AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13827, 13 August 1908, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

■ THE^ PENGUIN TIGER. Foil months past (writes the North-west correspondent of the Hobart, Mercury there have been tumours of some strange animal at large in the vicinity of Penguin, and-, like many another tale, it lost nothing in the telling. The story first made its way into public notice about the time a menagerie attached to a circus passed through, the town, en route to Burnie, and which lent some colour to the tale that a lion had escaped, and had been seen on the Iron Cliff Road. The identity of the animal was apparently doubtful, for some held' it to be a-.South African tiger, others a wolf, a hyena, a leopard, and so on. That there was some'strange. beastie about was very evident, for horses confined in a stable at. night would get very uneasy on occasions, but excessive prudence prevented most persons from proving too perseveringly into the habits of this prowler. Pedestrians travelling this lonely road by night spoke of some strange yellow-colour-ed animal they had seen, but as none confessed to more than a'passing glimpse of the creature, the searcher after tigers was compelled to doubt. Still, like the stories of the " bunyip," the tale was persistently told, and by fresh narrators of hair- | raising experiences, until now it has bei come generally accepted that there is a veritable tiger at large close to Penguin, although lie is -of the Tasmanian breed (Thylacine). These animals do not usually prowl about in daylight, but the one in question lias been seen many times on th» Iron Cliff Road, in broad daylight, and has been seen in the town at night, and has created quite a scare. As some of the local members of the defence force have now taken to tiger-hunting, this reign of terror may soon be happily ended; but in the - meantime the all-absorbing question is, "Have you seen the- tiger?" , THE IMMIGRATION OF LADS. Correspondence received by the Immigration League of Australasia shows that their propositi regarding the immigration of lads to Australia has been very favourably received in Great Britain. Young fellows of all ages and in ail conditions of life . have either written themselves, or through their parents, expressing their desire to take up farm work in Australia. One young hopeful, 14£ years, announces his intention of coming, and liar, his father has promised to pay his fare. A master at Christ's Hospital writes as follows to Dr. Arthur: —"Several boys in the school here, attracted by your letter in their school magazine, called the Blue, are desiring to know further particulars • concerning the preparation for farm life out yonder. The lads are between 15 and 17 years of age, of good physique, and excellent moral character. They have a fair insight into most of the subjects taken in the. laboratories you mention. They are all .in the school cadet' corps, and fair shots |at target practice with the rifle. I have been a master in ..the school for 20 years, and one of the lads wishing to make the my own and only boy, so I am sure you'will* see how anxious I must be to do the best possible for him and his chums. You say that you help them, ant? l look after them. May I ask you lor full particulars?" .

A PERFECT SHEEP. The Sydney Daily Telegraph of recent date says: —" The sensation of yesterday's sales of stud sheepif it can be so called —was the substantial figure of 800gs. paid for the pride of last week's fair— the grand champion Merino stud ram Sylvan, who hails from Tasmania, and Was bred and born on the Esk Vale Estate. Sylvan was pronounced ;by / competent, judges at the recent fair to be the lriosi perfect sheep ever shown here, ancl gome of his critics do not even except tho great President. But lie only managed to halve i' resident's figure of 1600gs. The buyer, 'jr. A. E. McLeod, of Cdnonbar, Miowera, was heartily congratulated upon his purchase,. which he removed immediately. The next highest figure at the sale was fetched by a special, stud ram, rising two years, belonging to the same flock, which was sold for 320ge. to the Australian Mortgage, ■Land, and Finance Company. At, least a dozen other stud rams ran into three figures. Good ewes sold well, but, thft prices were not by any means exceptional. British breeds were apparently not in do mar.d, for the sale was distinctly disappointing.

ABOLISHING BILL STAMPS IN" NEW SOUTH WALES. The discussion at the Premiers' Conference with regard to stamp duties on bills of exchange (says the Bankers' Magazine) has been noticed with interest, in Melbourne business circles. If the New South Wales Government does not see it<> way to adopt a scale of rates uniform with other States, the'only thing to bo done is for the Victorian Government to follow tin Sydney example to the extent of abolishing the ad valorem'bill stamp. Otherwise the process of having financial operations between . Australia and abroad carried but , in,' Sydney will increase., until all business of the sort becomes , centralised there: and Melbourne, instead of holding an equal position with Sydney,, as. a' focus of Australian finance, will become a place of secondary • importance. It is to be. remembered that Sydney already enjoys a natural advantage, inasmuch as the volume of export and import trade is greater than in Melbourne; and if Melbourne is to inlain its position as a financial centre, it should l>e free from any handicap. THE MEN FOR THE LAND. Encouraging reports are received from time to time by the New South Wiles Intelligence Department from agriculturists in the country' districts;, which go to show that the newcomers who are arriving'in that State as the result of the Government's assisted immigration policy are men of the right stamp. The following letter, which has just come to hand,, from a farmer on the Manning River, to whom two farm labourers were sent a, little while ago, is typical of many others. " These men,' ho writes, "were engaged by me in June last, and it affords me great pleasure indeed to report on the satisfactory manner in which they have acquitted themselves since entering" my employ. I have at all times found them anxious to pleas« me, ready to adapt themselves to colonial conditions, honest, trustworthy, and sober: in fact-, all; that I could wish for as farm labourers. "Vou need have no hesitation whatever in sending this class of*man to the country." ! DUTIES ON SHIPS' STORES. For some time past the Victorian Customs officers have been very keen in their inspection of oversea vessels, because of a suspicion that dutiable articles are not disclosed amongst the ships' stores, nor otherwise accounted for. Masters of vessels are given a list of what may be. included in " ships' stores," and cautioned to disclose everything which may or may not come within the articles enumerated. The failure to supply this information in the case of asteamer which arrived in Hobson's Bay recently led to the officers taking possession of two "or three cases. The contents were found to be articles dutiable at 25 and 30 per cent, under th« new tariff.,- • FARMING PROSPECTS. Reports from the country districts of New South Wales, continue anything but favourable. Even in those parts where there was good rain iu the .late autumn and the early winter, the frosts have done a lot of damage to the grass, and cut b»ck the herbage as though it had been shrivelled, up by hot'winds. The wheat,, generally speaking, is very backward, and in the inland dairying districts the want of green feed is being severely felt. At Bowraville the frosts have been intense. Nearly all vegetation has been: destroyed, and many i'oreet trees have succumbed to the cold, ■ ■, t f