LOCAL & GENERAL.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 47, 13 July 1908, Page 5

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Wool. A cable dated London, July 9, gives a Very tavorable report. It states that the wool sales at Antwerp opened tirm, there being many buyers ami animated competition. Prices advanced on May quotations from 7J to 10 per cent, in merinos and 10 per cent, in crossbreds. Out of m. 2971 bales of Laplata offered 1015 were ~ aold. Political. A Mr. T. AYake has advertised bis intention of contesting the Waitemata seat in the Government interests (?) at the general election. It looks very like the T. Wake so well known to electors of the J' Bay, and we feel editorially sorry that he should have decided to seek return to Parliament by any other constituency. Already the contest in this electorate is becoming joyous, yet how keenly would the public appreciate the reappearance of the condidate of three years ago. Election matters are funny enough now, but with Such a dear old friend iu the field there would be some hope of hilarity. Lucky Waitemata; unlucky Bay of Islands! But whence those smiles ? ‘‘The Lone Hand." The July number of the “ Lone Hand ” contains many good things. Beatrix Tracy's experiences in various walks of life are continued and that of the Nurse is now dealt with. “Gum Trees” by Blauiire Young is a readable article, and as usual “ The Judicious Thief” is judicious. In fiction Ambrose Pratt’s “ The Big Five” still holds place (though his tab' trends towards the stereotyped ending) and “To Pay Paul” by Randolph Bedford and “An Aboriginal Wooing” by George Lalor are excellent of their kind. In places the poetry is more than leasable, but all must surely be tired of the beauty quest ]»ortraits which may be very pretty but in their number tend to dulnees.

The “ LKG." Gives Satisfaction. Messrs. Mouton and Pearsc. of Maxwellton, write: “We huve three ‘ L.K.QJ machines in use and are milking \f) cows. Wc can generally miliaria number in 2 hours 20 Myites, Avhile jtjp re are only three of lsV> <tn this jff>rk. We are fully suti-mel \\Vh both the te&> and quantity of niinfcjk <%• gij|ut ad\ojftage is the sliprttime tjie okws Sre stiwaing in the jfcis being wily haUrthe time hand-miMng.yrcmse-quently the cows have i,iorcfctiijp in the gaddock. We are perfectly satiped with the machines.” Write for finl i>articulars and list of satisfied users to MadE wan and Co., Ltd., Role Agents, Fort-street, Auckland.*

“Life.’*

A copy of the June issue is to hand, and as is customary we find in this magazine the journal of greatest value to every reader in Australasia. •* Life ” continues its policy of devoting a great part of its increased bulk to fiction, and prints in this issue a number of tine short stories, notably an illustrated yarn by Charles Nuttall that marks the artist’s first essay hi fiction. There are so many good L things in the departments of “ Life,” that it is difficult to do more than say that they keep a reader right abreast of all tlmt is best iu the varied phases of life—politics, literature, sport, travel, poetry, religion, and so forth. A new department may, however, be mentioned, as it offers to our readers a chance of contributing to “Life.” The editor has opened what he terms a Clearing-House, and invites anything in the shape of i correspondence, comment, criticism, or ' curiosity. He asks readers anywhere in Australasia to send short, bright, inteItfiting paragraphs about “things not > generally known.” If any of our readers y aro amateur photographers, and secure pictures of natural curiosities—strange birds, beasts, or insects—they are invited to send them to “Life,” and receive payment for them at a fixed rate j>er photograph. This department is one that adds value to an already imlispensable Australasian magazine. Batter.

There is at present in cool storage in the Dominion 30,170 boxes of butter, / against 47,532 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. Very little butter is now being made, and the supply in hand indicates a ruling of high values till the spring butter comes on the market. The amount in store at the various storage depots is us follows: Auckland, 13,(505 boxes; New Plymouth, 1104; Patea, 5100; Wellington, 9310 ; Dunedin, 988. There is none in store at Lyttelton.

The British Army. Sir G. Taubman Goldie, P.C., addressty jng Rational Defence Association in made a strong protest against recent reductions in the regular army, mid the national dauger arising there- ) from. He recommended the nation to do its utmost to secure the success of the Territorial scheme. (Official reports show that 183,000 have joined the Territorial Aiuiy. The “ Times ” considers this encouraging, lmt emphasises that 120,000 more are needed, and adds that the best feature of the sitiuition is that 10,000 new recruits have lieen enrolled during June.)

The Education Board. We, in the north, all know Mr. Piirdie, and his candidature for a seat on the Education Board, the election for which takes place on 27 inst. should meet with strong local support. If a knowledge of educational matters counts for aiedhing which, un fortunately, it ddPlß’t always do—Mr. Purdic’s chances idiould be decidedly rosy. He has had a long experience as a teacher in all types of oountry schools, aud for five years was a teacher at the Thames High School, while for the last eight years he has done sterling duty as an inspector, having in that capacity visited every remote village in tho North, so that his knowledge of • educational matters, especially in tho district which he seeks to represent, is |Hk)otk varied and invaluable. Mr. Piirdie make a good member.

Football. Despite heavy showers which made the ground most Uncomfortably muddy to play on Mangoniii and Deria played a friendly game at Cooper’s Beach on Saturday. The game was confined to the forwards and no effective exposition of Rugby was possible, most of the players finding the mud more often than the ball but it shows how enthusiastic are our athletes when they are content to attempt football under such disadvantageous circunistancas. Mangonui scored nine points to three recorded by Peria and these figures show accurately the difference between the teams on the day. Messrs. Irvine, Lacey, Jack Penney, Lomas and Jackson are mentioned as having played well under difficulties.. .. Mangatete and Mangonui meet at Cooper’s Beach next Saturday.

Rugby Rules. The New Zealand Rugby Union on Thursday night considered recommendations sent for alteration of rules by the Referees’ Associations of Canterbury, Marlborough and Taranaki, and i ejected Hourly the whole of them. Practically the only amendment favoured in the direction of removing the obstructions that now disfigure the game was that knock-on shall not count if the player recovers possession before the ball touches the ground. The only alteration in the line-out rule the Union would consent to was that the ball must be thrown in five yards. The Referees’ Associations sent in a long list of suggestions, but all those of any consequence were rejected, and as far as New Zealand Union is concerned there will evidently l>e no improvement in the rules wortli speaking of. All the old features of the game involving delay, waste of time, and obstruction, still remain, with the small exceptions mentioned above.

The Seoond Ballot Bill. The Second Ballot Bill has been circulated among Members of Parliament. It aims at the amendment of the electoral laws by introducing the system of a second ballot. The system is already in force in Germany in substantially the same form as that proposed by the bill, and is designe 1 to prevent any candidate at a Parliamentary election being returned by a minority of the total number of votes recorded. If at any election no candidate obtains an absolute majority of votes a second ballot is to be held between the candidates who obtain the first and second places at the first ballot, the other candidates being excluded.