THE RANGITKEI FLY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6498, 28 April 1888, Page 2

THE RANGITKEI FLY.

In consequonco of tho fuss mado in Rangitikoi over tho swamp fly, which boing like it was termed the " Hossian Fly," tho Government of New South Wales nre about to give the farmers of that Colony very substantial protection against Now Zealand produce. Seizing hold of the oxcuso, the Sydney Government is about to introduce a bill for " the prevention of tho introduction and spread of disoase pests." Tho price we are to pay for this precious fly is going to bo a very heavy ono if it means, ns is probable, that grain of all kinds from New Zealand i 3to bo shut out of the other colonies. Wo can hardly blame them. We should have kept out tho codlin moth and tho phylloxera, but did not do so. Theso were real posts, whereas this fly is the result of undraincd land and defective tillage. We shall hejr littlo of the fly in our own colony, but it is likely to have disastrous results on our oxport trade.

Mr Thynne has been re-elected chairman of tho Foxton School Committee. Feilding failed to elect a committee.

At Palmenton North the local option polling resulted in favor of increases both in the publicans' and N.Z. wine Licenses.

Tho Roy. W. Tinsley is to preach in ,the Trinity Wcsloyan Chnrch, morning and evening on Sunday, April 29th, and at Aramoho at 3 p.m.

At tho opening of the Putiki meeting yestorday Hoani Nahi was elected chairman. The programmo for tho meeting was discussed and settled.

Sergeant Kelly has been appointed Inspector under the Females Act, and Sergeant Anderson, Inspector undor the Arms Act.

We notice that one of the papers that sent to us asking for first news of the glove contest, in its columns donounccd the show before it came on. Surely inconsistency can hardly bo carried further than this.

In the divorce caso Thurston v Thurstou adjourned from Wanganui this sittings to Wellington, tho co-respondent is a Mr Fletcher, who until recently was in tho employ of Nelson, Moato and Co. of Wellington.

Nelson ia doing well out of tho barloy export 'trade tliis year. One vessel has sailed to Hobart with a full load, and one for Adelaide, while tho New Zealand consumption has been large.

Mr Frank Hollmusfc bo a very busy man. Ho has painted a splendid portrait of Mr CHadstono ; Mr John Morley is about to sit to him, 'the portrait being tho property of Lord Rosebery ; and now lie is painting a portrait of Lord Spencer.

The London shipping ring admit tho grievances complained of by the shippors, but stato that at present they are unable to comply with the demands of tho latter, owing to the contracts under which the ring are already bound and must fulfil.

Tho present "boom" in flax is likoly to do Foxton a deal of good. Already one mill is in full swing, two moro nre in courso of construction, and yesterday (says the Herald), Mr C. Symons' property on tho river bank, formorly occupied by Mr King as a fellmongcry, was taken by a gentleman as a site for a fourth mill.

The Riverton peoplo are anxious to arrange a match between Hcarn and Palamountam of Port Chalmers for tho Bth of November. The stakes suggested are £25 a Bido, the Rivertonitcs raising £50 to mako tho prizo £100. Hearn is willing to accept the offer, and intonds writing tho Riverton Regatta Committee to that effect.

A number of the "spieling" fraternity visited Putiki yesterday, thinking to mako a haul with tho three-card trick, but the natives were too " fly," as the Chief Justice put it. Thoy did not like to havo anything to do with the " peeler," as they term the fraternity, and tlio rommitteo nt once took steps to havo them ejected from tho pah

Sir Harry Albert Atkinson's last " effective answor to newspaper criticism," as a contcmporaryiputs it, appears to bo open to question. The New Zealand Times says :—: — Tho Government havo not "asked Sir Francis Dillon Bell to undertake a fresh term of office as Agont-Goncral ol his present salary." We haic authority for stating that not only hns no such decision been arrived at, but tho question has not yet bcon oven considered in Cabinet.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agoncy Company (Limited) have recoived the following telegram from thoir London office, dated tho 24th instant :— Wool— The sales progress firmly. For superior greasy merino and coaj-BO crossbred the market is firmer. Other descriptions aro unchanged. The total cataloguo to dato is 192,000 bales, and the total quantity withdrawn is 13,000 bales. New Zealand hemp — Medium is worth £27 10a per ton.

Following tho custom observed with regard to tho winning boat in tho 'Varsity boat race, the ruddor of the Tcos, the boat with which tlic Canterbury Rowing Club crew won the Champion Fours at tlio recent Regatttv at Wanganui, is to bo presented to tho coxswain, H. Shaw. The ruddor, which is of cedar, bound with brass, has beon varnished and, polished afresh, ami is to ha\o a brass plate inserted in it, bearing an appropriate inscription.

"Train up n child in the wny ho should go " seems to hmc moro readings than tho niso man of old anticipated. Wo lieartlmt Jack Watson, of Wungamu, who is noted for his kuowlcdgo of pugilistic matters, hai sent Me son to Wellington to finish his education undsr Professor Bloonie, the boior. Jack has sonw idea of sending his boy into the navy, and says that he will need to bo ablo to nso his " dukes " there so that he had better learn in time. Probably ho will give some of the local talent a show when he returns from Wellington.

The London correspondent of the Scotsmas fyis tho following roferenco to the forthcoming povel from tho pen of Mr H. M. Wnfasoii, son of tho Rev. 11. C. M. Watson of Christcluiroh :— Messrs Longman, who are Mr Rider Hnggard's publishors, have discovered another writer of romance in Mr 11. Marriott Watson, an Australian, whoso first novel, "Mtiruhuna," will be published by tliem next month (February). " M.arahunii," whirh is in ono \oluiuc, is, I understand, seini-^cientifie, the heroine, who gives tho story its title, being evolved out of flame.

"Mercutio " in tho Auckland Star is vesppn&ibloforlboiollowing :— Tlio Rev. Mr Telfor wade a icry awkward lapse tho other night. Ho was telling — in order to point a moral — f^o somewhat ancient stor\ about tho pair of lovers who were looking through a beautiful cemetery . The an am, feeling it necessary to say something, uttered tyo sentiment, " Wouldn't it be lovely fov our hones to lie hew sido by sido after death f" Tho story goes on to relate that the young ltvdy, wit)> tho usual practical instinct of her sex, and ''wjt^j. n view to matrimony," said, " Wouldn't it be better iofusto Ho Bide by side beforo death f " So goes the story ; but Mr Telfer, in telling it, mado an important slip, and mado the young lady say, " botore marriage !" Thcro was n sensation in tho cpugrcgutipu.