OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12036, 7 May 1901, Page 8

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

An apple weighing 18oz was grown by Mr Lowe, at Stafford, West Coast. The closo season for seals has been extended to 30th June, 1902. Any person tarking seals during the close season is liable to a penalty uf £500. Mr John Roberts, C.M.G., who returned by the Wcstralia from Australia, where he has been pursuing his dutic- as a Federation Commissioner, leaves on a trip to England by tho Tongariro on the 23rd. A parly from Lyttclton, with tliro.e guna,y secured 85 wild ducks on Lake ttlleemero last week. They complain that a number of the birds they phot were picked up by men who "patrol" the lake in small boats, and tliemselvei) do no shooting. A shipment of honey recently mndo by a Poverty Bay settler realised £42 10s per ton in thn London uiarknt. The settler in i)uostion lias been obtaining an average yield of 901b of honey per hive during the season. The Sterling bicycle is not to bn denied. At the Clydo Kastcr sports M. Kandrup, on his Sterling, won the £25 Wheel Race and Three-mile l!<ie« from scratch with ease; also the goldficlds cliamnionsliip.... At a concert given in I'almcrston on Friday evening l.v»t in nid of the Allan M'Dougail fund, the respectable sum of about £40 was taken. Thus the West Coast Times:-'-'Mr Seddon fills a unique place among the prominent figures in the Empire's political world, ami it may. be safely asserted that the zenith of his career has not yet been reached." Mr W. 8. Lindsay received a cablegram on Saturday from the Military Secretary, London, stating that Lioutenant Lindsay had received a slight gunshot wound in the leg at TVahock on April 26 latt. Mr P. Meclmn, who died at the Timani Privato Hospital on Saturday morning, was an old colonist, arriving in Victoria on the first outbreak of tho diggings in 1652 in the fhip Bed Jacket. lie followed mining pursuits on the Australian, Otago, and West Coast diggings. A few years ago he took ■ up farming in tho Makikihi district. Mr Median leaves two pons— Mr John Mcehnn, of Willowbridge, and Mr James Moehan, of ■ Makikihi. Judge Backhouse, who is acting as a royal '■■ commissioner for the Government of New South Wales to inquire into the working of ' the Industrial Arbitration Act in this colony, is in Auckland, and will spend several day? there. The famous "Karl" bicycle is the best value in the market; price £17 10a. Send for catalogue. . Morrow, Baasott, and Co., Dunedin.... By the destruction of a stable in the Hutt ' Valley on Monday of last week, a horso was burnt to death, and six others were badly injured. Most of the animals were subsequently shot. On Tuesday of last week Mrs Patching, tho wife of Mr James Patching, of Vanguard street, Nelson, passed away, aged 71. Deceased, who was greatly respected, had heen a resident of Nelson for 41 years. Her family numbered two eons, six daughters, 35 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. On returning from their wedding tour tho Rev. 6. W. Davidson and Mrs DavidSon were entertained at a social in tho Elizabeth street Hull by tho parishioners Of Rivorton and Gummie's Bush, when Mr Davidson was. mado tlio recipient of a purso of sovereigns. Mr and Mrs A. Caithness, of Waimumu, celebrated their silver wedding at their residence on Friday night. Mr Caithness, who is about tho earliest settler at Waimumu, camo to thn colony in 1877, and took up ■ land whore ho is at present located 18 years ago, Ho and Mrs Caithness camo to New Zealand from Forfarshire, whero they were married in 1873. Why hide tlin/art? Everybody else knowe it but you, dear reader. The' handsomest collection of bikes now in New Zealand is at W. A. Scott's, 155 George street, Dunedin.... Tho scholars and teaching staff of the Gore School assembled on Friday to- bid farewell to Mr L. Murray, first assistant teacher, who is relinquishing bis position to' tako up a University course in Dunedin. when Mr Gokling (head master) presented Mr Murray with a handsome dressing case on behalf of the teachers and pupils. A Government official just returned from a visit to the North of Auckland states that tho way tho Danthonia grass is spreading over tho poor gum land in the Wade and Wainui districts is wonderful. Danthonia is now in such great request that no loss than £200 worth of seed has, it is said, been gathered and sold this season from ono district alone. Onco the barron land in tho north is covered with grass a very largo area will bo utilised for grazing purposes. Tho committee that has in hand the object of eroding a memorial on Massacre Hill, at Tua Marina, in honour of Marlborough soldiers fallen in South Africa has enlarged its scheme, and mado it a provincial matter. At a meeting last week it was resolved (says the Maryborough Times) that the various local bodies bo invited to appoint delegates to represent them on the committee; and it was decided to enter upon a systematic lianvass of the whole province for subscriptions, tho proposal being that a returned trooper shonld undertake the duty. About £60 is in hand, and now that the scheme has been extended about £200 will be required to obtain a monument worthy of thn object in view. Sterlings are tho most beautiful, strongest, best-built, nnd the easiest running machines in the market.—Morrow, Bassett, and Co., solo agents. ... ' ... For many years (says the Wonganm Chronicle). tho opinion was linld that the pumice land in the Tanpo district was absolutely worthless from a producer's point of view! The experience, however, of a settler shows conclusively that thcro has been a, great 'misapprehension as to the capabilities of the soil, Tho settler in question ia now growing various kinds of fruit on a piece of land which was long regarded as worthless. vSome of his apples this season are fully 12in in circumference, and they and other fruits are said to be of very fine flavour. • •, ■'. On Saturday evening about 7 o cloeK (says the Timam Herald) Mr J. McVey, of Aliiury, was reaching for something on the wall in his house when ho knocked down t loaded muzzle-loading gun. This went off, and the contents■ shattered M\ey« »nkle. He was treated by Dr Hornibroolc, jnd was then brought into Timam by Messrs A. S. Smith and W. Braddick, reaching ■ town about 5 a.m. on Sunday. The. sufferer was taken to tho hospital, and attended to by Drs Munro and Reid, who amputated tho foot, and the. patient is progressing as favourably as can be exoeotcU W. Martin's career on the Red Bird Bievele this season lia» been one triumphal succession of victories in the cvolinpr arena, commencing with the Austral Wheel Race,; the A.X.A. Cold Stakes, the Druids' Wheel Race, the Five and Ten-mile Australasian Championships, nnd nil records from the nuarter-mile up to the hour. No other machine than the Red Bird, it is claimed, has over held such a marvellous record, iho times are as follows :-Quarter-imle. standing start, 28 l-ssec; half-mile, stmiding start. 51 3-sse<': half-mile, flying start. 46scc:. one mile, lrein-34 l-s>cc; five miles, Bmm 57 l-ssec; 10 miles, 17min 59 3-s=cc; one hour, 31 miles 1425 yds. , , ... On Saturday afternoon tbo funeral took nlare of an old Timaru resident, Mr' Henry Foden (father of Mr T. loden, builder, rairlitv and Mr W. H. l'oden, printer Timani) who died on Wednesday last at the ago' of 77. The deceased had been a member of thn Ancient Order; of Forester, ever since hi' arrival in Timaru. \\o (Timani Ileraldl are informed that Mr Fodi'n. wa« tl" , oldest surviving member of tin- Timani Lodge, except one, Mr P. Lane. Mr Foden was a native of Staffordshire, and with bis wife ami five children arrived 'at Lyttelton, booked for Timaru. in the MormnM, in 1567, and residml in this town ever since. Ho leaves a widow and liumer oiii descendants, the former having been hil life-companion for nearly 55 year.'.