Rangitikei Advocate. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8712, 11 January 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

The very doleful account of the effects of the present drought in Otago and South Canterbury which 1 appeared in our second edition of - yesterday, and in the first edition today, certainly does not err in the direction of minimising the extent of the disaster. We cannot but think ; that the prophets who foretell that 2-tooth ,;h r eep will drop to 2s are a , little too anxious to paint things in a ’ blaeirlight. It Is p.OSSihlo tp explain that the drought is a serious without uttering such gloomy prd--1 dictions as are made by the Dunedin i reporter. Fortunately in this clis- ; t-rici the effects of the lack of rain have not been yery noticeable. All 1 the way up the main line and generally as we go back from the - coast there is plenty of grass, and 1 owing to the dry weather its quality is even better than is usually the case. Sheep are fattening readily, and though the prices offered for fats by the freezing companies are rather lower .than settlers are inclined to expect, this drop is largely explained by the rise in freights on frozen meat which came into force on Pecenmor Slst last year. We are informed that this increase is equal to something like Is 3d per sheep, a difference which would partially account for the I fall in prices. It seems probable that as the skins become better wocllcd prices will again reach thsir former level. Uattle, if of good quality and , breeding command good prices, and farmers are learning i>y experience that it pays them to keep well-bred stock. Cattle of a high class eat no more than scrubbers, mature at an earlier age and can be sold well oven when the market is in favour of buyers. Turning to the crops we find that this year they are ripening much earlier than usual, and those that have been already harvested have been stacked in splendid condition. It is as yet too early to form any estimate as to average yield, bat so far as pan be judged it should be satisfactory. The settlers who have

had bush felled this season have succeeded in obtaining excellent burns, and with some rain after grass sowing should secure an excellent take of grass. Those occupied in dairying in the bush districts have not for the most part much to complain of, though the hot and dry weather has undoubtedly a tendency to reduce the flow of milk. It is satisfactory that the season, which began so well for farmers does not, in this district at any rate, show any signs of ending as disastrously as in those portions of the South Island which have experienced the worst effects of the drought.

The British Board of Trade returns show that last year was a- very prosperous one and naturally the supporters of Afr Chamberlain are somewhat hard put to it to explain this state of affairs as the whole foundation for their agitation rested on the statement that British trade was decaying in every department. The London Times ungraciously remarks “ Britain has done nothing fiscally to bring about the present period of prosperity, which is considerably overdue. The wave of trade activity which is general and almost universal, is enjoyed by the moet protectionist nations fully as much as by Britain.” Freetraders have never denied that nations could prosper under a protective tariff. They have simply pointed out the error of supposing that the prosperity was in any way due to the influence of a protective tariff. They also consider that the restriction of trade produced by high tariffs prevents nations reaping the full benefit of the rising tide of prosperity and accentuates the difficulties produced by a period of loss of confidence when prices are low and money tight.

The annual meeting of Marton Athletic Club will be held this evening at the Borough .Council Chambers. Intending member? are also invited to attend. The chair will be faken at 8 o’clock. Mr J. C. Williamson will retire from theatrical management shortly. A sharp earthquake of short duration was feit at Wanganui at 1 o’clock this morning. It was preceded by a rumbling noise. There was a welcome downpour at midday. Greypiouth telegraphs that there is great excitement pver the assays of stone from the New Alpine mine, which gives returns of from £219 .to £419 per ton. The telegram ends with tlie usual reference to the incaLculable possibilities of the West Coast, A Search Warrant. Search, where you will it is impossible to find a bettor or more reliable medicine lor stomach, liver or bowel disorders than Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets. During the past few years they have rostered hundreds of sickly people to health and will do as much for yon. "i j urge every sufferer from Loss of Appetite, Insomnia, Nervousness, Indigestion, Dyspepsia or Biliousness to give them a trial. For sale by Messrs T. M. Bredin, Marton Ellis Bros., Hunterville; and W, B, Clark, 1 Bulls,

