GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2006, 15 February 1907, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

“The following story was told mo by the owner of tho horse, so I can vouch for the truth of it,” promises tho Auckland Star’s Rnurimu correspondent. “The morning .boing wet, the owner of this sagacious quadruped lay in bed after tho usual hour at which he feeds his innro. Outside his tent are two boxes, ill one of which forget-me-nots are growing, and in tho other pansies. Tho innro waited pntiontly for about nu hour, and then pushed her head through tho flap of tho tent. In her mouth was a bunch of forget-me-nots.”

Tho sins of a certain candidate (says an Australian writer) have been shoeteil home to him thirteen years after the offence was committod, for tho Statute of Limitations has no place in election tactics. Tho rumour spread to the detriment of this particular man is that some yoars ago lie deserted his widowed mother and two orphan sisters, and, “for purposes host known to himself,” selfishly built a luxurious house, and lived apart from tiio -defenceless ones, whom it xwas his solemn duty to cherish anil protect. Tho candidate's explanation, that at tho date named he got married, is still held to be lamo and inconclusive.

An agricultural authority in the North Otago says that loss . would have been heard about “turning tlie sheep into the crop” had larniors not boon overstocked. It was not that the crop was useless,‘but that feed had to bo provided for the lambs. Tho year inis boon bad, but not so bail as has boon represented. There are some vory fino average crops ill tlie district —paddocks of wheat which will thresh out 30 to 36 bushels to tho aero, and tho worst of the story, so far as the crops are concerned, has been hoard. As for the winter feed, tho outlook is too painful for words, and it is difficult to imagine how the stock will fare during tlie cold season. Not only does the lack of feed continue to make the condition of stock serious, but there is lack of water also.

A letter received from Mr F. 11. Harknoss, Wanganui, from bis brother, who is managing a ranch and vineyard near Frenso, California, says that an illustrated Now Zealand paper received by him lias aroused great interest among Ins friends, all of whom were struck by the beauty of tho scenery reproduced. Air Darkness mentioned that there is a “regular craze” for New Zealand in America at the present time, and lie had read some splendid articles in newspapers and magazines commenting on its laws and government, and drawing attention to the great difference between the conditions obtaining in Now Zealand and the States. The latter country, he says, is a mass of corruption, anil money is tho only law, adding that the amount of “steal” which wont on in connection with the ’Frisco relief funds was something terrible. He added, by the way, that one American paper recently referred to Wanganui as the “Empire City”(?) of New Zealand. A distressing case of drowning occurred at Point Moore, Gernldton, Western Australia, on tlie evening ol January 11, by which three children lost their lives. About 6 o’clock five children of the assistant lighthousekeeper, Wilson, went to the beach to bathe, botli parents boing absent in town. A boy, aged five, got out of his depth, anil two girls, aged ten and eight, went to his assistance, and all were carried away. The remaining two, boys aged six and two, returned to the House, and for some time wero playing on the verandah, when Airs Cheshire, wife of tlie first lighthouse-keeper, asked them why they were not with the others on the beach. The elder boy replied that they were drowned. Airs Cheshire ran to the beach, and, seeing nothing of the children, at once spread the news. The parents wero_ informed, and drove home in frantic haste, and great numbers of people hastened to the beach. Several young men dived continuously in every direction for tlie bodies, and the police started dragging. There are treacherous currents in the locality, anil very little hope was entertained of recovering the bodies, especially as many sharks had been seen in the neighborhood.

