LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 57

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The Rev. E. A. Axelsen last week received a donation of £SO for thft Presbyterian Orphanage funds from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The voting papers in. connection with the election of a representative of the primary schools in the Otago Lniversity district on the University Council were opened on the 14th, and. it was found that Mr W. Eudey had polled the highest number of votes, and consequently had been elected a member of the council. The voting was as follows : —Mr W. Eudey, 109; Mr J. H*nnie, 79; and Mr G. W. C. Macdonaldj 57.

The Earl of Ranfurly, chairman of directors of. the New Zealand Oilfields (Limited),, in- m letter dated May 3 to Mr Carter (one of the Advisory Board), states: " Once get the refinery going, and I think there would be little difficulty in getting more capital, if necessary, here." Lord Ranfurly adds that, owing to the increased percentage of wax in the oil to be refined, it has- been found necessary to slightly increase the cost of the refinery. A tinning plant has also been ordered. He fully expects that six months hence will see stills working, though the wax plant may be a month later. Information from other sources gees to show (writes the New. Plymouth correspondent of tohe Post) that preparations were well in. hand when the mail closed in London. Lord Ranfmrly and his colleagues were taking an exceptionally keen interest in the business of ordering plant and making staff appointments. It Was anticipated that within three weeks from the date of writing the refinery manager, with complete working plans for the refinery and constructional works, and all instructions, bo select site and start build: ing, etc., would be on the way, to be followed immediately by the first shipment of refinery plant and despatch of refinery engineer and builder, who, under contract with the makers of the plant, would stay at least six months on the property. Mr Home, a Vancouver merchant, who passed through Auckland on the Bth on his return to Canada,, told an interviewer that Australian merchants are feeling the disadvantage- under which they labour, as compered with those of New Zealand, in trading with Canada, This country has a preferential tariff with Canada by which butter is admittted a id per lb less, than Australian, and- there are other differences in favour of New Zealand. The installation of the Auckland-Vancouver service enables New Zealand to compete for the Canadian trade in a way that she could not do when transhipment had to be made at Sydney, whence under the old arrangement the steamers of the Vancouver service took their final departure from Australia. New Zealand also commands subsidised space in the only line of steamers running between Western Canada and Australasia. Australian exporters are now endeavouring to induce the Federal Government to establish a reciprocal tariff with Canada in order to put. them on the same level as New Zealand exporters.

Mr Deans and his staff of workmen have been busily engaged at the trout traps in the Leith during the week lifting out the spawning fish which have come in from the sea, and despoiling them of their ova. Mr Deans states that some beautiful female fish have been taken from the trap, all in good condition, and that a, IG-pounder was about the biggest trout of the 150 or 150 which have bo far gone through thoir hands. Spawning trout have also been seen inside the floodgates at Lake Logan, but it is considered doubtful whether the ova from these wili hatch out in the salt water. Two cans- of the ova obtained from tho Leith trout have already been sent to the Clinton Hatchery, and the rest will be hatched out at Opoho Hatchery.

To turn a corner and see a young lady advancing upon you with her large headgear ablaze is apt to give you a rather unpleasant start. Such waa the experience, however, of a Christchurch gentleman and his wife, who are just now on a visit to Dunedin. The incident happened at the intersection of Moray place and George street, and the gentleman at once rose to the occasion. The lady appeared to bo quite unconscious that anything was amies with her headgear, and w<u> no doubt considerably startled when the Christchurch visitor rushed at her and attempted to remove the pins from her hat. Ho found somn difli-

oulty In doing this, however, and had no alternative but to wrench the hat off, pins and all. The hat was destroyed and the lady's hair considerably singed. It ap peared that the lady had juwt previously left her and on bending over to blow out the candle her hat caught on fire. She had, as she thought, put the flame out, but had evidently not been sufficiently careful. The rescuer and his wife took the lady back, home, when, true to the traditions of her sex, all danger being past, she fainted.

