The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1895.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10472, 25 November 1895, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1895.

Mr James Fbeybkrg, the New Zealand Government timber expert, was in New Plymouth od Saturday last, on his way to Auckland on business connected with his special department. He is making a tour of the timber producing districts of the North Island for the purpose of laying before sawmillors his proposals with regard to the future working of the trade, and to endeavor to arrango some kind of combination among aawmillers, so as to be able to work the export business to the greatest advantage. Mr Fieyberg has lately spent some months ia the Old Country studying the requirements of the English market in regard to timber, and he has arrived at the conclusion that we have there a practically illimitable market for all the timber we can supply, and also that New Zealand grows the -finest timber in the world for English purposes. Thus we have the two chief requisites to open up a valuable trade, the market and the wherewithal to supply it. The next question is that ot transit, and heroin lies the chief difficulty. At present, Mr JFreyberg informs us, the principal charges are seven shillings per 100 feet for freight, and seven shillings for dock charges in London. These impositionsarepractically prohibitive, but one of the most important features of Mr Freyberg's proposals ia directed to the removal of this bar to the growth of the trade. Ho proposes tjiat timber should be shipped in the winter months by sailing vessels as is done in the Puget Sound lumber regions, which would reduce freight charges to five shillings to 100 feet, and that it should be unloaded at the London docks into barges, and thence conveyed to a wharf to bo provided for the splo purpose of storing New Zealand tjmber. By this means it is claimed that the charges st the London docks would be reduced from seven shillings down to twopence per 100 feet.* Our timber, Mi- Freyberg asserts, is worth in the London market, cut into suitable sizes, *20s. per 100 ft, so that with freight and dock charges at Home reduced to 5s 2d, there is quite a handsome margin for profit, and the principal element of success now to be sought for is a combination of sawmillers to carry on and regulate the ex port trade in. a systematic manner. As a means to this end it is intended to call together a conference of sawmillers as soon as it is practicable, and Mr Freyberg s present mission is to acquaint them with the details of his proposals and interest them ia the possibilities of a well-organised export trade, so that when the conference meets no time may be lost in preliminary explanations. Mr Freyberg last week accompanied the Preruiet and party to Pipiriki, on the Wanganui River, and was much struck with the value of that river ;aa an outlet for the ' enormous quantities of timber which exist in the Upper Wanganui country. It is hie intention, when summer is a little more advanced and the trado become passable, to make a trip of inspection through the forests in that district. He is an enthusiast on this question of a timber exnort trade, and speaks in glowing terras of its possibilities, but ho expressly states that be objects very strongly to the export of kauri and totara, which ho considers are too valuable for us to part with. Hata, he says, is unquestionably the finest timber in the world for street paving blocks, whilst all our pines are Superior to the Russian and American timber which is now so largely used at Home for that purpose. He also insists that, hand in hand with the' destruction of onr timber forests, must go re plant. ,ing, and this is a point upon which it is impossible for us to speak too strongly. ■The wholesale destruction of our timber forests, which has been, and still is. going on, without any attempt being made co replace them in the future, is most suic'dal and short-sighted.. For every timber tree that is cut down, two should ■be planted, and unless this precaution is , taken, the" day is not far distant when, instead of having timber available for export, we shall ha^to one to supply our own necessities. We lope Mr Freyberg wilj , receive the hearty co-operation of aawmillers in his efforts to carry out his plans ; and we also trust that he will 1 lose no opportunity of urging upon them and upon the public generally the absolute necessity of tree-planting to repiace the denudation of our forests, which will be, >a consequence of the success of his major proposals.

War ships of the various European PoWers, and possibly of the United States', are now making a demonstration at Constantinople, to ooerce the Sultan into granting such good government to his Armenian subjedts, as will he beyond his control for evil. It is unfortunate that' \Lordßosebery did not take the step that Lord' Salisbury has now taken, with the other Powers. The general election intervened, when a decided line of action could not well be taken, and while these delays took place, the Sultan, who is a fanatic in religion, has been steadily having the Armenians extirpated, with nameless horrors, especially to the female portion, that our readers will hardly be able to imagine. The Armenians claim, and it ia not denied, that Great Britain has duties towards them, under the Treaty of Berlin, hence the telegrams that have appeared about the Armenians appealing to Great Britain. Evidently the Sultan is only prevented by the want of meanß from making a fight of it, but he may prolong his resistance, and his obstinacy may be so obstructive that only his deposition can bring about the desired change. Some writers urge what practically means leaving the Armenians to their fate, because our interference will offend our Mahometan fellow subjeots in India: There are eminent writers on both sides of this question, and if that is a difficulty it applies to Russia as well as to Great Britain. But evidently the treaty obligations of the Powere to the Armenians have to be kept. It is difficult to forecast what the demonstration will lead to, and how it will end ? France wilJ do anything that will lower j our position ; Russia wants Constantinople ; Austria would like to prevent any extension of Russian power in the Balkan peninsula; and Great Britain wants justice for the Christian subjects of Turkey. Nor must wo forget that the relations between France and Great Britain are so strained that a collision of outposts, or question of boundaries in Asia or Africa, may, in a heated moment, precipitate a war botween the two countrion. , As the Spectator says: " There is only one other alternative

to Great Britain joining the Triple Alliance, or comirg to terms with Russia — that is, coming to "terms with France herself. Possibly things have gone too far for this." And Admiral Mare, in the National Review, who is well known as a strong friend to France, and admirer of the French, does not hesitate to tell the French how great a mistake thsy arc making in their attacks on England, and he points 'out that French statesmen do not really want to quarrel with England, though they have been foolish enough to play at the game of Briton-baiting. The Globe, another Unionist paper, takes a similar view of the precarious state of onr relations with France. While the Spectator boldly advocates that Great Britain should make terms with Russia, it points out that the presence of Russia in Constantinople ia a matter of more moment to France than to Great Britain, and that although the French Press says | that France baa an alliance with Russia, tho latter does not say so ; and that as Great Britain can offer Russia better terms than France can, the alliance would vanish like a soap bubble if Great Britain came to terms with Russia about Constantinople. And why not ? We have now two enemies, France and Russia ; convert the latter into a friend, and France would be nowhere, as she would also be if we joined the Triple Alliance. So that so far Great Britain appears to be the contiolling Power in the game.

