WAR ON RATS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13663, 30 March 1908, Page 4

WAR ON RATS.

For a good many years one Zusclilag has been lifting up his voice at Copenhagen against rats, urging international war against these destructive rodents. Now tftere sterns to be some prospect of combined action being taken /at the other side, of the world. A few weeks 'ago a was held in L/)ttdoo ttpder the presidency of Sir James Crichton-Browne to discuss plans for the great, campaign. Prior to the meeting a special, meeting was hold, at which an organising; committee was formed, with Sir Laudcr Brunton as ojiairman, and Lord Avcbury es treasurj cr 4 While among tha active supporters ! of the movement are tho National Poultry Association and the Royal Horticul- \ tui'al Society. It is charged against v the rat that it was the .chief cause of i the million deaths frxyu plague that oc T curred in India during the first half of 1907; that it 'brings ptomaine poisoning through running aver pantry food ; that it is ; Ver,V> dosl motive to chickens and ducklings; that it costs a ship's captain a penny a rat a day ; while its depredations in gtan^^es, stables, warehouses, aud similar places cost Great •Britain an enormous sum evory year. There is nothing that can be said in favour of the rat, unless it is that he is a scavenger — like the house fly. Tho Japanese Government, it is stated, practically ridded the" country of rats »y giving about a. tenth of a farthing .for ( oach "comolofefe skin, afterwards ,made into soft nose and oar-wraps for the troops. The plan of campaign to •.be adopted in Great Britain is not quite determined oiij the cat is fay- . ourod as the best; instrument of destruction ; but if sufficient funds ore forthcoming a price will be put on the head, or rather" tail, of every rat, while investigation wilL be made into the uses of poisons and 'vims/ Rat Clubs, run on similar lines to the jjSparrmv Clubs, are also contemplate©!, with prizes given by the central organisation for 1 tbo largest numbers destroyed ,by individuals and by clubs. It is obvious:, howovjpr,' that if success is to be attained the campaign must be carried on in all infested countries which maintain communications with other countries. Shipping carries the rat from one country to another, and though it may ho possible. to keep them in check on vessels trading sb long a distance as from England to Australasia, it would , certainly be wise dn the. part of Australia and New Zealand to join in tho effort to exterminate the race of rats, providing of course the steps now be- ; ing taken ' are persevered in.

Five shillings was tho price offered for Taranaki petroleum shares at Wellington on Thursday. Last night tho Roy. J. Flanagan appealed^ \6 parents to let him have their children for an hour on Thursday afternoon, when, he intends to talk to them about' the poor waifs of London, the capital of the Empire.,, During * February 4667 persons arrived in, New Zealand, and 2966 departed,, the net j&iti being 1601. In February, 1907, tlje arrivals numbered 3610 ans the departures 3176, leaving a net gain of 434.

The annual meeting of the A.M. P. .Society will be held at Sydney on May Ist.

The land area of Great Britain is 56,200,u06* acres, and of this 32,243,447 acres was under cultivation last year, while 12,742,779 acres was devoted to grazing. ,

If sufficient support is forthcoming Miss Jennins, who has- had considerable experience both at Home and in the* colonies, will conduct a chiss in millinery a.% the Technical School. In order that a start may be made intending students are requested to leave their names at the Education office.

The missionaries, who know best, tell us, the South African Notebook says,, that the education offered to the xfative to-day is of no more use than to spoil a savage. It does nqi give you a civilised or a semi-civilised man; and it is the "educated" black 4 who refuses to work at any useful calling.

.An outbreak of fire in a fire station is an almost unheard of occurrence, yet the Trinity Road, Tooting, station was the scene of a Berious fire in January. Tho petrol in a new motor escape and first-aid appliance ignited and almost destroyed the machine before it could be extinguished. A striking testimony to tho-value of oil fuel is given by Mr J. J. jLermode, M.1.M.E.,wh0 recently conducted some experiments on behalf of the Admiralty. He states, that if the Lusitania were fitted for ' burning oil ' fuel she would require only 27 men in the stokeholds as compared with tho $12 necessary with coal. She would be able to carry 4000 tons more cargo an ( d -at leaßt 250 more passengers, while the time^Spr the Transatlantic voyage would be re-» duced by eight hours.

