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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3563, 22 August 1905, Page 2

The population-of New Zealand is now 922,801, including Maoris (43,143) and Cook and other Pacific Islanders (12,292). Rangiora borough is, about to borrow '£6ooo for gasworks.. For 27 years the borough has been without a public debt.

Worn and mutilated silver coin in currency in New Zealand is to be collected .and hew coin issued’ The Bank of New Zealand will accept such coin at . face value until November 30th next. A lady at New Brighton (Christchurch)' last week found an oyster containing thirteen ' black pearls. The largest was imperfect in shape ; otherwise it would have been worth .£25. ■ ■ * ;■

Several of the local . flaxmills resumed- work . yesterday, and others are 1 expected to get going in a day or two. .Mr Pl.' Austin’s mill .was , temporarily, stopped .awingito a mishap to a steam pipe, but no damage was-occasioned. ‘ '"Owing to the alleged delay of the Government ' in' forwarding moneys due on road grants authorised the Cook County Council (Gisborne) was on Friday unable fo pay accounts until the-chairman and some of the members guaranteed the funds for their payment.

A successful trial has been made at Christchurch of an automatic, tablet .exchanger To-- use on the.(.railway. This obviates the risk _ at" present.., xim. Jxy .enginedrivers and station-masters in ex-, changing tablets while the train is running* at high speed.

In the. Houseon ..Friday, night discussion on the Estimates evoked some strong criticism., especially regarding salaries of stipendiary magistrates. Several members adversely commented' uporr decisions given by magistrates, - and urged a reduction of salary by way of orqtest It was - also .urged that; 'before increasing salaries of over., /(500 the-lower paid raihvhy’ sershould receive more consideration

. A Tasmanian grower has raised a new variety of potato,- the ■‘Gem of the South,” which is described as -a -prolific cropper.* The worst .crop yet was 75 lb', for every pound planted, and the best box to 1., It is claimed for the tubers that they are of excellent flavour, and that they will stand the rough usage of transport without injury. Full dey.elopm.ent of the. ...new variety. ' will - occupy another six; years?-hy» --which-- time it may have increased its prolific quality.

'■ 'Australian teak and’ New Zealand Moa wood are being used in navy construction, .u

■ Members of {the? ’literary'-? and •Debating Club fare remindecUthat tsie Society meets this evening.

’An ex-Australian named Hugo Watt is charged in with attempting, to. . procure the murder of his divorced wife. tllO WOAuaigi:mine,.Johannesburg, have men burned, the damage being estimated at ,{,'70,000. The Kiwitea Rifle Association’s .text annual meeting will be held at the Cheltenham range : on January 22nd.

Parisian semi-official opinion inclines to the idea that the Morrocan settlement will be satisfactorily settled at an early date. Twelve persons were killed and sixty injured by the fall of a train from a drawbridge into the Elizabeth River, near Norfolk, New York State.

The Federal Senate has passed the Wireless Telegraphy Bill. Heavy penalties are provided for the setting up of unauthorised stations.

The Borough Council meets tomorrow to consider matters in connection with wharf extension, and afterwards the Chamber of Commerce will discuss the same question.

At Chicago a convention representing 200 agricultural, industrial, and commercial associations decided to urge Congress to adopt a low Customs tariff on goods of countries favouring the United States and a high tariff on those of countries discriminating against the States.

“Now, in order to abstract,’’ explained a teacher in Taranaki to the class in mathematics, “ things have to always be of the same denomination. For instance, we couldn’t take three apples from four pears, nor six horses from nine dogs.” A hand went up in the back of the room. “ Teacher, ” shouted a small boy, “can’t you take four quarts of milk from three cows ? ”

The “ Red Funnel ” has long been synonymous in the public mind with progress in shipping matters as conducted by the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Now the company has invaded the domain of the magazine press, and no less - successful are its efforts. The second number of “The Red Funnel” as the new magazine is called, is a most excellent one both in quality of matter and workmanship. Nothing better of its kind has been seen in New Zealand, and we trust the “ Funnel” will long maintain the high standard of merit it has set itself to keep to, and that its course may be as free from the rocky places of life as everyone will wish the paths of the many vessels to be on which it will be Carried to all parts of the world.

Football is played seriously up Woodville way.. A match last week was stopped by the referee owing to the behaviour of some of the players, and the Bush Union is to look into the matter. The “ Rugby rough” should soon find that decent-people do not want to see him at his despicable wofk, bringing discredit on true players of what is .so; often called “ our national game.” It begins to seem to us that the leathern oval has been turned into a fetish by a large section of our population—even the decent part of it —and perhaps if the actions of” some addleUreadcd Jipodlums awakens others IP the fact that there is not much in the game after all and that- attention to business will pay them bettefA Well, it will be a refreshing instance of...the old notion that out ,of evil may come some-g^oPd. What qs prpba-bly the greatest submarine explosion ever caused by ...human,-agency occurred- off Aboukir, ■ early in Julie.' It had become necessary to- destroy no less than sixteen, ahci a half tons of powerful dynamite. The enormous mass ■. of explosives was placed in the sea, at a -safe .disr tance, and connected with an electric 'battery ..on • -shore. All being ready, a button was pressed, and the sixteen and a half tons of dynamite exploded with a deafening roar that shook the air and was heard-for miles arottndr Some-thing-like a submarine earthquake followed,th.e .sight being one •of magnificent grandeur. A water spout shot into the air to a height of 2000 feet, and fell back in drizzling spray. Simulfcneously the sea became ( a whirlpool of seething water as if agitated by a hurricane. .. ...The-roperatioir was a complete success. .. .

. The ; West Australian Premier moved that the House acquiesces in the purchase of the Midland railway. The motion was negatived on the voices. It is expected that the Government will resign this w«ek.