Untitled

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14134, 14 February 1910, Page 2

The ratepayers of Birkenhead, Auckland, on Wednesday defeated by 248 to 193 a proposal to adopt the system of rating on unimproved values.

Captain MTntosh, of the Kiripaka, reports that sharks are exceedingly plentiful in the coastal waters at present. They have been seen in groat numbers at various points along tho coast between Patea and Wellington. Those most commonly seen are ot tho variety known as basking sharks. On days when tho sea is calm thoy lie about near the surface of tho water, and frequently close inshore. 11 A Queensland correspondent writes; Immigrants are coming into tho country at the rate of about 500 a mouth, with small hatches of settlers from different parts of tho world. Kaihvays are being rapidly pushed out, settlement is going forward at an accelerated speed, there is every prospect of a largo sugar crop, and in the pastoral districts the chief anxiety is how to dispose of the herds and flocks which arc increasing so rapidly. The inconvenient railway time-table appears to affect travellers by sea as well as by land, for a Picton exchange points out that as a result of tho numerous complaints received from passengers of late, it is probable that tho Onion Company’s steamers between Wellington and Picton will shortly r. vert to the old timo-tablo, or run as near to it as possible. Tho trains from Manawatu and Wairarapa, in the North, have also to bo considered.

There is a very luxuriant growth on the Taieri Plains (Otago) this season, and dairying men, as well as owners of fat stock, are said to bo prospering. The “cow cheques” average over £2 per cow per month, and one small herd of 15 averaged £2 Is Od for the month of December. The owner of this lot reckons upon taking £ls per head from his cows for the year. This, however, includes his anticipated returns from pigs which are fed on separated milk taken hack from the factory, topped off with crushed grain. At the conclusion of the golf season last year the committee of-tho Poverty Bay Golf Club decided to secure the services of a competent professional from Home, and Mr. E. W. Burton, who has made a speciality of golf goods for the club, arranged with his London agents to send out ■ a first class man, both as regards playing and coaching abilities. A day or two ago a cable was received advising that a professional had been engaged and would leave shortly for New Zealand. The stop is a very important one for tho club, and it is to bo congratulated on its enterprise.—Herald. \

Says, the N.Z. Herald: The manufacturing of bogus messages from the sea should bo recognised as criminal. IYo do not hesitate to punish tho altogether minor offender who calls out tho firo brigade for a “joke,” which at worst is only stupid and entails nothing more than extra work. Yet maritime peoples, whoso kith and kin are constantly in peril on the sen, appear to have no way of punishing those who deliberately mock and mislead tho life-saving energies of nations, arousing thereby false hopes and. renewed grief in the bereaved. ■ To regard such incidents as more' practical jokes which tho law cannot take notice of is passing beyond the limits of toleration. Bicycle hells were tho subject of comment by Mr. W. E. Hasoldon, S.M., during the hearing of a collision case in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. His Worship said that ho did'not agree with the majority as to the use of the bell.' Frequently, when a cyclist or motorist came up behind a person he rang his .boll vigorously, and tho person hesitated and became flurried, with the result that trouble occurred. The defence raised in collision cases was frequently that the driver of tho motor car or cycle rang his bell, and that the pedestrian ran into the machine. His Worship stated that ho had held this opinion in regard to bells for some time. “I had some experience of cycle bells during my residence in Christchurch,” concluded his Worship. Southland—oat land-will not have a good harvest this year. The Invercargill Nows soys that just as the crop was coming into ear, a time when moisture was urgently .needed, hot, dry weather prevailed, with tho result that tho straw is much shorter than it would otherwise have been. This is especially the case on dry, light lands. Tho crops, generally speaking, are lighter than they wore in 11)08 and 1909, and although tho area in oats is greater this year, tho yield of grain will bo less.. Whilst the earlier sown crops gave indications In their earlier stages of being poor, they have, after all, not boon so much affected by the drought ns the later sown ones, neither as regards length of straw or quality of grain. . Tho late sown crops had not come into ear when tho dry weather sot in, and tho result is they are very short, and are sure to yield badly and produce a light weight sample of grain. •