The Melbourne Argus repprts that at the country township of Kinmarc the other day Miss D. Worrall; a daughter of Mr S. H: Worrall, had au unpleasant experienco while dressing. Slip «iut her' foot into one of her shoes, but feeling a soft obstruction iri the too took off the shoe and shook it. To hor great astonishment a brown snake dropped out of the shoe. The snake, .which was eventually killed, with a' "poker, was about 2ft. long. The Argus omits to mention the size of shoe worn by ,the lady. Rats and plague were mentioned at the meeting ofr the Wellington Harbour Board last week. The chairman (Mr T. M. Wilford) drew attention to the fact that the Health Department's regulations regarding the use of discs pn hawsers of intercolonial steamers were not being observed, and that two cases, of phigu© ,and the capture of many plague-infected rats had recently been reported from Sydney. He moved that the Health Department should be asked to put its Tlegal powers into force. This met with objections from Mr C. W.- Jtfoxß, $ho* said it was no part of the Board's business to meddle with the regulations of the Health Department; but the meeting passed the motion.

In an article on the increased popularity of Rugby football on the Pacific Coast, the New York Evening Post says :— • 'The question is of€en asked, 'How did Stanford .learn the game?' The answer is sufficiently simple. Summer before last the h^ad coach spent the summer in Vancouver^ where the ,local Rugby teams gave . him all t^o assistance in their power to help him in learning 1 the game, and last summer he spent in Australia and New ' Zealand, where again he experienced a most generous and sportsmanlike hos{>itality, accompanying the New Zeaarid Blacks on their tour as a guest. Now this coach is considered as the best disciplinarian and strategist that we have ever had; his enthusiasm for the inter-collegiate game was unbounded and likewise practical, for bj[s teams have never been beaten. Nevertheless, this young man, having had ample opportunity to supplement his four years coaching at the old game, and his two ! years of Rugby with a course of football study 1 at such diverse centres as New Haven, Cambridge, and Princeton on the one hand, and Auckland and Sydney on the antipodean hand, has become an. unreserved advocate of I Rugby. In addition, the trainer for track and field sports, who looked for trouble and usually found it-fpr track men in inter-collegiate games, now sends his men into Rugby without le.t or hindrance. He also volunteers statements to the effect, firstly, that men have to be in better condition to play Rugby than the 'coaches' game, and, secondly, that the men are in better shape for evening work, and far more elastic in spirit wjth Rugby than under the old exhausting grind of mkss and momentum plays, Consequently, he is in favour of Rugby." , ,

The Rev. J. Flanagan last night told a pathetic -story to his congregation concerning an acquaintance of his boyhood days. He was preaching in $ town hear Sheffield on a winter's Sunday morning, and a gentleman was |ust shaking off the sleet from his coat, when he saw crouching under a wall for shelter on .the other side of the street a pitiable objfcot, the doubled-up', haggard figure of a man, ragged, hug-> giug his body as though to retain sufficient warmth to keep his heart beating. Yet there were still traces of a former physical grandeur. This was the wreck of a. man of 'good education. The gentleman crossed the roa,d, and found tho man' had nowhere to, go, no money to buy food with, and he had had nothing to eat that day. "But it wasn't tho storm that pulled me up," he said; "it was that, pointing to a Slacard which announced that the Key. ames Flanagan was to preach there that day. "That'B Mr Flauagan; 1 know him; 1 knew Mm afore ymi,>did; I knew him nearly forty yoatfs ago. "What!" said the brother, "yon don'i mean to say you know Mr Flanagan?" "But t dol" said the man. "W° were chums in the same town. But he took tho right path, and I took the) wrong way. See what ho is now — tho preacher. And see .me, with bleeding face, and black eye, where they punched me last night fn the Doncaster lodginghouse. '* Invited to go inside the church, he declined, saying/'Yow don't want such fellowg as' me in your churches. Look at my rags. Look at my face. They wouldn't give me a seat." Persuasion prevailed, and the outcast gat with his newly-found friend in 'the latter's seat. The preacher, casting his eye over 'his congregation, aaw this man, bruised, ragged, and wet, and altered his plans. Instead 6f a nice soft little talk with Christian friends, the usual Sunday morning discourse, he preached right at that man as he surmised the Master would have preached. Aud at the -conclusion of the sermon the ragged individual staggered out of his seat and up the aisle. Nobody touched him, for wub he not ragged and dirty P He was givon plenty of xopm. In the vestry the stranger threw, his arms rpund the i preacher's neck and. cried,, and asked I, to be guided to a pit wherein to bury jhis sin.! T;lmt man "came to himself." i Those were the moments, concluded' Mr > Flanagan, when a minister of God was ! lifted into the seventh heaven of de- > light.

