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Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 3

Iho price of milk in Dunedin has been advanced to 6d a quart. A remarkably good haul was obtained hy a ,small motor trawler off the Otago Heads on Thursday night. T’he nets were cast in the vicinity of the Spit just before sunset, and big hauls of trevalli were made in a few hours. The trawler could have been filled twice, the supply was so plentiful. the Otago Hospital Board notified the Taieri County Council on Triday that contributory local authorities would be called upon to provide £45,000 (inclusive of half capital expenditure—viz., £2500) for year 1922-23; but such amount to be subjected to adjustment when the estimates were made up and circulated later. The amount required last year was £4268 9s, without capital provision. This early intimation was forwarded to enable the council to proceed with the preparation of its estimates. Mr Quelch (the council’s representative on the board) appeared before the council and submitted information concerning the need for the levy, etc. When Mr Quelch had retired, it was unanimously resolved: “That owing to the heavy and unjust taxation that is being levied upon the land, the County Council call on the Government to place this tax on a more equitable basis—viz., from the consolidated revenue and that all contributing bodies be asked to assist in having this charge made. At the monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council some correspondence was placed before the council in connection with the setting up of an Electric Power Board for Otago. After some discussion it was decided to take steps to make certain that only Strath Taieri riding of the Taieri County be included in the localities which it was suggested would form the district. The attention of the Expansion League to be called to council’s letter of May, 1920. The Supreme Court at Wellington reserved decision on the motion for a new trial arising out of the case Eliza Jane Gallagher versus William Walker Bickncll. This action was heard at Masterton, occupying three days, ana the jury awarded £BOO damages. The parties belonged to Greytown, arid the ground of litigation was alleged breach of covenant to repair in a lease. The grounds on which the defendant is asking for a new trial (reports a Press Association message) are that the damages awarded were excessive, * certain members of the jury had been guilty of misconduct in discussing the evidence with witnesses; that one witness for the plaintiff had been guilty of misconduct so as to affect the result of the trial, in that he informed the foreman and jurymen that the defendant made profits to the extent of £20.000 out of the lease from the plairttiff to defendant. A letter has been received by the executive of the Wellington Automobile Club (says a Press Association message) stating that the Government will, during the recess, ask the local authorities of the Good Roads Association and the Automobile Association to meet and discuss with the Minister of Public Works the whole question with a view to arriving at a satisfactory understanding. The letter added that legislation will be introduced early next session. The Minister of Public Works has since confirmed this statement. In the meantime, by section 12 of the Finance Act, 1921-22, the tyre tax is being paid into the special account of the public funds to be known as the Main Highways Account, and this money cannot be touched except for road purposes and on Parliamentary appropriation. Agents of London firms, it is stated, are at present offering to buy up the remainder of the output of the various dairy factories in the Palmerston North district at Is 4d per lb, f.0.b., Wellington. Some few weeks ago, when the market soared to beyond 190 s, the buyers were offering only Is 2d per lb. While exploring in the fiord country of Southland, Mr F. G. Blake, of Invercargill, made a discovery that should interest dominion geologists (wires our Invercargill correspondent). This was a mineral which Mr Blake thought to be Franklinitq, and tests made by the Dominion Mineralogist proved that his surmise was correct, and that a find of mineral previously unknown in New Zealand had been made. Franklinite consists of about 67 parts of iron oxide, 17 of manganese peroxide, and 16 of zinc oxide. The mineral is treated extensively in Pennsylvania where the constituents are extracted, the manganese being especially valuable for tempering various metals, including aluminium. Unfortunately, however, no process satisfactory for ■extracting the constituent metals on a payable basis has been yet evolved, unless the Franklinite is situated so that it is easily accessible and available in large quantities. A collection was taken up on Anzac Day at Mosgiel, in the Coronation Hall, i» aid of the Returned Soldiers’ Memorial Fund, and realised £ls.

