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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10038, 3 May 1904, Page 4

A visit to some of our local poultry farms, writes a Hunterville correspondent, proves tliat this industry is gaining popularity with us. Several are making preparations to commence on a large scale next season, the past season having proved there is money m the undertaking if properly managed. Mr J. Bottomley, the representative of tlie British Cotton-Growing Association, m his report on cotton-growing m Queensland, states that the conditions and soil of Queensland, or at all events of the region covered by him, are well suited for the immediate settlement of thousands of cotton-growers, who, m a short period, could make a. good - living with tlie industry. A London cablegram last week announced the death of Mr Frederick Maccabe. Deceased was a most, successful and charming monologue entertainer, though unknown to the present geuera-. tion. He first visited this country m 1883 (says the New Zealand Times), and though then well on m years his versatility and lightning changes were remarkably clever. He was also an expert yen. triloquist. In this connection it is related how on one occasion he fooled and was fooled. Maccabe was a passenger on a steamer crossing the English Channel. Sitting quietly m the engine-room, he ventriloquially made the machinery emit that characteristic "squeak" which denotes a lack of oil. The attendant engineer oiled the part, only to find the | same treatment required m another direction. Other parts of the machinery squeaked for oil m rapid succession and ' the engineer was becoming frautic, when, suddenly, he saw and recognised his tormentor." Going quietly behind Maccabe, the engineer poured the rest of the oilcan's contents down the back of the yenJ triloquist's neck. "I guess it won't squeak ______.., " „i„ _■ And it didn't.

"To the Obnoxious Inspector" is how a man troubled with noxious weeds addressed tlie Stock Inspector at Carterton, says tho Leader. Another correspondent, "who had a cow with a bad teat, wrote, "To tli© Animal Man." The trustees of tho Sydney Zoological Gardens are m difficulties, so far as the financial position is concerned. Tlie matter lias been brought under the notice of the Acting-Chief Secretary, and Mr Perry has agreed to afford temporary assistance by a grant of money. The Cowdenbeath (Scotland) municipal public-house had a profit of £1227, and the money has supplied an ambulance waggon, a district nurse, and various grants to local charities. The Salvation Army even aimo m for £5. Miss Annette Kellerinan, formerly of Sydney, swam m the Yarra from Church street bridge to Princes bridge, Melbourne, a distance, of two and a quarter miles, last week, m the record time of 46min 30 3-ssec, or an average of 20min 40_ec a mile. It is reported that the steamer Gauss, 650 tons gross, 436 tons net, built and engined at Kiel m 1901, lias been purchased by the Dominion Government for £15,000, for work m tlie Arctic Ocean. She was built for the German Antarctic Expedition at a cost of £27,500. As serving to show how quiet financial enterprise has been m the United Kingdom' latterly, it may be mentioned tliat -he bills deposited m the Imperial Parliament for the sanction of railways, tramways, water, gas, and electrical undertakings this session represent a total of only £37,825,761. Last year .the amount represented by similar applications for Parliamentary sanction was £75,287,015. In the course of a digression from his main subject m a lecture at Christchurch hist week, Mr Clement L. Wragge stated that he believed spectrum analysis was about to come to the assistance of religion, by proving that the soul of man ' really existed. He narrated a story of an American inventor, who discovered a further development of the X rays, to which he exposed a rat. The rat was killed, and the inventor stated that as soon as the life left the animal tie saw something pass out of it. "Depend upon it," commented Mr Wragge, seriously, "we are only on the eve of scientific discoveries tliat will startle the world." During the cruise of the French mail steamer Pacifique through the New Hebrides, the volcano on Ambrym. wa* very active, and viewed from tlie steamer's deck it presented a fine spectacle. The settlers reported tliat it was many year. 1 ; ! since the volcano had been seen to such \ advantage. The volcano. on Tana Island [ was also reported to be active. There are two other localities where an eruption ' is always to be apprehended; they are , on the small island of Lopavi, which appears to be a branch establishment of the ■ volcano of Ambrym, and tlie volcano of Tongoa, which suddenly subsided into the sea last year, but wliich is leading a very active life just below the surface of tlie watens. During the calamitous outburst at Martinique, all these- islets broke out into a noteworthy and, doubtless, sympathetic activity. At Christchurch Herbert Atkinson was ciiarged with disturbing the Theatre Royal wliile "The Country Girl" was being played. Mr Stewart, giving evidence, said he had placed three men m the- pit. He saw nothing, but heard remarks as the audience came m, such as "Biscuits," "Legs," "Vant to buy a vatcli." Tliere was a good deal of disturbance. Another witness heard accused call out to one lady as she came into the stalls, "Hullo, Nellie," and hung down his head so that he should not, be noticed. At tliis the pit set up a great upioar. Later a rather English-looking stylishly-dressed gentleman came m with a lady, and accused sang out, "Hullo, Willie." At tliis the pit roared, and the gentleman appeared glad to drop into the nearest seat. Several witnesses swore accused was not guilty of the conduct complained of. The case was adjourned. • Dr. E. J. Dillon, writing m the Contemporary, has no hesitation m placing the responsibility of the war on the shoulders of Admiral Alexeieff. exonerating both the Russian diplomacy and people. He quotes the Czar's manifesto, m which it was slated that the elaboration of a project for a new arrangement with Japan was confided to the Viceroy, and taken out of the liands of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Alexeieff, he says, is the ambitious sou of ah Armenian father and a Russian mother, who owes his elevation to Bezobrazoff. His fundamental mistake was that Japan would not go to war. Witte's policy was one of peace. "Let us safeguard the peace of Europe and Asia, and all things else will be ours iv time," was his device, and nobody was more astonished than the peace-loving monarch who convened the Congress at The Hague by the sudden and sanguinary culmination of the five months' negotiations.. As it is, the writer's conclusion Ls that Alexeieff's name will be coupled by the historian: with one of the most disastrous blunders of modern times. During the course of a holiday visit m Southland, Mr W. W. Tanner, M.H.R. for Avon, was interviewed by the Invercargill Times. The legislator, who is a member of the colony's remnant of the Labor Party, said : "There is no doubt tliat. m Christchurch, perhaps to a lesser extent m Dunedin, and most certainly m Wellington, there is a feeling that the present Government has largely exhausted the mandate given at the revolution m 1890. There is a feeling that the labor section of the community is not receiving the legislative attention which it expects to receive, and which it believes it has a right to receive. There is something like a feeling of dismay at the fact that the bulk of the legislative effort of the Government has concentrated of late years on the farming and agricultural section." Speaking on the decision of the Easter Trade. Councils' Conference to form an Independent Labor Party, Mr Tanner said he thought the Labor men m the House would do better by an alliance with the "genuine Liberals" m still further pressing their demands on the Cabinet. The time was distinctly premature and the causes insufficient for the- formation of an independent party.