LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 23, Issue 7, 26 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. PbesKnxation Social.— The friends of Mr and Mrs Taylor have arranged a presentation sooial to take place on Thursday next, ist February, in the Town Hall. Tickets of admission are being issued at 33 for men and is for ladies. The proceedings will commence at 8 p.m. Salk of Furniture . —The New Zealand Loan aad Mercantile Agency 00. announce that on Friday, 2nd February, they will offer foreale, on the premises, Havelock, the whole of Mr Taylor b household furniture and effects. As the owner is leaving the dominion there will be practically no reserve. The sale will commence at 2 p.m. sharp, A“ Ne Temere ” Joke.— A Parliament tary candidate at the recent election at Oamaru was asked what attitude be was going to take up on the Ne Temere question One imagines that for the moment he was flabbergasted, but he rose to the occasion. “ While I am pretty well conversant,” he said, with the Mokau question, the details of the acquisition of the other estate named have not noma to ray knowledge; but if the Government have been guilty of anything questionable in the ‘ Ne Temere ’ estate, I would certainly have something to say about it.” The audience are reported to have received this reply with '• loud and prolonged applause.” which leaves ,us wondering whether they knew as - If tils of the matter as he did.

Hhe Golden Bar. —In a letter of thanks ; tc y Mr H, M. Reader for his action at the ■; L a ,*id Board in getting the sections on the[ east aids of the Wakamarina River withdrawn from selection in order to protect the mining .interests, Messrs Humphries Bros., of the Dominion Consolidated Development Company, mention that the prospects u* good. The Company intend erecting an up-to-date b&ttery for both gold and scheelite, and • have reason to believe that “ others are flow entertaining thfi idea of starting operations in Deep Creek-” TuO firm add that they feel sure that Mr Reader action will be lor the best interests ci rtfee ( district. If it results in encouraging oth.erj companies to put plants in there? fs no doubt of its beneficial results.

A Profitable Herd.— The Waimate Witness mentions that Mr John Nicolson, senr,, Kaupokonui, one of the moat prominent breeders of Jersey stock in Taranaki, has a herd of 25 Jersey cows that are at present giving something like a record milk production. Their returns are 9701 b of milk a day, with a test of 5.1. This speaks for itself and is an eloquent object lesson in the value of well-bred stock.

The Grabs Gbdb, —By observation a North Canterbury farmer has discovered that the eggs laid by grass grubs are carried about by sheep through the medium of their fodder, and that the grubs are transferred in the dung, in which they live until a favourable opportunity presents itself for them to hatch out. It has been decided to ask the entomologist at Lincoln College (Dr Hilgendorf) to make investigations. Botchers Close Early. —The butchers of Auckland have decided to abolish late shopping hours on 'Saturdays. In the future on Saturdays their shops will close at six p.m. instead of nine as heretosore. On other days they will shut at five p.m. as usual. On Wednesdays, instead ol remaining open until one p.m., they will be closed at noon. This is said to be the first time a trade in New Zealand has decided to abandon the advantages of the Saturday night business. A' Joke that Failed. ■'Chinaraan’a luck,” is proverbial. It was at the Invercargill races, and John asked a person what would be a good thing to back. - Someone suggested Queen's Prize. John took two tickets, and went baok to his mentor, who asked what he had done. John told him that he had taken two tickets on the rank outsider. The man, to fool John further, said that he had not taken enough, so John promptly took three more. After the race he collected- £163 2s 6d. Surely he had the laugh on the joker !

Timber Tariff. —A new tariff on New Zealand timbers entering Australia came into force a few weeks ago, but so far little effect is noticeable in the trade. The timbers affected are kauri and white pine, and the chief increases in duty are 2s and Is 6d per 100 ft. The manager of the Kauri Timber Company informed an Auckland Herald reporter that it would be difficult to hazard a guess as to whether or not trade would fall off to any serious extent in consequence of the higher duty; such information Could not be ascertained until the new tariff had been two or three months in operation. Meantime old orders are being fulfilled.

