1907, the total number of office.s (per manent) in the service was 11,585, a: against 11,493 for the previous li months. During 1905. 700 new appointinents were owe!? — an increase of b 6 over 1905. During the- former year th< service was depleted through retire ments and 6ther muses by. 522 officer! (only 33 being enforced resignations) md this left the totnl staff on Januan 1, 1907, at 11,763, the figures for 190! being 11,585. Of,thes« officers, th< greatest number, as a necessity, were lo cated in Victoria and New South Wales The total expenditure in salaries U January 1, 1907, was £1,694,641, th< iirevious amount being £1,669,834, ar increased expenditure for 1906 of £34,807. Speaking at a National Political League rally at Perth (W.A.), Sir John Forrest (ex-Minister of Defence in the Federal Cabinet), urged the necessity for organisation before the next Federal election. They might, he said, have a more representative exprssioa of opinion than after the last election, where only about a third of the electors took the trouble to vote. Of 11 members sent by Westralia nine belonged to the Labour Party. Those nine were, no doubt, desirous oi doing {heir best for their constituencies, bub when they ■ got into the Federal Parliament there were 32 more, all of the same "kidney," bound by the same ndeß. Those 41 members got together and discussed all the points of their platform. They were bound by a majority, even if it should be only one, and the others had to forego their opinions, and even the interests of their constituencies, and vote with the majority. There were only two parties in Australia. The Labour Party was one, and the rest of the people the other. They must vanquish this octopus which had its grip upon them, and if they did not take care it would squeeze them so tight that there would be no freedom left in them. The Anglo-French Exhibition will attract a number of New Zealanders, but comparatively few will go from Nelson, and the bulk of our people will have to be' content with visiting the Great Exhibition of Furniture and Furnishings to bo 6een at Lock's Emporium,. Mr Look keeps tKW" show lip 'to datej amd the list of goods are of almost all styles and variety, made at his factories, or imported direct from English and Colonial makers— and comprise suites, easy and occasional chairs, tables, duchess chests and pairs, Italian and other bedsteads, cots, fenders,- etc., rattan furniture, lounges, etc., carpets, linos, pifo and mohair rugs, coucheß, bedding, cutlery, crockery, sheetings, towels, tapestries, velvets. Also the following special lines : Harland's and other superior pianos, Carpenter's organs, the Britannia air rifle, easibak lino polisher, Miner and Zealandia ranges, baby jumpers, and go carts, Atlas sewing machines— these and many other goods are sold by Lock at the lowest prices either for cash or easy terms. VGo to Lock's" is a household word. It will pay you to visit this free exhibitfon.'-

H.M.S. Pyramus, which left here on Sunday afternoon, arrived ofi Collingwood that evening, and dropped anchor about a couple of miles off the shore. Yesterday was a red-Ktter day m the township. In honour of th& arrival of the worship thi? school childen were granted a holiday. Through the kindness of Commander Mitchell, who seiit his boats ashore for Inej PS"* pose, the children were taken oft to the "vramus, :aDd were* ihbvra . over .tne Vfcaiel.-. Some of the officers- landed and went :trout fishing in the £orere River The: Pyramus .was -still at anchor .when the Wairoa left early this morning, awaiting the arrival of the Lady Barkly with stores from Nelson. H.M.S. Pioneer, which left here at noon yesterday, arrived off Collingwood last night, and after a sliort stay put out to sea again. Messrs Levien and Bollet will hold an auction sale of groceries, crockeryware, clockß, watches, etc., at their Mart on Saturday next. On Wednesday, 19th inst., the firm will hold a stock sale at the White Hart Yards, Richmond; In discoursing on the wonders of "The finest trdut-fishinß in the world," which he says is to be obtained at Kotorua a "New Zealand Herald" representative; who has just visited the thermal regions, says there " is really no occasion for the angler's i imagination to work up stories of Eo- , t'orua fishing, because the truth is f stranger than fiction: Sdnle of the i authenticated catches read well: — s "Mf Seton-Karr, for three days' f fishing; landed 77 fish, weighing 370 ] lb'. Mr. Turner s jparty of three rods f for three'montlis ' camping out. landed f 1150 fish, weighing 42451 b, and, with 3 the exception of about 50 fish, all • were taken with the fly." Catches - of 30 fish weighing over 1001 b. to one ' fly rod in one day are common ; the writer says, "is to use waders which come up to the waist, and as the lake bottom is smooth and the " water evenly shallow, wading is no ' hardship. If 3 r ou do not wish to ' wade you can stand or sit in a boat j anchored in the shallows. It is wonderiul fishing; thero may be 20 or 30 > rods going within the space of an acre or so of water, a do2en playing fish, oars splashing, waders flounder- ( ing, and tho fiah are like a hungry army. The veriest new eiium can catch fish on Kotorua. I saw a man who had never handled a rod before hook three beauties in a short time. A fifteen-3'ear-old Sydney girl, who flopped her rod about like a flail, secured two. If Rotorua continues in its present form the professional flyfisher, will lose his halo of glory, because fly-fishing will be no longer the exclusive sport of the skilful." The use of the Bivining rod to locate