LOCAL AND GENERAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10442, 23 April 1912, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The radio station, Wellington, reports that the Maunganui, Maheuo, Aorangi, Tahiti. Tofua, Victoria and Navua will probably "be within wireless range tonight. A Press Association message from AVanganui states that two men named Penny and Kaganski had a narrow escape from drowning on Sunday afternoon. While sailing in a small boat they were carried over the bar by the tide, but eventually they got on to some rocks at the end of the south mole, and after they had been washed off several times were rescued by the pilot boat. At the meeting of householders at Waimate last night it was unanimously decided to recommend the school committee to discontinue giving attendance prizes, on the grounds that the children's health was endangered by the inordinate spirit of rivalry. The headmaster heartily approved. The meeting also passed a resolution of profound (sorrow at the loss of life through the wreck of the Titanic and expressing sympathy with the relatives of those who were drowned. An interesting note on the disinfection of schools is embodied in the annual report of the Mitchelltown School Committee, says the " Dominion." The report states that a system has been instituted whereby the school is disinfected daily by the sprinkling of the floors each afternoon with sawdust saturated with lysol or Jeyes' Fluid. To this tho committee believes that the school's freedom from epidemics of serious sickness is due, and they recommend the continuance of this system to the consideration of the householders and future committees. The total cost of this work, including sawdust, disinfectant and wages to boys for spreading same, only amounted to £1 2s for the eight months during which the system has been in vogue.

According to Australian Friendly Society statistics) tlio health of minjng townships, like that of some new country towns, is much below par. Tin's is due to tho want of sanitation and a proper system of drainage, it being a remarkable fact that towns spring up in naturally tho most unhygienic spots that the localities afford, the cause of this being that they grow unexpectedly. But anyhow the towns often spring np in the very last places that a townplanner would select. The Board of the Ancient Owler of Druids, Grand Lodge of New South Wales, has declined to open any additional branches in mining districts, for the reason that, aocording to the registrar, sickness in mining districts is 45 per cent above normal, and so far no improvement has taken place in this unsatisfactory proportion. An interesting aside took place in the argument in tho Kingsland cases, King v. O'Shaughnessy, Hassell and Campbell, in tho Court of Appeal yesterday, says tho Wellington "Post." Mr It. A. Singer, counsel for the accused, asked that in the event of the letters being held to be' inadmissible, tho Judges would not order a fourth trial, not only on humanitarian grounds but because publication of the letters again and again would prejudice O'Shaughnessy in the eyes of another jury. Mr Justice Edwards merely smiled. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout): "If you look at it from a humanitarian point of view, it is useless coming to argue it in the Court of Appeal." Mr Singer: " There have already been three trials." His Honor: "That may be the fault of only one juror, who might be dull, stupid, or a rogue. Would not the publication of one jury'B disagreement prejudice another jury?"

Sydney, says the "Morning Herald," is now recognised as the great distributing centre for Australian blood stock, and the annual sales divide the honours of the autumn festivities with the Agriculture Society's exhibition at Moore Park and the racing carnival at Randwick. Though the prices paid for tho thoroughbred yearlings this season did not reach the sensational figures of recent years, there was a good demand for the best sorts. During, the six days over which the sales extended 693 head were sold for a grand total of 83,9675g5. Messrs William Inglis and Son disposed of 323 yearlings for 40,709g5, and 127 mixed lots for 9907jgs, making a crand total of 450 lots for 56,616i»5. Messrs H. Chisholm and Co. sold 176 yearlings for 22,333|g5, and 47 of all ages for 5017igs, aggregating 223 lots, for a grand total of 27,301g5. During the week 499 yearlings were sold for 69,042g5, an average of 138 l-3gs; whilst last year 522 youngsters brought 80,009g5. an average of lo3Jgs.

Some curious evidence was given, before the Pure Foods Commission in Sydney last week, the tendency of which was to justify the use of margarine in pastry, and also the use of colouring matter in cakes. It appears, from the explanation given by one witness, that the pastrycooks are compelled to use largo quantities of Adelaide eggs, and it also appears that the Adelaide eggs are of a very pale, wan character. The New South Vales egg has a beautiful roseate hue, but its Adelaide rival is wofully deficient in this particular attractiveness. Still, it is considered that for cake-making the Adelaide importation is extremely adaptable. The cakes made from Adelaide eggs have the same paleness, which creates, as happens in other departments of the culinary art, a certain suspicion in the mind of the customer; and, in order to allay this unfounded suspicion against the Adelaide egg, merely on account of lack of ruddiness of yoke, a strong case was made out for the judicious use of artificial colouring. The. importance of the matter was shown by the .gigantic operations of pastrycooks in the city of Sydney. One firm last Good Friday baked no fewer than 300,000 buns, so that the number baked by all the pastrycooks combined would probably be appalling. The same firm stated that it used 1000 dozen eggs a day.