It will be remembered thatwhen the Hon. •7. G. Coates visited Central Otago he recommended the formation of a power board, comprising Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell as well as the more settled parts surrounding the district. Preliminary steps were taken in that direction, and an option, in the sum of £IO,OOO, was obtained over the Earnscleugh Dredging Company’s water rights and electric power plant on the Fraser River, reports and estimates of the completed scheme being obtained from Mr Aldridge. Since then Cromwell has decided that it will be better served by a closer scheme of its own, either from the Roaring Meg, or from the Development Company’s scheme at the Kawarau Gorge. In view of this circumstance the Alexandra and Clyde districts are considering the question of proceeding on their, own behalf with the Fraser River scheme .which would have a capacity of about 600 horsepower, and would amply supply the requirements of the district. Regarding the question of the maintenance of main roads the Hon. G. .T. Anderson on Friday amplified a statement which he made at Cromwell on Thursday, pointing out that ever since the establishment of municipal Government it had been a policy of the Public Works Department to refuse subsidies for roads in boroughs. It was, of course, not the policy of the department to decline to make subsidies for main roads outside of a be rough. In reply to representations made by the H on. G. J. Anderson, Sir R. Heaton Rho des has telegraphed to the Minister

that it has now been decided, in view of the impossibility of having automatic guns converted for use this season owing to the shortness of the time ,not to enforce the prohibition against the use of these guns for this season. A young man named James Thompson was arrested at Masterton on a charge of receiving part of the proceeds of the Paekakariki safe robbery (says a Wellington Press Association message). Two men named*” Beil and Carmichael were recently sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for the theft of the safe from the railway station. It is alleged that Thompson was implicated, and received part of the proceeds of the robbery. Extensive additions are being made to the New Zealand Wax Vesta Company’s factory at Caversham, the cost running into the vicinity of £6OOO. The final results of Poppy Day in Wellington show (says a Wellington Press Association message) that £1746 was collected, the expenses amounting to ten shillings. Numerous applications are now Leing made for space at the forthcoming show of the Otago A. and P. Society, acvd intending exhibitors are reminded thjis May 10 is the date for the closing of entries. The vital statistics for Dunedin district for April are: —Births 126, deaths 70, and marriages 71. For April, 1921, the figures were : —Births 176, deaths 58, and marriages 76. There is a considerable falling-off in births, an increase in the number of deaths, and a decrease of five in the number of marriages.

A Press Association message states that a Wellington lady has given a £IOO debenture to the College Board of Governors for an annual prize to girls and boys, who shall write the best essays on some specific subject inculcating good citizenship. The local net Customs duties for April amounted to £40.289 0s 9d and the beer duty to £12,837 4s Id. In April of last, year the net Customs duties were £59,496 12s 3d and the beer duty was £7789 15s Bd. There has been, therefore, a fallingoff locally of £19,207 in the net Customs duties and an increase of a little over £SOOO in beer duty, the latter being largelyaccounted for by a heavier duty. Other lignite coals are being reduced in price. Messrs Christie Brothers announce a reduction of 5s per ton in the price of New Brighton coal and of 2s per ton in the price of the coal from the Saddle Hill and Mosgiel mines. As showing the unsatisfactory nature of the truck which is at present used for the conveyance of fruit on the railways, it may be mentioned that for a period of several weeks during the warm weather the fruit arrived in Wellington in a very deteriorated condition. The Wellington agent of the Central Otago Fruitgrowers’ Association states that the loss resulting from bad storage between Dunedin and Lyttelton amounted to about £BOO. This figure was a very moderate estimate, because on March 2 and 4 fruit worth £713 was handled, and the loss on this amounted to within a few shillings of £IBO. The agent added that the position was intolerable, and should there be a hot spell over a considerable period it would practically put