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Otago Witness, Issue 3343, 10 April 1918, Page 36

The Hon. T. M. Wilford (Minister of Marine) has received the following telegram irom Mr Aiken, general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company: — ''Have received the following from London.: "The two officers referred to, M'Kenzie and Isbister, were not Wairuna men. M'Kenzie is at Karlsruhe, and Isbister at Brandenburg. So far as I can ascertain whole crew of Wairuna safe.' " The Hon. Mr Hen-ies told a reporter in ■ Ohristchurch on the Bth (says a Press Association telegram) that he could promise nothing regarding the resumption of the through daily express between Invcrcargill and Ohristchurch. In the first piaco, he must know whether the people at the majority of stations between Ohristchurch and Inveroargill ' desired such change. Secondly, and of much more importance, was the question of man-power and coal. He could npt say just now what the latest regulations in regard to man-power might be, nor could he foretell the developments in the coal situation. However, far from giving the improved service asked for, it was quite on the cards that these two circumstanoes would lead to still lurthu" our- * tailments in various train services at an early date. The removal of a long-standing incon-

venience to a back-blocks settler was effected on Monday, when the erection of a suspension bridge at 'l'awaniu, in tiie upper basm of the Catliiis River, was brought to completion. At ttiis part of the river there is no ford, and consequently, ,since last May, when the temporary bridge erected by the settler referred to was carried away by the heavy floods of that period, his only way of ingress to and egress from his section has been by means ot a chair running on several strands of fencing wire, which extended from bank to bank. Today this crude means of transit is replaced by a substantial four-cable suspension traffic • bridge. The work of erection was carried out under the supervision, of Mr Chas. C. Johnston (resident district overseer for the Public Works Department). - Three lads, aged 10, 11, and 14 yoars of age, who recently escaped from a norhe at Anderson Bay, and have been followed up by the police,, who were guided by a number of cases of wanton damage and petty pilfering, were captured on Monday morning. On Sunday evening, it is alleged that they broke a pane of glass in Mackenzie's shop in George street, and stole therefrom a number of articles, such as. pens and pencils. Later in the evening they visited a bakery, into which they broke and stole some bread, They then went to Ravensbourue and made a raid upon Barclay's store. It was here that Constable Mackenzie got upon their track unci pursued thorn, whereupon they got away into the .bush, followed by Constables Mackenzie, Farkhill, and O'Shc-a Two out of the three were caught in the bush but the third made for the water-frontage beyond Ravensbourne and went the length of pretending to make a stand against Constable Mackenzie. Finally ho plunged into the harbour and was caught by the constable when ho had reached deep water and was going down. The three boys were taken to the police stations. During the past lew days a considerable quantity —somo 500 cases—-of over-ripe . pears from the Ohristchurc! ;i stores hr.vo reachod the local mari.i. -'.at has resulted, and sales have b*:< :i Mi.tue at the marts at prices ranging from 6d to 2s 6d per case of 401 b. Several cases of the fruit have been taken away to feed pigs. The prices realised must mean a heavy loss to the consignors, and evidently something must have gone wrong with the treatment of the pears after they were placed in the cool stores. Either that, or they weve too ripe when put in store. On the other hand, pears which were sent to Dunedin district from the growers brought up to 9s per case about a week ago. Francis Rekowske appeared on remand in the City Police Court on Monday on a charge of failing to comply with the terms of 'The Probation Act, 1903," by reporting himself to tho probation officer 24 hours after his release-from custody. Mr Irwin appeared for defendant, and stated that his instructions wore thn.fc defendant understood that he was to report to Constable Fox at Milton. Mr F. G. Gumming (probation officer) stated that ho specially instructed defendant to come to his office for his probation

papers at 2 p.m. on the date ho was released on probation for the theft of an overcoat. Mr Irwin said defendant was confused as to what ho should do. The magistrate said ho was not at all satisfied that defendant's simplicity was not a ruse to dupe the court. In giving- him another chance he warned him to be careful and carry out the conditions of his probation, or ho would bo sentenced to a term of imprisonment. At the Mosgiel Borough Council meeting -on the Bth attention was drawn to the fact that motorists were breaking the borough by-laws regarding speed, lights, etc It was resolved to draw the attention of the Otago Motor Club, local car owners who plied for hire, and the local police to the matter. An appeal against the valuation of a property, 'being blocks 15, 17, 18, ami 24, Mocraki Estate, lodged under the Death Duties Act, with reference to the estate of John Angus, late of Dunodin, accountant, deceased, was before Mr J. E. Bartholomew, 5.. M., in the Valuation Court on Monday morning. The appeal was withdrawn, fcho valuation being sustained. The Eahotu correspondent of the 'faranaki Herald, referring to the recent tiglit there between Natives and whites, over the arrest of a Native, puts the trouble down to anti-militarism on the part of the Natives. lie states that the local constable (O'Neill), by compulsorily registering those non-British has incurred their deadly enmity by his praiseworthy and patriotic action, and now there is a blood feud. Their cries diu-ing the fracas were mixed with: "The Germans will give us our land back," and "We'll get our land back." It is only a little while ago that Dr Pomare addressed the Natives in this part of Taranaki, urging them to bear their share of the war. A' London cable message to the Australian papers states that Chung Ling Soo was accidentally shot during a performance at the Wood Green Empire Theatre, and died from his injuries. Chung Ling Soo appeared in New Zealand some years ago, and, in the ordinary course of events, he would have been hero again soon, as he was under contract to Fuller's (Ltd.) for a tour within the next few months. Ho was a most remarkable man, a conjurer of rare merit, and, it is said, notwithstanding his successful posing as a Chinese juggler, was an astute Scot. Tho weather, which, much to the discomfort of holidayrmakers, was foggy and damp right through Easter, has (our Palmerston correspondent writes) at last apparently taken up. Fractically all tho harvest is now in stack, and quite" a quantity has already been thrashed. The standard of the wheat crops is. unfortunately, not very high, as in many cases the heads are not well filled and the grain, besides, is withered, so that nothing in the way of sensational yields is anticipated.