TOWN EDITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13093, 5 June 1913, Page 6

TOWN EDITION.

Auckland : Sailed, at 2 a.m., Squall, i for East Coast Bays and Uisborne. s

According to a paragraph published in a recent issue the Christchurch boot repairers have decided to increase the price of repairing in consequence of a rise in the price of leather. A similar proposal was mooted locally, but fell through.

/ Messrs Langlands and Co. succeeded in recovering yesterday two anchors from tue Star of Canada — one from the forward deck and the other from a position seawards. They were at work to-day endeavoring to secure some of the cables and one of the heavier anchors.

"Pedestrian" writes: "Sir, — How much, longer arc the Borough authorities going to permit the mound of earth to remain on the footpath at the Whataupoko approach to the Taruheru bridge, over which young and old, women with prams, and many weary toilers have been compelled to clamber for many weeks past?"

Richard Campbell, of Makauri, carter (Mr L. T. Burnard) sued A. F. Lawrie, of Gisborne, builder (Mr A. T. Coleman), at the Magistrate's Court to-day for £3 As, for carting work done in connection with a new house being built at Makauri for plaintiff's father, tho items being : Stacking timber 10s, one extra load from w.harf 4s, one day waiting for mantelpiece 10s, extra on carting frames £2. Alter hearing the evidence, Mr R. S. Florance, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff for 10s (stacking timber), and costs 6s.

A story concerning the Jews is told by the Hon. W. P. Reeves in a letter to a London newspaper. When Edward Gibbon Wakefield was founding settlements in South Australia and New Zealand, says -Mr Reeves, he conceived the project of establishing in the-' southern Lands a colony of Jews. He sought advice on the subject' from a Hebrew of high standing in London. "What?" said the gentleman, "a colony of Jews with no Christians whatever?" "Certainly," said Wakefield. "No," said the Hebrew, "that would not suit our people at all. Why, what would they nave to live Uipon?" No doubt both gentlemen laughed heartily over the little joke — but the scheme was abandoned.

Amongst some of the amusing stories told at a smoke concert tendered to the New Zealand Royal Artillery at Hastings on Thursday evening, one told by a well-known farmer in the locality was notable for its originality. One day a territorial called at his house, and engaged him in conversation for some minutes. "I subsequently discovered," said the speaker, "that while he so engaged me some of his mates made a raid on my fowlhouse,oand 'bagged' the whole poultry run." In consideration of the farmer's generosity in saying nothing about the matter, the delinquents on their return home had their pliotograph taken, and forwarded one to the farmer, apparently to, remind him of their happy visit. "It was very good and kind of them," said the farmer, "and in order to show my deep appreciation of their thoughtful and sportsmanlike action 1 have had the photograph framed and hung in the fowlhouse !"

The American Company which purchased White Island, in the Bay of Plenty, from Mr Andrew Gray, of Wellington, for the purpose of working the extensive sulphur deposits upon it, has made arrangements to carry on the industry on : a large scale. The lake of boiling water, about twenty acres in extent, the surface of which was 16 feet above sea level, has been partly drained in order to enable the sulphur, which is found in a form resembling the headv of wax. matches, to be recovered and put through a large refinery which the company is erecting on the island. The sulphur , is continually coming up from the bottom of the lake, and it is believed- that the supply is inexhaustible. In addition to the liquid sulphur ther? are cliffs of almost solid sulphur, and these deposits can also' be pat through the refining works. White" Island has a bad approach from the sea, and a landing can only be effectad when the weather is fine. There are no springs or creeks upon the island, and the workmen have to depend unon the rainfall for their supply of fresh water.