LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 9

LOCAL & GENERAL.

At the meeting of the Otago Education Board on the 14th applications wore received from a number of back-block settlers, asking that greater educational facilities should be provided for children living at a distance from schools. The board decided, after Considering the matter at length, to ask the Minister of Education - (the Hon. James Allen) to increase the present boarding allowance of 2s 6d a week, granted to children attending school away from home, to a larger amount.

It has frequently been stated that whey butter will not keep as well as ordinary butter, but a recent instance which was brought under the notice of a Southland Times reporter would seem to prove that that contention is not altogether a correct one. Siome time back the captain of a Home liner which regularly trades to and from New Zealand visited the Edendale factory, and took away with him a couple of pounds of the whey butter that is manufactured there. One pound was consumed before the vessel left port, but the other was placed in the cool chamber. After the vessel had made two trips to and from the Old Country, the pound that had been stored was tried, an Invercargill resident who was not in the secret being one of those who partook of it. The result was that the butter was declared as good as any fresh butter.

It will be remembered (says our Wanganui correspondent) that some months ago a man named Thomas Hewitt, while suffering from hallucinations, murdered his wife at Patea in the presence of two children. Information has now reached Patea of a sequel to the sad tragedy. Hewitt’s aged mother, who resided in England, on hearing the terrible news, collapsed, and died almost immediately from the shock. It has further transpired that Hewitt’s elder daughter, a bright child of 10, has suffered so ■ greatly from the shock of witnessing the terrible occurrence that her hair is going grey in spite of her tender years.

It will be remembered that at the recent meeting Mr Hep worth displayed various samples of products from the Orepuki shale, these being derived from a small lot sent to Scotland some months previously, and treated by the new Del Monte process. He stated that a bulk quantity would be forwarded to the same works, to ascertain if results were equally good. A quantity of about 20 tons of shale is now being got out under Mr Muir’s direction in furtherance of this object. It will be sent to Scotland without delay, and should results justify anticipations the new company will instal this process at Orepuki in the event of its being successfully floated. In this connection we (Orepuki Advocate) learn '.hat shares are going off well, several people: in Invercargill having taken 1000 each, and many smaller quantities; also, 5000 have been sold in Gore. There is every indication of a successful flotation being reported at an early date. A return has been issued by the Department of Agriculture showing the quantities of hemp, tow, and stripper s' ; ps graded at the ports of the dominion during the month of June. The total number of bales of hemp graded was 5904, as compared with 14,584 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 8680 bales. For the 12 months ending June 30, the number of bales graded was 134,876, as compared with 145,661 for the previous 12 months, the decrease being 10,785 bales. During the month 1975 bales of tow were gfaded, as compared with 5144 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 3169 bales. The number of bales graded for the 12 months ending June 30 was 43,719, as compared with 50,553 for the previous year, a decrease of 6834 bales. During the month the number of bales of stripper slips graded was 23, as compared with 576 for June last year, a decrease of 553 bales, and for the 12 months ending June 30 the quantity dealt with was 3614 bales.

The power given to local bodies to apply to the general Government for a guarantee for advances to be obtained by loan on the London or local market is not being used by the local bodies. According to a return presented to the House of Representatives yesterday (our Wellington correspondent states) not a single application for a guarantee was received by iho State Advances Office during the last financial year, and consequently no guarantees were given.

In the House on the 15th Mr Malcolm asked the Minister of Defence whether he had noticed a case reported in the Clutha Leader of July 3, in which it is stated than a Territorial named Martin Campbell had been summoned to appear before a magistrate for neglect of duty, and that, notwithstanding that on his appearance it was discovered that the wrong person had been summoned, Campbell was refused costs, although ho had been taken from his work for some days and compelled to travel a long distance, and whether the Minister would see that Campbell w'as compensated for loss of time and granted expenses. The Hon. J. Allen replied that the officer commanding Otago district has been directed to furnish a report on the incident referred to. On its receipt the Minister would let Mr Malcolm have full particulars of the case.