The Courts are fining London book- ; makers heavily for sti' <iet betting under the new Act. The British Government propose to ... expend £35,000 a year for the extirpation of glanders. ' . The Chinamen of Dannevirke lv'A v « subscribed £lB 9s 6d towards the lo,"-al [hospital. , | Owing to the excessive heat milk has I I been refused at some of the factories in the district on account of its being sour. A-large number of rams, about 500 in all, mostly Romneys and Lincolns, left Fcilding on Wednesday last to be shipped for Australia. Have you tried our hoots ? If not, it has been your loss os well as ours. Be- | sides, think of the comfort you have j missed. Try our boots at McEldwnbt’s stores Marton, Hunterville and Taihape. A poll of ratepayers at Taihape has sanctioned the Council raising a loan of £6OOO for street improvement purposes. The voting was 92 against 25. Mrs J. P. Wagstaff, wife of a Bedfordshire landowner, who admitted that she had committed bigamy, was sentenced to three days’ imprisonment. Baroness Burdett-Coutts left all hor disposable property to Mr BurdettCoutts, while, the trust estate (chiefly derivable from Coutts’ bank) passes to her nephew. The new term at the Fitzherhert Terraco boarding and day school for girls, Wellington, will begin on sth February, not 29th January, as was previously advertised. A poll of Nelson ratepayers was taken yesterday when, by a majority of 15, a proposal to raise a special loan for the reinstatement of the Maitai' bridges was authorised. Only 364 voted. The Committee of Bibliography and of Astronomical Sciences of the Royal Observatory of Belgium has just published a list of the observatories and astronomers of the whole world. Among the latter is included the name of Mr I L. A. AlacDonald, F.R.G.S., of New Zealand. The solicitors for the Shaw, Savill Company have served a notice on the Auckland Harbour Board of their intention to , commence an action to recover £15,000 for damage in connection with the accij dent to the Alamari in Calliope Dock. At the meeting of the Manawatu - County Council it was l reported that the new metalling recently carried out on ■ I’yko’s Road was being cut up by vehicular traffic. Cr. Kendall remarked that ’ narrow tyros were the cause of the damage, settlors being unable to sec, ap- ’ parently, that in using wide tyres on their • vehicles they were conducing not only to better roads but to less expense in maintenance to themselves. The overseer also said that the trouble was due to the use of narrow tyres. A horse dropped dead in the main street at Hampden on Friday under peculiar circumstances (says the North ' Otago Times.) The horse, drawing a vehicle and driven by a lady, was pulling up the hill between the sbaticq and the hotel, when a motorbicycle came in sight. The horse took fright and backed into the bank, and when it could got no further, dropped down. A ll examination proved - the horse to be dead.

Mr T. Hurley, a -well known farmer of the Plains, told a llawera Star representative on Tuesday that from a herd of 58 milkers, including 12 heifers, lie drew 55,1431bs of milk last month. The test was 3.S and the amount of butter-fat 20951b5. At Is a pound this works out at £lO-1 15s, an average nearing £3 per cow. The secretary of the Palmerston branch of the Farmers' Union has received a communication from the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, in reference to the resolution passed at the last meeting condemning the manifesto it had sent to English papers for publication, 'f}).e letter will corns up for discussion at tin* «W“Ming on Satur-, day morning.

Intending exhibitors at the Feilding 1 A. and P. Show, to be held on sth and .6th Fe-pruary, are reminded that entries close on. the 16th instant. All applications for space for machinery, vehicles, or any arjjejes for exhibition only and not for competition, should bs made on or before the 16tk instant, in order that (Inscriptions of exhibits may be inserted in the catalogue. Schedules may be obtained on application to the secretary. Sir Joseph Ward yesterday received a cablegram from the Canadian Club, Toronto, inviting him to address a public meeting there, should ho ’ ’pas.j through Canada on his return from England. Another cable comes from the Empire Club, Toronto, inviting the Premier to a dinner to be arranged in his honour. Sir Joseph Ward intends returning by the Vancouver route if the steamer dates from that pore £t in with the Liao of his departure from England'.

At Alarton Borough Council meeting last evening, the matter of appointing a manager of the Opera House was discussed. The Alayor explained that the Town Clerk had been acting as manager. He was opposed to making this appointment permanent, because it would interfere with the Clerk’s office duties. Cr. Sutcliffe hold similar views, and seconded tho Alayor’s motion to invite applications in the Advocate for a manager.

“ The people of Auckland do not know,” says the Hon. G. Fowlds, “ what a paaryellous series of caves there is within so short a distance, comparatively speaking, of Auckland. People who have seen the far-famed Jenoian Caves ia the Blue Mountains say that the AVaitomo caves are quite the equal of the Australian ones. The stalactitic and stalagmitic formations are the finest I have over seen, and a great manypretty effects are shown by moans of magnesium wire. I hope that before long the- eaves will bo acquired from the Maoris by Government.”

