GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14327, 18 October 1910, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

DEPARTMENT OF ACRICULTURE. TJio Journal of the Department o£ Agriculture for September, just to hand, contains an apparently very useful paper by Mr A. G. Shirley, Government Dairy Instructor, on modern methods of creamery butter-making :u NoiV Zealand. There are also papers by Government officers on. bee-keeping and poultry-keeping; and the reports are continued 011 farm experiments, on potatoes, turnips and mangolds, and on plant-breeding, at the State farms. The address of Lord Islington at the opening of the Auckland Winter Show is given first place, and the second is given to a paper by Mr A. H. Cockayne, Biologist, on plant-breeding. Mr Cockayno states brieflly what has been, done in this way in other countries, and then sketches a line of action fir New Zealand, and as the grass crop is the most important in this country (seven-eighths of the cultivated land being under grass), he puts improvement of the grasses first, and among these aro sonie of the indigenous gl asses. A biological station does not occupy much land—2o or 30 acres would be ample. Mr Cockayne says that Barbank used only 17 acres; Gnrton, for a long time, less than 10; the most famous station in Europe (Svalof, in Sweden) only 25<acres. A BUSY POLITICIAN. Apparently a considerable number ofi members are in favour of further facilities being aiforded the Leader of the Opposition in connection with his Parliamentary work. Upon the vote for the payment of Ministers' secretaries, during the discussion 011 the Estimates on Friday. Mr Fisher (Wellington central) urged that provision should l>o mads for the salary of a secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. (Hear, hears " from both sides.) He went on to say that Mr Massey had a lot of work to do in the interests of the country. Mr Fisher, in the course of further remarks, said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian Parliament received £IOOO per annum. The Hon. D. Buddo said that he was fully aware of the enormous amount of work evory momber had in hand. One recofinispd that the Loader of the Opposition had a uront doal more to do thnii any othor private m-ember. Mr Wittv: What about the leader ; of -the Lnbnur Party? Mr rvl'lfd that t]jo matter was one whw-h he had doubt the 1 House would into .'Tonsidoroiioxk Domiuioa.^

□ ROPPINC THE BIBLE. Canon Stuart, who is at. the head of the Anglican Mission in Christchurch, finds much interest in New Zealand's efforts to solve problems which have detied efforts in that direction in older countries, but he thinks that people here are making a great mistake in not teaching the Bible in the schools. ■'"There seems to be a general impression in the North Island/' he said to a reporter oil Saturday, "that there : s a distinct revolt from the materialism ■which is naturally a temptation to a young country. Men have begun to see that they need something more. There is an earnest turning to spiritual things. On the other hand, we are extremelv anxious about vour children. The want of Bible-teaching is making itself felt more and more. The older generation had a knowledge of the Bible, gained from the Old Country, hut there is a. generation grawing up without that. What it is going to end in, and how it should be remedied, are questions for the country to consider. I strongly believe that there can be no real education for the young unless there is Bible-teaching in the schools. That-, of course, opens up many important problems. I do not, for instance, think that there should be Bible-teaching unless it is conducted by teachers who really believe in the Bible." THE PERSUASIVE LAND AGENT. .A discussion took place at last week's meeting of the Hawke s Bay Land Board, on the question whether transferees of Crown leaseholds should be required to appear before the Board for examination. It _ was pointed out that in the case of distant settlements it meant a long journey ;or a man, who might only be asked two or three questions. One member thought it would be to the interest of the men to meet the Board, so that thev could be made fuily aware of tne conditions of the leases. The Board had had a good deal of trouble through people who had bought leases, considering that the fact that- their '' ol having taken them up from the Crown Dnginally does not compel them io tuifil the same conditions as the original lessee. Some people were induoed l-y agents to go on to the land, it was often the greatest- misfortune thatcould possibly occur to them. hen these people knew of the conditions they had to comply with they might alter their minds. They had had two or three cases that were of this description. A bank clerk, who came out from Home, had taken up a farm and dropped £3OO or £4OO in a few weeks. Another man had gone out of his mind and had been put in a lunatic esyhim. The Commissioner said he would bring up a motion to the effect, that when all the conditions are fulfilled the Board may find som-e excuse for non-attendance. THE MISSIONER BEATEN. On Wednesday last the Auckland "Star" published the following from its Waihi correspondent : "The Henry-Potts mission was concluded here last evening, when the Academy Theatre was crowded. In all about 100 converts declared themselves during the course of the ten days' mission. l)r. Henry's final address was '"Halfway House," and his parting words, addressed to non-converts, were of a somewhat sensational character and bore eloquent testimony to keen disappointment, which evidently dominated the Evangelist's mind regarding the success of the mission in Waihi. He said that, in proportion to the population, he had never seen so many occupants of "'Coward's Castle" as he had seen in Waihi. They had not the courage of a Chinaman, and were spiritual skunks. The mission had b.en the hardest one in New Zealand. His voice and strength had gone, and his brain was in a whirl. He had pleaded his best. If lie thought he would have such a difficult time again with its burden and strain he would turn his back upon it, for it- would break his heart. He would not stand in their places for the Waihi mine itself. This campaign would prove the turning-point with respect to the doom and destiny of those saved, ?nd of those wEo refused, when before the Great White Throne. He requested Christian people only to stand and sing the closing hymn, as he did not want any mockerv."