Of tho 'ISO cases of apples that were landed from Hobart by the steamer that reached Dunedin on tho 14th, 350 were found to bo infected with red mite and with scale. The inspector ordered those apples to be opened up and fumigated before being carted to the auction marts, and he also stated that, for the future, such fruit would not be allowed to be landed

at all. The charges for unwrapping and repacking came to about a shilling per case. Putting this on top of the invoice value, and deducting the reduction in selling prices—for Scarlet Pearmains that usually bring from 10s to 12s a case fetched only from 8s to 10s —it will be seen that the shippers will have to face an appreciable loss on the shipment. The appearance of the fruit, on opening the case, had very much deteriorated, first by the fact that the apples had not been repacked as well as it was done in the orchards by the experts, and secondly, that the fruit had suffered very much by the repacking. The paper had to bo removed before the Government officials would fumigate the fruit. Mr Moritzson, the auctioneer, stated that it was owing to representations being made by Dunedin auctioneers, pointing out that prices were holding fairly high in Dunedin, that shipments had been coming forward from Tasmania to this market.. With the reduction of the duty on Tasmanian apples of id per lb, which took effect as from the 13th inst., the total charges in Dunedin now amounted to 4s, as against Is 6d in Sydney. Tasmania sent 30,000 oases of apples to Sydney every week, and the market there was equally as good as that in Dunedin. Mr Moritzson added that the Tasmanian growers could get better prices in New South Wales, where there were no restrictions, and as the Dunedin market was already under-supplied with apples, the values might go up to famine prices. Owing to the continued high prices ruling for all classes of live stock, but more especially sheep, the Christchurch butchers have decided (a Press Association message states) that, in order to recoup themselves for their outlay, the price of all classes of meat has been increased as from the 15th. For some time members of the trade have been considering the position, and ultimately it was decided that the only thing to do was to pass on the increased cost to the consumers.

The Burnside stock sales were stopped for a few minutes on the j sth, and those present were addressed by Mr T. Smith, who moved the following resolution; —“That the persons now assembled at the Burnside stock sales, and following various pursuits in business, desire to express their unfeigned regret at the death of Mr William Samson. We further desire to offer our sincere condolence with the wife, family, and other relatives of the deceased, and pray that a kind Providence may comfort and strengthen them in their sad bereavement.” Mr Duncan Thomson seconded the motion, which was carried in silence. Mr E. Bowler thanked those present. on behalf of the relatives of the deceased.

At the request of a resident of NorthEast Harbour, the Otago Harbour Board has set apart a room in connection with the old Harbour Board offices, and put seats therein, for the convenience of passengers using the ferry service to the Peninsula. For some time complaints have been made to the Saloyards Company regarding the state of the Burnside yards, which were stated to be in a dirty and muddy con dition, which militated against the comfort of those attending the sales, and of the animals in the pons. A deputation from the Dunedin batchers waited on the company a little over a week ago, and put this matter before its members, who promised to do their best to remedy the grievance. A proposal was also made to have a time limit put on auctioneers at the weekly Burnside sales, with the object of having the sales completed more expeditiously. Those who supported the proposal stated that prices would not be affected, as a fast auctioneer obtained equally as good results as an auctioneer who “talked” a great deal and took a longer time to dispose of his yarding. The Ashburton correspondent of the Lyttelton Times states that Mr W. Begg, farmer, of Ashton (Ashburton County); recently had a very unpleasant experience while attempting to ford the Ashburton River near its mouth after dark. He, with a companion, was driving a young horse, and when about half-way across the stream the trap capsized in a deep hole. Mr Begg was pinned underneath the vehicle, but, fortunately, his companion was thrown clear. The horse was drowned, and but for the cool and brave courage of his friend Mr Begg would have lost his life. It was with great difficulty, and bordering on a • state of collapse, that he was assisted to the bank.