On AVednesday, says the Now Zealand Times, during the forenoon sitting of the Meikle Commission their Honors Justices Edwards and Cooper were a good deal annoyed by the noise of hammering proceeding from an open space near by tho Court, where some men were engaged in bending tram rails. At length the “ring of tho anvil ” became intolerable and the President of the Court found himself compelled toi order that the noise should be put a stop to, Ho added that if the men didn’t stop the noise he would commit them for contempt of Court. One of the counsel present hazarded tho opinion that it was doubtful whether, in the circumstances, His Honor had jurisdiction to*'make such an order. This raises a moot point. His Honor the late Mr Justice Richmond, when presiding over the Criminal Court in Wanganui many years ago, stopped workmen proceeding with the building of an iron dredge barge on the bank of the river. Whether a Supreme Court Judge, sitting as a Royal Commissioner, can exercise similar authority, is said to be questionable.

Tho Hawera Star gives the following particulars of the recent fatal accident: Tlie Hawera railway station was the scone of a shocking accident which resulted in the instantaneous death of Patrick McCarty, a porter. It appears that during shunting operations McCarty, who was assisting, released tho points and jumped on the cow-catcher of the moving train—a common practice in shunting. Evidently ho slipped and fell between the rails, but the engina driver, thinking McCarty was riding safely, continued the engine on its course until apprised of the accident by giving the alarm. The engine was brought to a standstill, but by this time the unfortunate man had been dragged about 16 yards, his body ploughing up the permanent way. As. sistance was promptly rendered, but the engine had to be jacked up in order to free the body. Mangled beyond recognition, the bead reduced to a pulp, and tho body disembowelled, poor McCarty was released. Along the track were spattered ghastly evidences of the tragedy. The body was at once tenderly covered with a canvas and removed to a building. Great concern was felt for the bereaved widow and some women friends were at once requisitioned to break the sad nows, Rheumatism, gout, sciatica, lumbago, are caused by excess uric acid poison in the j blood which deposits in tho muscles and joints. EiiKtiMo quickly cures. 2/0 & 4/6 i Exposure to cold and damp causes rheumatism. The skin cannot give off the excess uric acid and it'boooraps deposited in the blood. ItnuuMO will quickly cure tho trouble. All chemists and stores, 2/0 & 4/6

i The Maheno did a record trip of 5G hours from the Bluff to ttbbart on her last journey. In Christchurch during the last month at least 2,600,000 gallons of water have been distributed over the city streets. I Ninety-five more vessels, with an inj creased tonnage of 677,000 tons, arrived ’ at Sydney last year compared with 1905. The Believing Officer for Palmerston Hospital Board reported yesterday “ I had only two casuals call on mo during the month; as they were each suffering from copious libations, I sent them about their business.” By a marvellous system of reasoning j the Auckland Star declares that the strong complaints emanating from the south as to the failure of the San Francisco mail line to adhere to its time table are the best comment on its value and utility! Steady welcome rain fell yesterday at Nelson, 1’ 10in. being recorded. It will do great good, and will be the salvation of hop and barley crops. It is now fine, but more rain is required as none had fallen for eight or ten weeksY Twelve informations alleging theft of money and obtaining money by means of false pretences from the Benevolent Trustees were preferred at the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, 1 to-day against Alex. Purvis, ex Secretary and Treasurer of Trustees and i Master of the Benevolent Home. The whole of the informations relate to a , period between July, 1905, aud Suly, . 1906, and involve a sum of about £l4O. Accused was remanded till the 18th instant, t An important decision was given by Mr W. P, James, S.M., at Mastcrton this [morning. Howell & Co,, auctionI eers, were charged with employing assistants on the statutory half-holiday. " The question involved was whether I auctioneers who also conducted a retail 5 trade on their premises could employ r their assistants at sales which were i 7 held at private houses on the halfholiday. The Magistrate held that the - Shop and Offices Act. 1904, was clearly ■ in favour of granting assistants in such ’ cases a half holiday. A penalty of 20s ’ aud costs was imposed oa one of five charges. The others were withdrawn. It was a test case brought by the In--1 specter of Factories. 9 The Peril op Our Time. 1 Is lung disease. Dr Sheldon’s New r Discovery for coughs, colds aud cousumpt tion cures lung trouble. Small dose. 9 Pleasant to take. Every bottle guaranteed. ‘ For sale by Turner & Turner's Tip Top r Tea Shop, ‘and T. H. Brodin, Marton; 0 Ell is Bros., Huntervillo; and Campion & ” King, Bulls.