a stop to the consignment of fruit to the north. The foregoing figures show the j association that it is just as necessary to have a well-ventilated type of truck for the carriage of the fruit from Dunedin to Lyttelton as it is from Central Otago to Dunedin. Speaking on the subject of brown rot, Mr A. Ashworth, of Alexandra, told a Daily Times reporter the other day that undoubtedly the spores of the disease were in the district, and during the present season its incidence had been accentuated by overheating in the present trucks. The embargo on Australian trees had also given the industry something of a setback, as Central Otago had largely been planted with Victorian trees, which had. been found the most suitable for the district. Within the short period of a few weeks two Ministers of the Crown, the Hon. J. G. Coates and the Hon. G. J. Anderson — one from the far north and the other from the southern end of the dominion — have vi-y* ed Central Otago at the invitation of it' J. Jbiorn, M.P., mainly for the purpose of viewing the results of irrigatioii and the potentialities of the country under the application of an increased supply of water. Nothing could be more convincing than actual demonstrations of this kind. Wherever the land has come under tile influence of irrigation patches of green stand out like emeralds in a dull setting of brown, and there are evidences of prosperity in orchard and pasture and in the stacks of lucerne which are ta carry stock through the winter. Fruitlands and Ripponvale, with upwards of 100,000 trees between them, are looking remarkably well, although both places could do with more water; and the same condition of things exists on Galloway Flat and Ida Valley. Mr Horn, whose faith in the whole district is boundless, says he is of opinion that one day more fat stock will be sent to the market off Ida Valley than from the fertile Taieri plain. Just outside Naseby there is the Ranfurly nursery of pinus insignis and yellow pine trees, over a million and ahalf in all, and it is -proposed, to" apply water to certain portions of this nursery next season, with a view to ascertaining whether the growth of the trees will be accelerated. If that effect is produced the trees in places will soon require to be thinned or planted out, as they now appear to be getting rather congested. A scheme is also under consideration for the irrigation of the large Maniototo plain, and at some future date there will scarcely be any water flowing in the rivers and streams of Central Otago, as it will have been practically all diverted for the purpose of fertilising land that is now barren. It would be highly instructive if the local officers of the Public Works Department prepared a short report setting forth what has actually been done by way of irrigation, the length of tho races constructed, the expenditure involved, and the amount of country served and to be served in the future. Irrigation is still in its infancy in Central Otago, and, this being so, another thing that is required to ensure the best results is a pamphlet of instructions to the settlers describing in a practical manner the most economical and efficient way of. distributing the water. 'Already in certain places there is evidence of the need for a. system of drainage to follow in the wake of irrigation. In all these matters, as well as in other directions, the Public Works and the Lands Departments, by working band in hand, can do a great deal for the futrve prosperity of the district. Both Mr Ofi-Mes and Mr* Anderson have been very rrifftlh impressed with what they have seen, and ft Mr Massey could now be induced to visit Central Otago the claims of the district would be very clearly realised by the executive, of which Sir William Fraser is also a memner. A score of persons mot recently in the Museum lecture room for the purpose cf taking some corporate action to foster the cause of classical studies in Dunedin and its neighbourhood. It was resolved that a centre of the New Zealand branch of the Classical Association should be formed in Dunedin. The secretary of the Otago Acclimatisation Society received a wire on Slaturday from the Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, advising that as owners u f auto- • matic guns would not have sufficient time to get them altered for the duck-shooting season as directed by the Minister, it was i not considered desirable to enforce the prohibition against the use of these guns this season provided the guns used have not a larger boro than size No. 12 at the muzzle and do not exceed 101 b in weight.

