LAND AND WATER,

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 40

LAND AND WATER,

A business gentleman in the city has received a letter from Capetown conveying the information that an experimental trawling expedition had just been concluded off the cqast of that part of South Africa, and with the most gratifying results. In fact, the result of - the investigations was such as to prove that the waters off the Cape contain fish to. an extent not hitherto dreamt of, and, as there is a good market available, the trawling industry fliere is likely to be /prosecuted with - much vigour. The demand for hares for export is very keen in Ashburton at present. Dealers offer* Is 8d a pair for them, and cannot get all they want. Last week 1200 were frozen at the Fairfield Freezing Works. Fishermen at Nugget Bay blame the recent trawling visit of the Napier for the 6carcity of fish in that locality, and intend to petition Parliament to fix a trawling limit. A meeting of the Dunedin District Volunteer Officers' Club was held at the Garrison Hall on. Friday evening, when a lecture was delivered to the members by Captain Chalmer/who took for ' his subject, " Bringing a Battery into Action." 4 ; Captain Chaliner was accorded a hearty vote•f thanks for his interesting address. A new corps of volunteers was formed at Hampden on Thursday night (says the Hampden correspondent of the North Otago Times), when over 60 men were sworn in by Major MurcotL. After inspection by the officer com- . i manding-the district, drill was commenced under the instructor. Colonel Headland congratulated the men on the excellent work done at their first drill. A white hare was shot at Eyreton, Canterbury, one day last week. For the finish of the shooting season a large party on the Heslerton run, Canterbury, on Monday;" 31st ult., 6hot 190 hares. On, Lake Ellesmere some fairly good bags of ducks were shot. Mr J. A. Cunningham shot 26 ducks to' his own gun, while others made good bags.' At a .meeting of .the. Polo .Association at Wellington it was decided that the standard, height of the polo ponies in New. Zealand be "raised to 14 hands lin, in place of the existing height of 14hands; that the best willow balls be adopted by the ■ association at ■ -all • tournaments in place of root balls, as used at present; that all ponies at present on the register, or entitled -to be on the register, shall be deemed to be passed without the necessity of being remea3ured; and that copies of the revised rules be "sent to all clubs for their information, pending their publication. SWIMMING CHAMPIONS. LONDON, August 6. S. W. Greasley, last year's winner of the English long-distance championship, won the 500 metres Swimming Race on the Seine, beating Percy Cavill by a bare yard. James Nuttall, the English ex-champion, was third, and Arthur Cavill fourth.