LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10338, 13 January 1897, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

As English mail, which left London on December 4, will arrive from Sydney by the J Anglian to-morrow. The Union S.S. Company are in receipt §5 of cable advices stating that the mail ff steamer Zealandia left) San Francisco on )■; Friday last, one day after contract date. I The steamer is due at this port on the 29th ;> inst. ? • Yesterday, between the hours of 11 a.m. Si and 1 p.m., the several recently elected | Mayors attended at the Judge's private i| chambers, Supreme Court Buildings,'where i tho usual oaths of allegiance to Her Majesty M\ the Queen, and of impartiality as J.P.'s, g were sworn before His Honor Mr. Justice Itf Con.jlly. Those who attended were Messrs. > H. M. Laxon (Newmarket), J. W. Shackel- § ford (Newton), J. Thorne3 (Parnell), and J. f '0. Macky (Devonport). £ A meeting of the Executive Committee fi of the Auckland Board of Education was ; held yesterday morning, when there were | present; — Messrs. J. Muir (chairman), !' Lambe, and Harris. The tender of Mr. Waterman (£42) for tarring and sanding i" the Kauaeranga Girls' School-ground (Thames) was accepted, and the tender of i Messrs. Rynwell and Bennett (£469) for t ' additions to the Chapel-street School, was ?' reported as accepted. Tenders for fencing the Kauaeranga Boys' and Girls' School ; Bchoolgrounds were held over for the comf pletion of one month from the date of notices given to owners of adjoining pro?v perties, and will be dealt with at the meeting of tho Board on the 26th instant. A ?. tender of £62 for kalaomining the Waio- | 'karaka School, Thames, was held over for consultation with the architect. A request 1 iifor tarring ' and sanding at Newmarket . School was granted. The following appointments of teachers were made:— % E. H. Kean to Waipu Cove, Miss A. S. Hamlin to Waiwera Springs, Miss J. F. P. ' Davis to Pukerimu; Mr. A. N. Bowden, >'•' assistant to Newton East; Miss C. E., ;.Hobbs, assistant to Whakatane. ■0 ' Yesterday Mrs. Knox, of Eokeby-streeit, %, reported at the High-street Police Statical that her son Edward was missing from his home from the previous day, and was last seen on the wharf. A boy named Ma'rks | informed her that he thought he had gone p - to the North Shore. The father, Walter f r Knox, made inauiries at the Ferry ComI g;,. pany's office, but no boy had been see'n of - the description given. Another had stated ?! be had seen him in a dingey under the wharf with three other boys. Up to. last •j; . night the police had not obtained any trace f'iV of the missing lad. \ At last night's meeting of the Devflnport £ Eorough Council, it was stated that the average daily consumption of water per &5W head for the last year was 31 galLons, and -the maximum in hot weather 51 gallons, fcv j Mr. Dinsdale, the Town Clerk, saiid not a i;, r V single complaint had been received of the service. rj'j • A. correspondent writes" I notice that i ' the census shows that 50 per cent. of the population, including Maorie3 I presume, «# over the age of 21, and so entitled to be on the electoral rolls. I think it would be f/V ' of public interest and good to know how fe- many names were on the electoral rolls of [J..; the colony, Maories included, and the comparison with these and the oensus returns fir 'i Would shew whether the suspicion of roll staffing is well founded. My impression is that there were about . 4000 more on the foi> Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch rolls than ttie : population warranted, an evil needing a. remedy.". 'The usual : meeting of committee of •K: the' New Zealand Society, for > the< Protection of Women and Children, was held in •0% the Society's office, A. M.P. Buildings, yesterday afternoon. .' There- were present-— feßabbi Goldstein (in the cfhair), Bey. W. A. ;: : Sinclair, Messrs. Baker and I'hwaites, and ;. the secretary (Miss Porter). Inspector | i ;V', Hickaon . and the Rev. Henry Bull sent , apologies for non-attendance. The quarter's '; . balance-sheet was presented /anil. passed. THe secretary's report s/howed thak_ a large ■ number of cases bad been • dealt with since ;t '' last meeting. , Five crates had'been taken V - before the Court. There had been 66 letters I written, 125 visits received; and ' 105 visits A paid,