The monthly meeting of the Publicity Committee of the Expansion League was held in the league’s office on the 15th. There were present Messrs J. Inglis Wright (in the chair), R. A. Ewing, G. T. Thorn, W. S. Wilson,' J. G. Moody, P. Milburn, and W. G. Somerville. It was decided to thank the Otago Daily Times and Witness Newspapers Company for their liberal offer to supply the league with 200 copies of the Witness Christmas Annual for distribution among the principal hydros and spas throughout Great Britain and tho Continent. The annual report of the committee, as submitted -by the secretary, was approved, and left in tho hands of tho chairman to make any emendations he thought necessary. The secretary was requested to get periodical reports as to where tho league’s films were being exhibited. It was decided to recommend to the executive that an effort bo made to establish branches of the league in towns throughout Otago, and, if necessary, the question of alt tho name of the league bo taken into t ratio, so as to make the appeal of tho league more effective to Otago residents. A number of other recommendations to tho executive were also carried. A rccom-

mendation to the effect that efforts be made to organise conducted tours through Central Otago was sent on to the Tourist and Amenities Committee.

A charge of sly grog-selling was heard at the Magistrate’s Court at Raetihi last week. Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M., presided over the court. Joe Simon, a Syrian storekeeper, carrying on business at the native kaianga at Jerusalem, was charged by Constable M‘Rae, that he committed a breach of section 273 of the Licensing Act on or about Juno 14. Pie was defended by Mr Tustin. The police evidence alleged' that search of Simon’s premises revealed three or four bottles of whisky, and that Simon, on receiving the summons, said, excitedly : “What! has someone given me away ? If I knew the one who has given me away I would shoot him !” Simon had had a case of liquor on June 6, and on the 10th only four and three-quarter bottles remained. He also had had a case on May 22, and others during the past 12 months. There were about 100 apparently recently-emptied bottles outside defendant’s whare. After hearing evidence for the defence, for the most part testifying to the conduct of the defendant, his Worship, who evidently regarded the prosecution as a strong one, fined defendant the maximum sum of £SO, in default three months’ imprisonment. The fine was paid. A Sydney petitioner for divorce told a remarkable story of her endeavours to keep up with her wandering husband. She said she married respondent in 1897. They lived at various places around Sydney, and then respondent took a job on a ship bound for Africa and London. He returned to Sydney with the vessel in duo course, and other similar trips were made by him. During his absence petitioner drew half his wages from the shipping company in Sydney, but one day she went for her pay and was told that there was no more money for her, as her husband had left the ship in London. Petitioner went to London to try and find her husband. She went to his mother’s place and found he w r as staying there. He' expressed regret for what he had done, and they lived together at his mother’s place for a time. Then he said he would go back to Sydney, and he wrote to her mother to send the money for her faro. Ho afterwards told her that he had received the money, and he secured a berth for her on a vessel that was leaving for Sydney. He said he had got a position on the Ormuz, which was to leave London at about the same time as her vesel left. He led her to believe that he would reach Sydney before she did, and she expected that he would be at the wharf to meet her. He was not there, however. She saw him in George street about three months ago, and she believed he was in Sydney at the present time. Mr J ustioe Gordon allowed tire case to stand over for further evidence.

At' the Magistrate’s Court, Balcluthia, on the 15th, before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., Alexander Laughton and John M’Cullough, of Puketiro, were charged with taking opossums without a license, and also with trapping opossums contrary to the Animals’ Protection Act and the regulations thereunder. Evidence was given by Ranger Pellet and John Stirling as to catching the defendants redhanded with one opossum and a trap. A plea of mistaken identity was raised in the case of M’Cullough, and the Magistrate gave him the benefit of the doubt. Laughton was convicted on bothcharges, and fined £3, with costs (7s).

The Assistant Treasurer, New South Wales, has been busying himself in the interests of the wheat farmers (says the Sydney Sun). With the help of the experience of other countries, and the application of a little common sense, he has evolved a storage shod for country railway stations that he claims will provide adequately for the storage of grain, either in bags or bulk. Mr Hoyle has had a model shed made, and he intends to take it around with him through the agricultural districts to show the farmers what he proposes to do. The idea is to erect doubledeck sheds, each 500 ft long, at railway stations in the wheat centres. The buildings will be of reinforced concrete, floor, walls, and roof. Into each will bo run a series of diagonal railway sidings, for the speedy loading and unloading of trucks, and to obviate the necessity for much of the shunting that is inseparable from existing conditions. When the bulk handling system comes into force it will be necessary to erect silos and carriers, to which the sheds will be valuable adjuncts. Part of the Government’s policy is to make Newcastle a terminal port, and to erect there large silos for the bulk handling of grain. In time there will have to be an enormous plant in Sydney for the same purpose, and Mr Hoyle hopes to start his new system with his concrete storage sheds in the country.

