OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16665, 10 April 1916, Page 8

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Tlio Wanganui Herald understands that tho Borough Council's protit on tho tramway service for the year ended March 31 runs to four figures. In order to conserve the diminishingsupply of water in the Wellington reservoirs (says the Dominion), sea water is being used to spray the streets wherever practicable. It is reported that Madame Melba will take up her Red Cross work again later on, but no concerts will be given in Australia for some time. Waters' Pharmacy is . noted for Highest Quality and lowest possible charges.... The Carterton Tradesmen's Association has decided to adopt early closing during the winter months, commencing from April 10 until t September 30. Detective-sergeant Rawle arrested at Wellington a boy on Wednesday (says the Times) on a charge of placing an obstruction on the railway line near PaeJtakariki. Owing to the shortage of ships, the Southland freezing works have had to curtail their intakes (says the Times), and at present only a limited supply of beef and mutton is being dealt with. The Greymouth Star says it lias good authority for stating that the Budget to be presented to Parliament next month by Sir Joseph Ward will discloso a surplus of over £1,000,000. Frank H. Blakeley, surgeon dentist, 174 Princes street South (over Kilroy and Sutherland's! Telephone 1483 The war has had a bad effect on building operations, and this is reflected in the sawmilling indflstry (says the Western Star). Tho Longwood yards are holding the lowest stocks for years. Only three of the five mills are 'working, and these could produce a much larger output if there were the demand. Mr H. S. Aloe, the long-distance champion walker, who recently walked eight miles in lhr 15min 40sec, will walk from the G.P.0., Wellington, to the Petone Recreation Ground (nearly eight miles) on Easter Monday, and will endeavour to lower his own record. Tho harvest in the Lake County district is practically over, almost all the grain crops being now secure (says the Press). Tho weather during the past few weeks has been favourable, and the harvest generally was probably the earliest on record, as far as that district is concerned. Other scarce lines are twist wincey shirting, is lOd; doctor's flannels, Is lid, 2s 3d, 2s stripe flannelette, Is and Is 2d; colonial wool blankets, 29s 6d, 32s 6d, 37s 6d, 39s 6d; ladies' latest tweed coats, 39s 6d, 49s 6d.—A. F. Cheyne and Co., Mosgicl.... In the orchards the business of applepicking is now proceeding busily, hurried in many places by the attacks of small birds upon the ripening fruit (says the South Canterbury correspondent- of the Christchurch Press). Next to the blackbirds, tho silver-eyes and "mockers" are doing most damage, and, if left to themselves, will quickly spoil a crop. Six children out of a family of 11 Voro committed to the Wellington Receiving Home on Thursday by Mr G. D.- A. Cooper, , S.M. Tho mother (says tho Post) is a widow, "and her pension from tho State totals £3 10s per week. An order was made that as much of this as possible should go towards the support of tho children. There has been a mild boom in fescue seed this season in the Waimea (says tho Mataura Ensign). Several well-known farmers arc said to have received larger cheques for their fescue seed than for their wool. Bo this as it may, the fescue has more than paid the rent this season. The price ruling has been sd, and in_ a few cases 6d is said to have been reoeived. 1

