LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7293, 4 January 1902, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

♦ The Westralia, which is leaving Wellington this afternoon, takes only 60 tons of cargo to Sydney, 20 tons from southern ports, and the rest from Wellington. The Dunedin correspondent of this paper telegraphs that Dr Mason and Dr Ogston yesterday inspected various sites in that city suggested as suitable places for a fever hospital and morgue. : The claim on the New Zealand Shipping Company by the owners of the steamer Ahuriri and the Spit Fire Brigade for services rendered during the fire oni the Wa3mate has been- settled by. the company agreeing to pay £700. In connection with the statement that the- Sonoma's mails reached London four days late, it is pointed out that the Sonoma arrived at San Francisco nine hours ahead of her contract time. The delay must have arisen on the Atlantic. Th* Cheviot Racing Club held its annual ball on "New Year's night. There was a large attendance. During the evening several presentations, including the Cheviot Cup, were made by Mr Robin, president of the Racing Club. The music was supplied by Pox's Band. Mr Bogue, of New .York, who has been brought to New Zealand to advise the Go- ' vernment as to the construction of the railway through the mountainous country between Westland and Catvterburyj left Wei-' lington for the Otira Gorge last night. He is charmed with the colony, and predicts that it -will have a •great future. New per-forating machinery has been imported from England, by the New Zealand Government, and is. now set up in Wellington. In future, all the stamps will be perforated 14£, instead of the rough perf. 11 previously used. This new perforation system is a fine one, and much resembles the London print issue of 1898. It is mow difficult to dlistinguish the London prints from the colonial prints, and the new perforation! is a. great improvement. The Feilding "Star ". states that » dastardly attempt was made the other evening to blow up either the men or the tunnel near Mangaweka.' Fortunately, a workman walking along with a- lanterw had his attention drawn to a dynamite cap and plug fixed to a rail in the tunnel ovgr which a trolly had to pas's. That it was a deliberate attempt to either wreck the w6fk or the men is shown by the systematic way it was laid. . . Considerable annoyaaice is caused to those on whom the conduct of inquests devolves by the necessity of having personally to dust the tables and chairs at the City Morgue every time an inquest is held there. At. the inquest yesterday the table was thick with dust, and a " Star" reporter was informed that the room had never been dusted or cleaned] since it had been built. iV It is quite time the City Council took the matter in hand and instructed someone to thoroughly clean and dust the rooms. There was servant-girl trouble in quite a number v of Wellington homes during the holiday season (Says the "Post") At one hotel alone no fewer than twenty-seven people who were " drive-n from home " took their meals on theholidays. Their explanation was that "the jriri" wanted to have her day out for holiday-making with the other folk. As good' servants are scarce, the mistresses preferred to give the girls their liberty, and ' 'dine out themselves, rather than quarrel with "the tyrant of the household." Mr James Gordon Bennett, who despatched Stanley at a moment's notice to find Dr Livingstone, has (states the London press") suddenly ordered Mr Stanhope, the Berlin correspondent of the New York ''^Herald," to discover Miss Stone, the captive missionary, and pay her ransom." A Paris correspondent, writing on Nov. 10, stated that Mr Stanhope, equipped with the necessary sum in English money, had arrived in Bulgaria. There was a rumour that he had been captured by the brigands. Nothing has been, heard of the co-respondent of another American journal who set out, it is said, on a, similar quest. . Our Agent-General gets warm praise from the London correspondent of the Melbourne " Age " in an article discussiug Sir John Cockbum's chances of being selected as the first High Commissioner of the Commonwealth. The correspondent states that Sir John's work as Agent-Gen-eral for South Australia, and his social experience in London, seem. to. have destroyed his taste for the old life ia Australian politics. "That" (proceeds the writer) "is the way with most men who have been AgentrGeneral, especially when they -are natives' of this country. As a rule, the only man who goes back Tellingly, when he does return, is the color .*> who has some permanent belief and pride in his own country. Such a man would be Mr W. P. Reeves, the lean ascetic Nevr ZealanidiEr, whose zest for work has made his office the best managed colonial agency in London; who watches hawk-eyed for his colony's enemies, and writes them down on the anstaait in- biting letters ito the newspapers; who commands the respect of able Englishmen, who speaks little, hut always better than any other colonial re- , presentative when he does speak, and who imparts to everything that he does and says in public a judicious and cultured air. It is a man of the Reeves type that we want' as High Commissioner in London." The stormy and showery weather of the past few weeks, while greatly benefiting agriculturists as a body, has not proved an undiluted blessing to sheep - owners, shearers, and cocksfoot' growers in the Canterbury districts. Wool has been so far realising very poor prices, and prolonged shearing through broken weather has, e>t course materially increased the shed expenses, since the commissariat for the hands has necessarily had to be kept going, work or no work. The shearers, on the •"'other hand, have lost so much time waiting for suitable fleeces, that many of them will nofe average more than 25s to 30s per\ week for the season ; but home expenses have been steadily going on all the same. They will therefore suffer considerably through the wet weather. Those shearer^ who have had to, work under a condition ott " tuckering " themselves will have faredmuch worse still, because living expenses have almost eaten up their vicarious earnings. A good deal of cocksfoot about the Peninsula was virtually ruined by drought, and was eaten off by many farmers ; Some, however, elected to leare it growing, on the principle .^hat half-a-cron was better than none at all. Rainy weather has here, again proved- disastrous, since harvesting operations were retarded and rendered so expensive that many growers have done as their fellows have done, and allowed 1 their cattle to harvest the seed. Townend's Sulphur Hair Restorer will positively restore grey or faded hair to its natural colour; is not a dye. Price 2s per bottle ; by post, securely packed, 2s 93. Townend, Chemist, Christchurch: 2521 Ladies or gentlemen suffering from loss of hair, excessive dandruff, or any irritation of the scalp, will find Hendy's Celebrated Juleptia or Egg Julep, an excellent tonic. It gives the hair a beautiful silken and glossy appearance, and immediately stops it falling out after sickness, influenza, etc. It is a. splendid wash for children's hair, and the price brings it Within the reach of all classes, being only Is per bottle. W. Strange and Co., Drapers, are Sole Agents for Christchurch. X2896 REMARKABLE DISAPPEARANCE of all dirt from everything by using HUDSON'S SOAP. Reward! Purity, Health, Perfect Satisfaction bj its regular daily use. 8946