OMNIUM GATHK U M.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 2

OMNIUM GATHERUM .

France catches £3,500,000 wonh of fish in a year, against £+,250,000 caught by British iialiermcn. Tbe Unucd Kingdom has 30.0C0.000 sheep; France, 23.000,000; Argentina, 74.600,000. The • United States has still 400 million acres of forest, Australia 60 million, India 4-5 million. Between 1800 and 1882, 169 theatres, out \ of a toial of 1934 in Europe and America, were burnl. i The pc?Ul revenue of the uoild is! £70,000,000, of which Great Britain's sbaie is one-sixth. The New South Wales gold yield for March was 14- S-24CZ airainst 19 3£ooz for tlie piovious month. It co^ls on an average £^0 to put out a fire in London, j.nd £138 to extinguish one in New York. There have been 2100 explosions in coal mines in the last 50 years, involving a loss of 8800 lives. The Taieri Advocate is informed that there is a probability of an excellent seam of coal being opened out in the hills near Otakia. Miss Amy Castles is now studying uncer M. E'nihy, -uho 1 ai- pronounced her voice to bp " a, ptu'o soprano of brilliant quality." Nine million birds' nests for soup-making are brought into Canton in a year. It takes 50 to make a pound, and they cost 10s an ounce. The first invitations in connection with the opening of the Federal Parliament were .iddrcssed to the Premier of Victoria ai.d hit wife. Tb^ biggest lake which has vanished in the shortest time is Lob Hor, in Central Asia. Forty years ago it was the size of Lincolnshire. From Greymouth last week the Blackball Coal Company exported 1026 tons 4cwt conl, and the Brunner Company 1587 tons 17cwt coal, 23 tons 17cwt coke, and 2 tons bricks. There was a very sharp shock of earthquake at Masterton on Thursday afternoon. It was preceded by a loud and very distinct rumble. The shock was also felt at Carterton. The coal output from Westport last week was 6109 tons 15cwt, of which the Westport Coal Company shipped 5746 tons llcwt, and the Westport Co-operative Company 363 tons 4cwt. The Mayor and Crs Arkle and Clark have been appointed a committee to make arrangements for the reception of the Duke and Duchess of York on their arrival at Pal- ' incrston. A visitor to the Thames, who has just returned from the South Sea Islands, states that the Fijians and Samoans take a very keen and intelligent interest in the South African war. In the Wanganui, Manawatu, Oroua, Horowhenua, and Eangitikei districts, according to the census returns, there is a considerable increase in the Native population during the last five years. ■\ The Nelson Evening Mail reports the death of Mr Charles Htagg, of Hope, at the age of 82 years. Mr Stagg was one of Nelson's earliest residents, having arrived there in the ship Prince of Wales m 1842. Tlie decapitated body of Mr Robert Lord Hodgson, an accountant, was found on April 4 on the railway line near the Armadale station (Victoria). Deceased for sowe weeks had suffered severely from insomnia. A gentleman who has just died in Melbourne made hi 3 will upon the lid of a glove box. The will was brief and simple, and will probably be accepted as readily as th-i most elaborately prepared legal document. "There are more idiot? to the square mile in Switzerland than in any other country under the sun." Mr Naughton, at the , Trades and Labour Conference, said this vva*s slr George Fisher's yiew^ of tlve Swks people. At tbe Sydney Central Criminal Court on thf 3rd inst. Margaret Abcroft. charged with having on March 3, at Wilberfoi-co, murdered her husband by stabbing him with a carving knife, was acquitted and discharged. Two Maori couples were being married at ■ Hohouia, Auckland, when an alarm of fire was raised from a neighbouring hotel. The wedding ceremony was croinptly abandoned

until the file was subdue:], when it wa= resumed. A ■very O.isip frost was experienced oil WcJnc=d.iy n,oimrg at JBuike'rc Pa"'', tlic g;ound bpiig (auto v. bite. Half cvi inch of water m a b;~iii was frozen, and the 'cc vsvs not qnite off the water in si'ady places by 12 o'clock. At the Trades and Labour Conference. — Mr Belcher : A proper ladder should be provided in Vac holes of T*F-els and hulks for wor'^meu to come up and 50 down 111 Mfi'iy. It is :1s ieiP~:aiy as the ttairca=e Icai-'iag into t! c saloon. _\lr Collins : More co. —^Laughter.) Nu;?s Mary Anne Soal, v;ho nursed her late Majesty in her la-.i illr.ess, was trained tit O.