LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 23

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The 1905 Rhodes scholar for New Zealand will he selected next month, instead of in June, as was the case last year.

In .spite of the bad summer and the consequent derangement of the tourist traffic, there is no appreciable falling off in business at Rotorua.

Two whales, respectively thirty and thirty-six feet long, were captured in Pelorus Sound last week. It is estimated they will yield twelve casks of oil.

All the sjjaoe available for butter in the Gothic, which left on Thursday, was filled up, and a considerable quantity of coastal transhipments was shut outThe Gothic’s shipment, amounting to about 50,000 boxes, is a record quantity sent away in one bottom. The Wellington members of the team selected to tour'Great Britain for the New Zealand Rugby Union are Messrs E. Watkins (Old Boys’ Club), T. Cross (Petone Club), W. Wallace (Poneko Club), F. Roberts (Oriental Club), and D. McGregor (Petone Club). The Levin School Cadet Corps, which, with a score of 710, came second in the firing for the North Island shield, gained sixteen marksmen’s bauge.s, the average score being about 69-2 points. At present a Levin boy heads the list for the district, but there are still some returns to come in.

The steamer Sophocles, which put into Fremantle on fire a week or two ago, is very well known in Wellington. She was formerly the lonic. The Aberdeen line purchased the lonic from the New Zealand Shinning Company after the less of the Thermopylae, refitted her, and called her the Sophocles. Dull times are being experienced m the iron foundry business in Wellington at the present time. Mr W. Cable, head of the firm of Oxble and Co., states that trade is worse than for some years past. Three or four months ago he had nearly twice the number of workmen in his employ that he now has. Orchardists are following with interest the efforts of the Entomologist for West Australia to find a natural enemy for the codlin moth. Although the Americans have spent a great deal of time and attention in the search for a natural enemy, they have been unsuccessful, and so far the West Australian researches have met with no better result.

A narrow escape from a shocking fatality occurred at the 'Westport Exhibition. A Volunteer was describing a Mauser rifle to visitors. He put in a loaded cartridge and accidentally fired the rifle. The bullet went through the crowded room, smashed, a model, and buried itself in the wall 'two inches above the head of Captain Irvine, who was sitting in a chair. Two or three people narrowly escaped.

The main buildings at the new industrial school at Levin are completed, and the Public Works Department- is now calling for tenders for the erection of boiler-house, dairy, farm buildings, cottage, and offices. The boys, who will be of good character, will be quartered in small numbers in cottages under the charge of respectable married couples. They w ill be taught dairying and other industries directly connected with the land, and the school will, it is believed, prove self-supporting. So far the property lias been paying its way by raising cattle.

Last year we announced that the Department of Agriculture had received information that quantities of South ■American clover seed badly infested with a parasite called dodder were being sent to New Zealand. Farmers were then warned to be careful in selecting their seed, as dodder was likely to become a serious pest. The department has recently been again confidentially advised to the same effect, and emphasises/ the necessity for farmers to be careful. The Noxious Weeds Act makes it an offence for .anyone to soav, sell, or offer for sale seed containing dodder, and officers of the department have been instructed to keep a sharp lookout for offenders. Complaints have been, widespread in Melbourne at the fact that there has been a string of holidays there. Some years ago Christmas Day fell on a Thursday. As the Friday was Boxing Day, and Saturday a half-holiday, it was decided that it was no use to turn to business on Saturday morning. So Thursday, Friday and Saturday were declared holidays. Since then it has been considered tlie correct thing in Melbourne to have four days’ public holiday at Christmas. The State departments close, and with them the banks and many other important business houses. Shopkeepers and workmen alike have been venting their indignation at the grotesque length to which the holiday mania is being pushed—-the first, because business is at a standstill, and the banks are closed; and the others because in many cases they have been deprived of a day or two days’ pay.

The Carterton Chamber of Commerce has resolved to ask the Borough Council to adhere to Thursday as the day for the weekly half-holiday.

The heavy seas during the recent storm did serious damage to the Victoria Parade, on the Waikanae beach, Gisborne. In several places the water has cut right through to the fence.

making deco trendies, which require a considerable jump to negotiate. None of the trees have been washed away, but the road as a parade has been spoiled. At Grey street the sea broke up as far as Salisbury road, or fully twenty yards further than it usually reaches. The approach from Grey street to the beach has been scoured away. The sea also made a. bad break in at the house occupied by Captain Solvander, about 300 yards from Grey street.

At the annual meeting of the Southland Sawmill Workers’ Union, held at Invercargill last week. Air Paape (the secretary) said that ten mills had “cut out” during the past year or two, the last one being the Southland Timber Company’s mill at CHapiri, which would close down early next month. In some instances timber was being hauled by waggon for distances up to ten miles. If the railways were rot pushed on a great many more mills would have to close down, and a number of men now employed by them would have to seek other occupations. The 000 men in the industry represented about 2000 people, and they contributed in rates and taxes, consequently they were entitled to consideration from the Government. He thought there should he a meeting of citizens, the Town Council, Railway League, Chamber of Commerce, and other bodies, with a view to representations being made on the matter of railway construction and extension. If a move was not made in this direction, within the next two years a considerable portion of the timber trade of Southland would lie diverted to the West Coast and the north, and once they lost if they would find a difficulty in recovering it.