A new novel by a Feilding writer, Mr Thomas Watson, will be issued from the press during next week.

Half a million passengers, all but 140, crossed the English Channel between Dover and the Continent last year.

Some London papers say that custom fixes £50 a day as the amount to be paid in tips by royal visitors at Windsor Castle. This amount is frequently exceeded, according to these newspaper authorities, and one of them states that Kaiser Wilhclm's recent short stay with King Edward cost him £2000 in gratuities to servants.

If wo take, the . experience of this colony, we are arriving at a stage iv whicli the better classes of Chinese are tending to drop opium and take to the consumption ot liquors. Champagne is by no means unknown, and whisky and soda is a commonplace of domestic consumption with well-to-do Chinese residents. — Free PresSi Singapore.

The law which docs«not pi*ovido for tho payment of witnesses at an inquest came in for some adverse criticism by Dr. McArthur, coroner, at a Wellington inquest on Wednesday. Witnesses in nearly every case lost their wages through attending, and it was only fair, he said, that they should be recompensed. The law was" at fault, and tho sooner it was amended the better.

An "empty" benzine tin exploded in Featherston on Monday, reports tho Wairarapa Daily Times. A youth named Charles Aitchison was carrying a lighted match through Ins father's shop, and «s the flame catno near a newlyemptied benzine tin, it ignited tho vapour still clinging to the side. Tho tin exploded with a loud report and was completely smashed/ while one., of the workroom windows was blown out. '

The alleged dissatisfaction amongst' farm labourers was being investigated at the Conciliation Board at Darfiold, Canterbury. Mr queried: "Did they ever, say wfiat would satisfy them?" "I don't knowvthat" replied the witness, u thoy iUardly know themselves. A lot ot'tnem gK>wl for the sake of growling." "Borfa. Wowling ?" asked Mr Kennedy. "Yes, S that's feo; that's right!" rejoined the witness.

Some time agq; "when tlis steamer Orari was in Bluff Harifour, two members of her crew made* plucky efforts to rescue a man, who; was.^ drowned while endeavouring to rescue $ boy who had fallen into the water. jThe shjp will be in IJyttelton 'shortly, sjnd during her stay tfie Mayor of Lyjbtelton, at the request of, the Mayor of Bluff, will make a public ..presentation/ to the mon in recognition of their bravery. A collection of Maori -curios gathered by the late Mr James/Butterworth, of New Plymouth, was submitted to auction at Wellington on Wednesday. Mr Butterworth's friendship with Te Whiti and other leading chiefs of Parihaka gave him opportunities, whichfhe used to the full, of gathering together a priceless collection of treasures of old New Zealand. The auctioneers offered a fine assortment of greenstone adzes, mores, and tikis, and excellent prices were realised, a large number of keen buyers being in the room during the sale • ' • '

