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Western Star, Issue 2005, 20 April 1895, Page 2

Narrow Escape. —While Mrs Playfair, wife of Mr Jno. Playfair, of Gnmmies Bush was driving past Mr Gray’s house near the corner of Palmerston and Downing streets, Riverton, cn her way home on Wednesday, the horse took fright at some objact and bolted. There was no one else in the trap with Mrs Playfair, and iho suddenness of the animal’s rmvements threw her out on to the road where she lay parlially stunned. Messrs O’Dowd and.J Clark, who were in the vicinity, were quickly on the spot, and removed Mrs Playfair to the hospital situated only a few chains away. Happily beyond a,few scratches she escaped unhurt, ami after recovering from the shook to her system, left for her home where- the horse made for after bolting. .We are glad to reooid that Mrs Playfair escaped serious injury, and at the Thursday evening prayer meeting the Rev Mr Neave returned thanks to God for an escape which was miraculous.

Salt As a Fertiliser-— “ Bash Farmer ” writes in the Taranaki Herald :—I was pleased to see the notice in,, your last issue with reference to the value of salt as a fertiliser. A neighbour tells me that last winter he applied salt to the roots of his fruit trees. Result: Immense crop of apples, entirely free from codlin moth. He attributes the latter fact to the action of the salt killing the larvm of the moth in its incipient state while in the ground. In support of this theory he instances his neighbour’s orchard, which is full of the pest. Can soma of your readers more versed in the chemistry of agriculture than myself tell me whether this is likely-to be-the cause, and also whether salt does not possess other valuable properties when applied as a fertiliser ?

•A Narrow Escape.— A young miner named De Gruchy bad a startling adventure at Guildford, near Gastleraaine. He was at the bottom ,of a shaft 75ft deep when he felt that he was becoming overpowered by foul air. He promptly secured the rope, and having put his foot in a slip-knot shook the rope vigorously. His mate at the windless, being apprehensive that something was wrong, shouted “ Below,” but netting no reply speedily set Aha' windlass in motion. He Bpon.learot the real position of affairs, as a few feet from the surface ho . observed De Drusby with one foot gradually slipping from the rope knot, and suspended in the shaft head downwards. Fortunately, the poor follow was safely landed on the brace, but not a moment-too soon, as it was then seen that his boob had par.ially slipped from his foot. „ .......

Death ' of A Miser,— After leading a miserable existence for a number of years, an old man named Janies Rosa had died at Ballarat Worth, nearly £IOOO. The mao occupied a single room, which was destitute of furniture, and was filled with old nails, tins, and rags. He regularly accepted food an-1 small.coins from hia neighbours and was generally believed to be in a state of destitution.

No Savey !•”—Those who know the Dunedin Police Cotirt will associate it with bad air, bad temper, and bad company, and it is but seldom that wit or mirth invade those dismal walls. All the more refreshing, therefore, was a little unrehearsed comedietta enacted there last wmk. The genial J.P. on the Bench had patiently heard a oase against a smiling, nonchalant looking Chinaman, for breach of by-laws, and on its conclusion, looking down from the lofty Banco heights at the Oriental, said, “ John, you are fined five shillings.”, “No savey,” was the only reply. “ Fined five shillings,” accused was again, and yet again informed, but no response was available but a hopeless “ no savey." For a moment the Court officials ward non-plussed. i Then ■’-■oame to the rescue a well-known member of the Bar. “ John,” he said loudly, “ you are fined ton shillings.” John gasped for a moment, then broke out, “No feah ! Beak said five shillings.” The roar of laughter in the Court was too much for even the imperturbable policeman, and even John had to admit by promptly paying bis fine that the barrister had scored.

