LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 59

LAND AND WATER.

By an Order-in-Council, particulars of which are now gazetted, it is proposed to increase the establishments of the New Zealand Engineer companies so that each may recruit up to a maximum of 105, of which [five shall" be commissioned officers. The local company of Engineers proposes calling a. meeting at an early date to elect a fourth lieutenant in - accordance with the new provisions. It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in recruiting up to 105.

The Minister of Public Works 13 desirous of getting for the colony half a million salmon ova yearly for five years. It would take about that time before it could be told

whether the experiments were successful, but the Minister has hopes of success eventually. " If," he says, "we could hear of half a dozen, salmon being eaug-ht in our waters, we can be assured that they have become plentiful, and the outlook should then be promising."

It was mentioned at a reoent meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that a project was on foot whereby the Government would take over the affairs of the Acclimatisation Societies and administer them through the Tourist Department. The Chairman stated that if the Government absorbed the societies it would take the money belonging to them as well. '* The best thing to do if the Government is going to take over our affairs," he added, "is to get rid of every penny we possoss." A member suggested that the Society might enter into contracts for the erection of fishing huts near the different rivers, which contracts could be executed when the proposals of the Government came into operation

A hockey club has been formed at Alexandra.

One of the rules adopted by the members of the Rangiora Bowling, Tennis, and Croquet Club on Monday evening makes their ground a prohibited area, members bsing precluded from taking any intoxicating liquor on to the premises. One of the markers engaged at the Milton butts on Wednesday had a narrow escape. A bullet struck a large stone on top of the mound and sent it flying into the trenoh, where it just missed the marker's head, and buried itself about five inches in the ground. — Milton Mirror

The Nelson Acclimatisation Society has decided that it is inadvisable, owing to the presence of stoats and weasels and the practice of burning the bush when the birds are young, to endeavour to restock the district with quail. It has decided to ascertain whether the red-legged partridge can be introduced with any chance of success.

The danger attending the use of cheap fowling-pieces and pea rifles by boys was mentioned at the meeting of the councils of the Waitaki and Waimate Acclimatisation Societies last week. It was stated that in a shooting party of lads one of them had been cautioned for the careless handling of his gun, but the caution was thrown away. Shortly afterwards, when the boys were gathered together, the offender dumped the butt of his gun on the ground, with the result that the charge exploded, the contents of the gun passing over the shoulder of another lad. Thp mechanism of the gun was of such inferior construction that the implement had to be handled with extreme caro lc«t an accident should happen.

A small number of excited spectators witne-ss-ed -what is generally admitted to bo a record coursing run in the Wairarapa. On Booth's property Mr Joseph Booth"= greyhound Jack beat a large buck hare from coa er, and there followed a long stern chase. It is computed that four

miles were covered by the pair, the dog clearing some 75 to IGO fences in the run, the obstacles ranging from sft to 7ft in height. He finally ran his quarry to earth. Just as the hound overhauled it the hare fell dead, the dog sinking exhausted beside the object of the chase. A post mortem revealed that the hare had died literally from a broken heart, that organ having burst from the enormous strain entailed by the run. — v^airarapa Leader. The following team has been selected to represent Southland against Otago in the Interprovincial Cross-country Championship, to be decided on June 3 : — Sloan, Thompson, Bust, Smith, Bain, Lyon, Nash, Anderson ; emergencies, England and M'Kenzie. The Western Star states that Captain Roderique has returned from the West Coast fishing grounds, and brought with him about a ton of fish caught on the road up. He reports fish as being plentiful, but the weather has not been of the best. Firing in the competitions for the South Island ohampionship medal and the Canterbury medal took place at Redeliffs range this afternoon. Corporal Whitlcy (of Kaiapoi) finished on top with a score of 53 out of a possible 56. Corporal T. Murphy (Christcnurch. City Guards) made 49. THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP. SYDNEY, May 24. A sculling match, Stanbury v. Towns, for rlie world's championship and £500 aside, has been arranged, 'o be rowed on the Paramatta River on July 22 SYDNEY. May 27. If Towns beats Stansbury in the forthcoming sculling rpre he will accept the invitation of the of New Westminster (British Columbia) to row for the championship and a purs: of £500 on the Fraser River, and the double championship of the world and a purse of JE2OO. All expenses are to be allowed. Should Stansbmy win he will probably accept the same terms. AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, May £8. May 29, at 8.32 a.m.) A. G. Barry, of St. Andrew's University, who is only 20 3 - ears of age, won the amat&ur golf championship. PIGEON-SHOOTING ABANDONED. LONDON, May 22. The Hurlingham Gun Club has abandoned pigeon-shooting.