NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 38

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply in coming 'issue to be received not later than Monday night. Ormthoeoqical.— "M. A." wiites :— A blackbird with a large proportion of white feathers- is 'frequently to he seen in the vicinity of Burkes railway station. The little bird know.; ns the wa.v-eye in unusually plout ful about here this year. Many .people are of opinion that this pretty .little creature is a migratory bird — anyhow saviinfs declaie that it ia not a native of New Zealand alth ugh known to brged here. T. G. 'R., Heriot.— The record for the running long jump is held between C S. Reber (July 4, IS9I, in America) and C. B Fry (March 4, 1893, " in England), the distance jumped on e&ch occaMion'being 23ft fijin Inquirer, Waikouaiti. —Hydrous silicate of • alumina— a kind of clay, of no value whatever. Subscriber, l r airlie.— Sorry it does not muet, with your approval. You must remember thai the conditions of life are so diffdient in America that a letter from that quaiter of the alobe must necessarily differ very considerably fivm such a contribution -from England. Could you but see the American papers you would probably modify your ideas- about our Aan^rican -letter, A, ■J.'-The duty charged on tombstones is 20 per cent. S..A. — We'funcy-fchejbead office is .in Capetown. Addressed there it -would reach him whether this is so or not. ■E. P. — lProfessov Johnston's " Catechism of .Chemistry " ,is obtainable at Mr -Horeburgh's, George street ; 'price (post-free) Is SJ. Farmer. —We have referred your query to " Ajsricola," who will reply to 'it in " Notes on Rural Topics " indue course. Inquirer, Waikouaiti. —It is not - always .po-sible to answer questions in the uexfc hsue after receipt, as iv many cases iuquiries have to be made, and in others the matter lequiree to be placed in the hands of an export Your question has been replied to as won aB possible. „ Subscriber, Kaitangata.— The population of Cardiff,in 1895 was estimated at 155,637. 'Inquirer, Kyebura. — "JHow to Debate with Hiuts on Pnblic Speaking," posted Is; "The Chairman's Hand fßook,",no6tcd 2s 9d : " The Chairman^ and Speaker's Guide,", posted 2s 9d ; -at Mr Sligo's, bookseller, &c., George street. Hawba.— (l)Section 128 of ' The Licencing Act 1881' provides : — " If any licensed person shall permit any room. or parlour of his licensed premises, or the apartments thereof, to be used as "a rtaccing, concert, or theatrical saloon, or a? a place of common resort to -which persons shall be admitted by ticket or otherwise, he shall be liable to'forf eit his Uceuse." Wo do not kno«v exactly what you mean by a "'social dance," as dances are nearly all ofasociaUund ; but the provision 'in the act does not prohibit a licensed publican 'from occasionally entertaining his fam ly and friends by music and dansing. (2) A publican who merely entertains his family audf fiends in 'that way i* not guilty of any offence againstthe 'law. T. M.S.— Thanks for post card. We were aware 'of the-provisionsoftheactyoujaenUon. They apply to special .cases. The general principle that' a gate'ig an obstruction to a public rotd and as ruoh can be removed unless in the special cases above referred to remains unchanged. j Inquirer.— The marriage of the mother. does not absolve the putative father 'from liability for maintenance. / Bush lawyer.— <l) It is clear that in cass of a fire ariaiDg on B's land through tho laud baiqg overrun with \gorße, and such fire damaging A's house, B. would lje liable. The best course i* for Ato point this out to B The inspector of nuisances might tike action if A can get the borough council to instruct him. Either the owner or tho lessee, or both, might be held respousjble for damage ; it depends upon the question of whose duty it was to remove the gorse. ■ (2) It is custom *ry for the "bridegroom to supply the .bride's cake. J. A. N. —In decimal countries a thousand millions ; ia England and the colonies a million millions. Ignoramus.— The season. for shooting wild ducks continues iinHl'May 31. Station Shepherd.— Your welcome contribution, will find. a place in the farm pages next week. Subscriber.— A cablegram daUd San Francisco, November 4, appeared in our columns on the following dny stating that Durranthad beenf und guilty of the murder x>! one of the girl-s whose bodies were found in Emmanuel Baptist Church, San iFrancisco. E. a. Hall.— Christ's Hospital is called the "Blue Coat School" on account of the 'dress worn by the hoys It -was founded by Kdwurd VJ, June 26, 1553. The dress remains unaltered -since'that time, except that the c.ip and petticoat were discontinued about 30 years ago. The dregs— in fact, that of boy» in the reign of Kdward VI, and the persistency in it through successive generations— affords a curious instance of the unchangeableness in some of the English customs. Puzzlkd Header. —In the quotation, "Some eminence, Augusta, 'in *thy plains ..." the allusion is to London, which was called "Augusta" by the Romans. TEHBRINART QUERIIKS. lAaowfrcd irj i duly qnallEdd V«terlo«rj Snrfea. dntrlei rnmt be reoeWcd bj lltuuv rljhl I* ta«iro ropij is u« «ac««cdlns -tuue.l J. C.— As far as I can judge from your communication the swelling on your horse's chest is probably due to the after effects of influenza not propsriy treated, and as it has arrived -at a ■critical stage it would .be much Bafer if you value your horse to call in -a duly qualified .veterinary surgeon, as cases such as you describe ■cannot be successfully dealt with "without A

personal examination. If there is not one nsar you might give tonics with an occasional dose of nitiate of potass. J. W.— Make up<a strong solution of carbonate of soda-and apply night and morning. 0. JR.— The treatment for lungwonn is the 'inhalation of sulphur fumes. Place the calves in « close house as nearly air-tight as possible, and burn sulphur in a dish as near to the ground as convenient until a man remaining iv the shed feels the inhalation to b? opmeasive ; then discontinue the bnmlng, but allow the calves to remain in about an hour, keeping a strict w«,toh on th«m, and remove at once any that m*y show symptoms of suffocation. Repeat this treatment twice & week, at the stme time allowing plenty of eouud clean food and good Shelter.