According to Australian newspapers Victorian school' teachers' have to Into in hovels that would be shunned by any self-respecting aboriginal. Many of the residences are "skillions" or lean-to's, afootit 20ft. by Bft.; with a hei^Ut-jof . about Bft. to the lower wa^l, the whole space being divided into two rooms. A writer in the Melbourne Age says :— ''In this two-celled box the teacher and his family live, move, when not all in at the same time., and have their being. Bach teacher ik expected to have the same-sized wife . and family, the same tastes, the same wants. The Department has provided the house; the teacher must make things fit. Can the public imagine the feelings of a teacher who, in reply to a request for quarters to be enlarged 1 to > meet the needs of an increasing family, receives a letter not verbally, but substantially as follows :-— 'The Department congratulates Mr Dash on the addition to his family, but regrets that his request, cannot be complied with. It is suggested that Mr Dash should make no further additions of the, kind referred to.: Should he, however, persist in doing so, then he must squeeze them in as best he can,' " "It has becorti© a commonplace now that teaching has ceased to become attractive to men," comments Mr Win. Gray, principal of s the Wellington Training College, in calling attention to the small proportion or , men students under his direction. "There is no gainsaying the fact," he continues, "seek to disguise it how we may. A larger proportion of men must bo found; and Isbelieve it is the uncertainty of promotion rather than the smallness of the remuneration that at present warns off men, -whose natural instincts would otherwise lead -thorn into a profession that offers the prize, not of wealth, but of a life of untold usefulness ana influence." Mr Gray has occasion^ also, to emphasise the need of improving the average status of teachers. Of 916 adult teachers in -the Middle University District. 229 have no examination status whatever. There will shortly be telegraphic communication \tfith Stephen Island lighthouse. Thd Tutanekai is about to take in the necessary submarine cable at Wellington to run from Stephen Island to D'Urville Island, and thence to the mainland in the vicinity of French Pass. About seven and a-half miles of cable will be used.

An amusing incident occurred during the Prime Minister's recent North Island tour (the New Zealand Herald reports). Two Maoris were peacefully, jogging along the Bay of Plenty Beach road, between Pongakawa and Matata, in a heavy cart, drawn by three horses, when the motor car containing the Prim© Minister came up behind. The Ministerial party sighted, tlu's -native cararan some distance away; and the chauffeur repeatedly sounded his horn in order to get a clear run along the track, which is very narrow at this particular point. As the car drew near at a fairly rapid pace, one of the Maoris' heard tho warning, and leisurely prepared to draw, his team out of the road. As he did so the sparking plug of the motor car "missed firo" and went off. wHjb a sharp report like a rifle shot. Th? startled Maori glanced round in great alarm, and an elderly, Maori," asleep in the bottom of the cart, spmng up with, a wild yell. Just as he did so another "misfire 1 ' ocourred.. "Irfy word," ejaculated the driver, and, without more ado he abruptly wheeled his team off the track and sent them plunging down the stoep declivity to thfe beach, while his aged companion ■sank on his knees and poured forth wliat might have been *n invocation* of! all the Maori gods. The motor car wlizzed past, and two trembling Maoris Wdtchod it anxiously till it had disappeared in the distance.. It would he interesting to havfc heard thp story tlcy told their womon folk whon they returned to thoir wharc in the ovrninp; jyobably ihey will go down to their graves under tR© impression that they ivere fired upon by the Prime Minister.

Tho Waipuku-Egnlbnt railway works*;;, aro to be taken ever by the Railway < Department this week.. . The chief electoral officer advertises ; the closing of the general electoral roll •on April 15. ' r It is desirable that all those who are qualified should make application for enrolment before that date. oMx' Joshua Jones is in Wellington and in conjunction with others is endeavouring to get his Mokau- estate opened up by : the Government. Tne|e are difficulties in dealing with me land, owing to various complications, which the Government alone cofud probably . overcome. Mr W. M. Singjleton, who is, to have charge of the Dairy School, was in Palmerston last week" (says the Standard), and inspected the showground site with members of the Ground Committee and Mr W. r T. Wood, M.P. The committee will be, asked to agree- as to a site on the Cuba Street frontage a two-storey brick building, some 7o x 80 feet, set somewhat back from the road.

