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Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8769, 3 May 1890, Page 2

Captain Edwin wired at 2 p.m. to-day : — " North to east and south-east gale after twelve hours from now, with considerable sea. Indications of much rain within that time, and glass further fall."

Tho shooting season for native and imported gamo opened on Thursday last. A great many sportsmen have been out since the opening, but not many good bags of game have been recorded so far. One sportsman, who resides down at Oakura, is credited with potting 9 brace of pheasants, and this is the largest bag that can be heard of. There have been smaller bugs galore, but not large enough to chronicle. Some good sport has been obtained among tho native game, one sportsman being credited with popping over 17; another 12. and a third 16 in one day. If tho weather holds up during the next week there will be a brigade of sportsmen " on tho job " after the birds.

Tho general impression at Greymouth (says the Brunner News) is that Hokitika will not be rebuilt. That once famous goldmining centre is going the way of all places supported solely by alluvial gold workings. Will it be like Virginia City, in America, with the trees growing through the roofs of the houses ?

The Now Zealand Petroleum and Iron Syndicate, Limited, are sending Mr Charles Marvin, the managing director, to Canada and the United States, to properly organise there the drilling expedition which is to be sent to New Plymouth. Tho ablest drillers he can engage and the best machinery he can purchase arc to be sent, and Mr Marvin is coniident that if there is any large subterranean supply — and the surface indications, he says, are as good as any in the majority of the petroleum regions of the world — that they will find it. A gallon of the oil-oozings in the New Plymouth beach has been submitted to Mr Boverton Redwood — p rlmps the most eminent petroleum expert in Europe — for analysis. Encouraged by the alleged discovery of a new and successful process for working the ironsands of New Zealand, the Board are studying the ironsand question, and if they can see their way to profitable business they will take it in hand and work it concurrently with the boring for petroleum.

Referring to the proceedings in connection with the Bank of New Zealand, the Australian Insurance and Banking Record say : — " Mr Hean has communicated with the London Board on hia work of inspection. He states that the properties are being revalued, and tiiat the further prospects are encouraging. Unquestionably, the recent almost phenomenal development of the productive powers of the colony should tend materially to enhance values."

An ominous sign of the times is the large proportion of little child ron who are obliged to wear spectacles. The absurdly early school age in force in the colony is the principal cause, remarks Typo. Not only are infants at schools when they should bo at play, but they have to pore over " homo lessons" when they should be in bed.

A Yorkshire manufacturer is reported to have told his workmen to vote just as they pleased — " In fact I sha'n't tell you how I am going to vote,". he said, " but after it is all over I shall have a barrel of beer brought into yard — (' hear, hoar,), — but I sha'n't tap it unless Mr gets in."

The following good story is from the " Stockkeeper" : — A family let their house furnished, leaving in it a large clog. The tenant was an old lady who liked to sit in a particularly comfortable chair in the drawing room, but as the dog was also fond of the chair, she frequently found him in possession. Being rather afraid of the dog, she did not daro to drive him out, and therefore used to go to tho window and call "Cats!" The dog would then rush to tho window and bark, and tho lady would take possession of the chair. One day the dog entered tho room and found the lady in possession of the chair. Ho ran to the window and barked excitedly. The lady got up to see what was the matter, and the dog instantly seated himself in the chair.