HERE AND THERE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1254, 30 April 1914, Page 40

HERE AND THERE.

Mr. G. Niccoll, who is well-known in shipping circles in Auckland, proceeded to England by the Athenic last week.

Mr. R. MacLaren, a New Zealander, who owns a cattle ranch in the Argentine, returned to Monte Video by the Athenic on April 23rd.

Mrs. A. C. Whitney, of Auckland, and her son, Mr. W. C. Whitney, and Miss Whitney, intend visiting Egypt, Italy, Switzerland, and France, en route for England, and will make a motor tour of the United Kingdom before leaving again for New Zealand, via Canada.

Messrs. G. H. and C. F. Bruce and Miss Bruce, English tourists, who have been engaged on a pleasure trip to the Thermal district, returned to England, via Australia, by the Manuka

Mr. Jas. Crichton, of Wanganui, is spending some months in the Old Country. He resides at Tunbridge Wells, but travels up to London at frequent intervals.

Mr. and Mrs. George Morgan, of Canterbury, who are staying in London, leave on their return to New Zealand by the Orama on May 22.

Mrs. E. M. and Miss Iris Dunlop, of Auckland, who have been in England for some time, have returned to London from a tour.

Mr. and Mrs. Holton, of Dunedin, accompanied py the two Misses Holton, left on the 27th of this month for a trip to Sydney.

Mr. and Mrs. Gair, of Melbourne, who have been touring the Dominion, left Auckland by the Riverina on the 27th for Sydney.

Mr. J. Gunson, chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, accompanied by Mrs. Gunson, left by the Manuka upon a trip to Sydney.

Mrs. and the Misses (2) Cotter, Vincent Road, Remuera, Auckland, left by the Manuka on the 20th inst. for a trip to Sydney.

Mr. and Mrs. Alpin, of Wellington, left by the Huddart-Parker Company’s liner Riverina on a trip to Sydney.

Mr. and Mrs. €. J. M. Watts, of Waimauku, North Auckland, accompanied by their daughter, leave next month by the Corinthic on a pleasure trip to England.

Mr. C. D. Bowen, a member of the well-known Christchurch family of tb ( at name, and now in the Civil Service of the Malay States, who, with Mrs. Bowen, has been visiting New Zealand, left by the Athenic on the 23rd inst.

Commander H. C. Carr, having handed over the command of H.M.S. Psyche to Captain H. J. T. Marshall, who has just arrived from London, left Wellington on the 24th inst. on his return to England.

Mr. F. W. B. Greville, of the “New Zealand Dairyman,” left Wellington by the Athenic on April 23rd on a visit to England.

Mr. T. Cummings, of Mount Eden, and recently of the Waikino Battery, left last Monday for Sydney to catch the steamer St. Albans for Shanghai and from there to take the South Manchuria railway and proceed toManchuria and Siberia, via Omsk. His objective is the newly-opened districts in that country, which are rich in copper and other minerals. Other New Zealanders are at present engaged in the mining industry in that part of the country, and amongst them is Mr. Farmer, a former wellknown Auckland resident.

Mr. Charles Bagley, Epsom, chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board and member of the Auckland Harbour Board, in company with his wife and daughter, left last week for Sydney on a tour round the world. Mr. Bagley hopes to touch at Java and Japan in his travels, and also include a tour of Europe before he proceeds to San Francisco, for the opening of the Exhibition. The tourists also expect to pay a visit to the

Panama Canal zone unless the outbreak of hostilities in Mexico prevents the big canal from becoming of tourist interest for some time.

