NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3293, 25 April 1917, Page 39

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply in pomiog Issue to be re"oeiTed not later than night. Questions will NOT be replied to- thxougL the post. /

Celt, rTgatapa, provides the following problem:—A- has some stud rams riwuimg with, his ewes. B' is grazing the adjoining ground with some oull ewes. A maintains that should his good rams tup any of the inferior cull sheep in the near-at-band paddock bis rams will be of no further use to him for breeding purposes, and B questions whether the fact of rams tupping an inferior ewo would contaminate or affect the after progeny of the particular ram. The ram will not be arreted in any way to the disadvantage of the future progeny. As to the right to placing store sheep in a paddock adjoining a stud flock, A's proper remedy is to proceed under the provisions of sections 82 and 83 of "The Fencing Act, 1908, and have the land between his property and that of his neighbour properly fenced. After there is a "sufficient" fence within the meaning of the Fencing Act erected, A msy then claim against B for the trespass of sheep from his leased land. Inquisitive -asks: "(1) What are the definitions of e-lasses A, B, C, and C2 used in connection with recruits examined by Medical Boards? (2) Is a soldier, after having served nine or 10 weeks in a training camp, ana is then discharged as medically unfit owing to having his health broken down while undergoing training; entitled to some recognition under the War Pensions Act? (1) Class A, fit for active service; Class B, fit_ for active service after slight operation; Class C, temporarily unfit—to come up after a certain period; Class C2, fit for home service. (2) We distinctly think he is entitled to recognition; but at present the Government offers no consideration. The Otago Patriotic Society debated # this question at its last meeting, and it is hoped that the Government will ere long be forced to recognise its responsibility. Employee.—(l) Appeal forms are provided and may be obtained at the Defence Department. In the absence of the form provided by the Government, you may set out*'vour appeal in writing, and address it to the Commandant, New Zealand Forces, Wellington. (2) Every person in business is supposed to send In a return of his income whether taxable or not. The fact that you have sent in a return and received no further word about it suggests that you are not taxable. The department does not Send out forms to be rilled in —the onus is on the person to provide himself with a form /procurable from any post office) and send in his returns. Doubtfut.. —When filling m. a marriage certiflcat} the actual age of both parties shomd be given, and not merely the word "full." Inquirer.—To preserve rabbitskins by a simple method, mix together four parts of alum and one part of saltpetre. Sprinkle sor.ie of, the mixture on the skin, roll up tightly, and hang up for eight ox 10 days. Then unroll the skin, stretch it on a board, head downwards, and fasten with tacks. Paint the skin all over with the same solution, leave till nearly dry, and rub with pumice stone. Repeat the painting and rubbing every morning for three or four days. Scrape with a piece of tin or blunt knife. Hang up again, and pull unlil soft. If it is intended to make a fur coat for a lady, it would be necessary to send the skins to a competent furrier, as an amateur could scarcely make a decent job of it. R. M., Dunedin. —For a long-standing complaint such as yours a medical man should be consulted —If possible, one who has made a special study of the matter. J. H., Lawrence, has a cow nine * years old. Two years ago she had a calf. She weighs half a ton, and he wishes to know how much beef he ean reckon upon. Condition (prime or otherwise) must be considered; but as a comparison you might consider, say, a prime bullock and estimate accordingly. Allow, say, sixfourteenths (three-sevenths) of live weight of a butcher's beast as offal, then every Imperial stone of 14lb of live weight will yield Blb of dead weight. On this basis a live weight of 10cv:t would yield, say, 6101 b dead weight. Brick, Napier.—Mr IT. M. Davey, architect and engineer, replies: " As you commence by saying the house is a. new one, presumably the fireplace is what some would call "tho last word." What might easily be called freaks appear now more than ever in some of the newest styles of buildings. Occasionally they look well, even if uncomfortable; usually they do not, as is apparently the case in your house. It is most difficult for anyone to tell you what to do without having examined your room; but I fancy the rubbing with brick as a remedy is too drastic a plan. Have you tried blushing' with a stiff scrubbing' brush? If the work is sound. I would be inclined not to do muc'.i till fires have been lit in the room for some weeks, and if rubbing with a coarse cloth or stiff brush does no good after a while, you had belttr see either the man who did the work or a more skilled one in his trade or the painting trade, for it might be more in the latter line than in the former. When you say a new house —well, the bricks may be from several months to a year before they are dry all through, so what oozes out from them may not stop for a considerable time yet. I am asking the editor to post you a cut of a, somewhat similar fireplace, and I have seen

them purposely Uiade as rough as possible of big—very big— in a room otherwise beautifully got up in every other way oxoept ihe fireplace. The fireplace hor© looks more odd than well, and seems rough like yours, but ii seems to have been intended to be rough.'