At the meeting of the Otago Land Board on the 12th consideration was given to » letter from the Under-secretary of Lands in respect to trafficking m Crown. Lands, After discussion, the following motion was unanimously adopted:—" That this board has always discouraged any attempts at trafficking in Crown Lands, or other lands administered by it, and is of opinion that very little ■woh goes on in Otago. In the matter of goodwills that may appear excessive, it is of opinion thai as the law stands the. board, is. practically powerless to prevent transfers on such account. It recommends that a conference of the Land Boards of the Dominion should be held; at which these and other questions relating to land administration might be discussed." Tho hope was expressed that such a conference would lead to unanimity in administration on the part of the varioits boards, and if amendments in the proposed legislation were considered advisable such proposed amendments might be brought under the notice of the Hon. the* Minister of Lands by resolution of the conference.

At the meeting of the Technical School Bqard of Managers, held on Wednesday afternoon, the managing director (Mr A. Marshall) submitted a statement regarding the new building fund, which showed that the amount to be raisod locally was £SOOO, and the Government subsidy,on this sum was £5000; building grant from the Government £10,000; esti mated amount to be derived from the sale of the present premises, £6OOO, malting a total of. £26,000. It was decided that Messrs Murray, Clark, Kenipthorne : Wilkinson, Haslett,' Israel, and the chairman be a- committee to canvass for further subscriptions towards the fund.

A lengthy conference was held before Mr J. H. Trigga, Conciliation Commissioner, on the 12th, regarding the demands of the furniture trade workers in Otago for an alteration in several respects: in the award at present recognised by the parties: Fortunately, the assessors, under the tactful guidance of Mr Triggs, were able tc come to an agreement. As~a consequence, there will bo no necessity now to carry the matter to the Arbitration Court, which will save expense and trouble to all concerned. The effect of the settlement is that whereas under the previous award the workers received Is 3d per hour for a week of 48 hours, they will now receive Is 4£d per hour for a week of 44 hours. When the agreement had been signed the parties heartily congratulated Mr Triggs on the fact that he had been able to bring about a settlement that was satisfactory to both parties. Mr Triggs thanked the assessors for their kind expressions. la conversation with a Times reporter last week Mr F. Deans, manager of the Opoho Fish Hatchery, stated that the attempt of the Government to acclimatise the Califormian salmon (Salmo quinnat) in New Zealand waters had apparently been crowned with success. The salmon were brought to the Dominion & number of years. ago and hatched out at the Hakatarame=i Hatcheries, the fry then being placed in the Waitaki River Since that time young salmon have been coming into the Waitaki. from the sea for the spawning season, and this year the. salmon have gone right up into the headwaters and into the adjacent lakes. In California the salmon grow lo a weight of 701 b or 801 b, but although no fish of this weight have been seen in the Waitaki, it is. estimated that some of then weigh up to 301 bor 401 b. Evidently, if the famous Californian salmon cun be to reproduoe their specie*, in quantity in our waters; the Dominion will find that it has brought to its doors an asset which should prove more and more valuable as time goes on.

The Managing Director (Mr A. Marshall}, at the request of members of the Board of lianagement, explained on the 12th inst. the system of providing lunches at the Technical Sehooi. He said they took in students from the country and charged them 2s per week. Four teachers curried on the work at lunch time and got their hinchos free for their work; and other teachers could come in by- paving for their lunch. They found that the cost, of the lunches worked out at something ju*t under 5d under the present management. Their object was to give the pupils an opportunity of preparing a meal at a fair figure of economy. Previously they had a teacher who had the highest certificate in London, and the cost of meals then had risen from 4Jd up to Is 3d. They found that they could provide a meal equally as good with the staff they had trained themselves, and the cost was from to 5d per meal. Mr Thomson and Mr Israel spoko in praiso of the general excellence of the lunches provided, while other members, aftejj hearing the director's statement, expressed the opinion that these facts should have been placed before the Cos* of Living Commission when it eat in Dunedin.

The shooting for the shield in connection with the Farmers' Union rifle competition has resulted in the Kaitangata branch again winning the trophy, with tho jood score of 579 (says tho Clutha Leader). Last year Kaitangata won with 570, Paraparaumu being a close second with 562

points. This year Kaifcangata improved: their score by 9 poante, while Pairaparaumu also advanced 10 points, being again a good second with 572. The weather was described by both teams as perfect. There were 12 teams competing, and the following arc the scores*; —Kaitangata 579, Paraparanniu 572, Cheviot 544, Maniototo 544. Shannon 525, Eketahuna 473, Waimate (1) 451, Marlon 422, Waimate (2)' 411. The other three teams did not send in returns.