The Duchess d’Aosta, of the Italian Royal House, Miss Hicks-Beach, and the Marquis Manrigo Piscicelli, who arrived in Sydney last week from Batavia, were passengers by the Moana, which arrived in Wellington from Australia on April 23rd. The Duke of d’Aosta is a cousin of the King of Italy, and the Duchess is a sister of the Duke of Orleans, the Royalist Pretender to the throne of France. They will stay for a time, and then later continue their journey to San Francisco, after which they will return to England across America. The Duchess of Aosta is contemplating visiting Raratonga and Tahiti, where she will stay some time. She lately published an illustrated volume of scenes and events associated with her travels in darkest Africa. As an explorer our Royal visitor has already gained a reputation for courage and daring, Dressed in man’s attire, she has penetrated into hitherto unknown regions, and had a strenuous time shooting much big game, including lions. One day the cook accompanying her caravan stabbed a native carrier, whereupon the wounded man’s companions

became furiously angry, and pursued the assailant into the duchess’ tent, where he had fled for refuge. She sternly ordered them to retire, but as this only infuriated them more she seized a gun and pointed it at the savage horde, and her unerring skill as a dead Shot saved the situation.

Amongst the guests staying at the Grand Hotel last week was a distinguished visitor from the East, Prince Phya Asabadi, of Siam. The Prince’s entourage included Mr. Tabutean Herrick, M.R.C.V.S., who is in charge of the King of Siam’s horse-breeding and racing establishments which number over three hundred head, and Mr. Hobbs. The Prince has made large purchases of all classes of horse flesh in. Australia, but it is not his intention to continue his purchases in New Zealand. The party left Auckland late last week for Rotorua, Wairakei and the Wanganui River, from whence they proceed to WeTington. The Royal party leaves for Sydney on the Sth inst. by the Willochra, and will spend a month in Australia in gathering together their equine purchases before returning to Bangkok.

A- distinguished party of tourists, •comprising the Duchess of D’Aosta, Miss Hicks-Beach (daughter of Viscount St. Aldwyn, better known as Sir Michael Hicks-Beach), and the Marquis Pisciella, has arrived at Sydney by the Van Cloon from Batavia. The party will probably extend its tour to New Zea'and and the South Sea Islands. .

Mrs. Dampier-Crossley, a wellknown Canterbury, resident, and her daughter, Miss Chapman, were passengers by the Niagara, which arrived in Auckland recently fom Sydney. They have recently returned from Cairo, where they spent, the winter with ■Lieutenant E. Wynne Chapman, whose regiment is at present in Egypt.

Judging by the appearance of Lake Ellesmere as seen from passing trains, there is every prospect of a good season for sportsmen. Ducks and pukaki are on the lake in hundreds, and great coveys rise at intervals of a few hundred yards when the train passes. Black swans are to be seen in thousands, and there are also a good many paradise ducks. The lake is at present fairly high, the water being well up over the foreshore near the railway embankment. Lake Forsyth, on the other hand, is very low just now.

The opening of the shooting season on May Ist will be observed throughout all the Acclimatisation Society areas in the Auckland Province, with the exception of the Opotiki and Whangarei districts. In each of the Auckland, Coromandel Tauranga, Rotorua, Mangonui and Bay of Islands shooting districts the season -will open on May Ist, and will close; on July 31st. The game that may be shot in the Auckland Society’s district will be.-;—Cock pheasants, Californian and Australian quail, grey duck, teal, spoonbill duck, pukeko. and black swan, the bag,of cock pheasants being limited to 12 head per gun per day, and the native game to 25 head per gun per day. The same game mav be shot in the Bay of Islands and Tauranga districts, while in the Coromandel and Hobson districts all the birds mentioned, with the exception of Californian and Australian quail, may be shot. In the Mangonui district the exception will be the Californian quail, and in the Rotorua district the excepted game will be Australian quail and pukeko. Prospects for the season are considered to be bright, for reports received to date state that ducks are very plentiful, while pheasants a’sojliave been seen in fair numbers. The latter, however, have had rather a late season, with the result that many of

the year’s hatchings are only halfgrown. Difficulty was experienced by sportsmen in the Auckland Society’s area in procuring licenses during the first week of last season, but arrangements have now teen made with the Minister for Internal Affiairs for the sale of licenses at every suitable! money-order office in the district.

Mr. and Mrs. A. Hirons, of Masterton, are going on a visit to Great Britain. They will travel by the Remuera. which sails from Wellington on May 7th.

Mr. and Mrs. H. Howard, of Blenheim, left by the Willochra last Friday for Sydney, where they will catch the Mooltan and proceed to London.