An Outspoken Judge —Robert Isaacs, formerly teller at the Georgetown branch of the Bank of New South Wales, Brisbane, was found “ not guilty ” at the District Court of the larceny of £350 of tho Bank’s money. Judge Noel, addressing tho prisoner, said the jury had brought him in not guilty, but that it . was the most corrupt verdipt ever delivered by a jury in any court in Queensland, lie said he should make it hia duty to ask the Attorney-General whether it was not necessary, fop the protection of the honest portion of the community, to withdraw from the people of the district, in which the trial had been held, the right to try criminals. Isaacs was subsequently arleated, and found guilty of embezzling a further sum of £IOO. The Chitrad War— Colonel Kelly with 300 sepoys has relieved Mastij, wherein was Blent Bretherton, after an arduous march. The relieving party were compelled to carry their guns across a stream as? the bridge had boon destroyed by the enemy. On approaching tho enemy the sepoys rushed a series of stone walls which they captured at the point of the bayonet after an hour’s fighting. The casualties on the British side were trivial. Umn Khan has requested an armistice, but this qas been refused him unless ho is prepared to make complete submission.

Jaf-Ciunese War— News ha? boon received that the terms of peace between China and Japan hare been signed. The Times’ opecial reporter in Shanghai telegraphed that the terms of peace between China and Japan inolnde the independence of Corea, the retention by Japan of conquered places, also the territory east of the Liao river, the cession of Formosa, an indemnity of a hundred million dollars, and an offensive and defensive alljgmoe. Lotteries comes from Hungary of a beantifnl lady possessed of rank and fortune who has conceived the idea of putting hers'df up to be raffled for. At least she has got on so far with her project as to have petitioned the Hungarian Finance Minister to permit her to issue a lottery loan of 700,000 tickets of one florin each. The winner is to marry the lady, who retains one-third of the money r.e her dowery," gives ono-third to the bridegroom, and devotes the other third to charitable purposes. —Wo have just chanced on another unique lottery. A Sydney cable says : £19,000 has been received from India and £15,000 from England for investment ia the ftp lottery, A Sturdy Regoar. —Tho other day a man named Tbonus Sangslor was sentenced at the Timti.ru Opart to a month’s imprisonment for vagrancy. Llo had been pltjying tho sturdy beggar about tho Pareora and St.

Andrews, making a house-to-ho nso canva for food with a show of threatening in h. facial expression if met with a refusal from any housewife appealed to. He was clad in rags and so filthy with vermin that after sentence the gaol doctor recommended a chemical bath, in other words a “ die” and he got it. Complaints had been made to the police about his rude demands for food, but no mention was made of his possession of firearms. When he was arrested, however, Constable Crawford found upon him a small and most curious armory, the articles severally wrapped up in rags so as not to be visible. He carried a big pistol or shot gun a small pistol, a dagger, and a thick walking stick, and he bad part of an original flask of‘ powder. The fire-arms are *• home-made ” and are real curiosities of industry and ingenuity in their "construction. When asked why he carried such things, the owner said he wanted them to protect himself. Dropped a Dirty Business.— The counsel for Oscar Wilde, in announcing his withdrawal from the case, explained that the literary works and letters of his client justified the Marquis of Queenberry’s plea, and expressed an opinion that Wilde haa posed as an immoral person. He stated that he therefore withdrew from the case, in order 10 avoid the production of the appalling evidence against his client that he saw would be forthcoming if the case were continuedThis announcement was greeted with loud cheers from those present in the court, and while his counsel was making the statement Wilde hurriedly left the court.

Passsed Away.— Mr-Thomas Cass died at Christchurch on Wednesday in his 78th year. He had been in the colonies since 1841, and was present at the saok of Korornreka. He assisted in the survey of Canterbury before the arrival of the Pilgrims, and was Chief Survejor of the province till 1867.—The other week there died at Queenstown, one of the oldest pioneers of the Wakatipu mining rush, in the person of Mr George Archer, one of the mo j t conspicuous residents of the town. The deceased o.une to the district in 1862. Mr Archer lived to the ripe age of 72 years, and leaves a widow, but no family. ’