A special meeting of the Otago Education Board, held on Wednesday afternoon, was attended by the Hon. T. Fergus (chairman) and* Messrs' Borrie, Israel, and Mitchell. Miss Macgregor waited on tho board as representing the Eugenics Society, but in view of the absence of several members and the approaching visit of the- Education Commission, it was decided- that she" should make her representations at a later meeting. The Chairman said he had been in communication with Mies Macgcorge, and that she had much valuable matter to submit for their consideration. . The Hon. T. Fergus was unanimously appointed as the board's representative on the council of the University of Otago for a term of two years. The bsard then went into commit tee to consider matters connected with the visit of the Education Commission to Dunedin.

At the annual meeting of the Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining and Sluicing Company on the 12th the chairman of directors (ilv W. L. Simpson) pointed a nior-al from. sonie of the figures of the company's transactions. It might, not bo uninteresting, ho said, especially in these days when there was such extravagant talk indulged in by the Federal ion of Labour and others with reference to the wages of gold minecs and others, to show what the miner had made from this mine during its life of 20 yea**, and to show the returns that had been paid to those who* were unwise enough to supply the money for working- the mine.—(Laugh tor.) The total amount of wages paid during the 2U years they had been at work came to the large sum of £51,213 9s 9d. The amount paid in dividends- was £32,429 lbs 4d. That was, the capital of- the company had been restored, and the- largo sum of £2429 16s 4d paid towards interest on the money put out. He thought that demonstrated that the working miner had had the right end oL. the stick as far as tha claim was concerned.

At the last monthly meeting of the Obago branch of the Trained' Nurses' Association, Dr Will gave a very interesting, and instructive lecture on the Japanese war. He related how the Japanese had prepared long Beforehand for .tihe war, how they had striven to reduce the death-rate from disease to a minimum, how the soldiers had been trained to care for their bodies, and to make use of whatever cajne. to their hands, in the. absence of proper appliances, and their minds filled with laws and maxims calculated to mak-3 them loyal and fearless warriors. He showed how the men lived, on the march, and in camp, at. ambulance work in the field, and in the hospitals. The. lecture was illustrated by many clear and weil-defined charts and diagrams, which added greatly to the enjoyment of it. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health and Hospitals, having recently had his attention called to the fact that many working men and others, in receipt of between £3 and £4 per week were denied the right of taking advantage of the benefits of the St. Helens Maternity Hospitals (says the Christchurch Press), the question was brought before the Cabinet by Mr Russell last week, when it was decided thaft the regulations should do amended in the direction of extending, the benefits of those hospitals to persons in receipt of not more than £4 per week in wages.

The. annual report of the director of the Dental School states that the- following represent* the clinical work of the Hospital for the year:—Total number of operations, 3639; number of fillings, 5767; anaesthetic cases. 148; simple extraction*, 235; crowns and bridges, 44; artificial dentures, 129; number of freeh patients registered, 373; number of attendances of patients, 3353. The proceeds received from the garden fete recently held at the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium, supplemented by a sum from the Hospital Saturday Association, have been devoted towards securing two pianos for the use of the patients at the Sanatorium. The pianos have filled a long felt want, and are very highly appreciated by the patients.

A classic Maori term for the North Island of New Zealand is " Te Iko-a-Maui" (" The Fish of Maui "), a name which preserves the legend of the ancient canoe-navigator and explorer who is said to have fished the island up from the depth of the ocean — the Polynesians' allegorical fashion of describing the discovery of a new land. According to the Rev. W. D. Westerveld, a visitor to Sydney from Honolulu, where for 20 years he has made* a study of Polynesian folk lore, being the author of " Maui, tho Demi God of the Polynesians," the people of nearly 20 of the island groups have a similar legend of their origin, and venerate the memory of the same magic fisherman. Maui is, ho says, the Hercules of Polynesian mythology, and is credited with almost every feat performed by tha* celebrated hero, except tho cleaning out of the Augean stables. Mr Westerveld spent a couple of months in New Zealand looking into the Maori legends which bear a remarkable similarity, he said, to those of Hawaii and other groups, thus proving a common origin. His own idea is that the Polynesians came from some part of India, through the Malay Archipelago, and in the

course of centuries scattered over the wide Pacific, leaving traces of their migrations on those islands whilh, they had merely used as resting places on the way to Hawaii, Samoa, the Society Islands, and New Zealand, where they had finally settled.