In the City Police Court on Saturday, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., a young man who had been impersonating the police by going around St. Clair posing as a detective and inquiring for a man wanted for theft at Oamaru, was remanded till Friday, the accused to be under the control of the Probation Officer meantime. Publication of the name wag withheld. At a meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association last week, the secretary (Mr A. C. Laing) stated that, he had received £928 16s 9d as the proceeds of Poppy Day, and that he would submit a full statement of receipts and expenditure to the next meeting. r .lhe president (Colonel M'Donahh voiced the association’s thanks to those who assisted in the sale of the poppies and to the public for its generous support. The Otago District Committee of the soldiers' organisation is taking steps to ensure that local associations will be entrusted with the disbursement of local funds. During the week end at Purakanui (writes a correspondent) the pleasure launch Maerimahanish returned to the inlet within a few hours with a record catch totalling close on 300 fish, consisting of red cod. hapukas, and Johnny Dorys. and the Fillup, also brought in a large catch, consisting of codskate. and ling. Calm weather prevailed outside with a smooth sea. and fishermen had good sport on the rocks, good bugs being obtained. A case was called at iho Balelutha Magistrate’s Court on Monday (says the Leader) in which L. W. Potter, cleric, Bruce County Council, proceeded against the Kaitumt Coal Company (Ltd.), James Milne Morrison and Archibald Morrison, Thomas Gage, mineowners, Kaitangata. for causing cfamage to part of the Wangaloa-Kaitangata road by extraordinary traffic, whereby Bruce County Council had incurred and will incur extraordinary expense in repairing the same road. The case was brought under section 150 of the. Public Works Act. 1908. When the matter was brought up Mr Grigor stated that as the result of a conference of the parties concerned a tentative arrangement had been, arrived at, and be applied for a month’s adjournment in each case. The petition now being circulated by the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association, asking for a Parliamentary Commission to take evidence concerning the gambling laws, has been approved by tile Auckland Drivers’ Union and the Waterside Workers’ Union. One resolution endorsed the efforts of the

Sportsmen’s Association “in their endeavours to have established the right, of bookmakers to ply their calling under approved surveillance and license” ; while the other declares that “the present gaming law is not only illogical and unpopular, but it has done nothing to minimise the betting evil.” Mr J. Blair Mason, engineer, met the members of the Te Puke River Board on Friday list, arid subsequently explained to a. gathering of ratepayers the scheme recently prepared by himself and Mr Holmes for lowering the Kahuna River to improve the drainage of 27.0C0 acres of land. The meeting endorsed the scheme, which provided for the Kahuna River outlet to he at Maketu. The preliminary work is estimated to cost £24,080. The question of giving immediate relief to the flooded areas was considered, and it was agreed to approve of a temporary cut to be made at Te Turau. The teachers in public and private schools throughout New Zealand have complied with the requirements of the Education Amendment Act, and taken the oath of allegiance (says a Wellington Press Association message). The Minister of Education 11 he lion. O. J. Parr) yesterday informed a pressman that there was, so far as he was aware, only one refusal to take the oath, and that was by a teacher at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, whose refusal had been reported in a press telegram. All other teachers had, as loyal and law-abiding citizens, taken the oath without demur. One or two small parties of sportsmen who visited the neighbourhood of Outram on the Ist hist, report poor bags, but another partv of four who simr over Mathieson's swamp secured a bag of about 40 ducks and several swans. The Olutha Free Press reports that the opening of the season was marked hv extremely fine weather, and as a consequence ducks were flying high, even iri the early morning. Some fairly good bags were secured —viz., Messrs S. Purvis and R. White (Hillend) 10 and eight respectively on the Puerua River; Mr A. Buchanan and party eight ducks and. three hares : Mr Stiven (Mosgiel) and party, four ducks on the Puerua; Messrs Keen and Fletcher, a good bag. Mr Jas. Smith, of Barnego, and his son, shooting on the Kaitangata Lake, secured the full complement—namely, 25 birds each—a total of 50 for the two guns. The ducks are reported as plentiful