The question of the merits and demerits of the hire-purchase system and the suggested registration of the agreements was again discussed at another meeting of tho council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. It was pointed out (says the Herald) that many farmers beginning life on the land had plenty of grit but very little money. The hire-purchase system was of groat benefit to them in procuring the necessary implements. Very often, it was said, tho registration of the agreement would bo detrimental to the buyer. Many people, too, did not want to disclose the state of their finances by the registration of agreements; but, on tho other hand, it was rather unfair that the sellers of goods on tho hire-purchase system should rank as secured creditors without registration of their security. A resolution was finally

passed to the effect that, although' much could be said for the proposed change, the council did not see its way to 'make a move in the matter'-'*

The residence of Mr A. Pickering, in Waldegrave street, Palmerston North, was entered by burglars a night or two ago (says our own correspondent), and from the indications it would appear that the burglar was a daring individual. Mrs Pickering and her daughter were sleeping in the house at the time, and during the couse of his search the nocturnal visitor must have passed their room. An entrance was effected through the back door, and the burglar used a candle to find his way about the premises. Drawers and trinket boxes were ransacked, but the thief was evidently in quest of money, only jewellery and other valuable articles being left untouched. Only 10s 6d was missed from u purse, the burglar having overlooked several sovereigns in a drawer. The' perpetrat on of a confidence trick (says the Wellington Post) was recently reported •to the police. An elderly man named Thomas Pettigrew came to Wellington not long ago, and lodged at the People’s Palace Hotel. , The fact that he had some money became known to another guest, a young man. One day, it is alleged, the two men began to talk of the turf, and the younger man announced that ho had received a telegram from Gisborne giving information of a “ dead cert.” Mr Pettigrew became interested, and eventually was induced to put some money on the horse,’ and an introduction to a man said to bo a bookmaker followed. The money was handed over. The horse ran a dead heat, but when Mr Pettigrew inquired for his winnings they were not forthcoming.. Two men, Michael Boyle and Joseph Dante have been arrested and remanded till Thursday on charges of conspiring to defraud Thomas Pettigrew. An incident which shows the marvellous powers of endurance possessed by the oldtime Maori has been reported from Kakahi. Recently an aged Maori was missed from Terena, near Kakahi, and after some days had been spent in an unsuccessful search for him it was concluded (says the Taumarunui correspondent of the New Zealand Herald)* that ho had been lost and had perished in the intense cold. For three days and two nights the old man was missing, but he ultimately returned to the settlement along the river bod. When questioned as to his absence, he said ho did not remember much about what happened after he left homo. Pie woke up oil the Sunday evening, ho said, and finding himself near the river bank, followed the course of the river until he reached the kainga. Although the man’s aecurate ago cannot be ascertained, it is fairly certain that, ho is in the neighbourhood of 100 years, for his daughter recently died at the ago of 80 years. Though bent and decrepit,

he is mentally alert.. At intervals, however, he shows a strange lethargy and a disposition to sleep. It was, apparently during one of these periods that he wandered away, but after his exposure in most severe weather he showed no sings of it having affected his health.

At a meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society’s Council on the 13th, Mr Aspinall condemned the importation of rainbow trout for rivers. They did not thrive in rivers, he said, and all past experiments had proved them a failure. The rainbow trout were good only for the lakes, where they seemed to do well. It was explained (says the Temuka Leader) that the trout the society had* obtained were for Lake Alexandria. The council resolved to do nothing regarding the department’s offer of rainbow trout for sale at 5s per thousand.