Numerous instances of people " alrnost'[ having serious accidents by alighting from moving tramcais are constantly coming under notice. People whose nerves are not so strong as perhaps they might bo complain of the shock thoy receive when they see a person get "almost" run over. Consequently the Tramway Board has put up further notices in the tram cars drawing tho attention of passengers to the dangers they run and tho penalties to which thoy are liable when they transgress the law. But anxiety is not altogether allayed by this. There is a further delinquent who, though not Breaking the aforementioned regulation, being debarred from the pleasures of tramcar riding, nevertheless continues to shatter tho nerves of tho patient passenger who awaits his homeward car. Many passengers awaiting their car last evening experienced tho thrill occasioned by watching a small dog remain on tlio tram rail apparently unconscious of an approaching destroyer in the shnpo of a car. These animals set-m to take a delight in playing the game of certain small boys, which is to see who can remain longest in front of a moving tram, a motor-car or even the parsing bicycle. But dogs play the game bettor than hoys. They WBit longer. And so there nre many people who went home last evening and told their families hmv they "almost" saw a dog run over. Weak and emaciated children gain strength rapidly by using Stearns' Win© of Cod Liver Extract. Enriches the blood, increases the vitality and strengthens the muscles. They like it too. 3

What are the \+ild waves saying? Hanged if T know or care I For my poor old head is swaying With the weight of the cold that is there. Fancy I hear them saying. " Take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure " : Took their advice, thus .staying

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All tli# Canterbury trout streams were reported clear this morning. St George's Day was observed as » holiday at Government offices and banks to-day. Air G. CI. Smith, J.P.. presided at a sitting of the Lyttelton Police Court this morning, when a first offender for drunkenness was fined ">s and costs. Twelve Norwegian residents met Captain Amundsen at Auckland this morning and presented him with a. gold watch, in recognition of his conquest of the South Pole.*

Replying to a. deputation in Auckland, the Hon A. M. Myers. Minister of Railways, said lie intended to make a feature of his railway policy the improvement of the suburban services throughout the whole dominion. A Press Association telegram states that the Dannevirke Publishing Company has successfully negotiated for the "purchase of the Dannevirke " Advocate," which from May 1 will be incorporated in the Dannevirke " Evening News.'' "Weather conditions at nine o clock this morning were unsettled throughnut New Zealand. Rain was reported from most parts of the North Island and from the West Coast, and elsewhere* there were signs of approaching bad weather.

Additional accommodation is being provided at the central police station for the casual inebriate and the persons without lawful visible means of support. Two new cells have been constructed of brick, adjoining the old stone lock-up, the interior fittings being plain but substantial and invested with the air of severe and simple dignity which pervades his Majesty's prisons. Complaints are continually being mads by residents of St Albans in regard. to the present condition of that part of Madras Street between Canon Street and Edge ware Road. Some eighteen months ago half the width of the roadway was cut up for the purpose of removing peaty subsoil. A few loads of metal were put on the road when it was filled in, but the surface was never top-dressed. This half of tho road is eschewed by all traffic, and consequently the effective width of the thoroughfare is reduced to one-half of normal.

At the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Social Service Association last evening the Rev F. Rule was reported to have stated that moving picture entertainments exercised a baneful influence on the young people of the city, and that he had witnessed disgraceful scenes there. His referenco was not to the nature of the pictures shown, but to the conduct of youthful patrons. Asked by a reporter to-day if he would give further details of the scenes to which lie referred, Mr Rule said that when the time came he would have a great deal to say on the matter, but lie was not- at present prepared to make a further statement.

Evidently the Australian Druids have very great faith in the business ability and integrity of the Jewish community, for, at tho meeting of the Grand Lodge of Druids in Sydney last week, there were elected to fill three of the principal offices, gentlemen of tho Jewish persuasion. For the positions of grand president, grand vicepresident, grand guardian of the United Ancient Order of Druids the following gentlemen were appointed :—Messrs L. Herman, L. Rosenbloom and H. Goldstein. This is the more remarkable when it is remembered that the Druids in New South Wales number over 19,000, and tho number of Jews amonu; them is less than live per cent It is worthy of note also that tho grand president of the order in Queensland, Mr M. Myers, is also a members of tho same community.

Speaking of the vast spaces of unpopulated land in the Northern Territory. Mr Cecil Darle.v, lately New South Wales buying officer in Lngland, who has just returned to Sydney, expressed the opinion that although tho Territory was not a white man's country, ana could never be properly and fully developed by white people, the land should not be given over to Chinese or Japanese labour. He considered that the Indian coolies, being British subjects, who could, therefore, be trusted, were the people for thoso torrid parts. They were honest and hardworking, and if they were introduced into the Territory to work under white overseers he believed that tea and coffee and perhaps rubber could bo grown there. By this means the country could be developed much more quickly and to greater advantage than bv simply depending on tho exploitation of the mineral wealth. Federal Ministers have an easy habit of shelving difficult questions, by passing them on to tho States, says a Sydney journal. Mr Fenton, M.H.R., has been advocating a Royal Commission to inquire into the causes of the rise in prices. " It is a matter for the States " said the Minister of Defence, when tne matter was brought ■to his notice. " Different factors in different States affect the question. In the west, for instance,' the cost of meat is unduly high chiefly because the pastoral country is separated from the great bulk of the population by a great distance, connected by infrequent and inadequate means of communication. That element does not operate so far as meat is concerned in Victoria. How could the Federal Government remedy such a case as that, supposing that it discovered, by inquiry, the detailed causes? It is a matter which can be attended to only by the State Governments."