LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 24 November 1908, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

A petition is in course of signature asking the City Council to restore the new dam to the state of repair in which it was last summer, in order that the water may b3 used for gardens, etc, during the coming dry month?.

The first bathing machine in Nelson was placed on the Sands on Sunday by Mr M'Gavin Thompson, and it was well patronised by both local and visiting ladies. The advent of bathing, machines at the Sands should prove a boon. Ponies and donkeys will be introduced on the Sands later on in the summer.

Mr Atcheson Smith, the City Engineer, has had the misfortune to sustain another accident. This morning the pipe at the ejector station struck Mr Smith on the face, inflicting a painful wound.

Mr Hyslop, representative for the Amber Tips Tea Company, will be in town to-morrpw,

The following notice of motion has been given by Cr. Petti^for the fortnightly meeting of the Nelson City Council on Friday evening next: — "That the resolution passed by the Couneil on the 13th November, 1908, appointed Mr A. E. Mansford as Returning Offieer for the City of Nelson, be and the same is hereby rescinded."

Mr Bray (South Island apiarist) told a Lyttelton "Times" reporter that while bee-keeping was a profitable side line for the farmer, it aided the orchardist greatly. The fertilisation of apple and other fruit blossoms by bees had a marked influence on the future fruit. An imperfectly fertilised blossom v/ould result in an unsymmetrical and poorly formed fruit, and the presence of a swarm of bees considerably increased the prospect of producing wollroundod, symmetrical fruit, with an enhanced market value. Bees also saved a large expenditure in rcsowing clover, as their fertilisation caused the clover to seed and automatically to resow itself. The apiary branch of the Agricultural Department y/bs importing queen bees from Italy, and these could be purchased from apiarists from the Government apiary near Auckland. The New Zealand bee was an excellent type, but it was thought that cross-breeding might further improve it. Recently a shipment of 60 queen bees arrived from California, blJt tjiey were all dead on arrival involving a loss of itljout £25 to the Department.

A rnmour appears to have gained currency to the effect that a very laTge number of the men, probably about 200, at present employed on the Motgiei duplication works, aro to be paid off this month. Inquiry from the district railway engineer (says the "Otago Daily Times") shows that there is no foundation whatever for the statement as far a-s he is awaie. Such a course of action he considers is most improbable.

The Labour Department reports that the position with regard to the unemployed shows signs of improvement, says the "Post," Several of the carpenters who came oijt by $he Kuapehu have been founcl billets at Dunedin. Large batches of labourers are stijll being sent to the Stratford-Huirca railway works. Painters aTe in large demand throughout the dominion, and good tradesmen are being offered lls a day locally. The demand for farm 'labourers, chiefly from the Waiiarapa and TaranakJ districts, still exceeds the supply. Engineering shows a slight improvement, though trade is still somewhat on the slack side.

A complin)ei)t hap been paid to the Englishman's manners by a Frenchwoman, who describes herself as having travelled extensively; but, curiously enough, while she declares that the Englishman shows women more respect and courtesy than do her own countrymen, she grumbles at the English boy, whom she finds sadly lacking in politeness. It seems to me, however, that it is better that our. small boys should do a little less bowing while they are young and be agreeable and well-mannered when they grow up, than be excessively polite as youngsters, and. fail, like the Frenchman, when they come to manhood. Our manners are very much like our climate. The latter is full of surprises; on the whole it is good, it is certainly healthy, it is never extreme, and all this may be said of our manners. When people understand us, they like us; and, when they settle in England they defend its climate. Wo cannot be so stiff and dry and uncongenial as we pretend we are, or we should never attract to ns the peoples of such different nations.