& Koyal Free Hospital, completing her period of fom> ycr-rs' training on April 20, 1893. wl-.en -he wns called on ag the late (Queen's mir^e at OsljoniP, which post she held to the last. In cornection ■« ith the ililton water supply scheme the Mayor, at a meeting of tlie Borough Council,' said the finances were in a sound position. The overdraft wivs only £100. and that would probably copse to exist in about two iponths, when the licensing foes wfi'p received. The Melbourne Celebrations Committee, in addition to reser\ing steps in front of Parliament House and Treasury for distinguished ■visitors attending the prccess'on of the Duke and Duchess of York, have secured all seats in stands to be erected in front of the Grand Hotel and Gordon monument in Spring street. " It is not necassary for a woman during courtship," said a judge m a recent case, " to inform her intended husband of any device or attachment to improve the work of Nature in the construction of her face, form, or figure." This wa" apropos of a charge of deception by wearing glasses to conceal a glass eye. The Survey department last month employed 2526 labourers on 00-operathe works. Of these BE6 were engaged in the Auckland district, 653 in Wellington, 230 in Hawke'* Bay, 184 in Taranaki, 132 in Marlborough, and 104- in Southland. In North Island nurseries 48 men "were employed and 44- in the South Island. Alfred Scott, caretaker of the golf links at Bondi (N.S W.), was fishing in company with 'some friends on the rocks at Ben Buckler recently when a wave swept him off. and carried him out to sea. His companion threw a rope to him, but he vas unable to grasp it, and a few minutes later sank from view. I The floor of the rotunda at the London Coal Exchange, where the meiclnnts gather, is very unique. It is composed of inlaid woods, arranged in the form of a mariner's compass, with a border of Greek fret. Upwards of 4000 pieces of wood ore employed. Almost every Enprli'h \ariety is included m thib scheme of decoration. The Gazette of the Ath hist, contains particulars of the estates of the following deceased persons, which ha\e been placed under the charge of the Public Trustee duri«g March : — James Dobbin. Warrinslon ; John Fitzgerald, Oamaru ; Robert Frew, Orepuki : Robert Lawrence, Waima*"ua ; and W. Murrish, Que-enstown. Two representatives from the North Otago district have been selected /says the Oamaru Mail) as members of the New Zealand contingent to attend the opening of the Federal Parliament in Melbourne. They are Quarter-master-sergeant W. B. Welch, of the North Otago Mounted Rifles, and Private Edward H. Bishop, of the Hampden Rifle*. Among those from whom apologies for inability to attend the opening of the Native Hall at Henley were receh ed was MiHenry Palmer, who forwarded, however, a liberal donation. This consisted of a bullock, two sheep, and a pig. Moreover, Mr Palmer offered., any pecuniary assistance to the extent of £10 that might be required. Mr R. J. S. Harman intends presenting to the Christchurch Museum two interesting relics of the olden times. These arc t\\ o bullock fehoes made by Mr Kru^e, blacksmith, of Papanui, foi Mr S. Wornall, in 1854. The shoe? were made from a pattern devised by Mr Wnrnall, and apparently from their worn eordition have done a good deal of v ork. A severe accident happened to Captain j Blockey at the Lyell Blocks mine, QueenstoiYii (Tasmania), recently. He was doiim

something to the ropeway machinery, when his aim L,ut drawn jnto Vie >\ heel f>nd was dragged oft. K'ockey 101 l mtc the bip-, Jot up aga 11 and with vondeiful r-i\o wctit~'o tl>e telephone pnd i-ign-\l!od ior the n.rchincrj- ta he 'topped. 'i-'uo Victorian tim f rnmen* has leaded ti'o fine mon'ion known Stonaigton, tituated in Gienicrrio road, JLhern, as a residence ; for the nsw State Governor. It was elected by the late John Wagnei, and, with the furniture, cost £100,000. "\ isiting State Governor's will be accomirodated thei c dunnsj tie. Corunonvvealth^ celobiation*. The ren^ tal is 51090 ? year. King Edward Til is the fiist Biitbh ißon^ich since the days of James II wl'o Las taken a personal merest in golf. His lUaiesiy has held the captaincy ot St. Andrew^; he has se-\eral times taken part 111 a game ?t Canne- ; and l>e has enjoyed a game on one or tv, o private links, moie parMcr.laily on that of the Grand DuLe Mic' ael. in the home counties. V 'Mic Minister of Public Works went for a, dnvc on a recent Sunday afternoon towards Pin-archu. and (^ny- the Ellbam Arc us) v. as lather astonished w!i»i, be was wayla.d by the tollgate-keeper at Heimama ard ctl'.ed on to pay toll. He wa= under the.impression previously that tollgates weie a thmgr of the patt m New Zealand, but the toll-gate-keeper insisted on hii exaction. An extraordinary expeneiieo fell to t!ie lot of a tram which left Al v any for Peri** "on March 3. When travpllmg up an incline the wheel-- of the engine faded to grip, and t'..e tiam was brought tc a standstill. The trouble was then found to be due to myriads of b! ick put?, wl'iih were tiekkiag along the rails, ard. bc'itg crushed by the wheel?, , rriidvrrpd the hno gira=y and impassable. Thr oldest inhabitant in Ireland :i be1 Cved t i be IMi » Vrneliu, of Clough Count/, KuLni! r, wl.o i« now 114 years old. .She i-- t',.e d&ugoter of a blacksmith, who shod. : the lior-e of Myies Byrne, tie relel. ard was namediatelj- barged by tbe yeomaii to t'iO t':aft of a cart in f'e presence of his family, iP^ludii-4 Mi-< Wh?lan, »\uo well ler.ipmbers tie "vt. Mrs Whelan is liimg id grra 1 " poveity. Ti 1^ fiUirii.ig is the aol 1 yield of Wept* Australia for March. — Kxportsd, 75,5350z IFdwt; received at the Perth Mint, 52,3090z 13d-'t; total. 