NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 5, 29 January 1903, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

Mr. Webster, of Gebbie's Valley, Canterbury, has had an extraordinary crop of ryegrass seed, the yield being close on 100 bushels per acre. The Ashburton ' Mail ' learns that a line of 1050 crossbred wethers (prime freezers) changed hands on Friday at 19/-, delivered on farm. Mr. Hogg, the member for Masterton, was entertained at a picnic on Thursday, and presented with a valuable gold watch subscribed for by his constituents. The crops over South Canterbury are now ripening fasti under genial atmospheric conditions. If the present weather continues, the harvest promises to be an excellent one. It costs the Wanganui Charitable Aid Board between £60 and £70 per annum to supply the inmates of the Jubilee Home with tobacco. Each smoker is allowed a large stick of tobacco per week. The Ashiburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association have decided to guarantee £400 for the services of a veterinary surgeon for Ashburton County, and to communicate with Mr. Reid, who has been recommended by Mr. Gilruth for the position. The four scholarships offered by St. Patrick's College for public competition were won by B Kell" E. Casey, D. Madden (all of Wellington), and P. Kavanagh (Masterton). Sergeant-major McDonald, who is retiring from the police after 34 years' service, has been presented by the members of the force in the Hokitika district with a suitable" presentation in recognition of his services. The revenue of the Postal and Telegraph Department during the quarter ended December 31 last showed an increase of nearly £10,000 over the corresponding period of 1901. There are 276 dairy factories and 315 skimming stations in this Colony, 209 of the former and 231 of the latter being, in the North Island. During the past year there was an increase of 27 factories and 73 stations in the North Island. An Auckland telegram states that the price of flour in Auckland has fallen, the Northern Roller Milling Company announcing a reduction from £13 5/- per ton to £12 15/- per ton (sacked), less the usual discount. A burglar who patronised an office in Christchurch one night last week was successful in getting goods to the value of 10/-, but in his hurry dropped a sovereign which was found by the proprietor. The finder does not expect his visitor to return for the change. In the Otautau Town Hall on Tuesday evening Mr. M. Gilfedder, ex-member for Wallace, was entertained at a social by his supporters and presented with a purse containing 156 sovereigns. The Right Hon. Mr. Seddon has been presented by the Wairarapa natives with a -valuable old greenstone mere as a token of the Maoris' appieciation of Mr. Seddon's work while Premier. In returning thanks, Mr. Seddon eulogised the work done by the Hon. Mr. Carroll Native Minister. The Department of Agriculture, in reply to a letter from the Waimate branch of the Farmers' Union, stated, that no arrangements are made by the Government for the analysis of manures, soils, etc., for farmers, and askin p- if the Fanners' Union would contribute towards the payment of the salary of an analyst. It was resolved that the branch cannot at present contribute towards the salary of an analyst. Some idea of the amount of raspberries that are grown m the Motueka district can be gathered from the statement of a trustworthy eye-witness, who, on one occasion during the past season, counted standing in two rows near the Alotucka wharf upwards of 80 horse conveyances of various sizes, each loaded with raspberries awaiting delivery. Among the successful candidates at the recent matriculation examination (writes our 'Wanganui correspondent) 1 notice the name of Miss Bridget O'Connell, a pupil of the Wangajaui convent. Miss O'Connell also qualified for the Solicitors' General Knowledge examination, having passed in Latin. Both teachers and pupil alike doser\o congratulations on such a satisfactory result. In view (says the 'Press') of the pest that small birds have become in New Zealand, the following paragraph from ' Cassell's Ilh.strated Family Paper,' of October 15, 1859, will excite some derisive comment :—: — Use of Sparrows. — Three hundred sparrows, carefully selected from the best hedgerows in England, have been lately sent tt> New Zealand. The food alone put on hoard for them cost £18. The necessity of small birds to keep down the grubs that devastate the crops in that Colony has long been felt. The farmer is beset with myriads of caterpillars. Should the sparrow become acclimatised and multiply, the greatest benefit will have been conlerred on the country.' The Post and Telegraph Department has accepted a design for a new penny letter card which is to replace that at present in use. The design is by Mr. G. N. Sturtevant, of the Government Printing Office. On the address side are the royal arms and the words ' New Zealand letter card.' The stamp at the right-hand

top corner is of plain design. On the bottom and lefthand is a typical stretch of New Zealand beach, with Maoris and a canoe, a clump of Nikau, and cabbage trees appear at the side. On the back of the card are vignette pictures of New Zealand scenery and genre. The card will appear some time in February. The wholesale houses of Wellington (says the ' New Zealand Times '), basing their judgment on information and reports supplied to them by responsible persons, anticipate that the year 1903 — in its first half-period at least — will be one of the most prosperous that has been known in the history of this Colony. One ground for this forecast is the fine harvest now rij'cnimr on the Canterbury Plains and the grain'grow ing districts o) Otago. The mission by the Redemplorist Fathers (writes a Palmerston North correspondent) was impressively opened by the Rev. Fathers O'Farrell and O'Donnell on Sunday, the 18th inst., and continued during the week with great success, large congregations attending the Masses at six o'clock, seven o'clock, and at nine o'clock, the church being packed each evening at 7. H0. On Sunday, 25th inst., Father Leo preached at the 11 o'clock Mass to the largest congregation ever seen in St. Patrick's Church, and made a great impression on his hearers. The Rev. Father O'Donnell preached at Vespers, the church being again packed. The mission will close on next Sunday after Benediction — A week's mission will be ghen in the Church of St. Columba, Ashurst, beginning on Sunday next, February Ist., at 11 o'clock by one of the Redemptorist Fathers. A fire ball fell on a farm at Ohoka last week and caused considerable consternation. There was a distinct smell of hair or wool singeing, with a trace of sulphur fumes, but any attempts to discover the track or effect of the ball were fruitless. It was accompanied by a loud sound as of great rushing wind. Those who saw it say that the light was as dazzling as that of the sun. The usual weekly meeting of the Ashburton Catholic Literary Society was held on Wednesday evening, 21st inst, when there was a fair attendance. After the ordinary business had been attended to, the programme was proceeded with. It took, the form of a debate entitled ' Should Old Age Pensions be made universal ? ' Mr. F. Cooper, for the negative, opened the debate with a wellprepared speech in favor of the present system, and showed the fallacy of mak,ing the old age pensions universal. Mr. McSherry, for the opposition, pointed out that everybody over the age had a right to the pension. After all the members had thoroughly debated the question, a vote was taken, and resulted in favor of the present system. The opening speeches weie of a very interesting nature.