While in England. Archdeacon Fancourt was present at the Church Congress in Liverpool,a gathering of 3000 or 4000 people. One important subject discussed was the Atlianasian Creed, and the strong feeling of the congress, lie found, was against any alteration. Another question which attracted great attention from members was that of the Sunday schools, tlie congress debating whether the catechising system of Bishop Dupanloup, of France, should be adopted. This system, it appears, requires a great deal of organisation, and tlie opinion of the majority of the congress was in favour of continuing the existing methods of Sunday school work. The Education Act was the subject of considerable discussion during Archdeacon Fancourt’s stay in England. It is too early yet, in his judgment, to speak as to the results of the working of the act ; but it is evident, lie says, that the Nonconformists intend to use all their political power to repeal it at the next election. He believes that this will be tlie real trial of strength, and that if the Nonconformists succeed they may then aim at Disestablishment.

The condition of the agricultural labourer in England, according to Archdeacon Fancourt, has materially improved since he was previously at Home—about thirty-nine years ago. “ The labourer has benefited by an increase in wages,” said the Archdeacon to a “Times” representative yesterday, “and accordingly his children are better fed and better clothed, and as the result of education are more intelligent than they were. The extension of the system of county and urban councils has made a wonderful improvement in the provincial districts of England. Tlie benefits of good roads, sanitary improvements, and an adequate supply of water have been more widely extended, and the conditions of the rural population are consequently much better than they were.” This was the bright side of the picture. In the cities he visited, on the other hand, Archdeacon Fancourt saw poverty which lie describes as appalling. _ “ Wo do not know what poverty is in our colony,” lie observed, as lie reflected upon what lie had seen at Home. Another feature of rural life in England with which lie was impressed was the growing scarcity of labour, the result of the migration of people into the towns.

The burning of papa clay for use on reads in the country districts of Wellington and Taranaki is assuming practical shape, and there is every prospect that papa bricks may soon be available in districts where good, hard metal cannot be obtained. The experiments made so far have been very satisfactory, and several of the local bodies, including the Eangitikpi County Council, are now undertaking the preparation of papa for road construction.

The “Bruce Herald” understands that the Milton Potteries will be re-started at an early date, Mr Johnston, late foreman, having secured a lease of tlm works. Great hopes are entertained of the works being a success, as Air Johnston has had a large colonial experience of the industry, and also acted as manager for a number of years to the firm of James Stiff and Sons. Lambeth, London. It. is understood that Air A. Wilson is associated with Air Johnston in the venture. With the sale of the homestead block of the Waihao Downs estate, near AVaimate, some 2700 acres, the last of this fine property lias passed out of the hands of the Douglas family, and their long connection with Canterbury ceases. Few estates in the country, says the “Lyttelton Times.” had so much money spent upon them in improvements as was expended at Waihao Downs, principally in drainage, by the late Air John Douglas. The recent owner, Air John Fleming Douglas, succeeded to the estate. It is understood that Air Douglas will visit Australia, and may settle there. The new owner, Air K. Richards, late of Dcrie, bought a large block ol the estate about two years ago. He takes over the flock of about 7000 sheep, including the purebred Border Leicester flock of 750. The condition of some roads in the “back-blocks” still calls out loudly for ameliorating action. Air Remington, AI.H.R. for Rangitikei, has lately visited the Waimarino district, inland from Wanganui; and while he is favourably impressed with the country, ho deplores the neglected condition of the roads. At the present moment — after a period of twelve years’ struggling by the settlers, and in midsummer—the Raetihi-Pipiriki road is, he states, in a deplorable state. He found stretches of a mile or two of good, hard metalled road; sections corduroyed with pungas and fascines, and places where all passengers, including ladies, had to alight from the open brake and wade through mud over hoot top. There were but two surfacemen engaged where there was work enough for thirty under present conditions. The Raetihi-Ohakune main road, if further neglected, will, according to Air Remington. be in ail impassable state next winter. If this eventuates, and unless the Raetihi-Pipiriki road receives attention, settlers will bo obliged to cart their stores from Tailiape, a distance of forty-six miles, as against seventeen from Pipiriki. At present it costs settlers £6 per ton for cartage' for these seventeen miles, as it takes four and five horses to haul 15cwt from Pipiriki to Raetilxi.

The prize of ten pounds offered by the Australian Institute of Mining Engineers to mining students in any educational institution in Australia or New Zealand was von by Mr C. O. G. Larcombe, of Anna-dale, New South Wales, the subject of whose paper was ‘-The Geology of the Peaks Silver Field,” with special reference to the ore deposits. The examiners made special mention of a paper on “The Clarendon Phosphate Deposits, Dunedin, New Zealand,” by Mr Arthur Andrews, and also recommended the following papers for publication in the "transactions of the institute, viz., “Treatment of the Whihi Ores, at Wailii,” LI. Cramer Roberts; “The Wet Assay Method of Extraction of Zinc from Tailings and Middlings, as practised at Broken Hill,” O. W. Matters; “Bucket Dredging in the Braidwood District,” T. M. Gwen. The executive committee has decided to iecommend to the incoming council that the conditions under which tlie prize or prizes will be offered next year be altered to allow of the competition being open to those who are, or who have boon within a period of twelve months prior to the competition, bona fide students, of not less than six months’ standing, of any public educational institution in Australia or New Zealand. The committee lias also under consideration the advisability of offering prizes for separate subjects such as geology, metallurgy, mining engineering, etc.