LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13433, 21 July 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton residents were skating on ice on Sunday and Monday. A Blue Book of 300 pages, embodying the papers which were laid before the" Imperial Conference, has been published. Two purebred Jersey bulls were sold ;it Sandoif Public Pound on Wednesday. One realised 6s and the other 2s 6d. Poundage fees amounted to £.2. New potatoes were dug in Taranaki a fortnight ago. The seed was planted on ird March. They were the llobiu Adair variety.

The campaign against rats in Auckland still continues. Last week 163 ruts were delivered to tho district health officer, but not one showed any trace of plague. The scarlatina epidemic is still rampant in the country districts of the Ashburton County, but Inspector M. Kershaw, who is making official visits of inspection, hopes to have the disease stamped out shortly.

A number of fruit farms established at Waerongaby the director of experimental stations (Mr E. Clifton) are to bo offered for selection shortly. The farms range from 25 to 60 acres, and tho trees are in full bearing. A party of Invercargill sports obtained a large haul of whitebait in the New River at Little Bush on Sunday mornining. This is unusually early for whitebait to Le in tho rivers, as in previous years they have not been obtainable until September. It is said that the unemployed in Dunedin number about thirty. A wire was sent to the Hon. It. McKenzie asking if twenty nun could lie found employment in the construction of a bridge at Taieri mouth, to which the Minister has replied that he is making the necessary inquiries. There is just one superfluous female in Patea, judging by the munis which show a population in that borough of 459 males and 460 females. In New Plymouth there are plenty of girls to spare, there being 2788 females as against 2450 males, in other Taranaki towns there- is a preponderance of the male element, Elthom’u population of 1377 is made up of 888 males and 849 females.

It has been reported" that a regulation of the Defence Department directs that Territorials shall in future refrain from shaving the upper lip, and that the wearing of moustaches shall be compulsory. The Southland Times says it is in a position to state authoritatively that no' such order has been or will be issued by the Department.

W’ith reference to a Sydney cable ft sting that Sir John Kirk, Director of the flagged Schools Union, was coming to New Zealand with a view to placing a number of boys in employment here, the Rev. J. 11. Mackenzie, of Nelson, the New Zealand ■rqiruHciitative of the Union, states the ob’oct of Sir John Kirk’s visit is erroneously stated. The Union is not an emigration organisation, and Sir John Kirk comes to mhst sympathy and help for its effort* among tho poor children of London.

Until quite recently I imagined tlial neh were protected chiefly by the coincidence of their markings with the stones and reeds in the water in which they live,” declared Dr. Francis Ward, in a lecture at the Eoyal Photographic Society a Exhibition in London the other day. “But I find that all silvery fish are mirrors, reflecting generally the dark bottom of the pond. It is only when they approach the surface and the light shine* on them that they become visible to the larger fish that prey on them.’’ While riding in Pall Mall (London! on May 27th, after having paid a visit to the King, the Maharajah of Bonakir was wearing in his turban a large eight-sided diamond of great value. Later in the day the jewel had been missed. Scotland Yard was communicated with, and a description of the jewel was circulated among pawnbrokers, diamond merchants, and jewellers. Four days later the store was returned to the Maharajah bv a boy. said to be named Dnffin, who picked it up in Pall Mall. The lad will bn suitably rewarded.

A creditor expressed an opinion at a meeting in Christchurch that a man who earned £2 10s a week and kept himself, his wife and four children, was in fairly good circumstances, and should not got into debt, “Talk about poverty,” be said, “I fail to sec it.” “What! With four children "oing to school, and 13s a week to pav tho rent!” the debtor exclaimed. “It leaves me £1 15s a week to feed and clothe six persons. I can assure yon that it takes a pretty smart man to do it, especially if his wife is sick and is ordered into a private hospital to bo operated upon.” The adoption of the Auckland Mayor’s loan proposals by the ratepayers on Friday last established a unique record in the history of New Zealand municipal politics. The proposals, which involve the raising of loans aggregating .£420,000, were first advanced by the Mayor in hi* installation address on May 3rd. Eight days later they wore, with certain minor amendments, adopted by the Council in committee, and now within two months of tho announcement of the proposals they have all been adopted by the ratepayers. For quickness of despatch this is a Dominion record, practically the whole of the two months being necessary to comply with legal formalities.

Owing to an outbreak of scarlet fever, tna _ Oastlecliff school has been closed for a time.