The 'Australian Squadron, consisting of H.H.S. Powerful (flagship), H.M.S. Challenger, and H.M.S. Pegasus, arrived at Wellington last Tuesday, in company with H.M.S. Encounter, which went to meet the new arrivals. This is the first occasion on which Admiral Sir Richard Poore had visited these waters. .Born ia 1855, fee served with the Naval Brigade with tbe Perak Expedition, being mentioned in despatches and promoted: he was a lieutenant on" H.M.S. Invincible at Alexandria in 1882, and served with the Naval Brigade in the Egyptian War of that year, and in the Nile Expedition to Khartoum in 1884-5 ; in both engagements he was mentioned in despatches, and promoted. In 1904-5 ho was Rear-Admiral of the Channel Fleet, and early in the present year he was appointed to the command of the Australian Squadron, in succession to Admiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes.

Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co. advise having sold several of their properties at auction and privately on Saturday last. The balance of the unsold lots are now for sale privately on very easy term«.

Our Lower Moutere correspondent writes:— The monthly meeting of the Moutere Fruitgrowers' Association was held on Friday last, 20th inst., a large numtoeii iof fruitgrowers Lyips present. The President, Mr H. Holdaway, occupied the chair. A paper on "Grafting" was contributed by Mr Chas. Limmer, and an interesting discussion followed. Mr Jacques, Government Expert, also gave an address upon "Canning," describing minutely the actual processes; and advising the members what varieties were best adapted to this purpose. He also pointed out many advantages the fruit industry would gain by careful attention of this subject, declaring that over-pro-duction would be practically impossible in the Dominion, as the present demand for preserved fruits was many times greater than the 6upply. The lecturer at the close of his address replied succintly to the numerous questions of the audience. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded' Messrs Limmer and Jacques for their addresses. Three delegates were elected to represent the branch at the meeting of the Nelson Fruitgrowers' Association, with whom they were affiliated Messrs H. Holdaway, Chas. H. Mackay, and B. B. Witty were appointed. Several new members were enrolled.

Brigadier Albiston is announced to give an address on the "Past, Present, and Future of the Salvation Army," in the Salvation Army Hall, to-morrow night. TKe Brigadier is the officer responsible for the Salvation Army work in the South Island, with headquarters at Christchurch. He has held most important positions in the Army, and for many years has been one of its most successful officers. The subject announced should give good scope for an interesting and instructive address.

In the opinion of Mr Justice Edwards, the country has plenty of money to spare. Among the witnesses called in the Te Puke assault case, tried at the Auckland Supreme Court last week, was the local constable, whose evidence was not of a very material character, and only lasted for a couple of minutes. "Is this the constable's quarterly holiday?" inquired his Honor, drawing attention to the matter. "For all the evidence he has given, he might as well have stayed at Te Puke. It seems quite absurd for him to have come down for this. However, I hope he has enjoyed his holiday, but it happens too often, this sort of thing." The Crown solicitor replied that the constable's services were essential in order to look after the witnesses. "Well, as far as I am concerned," observed his Honour, "I think it is a waste of money, except so far as to give the constahle a visit to a remarkably fine and growing city. I hope he will profit by his visit. The , country has evidently got more money to spare than I thought." Mr Tole observed that had he not called the constable he might have been accused of not bringing out I all the evidence.

This time last year, says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph," the dreaded fruit fly was much in evidence in the citrus orchards of the State; by way of contrast, just now it is almost impossible to secure a specimen. This pleasant state of things is not ,of course, as some imaginej to be attributed to the fine preventive work the orchardists ba7e carried out in picking up and destroying infected fruit, as stipulated v by the ruit Piests Act, although this' must have had a considerable effect in reduc ing the crop of flies. Weather conditions have had most to do with the scarcity of the pfist, and there shvi.d be no relaxation of vigilance on the part of growers. The season is late tins year, Ljt. in the opinion of Mr Frog{,att, Ne»v South Wales Government Entomologist, it Is not the cold and wet veather in the spring that retarded the hatching' or destroyed jthe pest to n.ach do the beating down of the ground .surface by the rain. This in a very large measure has prsveut-.'d llic Mies (<n.iiig to life. While on \nr subject of fruit flies, it may be men-ti-nel t!-i| a scare has. be q yais-p '.n t'.u Scuth Coast -.!>at'ttie uliil-iilo'.s blackberry is a host for this pest and that consequently it is a great meni..io 10 the fruit industry. Mj 1 Frotgatt points out that those responsible for this statement are confounding the fruit fly with the wine fly, and that there is no danger of the blackberry harbouring the former. Likewise, it has been reported that fruit fly maggots have been already found this season in the native plum, but on investigation this proved to be another variety of fly.

