OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 4

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

There are 10 private schools in the Nelson education district. A considerable number of residenct s are in course of erection in Nelson. The .demand tor suitable houses continues to exceed tiie supply. By the Moana there arrived for Wellington from San .Francisco on the 17th inst. 865 eases of eggs, which were shipped fresh and carried in the refrigerator space. The potato crops in the Gibbston district have been an absolute failure tnis season (says the Southland Times). Many farmers will have to buy seed for next planting season. The Ekctahuna Express says: —"It is reported that an outcrop oi coal has been discovered on Air P. M'Donald's property at Waiwcra, and that an endeavour is being made to obtain a report from a Government expert. During .two days last; week the large sum of £22,100 17s lOd was collected in Customs duty at Wellington. Tins increase in receipts is due in a measure to the; withdrawal of tobacco ami spirits from bond, in anticipation of the Budget proposals. With commendable royalty and patriotism the European and Native inhabitants of Malaysia have presented to the British Government a squadron of lb aeroplanes, at a total cost of £25,881, of which £25,000 had already been subscribed and remitted at the end of March last. On Saturday afternoon the Ashburton police made a raid on a residence where sly grog-selling is aileged to have been carried on. It is understood that a large quantity of liquor was seized, and that a prosecution will follow. A particularly mean instance of theft befcl Nurse Roy, who has taken over the work oi Nurse Orton, in connection with the Plunket Society at Oamaru. Nurse Eoy was on her first official visit in the district when hex new kit of tools was stolen from her bicycle. An elderly man named Edward James Jones, who followed the occupation of a drover, was found dead in bed at his residence in Heretaunga street, West, Hastings, about. 8.30 a.m. on the 17th. On the. 16th ho had been on the road ail day with sheep, and returned home tired. A very small area of wheat, as compared with other seasons, will bo put in at Cheviot this year, the slump in prices and the fear of the labour problem combining to induce farmers to go in more for sheep, which on present prices (says the Christchurch Press) show a good return with a minimum of labour. Regarding the prevalence of scarlet fever in Christehmch, Major Pickerill, in a lecture, at Christchurcn on the 20th ins!. on the care of the teeth, said that scarlet fever was a throat and mouth disease, and it, had been proved in America that if children's teeth were attended to scarlet fever among children decreased to a very great, extent. "The Maoris have the finest teeth of any race in the world,'' said Major Pickerill at the Christ-church Technical College on the 20th inst., "through their teeth being smooth on the surface. The modern tooth of the white man is developing ridges on the surface, and these ridges allow the acid causing decayed teeth to ha-vo greater hold." "Two thousand men are dentally treated each month at camp to enable them to bo fitted to go to the front and fight. That shows there is something wrong with the dental treatment of the young men of the dominion." This statement was made by Maor Pickerill at the Technical College at Christehuroh on the 20th inst., when lecturing on the care of the teeth. A number of young men in Nelson who are between the ages of 19 and 20 jea-.-s feel aggrieved that they are unable to Lave, their names put down for future reinforcement drafts until they reach the age of 19 years nine months. They intend to press their claims or the authorities to have recognition granted them of their willingness to serve their King and country. English advices state that, owing- to the difficulty experienced in obtaining labour, many of the principal cities' tram services have had to be curtailed. The depletion of employees caused by enlistments has been met in many instances by the employment of women as conductors, and in some cases ns motor drivers. This experiment has proved highly successful, and there has been no trouble so far as the public are concerned. A most credible authority informed a business man of Chrislohurch that a. most pi-cu'iar position of nitairs pe.vvails in American shipping centres regarding the sale nf freight space. It; appears the agents of u vespe] ali-ont to sail advertise so many tons of freight space for sale, and the highest bidder gets it. ITe. in his turn, s<!ls the r.jxico, in smaller lots, of course. at an advanced rate, and thus the cost of frri'rht mounts up. A ca?e ww< h'-i'.rd al tfi 'Wellington Mig-a-I, ,<•,.'•< Com-1 on lb- led., before >.!•■ P. G. \ ' '• -■ :n"r. ; - '.1.. ;v;; : "U formed a sennol to an meeting hcid at the Alexandra Hall in Abel f'mifch street on the oveninn of Sunday, June 4. The defende.iitsv.-e.ro Messrs Patrick Webb, M.P., and Harry '!''.,'!■:.;, and Ad. la Prnkhtmr. and Hie eh:'nce*; w.-re that tk y tVA mi; in acta In Abel Smith street, in eons-queriee of which other people were induced to congre-

gate so as to impede traffic. After hearing evidence, his Worship stated that there was no doubt a technical breach of the by-law had been caused. The speakers had not been informed by the police that, they were creating a breach. He thought a nominal fine would meet the case. As Miss Pankhurst was a stranger to New Zealand, he would convict and discharge her. The defendants Webb and Holland would each be fined 5s and costs (7s).