A Cemetery Muddle— A remarkable state of affairs in connection with the Napier cemetery ia disci ised in a report by Mr Humphreys, Commissioner of Crown Lancia who was appointed by the Government to hold nn enquiry.- The report says ■— “ From death registers and cemetery records I fine! that as near as possible 3200 have been butied since 1557. The present sexton has held his position 17 years, daring which period 2070 interments have taken place, vet strange to say he can only point Out 1554 known and suspected glares in the whole cemetery, and this includes a large number interred before hia time. One thousand six hundred and fifty graves, being more than half the total number of the interments in the cemetery, are not, to be found, aud it can reasonably be assumed that at least; : 700 b-long to the present sexton’s terms. The total area of the cemetery as fenowl is lacres Ireod 20perches, Of this lacre 3rds is taken up with pathways and ground two steep for interment, leaving 2acrea 2rooda 20perches ns available ground, of which about one aor * is absorbed in the purchase p’ots. As there is apparently about half an acre of undisturbed ground the conclusion forced , upon us is that 3200 interments have been- made in a little over two acres.” ‘ " —'- u Trades and Labour Christchurch Conference have repHed lq a letter from the Progressive' Lib«ral Association approving ...of ,-the principle of the old ago pension scheme .and recognising the work done by the Aasociat'on. In answer to the letter from—-the Workers’ Union, it was moved to recommend all Unionists not to probeed to. any of the Australian colonies in the event of any trouble arising during the shearing seasoji of 1895, but an amendment was carried referring the letter to the affiliated Trades and Labour Councils. It was resdved “ That this Conference urges upon the .Government to pay the same rate of wages to all women employed in the Government service as is paid to men, and that a deputation consisting of Auckland and Wellington delegates wait on the Premier in reference to the matter.” : ’ - v ’ ' .

County Roads— At Thursday’s meeting of tho Council, Cr Hirst presented a petition from 26 settlers resident -in the 5 Orepuki ■Riding who complained of the oattle nuisance on the roads there. It appears all day and at night cows and horses wander at their own sweet will over the newly-made roads, fill up drains which dams back water, and in time of heavy rain expensive read works are in imminent danger of being washed away, to the loss of the Council first and the ratepayers afterwards. It was pointed out that all ratepayers would be studying their own interests by discountenancing the practice, because how is it possible for the Council to keep up costly roads if thoughtless people permit their stock to destroy them. Further than this it appears the cattle destroy fencing, etc. The Council decided tn accede to the prayer of the petition. The surfaceman in the Orepuki Riding is to be gazetted ranger, with power to impound all straying cattle. Forewarned is to be forearmed. It is to bo hoped the nuisance will be abated in the interests of all.

Impersonating the Police. —A gentleman of strong couvival bent was brought up before the bailie on a charge of impersonating a police officer in the public street after closing time. “ What did the prisoner at the. bar do ?” asked his worship, “ Rappib at nia side entrance, your honor, an’ drank the beer I shoved oot!” repried the witness soberly. (Sensation in Court.) ■ 1 o Sporting. —Tho Gore Racing Club will hold an annual meeting on the Btb May, with the following program no:—Dist-ict Handicap of 15 sovs, Maiden Trot of £l3 10s, Autumn Handicap of 25 sov*, Two Mile Trot of 15 sovs. Flying Handicap of 20 sovs, Handicap Trot of 20 sovs, and Publicans’ Handicap of 15 sovs. Cows and Bones— Two issues ago Mr D Mclntosh, of Oulblair, Fairfax, sent us an account of a cow that had got off her milk and pined away through swallowing an eight by three-inch jagged bone, a fact which was only ascertained after the animal had b'eu slaughtered, it being thought to bo suffering from some incurable disease. In order to give the item every puhlioitv, wo notice he has sent it to the Southland Times, which journal commenting on it said It is held by some experts that this depravity of. taste in animals and especially cows, is the result of tho abseqee of some necessary constituent from their ordinary food. As bearing on this subject it may be mentioned that Mr Geo Mackie, of Makarewa, told us tho other day of a peculiar instance. On a farm in Otago some years ago the cows apparently, healthy, frequently slipped their calves, so much so that the fqrtqer suffered a serious loss, which he oosld not apeouot for. The fcotua in each case was practically boneless and Mr Mapkie, thinking the matter over, came to the conclusion that the absence of bone- qrmjng constituents from the soil might Rays something tq do with the unnatural condition so apparent. Dime suggested itself as the “ felt want,’’ and it was liberally applied to the land with the result that in a short time the farmer got the natural increase of his herd all right.” Now thaf. we have quoted tho explanation and remedy gjven by oqr contemporary, we might mention that Ppefessor Johnson in his “Agricultural Chemistry,” says that milking cows should have at least a tiblespoonful of fine ground rone every week. He also says that a cow giving 750 gallons of milk in a year and raising a calf whose bones will weigh 201 b will also piss off in her milk as much phosphate as is contained in 3(j!b of bonedusf, and in her urine as much as in 171 b, making a total of 67ib of bone material which are required by a healthy cow each year. Of course some portion of this is supplied by her food. :