The N.S.W. Government wheat experimentalist, Mr G. L. Suttoii, has had applications for some of the "Miracle" wheat, which has been talked of recently, and has sent in some remarks with a view to publication. He says that the variety referred to belongs to a group of wheats known as Poulard, Turgid, or Rivet wheats (botanical name of which is Triticum turgidum), to which also belong the bett?r-known "Australian Poulard" and "Galland's Hybrid."" Many of this family have the Habit of producing corppound or divided ears ,and because of this habit, they are called' "miracle" or wonderful wheats, so that the name "Miracle" is not confined to one variety ; but is given to any variety of this class having cli^ y.ded or branching 'ears ; this habit of producing compound ears is likely to lead the person not familiar with these varieties to believe that extraordinary yields would be obtained from them, but they are by no means prolific, and only yield in a very moderate manner Their, value for milling is low, the flour being rich in starch and poor in gluten, dark and unsuitable for bread mating, except when mixed with much "stronger" flour. This group of wheats is by no means new to Australia. Under the names of "Young's Bearded," "Hen and Chickens," "Mummy,'/' "Miraole,.V and "Egyptian," different varieties have Tjeeti growing in this country since the early days of wheat growing. Some of these varieties are rust-resisting, and one of them, under the general name "Egyptian," because of its rust-resisting character, was fairly generally grown on the east, just after the prevalence of rust made the cultivation of cpjnmon bread wheats impossible in those districts.

Visitors to the Show should not fail to inspect the stocks at Staffordshire House. We cordially invite you to see one of the best snows in the Dominion. — R. Snodgrass and Sons.*

Messrs Bisley Bros. ,and Co. will hold a sale of pedigree stock on the Show Grounds on Thursday next at 2 ip.nj., followed immediately afterwards by a. pale at their Railway Yards, Richmond, when they will offer 1000 sheep, included in which is a special line of 2-tooth ewes (one brand and «ar-mark), also a number of cattle and horses. On Friday next, at the Rooms, Hardy-street, household furniture and effects on account of Mr VV. G. Sommerville.

P.D. Corsets give the figure the ideal poise and swing. With perfect support, they give perfect gracefulness. Modelled on true hygienic principles, they conduce to perfect health. Ab they fit the figure, and do not cramp it,- they keep their shape. The P.D. is the modern Corset par excellence, alike for the wsrking woman and the woman of fashion.*

Political matters are tee chief theme of to-day, and the contest for the seat in Parliament, eo far as Nelson is concerned, promises to be keen and exciting, all three candidates assuring the electors that they will reach the top-notch of the poll. We can assure our readers that in the furniture trade Mr Lock, the Universal Provider, of Bridge-street, has long since reached that point, and, despite of all efforts of the Opposition, he still holds the top-notch, in the opinion of the buying public. He telle us that "no selling-off prices" or "great reductions" can ever be made under Lock's system of business ; but a comparison of 'ha quality, workmanship, and value of '■is goods will at 'once show that the "'regular prices" at LockVs are much below ths "sale prices" of other firms. Space wilt not permit us to bring under notice and tell of the variety, etc., of his enormous stock. An invitation is ex. tended to aL to call and inspect themselves.* Distinctiveness of style, gracefulness and attractiveness of figure, combined with perfect freedom and comfort, is desired by every woman, and the P.D. Corset has a vroi'l&wide reputation for imparting these great essential points to the wearer. Science and- skill have combined to render P.D. Corsets, absolutely unrivalled for durability— they. ' will wear considerably' longer than any other make.* V \~i — ..<r<-~ -ij> . -.. : "-*■»■