LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 23, Issue 5, 19 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Personal.—Mr T. D. Taylor has been appointed editor and manager of tne Times, Suva, Fiji, and, with his wife and family, will leave Havelock on 3rd or 6th February. Excursions to Moetapu.— Mr Williams advises that the launch Maori will run excursions to Moetapu every Sunday, leaving the local wharf at 9 a.m, and 10.30 a.m,, and leaving Moetapu at 4 p.m, and 6 p.m. The Wairau Bridge.—Mr Matthews, secretary to the Pelorus Road Board, has received advice that the Union Company’s steamer Kautangata sailed irom_ Australia on Wednetday with a large quantity of hardwood piles and hewn timber tor the contractors for the Wairau Bridge. The shipment will be landed at Picton. Mr Matthews has also made adequate provision as regards progress payments so far as the Pelorus Road Board’s and Havelock Town Board’s quotas of the cost are concerned.

Chdech Services.— The services for Sunday areOkaramio 11, Havelock Suburban .2.30, Canvastown 7.30, Rev E. H. Pain; Havelock 7, Rev J. H. Stowell; Mahakapawa 7,30, Mr J. W. Trevithick. The Rev E. H. Pain will preach at Carluke, Tuesday, 23rd, 7.30; Opouri, Wednesday, 24th, 7.30; Nydia Bay, Thursday, 25th, 7.30. The Anglican services for Sunday are as under: —Carluke 11, Canvastown 2.30, Havelock 7, Rev. E. A. Parker; Mahakipawa, Sunday afternoon, Mr Cawte. Two Plucky Boys.— A plucky rescue of a baby in the Clarence River (New South Wales) was effected last week by two boys. A sudden gust of wind started the child’s perambulator, and it ran over the wharf, falling a distance of about 10 feet into 30 feet of water, with the baby in it. Two small boys, Sydney Henderson, aged 10 years, and Clarence Bather, aged 11 years, were fishing on the wharf at the time. Henderson jumped in with his clothes on, and caught the baby, which had floated out of the perambulator and was sinking. He held the child up. Meantime Bather jumped in, and, by the combined exertions of the boys, the baby was saved. The distracted mother was on the wharf, witnessing the whole proceedings. A Dishonest Builder.— That jerrybuilding is practised in Gisborne is proved by a paragraph contained in the building inspector’s report to theßorough Council. That official stated that one builder had been guilty of as deliberate a piece of underhand work as. had ever taken place there. On inspecting a building under erection on 27th December, the inspector stated that he found five partitions built up with 4xl studding, averaging 21 inches centres. Instructions were given to have these pulled down, and 4x2 substituted. On the inspector’s second visit the bottom lining board had been stripped off, and 4x2 were showing distinctly, but on a closer examination these were found to be short ends. The inspector stated that he was taking the matter to Court and hoped the delinquent would be dealt with severely. Duty on Kauri.— The .effect of the duty placed on kauri and white pine timber from New Zealand by Australia is a matter for speculation in timber circles. Some bold that the duty must come off the price in New Zealand; .others that the merchant in Sydney will have to pay it. Others, again, hold that kauri has reached its top pricein Sydney, and that there is a atong probability of consumers looking to cheaper timber. The Dargaville correspondent of the Auckland “ Star ” had a chat on the subject with Mr Woolsey Allen, jun., sawmill owner, who has just returned from a trip to Sydney on timber business. Mr Allen is of opinion that the Sydney merchant will have to pay the duty. He does not anticipate any difficulty in selling kauri, for which there is a steady demand. Years ago, said Mr Allen, Sydney merchants told us we were selling kauri too cheaply, and the fact that we now sell more in Sydney at double the price then paid will bear out their statement. Mr Allen, however, thinks it possible that under the duty more rimu may aojr be inquired for.

Auction Sale. —ln consequence of Mr Taylor’s departure from Havelock the whole of his furniture and effects will be sold by auction on Friday, 2nd February. Particulars will appear in later issues.

Farmers’ Union Picnic.— The Sounds branch of the Farmers’ Union notify that their annual picnic will be held on Mr John Black’s property at Nor’-weat Bay, on Saturday, a7th January. Settlers and their wives and families will be cordially welcomed.

