A VALUABLE WORK

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13992, 25 August 1909, Page 2

A VALUABLE WORK

When chopping firewood it is as well to keep clear of the clothes lino. Mr. D. Hughes, ot Manaia, had his head badly cut the other day through his axe being deflected in its downward swing by being caught in tho line.

A lady in Auckland writes to a friend in New Plymouth by this morning's mail : — "I heard Mrs. Stevenson lecture last weok, and I think her one of tho finest wuu'i«n speakers I have ever listened to. lam sure you will like her."

It is understood that an effort w ill probably be made by New Zealand athletes at no very distant date to send Kerr, the champion walker, and Woodger, the champion sprinter, to England <<says The Dominion). The matter is only talked of so far, but is expected to take 1 definite shape before long.

The private offer of £5000 towards the purchase fo land for establishing an experimental farm in tho Wairarapa, and an additional £1000 for a milking herd, is to be the subject of a deputation from the 'VCairarapa A. and P. Association to the Hon. T. Mackenzie (Minister of Agriculture) next woek, says the Wellington Times.

Aa soon as the spring weather sets in the training ship Amokura will he sent on her usual sea cruise, and the Minister of Marine is considering the advisability of sending her to the Southern Islands to inspect the depots of stores placed there tor the. use of possible castaways, instead of sending the Hinemoajiwhich usually f does that work. .. ' .> 1

A telegram 1 to the Melbourne Argus of the I4thin»t., from Perth, says: — The ' Government has every reason to be satisfied with 1 the results of, the State- .hotel, at Gwa)ja r Allowing for depreciation, the profit for the year ended.. June 30 was £1580. Since the inception of the JUtteTin 1908, the profit, exclusive of the depreciation, totals £12298. This haY recouped the State the whole of {He capital outlay, and, in addition, has .left a credit of £3114 with the Treasury. At a meeting last night under the auspices of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, Mr, Walter Ambury, the president, referred to the winter show. Taranaki. he said, had been behind the times and was almost the only province that did not' hold a' winter enow. Ihe Agricultural Society had now taken the matter up heartily, and he felt confident that next year, "with the cooperation of the farmers and townspeople, Taranaki would have a winter fixture whi<Sh would do credit tg the district. It would, he expected, be held in between the Auckland and Palmerstpn show, dates.

The Commissioner of Police has written to the Mayor with reference to the representations made to the chairman of the , Police Commission relative to the need for extra pb^ir^e , protection in the borough, and also that a sub-in-spector should be stationed in Now Plymouth. The commissioner states that it' is intended to place an additional constable at New Plymouth with a view to supplement the police protection to the inhabitants and property during the night. As regards the question of pjtcing a sub-inspector in charge of the town and district, tho matter will be carefully gone into.

Evidently, the experiment made 1 some time ago by the P. and O. Company of placing the Arcadia on the Bombay trade, carrying only one class of passenger, proved satisfactory. The company recently commissioned two of the /000ton steamers in this service, all passengers being accommodated in the onr class at second-class rates. An immense traffic to India takes place at certain periods of tMe year, particularly in October and November, and this renders it possible for, the company to make' special arrangements for catering for a large section,,pf travellers in the manner described.

Interviewed at Wanganui this week, Arnst, the champion sculler, said that though Barry and Durnan were anxious for matches', neither would visit New ' Zealand nor offer sufficient inducements for' him to visit England or Canada. It was quite possible, hovevcr, that Barry's supporters would make a big effort to induce Arnst to visit England, though if the match was arranged it . woqld not be for sceveral month* yet, as it was too late in the season for a match in the Old Country this year. Arnst intends com- . idling in the Foxton handicap, also the Wanganui handicap, if it eventuates. Matters in connection with the latter event, however, seem rather dead at present.

Asked whether the retrenchment scheme- would affect the Government steamers Tutanekat and Hinemoa, Mr. Millar stated at Christclmrch that tho Tutanekai would have to be retained in commission to effect repairs in case of breaks in. the cables connecting the islands, of the dominion. It was impossible for her to attend to that work and the lighthouse work also, so that other provision 'would have to be made for the conveyance of stores to the lighthouses. He had been making inquiries with a view to ascertaining whether the lighthouse work could be carried on satisfactorily by contract at a lower cost than it was done at present by the Hinemoa. Ho did not think it could be more cheaply done, but until he had obtained full information the Hinemoa would continue the work.

Some time ago, Mr. S. Irwin Crooks, of Auckland, Now Zealand, wrote to Mr. Wade, Premier of Now South Wales, stating that ho had been empowered to bring before him a new system of wireless telegraphy. It had, Mr. Crooks stated, been submitted to the War Office for testing, and extensive trials of a most satisfactory character had been made, says the Wellington Times. Tlie system was a most economical one, ana would enable the establishment of a wireless telegraph station to operate within a radius of 800 to 400 miles, at a cost of £275, as compared with a cost, according to the Marconi system, of £2000, Mr, Wade forwarded a communication to tho Post-master-General, who has decided to submit it to tho Commonwealth representative in London, Captain Collins, who is to have the system investigated and 10ported upon by the best wireless experts available.

When Taranaki farming land is sold at anything over £30 per aero many people declare that the price is too high. On the other hand (&ayb the Eltham Argus) there art* plenty ot practical dairy farmers who hold t irmly to the opinion that in a very few years vl'e average price of the best Tara i.ik< land will be £50 per acre ; and they further hold that at that price it will pay. Let us give an instance ot how prices advance in Taranaki. In the neighbourhood of Manaia a small la 1111 of 120 acres sold recently at £65 per acre. The history of this farm is peculiar. Eight years ago it was sold for 18 per acre. Tho farmer who , purchased at this price sold it two years afterwards at £81 10s per acre. He afterwards, bought the land hack at £40 per acre, and alter two years Bold it again at the price we Hrst mentioned. £60 -per acre. Wo may say that there are practically no improve- j imrntu on the farm and only a tiny por- , lion of it has ever been ploughed.