It appears that grewera Of sdgar beet and the manufacturers of sugar in France hare a length succeeded in persuading ' their Government to introduce ; a measure providing for boiSbties on exports of beet sugar to meet the corresponding bounties .allowed in Germany and Ausfcria-Mungary.' he funds .are to be raised, ik is proposed, 'ncreasing, the fiioiae' duty on . sugar used in France. it is alleged that this will oe rather hard on consumers, and may hafe a tendency to diminish the consumption, of be product. ; There is also Some reason to doubt whether, if carried into effect, the arrangement will be advantageous to growers of Sugar beet. ' On his recent visit to Ohlno sugar factory Mr. Claus opreckles remarked 'as ' follows ,on the prospects of; the beet industry:" I may DOC live to see the day, but younger men will see that in ten years the beet sugar industry will be the greatest industry in California, and California will be the greatest sugar-producing state in America, It is the only profitable thing left for the farmer. He can't go into it too soon." AhiS is thi opinion of the best informed man m the world* who backs up his faith y , l! a factory at Watsonville, Cal., will this year work up the beets froth nearly 10,000 acres, and now he is planning a monster factory for the Salinas Valley that will require upward of 25,000 acres of beets!

111 yesterday's issue we referred to the distressing circumstances under which the late John Cave, millhand at Messrs. Leyland and O'Brien's mill, met his death, leaving a widow and six children, Mil. Cave being also near her confinement. Messrs. Leyland and O'Brien have defrayed the funeral expellees of deceased and some other items, and have also headed a subscription list for £5 for a relief fund for the widow and family, who are left destitute by the loss of the breadwinner. A committee has been appointed in the oaee, which is a deserving one, consisting of Messrs. Leyland and George Watkins, as representing Leyland ahd O'Brien's mill; Jacob Christian, for the Kauri Timber Company j J. O'Brien, for the Waltemata Timber Company's mill; J. Philpott, for Mr. David Goldie'fi mill. Other members of committee are the Rev. L. FitzGerald, vicar of St. Matthew's ; Mr. John Eeid, merchant, and Mr. D. Caldwell, of Macky, Logan, Steen, and Co. The committee are anxious, with the assistance of the benevolent public, to raise sufficient to give Mrs. Cave a small house rent free, believing she is capable, with that help, after her confinement, of working for her Seven children. Mrs. Cave ; expresses her confidence of being able to do so. She desires the committee to take charge of the subscriptions raised, and to invest or expend the money as they may deem best for the benefit of herself and children, All present the subscription lists are being passed round the various city timber mills, the workmen and others contributing. No doubt now the whole facte of the case are before the public, and they see that a responsible committee intend to go through with the matter, they will respond to the appeal now made, We shall be happy to acknowledge subscriptions forwarded to the Herald Publishing Office for the benefit of Mrs. Cave and family, a subscription list being now opened there.

One of the most curious forest growths of the Isthmus of Panama and Lower Central America is a vine which Spaniards call Matapalo, or tree-kiler. Ib firab starts as a climber upon the trunks of the large trees, and, owing to its marvellously rapid growth, soon reaches the lower branches. At this point ib firsb begins to put out its " feelers" —tender, harmless-looking root Bhoots, which soon reach the ground, and become as firmly fixed as the parent stem. These hundreds of additional sap tubes give the whole vine a renewed lease of life, and it begins to send out itts aerial tendrils in all directions. These entwine themselves tightly round every limb of the tree, even creeping to the very furthermosb tips, and squeezing the life oub of both bark and leaf. Things go on ab this rate bub a short while before the forest giant is compelled to succumb to the gigantic parasite which is sapping its life-blood. Within a very few years the tree rota and falls away, leaving the matapalo standing erect and hollow, like a monster vegetable devil-fish lying upon its back, with its horrid tentacles clasped together .high in the air, Core-like arbours of matag.&lo are to be seen in all directions, each testifying to the lingering death of some sylvan giant that formorly supported it. A registry oSlce-keeper named Andrew McLeod was fined 40s, with £119s costs, at the Police Cowibyesterday for committing a breach of the Servants' Registry Offices Act, 1895, by receiving a greater fee for having found employment for one A. J. Lock than allowed by the statute. The defendant saidl he did nob demand the fee; it was given voluntarily. The Act, however, provides, that no registry office-keeper shall take or receive any fee greater than that prescribed by law. Mr. McAlister appeared for the prosecutor, the Inspector of Factories (Mr. H. Ferguson). John Stewart, Who in company with William Atkins, was; committed for trial on Monday upon the charge of stealing from the person, was yesterday charged with stealing a, purse confining £2 and two small keys from tho person of Agnes McKnteer on December 21th lasb. Accused was committed for trial and admitted to bail. Mr. H. W. Northcroft, S.M., sat on the bench.

