LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1966, 24 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hie nost.nl authorities adviso that the s.s. Maheno, which sailed from Sydney on January 21 for Auckland, has oh hoard an Australian mail, also all English mail, via. Brindi-s-i. The Wellington portion is duo per Main Trunk express on Monday next.

The Italian fishermen at Island Bay have had a record haul daring the past three days, drawing into tlioir nets no lower thrm . 3767 wiirehcm, which they sold to the Ha-'irke's Bay Kinlieries Co., Comtenay Place, at Bd. each. Tho fish are in excellent condition, and the fishermen- arc eager to tako advantage of tho apparent harvest awaiting them.

tho task of detecting Chinese in this offence of employing shop-assistants (luring prohibited hours is not an -easy one. Several Chinese shopkeepers word in Court yesterday -charged with this breach of the Act, Tho Labour DePftfcnt's representative said that one we defendants had heen warned repeatedly. "Uiey have a sort of curtain hanging down," ho continued) "and if they think the inspector is anywhere about they dodge benind it. It is ex* then (Tilß ° against

When a horse at Ballarat saw an elephant for tho -first tune it dropped dead with fright-; The elephant Was in \Yirth s Circus strict procession, and as the huge beast approached the horso began to tremble violently and display obvious signs of terror. Then it dropped dead.

A party of Stratford Boy Scouts ;m making a tour on foot through tho hack country between Stratford and the Ma-i-ti Trunk lino. Writing under data January IS, a member of the party says:—The Stratford Scouts trek party which left for Mokau on January 0, have _ reached Jt'angaroa, and are now starting the last section of their trip, expecting to reach Whangamofnona bj Mia middle of tho week, and Stratford on Saturday. The distance travelled to date is 95 miles, and. all members of the party are in the best of form, and in best of health. Some very difficult tracks have been traversed 'with tho trek eaft/ whic-h is the first wheeled vehicle to gel, through from Okau to Ohura. Gno section of this part of tt™ trip—nine miles in length—'teak twelve hours to cover.

. A leading member of the St. Audrey's Society, at Whang-irci, is tw proud possessor of a faded sheet of manuscript which lias been proved to b« the original, or a copy in the author's writing, of "Scots W'ha flae," one of Robert Bur-ns's famous ixiems, I'iiotos of the matnisnijjt were sent u> tho curator of the .Burns Museum, a« Ayt, in Scotland, for identification. A reply has How t-oiiie to hand, slating that the ma-miscript is genuine, bu-i whether it is the original, or a copy te Buras's handwriting, cannot be aseer« taihed. The letter' states that it u known that the Scottish poet w-ade several, replicas, and that the Ayr Mu scum purchased one some years ago for £300. Above tho poem, in tho ease of tho Whaugarei manuscript, is written "To my Sister-in-law," but no. thing is known in regard to this par' ticular link with the past-.

A water diviner is at- present in Oamaru, mid is stated to have been successful in locating water in one or two places whore its presence was scarcely anticipated.

The Labour Journal for. this month states that- there has been no appreciable. decrease in the ninnber of appliea. tions for work over those of last month. A similar number of men have been assisted to Work this year as were assisted .during the corresponding period last year, but there has been a slight increase in the. number sent to private employment.. " '.IVeiit.v-oight married men and 1)4 single men ' and widows,, with 68 dependents, have been sent to Work, and of this number 118 proceeded to private employment and four to Government works.. Fifty-three of tho men came from- Great Britain. Tho Journal States 'that there is still an tinsatisfied demand -for farm hands for dairy work.

•Tl» Rev. Dr. Adeuev, lute principal of tho Lancashire Inclc.peiulo.iit College, who has boon texturing hero during Ulo week, will preach at the Terrace Congregational Church to-morrow morning, and at the Kowtown Congregational Church in the evening.

A Hew Salvation Army Hal) is to lis ©petted at Lower Hntt by Brigadier Carmiohael, divisional commander, 011 Thursday next week.

An exciting experience bofel Messrs. Tom and Lester Hunter on Friday of last week while taking a 20-foot motor launch owned by Mr. Kirk, to Waitapu {states the "Nelson Evening J.i.ai.l"), Whoii under tho lee of Thpu .Point, the engine koko down. Unsuccessful attempts were made with the aid of sails to .get clear of the .shore, after which two anchors were dropped with the hoiw of keeping the boat oft the rocks. For ■threo hours this proved .successful, but gradually the launch drifted on to the rocks and was dashed to picces. The.ra was a heavy swell running at the time. The occupants were thrown ovst, and had a struggle to reach land saSely. One of them, who was unable to swim, was drawti under tho overturned launch, and but for the efforts of his _ brother in rendering assistance would in all .probability have been (ifowned. Tho launch carried a dingy, but the sea. was too rough to permit of it being launched. The launch is a total Wrack, but tho engine was recovered more or less damaged.

Councillor Wright has given notice, to move nt the next- Meeting of the City Coinuril: "That permission be granted to citizens to water their gardens by means of a hose between tho hours of 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., during tho months of October. November, December, Jami•afv, and February." Soma excellent spert with rainbow trout has been obtained by anglers in ilte Waikato River this season. Tho river is reported to bo well stocked from Taupo and Waitakei down as far as Huntly (says our Auckland correspondent), Some fine catches are also reported from OtiamHi'i and Waotu.