“It was pointed out to me,” remarks tlie Blenheim correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, “that the wool-groiver? of New Zealand are losing' between £15,000 anti £pQ,OOO a year through the inadequate quality of the wool packs with which they are supplied from Calcutta. Probably not one in a thousand knows that such is the case, but the explanation is very simple, and will be readily seen. Recently the price of jute, which i.) tbp main material in wool packs, rose very high, and coinciilently the manufacturers at Calcutta began turning out an article of poorer quality. Careful tests made by- some wool-growers here showed that for some time past the average of the wool packs has been eight pounds, and it is confidently believed that such would be found to he the case all over the colony. Now as the recognised standard is eight and three-quarter pounds,it requires three-quarters of a pound additional wool in every bale to make up the aggregate weight. On present prices three-quarters of a pound of wool is worth ninepence, and if another penny is addl'd for freight tho loss amounts to tenpence. The rest is a matter of’arithmetic.” Back in the days when Tarawora was turbulent the following story originates. The character? are still with us, and wo must therefore let their names be Smith anil Brown. The day of the eruption, those two bosom friends had drank not wisely hut too well of tho boor of those times, and both, strange to relate, fell into a Rip Van Winkle sleep. Aleanwliilc Tarawera thundered anil belched anil affrighted citizens sought safety beyond the confines of the old town. The earth rocked and things generally wore smashed, but neither Smith nor Brown stirred, from their slumbers which were almost as loud and deep as the grumblings of Tarawera itself. They awoke at last to find a deserted town, and quietly made their way to tho public to refresh. Much to their surprise and delight they found the hotel deserted too. Not troubling to enquire the reason they hugged one another with delight and proceeded to drink themselves into the state they wore subsequently found by tlie returning inhabitants. —Rotorua Times.

Mr H. A. Payne, a. Tasmanian legislator, who has been visiting Christchurch, declares that there is nothing in New Zealand which has amazed and disgusted him more than the poor supply of fruit available. “I really do 'pot know how to account for it excepting by the youngness of tho colony of New Zealand. Tasmania, of course, had a lead in the matter of colonisation, and it is only within the last ten or twelve years that she has been growing fruit successfully in large quantities, and so perhaps New Zealand’s turn is to come. I am certain that there are some parts of New Zealand where magnificent fruit could be grown in time. In Tasmania fruit growing has been reduced to a science. The trees are cultivated and pruned and looked after in the most approved fashion. Having regard to tho quality of fruit to be produced, and tho labor involved in its production there, the trees are kept low, so that tho fruit can be easily picked without the aid of ladders. It is a great mistake, we find, to lot, the trees grow more than 71 fc or Sft high The fruit is better in quality and flavor if they are kept down to this level, and the saving of labor in gathering it is- simply enormous.”

We have long realised (writes St. James’ Budget) that to remove even an outside layer of red tape is to cause an official chill and have understood that the red tapeworm was eating into the vitals of public business. But we did not expect to see the dear old War Office ousted from its pride of place. Could anyone have supposed that the G.P.O. was able to show achievements and triumphs far more remarkable Than the department which takes a period of many lustres and several wars to strike a modal and fumbles with pay and pensions till the beneficiary lias long been in the workhouse? Yet so it is. Sir Henry Tanner, of the Office of Works, lias shattered the bubble reputation of the AVar Office. In the Post Office they have really reduced procrastination to tlio finest of arts. A hydrant for Peterborough was nine months on the way, a line at Broadstairs occupied two years and two months —though it is true that when erected it bad a rare success. It set fire to . the place, and liad to bo re-erected outside. Filter and glasses for Inverness Post Office entertained the authorities for several months, and a window for Lombard street was nearly four years on the way. AVe bow down to these triumphs of official despatch. Thoy are unequalled. Once on a time we imagined that an ordinary inland telegram was the slowest and most mismanaged affair in tlie world, and had a dim idea that the British plumber represented tlio apotheosis of costly procrastination. We acknowledge our error. The G.P.O. is a masterpiece.

If British diplomacy (says tho Pall MnlUGazotto) Ims been attonded with an exasperating sacrifice of colonial interests in tho past, Air. Bryco is scarcely tho statesman to whom one should look for tho alleviation of that grievance. For ourselves wo can find no particularly good omen for Anglo-American friendship in this elevation of a typical Little Englander . If Air. Bryce is to succeed in his new calling it will not lie by representing his nationality it. an apologetic light During tho journey from Victoria Falls to Kimberley (writes tho South African Railway Alagazino), a big, sunbrownoil mail boarded tho Zambesi express, minus his coat, and his shirt-sloovos lolled up. Ho took a sont at dinner, and tho chief steward remarked to him that as there were Indies present perhaps he would have no objection to putting his roat on. “Groat Scott!” the man replied, “I haven’t worn a coat for nineteen years. You will have to wait, my frieuil, until I can buy one at Kimberley 1” A mild sensation was caused at Waihi when it became known that tho Rev. J. L. I’atullo had resigned his position as ministor of tho Waihi Presbyterian Church. Air. Patuilo states' that ho has ilono so because the committoo passed a resolution against his action in boing a member of tho Waihi Golf Club, for dealing in mining scrip, and boing u member of tho Waihi Hospital trustees. There will bo a mooting of tho congregation shortly to consider the matter. Air Patuilo is one of the most popular ministers in those parts. A woman’s experiment in farming is about to ho attempted in Texas under tho leadership of Aliss Alary Hayilon, a novelist of Chicago. .She has purchased five thousand acres ol fanning laud in Ihe Lone Star State for the purpose of founding a women’s colony. Aliss Hayilon and her associates, all of whom arc unmarried ladies, are going in for light farming, anil invite women with small capital, or “useful” women without capital, to join them. Women niiiv have their husbands accompanythem if it is absolutely unavoidable, but no men will have any voice in tlie management of the colony.

