NEWS AND NOTES.

Waikato Independent, Volume III, Issue 183, 25 January 1906, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

A five-year-old draught mare was sold at Ashburton last week for £75. It is estimated that the value of wool disposed of at Dunedin on Tuesday was £150,000. Prices for some of the clips represent a record for the colony for this season. The blight has wiped the popato crop out of existence on the Durham Road, near New Plymouth, and as many settlers had planted very heavily the loss w ill be severely felt. Taieri farmer s having had a bad season, the turnip crop is very late, and some are now o nly sowing turnips. The season is the worst ever experienced on the Taieri, and a shortage of winter feed is expected. A curiously addressed postcard has just reached a resident of Christchurch (says the Lyttelton Times). It was addressed simply, To his wife,” and on the reverse side was a photograph for the husband, a well-known figure in the city. The meagre address did not puzzle the postal authorities, and the card was delivered promptly. In the Masterton district this season, says the Wairarapa Daily Times, selling lambs according to quality and weight instead of at a standard price has been more popular than usual, and satisfactory prices have been obtained. Three consignments from Masterton lately passed the standard of lls per head, the figures reached being 11s Bd, 12s 8d and 13s fid respectively. The highest price was obtained by McGregor Bros., and is the record this season for fat lambs. Business is reported to be dull in a number of towns on this coast, and shopkeepers, especially, are complaining. It is as well to remember, however, that just after the holidays there is always a period of re-action, and things do not hum as they did a short time previous prrhaps. This is only natural and must be expected. While the colony’s exports continue to command such high prices in the Home markets there is little fear of a slump as anticipated by some people.—Wairarapa Age. Schools teachers are in especially strong demand just now. The Wellington Education Board is to-day calling for applications for fourteen vacancies in its primary schools, including head teachers for Carterton, Kaiwarra, and Fernridge, and seven vacancies in secondary departments. There are other vacancies, which are to be announced in a few days. This is the largest list the Board has had on hand for at least two years. In addition, the Board is also calling for applications for nine positions on the staff of the Training College.