In Moravia, on the border of the river Thaya, a tributary of the March, the peasantry cultivate cucumbers in the fields on a great scale, the fruits finding their way all over Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bohemia,, Servia, Roumania, Bulgaria, and even to America; Bohemia taking, probably, the greater quantity. The cucumbers, or gurken are preserved < in salb-atid-watflir or in wine-vinegar and spices, the larger fruits being put into the first and the smaller ones into the latter kind of pidkle. The produce was at one time sent iutio Germany in large quantities at a low r»te of import duty; but now that the duty on green cucumbers has been raised to four marks per 100 kilog., and that on piokled cucumbers much higher, raising the price five times as much, the trade has greatly fallen off. Moreover, if Dill, spices, or Morello cherry leaves are found in the pickle, the importer is fined five times the value of the goods, and forfeits the same into the bargain. ' The cultivators in Moravia sell their cucumbers elsewhere; it is only the subjects of the German Empire who suffer, and have to go without, or pay dearly for, their beloved "Znaimer Gurken," The average production of cucumbers is 120,000 to 180,000cwt, of which- about half are pickled in oue way or another On the spot. - , One of the crew of the Amorioan brigantine. Motley met with an accident yesterday morning, by getting one of his fingers jammed in the winch. He was taken to the Hospital, where it was. found necessaay to amputate the first joint of the injured finger. „ A man was brought from Kuaotunu last night, On warrant, for the maintenance of his children. . a r . : V A boy named Arthur Beacham, aged four, whose parents reside , in Oliphantstreet, Ponsonby, was admitted - into the Hospital yesterday for treatment, having sustained a bad cub on the eyebrow, According to,, the agricultural .returns issued by the British Board of : Agriculture in October last, orchards appear to be on the increase. < Last June, in England,, there were 215,642 acres in orchards, while in 189 a the acerage was not 'quite 213,000. Taking the whole of Great ! Britain, ' the : figures stand 221,253 against 218,248. There is no increase, but rather slight) decreases in each of the three Cider Counties; presumably, therefore,' it is; for,'? edible fruits . that orchards have increased,' Kent, Worcester, Gloucester, all show considerable increases, especially the former,' but there are a great many ~ advances ; in the ;,. eastern, • northeastern, north-western and Welsh counties also. The counties having largest acreages are Devon, 26,924; Hereford, 26,347. j'Somer set, 24,389; Kent, 24,093 ;'i,: Worcester 20,165' Gloucester; 18,724 acres. Cornwall comes next with, however, only 5096 acres, Middlesex, Dorset arid Salop, having | rather over 4500 each. Market gardens have Also increased, the figures being, for/England, 88,912 against 85,398 '(acres," and for Great Britain, 96,696 instead? of : i 92,837 acres. Kent f heads ! the ■ list *ith 1 12,972. acres i Middlesex, 9460, acres; Beds,' 7997; i; and ■Worcester, 6139 acres.' :, ;> Essex then ' comes with 4620 acres, Surrey with 3700/ the West Riding witb36o9, ; ; and Hants' with, 3145 * • • ■ ■ "•

.Another did " Auckland ' resident passed away . yesterday, . namely,'* Mrs. ' Charlotte McGregor, of Captain McGregor, of Pdnsonby Road, so well known in shipping "clfdleS ib Auckland. Mrs. McGregor was a " native of , Cape " Breton, ; Nova' Scotia. Shortly after her marriage in 1857 She with her ' husband came out to the colonies, landing first at Melbourne, and then came dn to Auckland,' where they have resided ever since. Mrs." McGregor had been a member of St. jataee's Presbyterian Church' from its commencement, and took a Very active interest in the work of the church.. The deceased lady has a grown up . family of two daughters and two sons, who all reside here. : She was highly esteemed by those who knew her, and a large circle of friends will mourn her loss. » Mrs. McGregor had enjoyed excellent health up to Within three months of her death. During her illness i)rs, Mackellar and Moir were her medical attendants,, but medical skill proved unavailing. The interment will be private, At the great fruit show of the Royal Horticultural Society, held in London in October last, the following varieties of apples reached Up to twenty disheS Or more, with the actual number of each shown

