NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8345, 4 February 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The following steamers are expected to be within wireless range to-night:—■ Victoria, Wimmera, Mooraki, Warrimoo. Delphio, Makarini, Mamari, and Talune. John Christopher, about sixty-fivo years of age, died early yesterday morning at 19, Martin street, where ha had been lodging for the last six months. He had been suffering from chest complaint, and shortly before ho died Dr Martin had to bo summoned. As the doctor could not certify as to the cause of death an inquest will be necessary. Probably it will bo held today. Petition forms in connection with the movement to secure a poll on the halfholiday question are now being circulated by the Wellington Trades Council. The two trade unions which are, perhaps, most nearly concerned in the universal Saturday half-holiday proposal, the drapers and the grocers, will to-night consider the formation of a sub-committee to take an active part in the canvass for signatures to tho petition. Tho commission which has recently been inquiring into the working and methods of administration adopted by the Public Trust Office will probably conclude its investigations to-day or tomorrow. A considerable amount of voluntary evidence has been received, and tho response to the commissioners’ invitation for suggestions and criticism is reported to have been satisfactory. Tho commission is to present its report not later than Monday next. The Go-ahead Ardath Tobacco Co., Ltd., London, have introduced a cigar containing only the minimum of nicotine. called the Ardath Cabinet, which can he bought from any retail tobacconist at 6d each, or in nice packets of 5 for 2s 6d. Tho great feature about the Ardath Cabinet Cigars is that they are manufactured under strictly hygienic principles. Smokers are not aware that cigar-makers generally off cigars by licking the point of the cigar which goes into the mouth of the smoker. Recognising the dangers of this objectionable practice, the Ardath Tobacco Comanpy have adopted a now method which entirely abolishes the unpleasant and injurious process of licking. The Winfred and State Express Cigarettes are also manufactured by the Ardath Tobacco Co. under strictly hygienic principles, and are strongly recommended by the Medical Profession as being absolutely pure and guaranteed free from all deleterious matter. 409 The sixth annual picnic of the Wellington staff of Gordon and Gotch Proprietary, Ltd., was held at Trentham racecourse on Saturday, in delightful weather. There was a full attendance of employees, and a very successful outing resulted. Athletic sports were held during tho morning, and there were also games, etc., in the afternoon. The following are the results of the athletic events: Gordon and Gotch Handicap, 100yds (first prize, silver cup, presented by Mr W. E. Jackson, to bo held by the winner for twelve months) —A. McGill, X; N. Stevens, 2; J. F. Daley, 3. Single . Ladies’ Handicap-—Miss Stewart. I; Miss Chittey. 2. Married Men’s Race —H. E. Pither, 1: J. F. Dotteridge, 2. Boys’ Race—G. Davies, 1 ; A. McKinley, 2. 880yds Handicap— C. Broughton. 1: A. Bennett and A. McGill, dead heat for second place. Needle and Thread Race —Miss Chittey and C. Sims. 1: Miss Henderson and H. Hatch, 2. Sack Race —A. E. Ballard, 1; N. Hassal). 2. Ladies’Sack Race—Miss Stewart. 1: Miss Gaudin. 2. Three-legged Race —C. Pratt and F. J. Dotteridge, 1; Hatch and Ha«sall, 2-

A meeting of Cabinet _ will bo bold to-day. Among other business* tno basis or specifications for the contract in connection with the new Parliamentary buildings will probably bo adoptee.. During the voyage of the Remuora Miss L. Davoy. an elderly third-class passenger : from London* booked for ' Lyttelton, died at soa somewhat suddenly from .bronchitis. The death occurred on January 4th. Nest Tuesday the Mararoa is to leave Wellington at 8 o’clock in the morning on a special excursion to Ship Cove in connection with the unveiling of tho Captain Cook memorial by his Excellency Lord Liverpool. The vessel is to leave on tho return trip at 3 p.m. A special faro of 5s will bo charged, and luncheon will be provided at Is 6d. At tho meeting of tho Loyal Britannia Lodge of Oddfellows, M.U., last evening, Bro. Walker, N.G., presiding, Bros. Benin, O’Sullivan, and Powell, P.P.G.M.’a, and Bros. Guy, Osborn, Salek, and C. Anderson were elected delegates to the annual district meeting to bo hold at Levin on tho 18th inst. About 16,080 bales of wool will bo offered at Friday’s sale in Wellington, tho catalogue being made up as follows; Dalgety and Co. 5000, Murray, Huberts and Co. 3100, New Zealand Loan and Mercantile 3000, Levin and Co. 2500, Abraham and Williams 1700, United Farmers’ and Wairarapa Partners’ 400, James Macintosh and Co. 880. A meeting of the ladies’ committee formed in connection with Hospital Saturday and Sunday (February loth and 16th) was held at tho Town Hall yesterday, Mrs Godber presiding. It was reported that satisfactory arrangements are in train for tho collections which aro to bo mad© on tho&B days. Tbo secretary, Mr Coyle, will be pleased to receive the names of more ladies willing to act as