NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9414, 7 April 1909, Page 6

NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Owing to the growing passenger trade* from New Zealand and Ana* tralia to Fiji, the Union Steamship Company, recognising that hotel accommodation at Snva is quite insufficient to meet the requirements, has decided to .put up a first-class hotel there, at a cost of £16,000 to £20,000. ‘ ' The diet most fancied on the homeward voyage by those members of the Antarctic exeditiou who had been on * short commons for so long and :who were emaciated from arduous journeys, was porridge and bottled fruits. They thrived amazingly on this fare, and pnt on weight at the rate of several pounds a wsek.

In view of the illness of a man which |s alleged to be due to eating fruit retaining traces cf poisonous spray, Hastings Fruitgrowers’ Company has forwarded a sample of the same parcel of fruit to the Government , analyst, who states that the pears contained neither arsenic nor copper. The sample was not sufficiently large to submit to tests for other poisons. Sir Philip Brocklehnrst, and Messrs L. A. Macintosh and Douglas Mawson, of the British Antarctic Expedition, accompanied by Dr. Bell and Mr Oolin Fraser, of the Geological Survey Departmen, arrived at Waiouru on Friday, and left on Saturday by a special conveyance for the Kuapehn Government hut. It is the intention ol the party to ascent to the top of Ngauruboe to ascertain the fullest extent of the recent eruptions. “There were four bankruptcies in the Hawera district for quarter ended March Slat, one in Haweraand Eltham respectively, and two in Eltbam district. There were six bankruptcies left over from previous quarter, which makes ten on hand. The amount realised on estates in the quarter was £215 14s lOd, while £256 10s was paid iu dividends, etc.

An interesting find was made underneath the stranded steamer Obarles Edward in the Wanganui River. When the diver was down examiningthe hull he fonnd a propeller lying just clear of the stern of the boat. It is about six feet across, and with part of a tail shaft. It is thought that this screw was probably the object which the steamer struck when crossing the bar, and that it became embedded In her bottom, and was carried along until she finally grounded, after* wards falling off her. To what steamer the screw formerly belonged is a mystery.

' A traveller who was in Suva when the Makura was due from Australia, with Johnson on board, tells of a gigantic Fijian with a local Imputation as a boxer, who said that if Johnson lauded in Fiji, he (the Fijian) would give him snob a “crack” that would show the champion that he couldn’t have it all his own way. When’ |the boat was moored, and the gangway was down, Johnson started to walk ashore. There were about 3000 natives crowded on the wharf to see him, and in the middle of the crowd the Fijian, who was looking for glory was seen struggling to get through the throng. After a long struggle he managed to make way— off the wharf thrqngb the town and into the oonntry. He was not seen again till Johnson was away on the steamer.

The relative position of the _ imports and exports has been a variable one in Wanganui, in fact in the Whole Dominion, during the Jpast (Two years. At the present time the imports are being kept very low, the retrenchments' by importers being very apparent by a glance at the gross valne of the imports passing the customs lately. Tne exports, on the other band, are again improving in value, and judging by exports from Wanganui during the quarter ended March 81st, the Dominion should, the same conditions, prevailing, elsewhere, soon recover its wonted money buoyancy. The ex» ports from Wanganui daring the quarter jas t ended were valued at close on a quarter of a million pounds, namely, £208,917, equal to more than four times the value _ of the imports for the quarter, which totalled £49,613. The exports for the March quarter last year were valued at £191,559, and the imports at £6s,6o6.—Herald. %