The prices of certain classes of West Coast timber have been reduced in Christchurch, the drop being from Is. to 3s per 100 ft -(wires our Christchurch correspondent). The reduction, which operates from May 1, has been decided upon by the North Canterbury Timber Merchants’ Association in anticipation of a drop in prices on the West Coast, which is announced to take effect from .Tune 1. The trade has taken this action in order to meet the competition in timber which has developed from Southland, and also stimulate building operations, if possible. Actually the reductions •will not make a great deal of difference in the cost of a house, because they only apply to undressed timbers. Red pine sawn timber, not suitable for dressing, 10 inches wide, is now 32s per 100 feet; 12 inch, 33s 6d; -half-inch rough lining, 18s 6d; battens, 2 by 1,6 s 6d; 3 by 1,8 s 6d. According to the statement of a sawmiller on the West Coast, published in the Sun, millers intend to reduce the prices of o.b. timber (ordinary board), but there is an actual increase in the standard class of dressed timber. The timber trade in ■Christchurch has decided, however, that for the present the prices of dressed timber shall remain unaltered. The extent of the drop in Christchurch is only about 8 per cent., and the lines affected usually constitute about one-fifth of the cost of an average house. Among the passengeirs last week from Sydney by the Moeraki 'was Dr E. Slack, medical officer at the leper asylum near Maseru, in Basutoland, South Africa, who is on his way to Honolulu to study the latest measures adopted by the American Government to cope with leprosy (wires our Auckland correspondent). Dr Slack, in' discussing the matter with a Star reporter, said that in the asylum which he controlled there were 500 lepers, and all were natives. It was claimed by Americans that they had made a great success of their treatment at Honolulu, and though the had recently been trying the same method it was too early, in the cases under his charge, to judge as to results. With regard to another new treatment that was being tried in South Africa results were improving yearly. At one time hardly anyone used to get out of these asylums, but now they were arresting the disease in the same way as they talked of “arrested cases’’ in connection with consumption. There was a good prospect of stopping the disease or bringing it to an end, especially if it was dealt with early. The fact that a number of attendants at the leper station on Quail Island, in Lyttelton Harbour, regularly attend c-hurch services at Charteris Bay has occasioned some alarm among the residents of the bay (wires our Christchurch correspondent). They feel that they are being needlessly exposed to the danger of contracting the disease. It is stated that for this reason some do not attend service. A Star reporter asked Dr £clford, medical officer of health, if there were any grounds for alarm. “There is not the slightest occasion for any alarm,” he replied. The degree of infectivitv with leprosy was comparatively slight, and it was only by contact that the disease was likely to be contracted. Tuberculosis was a more contagious disease, and if it was as rare as leprosy the same precautions would be taken to prevent its spread as were now taken with leprosy. As for the attendants going to church services, there was no need for him to object to such action. With leprosy there was no such thing as a “carrier.” A person either had the disease or did not have it, and the attendants did not come into personal contact with the patients. The lepers live on a separate part of the island from the attendants, and are divided, from them by a wire fence. The lepers have their own dishes, and when requiring food simply bring these dishes to the fence, and food is placed in them. Patients and attendants seldom get nearer to each other than about 12 feet. A stranger, of so old a family that its cousins were the beasts of prehistoric days, a tu’atara lizard, was found a few days ago at Plimmerton a few feet above high-water mark, and Plimmerton folk, and quite a few others, have been puzzling their heads since as to how the lizard came to be there, for as far as is known there are no tuataras on the mainland of the North Island now. One theory was that it might have been carried over from Stephen Island on a floating log, but another theory has supplanted the first in the minds of many of those interested. This is that in 1911 Dr Eadletaberger, who was relieving Dr Wilson, brought a tuatara lizard from Rotorua. This he sent to the family of W. T. Wood, who wore then living at Plimmerton. It is possible that when Mr Wood’s familv left Plimmerton they released the lizard. A Press Association message says that the Hon. W. Downie Stewart considered that New Zealand could watch with profit the extension of the system of pools by the primary producers of Australia. Pools in Australia operated in connection with wheat, meat, fruit-preserving, and other primary industries. , It was not easy to get a crucial view of the effect of the various pools. Some were operated by States and some by the Federal Government, and some partly by both. The wheat pool had proved a very expensive undertaking for the Governments. The Federal Government guaranteed 5s per bushel, and the State of New South Wales added an extra 2s 6d, and in the last year or two the latter had incurred a loss of between £1.000.000 and £2,000,000. Opinion was divided as to whether pools should be voluntary or compulsory, but it seemed clear that the principle of pooling agreements, whether under the guise of co-opera-tion, or some other scheme, was bound to spread, and the effect should be carefully Watched, not only in the interest of sound Government finance, but also in the interest pi the consumers. The opening of the shooting season has been v&ry disappointing so far as those who (went out after ducks in close proximity to the city are concerned. In some cases par. ics in the Taieri did not get a shot, (though a few small bags were secured, up to til ree or four to an occasional gun. The weather was too fine, the result being that the birds were generally well out of reach.