An Invercargill paper reports that an almost unprecedented scarcity of water exists in the suburbs at present. Several residents report “just a cupful,” and add that they have not had a “tub” for a week. All the suburbs which depend upon tho rainfall for supply are short, and cannot use water for anything but absolute necessity. A number of North Invercargill residents have combined to sink a well and erect a windmill, which will supply them conjointly. An East Invercargill resident, who is tho happy possessor of a vell ; is being waited on by an ever increasing bucket brigade for supplies. Should tho fine weather continue, tho scarcity will assume serious proportions, more so considering that the' town supply is not over-abundant. At Bluff many people have had to resort to purchasing from tho Harbour Board’s supply, the water being taken to the rosidonces in tanks on ‘drays. The reservoir is getting very low and tho utmost carq is being exercised. This is tho driest spell experienced at tho port for several years.

A movement is on foot to bring under the notice of the Royal Humano Society the heroism.of Mr. 15. Rait, who distinguished himself in the recent boating fatality at Blount "White (states the Press). When the alarm was given Rait was considerably over half a mile from the lake, and to get to the water’s edge ho bad to run that distance in his bare feet over an extremely rough road. Ho throw off his clothes as ho plunged in, and swam out to the capsized boat. Believing that the men were still clinging to it, he kept calling out as ho swam, to let them know that help was coming. When ho reached the boat ho found only one man hanging on. . Rait detached the rudder, and gave it to the survivor to supporthimself with. Ho then dived twice under the boat, but could find no sign of the other two men. _ His next task was to swim ashore with the man he had rescued, who, hy a peculiar coincidence, was the only member of the boating party who could not swim. This having been safely accomplished, Rait returned to the boat to resume his unsuccessful search for the missing men. If the facts are as stated the caso_ is one which deserves what recognition the society can give it.

Mixed bathing at the Napier Municipal Baths is evidently becoming increasingly popular. On Wednesday evening 534 persons attended the baths, the takings amounting to £4 3s. A correspondent asks where the name Pegasus is derived from. Pegasus vas a mythical winged horse sprung from the blood of Medusa, when Perseus had cut off her head. He received his name from his being born, according to Hesiod, from the sources (pege) of the ocean. Perseus, according to Ovid, was mounted on the horse Pegasus when he destroyed the sea monster which was going to devour Andromache.

