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Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 2037, 28 December 1907, Page 4

At the inquest on the body of Mrs Edith Green, which was found at the foot of a cliff at Island Bay, a verdict of accidental death was returned. ■ Evidence showed that deceased’s home was destroyed by fire some time ago. This had affected her mental condition.

For the fortnight just ended the export of butter from Auckland province, exclusive of Poverty Bay, totalled 350 tons valued at about £32,084. Of this total 1088 boxes were consigned to West of England ports,- 131,06 boxes to London, |705 boxes to South Africa, and 47 boxes for South Sea Islands. A married woman, Mrs W. Martin, died suddenly at her residence in McKelvie street, Ponsonby, on Thursday. She was having the evening meal with her husband, and suddenly rose from the table and proceeded upstairs. Mr Martin shortly followed, and found her tying "on the bed in a dazed condition. He summoned medical aid, but before it could be obtained Mrs Martin died. The cause of death is not known.

It is reported that a machine for the mechanical separation of wool from dags has been installed on Waimate Station, Poverty Bay, by Mr Howard Keuway. The dags are dried in the sun, and then crushed and blown in the machine. A considerable saving is pffeoted, and it is possible that before long, writes our --Wairarapa correspondent, the machine will be in use on all the fairly large sheep stations

Mr Hutchinson, of Hutchinson’s Bay, has a duck that is somewhat of a curiosity. Hot content with laying two eggs every day (stringent tests having established this), the bird on Monday laid three eggs—that is, one of the two lax-ge ones was found to contain within it a perfectly formed egg about the size of a pigeon’s egg. The Oamaru Mail records a similar curiosity in the shape of a double egg, laid by a hen. The outer shell, which is very thin, measured Sty; inches i n length and Sty inches in width. Inside this lay a perfect ordinary sized egg, the intervening space being filled with albumen.

A day or two ago, says the Nelson Mail, a son of Mr W. Rogers, aged 7, who acts as a coxswain for the Nelson Rowing Club crews, had an unpleasant experience on the Boulder Bank. A crew had been out for a spin, and had then goue over to the Boulder Bank, intending to have a swim. Here young Rogers was seized by the leg by an octopus. Fortunately, the octopus was of small size, and the lad was able to knock it off his leg, though he bears the mark of the unwelcome visitor’s embrace.

After .the Christmas Day service at Martou Methodist Church, Mr J. O. Meyer, of “Rose Lawn,” who for the last two years strenuously and efficiently filled the position of secretary of the Martou Rose Show, was presented by the Rev. T. G. Carr, on behalf of the committee, with a handsome illuminated address framed in New Zealaud honeysuckle. The recipient suitably responded. The illuminating was executed by Mr F. J. Wilkes, M.A., and the framing by Messrs Brown and Sheriff, and" the workmanship was in both cases all that could ,be desired.

As the express train from Paris to Berlin, a few weeks ago, was steaming out of the Cologne station, a man rushed along the platform and jumped into one of the carriages reserved for ladies. He was most profuse in his apologies for his intrusion. While he was speaking, a heavily veiled and apparently elderly lady at the other end of the compartment rose in great agitation and endeavoured to open the door with the evident intention of throwing herself out upon the line. The intruder flung Imnself upon her and dragged her 'back into the carriage, where the two engaged in a desperate struggle, to the great alarm of their fellow travellers, who were all terror-stricken and screaming for help at the top of their voices. At last the intruder got the better of the veiled lady, and grabbing her bonnet tore it from the wearer’s head, together with the veil and a heavy wig, and revealed the clean shaven features of a man. Before the latter could recover himself the intruder whipped out a pair of handcuffs, and, exclaiming, “I arrest you; you are my prisoner, ’ ’ slipped them upon the wrists of his opponent. The intruder was a detective, and the captive was a bank clerk he had been looking for who absconded from Brussels with 75,000 francs. Among the bowlers who visited Marton on Boxing Day was Mr J. O. Batchelar, who resided in that town about 36 years ago. Chatting with a representative of the Standard at the White Hart Hotel, Mr Batchelar said ;—“lt is over 86 years since I purchased the lease of this hotel and took possession of the premises. I bought the lease in June, 1871, and in Setpember of the same year commenced business in the hotel. Marton has changed greatly since those days, but “it is noteworthy that although the town has cnly been in possession of a bowling green for a couple of years there were a few bowling , enthusiasts in the district in 1871, several residents being desirous that' I should put down a green near the White Hart. As I have only learnt the game in recent years, it had no fascination for me in 1871. But what a lot of fun I have missed, and the Marton people also. ’ ’ Other bowlers who resided in the Rangitikei district wore Messrs T. Griggs and G. J. Scott, and apart from the pleasures of the tournament yesterday, the visit was delightfixl to both, who pointed out many familiar places en route. Mr E. Tregear, Secretary of Labour, has forwarded a telegram to Mr Robson, secretary of the Christchurch Bootmakers’ Union, in reply to the latter’s communication with the Labour Department regarding the temporary discharge of employees by several Christchurch factories, it being alleged that the dismissals were made to evade the lawfregarding payment for broken time. The telegram is as follows: “If amendment you referred to is that concerning the words ‘at the rate of,’ I fear that you or I would have enormous difficulty in proving that workers were being discharged to evade the Act, as a more plausible reason would be given. You can perhaps stop discharges by showing this telegram as official, and in this case I tell you that the amendment was only intended by Parliament to apply to girls and boys under age, and not to adult workers. Moreover the Minister has promised that the above reading shall be adhered to, at all events till next year, when there will be a possibility of putting the matter fight if it is now wrong. ”

Sailed from Auckland at noon: H.M.S. Powerful, Pegasus and Prometheus for Lyttelton via Wellington. and Hinemoa, the Government steamer, for the Kermadecs Islands, with a party of scientists.

mum xr rtfin iimiiir ii'iiirrr--wr .n -m — rrn iinmi-mr rr inr-rj mi-iii, jf "<«■ The annual conference of the Hew Zealand Educational Institute commencing at Auckland .on Thursday, will be an important one, as nineteen remits from various centres dealing with the promotion and payment of salaries on some other basis tfhan average attendance.

It is there have been nine burglaries in Wellington during the Christmas season, but so far as is known the house-breakers have not secured much booty. In most instances it was houses "temporarily unoccupied that were broken into. The latest labour rhyme runs as follows: " Conciliation is vexation, Arbitration is as bad, The Factory Act does puzzle me, And the Shop Act drives me mad ! Upon learning that Lieut. Herd had been appointed judge at the Hew Plymouth contest, the Kaikorai Band unanimously decided not to participate. Owing to the continued ill health of Mr James Crichton, the conductor’, the Wanganui Garrison Band will in ail pi’obability not compete at the contest.

The Union Company’s turbine steamer Maori established a fresh record for the trip from Lyttelton to Wellington. Her best performance now is:—-From wharf to wharf, 8 hours 40 minutes; from heads to heads, 8 hours 5 minutes, and an average speed of 20.1 knots per hour.

The “Jennie Fowlds Memorial Bath,’’ opened by Lord Plunket, at Point Chevalier, Auckland , i- on Monday, has been presented to the school by the Hon. George and Mrs Fowlds, in memory of their late daughter Jennie, who attended the school. The bath has been erected at a cost of between £3OO and £4OO. The bath is constructed of ferro-concrete, and is 75ft in length by 30ft in width.