OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 28

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

A few alterations in the railway parcels and goods rates are gazetted. The alterations provide for increases in the rates for the carriage of fruit, vegetables, game, and fresh fish.

Mr William Wigley, jun., the millionaire gum manufacturer of Chicago, and the chief stock-holder of the Cub National Ball Teami has taken out an insurance policy for 1,000,000 dollars (£200,000). He pays a premium of 60,000 v dollars (£12,000) yearly. An extraordinary sight was witnessed on Monday, 7th inst., when thousands of mutton birds entered the estuary in quest of ©ardines (reports the Western Star). The river, from the bar to the traffic bridge, was literally alive with mutton birds and sardines.

The sawmills in the Waiau are extremely busy just now, and the timber traffic on the railways is fairly heavy (says the Tuatapere Guardian). The labour problem is still a difficult one for the mill-owners, although, in this respect there has been an improvement of late.

A narrow escape from drowning occurred in the Ashburton River on the 30th. A boy, six years old, was playing with three other children on the banks of the river when he fell in. A girl named Ivy Bright, 11 years of age, who was in the vicinity, rescued the boy. The huge war output of Messrs 4tm strong, Whitworth, and Co.'s works consisted of: 13,000 guns, 12,000 gun mountings, 14,500,000 shells, 18,000,000 fuses, 21,000,000 cartridge eases, 1075 aeroplanes, 3 airships, 47 warships, and 22 merchant ships. The firm also fitted with armaments 583 war vessels. The Maori Pioneer Battalion received generous hospitality from the Americans of the Panama Canal zone. A white soldier on the ehip said that there was no sign of colour distinction, and there was great exchange of buttons between the Maoris and American soldiers.

A New ; Zealand soldier, writing from Germany, gives some idea of the prices ruling in Belgium. He states that a suit of clothes costs 600 francs, a pair of boots 200 francs, a reel of cotton about 15 francs, and one egg 1£ francs. A franc is equal to lOd in English money. Reference was made recently in the Ashburton Guardian to ,a record established by a looal firm which had in one week disposed of an average of ono farm per day. Last week tho same' firm did better by selling five farms in two days. The total value of the properties was over £50.000. The Wellington correspondent of tho Lyttelton Times states that no further steps have been taken in respect to the reported application by Lieutenant Grierson for a new trial of his action for slander against Dr H. T. J. Thacker, M.P., it being understood that the matter will drop. Crawford Bros.' estate at Dargaville has been purchased by the Lands Department for the purpose of being_ utilised for settlement bv returned soldiers. The price paid for 4500 acres was about £31,000. The block is 11 miles from Dargaville, and is described as a really suitable area.