NEWS ITEMS.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 58, 4 March 1902, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

Nervousness on th'e platform is not; easily described, although it is plain enough to its victims, but a Maori at -the Spit hit it off very well when asked to sing, at a gathering, of Port Ahuriri Mounted Rifles' camp. He stepped forward, hesitated,! and then explained, tapping'his chest; "By golly, me not very well, me. feel just like; big earth-, quake inside," an unique way of expressing nervousness, and one which caused considerable amusement.

An item of interest to farmers using binder twine was brought before the members of the Farmers' Union at Ingle wood at their meeting lately, when ione member 'produced' samples from different balls he had been using, and on weighing exactly half a pound of each, there was a difference of twenty two yards. The result of this was that a five pound ball of the lighter twine would tie 300 more sheaves than the unnecessarily heavy ball. «• East January there were fifty-nine interments in the Wellington Ceiretery. This is the largest of burials for a single month that has been recorded since the Cemetery opened. A notable feature was the preponderance •of - old people, from 60 years of age and upwards, who died during the month, but the hot months following Christmas prove fatal annually to a large number of the aged. During the years ended January 31st " last that the Cemetery has been opened it has afforded a last resting place to 4,705 people. A swagger turned up in Eketahuna the other evening. He was absolutely *'stoney broke," and had had nothing to eat all day. He met an old time acquaintance, who'" lent "-him half a crown. Did he go and waste the coin in riotous living ? Not much. He invested sixpence in some cakes, had a drink of water, and spent the other two shillings in—-two games of billiards ! Fact. The waywardness of man '! Express.

The flaxmills in the Oroua Bridge District are taking every advantage of the present high prices being offered for flax. The Standard learns that more than one mill owner has orders to deliver an .unlimited quantity of fibre in Wellington at ,£3O per ton, a marked increase on the prices realised a fewyears back when it was being placed on a dull market at about .£lO per ton. Landed proprietors in flax growing districts are doing almost as well as the mill owners themselves, royalties paid on the green material producing handsome returns.. •

A Master ton sportsman, who is always meeting with wonderful adventures, informs the Wairarapa Daily Times that he was out shooting a few days ago at the %oast, and that while "potting" at a rabbit near the banks of a lagoon the gun burst, and that the shot killed the rabbit; the rip-fat half of the gun flew off and placed a swan hors de combat ; the left half gently reminded a duck in the vicinity that it was time he shuffled off the mortal coil ; while the stock flew over |his shoulder, struck a stump, and rebounded like a boomerang, hit him on thehead, laying him unconscious for a time. Probably it was this that affected his brain. He assures the paper that all the foregoing absolutely took place. We don't doubtx it in the least-

At Balclutha last .week,"Mr shank, S.M., held that hop beer was intoxicating, and therefore fined Henry Rose, who had sold it .at the local sho;v, the nominal sum of £1 and costs, because he was satisfied that defendant was ignorant ot the effect of the hops and other ingredients he had used in the.manufacture of , his beer. A pawnbroker's "shop is always , a place of interest.