Last month the Westport Coal Company's output was 53,495 tons 7 cwt, which is a new monthly record, heating the host previous output by 4600 tons. The Stockton Company’s output was 18,607 tons 13 cwt., which is also a now re'Cord, being a substantial advance on past efforts. The State mine’s output totalled 7663 tons 18 cwt. The output from the three mines for the month amounted to 79,976 tons 18 cwt. Dr. Bell, Government director of geological surveys, paid a visit to the Raglan district last week-end and inspected the bores put down on the shores of the harbour by the local Coal Prospecting Association. As a result of bis advice it is likely that the boring operations will not bo continued where they have been conducted hitherto. Dr. Bell expressed the opinion that the country possessed, many features of interest to the geologist, and that there are indications of it being coal-bearing. Mr. Maughan Barnett, the wellknown Wellington Musician, stated at Foilding on Tuesday afternoon that at least half a dozen musical artists who visited New Zealand , had expressed surprise that so much interest was taken, in such h young country, in music (according to the Feilding Star). He had himself taken part in sixty public performances in Wellington during the past twelve months, and the fact that the appreciation of the best class of music was becoming more and more apparent had been insistently brought before him. “There seems to be a groat demand for organs,” continued Mr. Barnett. “New organs are springing tip all over the place.” This he regarded as an excellent thing both from a musical point of view and also from that spiritual aspect for which organs were so largely used. The new issue of New Zealand postage and revenue stamps, which appeared in the dominion on the King’s Birthday, is now finding its way to England. Already the stamps are being strongly criticised. The new portrait of the King is considered to be a caricature of His Majesty. A gentleman engaged in the stamp trade put the case in the' following words; ■ “Suppose you were to cut the portrait out and have it enlarged, you would not know it was tho King. ThO New Zealand portrait gives a very good idea of what a fairly ancient Jewish patriarch might bo expected to represent.” A director of Messrs. Stanley Gibbons said ' the generally-accepted opinion among collectors in England was that the photograph of the King was so bad that it was to bo hoped the entire issue would be, withdrawn. Cloth ; which in England _ costs 6s a yard costs 9s lOd in the United States, while tho cloth used for overcoats sells for 3s lid a yard in England, as against 7s in America, and this is tho reason, says American manufacturers, why the people -of England wear better and cheaper clothing. In addition to- this, the American mills arc now loose weaving’ ’ some of their cheaper fabrics, so that you can almost see through them j hence it is evident that tho Wool Trust and tho mills are taking, every rent they can out of the pockets of tho consumers. Blit there is no consolation for the consumer in the fact that President ' Taft admitted in his' Winona speech that it was the' influence of tho Wool Trust and tho woollen mills that made it impossible for the Republican party lo keep the pledges it made to the people. Quite frankly was the public told that tho combine formed by the constituents of Aldrich and the constituents of Smooth was strong enough to have beaten the whole Tariff Bill had it not been permitted to get away with the loot of the woollen schedule, which was framed at a conference held in Chicago last October. As a result of this schedule such .a tax has been imposed on the clothing of tho American people as to make a suit that can be bought in England for .£3 cost £5 in America.

The price of milk in Auckland has been raised, and the consumers’ point of view is cleverly put by a correspondent who writes to the Herald. Ho says: 1 ‘The increase is a strike pure and simple. The association has given notice that it will not work any longer at the rate of wages it has been receiving, and moreover distinctly states its minimum. Tho public is its employers, and it tolls them per advertisement that it wants more wages tmd will get them. Because its ramifications are so great, there is no doubt that it can make things tad for tho .‘unionist’ or vendor who turns ‘free labourer.’ There-is no talk,of Arbitration Court nor' Conciliation Board to deal with the matter, and there will be no howl of indignation from the employers, because tho public is a ‘hass.’ Let a trades union try to raise the price of its commodity—i.o.* its labour—by an advertisement, and a little meeting of its executive, and see how it would get on. Why, P. Bowling has just got twelve months’ Jhard’ for attending executive mootings of this kind; and. yet wo are supposed to bo so advanced and democratic! Those vendors have no more right to form a union and fix prices without going before a Conciliation Board than an ordinary trades union has. At least to mo that is the logic of the .matter, but perhaps tho capitalists will say I am hypercritical.” The season of freak dinners has begun' in New York with a banquet at tho Hotel Knickerbocker, which, as some of the newspaper proudly declare, cost £2O n plate. It .was served in the principal ballroom, which was decorated to represent an ancient Homan garden, with gravelled paths, real tnrf, Homan statuary, vases, and a laurel hedge three foot high. Festoons of flowers, trailing to tho ground, concealed the walls, while a circular table placed in the centre of the “garderi” accommodated the GO guests. A dinner service of solid silver, valued at £IO,OOO, was used for this ‘‘Lucullan” feast. The menu for tho dinner illustrates the desire of certain generous New York hosts to spend as much money as possible in order to show that they are really hospitable. It recalls the case of a . Western miner who suddenly found himself worth £1,000,000. Ho came to New York, and his first idea of having a good time was to go to the most expensive restaurant and order £lO worth of ham and eggs. The menu for the Knickerbocker dinner began with caviare, and went on to turtle soup. Then the guests wore offered two styles of terrapin, ‘‘Baltimore” and “Maryland.” This was followed by two stylos of canvnsbaok duck. Tho other courses included liomany, guava jolly, salad, asparagus, a “Lohengrin” ice, and Turkish coffee, and this represents New York’s idea of a “Luoullus” banquet.