We learn from a Press Association message from' Wellington that the Gajsetfce which was issued on the 13fch contains- an intimation that King George has approved of the retention of the title of. " honourable " by Sir J. G. Findlay, who has been for more than three years at member of the Executive Council.

Owing to the bad weather, which lias been fairly general throughout the province, the trip which it was proposed should be made through the Clutha Valley by twelve members of the Chamber of Commerce has been indefinitely postponed. A man who has just returned to Reefton from Daylesford (Victoria)' that in that place only six weeks ago from 600 to 700 men were- out of work. This man was there for six months, so that he should be able to speak with some authority on the condition of the labour market in that place. "

In the matter of rateable values of property,, there appears to be a wide divergence of opinion between the Valuation Department's officials and the Portobello Road Board. At a meeting, of the board on the 13th the 'ihairman said it was high time there was a revaluation of property in the Portobello district,, and he backed up his assertion By referring to a number of anomalies. Of those which appeared to be most glaring examples, were several oases where local building sections had changed hands at prices ranging from £3O to £4O each, but! the Government valuation of the same sections, by which the board was obliged to fix its annual rates, ranged from only' £3 to £ls. Mr Seaton said they had been told it would cost £l2O to have an independent revaluation, but he fully believed it would pay the board handsomely in the long run if it were carried out. After a brief discussion the matter wag dropped, members being apparently satisfied for the time being with the expression of their disapproval of present rating values. It does not appear that the Eveline butchers have gained much, if anything, as the result of the delegation that proceeded to Christchurch to interview the general manager (says the Oamaru Mail). The butchers' representative has now returned, and has reported that the general management upholds- the action'of the local management with reference to the dispute, which affects the interpretation of the clause in the Arbitration Court's award limiting the numbers of learners to journeymen butchers. The management is resolute in its determination to keep on. the learner to whom objection has been taken, and the men are just as resolute in their determination not to resume work so long as he is kept in his present position. Meanwhile the works are closed.

Early on Tuesday, 11th insfc., Mr William Baath's tinsmith's shop, in Leven street, Naseby, was completely gritted by fire. The brigade was promptly on the scene, otherwise a more serious conflagration might have resulted. The origin of the fire is at present a complete mystery. The shop and contents were insured for £SO in the Alliance offee.

In 1883 (says the Lyttelton Times) four members of. the -Rangiora and Mandeville Licensing Committee—Messrs J. Johnston (acting chairman), J. L. Wilson, R. Leggett, and A. Oatchpole—decided, after considering petitions presented for and against the cancellation of an hotel license at Woodend, and hearing evidence given, that one hotel was- sufficient for the requirements of a comparatively small district, and they granted a renewal of the license to the White Crane Hotel in the more central position, and refused a license to the Royal Hotel. The proceeding was challenged by an appeal to the Supreme Court* which granted applicant's costs against the committee amounting, after a subsequent reduction, to £146 18s lOd. Efforts were made by the committee to obtain a refund from the Government, and the matter has not been dropped during the intervening years. Last week the Minister of Internal Affairs allowed the members of the committee each £36 10s. Thus, after 29 years, they received their outstanding- claims. The interest on the amount, at 5 per cent., would have been about £205.

The mother and sister of Mr Charles Williams, the racquet champion of the world, who are residing in Wellington (says the Post), have- been informed that before the sinking of the Titanic, on. board of which ho was travelling to America to play a. match, he jumped overboard, and, sup. ported by a lifebelt, which he had hastily donned in his cabin, floated about for a few minutes, but was ultimately picked up by one of the lifeboats. He told Lloyd's correspondent that a moment after he was hauled into the boat Captain Smith swam up to it, supporting a baby on his left arm and swimming with his right. " Take the child,' ho gasped. " A dozen hands instantly reached forth," said Mr Williams, "to grasp the baby, which was at once taken into the boate. We then tried to pull Captain Smith into the lifeboat, but he refused to come." " What became of Murdoch?" asked the captain. (Murdoch was the chief officer.) Someone in the boat said, " He shot himself." " Upon hearing this," said Mr Williams, " the captain released his grasp of the gunwale, and slowly sank before our eyes." The incident of Wild Kemp, the wellknown Wanganui chieftaincss, waking up after being declared to be dead, to look upon her own tangi. and then paesing finally over the border, is by no means a solitary

