VETERINARY QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 44

VETERINARY QUERIES.

(larverti kj a duly qoa.SSed Veterinary Sar(csm 4*ariu matt be received bj lIONOAT night to easur* replj k. «k* nieceedias luae.)

A Crown Settlek. — Some of the causes of cows retaining the placenta are premature parturition, or from poor condition, the uterus failing to perform the necessary contractions; or from adhesion, the result of subsequent inflammation. Treatment: After the second day, if you are not acquainted with the anatomy of the parts, it would be better to call in a veterinary surgeon, and he would take it away. Inqutbeb. — Give your mare a run out in a ' good grass paddock for five or six months, using the ointment you mentioned occasionally, and have the saddle stuffed at the saddler's, so that, a recurrence of the injury would be impossible.

f - " v > The Auckland Board of Education has Ysaya the Herald) decided to give preference ito the teaching of French, as against Latin, jbi the district high schools. When French la effectively taught this departure will be a {distinct commercial gain, though many will 'question the value of the argument employed by Mr Petiie as to its literary value. for the moment all idea of technical commercial education, and confining ourJeelYes solely to the consideration of what [makes for culture, there seems to us to be {"overwhelming evidence for the superiority of

£Latin. It is true that Latin is as dead as tae Roman Empire, but in it ie embalmed •U the wisdom of the ancients, the poetry, the philosophy, the knowledge, of one of the greatest of civilisations. That France has a great literature none will question, but it is incomparably inferior to our own mnd contains comparatively little peculiar

ft Mr H. G. Seth-Smith, ex-Chief Judge of jitho Native Land Court, Auckland, and Mi BL L. D. Fraser, M.H.R., have been ap-

[pointed a Royal Commission to hear and determine certain questions raised by petition in respect to Native Appellate Court Wcisions.

y: The ,Broad Bay Church anniversary social was held in the church lai-t Wednesday •ight. The Rev. T. G. Brooke was in the chair. An excellent programme of songs and .recitations was contributed by the following ladies and gentlemen: — Mrs Oldhosn, cong*, Miss Tapley, song; Miss Palmer,

»cng; the Misses Moodie, duet; Miss L. VCooke, song; Mies Swan, eong; the Misses

jC'ooke, duet; Miss TapL&y, recitation; Jir fc. Graham, .song ; Mr M"Cuilock, recitation; 'Mr Duckworth, song; Mr H. Green, recitation; "Mr Tapley, song; Mr Swan, song; Oily J. B. Burt, song; Mr Olds, song. B)uriug the evening refreshments ,were

handed round by the ladies of the congregation. Mr J. L. Mechacii-j, the home mistionary in charge, moved a hearty vote of

thanks to all the kind friends -who had helped to make the social such a success. !The singing pi a verse -of the National

Mrnthem brought a most enjoyable evening's entertainment to a close. |? ,A report received from Alexandra gives [lartioulars of a destructive fire that broke out there at half-past 11 on Tuesday night. k A five-roomed dwelling, together with a Imkehouse, owned by Mr J. Niven, of fArrowtown, and occupied by Mr Wittich, (were destroyed, as well as two shops, the jproperty of Mr J. Rivers, and occupied respectively by Mr J. Duggan, cycle agent, [and Mr Norman L. Reid, jeweller. Wit*ich, who saved nothing from the fire, had thia furniture and effects insured for £200 in the London and Lancashire office, but estimates his loss at about £300 above the

Mormer figured. Duggan managed to recover a few machines and cycle parts from Xhe fire's ravages. His stock was insured lor £100 in the. New Zealand Insurance Company. Reid was successful in removing his stock of jewellery before the flames got a hold of his shop, though he estimates ,b loss of £20 above the £125 risk in the "National Office. Th© outbreak is put down i*o a defective lamp, and is supposed to have {originated in Duggan's shop. It was only fey great exertions that the town was saved from destruction. JF The sixth annual meeting of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association was commenced in the Town Hall on Monday. In the afternoon formal bnsij»ess was transacted. It was decided that the next meeting should bo held in Nelson, with Dr Gibbs ab president. In the evening the president (Dr Colqujhoun) delivered his presidential address, which was listened to with very great interest. j; The last accounts — or scraps of information — show that De Wet is "enclotpd" by -means of blockhouses in an area 140 miles by 70 in extent. To get an idea of this one must picture a district ap long as from Dunedin to Invercargill and as wide as from JDuuedin to Ranfurly, or from Invercargill 'to Kingston. In this " paddock " 23 Columns are operating against the redoubtable partisan. One would suppose- that a Eouple of hundred blockhouses would cut this area into two and make the chase more exciting whichever side of the line De Wet chose for his playground, but we have left off ''supposing" anything concerning South 'Africa. If it really be the ca«e that De jWet is enclosed and cannot got out of this enclosure, ' the game cannot la.-t many months. It is evident that the blockhoui-ea are fairly effective, and that this system ©f occupying the country is caiwng the Boers to abandon large districts. Unfortunately, nothing has yet been found to hold De Wet."

