NEWS ITEMS.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 45, 17 January 1902, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

Many insuianee companies pride themselves upon their promptitude in paying claims, but we think the follow-' ing takes the cake : -''An agent of an accident company which prides itself upon its promptness in paying claims, offers the foil wing : 'One of our members lately fell from the roof of a five storey 1 uilding, and a cheque for the amount of his certificate was handed to him froin the second storey window- on his way down."

The "Victorian Minister of Agriculture has convened a conference of the political heads of similar departments in the other States to meet in Tasmania about 30th January. Seeing that the State Parliaments are in recess, it is anticipated that there will be a full muster, when the matters to be discussed will include a system of granting bonuses, the establishment of a London depot for exported produce, perfecting shipping arrangements for perishable exports, the export of grapes to New Zealand, the proper kind of cases in which to pack fruit, the handling of grain in bulk, and stock branding'regulations. ,

In the case of married men applying for admission to the ranks of the New Zealand contingents for the front, it appears it is necessary that they should produce the written consent of their wives (says the Bruce " Herald"). It is stated that one Southlander who applied for enrolment produced a note from his wife in which she hot only freely gave her consent, but added as a further inducement to the authorities that she hoped he would die like a hero !•■■■•

Detective Herbert, of Auckland; returned to that city by the Elingamite from Sydney, .brirg'ng-with him Thos. S.Day, arretted in Queensland on the charge of the alleged theft of certain moneys the property of Court Pride of Parnell. Ancient Order of Foresters, Thames. The theft is alleged to have been committed nearly two years ago, but until lately the police were unable to discover the whereabouts of the accused.

Referring to the performance of Kerr,of Taranaki, who, at the Dunedin Caledonian sports, walked a mile in 6min. 11 2-ssec , beating the world's record by 11 2 ssec, the Dunedin Star remarks :---■< The two timekeepers agreed in tl e timing, and, so far as we can w-e, there.is no reason for doubting tre'feat, excepting the fact that it seems an incredible putting down of the record. Everyone even without reference tot he watch, could see during the race that Kerr was going at a terrible bat. : .'

The Yankee system of stacking hayhas been introduced on the Motoa Estate, near Foxton. The plan consists of a derrick being erected at the side of tie future stack upon- which loads of hay are lifted to the men on the stack.

Lord Roberts' denial of the• romoured outrages by the military in South Africa is fully accepted by the American Press, but the French are reticent on the subjest, while some of the German papers make flippant references to Lord.-Roberts' : attempt to whitewash the Arm v.

Emnerbr William has invited President Roosexelt's daughter to christen the German Imperial yacht which is being built in America.' Ex-President Cleveland' will probably represent the United States at the coronation of King Edward.

A curious custom was recently ob~ •serued in connection with the election of the Mayor of High Wycombe (Engv). As s >on as th ft) chief magistrate- was chosr n the Mayor, and. the newly elected • ouncillors met at the Mayor's residence, and after making a tour of the

city proceeded to the Guildhall, where they were all weighed by the Chief Constable. This custom dates back to 1285, whei the.first mayor was elected." ''

F rmers in. <ertain.Canterbury districts are cutting-the erbps'ori the green side in order to save the grain from the small birds. Despite /efforts,jmade in Canterbury to combat, the sparrow, the voiacious little pest continues to be particularly destructive.

.Something akin to consternation has been caused among the shipping agents aiid shipmasters by the gazattal of a regulation under the Navigation Act, providing that masters of fully laden vessels, which remain ; fast to the moorings in Newcastle"Harbour for more than 48 hours,, except in cases of quarantine, distress, or bad weather, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding .£lO for' every twelve hours they so remain. Nothing of "the kind has ever been heard of in any other port in the world it is stated. The severity of the penalty is especially condemned. A petition has been signed by all the firms interested in shipping matters, praying the Minister, under w-hose control the Navigation Department is, to suspend the operation of the regulation until an opportunity has been given to at least have the question ventilated. An Australian paper states that;Mr William Hart, who owns about half the shares in the Tasmania gold-mine r has averaged -from .£4OO in .£SOO a week in income from it during the past twenty-two years.

Messrs Luxford (of Dannevirke) and Jensen (manager of the Hawke's Bay T.mber Company) recently returned to Dannevirke from a visit to a timberforest between Taupo and Cambridge. The tr'p was made for the purpose of inspecting the forest on behalf of a Wellington syndicate which has secured the milling rights over an acre of seme 12.000 acres. There is, they report, a magnificent supply of totara and a large quantity of matai in this forest It is intended (says the "Bush Adv cate") by the Wellington Syndicate which has the milling rights over this acre, to float a company to cut the timber. After the timber is cut it will be taken to the railway along a tram-line which is to be laid from near Lichfield to the mills, the distance being about forty miles.

Tl e Gazette di Malta, a paper published in the island, thus speaks of the country under whose aegis it is permitted to exercise its liberty :—" Her enemies are and will be' our friends. Henceforward let every Maltese pray God incessantly that He may decree the total ruin of England, and that He may decree that a terrible calamity may visit her, and that an awful earthquake may plunge her in the depths of the sea." There is much more of the same treasonable rubbish with which we need not trouble readers.—Globe. It is reported from the South that the owner of the property has declined the offer made by the Government for the Parnassus estate, and that the Cabinet' is now considering the propriety of acquiring part of it under the Land for Settlements Act. Certainly the best medicine known is bander and Sons'Eucalypti Extract Test its eminently powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza—the relief is instantaneous. In serious cases and accidents, be they wounds, burns, scalds, bruises, sprains, is the safest remedy—no swelling, no inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup .diphtheria, bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, swelling, etc., diarrhoea, dysentery, diseases of the s kidneys, and urinary organs. In use at hospitals and medical clinics all over; the globe : patronised by his Majesty.the King of Italy, and crowned with medals arid diplomas at International Exhibitions. Insist on gettinoSander and Sons'.Eucalypti Extractor elsyou will be supplied with worthless oils

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