Untitled

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 66, 1 April 1902, Page 4

The artfulness of the dirt-loving tramp was shown by the Rev. Ashley Spencer at a meeting of the Wycombe Board of Guardians. He explained the increase in the number of vagrants by the fact that they now understood that when the hot water prepared for bathing purposes was exhausted, they were allowed to go to their wards unwashed, as cold water could not be used. Consequently vagrants came late, and their number had greatly increased. The Guardians decided to procure a boiler so that hot water might always be available. Nursing Sister Hay has done a very thoughtful and kindly act (says the Otago Daily Times). By the last mail she sent photographs of the graves of some 20 of our lads who lie in the Johannesburg and Pretoria cemeteiies. Rurse Hay writes that she has photographs of the remaining eleven coming forward by a later mail. The photographs will be sent forward to the relatives by Colonel Robin during the course of the next few days. All the graves are marked by a double iron cross and iron shield. They are well cared for, and all have flowers on them, showing the tender solicitude of some friend in a distant land. As an indication of the interest that is being taken in our local institutions by people in Britain, it may be stated that that Public Trustee has been requested to act as taustee for a wealthy nan in London, who intends that on his death his property there should be realised, and the proceeds sent to this' olony for investment by the Public Trust Office during the life of his widow. He says :—“So many trustees here have ‘gone wrong’ that I am frightened to leave money in their hands, and New Zealand is the only British dominion that I know of that has a Public Trustee.”

YV hen the report of the Sydney city health officer in regard to the collection in the city of dead rats was made known at the meeting of the Health Bommittee the result (writes the Sydney Morning Herald) was rather disappointing. “ Eighteen carts, a man and a boy to each cart, paraded the streets of the city all day, and only secured a total of 52 rats, and two of those turned out to be rabbits,” said one of the aldermen, “ is not good enough.” A total of 4419 rats at 3d a head had however been handed in at the Corporation yards. • A novel experiment in church activity is to be made by the First Christian Church of Columbus, Indiana. Instead of spending a considerable sum of mouey on a steeple* the congregation have decided, in planning for their new church, to erect a simple edifice with a roof garden on top. During the hot summer months service will be held here amid the scent of flowers, and under the waving branches of palms and other trees.

The Pall Mall Gazette’s special correspondent in Ireland exposes the United Irish League’s incitements in' the direction of farm confiscation, and the boy-cotting of whole districts in the west of Ireland. Houses are entered at night, tails of cattle are cut off, tenants are beaten and maltreated for dealing with those boycotted, or foi renting boycotted property.