LOCAL. AND GENERAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11999, 17 October 1906, Page 5

LOCAL. AND GENERAL

<>■ ■ An Auckland flaxmiller has been offered ■£32, f0r fair quality, f.0.b., Auckland, for three months. The authorities at Brisbane recently confiscated 600 cases of sauce from America, •on the ground that the cause contains a preservative deleterious to health. It is understood that the whole of the sauce will be destroyed. A group of French bankers have agreed to lend the Chilian Government .£4,000,000 towards the reconstruction of Valparaiso. Kiongress is considering the matter. President Riesco is of opinion that the lons will total .£25,000,000 and places the number of dead at 2300. Under a regulation just issued by the Marine Department, any person who places a tree, log, or other obstruction in a harbour, navigable lake, or river, or on the •hores or banks of the same, in such a way as to impede navigation or cause injury or _damage is liable to a penalty not exceeding .£IOO. The Chinese Government is despatching at special mission to Australia to enquire into the methods of government, etc. An official communication on the matter has been received, notifying that a representative of the Chinese government, accompanied by an interpreter, is on the way to Queensland in the steamer Guthrie, which left Singapore on September 29th. Over a social cup of coffee in the Burlington Club rooms on Monday night, Mr Poole, M.H.R., told the temperance workers that the "friends" in various parts were very well pleased with the personnel of the new Ministry, and were of opinion that there had never been a Cabinet ao favourable to the temperance party receiving fair play. — Taranaki Newa. A Sydney cable states that as the remit of an invitation from the New Zealand Association, the secretary of the New South Wales Tennis Association is inviting those ladies who would like v tc represent New South Wales at Christchurch about Christmas time to send in their names. , A collision of a somewhat startling nature occured on the Frankley road, near the Tannery, on Sunday evening (says the Taranaki News), which ended fatally for one of the participants. A well-known gentleman was cycling into town when a hare dashed into the front wheel of his bicycle, and upset him. He luckily escaped with a few scratches and torn trousers, but from the hare the spark of life had fled,, and it graced the gentlemen's dinner taWe yesterday. To give some idea as to what can be saved by adopting the milking machine, a well-known dairyman of Taranaki inutances a case of a 60-cow dairy which he wa* working on shares on the hand-milk-ing system, the cost of which ran into \M'22a per year. By using two machines, one man does the whole of the work, and the total cost of wages, interest, depreciation, repairs, etc., amounts to ,£132, showing a saving of X'lo3, or Jc\ 8s 6d per cow per annum. That these figures are in no way exceptional is borne out by the experience of other well-known users. After a fair trial, the Glasgow magistrates are reported to have reached the conclusion that the closing 1 of all publichouses in the city on holidays is a mistake. The by-law enforcing the closing was passed under powers conferred by the Licensing Act of 1903, and had reference to New Year's Day and the spring and autumn holidays. New Year's Day is observed generally throughout Scotland, and publichouscs are closed in most of the towns. The spring and autumn holidays are not general, and when on these occasions the Glasgow publichouses were shut, an invasion of neighbouring towns took place, and scandalous scenes resulted. Recently the county and local burgh authorities approached the magistrates with Dip request that they should consider their neighbours. The magistrates took time to come to a decision, but ultimately by a majority it was agreed that on the spring and autumn holidays the publichounes should be open from noon till six o'clock. The by-law, as amended was to come into force on the autumn holiday in September. A young Auckland artiat, Miss E. von Meyern, has just completed a life-size painting in oils of the late Mr Seddon, ■which is to be hung at the Christchuieh Exhibition. The picture, including frame, stands considerably over 5 feet high, and represents the late Premier in his regalia as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge. The portrait (says the New Zealand Herald) is a remarkably fine one, the expression of the features having been caught so admirably that those familiar with Mr Seddon's attitudes in speaking to an audience might well imagine he was about to step out of the frame with the well-remembered preliminary, "Mr Ma/or, ladies, and gentlemen." The artist ban also put some first-class work into the representation of the robes, every detail of the Masonic emblems, etc., being brought out perfectly, and the shading of the background is also excellent. Miss von Meyern is to be congratulated on almost even' detail of the portrait ; indeed, it would be difficult to imagine a better or truer portrait of the late Prime Minister. "New chums" are still 6ometime3 extraordinarily ignorant of the conditions of life in Australia. At Goulburn, New South Wales, lately, a young Englishman, a recent arrival, disappeared from a. hotel, leaving his box to pay his bill. "When the box was opened," says the Sydney Mail, "all those present began to sing, especially the landlord. Indeed, his voice rose high above the others, and had a perceptible shake on the top note. For the chest was stuffed with glass beads, brass jewellery, penny dolls, and miscellaneous valuables intended for barter with the aborigines. ■ The young Briton had learnt at Home that the Australian natives were simple children of nature, who would give a kingdom for a knife, particularly a threebladed one with a corkscrew at'the big end — a dominion for a doll." It will be remembered that some amusement was caused a year or two ago on the Wellington wharf when the Customs officials found the luggage of a new-comer to be full of similar "truck."