The "Wellington representatives of Labor have adopted the following platform to lie ailvocatcil by the Labor candidates at the approaching municipal election:—!. A more vigorous forward policy in connection with the suburban water supply anil drainage. 2. Municipal markets for fish, fruit and vegetables. 3. Alunioipal -abattoirs. 4. Establishment of a depot for the sterilisation in the city’s milk supply. 5. 'Workers’ homos, and tlie speedy demolition of insanitary dwellings. 6. That a minimum wage ho fixed for all employees of tho corporation. The campaign will be conducted by the Labor Representation Committee, consisting of representatives of the Trades and Labor Council, the Political Labor League and delegates from IS unions. The executive consists of Alessrs. G. H. Lightfoot (chairman), D. J. Conchie, J. Ball, C. Foster, J. Brown, D. McLaren (treasurer), and AI. 3- Rcamon (secretary). A now form of art is boing practised in Paris, by Aldille. Suzanne Aleyer—modelling in bread crumbs. She has followed it for three years, and one of her works, representing an applo-tree in blossom, has been purchased by ho French Government for tho Luxembourg Gallery. She has devised a process liy which the material is made elastic anil almost unbreakable; she soaks tlie crumbs in various colored liquids, and works with the paste from a palette In Wanganui, about fifty years ago, one of the early settlers, Airs. Hogg, the wife of a watchmaker, used to model statuettes in tinted dough. She had the artistic eye and touch, and some of her work was very lifelike. Her subjects were usually Maori men and women in native costume, anil a pair were sent to tlie late Queen Victoria, who graciously accepted and acknowledged them. It would he interesting to know if any of these curiosities still remain.

Tho following notice lias been issued by tho Minister for Alarine (Air. J. A. Millar): “In pursuance and exercise of the powers vested in me by section 23 of the Shipping anil Seamen Act, 1903, I ilo hereby make the following additional regulation for tho conduct of examinations for masters and mates, and as to the qualifications of candidates, and I ilo order that this regulation shall he substituted for sub-clause (a) of clause 75 of ’ the regulations of Afny -30, ].9Q6, for the issue of certificates as extra master, which sub-clause, is hc-ioby revoked. Regulation: 75a A paper on navigation will he given, the candidate being required to give written answers to six or ten questions on this subject, and also to satisfy the examiner on the supplementary viva voce list. For the purposes of this examination tho Alarine Department has adopted ‘The Atoclern Practice of Shipbuilding in “Iron an.l Steel” ’ as a text-book, from which the questions will be set, and the Department advises candidates to take this or other books on the subject to sea with them so that they may study them at their leisure. The Auckland Herald states: Tho drought in Canterbury and North Otago has led to the sale of some largo linos of sheep in the Southern provinces, Northern dealers especially operating largely in expectation of picking good profit by fattening tlie sheep, which are naturally run down in condition, and selling them at enhanced prices. A number of these sheep aro coming into Auckland district, One line of 1000 is due at Auckland this week from Timaru, a large consignment is coming through from Gisborne to Wliangarei by boat, and tho sheep will be driven through to Kaipara. Last week a big mob camo through from Gisborne to Wliangarei, and several consignments are due at Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne from Canterbury. The stocking of the northern lands is going on steadily, and land formerly considered practically useless is now, owing to tho success of grassing experiments, carrying sheep and cattle, and at the present rate Auckland stock district, which, however, does not embrace the whole of the province, as it excludes the great sheep-carry-ing counties of Cook and Waiapu, should show a very substantial advance on last stock returns.