Interprovincial

New Zealand Tablet, 21 April 1910, Page 619

Interprovincial

. The latest list of applications for New Zealand patents includes three aeroplanes and two talking machines. . The long chase after Joseph Powelka, the escaped prisoner, ended on Saturday in his capture at Ashhurst in a hay loft. The Wellington • tramway returns show that oh an every man, woman, and child in Wellington spends £1 16s a year on tram fares. . ’ Lately rabbits and fat lambs appear to be the principal traffic on the down journey of the trains on the Otago Central. The rabbit export agents at Ranfurly are said to have handled 10,000 during the fortnight ending last Saturday week. Mr. Hugh Gorlitz states that Lady Dickson-Poynder, the wife of the Governor-designate of New Zealand, is very musical, and has always engaged the best talent procurable for her ‘ at homes,’ and in many other ways shows her enthusiastic love of good music. ■■ The Union Company intends to proceed at an early date with the erection of the big Wellington laundry. The plant is to be erected in Evans Bay, north of the patent slip. The whole of the laundry work in connection with the company’s fleet will be carried out at the new establishment.' In our obituary notice of the late Mr. James Sullivan, of Timaru, in our last issue, it should have been stated that he provided the land where the Catholic church at Pleasant Point stands. He purchased three-quarters of an acre, the N.Z. and A. Land Co. donated a quarter of an acre, and Mr. Sullivan presented the title free to the late Rev. Father Fauvel. Letters have lately been appearing in the Wellington papers about the jerry-building which is going on in that city. One writer gives it as his Opinion that the houses that are being put up at present by the jerry and speculating builders will in fifteen years equal those of slum tenements of the Old Country, or those in the Chinese quarters of the city, which are a terrible eyesore to every. Wellington citizen. The Athenic, which arrived at Wellington from London on Monday, brought 250 passengers, including a small party of Cambridge undergraduates, who are on holiday. Of the 212 third class passengers, 68 were (says a Wellington message) assisted. Of these 41 are adults. The High Commissioner approved of 18 domestics, and two were nominated by relatives in New Zealand. The male passengers include several farmers and a few carpenters. Two parties of surveyors have been busily engaged for about a month in surveying lands along the Wanganui River, which are to be set aside as scenic reserves. The area affected is reported to be fairly considerable, and comprises beauty spots here and there right up as far as Taumarunui. Land suitable for homestead sites is not being interfered with. It is, understood that the survey work will occupy another four or five months. Sneak-thieving at the Wellington Public Library has been on the wane (states the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times), but there is still enough of it to irritate the authorities. This year’s stock-taking, now more than half-finished, has revealed a few piracies. A taste for Tacitus (translated) seems to animate at least one purloiner. Last year that terse classic author’s Agricola and Germany disappeared, and now the Annals has been missed. The poets generally have not incited the conscienceless persons to give them another habitat, but some verse has been among the spoils. The thieves have shown a preference for colonial bards. • j T he Hastings Standard of the 14th inst. says that, judging by the absence of water at the spot indicated by the Rev. Mr. Mason at the site to which the Meeanee Seminary is to be removed, the reverend gentleman’s reputation as a diviner is challenged. Mr. Leipst, well-sinker, has tried hard to strike the water-bearing strata there, and has had no luck. Thrice has the Rev. Mr. Mason instructed that he continue his efforts, the last time being when at a depth of 500 ft he was told to go another 250 ft. Mr. Leipst has abandoned the well now, and is sinking a well on the roadside of the avenue, whence half a mile of pipes will carry the water to the seminary. Preparations are now in progress for the commencement of work in connection with the scheme whereby electrical power will be conveyed a distance of 55 miles from the Hbrahora Falls to the Waihi Gold Mining Company’s mine at Waihi and to their battery at Waikino. The' scheme will take about two years to complete, and it will provide about 6000 horse power to work the shafts at Waihi and Waikino. Not only will the power supplied be cheaper than that at present secured from the company’s electrical, gas, and steam plants, hut it will enable them to treat lower grade ore, which is an important consideration in regard to the development of the mining industry.

Hawera (By Telegraph from our own correspondent.) April 18. Your readers will learn with regret that Mrs. Evans, who was one of Nurse Nightingale’s assistants in the Crimea, is at present lying dangerously ill. ' Last week Miss N. Roche, ; who is assistant teacher at the Normanby School, was the recipient of a handbag from the committee for valuable assistance rendered in connection with the annual concert. The death occurred at Hawera on Saturday, April 9, of Mrs. Michael Carroll, at the ripe age of 72 years, after a short illness. The deceased, who was mother of Mrs. M. J. O’Donnell, of this town, had with her husband been residing with her daughter for the past eight years. Prior to coming to Hawera she had lived at Blenheim, where her husband had successfully carried on the business of contractor. Besides Mrs. O’Donnell, deceased .leaves two other married daughters— Muggridge (Wellington) and Mrs. Or bell (New Plymouth), also two married sons—Mr. W. Carroll (Wanganui) and Mr. M. Carroll (Hawera). Mr. W. E. O Donnell, at present studying at Holy Cross College, is a grandson of the deceased.R.l.P.