It is stated in Wellington that there is a prospect of the price of coal being reduced as the result of the Arbitration Court having filed an order reducing the wages of workers in coal mines. The only effect of the order, which is now in operation; is to reduce the wages of the minimum time fate men from 16s per day to 14s 3d. Corresponding decreases are also made in the fates of pieceworkers. During the year the hides markets have been extraordinarily slow, states the annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The reason is not far to seek, as the London and American leather markets have been glutted wih supplies (says the Dominion). Consequently there has been no demand from these quarters, and in turn the Australian tanners have been forced to limit their “iriput” into the tannery pits. The great shortage in the number of cattle being killed both in New Zealand and Australia ‘has not had any effect in firming up prices as might be expected; in fact, to-day the tendency is for rather lower hide values. Tanners of heavy leather continue to complain of the lack of substance in our heaviest ox hides, and this is entirely because of so many cattle being now killed at three to four years old. At the meeting of the Otago Labour Representation Committee held on Tuesday evening a political organiser was appointed whose duties will consist of organising branches of the Labour Party in the local electorates. A committee was appointed to make arrangements for the reception of Mr H. E. Hollantj,' M.P., chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, who will visit Dunedin this week, and in this connection it was decided to approach the civil service and trade organisations with a view to securing their patronage* at Mr Holland’s meetings. A good story was told by Colonel R. Young, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association, regarding an old man whom he came across one day in the trenches in the year of our Lord, 1918. “What are you doing here?” he asked, “and how old are you?” “Oh, I’m a grandfather !” was the reply. “It was like this, yer see. My little gal got married to a cove wot got called up, and she made such a fuss about it that I said I would enlist, and keep an eye on him for her." "Well,” said the colonel. “I hope he has come through all right.” “Well, I don’t know,” replied the old man, ruminatively. “He got into the band at Trentham and that was the last I seed of him !” Australian flour manufacturers are endeavouring to obtain a foothold in the Samoan trade. This movqs the Samoan Times to remark: “There is a dryness—and, consequently, a better keeping quality —about Australian flour that New Zealand flour does not possess. Even in New Zealand itself the bakers realise that bread made from a mixture of New Zealand and Australian flour excels bread made solely from local-grown flour. This fact is incontrovertible locally, but in New Zealand it is not well known. Consequently, some New Zealand producers have been endeavouring to have the New Zealand product favoured here, and have requested that New Zealand be supported as against what is alleged to be a ‘dumping’ policy pursued from Australia. There may be a degree of truth in the allegation as to ‘dumping’; but, even so, neither Samoa nor New Zealand has cause to complain, seeing that wheat cannot be grown here and that New Zealand’s flour will not keep in the tropics.” “Deflation is complete as far as farm products are concerned,” said Mr W. D. Hunt, giving evidence at the Arbitration Court at Wellington on Wednesday. “Farmers have done their share to reduce the cost of living. In the meantime they are meeting the position that has been forced upon them as far as they can by reducing their standard of living and by harder work. It is now up to the rest of the community to follow the example of the farmers and do more work for less pay. While this may render necessary a temporary reduction in the standard of living, it will in the end be balanced by a reduction in the cost of living. This course will enable reductions to be made in charges to farmers which will increase the purchasing power of their products and enable them to employ more labour, increase production, and thus bring prosperity all round.” An old Maori legend, preserved by the late Mr Percy Smith in his “Wars of the N orthern against the Southern Tribes,” published 18 years ago, is set out in the Taranaki News: “It is strange,” says Mr Smith, "but. prior to the advent of the white man the Maoris appear to have had an idea that they were to receive the visit of some strange race. The following is the prediction as told by Pangari, of Hokianga, somewhere about the year 1820. At that time Pangari was an old man, and he had heard the story when a child, as related by the old men of the NgaPuhi: ‘ln the days of old when Maoi was alive he told this story: Maoi was a fohunga., a priest, and when he approached his end he said to Nga-Puhi. “It will not be very long before I die, nor very long after I am dead, that a god will come to the crest of the wave, and ghosts (kerhua) will be on his back. That god will be like the canoes in appearance, but he will he much longer, and he will sail all over the ocean, over everywhere. He will never he mistaken in his course over the ocean; he will sail away, and will not be seen by the people. After a long disappearance another god will appear, who will be like the former one. The first god will come by the aid of sails, but the latter by the aid of fire.” It was not until 20 years after Pangari spoke of this prophecy that the first vessel arrived in New Zealand.’ ” At the Dunedin Lands Office on the 23rd inst. a number of sections in the townships of Kaitangata, Komako (Waipiata), Pembroke, Alexandra, and Macraes will be offered at auction for cash sale. The sections in Alexandra range from an area of a quarter-acre to nearly seven acres, and are suitable both for building and fruit growing. Two rural land sections at Hawea will also be offered.

