GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 29, 10 January 1916, Page 7

GENERAL.

Christchut'ch, is notable for some magnificent .specimens of pinus insignis, and one was measured in the North Park recently, giving a height of 117 ft and a diameter of over 4ft at a height of oft from the ground

While excavating on his property at Upper Takaka. Nelson, some weeks ago, Mr Henry Spitiali discovered an almost complete set of moa hones "lying about 3ft under the surface. The skeleton is in splendid repair the body being considered one of the most perfect yet unearthed. The hones of the legs are complete, and a great many pieces of the backbone and neck are also included, the peculiarly small head being easily recognised. The height of the bird when alive is estimated to have reached about Oft 9in.

The attitude of "King"' Rata to the recruiting movement was explained on Wednesday by Keri Toke te Aim President of Local Governments 'states the Xew Zealand Herald), Keri Toke te Aim said it was not correct, as recently reported, that King Rata had thrown himself enthusiastically into the recruiting movement and that there was a possibility of the Waikaios and neighbouring tribes raising a force of from 1.000 to 1000 Maoris for the front. Rtvta's attitude was that if Maoris, wanted to" go they might go. He lead not gone beyond that.

j During the pa <t month four skeleI tons of human beings lyive been found in the QueenstoWn district (reports the correspondent of the Otago Daily Times). One was found at Arthur's Pass by James Atley, while sluicing | in a creek. The others were found at ! Frank ton by a man named Robert ' Nathan Grant. Mr Grant was Jigging out a rabbit burrow and came across three skeletons- about 2ft from the surface, having apparently been buried there in the early days. They are probably the skeletons of Maoris. i The skull in each case was in good I order, and sound.

"Generally speaking. New Zealand •has never been so prosperous," declared the .Minister of Agriculture, when questioned on Friday at Gisborne (says the Poverty Bay Herald). Today, he went on to remark, record prices were being obtained for all our exportable products. The Imperial authorities have purchased and paid to the Xew Zealand Government during the past nine months,-no less than £6.120,000 for beef, mutton, and land), and arrangements have now been made to take one-third of the output of cheese from the factories of the Dominion, equal'to about 15,000 tons. He would like to emphasise the fact that the total exports from Xew Zealand for nine months ending September 30 amounted to £2-1,214,000 } against £2O 505,000 for the corresponding period of 1914, while at the same time the imports decreased from £17,176,310 for the nine months of* 1914 to £16,140,206 for the same period of 1915. Prices now'being obtained by sheepfarmers for their wool clips were the highest in the history of the Dominion. From a statement made by the Minister of Finance, if was clear that the position of the Dominion on November 30 last was satisfactory.but, at the same time i to' maintain a sound financial position, it was essential that a policy of rigid economy would require to be faced. Keeping this in mind, the commercial outlook was good. Unhappily, the cruel war still continued, and was costing the country and the Empire a heavy price in its best and most promising manhood. The time had arrived when they must look the position fairly in the face, and to ensiiYe success to the Allies' great cause, place all their possessions in the one crucible.

Routine orders issued at Trer.tham show thai three privates or the 9th Reinforcements and one private of tue 10th Reinforcements i'lsl Reserve) have l)een discharged recently as being under age. The young fellows had managed to get through part of their training' before attention was drawn to their lack of years.

Mr Hugh M'Keuzie. of Beach Hay (Queenstowu), lias been placed in an awkward predicament through the action of some -hearers who have just arrived from Amitr.dia. They complained of the bread that was baked for them by ".Vi'Ken/ae's cook 'states the correspondent of the Otago Drily Tillies' and wished to instal one ol their own number as took, &\ C< a

week. Mr M'Kensdo uttered to procure bread< for them from the Queenstowu baker, but they then refused to '.Mirk if the ivoman cook was kept on. Mr M'Ken/.ie's: reply was thai the woman cooked at his own house, and if she was good enough for the employer she

should lie good enough for the.men. The latter, however, demanded their wages, and left in a hc.dy. They had shorn- about 10,000 sheep, and have left about 10,000 in the yards waiting to he shorn.

The number ol e'en employed on public works at the present time is small er by about 2000 than it was a yv>u'

ago. . The reduction lias been made without any general dismissal of hands. When men have left Ol' when works have been completed, the vacancies have not been filled, and the officers of the Public Works Department state that there has been no indication of any trouble having been caused. Many of the men ordinarily employed on public works have enlisted, and others have gone into the country to take place of leeniits. The department has lost a number of its engineers owing to enlistment, and they cannot be replaced easily, as special qualifications are required. These circumstances have simplified the policy of retardation announced by the Minister for. Public Works (Hon. W. leaser) during the last session of f'aiiia inent.

The Queenstown correspondent oi the Otago Daily Times writes:—On January 1, Mr Hugh M'Keuzie, oi .Martin's Bay, reported that a man named Frederick (Janitor, 50 years oi' age, arrived from , Chrlstehurch on December 23, and Mr M'Kcnzie informed him he could stay with his brother and himself as long as lie wished. Gaulter took ill on ])ecembei\ 24, and that day attempted to cut his throat with a razor. The M'Kcnzie brothers managed to get the razor from him.but at -I a.m. ofc Christmas Day he eacured" possession of a pea-rifle, rhc M'Kenzie's thinking it was unloaded, paid no attention until they heard a report, and (Janitor fell, and died almost instantaneously. Having buried the body, the brothers had a ,-idc of over 100 miles to report the matter to the police. The deceased was the son of a Presbyterian minister, and a sister live* a, Upborne and a brother.at AYoiiu&lon.

A distinguished Loudon physician, in his speech from the chair at the Royal Infirmary Club dinner a few years ago, discussing the vagaries ol fariie, presented this contrast. Be was walkijig in Hyde Park dose to Buckingham Palaee, at an hour when crowds of fashionable Loudon passed lip and down. He noticed an old gentleman pace slowly along. No one seemed to recognise him; no one sainted him. Thai fan was Loin} Lister, the discoverer of anti-septic surgery; the saver of more lives than all the wars in the world hare losi. in th ' same afternoon the London physician found himself in Regent street. He met a burly, black-bearded t jovial figure. The message hoys shouted recognition to one another, business men nodded and turned round to look alter, the Mmsdrivers jerked their whips over towards him, and called the conductors to look, the whole moving world seo.med to beam on him. 1 hat man was \)i. \Y., 0. Grace.

How strange is lame. In America there are said to be Chaplain ties. Chaplin shirts, Chaplain cocktails; Chaplin yachts, and Chaplin clubs and

societies. One American city rejoices i na, Chaplin street. Yet this ge.iius is' only-a moving-.picture comedian, quite a youth (under 25). and two years ago was the unknown member of a troupe of music-hall knock about comedians. To-day his income is ternlie Toole left a fortune of 170.000. Chaplin must make that almost'in a year. Even his feet are insured for £3OOO. No kinenm exhibition is complete without his quaint presence on the screen, his battered hat and ragged coat, his frayed and baggy trousers, his 'fantastic boots. Well, if we have lost Shakespeare, we must try and stick to Charlie Chaplin. Be was born in Camberwell, and it is but two years since he left for Los Angeles. It shall never be said that we do not appreciate his worth, for only last month I 10,000 picture postcards of him were sold in London alone.