GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2369, 9 December 1908, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

A rather exciting experience occurred at Shakespeare Bay, on (Monday last (says t'lie Picton “Press”). Two young men fom Blenheim went to take a sea hath. One had stripped off, and was enjoying the salt water, and his mate was watching the proceedings from the shore, when suddenly a shark'appeared on the scene. The man on shore appealed to his mate to strike out for the shore, and ho himself took a boat which was handy to lend wliat mssistence he could. Pulling out he placed the hCvic between the shark and his comrade, and stopped the progress of the former. The shark, however, dived under the boat, and got to the swimmer in the whiter. The latter, luckily was too near the shore to receive much harm, and, beyond some scratches from the monster, he was not much the worse for his experience.

A movement if, on foot by a number of Waira.hp# farmers to go in extensively for vegetable growing, and, if possible, onit idle Chinese from the i business. It to cultivate -4 tracts of land between Carterton and Masterton, and also at Dalefield, and to supply the whole of the AVair-arapu with European-grown vegetables. There is plenty of capital at the back of the scheme, and® if the land secured is of the proper quality, and the requisite attention is given to delivery, the idea should have a. chance of' success. But in order to beat the Chinese at vegetable growing Europeans will have to adopt the tpctics of the Celestials, particularly in regard to politeness and solicitation. It is said that the project of starting 3 the vegetable business against the Chinese was conceived by a AYairarapa farmer, who figured it out, and ascerained that an acre of cabbages at 2d each means a net gain of £l9 per acre. Trafalgar Day was celebrated in London by the decoration of the Nelson monument. The initiative in arranging this commemorative display was taken by the Navy League. At the base of the column proper there were clusters of red oak foliage, >a\tcl from this part of the monument i xour lines of flags were connected •with tlio lions at the base. These flags, thus divided into four sections, indicated Nelson’s historic message. On the plinth were arranged groups of palms and flowers, and round the base, between festoons of laurel, were a number of emblems. These included a wreath of New Zealand red, white} and blue flowers, enclosed iu •ice, and bearing the inscription, “To the Memory of Nelson, from the (Wellington (New Zealand) branch of the Navy League.” From the women members of the Otago (New Zealand) Munch of the Navy League came a large laurel wreath, with sprays of mimosa and oak leaves, tied with white ribbon. The Napier police are still energetically prosecuting their search for the burglar who broke into Mr It. Williams's residence, but so far have been unsuccessful. - One man whom they have under observation admitted that he slept on the beach on the night of the reported burglary, but denied being implicated in the .affair. An examination did not reveal any bullet wound. The man was taken befag:c Mrs AVilliams, who was unable definitely to identify him. The police accordingly were unable to arraign him on the burglary charge. They do not hold out much hope of finding the thief, as Mrs Williams is not in & position to swear fo identification. /'l'li't > only clue, apparently, is to discover a man with a bullet wound in his shoulder, but it is possible that Mrs Williams overjudged, her lability as a m arks woman. The man whom the police had under observation has a bad record. He has served \a num- _ .bor of short sentences for theft, m'•’tievent assault, assault and damage, vagrancy, breaking and entering and theft. He has ' ailso confessed to housebreaking. The mystery surrounding tlio burglary is therefore still unfathomed. Panhaka, the once famous laranaki native village, around which such a fierce light, was wont to beat in the days of the zenith of To AA’hiti’s influence, is now a greatly changed place. Since the death of Te AA hiti, the natives, no longer subject to the masterful domination of ' ‘the prophet,” have become accustomed to individual freedom, and the general result so a recent visitor informed a “New Zealand Herald” representative,, is a great improvement on the old order of things. The Maoris appear to be more industrious, and those who are receiving rents for lands owned by them, are, in many cases, applving the money to the improvement of the holdings on which they reside, whereas formerly a great, deal of money was handed to To Whiti. The woik of the Young Maori party has had a great inuence for good on the native, ajacl the administrations of the Rev. m Heddon, of Hawera,, and the Rev. T. G. Hammond, of Opunake. (both of whom periodically visit panhaka), • Miave also been attended with beneficial results. Arrangements for the ..purchase or Ruthe’s Island by the Salvation Army authorities as a home for inebriates have now been completed, and witlnn a comparatively short time buildings will be erected thereon which will provide accommodation for 100 men regarded as “habitual drunkards” in the eyes of the law. Pakatoa Island will then be'available the reception committed to isolation m their own interests. Speaking to an on the subject, Staff-Captain Arnott, of Melbourne, who is on a visit to Auckland, was most hopeful of the ultimate success of tlie Army’s experiment in dealing with the unfortunates who come under tlieir care. “The -accommodation -as Pakatoa/ lie said, “has been crowded for some time, and we look forwapa to tlie completion of the new KuiMmgs on Ruthe’s Island, in our efforts in saving .thOse wlKv are victims to drink may be , '“aiarried out under more favorable Conditions than at present.' We are confident. I have only to say that we are spending an additional £7OOO to indicate that. It is gratifying to know, boo, that a number of Auckland citizens are sufficiently ■'interested in tlie scheme. to /lend us practical assistance. One gentleman has forwarded £SO, which was -accompanied by an intimation that he 'would increase his donation to- £IOO if nine others would follow his example. The challenge has already been taken up by three others. At present there are 45 ineblfates on Pakatoa. ’The experiment,” added the officer, “is being, watched with keei; interest in many quarters,”

•Everywhere in the North Canterbury district tllie grain crops are getting heavier each week, reports the “Press.” It Cannot be said that there are any indications yet of an early harvest, as the grain ears are just forming, and the crops are quite green. They are, indeed, very luxuriant in growth, and the color betokens a healthy condition. Showers now would cause the corn crops to become top-heavy, and with wind might bo badly laid, but light ram for tlie pasture lands is looked for. The hay crop and grass, seed yield is expected to prove satisfactory. In gardens and orchards the small fruitcrop is not so good as last year, and the promise of pears and apples is not what might have been expected, since so many have been careful this season to follow tlie instructions a-s to pruning and dressing tlie trees to resist blights, etc. It is stated that the establishment of a women’s students’ hostel in AA cllington lias been very successful. The. first session has been a time of steady prosperity. Since the date of opening of Victoria College for the recent session every room in the hotel. has been occupied, and numbers of applicants have been disappointed. The health of the 35 students in residence lias been uniformly good. That the students have given a good account of themselves .in tlieir studies is attested by the results of the VictoriaCollege terminal examinations, there having been only one failure amongst the hostel students, that -being in the case of a first year’s student, and in one subject only. Stress is priced on the scoial side of the hostel. The students, removed from household cares and associating mostly with those engaged in similar studies and pursuits, are able to give more undivided attention to their work and to develop a higher ideal for realisation, in the larger world than those who are not so privileged. The men students of Arict-orin College, actuated hy a spirit of academic comradeship, have done' much good work for the hostel.