case of this kind on reoord among the Maoris (says the Manawatu Times). Aftother case was that of a well-known Maori footballer who had apparently died of blood-poisoning, caused by new football stockings. His relatives were lamenting hji early death in approved fashion, and buting it to the baneful' effect* of caV lege education, when the corpse Kit up a»A said that the college (of which, he wu very proud) had nothing to do with, it, ami W they were going to say that sort of thing about it he wouldn't be dead any longer. but would go back to college and allow, tirey were wrong. He did, and was in Palmerston North the other day, a substantial entity of about IS stone. Forty additional patients w«re admitted; to the Hospital during tha past week, anal \ 26" were discharged. ■■< Three patients named John Bryan, Joe Gow, and Eliza Jane Aiteheson. died during the week, and thetotal inmates remaining number 145. which, is II more than at the expiration of the week preceding.

There has recently arrived in Wellington a miniature in stone of the statue of thelate Mr Seddon, which has been designed By Mr F. Brock, the noted British sculptor! miniature is about three feet in height, and portrays the late Prime Minister in ou« oi his most characteristic attitudes —his left hand grasping a sheaf of papers, his fmck coat thrown back, displaying'his niasatVe chest, and big right hand raised aicft,. to stress the point that he is making. The sculptor has also effected in the atone a really excellent likeness, and cast in bronze and about nine foet high (as it will be), the monument should prove a splendid memorial of one who for so many years occupied the place of honour in the administration of the Dominion.

Amongst the passengers from Sydney by the' Warrimoo on Thursday (says the Wellington Post) wae Mr C. E. Adams, C&ief Computer of Surveys in New Zealand, who attended the Australasian Surveyors-General Conference in Melbouirne. One of the most important recommendations of the conference was one that the Commonwealth should undertake a geodetic surrey of the continent. This will be the work of a generation, and about £20,000 will be required for the first operations. .The cost will be about l-14th of a penny per On this survey the States will build secondary and tertiary surveys to complete the required knowledge of the density of the land, its value, and existing boundaries.

The correspondence that was submitted at the meeting last week of the committee of the Society for the Health of Women and Children included letters from mothers expressive of appreciation of the privilege they had enjoyed of accommodation, with their infants, at the Karitane Harri s Hospital. One mefcher who has a family of eight children, wrote: "It would be utterly impossible for any mother who has not been at Knritana to realise what care is taken of the bubies by the nurses. I (although I say it myself) have never trusted the< bringing up- of o»» of my babies to anyone, but I would not have any hesitation in recommending any mother to send her baby bo Karitaue if it was sick and required any attention. In fact, 1 thought that at Karitane it would be impossible to look after babies as tfcey are attended at home by mothers, but one lias to see to realise what nurses-can do. One thing I thought whilst I was there wa* that it would be a good idea fox all maternity nurses to spend a month at Karitane before going out bo patients, or, better stu% for any mother who is expecting to spend some time at Karitane. One never realises how much is to be learnt until you see.**

Speaking at the opening of the Aehbur* ton winter show an Friday afternoon (says the Lyttelfcon Times). Mr John Studholma emphasised the importance of the j-anltry industry, and advocated farmers taMng- a more general interest in the production of eggs and poultry for market. In many countries, he said, poultry farming <vas of more growing importance than any other branch of agriculture, and he felt sure that. New Zealand offered a splendid Held for developing the poultry industry. One thing: to strengthen it was "an assured fcreign market for eggs and poultry, and chis, ha felt sure, could be obtained. He advocated the Government sending someone who thoroughly understood the practical and commercial side of the business to obtain full information of the possibilities m trade with Honolulu, Vancouver, and London. The money would be wisely spent and tend to strengthen the poultry industry. '• We aro held together by a sense of what I might call our mission," said the Right Hon. J. Bryce, at the New Zealand Club, Wellington, on Thursday " I speak of this in no spirit of brag, but from, the point of view of a people who have been, called in an unexampled way by Providence to render service and to play a part in- thai world which no other nation has been called called to do. We have been called upon aa a nation and a people to open the world. We have been the discoverers of the world, and we have a great duty laid upon us to the backward races who inhabit our tropical regions. No one can accuse Britain of wanting more territory. Wo have as much as we can safely administer." The English people, he added, wanted to live in, peace with everybody. Zion City, Illinois, the settlement established by John Alexander Dome, -wrs oon> verted into a Donnybrcok recently. Serious rioting occurred between the Zionists and the employees of a manufacturing concern which recently began operations there and which is not in any way connected with the religious sect. These employees