_ The Manaboa.— This steamer left Wellington at 5 a.m. yesterday, and will arrive at 8 o’clock this morning. Her cheese cargo from Havelock will comprise 95 orates from the Rai factory, 90 crates from Havelock, and 70 from Canvaatown. She sails 7 p.m,

The Picton Wharf,— This fine structure is being rapidly pushed on, and is well worth a visit of inspection. Now that the wharf is being built the enthusiasm regarding it seems to have died' out. At anyrate, that is the impression One has <n view of the fact that although it will be, when finished, one of the finest and most substantial wharves in the Southern Hemisphere not a dozen people have taken enough interest to go and have a look at what is being done. Not that an influx of amateur inspectors is desired, but the'apparent lack of interest in so important a work is remarkable.

Caterpillars in Oat Crops.—Caterpillars are reported to have made their appearance in a number of the oat crops in the Masterton district, and to have already done considerable damage. The pest, according to the Wairarapa Tims , has this season made its appearance in some paddocks where it has not been previously known. In fighting the caterpillar, the farmer has been considerably handicapped owing to the wet weather, which has prevented the cutting of the crops when green in order to save them. As a preventive many farmers are turning over a couple of furrows of land round their crops and placing lime or salt thereon. A farmer, who has had considerable experience in connection. with caterpillars, recommends this method being adopted as a check once the pest is discovered in a crop. The caterpillar will eat its way through one crop into another, and the only way to stay its progress is by the furrow and salt or lime system.

Tennis.—The Havelock Tennis Club’s new asphalt court was opened yesterday in splendid weather, There was a large attendance of members and the general public, who responded to the Club’s kind invitation. On behalf of the president (Mrs Scott) Mr W. H. Smith addressed the gathering. He paid a tribute to the generosity of Mi Brownlee in giving the Park to the townspeople and in, lending the money for the construction of the new court. Mr Smith said that if everybody worked with unanimity in effecting improvements such as the court represented the town would become one of the most desirable places in the whole dominion in which'to live. He then declared the court open for play and drove the first ball over the net. Several interesting games followed, and the enjoyment of those present was added to by the afternoon tea supplied. The court is a .decided acquisition to the attractions of the town, and the members of the Club deserve congratulation on their perseverance in getting it laid down,, ,

Settlement in ih£ Opoori.—ln accordance with notice, Mr Fulton moved at the meeting of the Land Board on Tuesday, “That all timber land at present out out, or being out out, in the Opouri Valley be surveyed at once into suitable allotments and balloted for—possession to be given when land is withdrawn from State Forest.” He said that he had gone into the question thoroughly, and was convinced that it would be very advantageous to provide for the earliest possible clearance of the land for settlement as the timber industry moved out. The sooner the work of preparation for settlement was taken up the more effective and less expensive the clearing operations would be. The Commissioner pointed out that there were legal obstacles in the way of Mr Fulton’s suggestion. Under the law the milling reservation could, not be lifted until the timber was out out, or until it could be shown that the block was no longer required for milling purposes.. Mr Reader said that it was only a matter of two years when the whole of the area would be cut out. He sympathised with Mr Fulton's ideas, and thought that whatever opportune ity offered to facilitate the occupation of milling areas when they had been out out should be seized. No action was taken.

Butter from Whey. —Many of our New Zealand industries have languished until some means bad been devised for working up their by-products. For example, the freezing companies did not pay until they turned their waste fat into tallow and offal into manure. We are now apprised of an unexpected development in this respect, In dairying what has hitherto been looked upon as almost a valueless by-product, viz., whey, is now being manufactured into butter. At Kaponga, in the North Island, the manufacture is being successfully carried on, and at Edendale factory Mr John Sawers has carried the matter beyond the experimental stage, and a short time ago invited directors from other local factories to witness the manufacture of i6lb of butter from whey. The representatives from Mataura brought back a sample with them and submitted it to their manager, Mr Alex, Milne, who pronounced it to be of excellent quality. The possibilities of this new departure are very great, and the directors of the Mataura factory realise the great importance of the matter, seeing that the quantity of whey at their disposal would produce something like £7OO worth of batter per annum at little cost, provided they had a cool chamber to store it in. At present the directors are under the necessity of enlarging their steam and power plant and increasing their vac and press plant from six to nine vats on account of the continued increase of milk supply. There are no less than go suppliers, and the factory is making two tons of obeese per day and paying /2500 per month for milk. It is possible that when the directors are making the necessary extension to cope with the ineceaeed output they may make some provision for making butter from whey.