As a sequel to the talk he had with the friendly societies' representatives on Tuesday, the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) has written to the Wellington branch of the British Medical Association asking for on interview (says tho Dominion) with, its representatives on the subject of the difficulties that have' arisen between them and the friendly societies. The hot summer has had tho effect of developing many of the flowering shrubs and plants in quite an unusual manner (says the Taranaki Herald). Oleanders have been full of good blossom, also bigonias and several other plants which are usually rather shy of bloom in Taranaki. Somo varieties of Australian gums have also been full of flowers owing to the more favourable season. A well-known Dunedinite was agreeably surprised to find the oollee obtained at " Dune's," Octagon, Dtraedin, superior to anything ho got recently in either London or Paris.... There continues to 'be an epidemic of scarlet fever Mrt a mild form in Nelson, especially among children (says the Colonist). Within tho past few days eight cases have occurred among children attending the Tasman Street School, and several among pupils of other of tho town schools. The fever ward at the Hospital is full; consequently most of the cases are being treated at their homes, often whero there are other children. A short meeting of the Bruce County Council was held on Tuesday (says the Herald), when tho loan for Blackie's road was confirmed and a rate levied. An application to iout flax on the Swamp road, Stirling, was granted to an applicant najufid Wilson, subject to his assuming responsibility in connection with any accident arising from flax lying on the road. For bronohial coughs, take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.... A resident of Gisfoorne of over 40 years' standing, Mrs Hansen, relict of Mr Peter Hansen, passed away at Mangapapa on Saturday afternoon, at the age of 93 years (says tho Poverty Bay Herald). The deceased, who took ill on on Friday afternoon, arrived in New Zealand, at Napier,' with her husband «and family, in the ship Fitz Reuter, about 1874. The chairman of the Taranaki County Council, at tho meeting on Monday, referred to the revenue from tho Puniho toll-gate, which, he said, was in- , creasing year by year (says the Herald). For instance, the receipts in 1909-10 (eight months) amounted to £352 lis.; 1910-11, £803 15s; 1911-12, £825 Is Id; 1912-13, £1030 16s; 1913-14, £1063 7s 7d; 1914-15, £1046 Bs' Id; 1915-16, '£1186 12s 3d._ One Marshall's Teething Powder given at night makes a cross baby "mother's pride" in the morning. You'll see the little dimples beam with satisfaction. On sale at i all grocers and at Marshall's Pharmacy, Princes street.... At a meeting of the shareholders of the Gisiborne Sheep-farmers' Frozen Meat Company (Ltd.) i on Saturday, consent was given to the removal of the limitation upon total indebtedness which might, under the company's artioles, be' incurred at any one time ■ (says the Times). This action was required v principally because of the irregularity of trade consequent upon_ the shortage- of shipping and war conditions. In a memorandum attached: to the notices calling the next meeting, the Wellington district, New Zealand Educational Insti- : tute, states:—The executive" of the -Ifew Zealand Educational Institute wishes it to be known that it has been permitted to examine the grading scheme which is in course of construction, and it is satisfied that teachers have nothing to fear from the introduction of such a scheme. An old Balclutha boy, Mr John Rooney, a son of the late Sergeant Rooney, stationed there in the early days, has from time to time displayed a strain of inventiveness (says the Press). One of his latest efforts was to produce a collapsible cover for motor oar tyres, ( to shield the perishable rubber from the_ sun and rain. It is on'the urn l brella principle,_ and is so workable in design and application that the wonder 19 such a contrivance to prolong the iife of tho. tyre has. not been thpught of before. Some unusual propositions were suggested at the Appeal Court at Wellington on Thursday (says the Post), when the powers , of the Arbitration Court were under discussion. Counsel, on one occasion, urged that the. court's powers were almost , unlimited, which led the Chief Justice to ask: " Do you moan tcr pay that the court could prohibit a red-haired man from being employed as a farm labourer because he would frighten the bulls?" There waa general laughter, andi .the question went unanswered. lhe Labour Department's report from Wellington states that during the past month 193 men have been assisted to secure employment—77 of these being married and 116 single men. The number sent to private employment was 121, while 72 were placed under Government. Those assisted in this way comprised carpenters, farm hands, hotel' workers, plumbers, and general labourers. Forty-four came from the North Island, 31 from the South Island, 27 from .the commonwealth, 89 from Great Britain, and 7 from other place's, i In addition four wives and three children were assisted to join their relatives. Orders for liquors to be forwarded must be signed, give aaufSs, and be accompanied by mmlttanoe. —W. Crossan, Waterloo Hotel. In sinking a foundation for the new picture palace in Queen street,- Masterton, the contractors hit upon an old well with the four upright beams in a preserved condition. In mentioning the fact to an Age reporter, an old resident of lhe town said he remembered the site perfectly well when it was almost in its virgin state. The area of tho section was one acre, and the holder, being unable to meet his grocery .account, disposed of it to the shopkeeper for £7 10s. ' One corner of the land was recently disposed oi to the picture company for £5000. Tho Patea Farmers' Co-operative, Freezing Company (Ltd.), is (says the Press) having a biisy time. Up to the end of March last there Were 10,550 sheep and lambs, 1064- : cattle, and 444 veal killed more than during the" same period last year, and that year was a record in the history of the Company. Altogether to date 41,038 sheep and lambs, or 4248 more than wore killed dufing tho j whole .of last season, have been killed to diate. The present indications are that the season's total of these will exceed last year's record figures., when 11,000 head were put through. Waters' Kornbane is unequalled' for curing corns; Is.—At Waters' Pharmacy.... At the Arbitration Court, which sat at Napier on Wednesday, a union secretary strongly contested a clause referring to country and suburban ' work (says ! the Hawke's Bay Tribune). The secretary illustrated the loopholes by which employee could evade the ruling of the award. His Honor said it was astonishing after all these years that these points should be raised. The secretary: "It takes the employers some time to find out loopholes, and it takes us some time to experience them." His Honor: ."Well, I wish you could show me how to block it." His Honor ultimately recommended the parties to confer on this question. On Tuesday afternoon a fire broke out in the engine-room of the Patea Press. When observe'd the fire had a good hold, and it was impossible to do anything to save that portion of the building, which was destroyed. The fire brigade was on the spot in excellent time, and did such good work that the rest of the building was saved, the-only damage to that being caused by smoke and water. The Simplex composing, machine, type, and paper supplies werg not damaged to any extent. The oil engine and printing machine were practically destroyed. It is fortunate that the fire was stopped, because the proprietor had no insurance on the composing machine. There was an excited fluttering among the fair dancers at the soldiers'. send-off social on Monday night at Balclutha, when (says the Free Press) nearing the fatef'il hour of midnight a wild-eyed man appeared on the dancing flcjor, having in tow a big draught horse and a bulldog. Among tho feminine shrieks and squeals there was a rush of manly feet to the scene, and the mtr.uder was headed off and' induced to retire through the side door of the hall, taking his unwelcome charges with him. Later on he appeared at the back entrance of the ha.ll, and essayed to take the equine on to the stage. Again he was induced to forgo his intent, the while the dance went merrily on. It is not known whether the man was wishful to do the polka with his four-footed companions, or had merely lost his way while looking for the recruiting office, but in any case his intentions seemed perfectly harmless.

In an address before the Paris Surgical Society recently, Professor Tuffer said that of tho 14.000 surgeons in the army, 6500 were at tlie front. Of these 93 had been killed, 260 wounded, and 441 were missing; 135 had been mentioned in orders for gallant conduct on the battlefield. The Rev. 'J. Wilkinacm, Vicar of Epsom, Auckland, and formerly of New Plymouth, writes: —"I have found " Fluenzol ail invaluable remedy in tlia " early stages of colds and 60re throat," *