Veterans who are going to Wellington On the occasion of Lord Kitchener’s visit are requested to call at Mr. J. C. Davies’ office for their caps. Train-examiner Fremont, who was injured at the Now Plymouth Station recently, is reported to he in a precarious condition. •

A rumour was current in town on Saturday that an attempt had been mado to burglarise the Railway Goods Shod. Wo are informed that there was no foundation at all for the rumour.

"J have been impressed with the children all over Australia and New Zealand,” said Commissioner Hay in Wellington—“impressed with, their build and with the marvellously free movement 'of their limbs. Your children are a splendid inheritance.” ' It is considered that the prospects of refloating the Waikaro now lying on the rocks at Stop Island, Dusky Sound are good, says' the Southland News. The report brought back by the s.s. Invercargill is that the Waikare is in pretty much the same positioUj and apparently firmly held there. The Government’s system of through? booking passengers is already a sue- 1 cess, although it has only been started a few days, says the Wellington Post. Travellers to and from all parts of the dominion are utilising the Tourist Buredux for hooking, and are finding out the convenience of the scheme. It is as yet too early to speak .'of the Australian patronage of the system. Colonel Ellis has received a telegram from Sir Joseph Ward in which the Premier says he will, arrange for veterans visiting Wellington when Lord Kitchener is there to bo allowed to return when they please, at a reasonable time after Lord Kitchener’s visit. Thus any of the veterans who desire to spend a few days in Wellington will be able to do so without taking out fresh railway tickets for the return journey, Tne virtues of the apple have often been extolled by enthusiastic reformers. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is so old a proverb that it is almost forgotten; and the delectable fruit has had claimed for it special virtues in the cure of rheumatism and allied comxilaints. Among recent converts to the cult of the apple is a gentleman who lately visited i asmania, He left New Zealand almost a cripple, suffering very much from 'rheumatic gout. To-day he has discarded his erstwhile necessary second walking-stick, and looks far younger and better than before his holiday. The rheumatic gout has completely left him, and he ascribes the cure to his having eaten quantities or appies during his six mouths’ stay, in Tasmania.

Tiie latest attraction for the;. Sydney: Zoo is a walking fish, which arrived from China by'the Eastern. This peculiar piscatorial specimen was captured in the West'River, near Canton, The • walking fish is about 2ft long, ancT while on the voyage out from China it lived in a tub of fresh water. Mr. .W. > H. Donald, who sent thA specimen to Captain M‘Arthur fer the Zoo, says that the walking fish is.rare in China just now, and adds: “He has a most tenacious gr.ip of life, and if put into a barrel of fresh water and fed on bread, boiled rice and a little herbs and such like stuff, will thrive wonder- - fully.” Its disposition appears—in captivity, at all events—to be nomadic at night, for, although closely housed, the walking fish “broke bounds” one midnight oii the way down tho coast and caused some consternation among thu members of the crow'. ■

A report was received recently to tho effect that a life-buoy belonging to tho “‘Silberhorn, Liverpool,” has been found cast upon the Bounty Beach at Pitcairn. The Silberhorn, whose fate is one of the sea mysteries of ’ recent times, left Newcastle‘with a cargo of coal for Iquique .on the west coast of Chile. She sailed about the middle of" June, 1907, and was spoken a month' later. This was the last ever hoard of the vessel, a vain search for which was made by a British war ship, which searched all likely places for traces of tho wreck, including Robinson Crusoe’s Island of Juan Fernandez. Strange stories were circulated of a mysterious ship being seen on fire .off the west coast of South America about tho time the Silberhorn should have arrived at. her destination, but definite tidings as to her fate were never received. The Silberhorn'was an-iron four-masted barque of 1923 tons, built by Russell and Co., Port Glasgow, in 1884, and Owned by Messrs. C. E. Do Wolf and Co., of Liverpool.