NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8362, 24 February 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

A fire occurred in the porter’s room at the Lyttelton railway station early on Saturday morning, but was suppressed before extensive damage was done. The station building is an old one of wood. The Union Company’s steamer Maori encountered a heavy south-west gale on her trip to Lyttelton on Friday night, and did not reach the southern port till 8.40, missing the first express on Saturday. Thero was not a heavy list of cases to be dealt with by Mr W. G. Biddell, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday. On charges of drunkenness Annie Gray was remanded until February 26th, Rhoderick Chester was fined £l, William Kelly ss, and Edward O’Reilly 10s. James Brown'was further remanded until Friday next on a charge of assaulting Constable John Willetts. Bail (£25) was allowed. Jack Dyer was remanded to appear at Nelson on February 25th on an information charging him with being the father of an illegitimate child. Bail was allowed in the sum of £SO, one surety of £SO, or two of £25 each. En route from England by the Arawa, Mr Moore, missioner to seamen, consulted the captain on the subject of sports for the crew, and in conjunction with him, through the liberality of the passengers, arranged to hold a picnic on arrival in Wellington. Despite the fact of the southerly a very enjoyable time was passed in Godber’s tea-rooms on Saturday afternoon and evening, when sports, tea, music, and recitations filled up an all too brief time. One pleasing feature of the event was to see the wonderful warmth of the reception accorded to Mrs M. A. Williams by the large party present, to which she responded in a few well-chosen words. During the evening addresses of welcome were given to the sailors by Mr Moore, and by Messrs Cummings and Crawley (R.M.S. Arawa) to Mr and Mrs Moore on tbeir arrival in their old porjk

Cabinet met on Saturday and transacted routine business. There was nothing, said the Hon. W. F. Massey, of general interest for publication. Tiie conference of Commissioners of Crown Lands, convened by the Minister of Lands (Hon. W. F. Massey) to discuss questions concerning the administration of the Land Act, will open at Wellington on March 3rd. Sir Ernest Shackleton stated recently in New York that he is planning an attempt to travel right across the Antarctic region. He estimates that such a journey would mean covering something like 2300 miles. Afterwards he may enter politics, with a view to working for a reform in the conditions of service and pay of seamen engaged in the merchant marine. A preliminary meeting of the Forestry Commission will be held at Wellington on Wednesday next. The taking of evidence, however, will probably be deferred till the commission has v isited various places where afforestation is thought desirable. The commissioners invito written statements and suggestions from persons, having a knowledge of the subjects set forth in the order of reference. The Minister of Public Works, Hon. W. Fraser, replying to a Riverton deputation on Thursday, said he desired to impress upon them that it was necessary for settlers to help themselves. It was becoming increasingly difficult to get money, and every shilling of tho three million loan raised by Mr Allen which had been allocated to public works was pledged. They must not be disappointed if this or any other Government were unable to meet the settlers in all their wants, but they must remember that the settlers had to help themselves through the local bodies. Mrs E. Moore, secretary of the Women’s Social and Political League, which has been in existence for nearly twenty years, writes: “I notice that a body calling itself the Women’s Social and .Political Reform League has been advertising itself under this name, which differs only in one word from that of the old-established organisation of which I am lion, secretary. As to the propriety, and motive, of this move I leave the public to judge. But I wish to warn members of my league, and others, against the confusion inevitably arising through the similarity of names. I need hardly say that my league is in direct political opposition to that which apparently aims* at being its namesake.” An illustration of the excellent uses to which King Country lands are being put since their recent release from the repository of Nature’s treasury chest, is (says the Auckland ‘'Star”) provided by a sheaf pf lucerne now on exhibition at the Te Kuiti show. It is the fifth out, and was taken from a crop four feet high on the Rangitoto native block, some 60,000 acres in extent, about twenty miles from Te Kuiti. Most of this land has been taken up on lengthy leases during the last year or two by a number of young Canterbury farmers, and it is being placed under very successful cultivation. “A few years ago,” remarked the president of the Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce (Mr Mostyn Jones) at a social, “this land was generally referred to as rotten fem qpuntry, unwortry of cultivation.” He added that much more land, supposed to be of poor quality, would yield valuable pastures and crops if placed under proper treatment. It is estimated that tho wheat yield this year in South Canterbury will average at least ten bushels per acre less tnan that obtained last year This, together with the fact that the area planted in wheat was much smaller than that sown last season, means that farmers will be hit hard (writes the Timaru correspondent of the “ Lyttelton Times”). There are several reasons for tho acreage sown in grain being less than that of the previous sowing. The autumn of 1912 was very wet, and the threshing extended until late in the seaon. In fact, there is still grain to be threshed from last year’s yield, but tho chief drawback was the scarcity of ploughmen. Not nearly sufficient ploughmen could be obtained to turn over the area of land desired by the farmers, and therefore tho grain could not bo sown. This scarcity of ploughmen is a serious matter, and is becoming more acute each year. Often when as many as ten men are needed not more than one or two are obtainable, though good wages, from 27s 6d to 30s per week and found, are paid. Closer settlement is also responsible for additional ploughmen being needed. A large holding may be subdivided into ten farms. Before it was cut up perhaps one ploughman only was employed, but immediately' it is subdivided the tillage becomes more intense, and each new settler needs a ploughman for himself. As the settlers who take up the land are in most cases themselves ploughmen, but then have other important duties to attend to, it will be seen that by the cutting up of one estate into, say, ten farms, about twenty extra men are needed during the ploughing season. In connection with the sitting of the Forestry Commission in Wellington on Wednesday, tne chairman of tne commission, air H. H. M, Haszard, behoves that the taking of oral evidence should bo limited as much as possible, and he therefore has thought it most deairablo that persons interested in any phase of the questions which the commission had to investigate should make their suggestions in writing. If this were done it would effect a great saving in time. One of the orders of reference was to report on afforestation and the trees best adapted to plant for commercial purposes. As was well known there were in older settled districts of the Dominion individual trees and plantations which dated back fifty and sixty years. It would facilitate the work of the commission if the owners of such plantations would forward as much information as possible. He suggested that the information supplied be arranged somewhat on the following lines: Name and variety of tree; locality where grown; distance from the sea; elevation; nature of the soil; whether in a sheltered or exposed situation; girth of tree at four feet from the ground; height of tree; whether subject to any fungoid or other disease, etc. This would be of material assistance. If accompanied by a photograph, so much the bettor. In the meantime, any communications should be addressed to the chairman, Forestry Commission, Government Buildings, Wellington, and these the commission would duly acknowledge. Mr Haszard says that the commission will visit the principal forests, timber reservations. State plantations, and experimental farms, and also the leading nurseries of the Dominion for the purpose of collecting data and making a thorough investigation into all tho matters covered by the commission’s order of reference. He observed in passing that as the commission’s report had to be in the hands of the Government by April 30th. they would have to travel very rapidly if they were Li get over the ground in tho time allowed.