The Political Situation.— Speaking at the complimentary gathering tendered to the Hon. D. Buddo, at Rangiora on Thursday night, Sir Arthur Guinness, dealing with the political situation, said that the Liberal party had been caught napping last election. Its organisation was nothing like that of its opponents. The party did not know whether it was in or oat. (Laughter). The members believed that the party was in, but on the 15th of next month they would know definitely. Even if the tion were in, the Liberals had sufficient power in the House to control them and put a brake on them. There would be no attempt made to repeal the Liberal and humanitarian measures. He did not think the Opposition, being men of their word, would attempt to repeal suoh legislation as the old-age pensions, widows’ pensions, and other humanitarian legislation.

Where a New Science was Born. — McGill University, Montreal, for the endow; ment of which million and a half dollars were lately raised in three days, is the best known of Oauadaiu Universities. In its magnificently equipped physios laboratories was born the new science of radio-aotivity which has so completely revolutionised the scientific conception of matter, This was due to the brilliant work on radium emanations carried out ten years ago by Professor Ernest Rutherford, now Director of the Physical Laboratories at Manchester University. Thanks to the liberality of Sit William Macdonald, who gave McGill its Physics building, Professor Rutherford and Mr Soddy, of Oxford, were enabled to investigate the mysteries of radium in a .manner then impossible in ' any other laboratory, with the result that the revolutionary theory of radio-activity, at firtt regarded as a flight of the imagination, attained the position of an exact science in less than two years. Professor ‘Rutherford won his first scholarship at the Havelock School.

Dbbadpdl Pbkdictions fob 1912. Disaster all the way is what Mme. de Thebes, the famous Paris “ prophetess,” says she sees throughout 1912. War will come at the end of the year, when the French armies will go forth. There is a chance that the cataclysm may be postponed till 1913, but it is certain to come then. It will be so great that it will not only turn Europe upside down, but other continents as well, and particularly Asia. We' shall reach the paroxysm of the peril when the earth quakes at home. There is a hard winter in project, a muggy spring, a heavy summer, and a .bitter autumn.” “ Blood and fire everywhere,” isanother cheerful prophecy for 1912, “ particularly at Brest, Toulon, and Paris,” : Conspiracies; treacheries against the State, foreign gold, ass assinations, fierce riots, epidemics, floods, and possibly total ruin will come to Paris. The calamities will be by no means confined to France. Spain will have conspiracies and fusilades, but the Royal Family is saved. “ After 1912 there will be no Hohenzollern and no dominant Prussia. The Kaiser’s days as Emperor are numbered.” England also is menaced by an evil destiny. Farming Methods in England.— “ Being a farmer myself,” said Sir William Russell in an interview at Sydney, the thing that most impressed me was ,the slack way in which farming is done in England., For instance, on any ordinary farm in New Zealand—and X suppose it is the same in Australia—you will see one man driving a team of three, and in some instances four horses, with a two-furrow plough. In England you almost invariably see three horses with a singlefurrow plough, a man guiding it, arid a boy driving the horses, so that with more labour they do just exactly half the work. I saw the same sort of thing with reapers and binders. In consequence,of what I may term the dilatory methods ci the jnen on the land, their labour costs them nearly as much as ours does, though Xaru?, bands receive no more than half the wages' paid out here. The farms in England are very neat—l might almost say very pretty. Their stacks are incomparably better built than ours. That may be accounted for by the fact that their climate is not so good. They are perhaps more pre* cise than we are. We go in for .more: rough and ready methods. I have some diffidence in criticising the methods of English farmers, because my experience as a /farmer is purely colonial, but these are .tlie .things that struck me.”

Church Services.— Rev. E. A. Parker will conduct services as under:—Okaramio 11, Suburban 2.30, Havelo 7.—Rev. Mr Pain’s services will be as followHavelock 11, Canvastown 2.30. Carluke 7; Mr Trevithick will take the service at Havelock at 7 p.m.

Destruction of Sheep.— The Little Valley shearing shed at Galloway station, near Dunedin, the property of R. Campbell and Co., with 900 sheep and 120 bales of wool, was burnt down on Tuesday • night. The insurances are £IO3O in the North British Office.

