LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 April 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A quantity of cable news appears on page '-I of to-day's " Chronicle." The Rev. R. G. Comptun, virar of Levin, will preach at Veil. Rede's, Shannon, to-morrow (Sunday) evening, the occasion being the Harvest Festival. • The church' will be prettily decorated for the occasion. The vicar of St. Mary's, Levin, has fixed Wednesday, the 13th inst., for the annual vestry meeting. The principal business will | he the election of a vicar's and a people's warden, sidenien and other officers. Mr R. Carruthors, of Levin, has just patented a novel milk can which embodies many unique features. The can is guaranteed not to splash, and is air tight. The base is circular in formation, and this prevents the milk from accumulating at the bottom, and so ensures a sweet supply. The lid is constructed eonnexo-concave, with a plug in the centre to release the air when the lid is pressed down. The patent, which contains some other interesting improvements, has already been accepted by the Patents Department. Levin electorate will learn, with interest that at the first meeting of the newly formed Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, held yesterday, at Wellington, the Mayor and Mr Tompsitt weve appointed by their colleagues on two committees of importance. Mr Gardener has been elected a member of a committee set up to formulate suggestions as to the best policy to be adopted by the board in initiating its work and controlling the different institutions now under its juris-

diction. He. and Mr Tompsitt, too, have in conjunction with others, been asked to .supervise the work of the Otnki Hospital and Sanatorium. Mr Gardener's outspoken utterances on the reiorm of hospital administration have evidently so far home fruit, .and no doubt on the various committees he Avill {jive full expression to his opinions. The West Australian Methodist conference has resolved, (says the SvJtnev Daily Telegraph) to urge the Government to- suppress Sunday .sports and enforce the law a'gainst betting advertisements. "Whippet racing is alleged to he demoralising the goldiields. It was stated that n_ married man at Kalgnorlie, who owns a racing dog,

crave the . following order to" the butcher:—"Give me a- couple of pounds of tlie host stakes for the whippet, ami a flap of mutton for tlie kids."

A movement is being initiated in South Australia to bring ?\Tr G. IT. Archibald the great Sunday school expert, out to Australia. He is a Canadian, and was for some years in business as a merchant. He lias always n Sunday sohcal worker. He studied child-psychology and the art of teaching, and became popular !is ;i lecturer thereon. The Sun dp v Srhool Union of England and Wales, becoming aware of this fact, invited him to visit England, where, as well as in Scotland, bis lectures and expositions have proved highly helpful.

The thrashing machines in tho Ashburton Conntv have secured n<ii average tally of 10,000 bushels, «nd it is expected that tho average will be from -50,000 to 55,000 bushels before the end of the season. Tills will mean an average .shortage, as compared with last vear, of between 20,000 and 2-~,000 bushels for each machine. There are fortyfive machines in the county, st that the approximate shortage over the whole district is 900,01U bushels.

Quite a novel method of obtaining gold from a river bed is about to be ma'!:' about two chains below tb« Skippers Bridge. It is being tried, savs the "Lnka Cointy Pn-.5," by Mr Giles, from the We«t Coast, who has c .instructed a wee-Ve, cylinder about 10ft in rli.-v meter, which he is sinking in the bed ( f the river with the object of worl : ii" r pavable wash within the radi-: of +S eylhfer, wit!'/.-t <7'tnib''g +'"> The cyliv l or is already down l' 2 feet, and Mr Gain appears to be r ■ ifideit of success.

Sir Joseph Ward has been giving his views in tlu "North American RevuV on the present cendition and prospects of New Zcdand. In the ourse of his remarks the Prime Mini-ler says:—"New Zealand* has latch* fc-'t 'distress from two _ distinct forces bearing upon her from long distance.:;. She has been af-fectt-'l financially by tV, deproHen waves which the Wall Street panic sent outre. "1 in wide circles far hevoiul the United States. .She has also been disturbed by the vague but redans unrest which agitates the ranks of the workers in all civilized countries. In spite however, of these temporary vibration 1 : (having their origin bey. ml ieas) the Dominion of New Zealand' w:..s never in a more prosperous condition, than now, and never gave more solid ground for the certain hops in her'future which those who love her cherish.