A shipment of 5000 young apple trees arrived at this port by the Mauaiganui on the 14th for Mr F. G. Duncan’s orchard at Ettrick. The trees were examined by the Government inspector on arrival here, and in a few instances were found to be affected by a small red spider that is by no means unknown to orchardiets. Ho immediately insisted upon the whole shipment being fumigated, despite the fact that Mr Duncan produced a certificate showing that this operation had been carried out in Melbourne, the port of export. Considerable expense and delay will be incurred by a second fumigation, and Mr Duncan states that the extra handling will not improve the trees at all. At the conclusion of the Winton and Otautau District Hunt on the 11th a jumping contest over three flights of hurdles for a two-guinea trophy was held (says the Record). After the horses had taken the jumps a couple of times, the number was narrowed down for the final contest. Sunset tripped at the first hurdle and came down. The rider, Mr J. Kirkwood, got a severe fall, and had his collarbone broken. The hurdle was re-orected, and Mr W. J. Covvio brought Master O’Brien up to it. The horse struck the railing and came down heavily on Mr Cowic. It was at once seen that the rider was badly injured. Mr Cowic was unable to rise, anil in much pain. The two unfortunate accidents put a damper on an otherwise successful gathering. Mr Cowic was brought into Nurse Brown’s hospital, and on medical examination by Dr Gow, it was found that his back was badly injured. There are also internal injuries. Mr J. Kirkwood was .more fortunate, and beyond the broken collarbone, escaped injury.

The story told by an objector to valuation assessment in the court on the 13th ('says the Southland News) goes to show that some of our out-back settlors are still called upon to face pioneering vicissitudes and troubles. The man in question was one of the original settlers who took up a

section at Haldane in 1894-, under the late Sir John M'Kenzie’s State farm scheme. He lives 25 miles from a' railway and only an overgrown track, covered with lawyers and fallen trees, gives him access. He did this 25 miles on foot, tramping through the bush in heavy rain. Ho got to the railhead at dark, slept all night in his wet clothes, and came on to town next morn mg. “And I think I’ll catch a cold, your Worship,” he concluded. “And I certainly think you will,” added the Magistrate encouragingly. The journey, however, was not made altogether in vain, as a substantial reduction . was agreed to by the valuer. Whether this reduction will have full compensating value for the expected cold remains to be seen.

When the Prime Minister was in Otago recently Mr F. G. Duncan approached him with reference to the provision of additional telephonic communication in Central Otago. Replying to these representations the Prime Minister stated that, when the Estimates for this year are being prepared consideration will be given to the providing of an additional wire between Lawrence and Roxburgh, the erecting of a wire to fill the present gap between Miller’s Flat and Island Block and the extension to Herioi of the wire now terminating at Edicvale. The erection of these lines would provide telephonic communication throughout the day between offices on the Lawronce-Roxburgh line and also with Heriot, Edievalc, and, of course, Dunedin. The following (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) have been appointed to control „ the Naseby Domain: —James Richard Smith, James Dawson, Robert Sheppard, Frank Inder, Thomas Borthwick M'Neil, Frederick Walter Inder, Alexander Ernest Brown, and Thomas Charles Horo. The Wondonside correspondent of the Mataura Ensign states that the ford at Cattle Fiat is no longer safe. On the night following that on which Mr and Mrs Goldie met their death at the same place two telegraph linesmen got into difficulties and had a miraculous escape from drowning. The horse and, trap were carried down stream and got into deep water. They were fortunately checked by some willows growing on the bank, but the occupants of the trap had the greatest difficulty in keeping the horse’s head above water and the trap from upsetting. In this position and immersed in the cxtromelv cold water the men remained till daylight, when they managed to reach the bank. They then procured another horse and extricated, their conveyance from its perilious position. A prize of the deep in the shape of a mako shark was caught in local waters last week by Messrs Chadban and Reid, of the launch Duchess (says the Bay of Plenty Times). The mako is one of the most voracious of sharks, and is' highly prized by the natives for its teeth, which arc worn lay thorn as charms. The one secured was a largo specimen, with a particularly fine set of teeth. It was Bft 6in long and very deep in the girth. It was pulled to the surface on a light line, and then shot, providing an exciting time for the party aboard the launch,