SOUTHERN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN ITEMS.

The deepest artesian well in the colony is at Turakina. Its depth is 500 ft. A Maori girl has astonished tho people ci Napier by trundling her bicycle through the town.

Tho wife of a, labouring man in Christchurch having given birth to triolet*, the Mayor will apply for the Queen's bounty of £3

At a preliminary meeting it was decided to form a Fresh Food and Cool Storage Company at Ounedin, on tho lines of those in Melbourne and Sydney. It is said that 30 blocks of to tarn, representing 2000 feet, have been taken on board the Aswanley at Wellington for London, to b» used iu the manufacture of pianos.

A somewhat startling case was set down for hearing at the Make' Court on March 9, a native being summoned for obtaining a coffin umder false pretences. The case was however withdrawn,

The other day a number of homing | pigeons flew from O.imaru to Christchurch. I The winner made 1390 yards per minute, j and the slowest of eight 1346 yards per j minute. The birds had a good breeze to help them. j A turtle between seven and eight feet in , length and three feet six inches in breadth | has been captured off the New Plymouth i breakwater by a Maori. It became hooked I'to .. sebnapper line, and tho native was j under the impression that he had secured a . wfialy. • In spite of the depression, the woollen industry appears to be looking up. The i Kaiapoi Woollen Company is now engaged j iu enlarging its No. 1 factory, and is also i going to resume operations in its No. 2 I factory, which has been closed for some considerable time. i The Wellington Agricultural Association has had a successful year. Thoy began with an overdraft of £211, and now have a credit balance of £87, besides which £b'o were spent on improvements. The guarantee notes given by the members of com mittee to cover the bank advance will be returned.

The following figures speak well for the longevity of Nelson residents : —During the last two months 17 deaths have occurred. Of those 17 persons 7 had reached the age of 80 years and over, the oldest being 87 and the youngest 80, an aggregate of 585 years and an average of 83'-7. Of the remaining 10 persons 5 had reached the ages respectively of 77, 72, 69, 68, and 59. At a meeting of the Wellington Benevolent Institute it was stated that the earn obtained for the year just ended was £5300, and it would now bo necessary to ask for £6000 in view of the severe winter. Some members thought oven the latter amount not sufficient without the assistance of the Government, and ultimately it was decided to ask the United District Board for £6500.

At a meeting of the Wanganui Women's Political League on March 13 the following resolution was carried, " The Wanganui Women's Political League desires to thank the present Government for facilities they are affording the women of tho colony to enter the Civil service, and, while trusting that still other departments will shortly be thrown open, would respectfully urge that where the work of both sexes is of equal value equality of pay shall be the rule." At the Wellington City Council it was proposed to set apart a block on the Te Aro reclamation, close to the Queen's Wharf, as a public reserve, but this was lost on tho casting vote of the Mayor, and the land was leased to a local firm, who intend to erect a large warehouse on it. It was pointed out that if the block in question were reserved, the Council would lose about £900 per annum in rents. A section of the Council spoke strongly against losing this opportunity of reserving a fine breathing space for tho city. At a meeting of the Dunedin Harbour Board, the chairman, in referring to the accounts, said the result of the year's operations have been so far satisfactory as to show that, whilst there is no evidence yet of improvement in trade, there has been little of retrogression. The loan moneys were exhausted in 1888-89, and since* thon works to the extent of some £14,000 have been carried on, besides meeting regularly other engagements out of current revenue. He believed ib would be good policy on the part of the Government to provide a scheme of conversion for all local bodies.

On March 16 the General Committee of the Christchureli Wairarapa Relief Fund unanimously decided to devote the balance of £275, which remained in hand after providing for Canterbury sufferers by the wreck, to the support of the orphan children of the late Mrs. McDonald, the brave stewardess of the Wairarapa. It was also decided to send a telegram to Mr. Pollard, manager of the Liliputian Opera Company, conveying the sympathy of the committeo under his recent misfortune. The Pollard Company, when last at Christchurch, gave an entertainment in aid of the fund, which realised over £100.

A young man has been personating Bishop Cowio's son at Greymouth. He stayed at the vicarage, taught in the Sunday-school, and reviewed the scholars at the State school. He was introduced to all the leading families, and, it is said, proposed to a well-known lady. He was to have read the lessons at Trinity Church on Sunday, but owing to his frivolous behaviour at tea-time, the vicar requested him to abstain. On the arrival of the Bishop of Melanesia at Greymouth the young impostor was exposed, and lie has quietly departed to fresh fields and pastures new. It is supposed that he is the same young schemer who posed as a son of Sic Wilfrid Lawson at Wellington lasb year.