Carnival at Fitzroy Bay.— The bad weather last Saturday prevented a good attendance at a meeting held at hitzroy Bay to arrange for a carnival in the bay in March. It was decided, however, to hold a gathering similar to that held last year, when the programme consisted of. running events, chopping and sawing, and launch races. This year the carnival will beheld on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, 18th March. The programme appears in this issue

Marlborough County Council.—As the Counties Act will come into force in Marlborough in April it is necessary that action shall be taken to fix the boundaries and arrange for representation. For this purpose a conference of members of all the local bodies ip Marlborough will be held at the Council Chambers, Blenheim, on Saturday, 3rd February. Resolutions passed at the conference will be submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

The Territorials.— The local section of the Territorials, numbering 27, assembled for their first parade and for being sworn in, on Tuesday. evening. The officers present were Lieutenant, Avery and Sergeant-Major Thompson. Two of the recruits refused to be swornin, but the others showed no disposition to disobey the law of the land. A* was to be expected, several of the lads were somewhat clumsy in their initial drilling lessons, but as there will be frequent drills up to May these defects will be remedied, for, on the whole, the lads are well set-up and “willing to learn.

Hotelkeepers Privilege.—A man was prosecuted at Napier for refusing to Heave a hotel when ordered to do so. His excuse was that the hotelkeeper refused to serve him. His Worship said he wished to point out to the defendant that he could not demand liquor from anyone ; all licensees wete entitled to refuse to serve anyone they chose. For some reason best known to himself the licensee of this particular hotel had refused to serve defendant, and he was perfectly entitled to do so. In consequence of this refusal defendant had gone to the hotel and created a disturbance. He would be fined £3, with costs 7s, there being several previous convictions against him.

The Election Petition.—We are in-, formed, on the best authority, that the rumour that Mr McOallum, M-.P. for Wairau, will no,t be able to take his seat in Parliament until the election petition inquiry is decided, is without foundation. If the inquiry does not take place till after the opening of Parliament Mr McOallum will attend the opening just as though no petition had been lodged. Inquiries in various parts of the electorate reveal the fact that many of Mr Duncan’s most prominent supporters condemn the agitation for an enquiry, and it is a wellknown fact that Mr Duncan himself has not countenanced the movement in any way.

Kicking against the Pricks.—Two young fellows refused to be sworn-in when the Territorials assembled at Havelock last Tuesday, and generally behaved in a way that was quite unexpected of , them for they ate both yery well-behaved and obliging lads. It may have been; that the instructor was not as tactful.as he might have been—for this compulsory service scheme is repugnant to a colonial's sense of independence, and in the initial stages the lads need to be handled tactfully—but it should be recognised that the scheme has. been incorporated into the law of the land, and, as such, must be obeyed. In our opinion it is the finest scheme of discipline a youth could take part in, apart from its usefulness as an important item in the defence scheme; and those young men who refuse to comply with the law lay themselves open to fines, imprisonment, and, what to is an honourable - lad a more serious effect, to a charge of disloyalty.

Small Birds Pest.— Sentiment in the matter of bird-life must eventually give way to the need for protecting fruit from their objectionable attacks. For years it has been impossible to gather a cherry crop in their district unless the trees are covered with scrim or .enclosed in fine-mesh netting; and it was found equally hopeless to expect strawberries to mature. Of late years, however, the starlings, blackbirds, thrushes, and especially the little pest known as the ‘'silver-eye,” have extended a generous patronage to. all kinds of fruit, and plums, pears, peaches, apricots, and anples now pay toll to . their voracious appetites. Luckily the sparrow, the graingrower's mpst persistent enemy of th.e bird species, is not partial to fruit, or orcbardista would have to go out of that business altogether. The introduction of a few of the birds known as "little owls,” which are ptoying so beneficial to orohardists and farmers in Canterbury, would be a boon to Marlborough settlers.