Mr. Walter Kilroy Harris, F.R.G.S., accompanied by his sister, Miss Irene Una Harris, left Newcastle on another long overland drive through th e far western parts of New South Wales and Queensland . The first stage will be to Mildura, on the Murray River, a distance of about 800 miles, where they will be joined by their brother, Mr. Jack Castle Harris. The three overlanders will then set out to continue their journey right across, New South Wales from the Murray River to the Queensland border and on to Mackay. The Darling River will be left at Wilcannia for a cut across country to Broken Hill and White Cliffs. Making back for Wilcannia, the river will be followed as far as Mungindi, where the travellers will once more leave it to head for CharJeville. From the great stock centre in south-west Queensland the journey will be continued to Mackay, and thence back to Newcastle along the coast. The trip just started is likely to take the best part of twelve months, and is under the auspices of Legion of Frontiersmen, in which body Mr. Walter. Harris holds the rank of lieutenant and ' organising officer for the Newcastle district. Miss’ Harris and Mr. Jack Harris recently' drove from Newcastle to Mildura, using throughout Opal, the pony, the two brothers drove from Newcastle to Adelaide and back, a distance of over" 2400 miles, a couple of years ago.

Here is a little pen-picture, from Cunningham Graham’s new volume of travel sketches, “The Hatchment.” of Buenos Ayres as it was forty years ago:—/“Although we know it not, being perhaps more occupied with life than with political economy, the city held within itself the germs of all it has become. I know that it is great and prosperous, wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice; that the great

liners all tie up at stone built docks, and passengers step from them into their motor cars. All this I know, and I am glad, for anche io fu pittore, that is, I used to ride along 1 the streets of the old Buenos Ayres,’ generally upon a little doradillo that, I had, with the great silver spurs just hanging off my heels vhen I rode up to Charaz’s Hotel after de-’ livering a troop of cattle at the saladero, on the outskirts of the town. So may a man who in his youth has seen a Gipsy dancer, brown, active, thin, and has admired her from afar, when he has met her in his after’ life, married to a capitalist, splendid in jewels and in Paris clothes, still think that she looked better in her print skirt and frayed Manila shawl.”

It is not often that cattle are attacked by deer, but a case is reported from Fitzherbert West, where a stag caused such serious injury to two steers in a settler’s herd that they had to be destroyed.

Mr. H. Otto Frind, F.R.G.S., a Canadian, who has come from Vancouved to make strenuous holiday on Australian and New Zealand mountains, has just returned to Christchurch after his second expedition to the peaks and glaciers of Mount Cook —he visited them first some four years ago—and in his quiet manner

his praise of them is more emphatic than the ecstacies of others not nearly as skilled in mountaineering or as intrepid. He brought his own guide with him on this occasion, and together they did a lot of exploration work in the Alps.' There are scores of peaks that have never yet been ascended, says Mr. Frind, and there; are always new routes to be discovered to familiar peaks, so there is’ plenty of work for the alpine enthusiast who is keen on making his mountaineering of use to others as: well as of pleasure to himself. During this year over 20 new peaks have been ascended, and several of them have been scaled for the first time by Mr. Frind and his guide. He, has made the .first complete ascension of the Godley Glacier, and the first circuit of the Malte Brun range, amongst other climbs, and he has found a new route between the Murchison and Godley Rivers which should, he says, in time become a favourite route for holiday-makers in the Alps.

Despite the fact that Palestine and Egypt are visited every year bv thousands of people from the Old Country, very few indeed think of making the journey to Mount Sinai. Yet, the ancient history of this region renders it one of the most sacred places in the world. It was on Mount Sinai that Moses received the Law, and witnessed the glory of God. An account, therefore, of a trip recently undertaken by a tourist to this sacred mountain may not be without interest. Before one can enter the Sinai. Peninsula, permission has to be obtained from the Egyptian War Office, while it is also advisable to secure a letter of recommendation from the Greek monastry at Cairo to those in charge of the convent on Mount Sinai. Politically, the Sinai Peninsula belongs to Egypt, and is governed by the Intelligence Department of the Egyptian War Office. One officer is stationed at Khalet-et-Nakhl, and another at Tor. There are only about 5000 to 6000 inhabitants, as that is all that can be supported in this mountainous and barren land. Many interesting excursions may be undertaken. The two principal ones are the district where Aaron made the “Golden Calf,’’ and the plain of Er Raba, where Israel must have camped while Moses ascended Sinai. This is a vast plain, sloping gently toward the sacred mountain, sifted over with gravel, making it almost as smoothas a floor, and dotted with low bushes. It has been computed that this plain alone, without taking into account the specious adjoining valleys, could contain two million people, allowing each individual one square yard standing room. It certainly offered an ideal camping ground for the Israelites during their lopg sojourn in this locality.