are, many of them, tobacco-u>sers Smoking: is very wicked in the eyes of the Zionists. As a protest against the use of tobacco, about 200 Zion men and women held prayer meetings at the manufacturing plants twice a day This enraged the nonZionists, and several ecore of them 'broke up a prayer meei'ng on the afternoon of April 29, boat the men and women of the Z-'on "sect, and drove them all from that part of the town. Elder F. M. Royal and Joseph Bishop were meat seriously injured, both being beaten until they were almost unconscious. The next day a truce was declared, Wilbur Glenn Voliva (overseer of Zion) announcing that there would be no more militant marching aga.inst the employees ~of the factory who insisted upon smoking. Mr G. W. Jenner, secretary of the South Islands Brass Bands Association (says the Lyttelton Times), has received the following communication from Mr Tom Morgan, of Lendofl, who judged the band competitions held in Christchureh during the last week of January:—"l have this day (April 29) despatched to the contest authorities in Dunedin a full list of the music chosen by me, at your association's request, for the test numbers in the A and B grade selection events at the Dunedin contest and for the open quick-step and solo, quartet, and trombone trio competitions. I have chosen music that is likely to bring out the best qua'ities of the instrumentalists. Some of the solo* may be known, but that matters little. They will, in any case, require to be re-studied. The music will call for creative treatment and not for the overcoming of technical difficulties. Players will require to discover the artistic sense and meaning of the soles. I have, in my choice, considered what is best for the players, judging from my experience at the Christchurch contest. I would like to hear the Dominion soloists again, but, oh! the distance that separates England and New Zealand ! One music firm hp.s arranged a quartet specially and expressly for the Dunedin contest, and one of the selections has not yet been seen by anyone- outside the publishing office, so that the bands and soloists will Start on an absolute level. Kindly convoy Miy good wishes to the bandsmen of New Zealand."

The local secretary informs us that 224 candidates have-entered for the forthcoming practical examinations of the Trinity College, London, this being a record number for Dunedin. The entries are classified ss follows: 24 for associate, two higher local, 25 senior, 28 intermediate, 67 junior, £8 preparatory, and 30 "First Steps." Mr Charles Schilsky will again be the examiner. At the Dunedin Diocesan Synod on the 17th Archdeacon Neiid gay© notice of the following motion: —"That, in the opinion of this Synod, the present distribution of wealth is unfavourable to the highest wellbeing of the Empire; that is is as perilous to the moral excellence of those who have in excess us to that of those who have not what they need; that it is unfavourable to healthy consumption by developing fictitious wants; that it establishes materia] wealth as the standard of success; that it tends to destroy the practical sense of the Divine Soiiahip, and the spiritual brotherhood of Man."

A Press Association telegram states that a ladies committee of the Timaru branch of the Navy League purposes making a general appeal shortly to the women of New Zealand for shilling subscriptions to present a silk ensign and a Union Jack lo the battleship New Zealand when she arrives next year. It is hoped that the fund will be truly representative of the whole Dominion.

Mr Milner, rector of the Waitaki, High School, dos>s not hesitate to emphasise the necessity of the introduction of found teaching on sex physiology into schools, and advocates the desirability of the departmental appointment of expert lecturers on ffiis delicate but vital matter. "Speaking- for myse'f,'' added Mr Milner, when giving evidence before the Education Commission on the 17th, "with a full consciousness of the grave responsibilities attaching to a position when 1 am in loco parentis to 160 boarders, I can say that I should not dream of retaining such a charge unless I had a free hand in providing sound, expert instruction on sexual hygiene. There can be no doubt that such teaching is best given through parental channels, but all my experience leads me to recognise reluctantly that parents shamefully neglect their obligations in this matter. If the generality even of parents were to follow out the ad vice by the Hon. Edward Lyttelton's book, ' Tilt* Training of the Young in the Da we of Sex,' theie would be little left for the schools to do in this connection. A doctrine of pusillanimous reticence about these vital physiological processes defeats its own end. Nature provides such an active curiosity on the subject that unless right and clean instruction is given knowledge is gained in haphazard and perverted ways, and vitiated information often sullies for ever what should be perfectly found and innocent. If the right presentation of the law of the propagation of life is given first it will fortify a 'normally-constituted boy's mind against all the perversions of pruriency."