Cox's Orange. Pippin *16 Rilistoh Pippin .. .. „ ~51 King of Pibpins .. „ „ .. 45 Warner's King., , 4 ~ „ ~ 41 Eulperor Alexander.. - _ .*34 J'eaaiood'sNonsuch., « « .. 83 Lane's Prince Albert „ « „ 33 Worcester feanrtain _ „ „31 Blenheim Orange .. .. « ... '23 Cox's Pomona.. ... „ „ „. 27 lord Derby .. .. „ ~27 Bismarck .. „ „ „i „22 Luxe de Menage .» ... r , .. 21 Cellini Pippin 2t The Queen 20 Ib will be noted that Cox's Orange Pippin and Ribston Pippin still maintain their popularity. There were seventy varieties exhibited of which there was only one dish of each, and eighteen varieties of which there were only two dishes staged. The annual competition for the Gordon Challenge Shield Will take place at the Mount Eden range On Saturday, 23rd iUsta'nt. Entries close on Wednesday evening, 20th instant. There are some big things in America, and among the rest some big silo&, but the largest of all is ill Wisconsin. It is in the form of a circle, 62 feet in diameter inside, with no partitions. The centre of the roof is' Surmounted by a cupola that has many large windows in it, which light the interior. The silo is built partly of stone and partly of timber. The floor is paved with stone, plaßterod over With cement. Including the material the structure cost a lot of money before ib was completed. When filled bho capacity of this large silo is upwards of 3000 tons. It holds sufficient silage to feed 350 cows, 501b a day, for a whole twelvemonth. Last harvest there were on the farm 140 acres of maize. The growth was immense, but there would not be enough to fill the silo. Of late there were only 200 cows on the farm j but it is the intention of the owner to keep a larger number of stock, to grow more maize, and to run the dairying business to its full capacity. It is stated that Mr. Goodrich, the silo expert, is of opinion thab very large silos are a mistake. He says" Even if one can profitably handle and feed so much ensilage, it would be better to build smaller silo? and as many of them as needed. With smaller silos the ensilage could be more conveniently put in and taken out, besides a greater depth could be fed out at a time, so that the silage would be fresher and better when fed. That is a part of Wisconsin where silos have been abundant with the dairyman for many years, and a great many now ones have been put up within the last two years, because the dairymen have found the feeding of silage so profitable. Last year Mr. William Phillips, of Lake Mills, built a round silo of 1000 tons capacity. Both Mr, Mctieoch, the owner of the large silo desctibed above, and Mr. Phillips had for some years smaller silos, and knew the value of silage for cow food," Although ensilage is extensively used for dairy cows in America, there are some milk dealers who denounce the forago as unfit for the production of wholesome milk. Writing lately to the American Agriculturist, C. A. Wioks, of Brooklyn, New York, says:—"l am a milk dealer, and have creameries in Pennsylvania and New York, I note what your subscribers write about silos and ensilage. Having had a good chance to find out and experiment, I have endeavoured to do so, and am convinced that no milk dealer can successfully ship milk raised from cowb fed on ensilage to New York market, It is a fermented food, and fermentation takes place 21 hours sooner in milk so shipped than from milk raised from sweet feed, hay, stalks, meal, and bran, and I will not take milk from any farmer who fills a silo or feeds glucose or starch feed. I think the Board of Health should reject and forbid the sale of milk raised from ensilage, as I believe it is unwholesome and injurious, especially to babies." Mr. George Darrell and Company leave Sydney for Auckland to-day. They play for a season, at the Opera House, a series of new dramas which have hit the popular taste in Australia, and received an enthusiastic reception there. Mr. Collet Dobson, so long and favourably known to New Zealand playgoers, has severed his connection with the Alf. Woods' Dramatic Company, and is about to start on an extended tour with a new and extensive repertoire. Aspirants to the stage will find in our wanted column something to their advantage. During the present year it seems that Swiss agents have purchased over 300 horses in Ireland. At the Ballinasloe Fair M. Block bought 30 troopers for the Swiss army, at prices ranging from £30 to £42 10s, and he also took from Mr. Robinson, of Ballybay, a fine lot of 75, at an average of £38 each, A wrestling match will take place tonight in the City Hall between Samuel Matthews, champion of America, and J. Sutherland, champion of New Zealand, for a £50 side wager. Mr. John Gallagher is stakeholder. A good deal of interest is manifested in the approaching contest, as both contestants are good men,