NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2454, 27 March 1901, Page 41

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply in coming istue to b* rec€ive& nit later than MONDAY night. I John Drinkwater.— Bawrie's light hydrometer stands at sho in a 10 per cent, solution, or common salt in distilled wate/ at 60deg Fahr. ; in distilled water at lOdeg; in proof spirit at 22 9deg; in rectified spirit (spirits of wine) at about 32.2deg. In absolute or anhydrous alcohol at 48.2deg. If n be the number on the scale in an experiment at COdeir Fahr.. then 148 equalsirhe specific gravity of the liquid };« x n at that temperature Pifjiki. — Mr W. H. S. Roberts, Oamaru, writes : - In your issue ot ayth March Mr R. Carrick • asks you to locate Piraki. It is oh the . south of .Banks between Akaroa and Lake Forsyth. It is also called Pirangi . (meaning to '"long for"), and it is sometimes misspelt "Peraki." Shortland spelt it. "Pi- . reka." Captain L'Anglois, a French .whaler, claimed that he bought, all the l»nd~ between . Akiroa aud Piraki in 1835, and Captain Geo. Heihpleman purchased land at Puahi in 1837 from Tu-hawaiki (alias Bloody Jack). m Cap- ' tain G. Hempleman, of the brig Bee, visited Banks Peninsula on the 17th February, 1836, and loaded the Bee with oil by the 24th July, when aha left for Sydney. He was co pleased with Piraki that he persuaded a Sydney firm (Messrs Clayton and Duke) to let him establish a whaling station on shore at Piraki. He left Sydney on the 18th December, 1836, in the schooner Hannah. He had four boats' crews in his party, some 30 men in all, and his wife, the or.ly white woman. They arrived at Piraki Cove on the 17th March, 1837. Hernplerniu built his house of sawn timber, which he had brought from Queen Charlotte' 3 Sound. Mrs Hempleman died at Piraki in 1839, and was the tirst European woman buriei on the Banks „ Peninsula. The land Hemoleman purchased was thus discribed in the deed : "From Mowry Harbour south to Flea Bay north, including V/angahou." etc. In 1840 there were 20 male and two female European residents at Piraki, in addition to the Maoris, and there ■were four working whaling stations along the south coast of Banks Peninsula — viz., Eou-ma-taki, Hiku-rangi, Pirangi, and Oihoa (nicknamed "Go Ashore.") lam indebted to Brett's "Early History of New Zealand" and other works for the above information. Artus. — We have referred to Mr Johnston, surgical instrument maker, King street, Dunedin. By giving' full particulars to him - direct (including age) he h«s nor doubt that he, will bs able to act in your case. He kosps all" appliances and has had many cases • here. .Psmahaka. Downs writes,: — I should be obliged - if any of your readers- could answer me v question through' tbe medium of your-valu- . able naner. I have read in "Tales of a - Grandfather" that cannibalism occurred in Scotland in recent times. If any of your readers have date 3of this said cannibalism in Scotland I should be much obliged for information on the point, as it is a question of great importance to me. — r— We are afraid our correspondent will find it tiresome work endeavouring to obtain the evidence he is in search of. F. M. B. — (1) It is impossible to say, as the conditions vary. Write to the registrar, Mr A. Hamilton, at the University, and he will supply you with a list of the fees. (2) See Sporting. E. N., Albertown. — We have not seen the book, but shall make inquiries, and take action if we find matters are as you state. Fiunx H. Wise. — The residential qualification is sufficient if the voter be not a ratepayer or freeholder. Under the residential qualification the voter must have been three months in occupation as tenant or sub-tenant or one of several tenants or sub-tenants with a rental of not less than JEIO per annum for the tenant or sub-tenant or each of the several tenants or sub-tenants. There is nothing in the act to prevent either of the officials you mention . exercising his vote if he has the necessary qualification. . TwENTT-EIVE Years', Subscriber.— Assuredly land which has-been Crown granted can be transferred without the land being brought under the ' provisions of the Land Transfer Act.. . . New Chum.— As both parties have to join in the erection "of a boundary 'fence, both must agree as to where the right boundary line. is. If they .cannot so agree," one or the- other, or -1)0 tH, may make an application to a magistrate to determine it. Invercargill.— (l) To pickle shallots, proceed as for onions. Prepare a brine, ~ and ptit them into it hot; let them remain one or two days, then drain them, and when quite dry, put them into clean, (3ry jars, and covet A2B with hot viiie^ar^ in everj auait si

which has ben steeped loz each of horseradish sliced, black pepper, allspice, ar.d salt^ with or without mustard seed. In all pickles the vinegar should be Sin or more above the vegetables, as it is sure to shrink, and if the vegetables are not thoroughly immersed in pickle they will not keep. (2) For red cabbage choose fine firm cabbages — the largest are not the best — trim o£ the outside leaves ; quarter the cabbage, take out the large stalk, slice the quarters into a cullender, and sprinkle a little salt between the layers ; put; but a little salt — too much will spoil the colour — let it remain m the cullender till next day, shake it well, that all the brine may run off ; put it in jaia, covet it with a hot pickle composed of black pepper «md allspice, of each loz, ginger pounded, horseradish sliced, and salt, of each \oz, to eveiy quart of vinegai (steeped as above directed) ; two capsicums may be added to a quart, or one drachm of cayenne. (3) lo prepare sheep skins for mats: — Make a strong lather with hot water and let it stand till cold ; wash the skin in it ; carefully squeezing out all the dirt from the wool; then wash in cold water till all the dirt is taken out. Dissolve lib each of salt and a*lum m 2gal of hot water, and put the skin into a tub sufficient to cover it ; let it soak for 12 hours, and then hang it over a pole to drain. When well drained stretch it on a board to dry, and stretch several times wS*ile drying. Before it is quite dry' sprinkle on the flesh side loz each of finely-pulverised alum »nd saltpetre, rubbing it in well. Let it remain until the wool is firm on the skin, then rub again v with ahim. Fold the flesh sides together and hang in the shade for two or three days, turning it over each day till quite dry. Scrape the flesh side with a blunt knife, and rub it with pumice or rotten stone. Staunch and True. — We cannot find Sir Francis Leigh, Bart's^, name in De Brett. There is, however, a Baron Leigh, of Warwick, one of whoae sons is the Hon. Francis Dudley Leigh. Waitaxi.— The appointment of Mr Mathieson, Commissioner of Victorian Railways, is to the management of the Midland Eailway, in England. Such large salaries are not paid in any of the colonies.