ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43118, 25 July 1907, Page 4

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

A native at Übukura was killed j yesterday in a peculiar way. AVhile working in the bush a, kauri log fell off a skid on to a small piece of wood, which flew up, striking the Maori on, the back of the head, causing death in half an horn*. News from Greymouth states that, as a result of inquiries made by a local resident it, has been ascertained that the quantity of Newcastle coal imported into New Zealand last year was '350,040 tons. Of this amount 20-8,165 tons represented cargo and 144,670 tons bunker coal. The ex- 1 pired .half of the present year shows J a comparative, increase. This, it is con- j tended, shows the necessity of plae-j ing a tax.on foreign coal in order to; encourage local industry. ! How the poor live ! An old age pen-1 sioner (78 years old) in, Wellington told the Benevolent, Trustees that, he had been living for over three years at the back of a factory in Cuba street- He paid 4s a week for the privilege of sleeping in one of two beds in a room lift by 7ft. in, dimen-, sions. The old man’srequest to go, to the Ohiro Home was granted. The Nelson Colonist, is informed on good authority that one hundred thousand pounds has been raised in the colony towards the capital of the company for working the, Cadman leases at Parapara, and that latest advices from, London indicate that, the full capital needed will be forthcoming. It is .also stated that the work of development will be put in. hand ; shortly. Whenever a plant becomes a pest in Victoria it- ‘is officially declared by the Govemor-in-Couucil to be a thistle, and therefore the provisions of the Thistles Act are applied to its destruction. Proclamation has now been made that for the future the thorn, apple is 'to be officially dealt with as a thistle.

An important, medical discovery of last year was that Malta fever was found: to be duo to the specific microbe propagated by the milk of infected goats. Nearly half the goats inthe island were found to be affected. The Norwegian postal authorities have under consideration an application for permission to print advertisements on the hack of postage stamps. It is proposed to devote the proceeds to the erection and maintenance of u largo sanatorium for eonsump lives.