Sampling Husbands!— A lady whom the newspapers describe as “ the champion woman bigamist of America 11 has been captured in the person of Mrs Clara Roach, of Baltimore, a comely woman of 45. She admits marrying five husbands, and is suspected of having many more. *' I should like to see them all again before I go,” she remarked to the public prosecutor, to When two of the five husbands responded this invitation, she took them by both hands and expressed the hope that neither would be jealous of the other, as she did not love either of them. “I have always believed,” she exclaimed, that somewhere in this jyqrld is a man with whose spirit my spirit would harmonise. I determined to find him, and I suppose that as 1 must go to gaol that ipy search, wilt be interrupted,” “ You knew, tjjen,” cried Djtr John" Roach, the last husband, bitterly, “ that you were committing the crime of bigamy when you married me.” “ No, I wasn’t,” retorted the prisoner, “because at every one of ray marriages when the preacher asked if I took the man at my side as ray husband I did not say the words, ‘ I will.” 1 Mrs Roach informed the prosecutor that she found all her five husbands much of a yith the single exception ot one named Myer?. Said she, “ They were nice to mo for a U'tle wh'K atjd .then I grew tired of them- Myers was always devoted, but even he did not satisfy ths longings of my heart,” Why suffer with cough and cold when you can cure so by taking Tonfcing'e Linseed Emulsiourom all chemists and stores, is fid, as fid 48 fid.

| Sheep from the Sounds.— After lauding 1500 sheep from Pelorus Sound at Kalapoi oh Saturday morning, the Kairaki left for Lyttelton, but was stuck on the bar for a time. She arrived there in the afternoon, and after coaling left for Pelorus Sound Ipr another load of sheep for Kaiapoi. The vessel will I be engaged in carrying sheep for some weeks.

A Promise Fulfilled.— Some months ago Mrs Buokman promised that she would raise a sum of £5 towards the cost of constructing the new tennis court for Che Havelock Tennis Club, and she has redeemed the promise with a balance to spare. By means of a good deal of hard work and personal expense she provided several most useful articles for nail-driving and shooting competitions, and these took place on Wednesday, evening, the result being that she is able to baud over (0 the Club a sum of £7 los 3d. Chief interest in the competitions centered in a beautiful doll and a valuable pair of shoes presented,by Mr Buokman. The former was won by Mrs O’Grady, tor' whom Mr E. Gibbons shot, and the shoes were won by Mr A. Fraser, through the fine shooting of Nurse Aroa. \ Japanese in Hawaii.— The United States Government have a little Japanese scare of their own on hand just now, Major-General Carter, Chief of Stall of the United States Army,. declares- that 32,000 trained Japaneses soldiers have been smuggled into Hawaii since the Russo-Japanese war. The United States Government, realising the danger, have taken steps to send 13,000 troops to the islands. “The Japanese now in Hawii,” remarked MajorGeneral Carter, “are not enlisted in the Japanese army, but they are all experienced soldiers. The Oriental can do anything he pleases in Hawaii without attracting the notice of the War Department.” It-was learned recently that the Government have been secretly investigating the conditions in Hawaii, and all the Orientals there are being olosely watched, '

- Shearing and Wet Sheep.— The reserved judgment of Mr E. S, Florance, S.M., m the case Louis Harris v. Bobert, J. Bell, in which a claim was. made for £l3 3s 4d for the shearing of a number of / sheep on the Benhopai statioh, was , delivered on Wednesday. It was agreed between the parties that this should bo treated as a test case to be applied to the claims of seven other shearers engaged in the same work. There was also a counterclaim, as against the eight shearers concerned, for £166 16s for expenses, loss, and inconvenience to which the defendant was subjected through the action of the men in refusing to go on with the work of shearing; His Worship said he could not escape from the conclusion that some wet sheep were in the. pens of the plaintiff on Bth December • without the . defendant’s knowledge. No referee having been appointed, as could have been done, the Court was thrown back on to Clause 8 of the shed rules, providing that “no shearer shall be compelled to shear wet sheep.” Judgment was given for £5 6s for Harris, less the cost of twelve cutters at sixpence each (six shillings) ’ and disbursements according to scale. The defendant was non-suited on bis counter-claim, with costs for the plaintiff as on a claim of £2O, as agreed between the solicitors for the parties." Mr Mills, for the defendant, was granted leave to appeal.