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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2072, 6 May 1907, Page 1

The Dairy Employees’ Union is in course of formation, and will shortly be registered. We understand that one subject of complaint is that notwithstanding a great increase in price received for butter, the wages of factory and creamery employees

re no better than they were when lairy produce was much lower. We fc not acquainted with the facts of lie case ,but merely state what we icar. —Eltham Argus.

Requested bv counsel (Mr Wilford) in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court to give a convicted man a chance to get hack to honest ways, J)r. M‘Artliur said it was his intention to do so. Mr. Wilford : “Then do not do so under the Probation Act, which is like a sword of Damocles over the heads of men who may strive to go right.” Counsel added that not only was a former employer prepared to give the man work, but quite a number of influential citizens had come to the Court to give evidence on the prisoner’s behalf. Dr. M'Arthur said he would convict the'man and order hini to come up for sentence when called upon to do so. He thought it was much better to let a man go free than to let him go half free. If he was placed under the Probation Act his former lapses would be known and always kept in mind by the po-

lice. At the same time, the man should know that if ho ever came before the Court again he would be liable to receive a sentence for the present offence.

There was plenty of instances forthcoming at a deputation to the Acting-Premier in Wellington recently of the difficulty of collecting rates on native lands. According to a statement by Mr. Drown, chairman of the Taranaki County Council, there are 7000 acres of native land in his district, on which rates to the amount of £76 were levied. The amount actually recovered last year was los 2d, and this year nothing had been collected. Some of the most valuable land in the country was covered with furze. The clerk to the Pijrihaka Road Hoard stated that the flates levied by his board on native lands last year amounted to £245, of wliich £2O was recovered —about 8J per cent., as against over 85 per cent, recovered on rates due from Kuropes ns. Mr. Foreman, of the Clifton County Council, remarked that bis Council had not received a penny in irates from the natives' in the past two years, “The natives do not benefit from the exemption—it does them harm,” be added. Mr Burgess, of the Egmout County Council, endorsed the opinion, and added —“In many..cases the effect of the present system, under which the natives do nothing but receive routs due, is a .debauch at the nearest hotel for a week, and five or more weeks spent in 'semi-starvation, or very near it. It would help them if they bad to do something to make their land reproductive.”

“It should pay handsomely to produce apples at Id per 11). fl here is plenty of money in this business, fortunes could be easily made at it, i!

proper attention is given to cultivation. Of course, capital is required to give things a start, and a grower Is'liouhl be able to secure land at a reasonable price,” remarked Mr. Jaques, Government canning expert. conversing with an Evening Post reporter recently. At the recent Levin show some splendid apples were shown, and the display led the Manawatq Herald to urge settlers to devote some thought and energy to exploiting the Wellington market. In the height of the season the unfortunate public are compelled to pay Od per lb for decent quality apples, which should be available for 3d at the most. In London, during May, at-the very dearest time, apples, imported all the way from Tasmania, never rise abone od per lb, states Mr. .Taques. He is confident that the Wellington, province eould profitably produce any quantity of apples. He 'thinks that the present system of marketing is bad for both the grower and tlio consumer, and urges that the man on the land and the man in the city would alike benefit by municipal markets. In all his reports ho lias advocated the need of some improvement in the market system in the interests of the fruit-growing industry ami the general public.

The North Otago Times is informed that some of the turnips crqps in the district, as the result of the colder weather or of more moisture, are throwing off the attack of blight from which they wore suffering, and now look more vigorous and fresh.

Tho Southland Times says:—The ’ancient walking feats of the “old identity” are frequently related with bated breath for the admiration of tho present generation. Hut the performance, unauthorised though it was, of two boys, aged 13 and 11J respectively, is none the less notable. Somo time ago they were, for causes which need not bo explained, committed to tho Burnham Industrial School. They absconded on the 25tli of March, and struck out for the south. They reached Invercargill on April 15th, having dono the wliolo journey on foot, and subsisted almost entirely on apples and field turnips. Their condition when they reached homo was not flattering to the .sustaining power of their enforced diet. One of the hoys was promptly taken back to Burnham by bis mother, and the other was delivered up to the police. He appeared at the Juvenile Court, and was recommitted to the school by the Magistrate. Mr Iluggit made an application for the cancellation of the original order, but the Magistrate said he had no power to do this. On a further application to license out the hoy to a Riverton resident ,Ins Worship said that lie would have inquiries made, and make a recommendation if justified by the nature of the report.