Ripe cherries were picked at Foxton a week ago. Tenders are being invited in Christchurch for the addition of a sand pump to the New Plymouth Harbour Board's dredge. A newly-elected member of the Pahiatua Borough Council took his seat-far the first time with the remark that he did not consider it an honor to belong to such a body. The Government are calling for tenders for a ten years' lease of the Hermitage, Mount Cook. The upset rental is £110 per annum, and the lease includes 42,000 acres of adjacent country. The schedule for the Horticultural Society's Spring Show, to be held on Thursday, December sth, shows 172 classes, including 10 for school children, for which no entrance fee is charged. A Wellington firm has beßn sued before the Magistrate's Court for damages for misuse of the telephone. The case, a telegraphic report of which' will be found in another column, bears a wide application. " * The 1 case, Southland Frozen Meat Company v. Nelson Bros., which was heard before the . Dunedin Snpreme Court last week, and resulted in heavy damages for the plaintiff company, is to be carried to the Court of Appeal. The body of the late Major To Wheoro was buried on Friday, November 15th, at Takipu, the settlement of his tribe. The servica was conducted by the Revs. Hauraki and Simon, in the presence of a very largo number of natives. Mr G. T. Wilkinson represented the Government. Mrs Fraser, the widow' of the late Bishop of Manchester, who died some time ago, bequeathed under her will, which was proved recently (personalty, £221,883) all the residue of her estate which can legally be applied for charitable purposes in trust for various benefits to poor benefices in the diocese of Manchester. The amount available will probably be about £150,000. Mr Frank Lawry, M.H.R., addressed his constituents at Parneli last week. He reviewed the legislation of the session, denounced the GovernnSent for not making the Liquor Bill a party measure, and standing or falling by it, and said ho believed the teetotal party — not the temperance party — would be' sent back in two years. He received a vote of thanks and confidence. Harper's "Round Table" gives some extracts from examination papers recently handed in at a Connecticut public school : — " (1) From what animals do wu get milk?— From the camel uhd the milkman." "(2) The hen is' covered with feathers. With what is -the cat covered ? — The cat is covered, with fleas." " (3) Name an animal that has four legs and a long tail. — A mosquito." " (4) Name two kinds of nuts.— Peanuts and for-get-me-nuts." Sir William McGregor, Administrator of New Guinea, had a narrow escape of being murdered recently, under too following circumstances : — After dispersing a nomadic murdering tribe of natives and capturing their canoes, he paid a visit to a friendly tribe, who, however, were incensed at. the punishment inflicted on the others. Sir William McGregor was returning to his boat, accompanied by Mr Green, one of his staff, when the latter turned and saw two native's with uplifted spears ready to , strike Sir William McGregor. Mr Green instantly shot one, and the other, being frightened and hesitating to throw his flpear, he also shot dead. Mr Michael Davitt arrived at Wellington on Saturday afternoon, and was met by Sir Patrick Buckley, the Hon. Mr Blake, Archbishop Redwood, Dr. Grace, the Hon. Mr McCullougb, and other leading men. Later in the evening a formal welcome was tendered to him at the Occidental Hotel. It was intended to present him with a purse of sovereigns, but- he declined. Representatives were present from the National Federation Labor bodies and the Women's Association. The speeches were of the briefest description, and were confined to expressions of welcome. Mr Davitt loctured the same night, and left for Napier to-day. A Scotch election story :— Mr Martin White, of Balruddery, who recently won the seat for Forfarshire, in addressing one of his meetings denounced the land laws, and told a_ btory of a proprietor who challenged a trespasser on his ground. "What made the ground yours ?" asked the trespasser. " I got it from my father," was the reply. " Whaur did your father get it ?" " He got it from his father." " And your father's father ?" " Oh, he got it from his ancestors." " And your ancestors ?" " They fought for It." " That is how the land became the property of the present holder," continued the candidate, " they fought for it and took it by force." (Groat applause.) Then a 6 foot 2 ploughman uprose, and solemnly ap-; proaching the platform and assuming the approved pugilistic attitude said, " Come down here aff that stage, and I'll fecht ye for BJruddery." The yell of laughter which followed settled tbe land question for that evoning, at least. Recently a report wa3 published that a Woman of over fifty, an inmate of Brighton workhouse, was suffering from tetal loss of memory. She was admitted on the 20th September, and neither then nor later could give any account of herself. On October 4 the woman was identified as the wife of Mr Tait, civil engineer, of Victoria-street, Westminster. It appears she left home in an unaccountable way a fortnigiit before, and Mr Tait first got a clue to her whereabouts by a paragraph in a newspaper. She returned to London on Friday night wjfch her husband. During her stay m the workhouse glimmerings of memory had begun to return to her, thougli she had not the faiuteat idea why she wont to Brighton. Tho medical officer at the workhouse is satisfied that the case was a genuine one of temporary loss of memory, examples of which are well known, though rarely met with, in tuodical practice. He mentioned as a curious fact that the lady had given a? her own the name of Mr Dv Maurier's heroine, Trilby. WHEN THE LAND IS DRIED UP It requires copious rain. When a man is hot ho should drink Wolfe's Schnapps to quench his thirst and add ze«t to his appetite.