A NEW ILLUMINANT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6340, 21 November 1898, Page 4

A NEW ILLUMINANT.

Mr Wilhelm, residing near Marion, has recently, pays the " Feilding Star," procured a plant for the manufacture of wood gas— a 1 new illuminantj which he is intro--ducing to that district. In the ordinary burner the light is dull, but when dispensed through the Welsbach incandescent burner the light is said to be so ..brilliant as to dazzle the eyes. A novelty of this gas Ls* that it can actually- be manufactured fron: a l-etort placed over the kitchen fire,' without interrupting the culinary operations. Thus it would be at the service 'of those residing" in the backwoods ; in fact, if it fulfils all that the patentees claim for it the gas should be a boon to the up-country settler. It is estimated that one ton of lirewood will make from 14,000 to 20,000 feel of gas, while the tar and charcoal made, in many ca-ses, equal the cost of the" firewood consiimed. « „. * TEACHERS' SALARIES. The Taranaki Education Board has revised its scale of salaries, reducing teach- * e.rs' pay on a sliding scale. The Educationai Institute says that the scheme in its ' present form would have the tendency in some cases of discouraging a natural desire bn the part of the teachers to keep up a good attendance at the schools, as an additional pupil may mean a very serious loss in salary. For example, an increase from 40 to 41, 50 to 51, 75 to 76, 150 to 151. 300 to 301, or from 400 to 401 means a loss in salary varying from 5s to 14gs per annum. REMINISCENCES OF THE EARLY DAYS. Some interesting reminiscences: of the early days of the colony have been pub lished in connection with the recent death in Wellington of Mrs Dougherty, relicit of Captain , Dougherty. Captain Dougherty lived. at a whaling station in Queen Charlotte- Sound, and at the time of the Wa trail niasi-aore took the women and children of the then tliiuly-ropulated settlements over Cook Strait to Wellington in two whaleboats. ■He at one time left his wife and family in Queen Charlotte Sound in charge of the stores, and two hostile Natives caw.c to Mrs 'Dougherty and demanded possession. She resisted their claims, nnd tiiov retired, threatening that dur.ng The nij>!il the Avhole tribe would defccid on the settle nicnt, burn the • !iu:?. .and •nurder t'n iv.habitants. An Hnxiot^r.v/alcJi was l-e*jh ■•>;/ the unfo'tiin- ro wi ra-> a-d !.or diui^Mvy-'. r.r.d In ihv:r : <li'-- <•! ri<<>. ■:v-; 1 ..-. ;i ; >:•:::' i\v-: iippcared (vj t'..; r iv.:s:.i'i, ?" r. hill at the lv.sc'-c . ••::' tile bsi," A;- <'.-'.\ :'■■• •i:-» leapt up iinai'Vi'•;':;b y< ( i; ; •.-(•< -•>••■> s.}?.n ;o.p:-.£S in sin; h f.i \ and the watchers gave themselves yip fo- lost. . Ai 01-l " 5-Veliback," hov.'crtv, •w'io v.-i ■• :■> ij;:;t(;-.':i D: *.i<Wir;rty's eoiiitiv, w>?y. :\[> in reconnoitre, and discovered that the two wily .'Miwr'.s who had threatened the '.place in the dav w.:vc walking" rouiul ! „..,1 . f | |Jj 0 „. ;iJi , ; v , •vv,p v n £S w-. U I of :ju~.b?r*. " '.