New Zealand was in imminent danger of losing its Minister of Publio Works on Friday (says the Christchurch Press). Mr Macdonuld, along with members of his party, was inspecting a cutting on the South Island Main Trunk line at the Leader, a few miles above Parnassus station. A blasting fuse was put in to bring down some rock, and the resultant explosion is stated to have been a record one for the works. One big shower of rocks, many of them of large dimensions, shot out several

vards and enveloped the Ministerial party and the construction men, who ran for their lives with the rocks falling all around them. Fortunately, no one was hurt, though the Minister had a narrow escape, one great lump missing him by inches. Another, however, struck him on the foot, and a email one landed on his hard felt hat. which, fortunately, was stout enough to withstand the blow.

In the course of an interview with a Christchurch Press reporter the Hon. T. Buxton, M.P. for Temuka, stated that he was in communication with the Commonwealth on two points which were causing some friction. The Agricultural Department on the other side had refused to accept various kinds of grain and produce, because the sacks weighed more than 2001 b gross. The Australian regulation was 2CCIb gross, while the New Zealand regulation was 2001 b net, with an increase to 2061 b gross before a penalty would be inflicted. Several lines of grain had been refused in Australia because the sacks weighed more than 2001 b gross. He was endeavouring to secure a change in that matter. Another matter was that the Commonwealth required the stencilling of every bag of grain and produce shipped to Australia as New Zealand grown, '"new, sound, and clean." Pie intended to point out that this was a most inconvenient method of branding, and that in reality the brand was no guarantee of the quality of the bag's contents. The grader's certificate was insisted upon, and it should be sufficient. New Zealand accepted the Australian sacks with the ordinary branding, and the grader's certificate. Some interesting details (have become known about the "manner of life of "the greatest miser in Vienna," Joseph Spitzberger, who died unmarried a few weeks ago at the age of 87, leaving his fortune of £IOO,OOO to found a children's hospital. He may be said to have made the practico of economy a fine art, and to have solved the problem of getting the three main necessaries of "life —lodging, food, and clothing—at the lowest poseible cost, as follows: He was a vegetarian, teetotaller, and nonsmoker, and lived almost exclusively on dry broad, which he bought stale at a much reduced price. This cost him only 2d a day, and was supplemented by the occasional purchase of a ha'porth of stale eggs or damaged fruit. His drink was tea, but he used the leaves over and over again as long as they had any colour or taSte could be got out them, so that a kilo costing 4s lasted him a year, at the rate of Id a week.

A monument in remembrance of Major Kemp, a gallant Maori, chieftain, who was a staunch ally of the New Zealand Government during the days of the Maori rebellion, between 1865 and 1870, and who died near Wanganui on April 15, 1898, aged 74 years, is being erected by public and private contributions in the Motu Gardens, at Wangamii. When erected, the monument, which is described as being the first, lifesize monument entirely executed in Now Zealand, will stand 20ft high, the ba-se being about 9ft square. The pedestal will bo made of Ooromandel gi unite, while the lifesize figure will be of marble. There will be numerous inscriptions on the monument, and aliso four elaborate scenes worked in bronze, and depicting four notable engagements in which the gallant officer rendered signal service to his British allies. The semes illustrate the night march and surprise on Pungarehu (October 6, 1866), the battle of Moturoa (November 7, 1866), the storming of Te Kooti's pah at Pourere (October 3, 1869), and the routing of Tc Kooti's followers, together with the capture at Maraetabi of 300 prisoners (Novciuber 13, 1870). The surmounting inscription on the monument states that " In conjunction with his sister, Hihiko-i-Terangi, a chieftain-ess of several tribes, this monument is raised by a grateful country in affectionate remembrance of Major Kemp, high-born Maori chief, brave soldier, and staunch ally of the New Zealand Government." The monument is being executed by an Auckland firm.