New Zealand Flax.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 7 March 1890, Page 3

New Zealand Flax.

By the Brimjiai mail, which came to 3iand by the 8.9. Wairarapa, we are in re ceipt of a very instructive circular, issued by Mesara Ide and Christie, fibre brokers upon Pkormimn Tmaz\ In addition to many oieful hints regarding baling, quality, prices current, etc., «he circular states : ■" In going back to our circular issued 15th January, 1879 (elevea years ago, we find th» following remarks :- ' New Zealand hemp commands little or no attention, and it is with «urpriße we note that shipments eontinn«— looking to tht realisations here, which mait show variou? degrees of loss : quotations, 18s 6d to 20s 6d. 1878 : Landing 227 tons. Deliveries 200 ions. Stock 31st December, 115 tons- 1 Down to 1886, Bay eight years, the article wa» more or less in evidence (excepting during the latter portion of 1880) at values between IBt 6d and 26r», tor the poorer and welleleaned respectively. This will be better appj««*ted. from the fol owing figures :—

an*!; with concerning the sniper •ttttturul instinct of the far* ee-i»a« per coptio i with which thoi- iftlagi nation eudows cats, mor -especially black cats, sa-ys a writer in th San Fran cisco * Ciiroiii<-te.' Tliat th si> superstitions h vo so tie foundation hi fact "w« mny presiMM' Irom the .follow ii-.g stovv, in which it is s own tiuit I lie unaccountaliltf foreloiHiig of two c.ifs 'pave I thg, life of jtlicir mastiT rv^ JfcUere >iagul«r conduct fcefor iht appro ich of a dsastvus ;^ar!%fta.lve. . . Saying Their Master's Life. Tlm; ca^f^suddpnly ;' ahow^ci gTe&hrkeasin&'sY 'and* 'tried fo wort smi. scratch thtir way through the floor of tho room Their master opened the door for them. They repeated ' .iheiv ' fruitless efforts to. ..\rojßk v . through ,slq,. ; boards at a reconvl and third door, and wheu the house door was reached and opened for tiem- they lan downthe street, throi|o {H^Liowh, 1 'iiaio. the country. Their master's curiosity being aroused, he followed: thorn into a fie d, where he saw the animals scratching and burrowing into the earth with their claws Directly after there was a vio'ent earthquake shock. Many houses in town fel.', the house in which the cats lived being among the number. Cats at Table.' I once visited an old lad}' who was most devoted to cats, and kept a good number. She treated them so well .as not .to be ,a, .nuisance When#-dfn§eF' 'time" came, chairs were placed at the table for the cats, and n footnhat: tfaftre*: hrM plaqed them, tying a bib around each cat's neck. Salmon was served; and each eat hud a portion. One fine old fe low could np^ reach faj^, enough, for a very niceint, tahcf gently put up his paw to bring it into .position. The mistress saw it, sfrid J Called out — ' Take Peter away ! He put his paw on his plate IV'? $he man took poor Peter's bib off and put himontofthe room- t]! TheY other.; creatures behaved admirably, and after the meal was over the bibs were removed and they were dismissed.

A CuagsAitD Pie Story. ?.-. One jqqP an&dqte^ sWiiigthat eats possess memory and can act on emergencies with almost diplomatic cunning. Mrs Archer's tortbiseshell cat had been punished for belying herself to unpro f ee!ed dishes on the kitchen table. One day Mrs Archer made a custard pie, and left it to cool while the meat was served. The pie was brought in. Its rich brown surface looked fine. With a smile of contentment Mrs Archer prepared to serve it . but horrors ! tbe spoon instead of meeting with an elastic spongy i-esistanoe, went clatter ! with, an unexpected thud to the bottom of the dish. No custard, no pudding— not evrm a spoonfu left. The skin only concealed a vacuity. One corner was loosened from the side of the dish, and under it pussy bad adroitly inserted her tapering little tongue, tasted it, found it good been very careful not to disturb rtlre outward appearance, Ksfcfd agair and finished it.

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