Mr. Ben. Armitage, a well-known Auckland business man, together with Mrs. Armitage and family, leaves on 7th May by the New Zealand Ship-

ping Company’s Remuera for a trip to London, via Monte Video.

A new record in wireless was established by the New Zealand operator, Mr. L. V. R. Carmine, chiefi operator on the Sonoma, when he sent a message back to San Francisco from the Equator, a distance of 3125 miles. The Sonoma was then ten days out from San Francisco. This, it is stated, is the first time communication has ever been established from the Equator. Mr. Carmine is also the holder of the Australasian long-distahce wireless record of 1912, when he reached a ship near Fremantle, Western Australia, from the Ulimaroa when 400 miles from Wellington, New Zealand.

The shooting season for native game in the Canterbury district commences on Friday, May Ist, and continues until July 31st. The variety of game which may be shot varies in some of the districts. In the Canterbury acclimatisation district the license covers Californian quail, grey duck, spoonbill duck, pukeko, and black swan; in the Ashburton district, grey ducks, teal, pukeko, and black swan; in the South Canterbury district, grey duck, teal, wild, goose, and black swan. The quantity of game which may be killed in any one day is not to exceel twenty-five. A number of sanctuaries are preserved, including Lake Forsyth, Woodend lagoon, Yarr’s lagoon. Greenpark, Akaroa lagoon, Horseshoe Lake, Glenmark lagoon, Cheviot lagoon, the river Avon to the Tramway bridge at New Brighton, lagoons at Amberley, will dam at Cust, the lake of three acres at Waikari, Blyth’f swamp in Storiyhurst district, thet Maori lakes in the Heron and Tripp, survey districts, and on all lands notified as sanctuaries game may not be taken during the season.

The Tongariro National Park has become a matter of greater public interest than previously, and one of the finest scenic assets in the Dominion is about to be opened up for tourist} traffic. Now that the park has . been taken over by the Tourist Department it is proposed to provide better facilities for visitors than exist at present. It is proposed to erect an accommodation hut in a suitable position between the two mountains. Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, and to construct a road running from that point to tbe road which at present connects Waimarino railway station with Tokaanu, and which is shortly to be improved. The distance from the latter road to the site of the projected hut is between six and seven miles, and the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes is advised that the road can be formed over this distance at a comparatively small cost. He will look into the whole matter, however, when he makes his intended visit to the park some time next month, when, accompanied by Dr. C. K. Newman, M.P., the Minister will pay a visit of inspection to the park.

It is considered by Professor Edward Prince, Canadian Commissioner of Fisheries, that the herring plays a very important part in the success or otherwise of the fishing industry. He states that the efforts made to

introduce the Scotch herring into the waters of the Dominion must be attended with success, and while he is here he will endeavour to devise some effective means of securing quantities of herring spawn for stocking New Zealand’s inshore waters. It is desirable, he thinks, to establish a. large herring supply similar to that reaped in the North Sea and Canadian waters, not merely as a new fish supply, but to improve the fish supply generaßy. The herring atrracts other species of fish, and where it is absent the supply of fish as, a whole shows a tendency to decrease.