collectors. A further meeting will bo hold on Wednesday week. Tho Rcmuera, which arrived at Wellington last evening from London, brought a thoroughbred mare six years old snipped by Sir It, J. Griffith, Kelso, Vo Gould, Beaumont and Co., Christchurch. During the voyage tho mar© foaled, and both arrived in good condition. A Southdown ram was also brought from F. N. Webb, of Babrabam, Cambridge, for Pyne and Co., of Christchurch. The Remuera also brought a yearling Hereford bull and a two-year-old heifer of the same breed for Mr A. E. Short, of Paorangi, from Mr J. H. Price, of Trecastle, Brecon, Wales. A working oollio bitch whelped during the voyage. She is consigned to Mr J. Lilico, of Invercargill, from Mr A. Telfer, of Morpeth. Settlors on the hills about , Lake Wanaka, says the Dunedin correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times,” report that the kea is very destructive in their district, many sheep being killed by that bird every winter. It is seldom that a kea is caught attacking a sheep, but several shepherds have seen tho bird at its deadly work. Ewes, it is said, ■ have learned a trick that frequently succeeds against tho kea. They roll down a hillside in order to get rid of their assailant. PcoasionaDy, however, 'those that try this effective trick roll over tho precipice. Tha_ only way to effectively combat keas is, says a Glondhu mnholder, to slay a sheep, slit ils skin, and place strychnine in the out, which is then neatly sewn. “Some stricter supervision of the speed of motor cars about the city appears to be necessary,” writes “Pedestrian.” “Yesterday afternoon a car came up Feathers ton street towards Lambton quay at a paco highly perilous to anyone who happened to cross inter- ■ sections in its track- Tho body of the car humped and jolted violently over hollows on the road; people stopped to watch its terrific progress, _ and its speed could safely bo, estimated at twenty-five miles an hour—possibly greater. There seemed to be no police about to stop the car and take tho name of the driver. A salutary example of these motor fiends, and a rigorous enforcement of tho speed-regu-lation, would help to safeguard the limbs of citizens. It is claimed by the men employed at tho corporation destructor that their work is becoming increasingly dangerous owing to the gross carelessness of some people. Not so long ago one of the employees discovered a flask of powder lying in an old bucket which had come in for destruction with other refuse. Tho flask and its contents would assuredly have gone into the furnace and done great damage had it not been for tho practice of tho men to pick out all largo metal articles. One of them . went to throw the bucket aside, and in no doing caught sight of its dangerous contents. One night last week there were scores of rifle cartridges, both ball and blank in tho refuse, and when tho stuff was thrown into tho furnace a fusillade began which lasted for* nearly three hours. On a search being made large numbers of cartridges were pulled out and taken away by the men as mementoes. Pheasants in some plantations proved veritable pests at tho corn-planting season (writes the Mangonui correspondent of tho “New Zealand Herald”). Tho first shoots had just appeared above the ground when tho hordes descended and promptly uprooted the young plants, devouring the softened seed. Considerable areas were replanted, with tho same result. Poisoned wheat and whisky-soaked maize were used as exterminators- Tho birds that partook of tho latter went fairly drunk and quite solemnly pranced round, although retaining sufficient “balance” wherewith to dodgo their man captors. Tho same pests are _ at present making themselves obnoxious in tho potato crops. They scratch out a few tubers, leave tho marks of their beaks and pass on to another row. Tho amount of damage that these birds can do in a single night is almost incredible. Activity is being shown just now in the erection of the chain of wireless stations around Australia. Some time ago an offer was received from the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company for tho erection of a station at Darwin, which would have involved an expenditure of from £IIO,OOO to £120,000. The Postmaster-Genoral was advised that tho department could carry out the same work for about £75,000, but, in order to provide for possible contingencies, it was decided to spend about £90,000. It is hoped by tno Minister that tho revenue will practically provide for tho running of tho wireless station for nothing. The department declared that tho stations at Port Moresby, Thursday Island, and Mount Gambier would be finished at the end of January. The Darwin station will have a radius of 2000 miles in all directions, and, no matter what system is established at Singapore, it will bo able to maintain communication with it. This station is one of tho three which have boon designed for defence purposes. Tho other two, forming tho base of a triangle, are at Perth and Sydney. Work is proceeding at Cooktown and Townsville in Queensland, and Roobournc. Broome, and Wyndham in West Australia. Steps are also being taken to install wireless systems at the more important lighthouses along tho coast.