There are several veterans who failed to Jivail themselves of his Excellency tho .Governor's generous offer to procure medals Jor those .who, although entitled to such )listinofcloh, had not previously received them. Several Port Chalmers residents entreated Jais Excellency's kindness on behalf of the reterans, and received gracious and assuring replies ; but there is one veteran, resident in Dunedin, who did not pre?s his )laim on Ike Governor during his Excel-

lency's visit here — namely, Mr William Chambers, well known in Dunedin boating circles, and an old-service man. Mr Chambers entered the royal navy in 1836, joining H.M.S. Howe, a battleship of 110 guns, and after a year's service as a boy was transferred to H.M.S. Brittania, then guard and training ship at Portsmouth, on which he served 16 months. He was then shifted to H.M.S. Edinburgh (Captain Anderson), the commanding officer being Mr Hastings. Mr Chambers served a full commission in the Edinburgh on the Mediterranean station, taking part under the celebrated Admiral Sir Charles Napier, in f^he attacks on Beyrout and St. Jean de Acre. Mr Chambers was paid off in 1843, and then joined the merchant service, but in the year 1848, when off the coast of America, he sustained the lo3s of his effects, including his certificate of service.

Lady Ranfurly, accompanied by Mrs G. M'Lean drove to Bishopsgrove on Saturday afternoon to inquire after the health of Mrs Nevill. Among other callers on the same day were the Hon. Sir Frederick and Lady Sargood and Lady Alexander, together with other visitors from London, and Dr Pietor, the commissioner from the Austrian Government. The visitors from abroad spent some time exploring the native bush, with the beauty of which they expressed themselves as much delighted.

The Countess of Ranfurly has intimated to the officer commanding the Ist Battalion O.R.V. her intention, during her visit to Mount Cook, of painliug a small picture, which is to be presented to the military bazaar to be held in June next. A circular addressed to the ladies of Dunedin and the volunteer district asking for their assistance towards the same object is in type, and will be issued as soon as po=r<ible. It is needless to say that the ofneers and men of the battalion are delighted with Lndy Ranfurly's expression of goodwill and encouragement.

The departure of Mr T. T. King, who has been postmaster at Gore for the past 23 years, to take up tho position of chief postmaster at Wcstporr, was widely regretted by a very large circle of friends in the southern district, and many valuable presents were made to him at social gatherings held in his honour before his deparlure. The presentation from the Retailers' Associarion was nn inkstand in the form of a pair of walrus tusks mounted in oak and eilver.

" The dividends paid, the reserves set apart, the ' lased eupital invested in machinery, t)»» enlargement of buildings, and the increase in the , number of people employed by different companies throughout New Zealand do not denote that capital is unprofitably employed in this colony," said the Premier at the Liberal gathering in Wellington on Wednesday.

On Monday a youth, 18' years of age, named Charles Gatehouse, was arrested at Roslyn on the charge of shooting at William M'Meikan, of Green Island, on January 28, with intent to do serious bodily harm. It appears that several lads were in his orchard at the time, and M'Meikan went to drive them out, whereupon the accused, who was standing just outside the fence, fired two shots at him from a pea rifle that he was carrying, both, however, just missing him. Since then the police had been looking for Gatehouse, and when he was arrested last night some of the pea rifle cartridges wore in his posaeesion.

The members acd employees of the firm of Messrs Speight and Co. held a most successful and enjoyable picnic at Evansdale on "Wednesday. The* weather waa perfect, and the arra.ngarncuts, in the capable hands of Messrs C. Speight, K. M. C4reeßslade, H. Adaru, ai-d 11. Powley, with the assistance of a good committee", left nothing to be desired. Mefsrs C. F. Greenslade, "W. Dawson, and C. Ksast were unable to be present through previous engagements. There was an abundance of toys provided for the children, al3o fruit aj'd lolJios. A shoit sports programme was carried out. "We hp.vc to as-know'.sdgc recent of Stouc'p " ABC Guide to Otago aud Southland fcr February.