The postal authorities advise that tho Indralema, which left Sydney ou the 20th inst., has on board an Australian mail. She is duo in Wellington to-morrow. The Maheno arrived at Auckland at 5.10 p.m. yesterday from Sydney, with English and Australian mails. The southern portion of tho mails will arrive at Wellington by the -Main Trunk express this afternoon. The following vessels are expected te bo within wireless range of Wellington this evening; Ulimaroa, Manuka, Maheno, Warrimoo, Aorangi, and MoanaThe Warrimoo expects to resell Bluil from Melbourne at 4 o’clock this after* noon. A swallow that was caught in Natal last December has been recognised as ono that was released in Holborn, London, nineteen months ago. There is no doubt that it is tho same bird, for it was specially ringed, and was thu* easily identified. German scientific societies are attempting to elucidate the problem of the divining rod. Those bodies consider it is a physical, not a psychological, phenomenon. Experiments that have been made with tho divining rod iu Munich, for the purpose of locating ruptures iu burst waterpipes, havo been attended with success. The Waitara correspondent of tho “Taranaki Herald” writes: “While on tho beach on Thursday last Mrs Charles Soldswieh received a bite from tho poisonous native spider, the katipo. Mrs Roldswich managed to got as far as tho residence of Mr E. Frost, where she collapsed. Dr Ramago was scut for, and arrived quickly and applied restoratives. Mrs Holdswioh suffered considerable pain, which was, however, soon relieved. She passed, a fair night, and is progressing favourably.” For some time negotiations have been proceeding between Mr A. TNgata and the Union Steam Ship Company regarding the transport of natives from the East Coast to Gisborne for the big hui nest month. Arrangements have (says tho “Poverty Bay Herald”) been practically completed for tho Takapuna to proceed to Port Awanui on Sunday week, returning on the Monday with iJiout 200 natives, who will be taken back the following week. “ I very much doubt whether tho law would allow horseflesh to bo exported,” said one gentleman who has a prominent place in the Auckland meat trade, when shown the telegram, stating that a Hawera stock buyer had received an order from the Continent for frozen horse-meat. “ But, in any case, it doesn’t matter, for horseflesh is worth more than mutton or beef iu this country. If the exporters wanted to take the place of the knacker’s yard they would only be able to kill old and broken-down horses, and it is quite certain that the Government officers would not allow the flesh of such animals to be sent away for human consumption. There’ is enough inferior meat being exported already, without tho addition of horseflesh. At one time nothing but prinie quality was allowed to bo exported in quarters; all the inferior meat was boned and put up in boxes—the flesh of old bulls and cows, and all sorts of meat that would not be fit for display in a butcher’s window. I believe it is mostly consumed iu Scotland and the North of England, where they cut it up into collops and mincemeat. Now tho Government is allowing such meat to go away in quarters, and I shouldn’t wonder if they allowed horse to go away in course of time.”