The Employers' Federation at Wellington has decided to bring a case very shortly to test the Labour Department's contention that the recent amendments to the Factories Act mean that full weekly wages must be paid to factory employees whether a full week's work has been done or not. The Federation holds that this is incorrect, and that full wages ate only payable when full time is worked;-

, Whilst in Wellington last week, Mr W- T. Jonnings, M.P., interviewed the Minister of Marine in reference to the prohibition of. fishermen of Waitara from using nets at the mouth of the river. The Minister has promised that enquiries shall be made' bb to wkat control, if- any, Acclimatisation Societies have "over navigable rivers, and, if -it is found that men are prohibited irom earning their living, he will bring forward an amendment next session.

The Oakura school committee has' recommended the appointment of Miss Xi M. Montgomery to the vacancy at that school. Miss Montgomery has been appointed and- will take up duties on April 1. Miss E. Lewis, of Ngaire, has been appointed temporary teacher ~at Rahotu and is to commence on April 1. It is expected that the vacancies at the Okato, Kaimata, Waitui, and Tataraimaka schools will be filled in ' a few days.

A rumour that a clainyoyant had predicted a gas explosion- in the Pelaw^» Maik colliery, Kurri Kurri, N.S.ST., spread so rapidly, and gained sucmcredence in the district, that many of tho men fold the colliery manager they ,did not intend to work one day last week. Only sufficient men put in an appearance to keep the mine agoing, and the output was considerably reduced.' • Experienced miners say that Pelaw-Main is perfectly safe, because of the splendid system of ventilation. »,. ,

! While quarrelling at Mildura, Vi<> toria, on Saturday, March 7th, Matthew McMullen, 90, chairman of the Mildura Workers' Union, was hit aiid fell, with the result that his skull was fractured. He died wfcfle being conveyed to tho hospital- SjSiomas Alfred Thomas, 26, a miner from, Broken Hfll 4 was arrested. Thomas stated thai.M4r Mullen rushed him, r^nd he simply' pushed McMullan qff % ,find he fell. At ThpTnqxieist a vefdictfof manslaughter against Thomas was, returned.

> Forms of application for the examinations conducted by the City and Guilds of ' London and the Board of Education South Kensington have been received at the Education office* Students intending to present themselves for these examinations are required to fill up forms and forward to the Inspector-General of Schools^ ' Wellington, so as to reach his office not later than May 13 in -the case of the City=and tjuilds/and April 22 in the case of the South Kensington.

THe world's chopping record was put up in the match between Phil. Helm, Bolder, and Phil. O'Rourke, challenger, for the axeman's championship of Tasmania, a side, and the . gate ' receipts. Twenty inches of wood were cut through in lmin 31 3-ssec. Helm's axe seemed to stick, and u'Rourke turned first in 45sec, Helm following 3sec later. From then to the finish it was a great go, O'Rourke eventually winning by a narrow margin*. Oh th« perforrrifcace there. is nothing to spare between the two men.

At a large meeting of the local branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway servants, " held at New Plymouth yesterday, an exhaustive report was presented by the local 'delegate of the proceedings of the . conference. After his explanation had been heard a vote of want of*confidence in the present executive was carried and also a resolution that Mr Hornsby hadi been unfairly treated by the executive council. Opportunity was taken at the gathering to present ex-chairmen King andt Houlder with the Society's badges in recognition of their services.

1 "Shall there bo a uniformity of school books throughout the Dominion?" — & question which has been agitating the educational authorities for some, lame; was resuscitated by Mr Vile at the last meeting of the Wellington Education Board. He moved that the Board was of opinion that such a uniform system would be in the best interests or education, and supported his Argument on the .ground of the great saving of cost to parents. Mr A. W-^ Hogg» M.P-j opposed the motion, and represented the action of the department in the matter as an attempt to encroach oi| the local self-government of the Education Boards. Competition \in the production of school books produced thf best article. Uniformity spelt stagnation. The motion was carried by tE» casting vote of the chairman (Mr X. G. W. Aitken, M.P.)