A telescope sixty-eight feet long, with a lens seventy inches wide, has just been set up in the new observatory at Treptow, near Berlin. The telescope, is the biggest now in existence so far as the mest -important parts, the object glass, ■ is concerned. It is hoped tlmt it will be able to penetrate, -ceapar into space than any ether and add greatly, to our knowledge of the heavenly mysteries. The instrument had its framework placed.*in position on the roof of the observatory, and afterwards its doom was built around it, its lens fitted, and: its delicate apparatus for resisting earth tremors "and atmospheric vibrations, the foes of the big glass, adjusted. The great lens weighs one" and a third tons, and it is twelve inches thick. A constant temperature'is kept within the dome, and before daylight the enclosure is hermetically sealed full of night air. When it is opened at "nightfall the lens i.* slowly brought up to the temperature of the" air outside, so that there may be no sudden exposure to changed temperature.

Try Moore, of Weraroa for anything from a box of matches to a hair cut. His tobacco is fresh and of good quality, his razors are keen and his ''touch" light enough to suit the tenderesfr skin and the toughest whisker. - Advt.

It Ls understood that Madame* Sai'alV Bernhardt will visit Australia- this year under contract with Mr Williamson. It is almost certain that the visit will be extended •to'the dominion. Mr Fred. Sims, who has been connected with 'the Otaki hockey club, was on 'Wednesday presented, by % clubmates with 'a briefbag. Mr Sims intends. leaving shortly for England. :■,:-

Evidence of the early harvest in Southland this season is found in in the railway grain returns. To this date, in 1009. the number ofsacks of grain carried on the Southland section of railways was 10,700, while this year already over o/),000 sacks have been railed.

. An instance of the increasing number of rabbits in the Orepuki district was recorded last- "Wednesday, when, a local trapper with 170 traps succeeded in obtaining 230 rabbits, which must be a. satisfactory state of affairs for those engaged in the pursuit.

Thursday night's Gazette states that the Department of Agriculture wishes to obtain, with a view to general adoption in New Zealand, the best system of distinguishing between the live stock of different owners (by car-marking or otherwise). It therefore proposes _to appoint a committee of pastoralists to report upon the merits of any systems that are submitted for that purpose. A good deal of loss is being experienced by dairy farmers in Poverty Bay. says the "Gishorne Herald." owing to the stock being affected (blown) by the rich growth of feed. As the' weather becomes folder, and there is more moisture

in the grass, the danger increases, and much trouble is entailed in guarding against it. One settler at Ormond lost two valuable cows on Monday nigiht. and other settlers have' had difficulty in saving caws affected.

A sensational experience is related by Mr T. E. Toneycliffe, who has returned from .an overland journey. Shortly before he reached the Waioeka Valley, a landslip took place on the Oqotiki side of Mr D. Graham's station. It totally wrecked a woolshed which contained a quantity of wool, severed the bathroom from ithie house, and twisted the latter right round. The settler heard the rumbling noise,

and his wife and he rushed to get the two chilldren who wore in the bathroom. They had hardly got outside when the sliding earth, with large tiee stumps, struck the bathroom, and turned the house round. A quantity of "wool was recovered, but had to be spread out and dried.

There is a possibility of New Zealand being represented by a display of fruit-principally apples — at the great Argentine Agricultural Show" to be held at Palermo, Buenos Ayres. Nothing ; definito will be done,' however, until more information of fruit trade prospects in South America arc received by the 'Minister for Agriculture. The settlement of Russian; immigrants at Colnvna (Victoria) does not appear to have proved a marked success. Six families who arrived from Siberia last year wave given blocks of land Only two now remain. The others have left the district. The authorities of the Lands Department say that the majority of the Russian immigrant's found themselves unsniti»rl"to the conditions of life at Cohuna. The two remaining families are engaged in dairying, had they are exneeted to become permanent settlers at Cob una. How do you feel to-day? Nob quite right; appetite a little off. energy a little below standard. Summer f-;g is beginning to trou ble you. Well, there is nothing better than Peptonised Beef, Iron and Wine, in. the diamond bottle. One bottle will work wonders, and it is delicious to take. Obtainable from C. S. Keedwell, Oxford street.—Advt. - W