Shouldering Over to the Government.— Mr tie Lor row, during his visit cjf seven weeks to the South Island inspected 30' estates, con? taming some 120,000 acres, wbiph are under offer to the Government. Most of these are in Canterbury, and some are very suitable for settlement purposes,

School Commissioners.— An application from Messrs Power and Orean, leases of section 20, Wairio district, t o surrender lease, and agreeing to bid an upset of 8d per acre and pay expense of valuing improvements, was declined.

Melbourne Sewer Accident— The bodies of all the men drowned in the sewerage tunnel have been recovered- They had evidently been drowned by the first rush of water. Paintul scenes occurred at the recovery of the boriios of those drowned especially in the case of B’oster who had for a long period been out of work and had begged for employment as he had- a family of six children dependent upon him and they were almost starving. tie obtained a position in the shift through anoiher employe being unable to work. When his body was brought to the surface two of his youngest children threw their arras round it and cried “ Father, ain’t you coming home to dinner to-day.” Belief subscriptions have been started.

Outstanding Rates.— At Tbure lay’s meeting of the Council, the chairman of the finance Committee (Or Hirst) said attention had to be drawn to the largo amount of outstanding rates. He pointed out that it was greatly to the detriment of ratepayers that they were not paid, as it militated very much against the subsidy received on rates. Times were not the best, and he did not wish to see any hardship indicted on settlers. At the same time ho moved that public notice be given that action will have to be taken if they are not (aid. This was seconded by Or Grant and carri-id.'

China Inland Mission— On Monday evening, 22nd inst., Miss Florence Young and Miss Edna Bavin, will address a public meeting in the Hall on the above work. The ladies will be dressed in Chinese costume. They speak the Chinese language, and after four years’ residence in the heart of the Celestial empire, are sure to give much interesting information respecting the Chinese,which, in the light of recent events, should prove doubly interesting. No collection will be taken up, and no charge is made for admission. : We ttter-fbre hope the hall will be crowded' to hear the lady missionaries, who are very'good speakers. The object in holding the meetings is to awaken interest in the great work of Christianising the Chinese. They will address a meeting at Waimatuku on Tuesday, .

Local Mails.— Last issue we announced that the Postal Department had decided to fall in with the request of the Town Council, and meet the public by giving a daily delivet’y over the counter for a quarter of an hour after the arrival of the evening train from Invercargill.' This is to be tried for a month, so we need hardly point out that it rests with the' citizens whether it shall be a permanency or not. ,

The Warden’s Magistrate’s and Assessment Courts sit on Tuesday at Riverton. An Auck lander has a scarlet runner growing, the pods of which are two feet in length. The Wanganni Borough Council is taking steps to suppress the nuisance of travelling hawkers.

An elootiio.lighting plant for Tapanni ran be secured for £llO, and a revenue of £IOO per-annurni is asiurel. The Riverton Council ■should make enquiries. V*

7'SifxOhal "Todd, South Australian Post*.: master-General, has announced that for the' 'expired portion ot the current telegraphic jear^~c ndin&ihls month, the cable receipts such mi extent that he anticipates that the colonies will not be required to mike any paymint towards the guarantee,. . T - „ 4 \ Farmers Column, General News, Sale Education Endowments, and the Dean -Poisoning case will bo found- on our outside pages. Footballers are reminded that there willibe a practice: on the Kaik on Wednesday commencing at%o’clock. Those interested would do well to, roll up.