An odd sentence has been imposed by a San Francisco judge. \ A man named Fred S. Butler was virtually banished from the United States for ten years. This revival of the old Roman Grecian method of punishing political wrong-doers, .-attracted a great deal of attention. Butler, who is an old man, promised to go to Australia by the next boat, and he will probably end bis days there. If h» returns within the jurisdiction of the court before the exniration of ten years he will "be sent to prison for ten years. Butler embezzled a sum of money from his employers. His previous reputation was of the best, and the firm for whom he worked suggested to the judge that the case was one in which 'mercy might be extended. Under the laws of California, a first offender may be allowed his liberty on probation, but the judge is empowered to, fix conditions. The judge in this case agreed to let Biitlcr out on probation for ten years, making it » condition th»t he must- leave the United States and stay., atfca-y* for that length of time. The old" man wa« greatly downcast by the sentence of banishment, but, of course, gladly •* cepted it in preference to going .tv . I for ten years.

An -owner of<sa s^eam ploughing plant on the Canterbury Plains states that he has been offered the contracts • for ploughing 3000 acres of land in various parts of tho country.

The number of tourists visiting Corsica, and especially Ajaccio, is increasing every year. The interest fe the great Napoleon augments as years go By, and the visit to the house where the greatest of conquerors was born is a pilgrimage. — Drapeau, Ajaccio.

A ball to celebrate a divorce is tho latest American monstrosity. A report •from St. Louis states that Mrs Charlps Deutchm&nn, divorcee, of No. 4311 j Kennerley avenue held a ball to cele- j brate two events— -that she had obtain- 1 ed a divorce from her husband, and that here r^ont husband had just been happily married. . j A good' example in the conduct of Police Court work is sot by Dr. A. McArthur, S.M., of Wellington.^ If ho sees a boy gratifying his cur^sity or a prurient mind as a spectator' in tho Court, he addresses him after thisj manner: 4< Now, my boy, get out of this ! This is Vio place for you !" The j boy has never been known to I maintain his legal right to remain inj the Court. The life of the theatrical people is! not all wine and bouquets. For instance, an unfortunate accident .occur- j ed during the Wellington season of j "Carter the Magician." It was recall- i ed by a case mentioned before the Magistrate last week.,, -■ During a matinee performance of -the Flyto illusion a large case suspended from &■ height above the stage came crashing! down. ' When 'the doors were opened the young }ady assistant was seen huddled in' the corner. She struggled to her feet, and bowed to the audience. It was her last appearance in that act, as she had apparently sprained her ankle severely. - Last week the Magistrate heard an application by Mr Levvey to adjourn the case of Lily Gilpin v. Charles Carter, a claim of £40 damages in connection with the accident. This was granted.

' Twb cyclists* met wfth terrible deaths at Melbourne on Sunday, March 8, as tiie result of collisions. A yoting man, W. Rowe, was scorching down Punt Road*. Richmond. He was on his wrong side, and crashed into the shaft of a jinkeffv The shaft passed, through Rowe's abdomen, and protruded nine inches through the back. His cries of agony were appalling, and no one seemed to know what was best to do to relieve his tortures. Luckily, Dr. Agnew' was passing, and, running up, sawed through ; the shaft near thebody. The injured man was taken to .the Melbourne Hospital, and died three hours later. A little later on the same day. in a second accident, Jas. Pearce collided with a cab, which was on the wrong side of St. Kilda Road, Brighton/* His head struck the wheel of the vehicle, and his injuries were so serious that he- died ob the way to the hospital. The driver of the-«ab, .George Jackson, was arrested on a charge 1 of negligent driving. ■}