127,8450z, of an e=t.matpd \a!-,e of £-"92 205. Tms totrl =liowb a. r'.e-eicd--3 of Ts"ooz a- rnmpjr"d I,lth 1 isb nipnti', 1 at. vl'i i'.crca-'' uf lSo^oz r-, compared v ith -\laich ot i.^i } cuv The yi-rl-i foi' the iir=t quart'T of rim v ar h; 1^ exceeded t'lat fo" the correjp'iiiding quarter of lose >e:'i- by H.oZioz. The following answer- to qae=tions r.t * private ex. 11 ' 1 ! nation not a hundred mi'-e? tro'n r iiim<r;i It a boy of iiu'i je rs cro K j ti ci surge '^p (a\- me I'o'i^ — \Ti o is the »io\(>ir.OL of 2\<\\ Zsjl n>\'' Vr r-^' Idoi. — \amf tii" ioi;r i)iin o inal r ti'_s 1 1 t" c colony? Wellington. \V» ■suanui, (,}>;i-i-t'lntnh, and Tiiiiaru — TV whnt Hjl't are the streets of Timaru lifted? The stai-. — Do you know any hrightiv li<rht ? Moonlight. — What floviei' do you i<ke le^t 9 Alias 1 rand. — What ..re v.mlmill- u=ed for 1a Canter1 nry? To fugl.t^n ii« 1, ,\\ --V t i,,. .^ o Ihe urincijial c o!dipr^ in the Tran^voal wai? Lord Robprls Bauei' Po\, rli, Km hener, White, }',v lor. ard Cai tain Craw alia w. The agency 41 the Otago district of the Run Fire Insiu tncs Company, on-© of the oldest mid wealthiest of English companies was taken over from the beginning of thi^, month by Mr 11. Living- tone Taploy, who has «o\err-d his eonncetuiv with t!.i> mm ot Mp« r.« W. E. Rt-vno' '^ niul Co. md la-* entered into bu^ines* on hi- own account, in office? at the cornei of Crawford and Wat°r street. Mr Tapley is already well known in ingurance bus'infjs circle, hiviiig bec'ii connected with th° mauagement of tho North Queensland and Imperial Companies' office in Du:iedii>. At Corowp, (Victoria) on Marc' 1 7,0 a foreigner, known a' " Peter the Greek, ' made a murdeious attack on Hariy Clajtv^n, a local baker. He fired fire? shots at h~v\ from a revoh er, one ball piercns, hib leg ard another striking his breast. The ruffian only desisted when Clayton's cries for help attracted attention. The Greek then H- a cigarette, walked along, and g.ive him=e'f up at the police station, admitting that ho ■=bot Clayton, and expressing hi- readiness to hani, for it. Clayton, who was r«rion-ly wounclfd, said the (4rerk Pecused h m of writing letters about him. Ai a meeting of the Oamara North School Commiti.3o on Friday exoiimc, amemorandum from the Education l^oard with reference to t^e assembling of the school children in Otaco on the occasic«i of the visit of the Duke and Duthe3s of York wai rosd In the course of the diccujsion which follow ed a general onmion was expressed against taking the children, to Dunedin on the occasion in a body under the care of the committee and teachers, as imnosing too great a responsibility upon those who had no right io be saddled w-ith any responsibility in such a matter. Mr Brow n. of Adelaide, who has recently been in the far north of Australia, returned about a fortnight ago, bringing with him. some interesting phosphate deposits and fossil remains which he obtained during his journey. The pbosphatie specimens were r>o les- interesting than the deposits of bones of such animals a* alligators and dipiotodons, winch were discovered on the banks of the Diumantma and Cooper Rners. Pieces of turtle wpro also picked up b3" Mr Brown, and he had on view .-trips of petrified wood. He intends to consult a Sydney paleontologist in order to accurately distinguish the animals, and he will forward the remains to him at once. An amusing incident occurred just when the Rotomahana wa« leaving Picton wharf on Tuesday A man dropped his hat between the boat and the wharf, and got down on the netting to recover 1! His brother s=eeing the, incident, and fearing the first adventurer was in deep water, swarmed down to his assistance, and forthwith a guardian of the law stooped over the edge of the wharf to hold on to the tail of the second man's coat, when up came a r-ister and a brother-in-law, and tackled the policeman. Shrieks of laughter went up from, the steamer and the wharf, and " Robert " had all his work cut out to defend himself and rescue the other two men. Another set of retorts is being heated up at the Orepuki Shale Works preparatory to being put into work (says the correspondent of the Southland Times). Those m ■w ork are running very well ; in fact, exceeding the most sanguine expectations of the management. As yet the crude oil is being collected in large concrete tanks at the rates of about 100 gallon.? per hour, but ui'til sufficient oil is on hand to secure a continuous flow through the various proce — es none will b^ put through the lefinmg work*, but then the oil will be started on it* journey of throe weeks, through miles of piping, until it finally emerges pure kero /*m« &&», iv the leccivina (auks.