underground supplies of water, which has been employed with much success in other parts of New South Wales, says a Moss Vale telegram in the "Sydney Daily Telegraph," has of late been brought into requisition, with most satisfactory results in this district. Bundanoon, which has not fared any worse than many other country towns during the recent dry spell, was beginning to feel the pinch of the protracted drought, and tho carting of water some distance for hoi>j?hold use was becoming a common occurrence. When Mr K-ilpnan, a visitors who ha<l heard of the wonderful properties of the divining red. took to expedmantiug, and discovered evidences or the presence of underground water by the strange affinity of the forked stick, he carried to Mother Earth, Mr W. Grice, of Fernfield, Uundanoon, who conducts a large hoardinghouse, had these experiments first conducted on his land. Mr G. W. Hosking, late postmaster at Manly, who is a visitor, also joined in the search, and seemed to be more successful. Evidences of water appeared on the hill wound the house, and following the indications what appeared to be an underground stream was traced down the hill to the flat in the direction of Paddy's River. Another branch of the stream was traced in an opposite! direction, also to a flat, where the evidences were so strong that Mr Grice decided to sink a well 3 feet by 3 feet to a depth ~>f 13 feet, as advised by Mr Hosking. when splendid drinking water was found, and in a few days there was nearly 7 feet of water in the well, which is rapidly filling. Hearing of this success ether residents enlisted the services of Mr Hosking to test their own properties, with a view to locating a water supply. The operation was successful in each case, and Messrs Tyler and Tanner are now having wells sunk in spots which show the best likelihood of a permanent supply. Mr Greeson also has the satisfaction of knowing there is a presumably strong supply in a most convenient spot. A resolution recently adopted by the Vancouver Board of Trade suggests that steps should bo taken Jo secure a better press news service between Canada and Australia and other parts of the Empire. It is pointed out (writes the American correspondent of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph") that most of the news at present supplied to Canadian newspapers comes through United States sources, which pay little or no attention to Australia. The fact that Canada is paying several thousand pounds a year towards the cable to Australia is put forward as a reason why the line, which is almost idle at certain times of the day, should be put at the service of the- Canadian press at a nominal rate during thosa hours. As matters stand, the Canadian papers get next to no cable news from the Antipodes. Tho Canadian news service is poor because the papers, being scattered and of comparatively small circulation, cannot afford to pay the increased cost of improving it. Cable news from Australia to England passes right at the doors of the Canadian press, but the tolls are so high that the local papers cannot afford to appoint correspondent in Sydney and Melbourne. It is urged that inter-com-munication is one of tho surest ways ->f bringing the sister nations of the Empire into closer relations, both in a commercial and Imperial sense, and it is hoped the Canadian Government will assist the dissemination of Austrnlian news in the Dominion. Mr L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, has returned from erecting, at Lake Te Anau, a temporary hatchery for the Atlantic salmon eggs which are expected to arrive from Canada, next month. He says that he was successful in finding an admirable place for the hatchery, within a mile and a half of the steamer's wharf at the south end of the lake, and accessible either by road or boat. The water supply is exceptionally good, alike fo* quantity, quality, and temperature. The shed which has been erected is capable at present of accommodating 400,000 salmon eggs and, with a few- additional boxes, it could be made to accommodate over half a million. It is always advisable that tie young fish should be liberated in the extreme head waters of the rivers which they are intended to stock, and from Lake Te Anau tho young salmon, when they are hatched, will bo easily -moved to the Waiau_ and other streams that issue from it. Mr Ayson was afforded every facility by the Tourist Department for visiting the rivers and streams that flow into and "out of Lake Te Anau, and the favourable impression which he previously formed of the Waiau and its head waters for the reception of Atlantic Balmon was fully confirmed by this more thorough examination. Mr Ayson , was also much impressed with the , possibility of doing most valuable work for the attraction of sporting tourists by introducing other fish into the waters of this famous scenic region, says the "Dominion." The land-locked salmon of East Canada and the United Spates, he suggests, might be introduced into Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri, and the Lake Tahoe trout, from the region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, into the snow-fed rivers that flow in at the head of these lakes. The streams that flow into ' Lake Tahoe much resemble those of the Otago region. Both the land-locked salmon and the Tahoe trout are first-class sporting fish, and the fact that thero is now no fishing to be had at Lake Te Anau is a common grievance of tourists. . The lake is well stocked with English brown trout, but, so far, angling for. these in the lake has not been a success, , v ,- >1 ., #s