The weird imagery of Robert Louis Stevenson’s hero, who is cast ashore on a desert island on the coast of Scotland, as well as the story of Robinson Crusoe is still possible, and the desert island need not be so far away as Juan Fernandez. Four Irish fishermen have been undergoing the sort of isolation which Robinson endured. They had been out lobster-fishing on the coast of Donegal when a storm arose, and as they did not return it was believed they had perished. The Arranmore lifeboat put out to see if any traces) of them could be found. Nothing could be seen, no wreckage of any kind. But as the lifeboat was passing an uninhabited rock called Roanish Island, the crew made the surprising discovery that four men were signalling from the island for help. A gallant attempt to take the men off was frustrated by the high sea running. A barrel of provisions was floated to the island and the famishing men emptied it and sent the' keg back with a message of thanks. “We are well, but cannot go out*. Come again,” was the message. And they did.

It is announced that a French company has received- the contract for a railway to connect the Greek railways with the rest of Europe. The Greek Government, has for a long time been endeavouring to forge this link of connection, and successive Greek Post-masters-General have declared that once the railway connection is brought about a bid will be made for the highly-remunerative Australian and Indian mail contracts. Time-table calculations would be rather premature at this stage; still, it would appear that if the Pireaus is to become connected by a really good railway service with the Continental capita’s, the cumbersome and timewasting scheme .of mail-carrying via Brindisi, or Taranto, will become a relic of the past. Coming at a time when the whole question of ■“speeding-up” the mails is so very much in the air, the new project is sure to arouse general comment. That Greece is badly served in the matter of railways is almost common knowledge, though it is now possible to anticipate the day when Athens will be joined to the other capitals of Europe by those bands of steel which( constitute so effective a tie in cosmopolitan civilisation. The gauge commonly used is the metre (3% feet), though the important Pireaus-Larissa railway only completed two years ago, and projected for the purpose of linking Greece with the Eurouean railway system, and the Athens-Pireaus electric railway, are of the standard 4ft 814 in gauge. It will possibly be found that the European connection will be made via Salonika, and the land of the Greeks will then be one of the tourist resorts of the world.

Captain J. Campbell Besley has arrived at New York from Rio de Janeiro after finding the headwaters of the Amazon River and discovering traces of the Seljan and O’Higgins’ exploring expedition, which disappeared in the wilds of Peru two years ago. Captain Besley entered the Peruvian wilderness with a party of ten men last summer to tramp across the South American continent. The expedition found the last camp made by Seljan and O’Higgins, who were Chicago scientists. Human bones were near the camp. Natives explained that the explorers had been attacked by Indians and had perished. Besley kept on and secured a valuable collection of cinematograph pictures of the lost capital of the Incas, Machupicchu, which was discovered two years ago by Professor Bingham, of Yale, who estimated its age as possibly 20,000 years. After the

source of the Amazon was discovered the party built a raft and floated down for 30 days. Their chief protection at night was the ruse of making a fire on one bank to deceive attacking Indians, and then mooring their boat a short distance away on the other bank. Miles away from any village the expedition came on Dr. Townsend, an American, who has isolated himself in the wilderness to study the Indian disease known as “uta,” caused by a flesh-eating fly, whose bite causes a wound like cancer, which slowly kills the victim.

There is curious analogy between the conditions under which i’ainbow trout, or as they are otherwise called golden trout, exist in their natural home in Western America, and those in which it has developed in New Zealand. In the former country its native haunts were confined to two rivers and* a lake —the Klamath River and the lake of that name, and the McCloud River. The Klamath River has its source in the lake, but the McCloud rises in Mount Shasta. Both rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean, but in most other respects are quite dinsimilar. The Klamath Lake is celebrated for its hot springs, and is full of rainbow trout, which at certain seasons of the year swarm up the river, and its tributary, Shovel Creek. When this run is on, fishermen from all over the States, and from other countries as well, journey to West Oregon for the fishing, for the rainbow is justly deemed the king of his species as a fighter. It was from the gallant fighters of the Klamath and St. Cloud Rivers that the New Zealand rainbow stock came, and they,

like many other species of imported game, have not only increased and multiplied exceedingly, but have grown to far larger size in their new surroundings than they ever attained in their native waters. Specimens weighing more than 251bs have been taken in Lake Taupo. To the sportsman there is no comparison between the lake-bred trout and his river brother. It is the enthusiastic angler who likes to win his fish after a hard fight with the odds in favour of the five-pounder who comes to the rivers for his favourite sport.