The latest addition to the Telephone Exchange is No. 759, Mr It. Wakarua's residence, .Abbot Street, Gouville. One drunk was dealt with by Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court this morning. A. fine of 5s with costs 2s, was inflicted. What is termed bv Inspector Hugo the latest and the very finest fire appliance in "the world is being brought to Auckland. This is the electric fire-escape, of which there are onlv two in existence.

-The first new potatoes of the seaebn yets sold on the Wellington produce market on Friday morning. They were grown under glass at the Lower Hutt, and realised at the rate of A‘33 per ton. The wharf presented a very busy appearance at noon to-day, seven steamer? —tpe Holmdale, Stormbird, Huia, Kapiti, Bagnios, Gertie, and Storm—being in port. The aggregate tonnage was ove»3000 tons.

One of the incidents at the Masterton competitions; The judge of elocution was particularly careful to advise a certain competitor to have his teeth attended to. The competitor in question turned out to be a dentist.

Hie Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Company, after going thoroughly (into the matter, has decided to increase its capital, and to erect cool stores with a 10.000 bushel-case carrying capacity, with provision for cooling 1000 cases daily. Hie newly-formed Presbyterian congregation at Gonville has decided to lease the Gonville Town Hall for Sunday services for the present. August 6th is the date of the opening service. Hie Weather Bureau reports as follows: There are indications for easterly winds strong to gale, backing to south-easterly strong to gale; expect unsettled and cloudy weather; rain probable; glass fall slowly; tides poor; sea considerable off shore.

The funeral of the late Mr Alex. Pargie took place yesterday afternoon, and was very largely attended. Among those present were the staff of the railway workshops, who attended in full force, the works being closed down for the afternoon out of respect to. the deceased.

When the Gabriel’s Gully Jubilee was first mooted, it was hoped that perhaps between 50 and 60 of the pioneers would put in an appearance, but the list shows that not far short of four hundred actually attended, most of whom were at Tuapeka in 1861. The total espouses came to about JEIISO, and there was no deficit.

■ Those people who think that although the renewal of the Anglo-J aoanese Treaty protects us against’ any fear of political aggression from Japan, yet we stand in teal danger from Japanese industrial and commercial competition, will perhaps find something to- reassure them in an article by,Mr Clarence Poe in the current number of the World’s Work. The article, *e- are fold, was written in Japan after a personal investigation and discussions with Cabinet Ministers, manufacturers, and merchants and with the commercial attaches of the British and American Embassies. The conclusion Mr Poe comes to is that while the outlook is encouraging for manufacturing in the Mikado's empire, he does not believe this development is to bo regarded as a menace to English or American industry.

■ The rat, in addition to being a disseminator of plague and other diseases, is also a danger in other ways, and at least one Wanganui family has lately found another reason for waging war on his tribe. A few nights ago a lady waa aroused from sleep by a piercing shriek from her infant, and a light being brought it was found that the child was literally covered with blood. Her husband then discovered that a rat was iu the room, and needness to say it was given quick dispatch. The animal had evidently got into the baby’s bed, and had bitten it severely on the bead, with the result as stated. Tt was at first feared that blood-poisoning might ensue, but promnt medical attention averted the danger. The family, however, lost no time in moving their residence to a less rat-haunted locality.

Paper-bag cooking has absolutely conquered London. The London Express announced one day that they would supply these bags at a certain price. The next day they received orders for one and a quarter million bags. For nearly a month the paper-bag fever has been raging in Melbourne. Four thousand people sought admission to a demonstration of paper-bag cooking in that city. The hall could only accommodate 200 people. Those outside caused almost a riot in their attempts to enter. Now the infection has spread to Sydney. Last week a cooking class at the Technical College experimented with these cooking bags, and the teachers and pupils declared that in a few days Sydney will be thrown into the same state of domestic exhilaration that has agitated London and Melbourne; for on its first trial in Sydney paper-bag cooking proved a surprising and unequivocal success. The Wanganui branch of the School Committees’ Association held its annual meeting in the Borough Council Chambers last evening, Mr W. Bruce (president) presiding. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr W. Bruce (re-elected); vice-president, Mr it. Noilson; secretary and treasurer, Mr W. M. Luxford (re-elected); executive, Messrs W. Lee Martin, W. R. Robinson, and A Thompson. A lengthy discussion took place on the question of the medical examination of school children, and the following resolution was carried:—“ That the Wanganui branch of the School Committees’ Association approves of a system of dental and medical inspection of school children, and that the cost should be a charge on the State.” Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to the Minister of Education, the Wanganui Education Board, and the member for the district.