NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12490, 17 March 1909, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A mail from the United States of America will arrive here by the Pateena on, Thursday morning .

To-day being St. Patrick's Day, will be observed as a holiday by the Banks and Government offices.

Attention is directed to the advertisement of Messrs Wearing Bros., Richmond, announcing that they are offering the whole of their stock of prize poultry; bantams, and pigeons for sale. - All particulars will be found in the advertisement.

Mesrs Killett and Longworth announce that they will open as pork butchers on Saturday next, in the premises situated at the corner of Bridge and Gollingwood streets.

Mr Aitcheson Smith, City Engineer, notifies that property owners who have had boundary connections laid by the Council, and who have not paid, will be proceeded _ against unless payment is made within seven days from this date. Mr Smith states that the public have not responded to the offer of having the connections made for them.

A record was put up at the Nelson Frezing Company's works yesterday, when the Company's six slaughtermen killed 452 sheep and lambs. The weekly average at present is 2200, and this week tho manager, Mr Mitchell, estimates that 2500 carcases will he put through. . - ' '

A gang of thirty men were put on yesterday in Collingwobd street, excavating trenches for the laying or pipes for tho drainage works, rhe Jity Surveyor (Mr Aitcbeson Smith) expects, witn" favourable weather, to complete the scheme in two months time. ' At present men are engaged in locating leaks in the pipes in Cambria street.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr H. Eyre ; Kenny, 3.M., judgment for , the plamtiffs by G. C. B. Wolfe, claim for 8s lOd, balance of "account, costs £3 Is bd ; W. Aitcheson Smith (Mr Atkinson) v. C G F. Bagar, claim for k&L us oa, costs' £3 3s. In the judgment summons case J .E. Clear (for whom_Mr Hayes- appeared) .v. Herbert Fauchelle,the judgment "debtor was ordered to pay the amount owing £7 lls 6d forthwith, or in default seven days' imprisonment in the Nelson police gaol.

In the list of passengers who left Nelson by the illfated Penguin on her last, trip to Wellington appeared the some . one here, and the police will be have received a number of enquiries in regard to this passenger, but so ;far his identity has 'never been disclosed, nor was the body of any person named Johnston recovered. As the passenger booked at this port it is probable that he was known by some. one here, and the, Police' will be glad to receive any 'information that will throw light on His identity.

The Mayoress (Mrs Piper) invites the ladies to at the City Council" Chamber this_ afternooh-to consider the question "of raising funds" for a hospital bed as a memorial to the stewardesses of the Penguin, Mes'lames Hope and Jacobs.

The monthly selection of new books for the Library are now ready for circulation. They comprise, the ■f ollowing :— "The Web of ' Time," Robert E. Knowles ; "Ganton and C 0.." Arthur J. Eddy; "Flower of Dusk," Myrtle Reed ; "Cy Whittaker's Place," Joseph Lincoln • "St. Cufchbert's of the West, '.'Robert E. Knowles; "We of the Never Never," Mrs Aeneas Gunn ; "The .Last Voyage of the - Donna Isabel," Randal Parrish ; "My African Journey," Hon. Winston Churchill, M.P. ; "Flowers of Fire," -E. B. Burgier; "A Scout's Story," Owen Vaughan ; "The Life of James Robertson," Ralph Connor; "France in the 20th Century," W. L. George; "The Rowley Letters from France and "Italy," "Nature's Moods andTenses/J "Confessi Medici." "Erewhon," Samuel Butler. ■,--.•' ■-'■-.

The "Pelorus Guardian" states that Mr C. Mills, of the Rai Valley, witnessed a contest in the Tinline river. In a deep pool he noticed a trout that appeared to be about 41bs in weight, and' harrying the fish. were nine eels, the largest of _ which would go about, lolbs. After a lot of worrying by the eels, the trout was driven out of the pool info shallower watery and its enemies began a vigorous attack on it. The big eel would deliver a broadside that sent the unfortunate trout scurrying through the; shoals, but the smaller eels would head it back with vicious snaps. It fought valiantly for some time, but eventually became completely exhausted, and' whilst in that condition the big eel, with a wrenching snap, pulled" the poor creature's head off and swallowed it. '".'■'

Opinion seems to be hardening in the bslief that "the Penguin did not after ;>.!l strike upon a rock (says '.Marlborough Express" of Monday), 'but that a submerged wreck was the real cause of the trouble. There are several reasons for this suppositon, but the most reasonable one is the fact, since made abundantly clear, that there is a derelict floating about in Cook Strait (presumably the Rio Loge). The latter vessel was an iron barque on a voyage f rom Eaipara to Dunedin, timber laden and is supposed to have capsized somewhere in the vicinity of Cape Campbell and to have drifted into the Strait. All the unfortunate members of the barque's crew seem to have lost their lives, and the hull of the overturned vessel is now a- danger to navigation somewhere. The last report upon the subject is that of the captain ofth'e Manapouri, who on.Fnday night passed a submerged object .lMg« south from Pencarrow Head, bearing south 18 degrees west. This was right irfthe track of vessels making , for Weltagton, and -what was the fate of the Penguin might easily .have been that if the Manapouri.. Again the schooner Huia, which has ust arrived at Lyt-. in the water, also a log of timber.

appearing in this issue.