NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9421, 17 April 1909, Page 3

NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The hearing of the appeal from the decision of the Oonrt of Inquiry into the wreck of the Penguin has been fixed for May 3rd. A pigeon nsed by a Manchester firm of mill-owners to carry messages from one mill to another has saved the firm £329 in telegrams during the past ten years. Last year was a “record” one in the Argentine with regard to immigration, as nearly three hundred thunsand souls entered the Republic, a very large number of these being sent by the Government to the agricultural regions. There are now between 600 and 700 men on the Stratford-Ongarue railway. Bach week sees about 40 new hands put on, and about 20 a week find the work has no further attraction for them. Messrs Cook Bros., who at present carry on whaling operations at Wbangamumu, near Gape Brett, are forming a syndicate to establish a depot at Campbell Islands to hunt the “right” whale, 'and it is hoped to be able to commence operations at the beginning of next year’s season. The intention is to fit out a whaling steamer with a heavy bow gun firing explosive shell, as at the Norwegian stations. On a recent * Sunday, says the Nelson Colonist, a large school of whales —to the number of fully fifty—entered the West Wanganui inlet and disported themselves in its waters for about six hours, eventually going out with the receding tide. This interesting and unusual visit was witnessed by several residents of the locality. It is estimated that the average length of the whales was not less than 30 feet.

The following Resolution was passed by the Otago Trades and Labour Council at a meeting last night: ‘That this Council directs attention to the cablegram appearing in the daily papers that a gambler, under the name of speculator, made £IOO,OOO in a one day’s deal in wheat, and deplores the fact that the commercial system of trading makes it possible for this to be done, more especially when it is gambling for the food of people and thus increasing the cost and further desires to point out that some “speculations” take place in our own Dominion with the same results, and urges the workers to use every endeavour to put a stop to this pernicious system.” Will a pig attack a horse? is a question which has been raised many times, and as far as a party of Waiuku settlers are concerned they may be relied upon to give an affirmative answer. On Good Friday a number of the residents of Wainkn went for a picnic and several of their horses were turned into a paddock in which a boar was running. The animals had not been in the field long before the pig attacked them, and five were severely injured. Indeed, two of the horses are in such a state that it is feared that they will be of no further use to their owners. The pig devoted its attention to the legs of the animals, the knees and hooks being badly ripped. It seems (says St. James’s Budget) that the system of free food for outpatients of the Westminster Hospital, which is to be established by the generosity of Lady Campbell Clarke, is altogether welcome. If there was a form of philanthropy less likely to be abused we should be glad to hear of it. As matters stand, all that the doctors can do for many out-patients is to note that their illness is either due to or aggravated by want of nourishment, and to prescribe drugs which are more or less useless without food. In future the Westminster Hospital will be enabled, so far as the funds allow ; to prescribe food with or without drugs, and so increase very largely the benefits which free medical attention is supposed to confer. A doctor is the person least likely to be deceived £by the malingerer or to make the mistakes of the less experienced philanthropist. And we look forward to a real success for this new form of true charity. Experiments are now being carried out on German warships with acetylene shells, which, it is believed, will take the place of the electric searchlight used hitherto by warships. Those shells contain calcium carbide, and the water can reach it though a ,-tube. The shells are fired by a gun built speoiallyßor the purpose. On being fired the shell goes Bunder the water, and then rises.,to the surface, and the action of the water upon the’calcinm carbide produces the acetylene light. Each shell is said to have 3000 candle-power, and will burn for three hours. The great drawback of the ordinary searchlight is that, although it affords some protection from the unobserved approach of torpedo-boats, it yet makes the warship using it an excellent target. The new acetylene shell referred to will have the great advantage of lighting up a given space, while the vessel that fires it will be left in darkness.