The largest pit lure ever painted has been completed ny a Freeh artiht, m Pans. It represents the iuneral ol Al. Larnot, and the canvas measures 150 Mjuare yaida. According to a report from the Amur district, quoted by tho Japan limes, Russia is tort it\ ing Harbin, with the intention of making it a second Port Arthur. Thirty weddings wore celebrated in Wellington on Wednesday last. 'Ihis is Lelh'vccl to be tho record wedding day tor the iJmpir© City. Mr Charles Frjser has been appointed editor of the Otago Wit ness. Air Fraser has lioJd tho position of cub-editor ol the Otago Daily Times for 20 years. There was a wedding lv France recently, at which 5200 guests were present. The bride rectned <i7B'J pickle forms and 1000 butter coolers. Tiii-kettling may be an expensive amusement. A youth named Hughes was fined £6 and 18s costs, and two named Milliner £2 and 16s costs on Friday for tin-kettliug a wedding party at Auckland. A mob of 680 tattle from Feilding passed through Masterton, on Saturday, their destination being Martinborough. This is said to be one of tho largest mobs of cattle that have foe-en driven through the district. It is understood that the unsold portion of tho well-known suburb of Smithfield containing about 50 acres has been purchased (through Messrs llolloway and Hogan) by a local gentleman who intends to put it on the market shortly. By order of the Admiralty the cadets at the naval college at Dartmouth indulge in dancing for twenty minutes live evenings in the week, and for 40 minutes on Saturday. The idea is not to provide the cadets with amusement, but to improvu their carriage and bearing. On Sunday three Mart on sports succeeded in "grassing" nineteen trout — a record catch tor throe rods — in the Rangitikei river. The total weight was 451 be, the largest fish turning the scale at 6^lbs. Last week the first rainbow trout was caught in the Rangitikci by one of the same party. Some time ago the proprietors of Won- I dcrland at the N.Z. Exhibition purchased three camels in Melbourne for the Exhibition. The other day a cable waa received stating that the three camels had presented their owners with five additional one, and the whole party of eight, parents and children, will soon arrive. • As offering an indication of the desire of English firms to handle New Zealand cheese, tho Pahiatua Herald states that the Nireaha Co-operative Cheese Company has been apprised that if its output this season exceeds 100 tons the Home firm handling it will refund exchange and other similar charges, practically a bonus of over J>3o. After tho recent tangi over the remains of the late WiParataat Waikanae. the balance of the provisions were conveyed to the ground in front of the runanga, and there piled up, making an imposing display. There must have been close on twenty tons of flour, in addition to nearly one hundreds bags of sugar, and large quantities of biscuits, etc., in the pile, which was afterwards distributed amongst the hapue of the visiting natives. A meeting of the Queen's Park Domain Board was held at the conclusion of the Borough Council last evening, when a lettor was read from the Mahoo Tennis Club applying lor permission to erect a small shed on Queen's Park, pending the erection of a pavilion, also asking that tho Board lay on water to tho park in. the vicinity of the courts. — The matter was referred to the Reserves Committee, which was empowered to act in regard to, the fched. Potato growers in. Otaki district ha.c been much concerned (says the Post) ovei the appearance of what is generally believed to be tho dreaded Irish blight. Jt would appear, however, that their fears aro at least premature. Specimens of affected leaves were submitted to +he Government Biologist for examination, and he has forwarded the following reassuring report: — "A careful examination did not .show any trace of Irish blight, the death of the tissues being due to frost. Potatoes which have been frosted arc in consequence weakened, and thus fall an easy prey to fungoid attack. It is therefor© very important that they should bo sprayed." A remarkable story of endurance is referred to by the Auckland Star. In 1861 two sailing vessels left London for Melbourne, and went by way of Pentland Firth. One of the vessels lost a man over board; the other vessel picked him up twonty-four hours afterwards. The rescuing sailer reached Melbourne before the other vessel, and the first person to go «.n board was tho gentleman who might have been down with Mr Davey Jones. The ieseued nuui was a Shetlandor, which may account for his hardiness in boin«y able to btand the cold for tho twenty-four hours lie spent in the water. A man from Ohakuue, explaining that he was a navvy of 30 years' experience, interviewed a Post reporter and explained that ho had been working for tho past six months "shooting papa" at Ohakune and had something to oay about the types of labourers sent to that region by the Government Bureau. "This winter it was the worst class of men I've seen," the critic: commented. "The place is a fattening paddock for laziness. They've got all the loafers in the country there." He submitted the Lnboiir Bureau did not exercise sufficient discrimination in sending up men to do navrying work. He contended that individuals who had done nothing heavier than "plucking geese and peeling apples' were despatched to the North. These persons, who "hadn't the incentive ambition of a mosquito," went at the "dead march to tho barrows," but got 8s a day. He argued that men who "can't lift a frying pan" are scut up as navvies"eight out of ten are that sort." At last night's meeting of the Borough Council, a letter was read from tho District Health Officer stating that he had made in August, a bacteriological examination of the borough water supply with satisfactory results. The number of organism* present was 375 per cubic centimetre, as against 700 in November, 1900, the diminution being probably duo to tho colder weather. No harmful organisms were detected, and the water could be considered as ah a safe condition. Tho Health Officer, hoVever, drew attention to the. danger which may result from the use of the lake on St. John's Hill as a settling leservoir when the Okehu water is too muddy for direct use. Tho main road running alongside the lake is a source of pollution, since the storm water washes the dust and filth, accumulating on the road, directly into the lake. Better protection iB also required to prevent passers-by throw-ing filth into the water. Unless measures aro taken to protect the lake from these, its use as a source of domestic supply should certainly be stopped.— The letter waa referred to the Sanitation Committee, the Mayor remarking that lie thought the Health Officer's fears for the contamination of Virginia Lake were rather far fetched.