Our Cromwell correspondent wires that a mild sensation has been caused by the disappearance of a young man named Charles Penrose, proprietor of a hoardinghouse at Lindis Pass. He was last seen at Cromwell late on Sunday evening, and was not heard of again until the receipt a letter two days later, stating that he contemplated suicide by drowning. There has been no trace of him since, and the police are investigating. The missing man is about 30 years of age, and he has a wife and four children. It has been suggested that a conference should be held during Winter Show Weelr in Dunedin of delegates interested in agricultural and pastoral matters, and this is likely to take concrete shape. Attention will be given to such similar interests as show dates, privileges to members and exhibitors, remuneration of judges, and the thousand and one details making for the smooth running of such exhibitions. Names of delegates from kindred societies are invited, together with any remits pertaining to the. foregoing for consideration at a meeting to be held in Dunedin during Show Week. With regard to the duck-shooting season sportsmen in Southland appear to have been moderately successful. On one lagoon near Thornbury 25 birds fell to six guns. At Awarua Bay two men brought down 35 birds between them, and a party of three bagged 30. Others, however, were not so lucky, two being out all day for 11, and another, after getting out at 4 o’clock, having to be content with five. A party of three shooting on Waituna lagoon secured 21 birds, and reported that the biggest individual bag they v had heard of in that district was 21. Two men had accounted for 36 up to midday on Wednesday. There were plenty of ducks in the district, but owing to the fine weather the birds were flying high, and the bags consequently were generally poor. A party operating on the Pourakino River met with fair success, but parties visiting the New River generally had a most disappointing experience, very few birds being seen. It is assumed that the imposition of the ten-shilling license fee has been responsible for a great deal of illicit shooting, as gun shots were heard in many parts of the Western district a week before the season opened. “The New Zealand Council of Agriculture, as at present constituted, tq elect eigne representatives on the Board of Agriculture—four representing the South Island; and the New Zealand Government to appoint two representatives, the Minister of Agriculture to be the president of the board; the Board of Agriculture to have full control of the policy, general administration, and officer’s of the present Department of Agriculture and of agricultural education in general; the board to meet at least four times per annum to discuss the, policy of the Department of Agriculture.” The foregoing is the text of a remit drawn up by the special cpmmittee of the Canterbury A. and P. Association for discussion at the conference of the Council of Agriculture to be held at Wellington in July. The committee considers (says a Christchurch Press Association message) the matter one of such importance that it proposes to enlist the support of all Agricultural and Pdstoral Associations, and also of farmers’ organisations in the dominion. These are to be circularised immediately. From the sale of eggs during the year ended March 31 last, the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club received £593, w’hich was stated to be £SO less than was received the preceding 12 months. Mr R. W. Hawke, at a recent meeting of the club in Christchurch, said that it was satisfactory they had received close upon £690 last year, because they had been scandalously dealt with by the public in respect of the price of «eggS. Feed had been high in prices, and the quality had not been of the best, and yet the public wanted to be able to buy eggs at Is 3d to Is 8d per dozen. It was an utter impossibility to sell eggs at that price, and that the club had received close on £6OO showed that the birds had averaged well. They were now getting feed at something like reasonable prices, and he hoped that the price of egg’s would keep up to what it had been last year, if not better.