LANDING FROM A WRECK.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11719, 3 January 1919, Page 8

LANDING FROM A WRECK.

United Press Association.—By Elecrrio Telegraph—Copyright Received Jan 3, noon. New York, Jan 2. The wounded aboard the Northern Pacific are being lauded. Passengers and the vessel are not iu danger The troops have landed from the transport Northern Pacific stranded on Fire Island. Fifteen fell into the surf but were recaued.

The Taranaki Herald, referrag to the Stratford R.C. Meeting, states: “The new regulations which have oeeu brought into operation with reference to Government supervision in the tote again caused considerable delay, with the result that it was 6,15 when the horses left the barrier in the last race, whereas it was timed to start at 4.35.’’ The totalisator at Marten under the supervision of a Government officer, who was euthnisastio ia his praise of the splendid manner in which the tofalisator was conducted by Mr H. G. Bagnall. of Palmerston North. The last race was timed to start at 4 45, and the race was over and the horses weighed in before 5 o’clock.

Women have played a very important part in carrying on different pursuits through lack of male labour on account of the men being at the front, bnt droving has not claimed many aspirants, and a fine piece of work by Mr and Mrs Amos Phippen, of Marton, is worth recording. Quite recently Mr Phippen was unable to obtain assistance to drive a mob of sheep, and Mrs Phippen filled the breach by offering her services, which were accepted. They started from Labe Alice with a mob of 2020 two-tooth shorn wethers, with three dogs, were six days on the road, and lauded the full count at Mr Chas Wilson’s run, a distance of 60 miles, without a casualty. A leading Hawera sheep farmer stated recently that the position in regard to shearers for this season’s wool is serious. Sheep farmers in that district have always depended largely on tne Maoris, and, unfortunately, they are not now available in any number. The epidemic, too, has been responsible for much trouble. A runholder in the Wanganui hinterland, who has 40,000 sbeep to shear, bad 25 men at work in bis sheds when the influenza attacked them. Four died, and moat of the others were seriously affected. Whereas shearing is mostly finished aoout Christmas, many farmers have not started. A harmless-looking yonng man got into a smoking carriage .on the Sydney-Armidala train recently, and, taking out a pack of cards, began to clay patience. He was chatty, and explained that he had been an inmate of a lunatic asylum, but was now cured, and was going op country to buy a farm, as he had had ten millions left him. He said the lunatics were fond of cards, and that he used to win a thousand a night from the warders. The passengers were amused, and when he offered to snow them the three-cara trick, and placed the cards very clumsilv. two of them cheerfully bet with him, and be won £2. He seemed so surprised and pleased at his luck that presently all the carriage bet with him, and he wou every time. Ho left the train at Gosford, and atier when bis companions mentioned the lanatio’s astounding luck to a detective, they were laughed at, and jhssurpd thst