LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, 25 January 1900, Page 42

LAND AND WATER.

i A"bout _7UO Virginian quail arrived by the I Mariposa. Four crates were shipped to I Wellington by the Mapourika, and one crate was retained in Auckland. They are in much, better condition than the previous 1 shipment. Some died on the passage. ! Recently the residents of the Lake Ellesi mere district urged the Government to take steps to prevent the lake being denuded of fish by the use of Seine nets. Mr Ayson, inspector of fisheries, who was deputed to inquire into the matter, has just returned, and submitted a report to the Government, I in which it is understood he recommends I regulations in the direction requested. | An eel weighing 22£lb was caught in the Opawa a few nights ago. Reported that a well-known Wyndhani citizen intends to enter into the eel export trade on a large scale. — Free Press. « The first Government experimental trawling on the New Zealand coasts will probably j commence in about a month's time. ' Mr George M. Schilling, who it will be remembered passed through Dunedin some little time ago on a walking tour round the world, arrived in Adelaide on the 7th inst. He in- . formed the Advertiser that he had covcri'Jl j 14,000 miles in two years and five months. ■ and has still to cover 12,000 miles within one i year and seven months. lie speaks in terms ! of great appreciation of the kindness he has , received in New Zealand and the various Aus- ! tralian colonies, and he is hopeful that the same friendly spirit will be shown him to the • <end of his journey. After leaving Adelaide he will proceed on foot to West xVustralia, and from there he will go to South Africa, thence to Japan, and through Asia into Europe. Ho walks about 20 miles a day, and has collected municipal seals at almost every town and city he has passed through. George Towns, the Hunter River sculler, now in England, writes that he has issued a chal- { lenge to row a race against Gaudaur, the pre- ! sent champion, for £250 or £500 a-side and 1 the championship of the world.' Towns says •. "I sent the challenge to Gaudaur through a reporter of a town paper. None of the news- ; paper men in London are aware of it yet. I hope the match will be successfully arranged, so as to give me a chance of contesting wlutt I have waited for all this time." Of late weasels have become quite a nuisance in Milton, and several householders have complained of the ravages of this pest in their f owlyardE. — Bruce Herald . CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETIC MEETING. The following have been selected by the D.A-.A.C 1o go into training for a trial for selection for the coming N.Z.A.A.A. championships at Wellington next month: — J. B. Nichol, P. H. Buck, R. Martin, C. E. Aldridge, W. F. Bennett, W. Olpon, J. W. Price, C E. Cuff. W. V. Kingston and R. Brownlee cannot get away. SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS. , SYDNEY, January 12. Dick Cavill won the half-mile swimming championship easily by 28yds. Time, 12min 53 l-ssec. Hamilton, of New Zealand, was fourth. Sinclair, of New Zealand, won the 90yds inter-club handicap in lmin 8 2-ssec. January 14. R. Craig won the 220 yds Swimming Championship, beating Dick Cavill by 10yds. Time, j 2min 39sec.