TO THE SOUTH SEAS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 9

TO THE SOUTH SEAS.

• A winter cruise in summer . seas is easily the most health-giving and refreshing trip ' a New Zenlaiider-could- take.The journey through the South Sea Islands'is a succession of .varying and delightful experiences, which never for a moment: bocomo monotonous. » There is so much that is novel, and so many places of interest, that'every day-is full oi incident of the most pleasurable kind, lor < tho business man there is rest of -mind and rest for body, ' also r .r4'? f ' man in , search !of health, pure air, bright, -warm days, and amusements. This' ; fascinating.-' Drogi'anlme of 'c'omparutively ''"inexpensive-• aclrievcnieiit, as a study :of 'tho -.'Union Steain •- Shiij Company's special anripuncein-ent tlio..subjection page 1 of tins issue'.'will show.' Bacon'for breakfast is -rapidly becoming ailuxury, this almost indispensable article - being reported- by the manufacturers to be in' shorter supply and higher in price than in the knowledge of business nien for a large number of years (says . Thursday's"'Auckland "Herald"). All advance lias just taken placo of 2d. per pound. On making inquiries from various tradesmen', we find yiat this.article has now reached almost a record price, but 'shopkeepers -state that in en-deavouring-to keep the price within the limit of consumers; hoping that wholesale prices will come down again shortly, they have not advanced their prices in proportion to the wholesale increase. Thepresent prices they have to pay make it an unprofitable commodity for grocers to handle, and they, in conjunction with tho public, would welcome increased supplies anticipated in a few months'-time, which will also mean a reduction in price. Sharks have been plentiful in the Auckland Harbour this season, oh account ofthe continued hot weather. Much excitement was preated at Devonport on Friday afternoon owing to the proximity .'of two of' the monsters, which were lighting ' for the coveted possession, of- a dead shark within a few yards of .'the beach; near Victoria Wharf (says the Auckland "Herald")/ At noon 'some youths were fishing within a couple of hundred yards of the wliarf, and they succeeded in capturing a shark about sft. long. They'pulled shorewards','and. when-a few yards from tho beach they cut off the shark's tail and threw the body overboard. Not long afterwards, two sharks, 'each 'about 12ft. Ion", loomed in sight. First one and'then the other of the big fish seized their smaller dead brother. Eventually one of the sharks partly swallowed the carcass, and the other made vicious grabs to capture the prize. This gamo went on for a' great part of.'the afternoon, and as each successive ferry .boat arrived, from Auckland tho wharf and beach Jiecame thronged with spectators, who watched with keen interest the battle of tho would-be cannibals. Several attempts wero made to entice the. monsters' with hOoks baited with mullet, but this did not prove a sufficiently strong attraction, for sharks are cannibals, ana-prefer d£ad shark-to any other delicacy that can be offered. Up to dusk the ■ sharks "were still battling •for the prize, and the'result of the fight was obscured when, darkness set in.