OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3084, 23 April 1913, Page 4

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

The growing importance of Taihape as a railway centre is apparent in the fact that about 130 men are now employed in the locomotive, traffic, and maintenance branches. According to Dr Wi Rcpa, there is no justification for the report that the Waiapu typhoid epidemic was traceable to insanitary conditions at the Munutuke hui. The Earl of Wemyss has headed with £SOO a list of subscriptions to raise a fund of £20,000 for the organisation of the United Kingdom of Independent Political Associations to fight Socialism. A few days ago two Wellington constables saw a man go into an alleyway late at night. They did not follow the man, but awaited his reappearance. After a while a man came out to the street carrying a bag. The policemen took charge of the man and the bag, and the former is now accused of having stolon over £SO worth of goods, the contents of a portmanteau. There are now 19 slaughtermen in full work at the Fairfield Freezing Works (says the Press), and during the past fortnight they have been working overtime. Some of the. learners who wore taken out have made, cheques up to £lO for the fortnight, while older and more experienced hands have averaged over £l2. Large numbers of lambs, have been daily arriving at the works in very prime condition. During the hearing of a dispute at the Arbitration Court at Auckland Mr A. Rosser stated that the lady hairdressers entered into competition with the male members of the profession. In some instances they shaved customers as well as did hair-cutting. “ While in Wellington, added Mr Rosser, amid laughter, “1 had my hair cut simply to experience the delicate touch that' a lady alone can , give.” . . j At the meeting of the limaru Acchma- ! tisation Society last week a member remarked that the protection would have to bo taken off seagulls, owing to the damage they were doing. Farmers throughout the province will no doubt agree (says the Timaru Post), as the birds at times moan ■ loss to the farmer by killing newly-born ! lambs. Though they arc protected, a num- j ber of young men were seen in Timaru one ) day last week popping off the gulls with a j pea-rifle. A few days ago the Rev. G. B. Munro ! conducted a' christening in a Chinese residence in Auckland (says the New Zealand Herald). He spoke to one of the Chinese warding Dr Kirk and the Canton mission, and suggested that ho might obtain donations from among his countrymen to provide £35 to instal a bed in the proposed new hospital at Ko T’ong. The On in a man immediately offered £lO 10s, and promised ,

to raise sufficient money to cover the cost of three beds. The Free Press states that an Inchclutha farmer, who was practically isolated by the recent flood, had a novel experience with a big trout which he discovered in ids cowyard. Food in such a time of stress was at a premium on that particular steading, and the farmer lost no time in getting after the unexpected visitor with a pitchfork. The big fish was, after an exciting hunt, safely impaled on the fork, and when transferred to the domestic weighing machine it “ tipped the beam ” at 161 b Boz. Weather at Macquarie Island, whore same members of' the Mawson Expedition are in isolation for science, has been under observation daily, in Wellington, by wireless (says the Post). By the help of Mount Ekato, Mr Bates lias ulfo been in etheral touch with Adelie Land, where Dr Maw&on and his party are cheerful prisoners. Up to to-day the message* have referred to wild hurricanes and other unpleasant weather, but a comparative lull is now reported. Before the_ Antarcticans had time to enjoy the surprising break in the wind’s ferocity, snow fell thickly. Captain J. C. T. Glossop has been selected to command the cruiser Sydney, the second of the cruisers for the Australian fleet unit. Captain Glossop was on the H.M.S. Calliope when she passed through tile destructive storm which swept over Apia, Samoa, in 1889. Of all the ships in the Samoan harbour at the time the Calliope was the only one to weather the gale. Captain Glossop was a midshipman at the time. Afterwards he served on H.M.S. Royalist as lieutenant, and was in Samoa during the complications in 1899. He attained his seniority as captain in June, 1911. The Southland News states that the rain experienced on Sunday evening was very heavy on the high country feeding the Oreti, Mataura, and Aparima rivers, and in consequence they rose very rapidly on Monday. At dusk the Aparima was across the road near Ringway, and the Oreti several feet deep across the road near the Wallacotown bridge. Coming so quickly after the recent big flood it 5s very disheartening to farmers, many of whom have still tljeir crops to secure. The rain experienced since the big floods of a fortnight ago -has cleaned the pastures which were covered with river silt, but this fresh flood will dirty many of them again.

Writing editorially of Mr Massey’s tour through Taranaki, the Eltham Argus says : —“As to the general result of the Taranaki tour, we think that any unbiassed observer will agree that he has improved his position in Taranaki. Personal contact goes far in the political world in the direction of shaping men’s opinions, and Mr Massey, having mixed freely amongst the Taranaki people during his tour, has made many friendships that must prove of value to him in future election contests. . . Mr Massey’s tour through Taranaki has been a successful one, and we trust it will prove as beneficial to the people as it promises to be beneficial to party.” The New Zealand Herald states that there arc 594 schools in the district under the control of the Auckland Education Board, 23 of these having been erected during the year ending on March 31 last. Part-time schools, stunted in the back blocks, total 106. The teachers engaged in the schools number 1292, while under their control arc 44,423 children, the increase of the latter during the past year being no less than 2-374. New schools erected by the hoard dining the year cost £22,431, while during the past two years the board has set aside £20,000 for the purpose of replacing old schools. Schools in which agricultural classes are in operation total 250, and it is the intention of the hoard to appoint an additional agricultural inspector in May. It is probably not generally known (says the Clutha Free Press) that the Chinese are excessively superstitious, and their fear of the unknown extends to a firm belief in ghosts, or spooks, as the modern spiritualists term shadowy visitants from mystery land. The Chinese spooks, however, differ from those invoked by the spiritualist, and arc always evil, and their presence calculated to inspire fear. These spooks are supposed, according to the Chinese, to appear where death has been a recent visitor, and if there have been successive deaths the number of the “ghosts” increases proportionately. So great is the fear of the imaginary ghosts that the laundrymen promptly deserted the house where Geo Wee died, alleging “ Me no earco ghostoes, allee same Dad man. Welly many gliostccs. ” A rather alarming statement, and one reflecting seriously on the. honour of the post office leitcr-carric-rs, was made by Mr Hogg at a meeting of Wanganui business men on Friday evening (reports the Chronicle). The meeting had (seen called to discuss ways and means to support the Thursday half-holiday, and it was suggested that every elector should bo circularised by post! Mr Hogg did not place much faith in this method, as he alleged that circu lare, when known to be such, were not always delivered by the post office officials. Mr Lloyd Jones said that anyone who knew of such a tiling happening should

report it to the postmaster. Mr Hogg said he had seen it done. It was no use reporting it, as ho could not get the documents. The incident occ” —ed a coupto of years ago. Ho was on the river bank, and he saw the postman throw the circulars into the river.