Tho Remuera, which arrived at Welington last evening from London, brought 555 passengers for New Zea. land ports. Tho voyage was favoured, with fine weather generally. A Christ, nas tree and two dances helped to add to the enjoyment of the passage. Mr Alexander Young,’who was summoned to servo on the grand jury at the Supremo Court yesterday and failed to appear was fined £5. Mr Francis Henry Mather fi'as excused on the ground of ill-health, and Mr Haroourt Turner was exempted as he was an officer in tho defence force. The garden fete to bo held next Saturday in tho Prime Minister’s grounds in aid of the funds for tho Plunket nurses will be opened by Lady Liverpool at 2 p.m. Williams’ string band will be in attendance, and various amusements and refreshment stalls will ba provided for the entertainment of visitors. A few minutes before 11 o’clock last night tho fire brigade was called to attend a small outbreak of fire at tho promises of George Boucher, cycle dealer, 74, Lambton quay. The counter and a side wall of the office were slightly damaged, also some stock. A good many bicycles had been removed from the shop by the time tho brigade arrived. It is thought that some carbide igniting was the cause of tho outbreak. The insurances were not ascertainable last night. There are indications that something will be heard of the Charleston lignite coal measures before very long (says tho Greymouth correspondent of the “Otago Daily Times”). Messrs Bowater and Bryan, and others, who are “negotiating,” have had two practical men at work during tho last three weeks putting down shafts at various points. It would appear that the results are so satisfactory as to the thickness of tho seams of coal that initial proceedings are to be taken, the first thing being to obtain a lease. To this end Mr Shaddick has been engaged to carry out the survey, and is now at work. The steamer Capo Finisterrc, one of the Vacuum Oil Company’s big fleet of chartered tramp steamers, arrived at Auckland last Friday night from New York. It is some months since there has been an ( oil steamer in port (says tbo “Star”), so that the present steamer will bo required to replenish supplies. She has aboard for Now Zealand porta 425,000 gallons of petroleum, 667,200 gallons of benzine, 542,400 gallons of naphtha, and 14,400 gallons of turpentine. The total of I, gallons was brought to Auckland without any accident, and tho cargo is in good condition. A loan of £50,000 has been raised by the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board yielding £94 per cent., the rate of interest being 4} per cent. Tho term of the loan is twenty-one years. The rate of 6 per cent, which the Auckland Harbour Board has undertaken to pay on its loan of £250,000, floated in London, has been accepted as the standard by which local authorities must be guided when contemplating future borrowing. The Drainage Board’s loan is a much smaller transaction, and it is satisfactory to note (remarks the “N.Z. Herald”) that the money has been secured at a lower rate than that obtained by tho Harbour Board. The money . was obtained through the Bank of New Zealand from tho Australian Mutual Provident Society, Sydney, and it will be paid at Auckland free of exchange and other charges. The flotation will produce £47,000. Calculated on this net return, the rate of interest is £4 15s 9d per cent., so that when all expenses have been discharged the annual charge upon the money will be below 5 per cent. There is an agitation in Melbourne against tho tipping system. In an article on the subject, the “Age” says: “It is known that at certain hotels men live on tips alone, and are encouraged by tho management. Such men are simply out to make a living. It does not enter into their minds that in accepting a tip they are placing themselves upon a plane of social inferiority. But tho hotel ‘guesp _ feels tho pinch. He, speaking collectively, must pay, in addition to tho fixed residential charges, tho wages of men who are indispensable to the management. Nothing is more annoying to visitors, country visitors ©specially, than to have the baggage man shadowing thorn at every tam. They are told at the office that the charges are sc much per day; but always there is tbo commissionaire, or porter, or chambermaid, to ba reckoned with. In some cases, certainly, where extra service is rendered, it is only fair that a gratuity should be doled out; but ordinarily, where no tips are forthcoming, one’s room is badly kept, the hall porter is inattentive, imd the waitress is generally busy looking after the needs of someone who understands the value of tipping, however degrading and ‘insulting’ the disbursements might be to tho recipient. There is a strong feeling in Melbourne that the tipping nuisance should not be allowed to develop.” ■With regard to high prices for wool Mr J. A. Johnstone, Dunedin, writes; to the “Otago Daily Times” as follows: There have recently appeared in the press of tho Dominion references to the record price of wool in New Zealand, and it has been claimed that 14Jd per lb, tho highest price realised this season, is a record. This statement was subsequently corrected by someone, who pointed out that two better prices were obtained during the year 1907, tho actual figures being 15d and laid respectively. The writer, whose experience dates back to the ’7o’s, remembers that at one sale held by Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., 16fd per lb was paid for a small clip of under twenty bales of halfbred wool, but as the office catalogues of that date are no longer available, ho is unable to produce proof of Ids recollection. There is evidence to show, however, that on January 12th, 1900, tho same firm obtained 16d per lb for five bales of first combing merino wether, and 15Jd for nine bales first combing merino ewo and wether, both lots “ N over Abbotsford ” brand, the property of Messrs G. and J. S. Nichol; also 15id for four bales of merino wool owned by J. A. Johnston, of Kaihiku. A bid of 15ld was also mad© for tbe ; super combing merino, “ C.A. over T” brand, belonging to Mr W. T. Scrimgeour, of Toviot station. Furthermore, on January 23rd, 1907, Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., again obtained as much as 15d for four bales of halfbred wether from Messrs Q. and J. S. Nicbol’s Abbotsford clip. The fleece portion of tho clip amounted to 165 bales, and it realised from 12d to 15d per lb, as follows:—4 bales at 15d, 36 bales at 14d, 5 bales, at 131 d, 36 bales at 131-d. 10 bales at 13d, 38 bales at 12Id, 3 bales at 12cl. Tho average for tho 165 bales was 13Jd per lb. It will bo seen, therefore, that at present IGd per lb is tho authenticated record price of greasy wool in Now Zealand.