GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 32, 13 January 1916, Page 7

GENERAL.

The estate oi' the late Mahuta Takhiao, the Waikato Maori "King," war. certified to recently as totalling a value of £10,854. The Carterton police were keeping a bright look-out lor.ears coming.from the races (says the Wairarapn Tunes). As a result some 25 car drivers will be requested to attend at court to discuss speed matters. A race meeting— the first with a totalisator permit--was held at ivaramea* in the Buller district, on New Year's Day. The patronage of local residents was disappointing, only some £SOO being put through the machine. In one race the winner was not backed, and the machine paid out on the second horse. An exceptionally heavy thunderstorm Fell in the Bombala district (N.5.W..) on 30th nit., causing much damage to stock and property. The Bombala River, from being dry, ran n banker in a short time. At the Aston station, six miles out, two leading bullocks in a team loaded with wool were drowned on the roadway before the carrier could unyoke them. Two million live hundred thousand dollars in English gold (says the San Francisco Chronicle) made up the most valuabjo part of the cargo brought to San Kraneisco from Australia and New Zealand by the Union Steam Ship Company's liner Moana, Captain J. D. Stringer. This money is the largest shipment to come on a Union Company's steamer, but it is only half the amount which has come on both the Ventura and Sonoma of the Oceanic Company, from Sydney during the last few weeks. All of this gold being shipped to California, is to pay for food and other supplies which have been sent to the Antipodes in large quantities since the war started. Several times attempts have been been made to work the cinnabar deposits which are known to exist at Ohaeawai, north of Whangarei, but lack of capital hitherto prevented the

achievement of success. Dr. J. M. Flatau, of Sydney, who has heen investigating' the field in the interest:: of a Sydney syndicate, is so .satisfied with the result of the investigations made that ho has purchased an area on hehalf of his employers. Heretofore the main difficulty has been to sink shafts on account of the proximity of the hot springs, but Dr. Flatau considers that can bo overcome by proper methods. The syndicate will probably obtain the services of an expert either from Mexico or Spain. While in the North, Dr. Flatau visited Puhipuhi, and expressed the opinion that there is a .valuable' mine field. in that neighbourhood also, but he prefers Ohaeawai, where there is a lode four feet in width. "■"■* The billiard-room of the Earl of Zetland Hotel, • Swanston Street, ' Melbourne, was thrown into a panic the other day during the dinner-hour by the sudden report of a revolver, the bullet from which' struck two men who were playing billiards. One of them, Alex. M'lvinnin (27), son of the licensee, received a wound in the left shoulder near the neck, and the other man,. W. Burston (26), living as Ascot Vale, had a narrow escape, the bullet going through his waistcoat and grazing one of his ribs. Whence the bullet "came is a mystery. The bullet passed through Burston's waistcoat and struck M'Kinnoh, who cried out that that be bad lost the use of his arm. It was then discovered that he was bleeding profusely at the shoulder. Hewas taken to Melbourne Hespital, and admitted, but was subsequently removed to a private hospital. Just before the shooting several young men ivere skylarking at the other end of the room, and it is thought that one of them perhaps had a revolver in his pocket which was discharged, in the rought-and-tumble. During the confusion that followed, several men left the billiard-room before the police arrived. '

Shearing at the Warwick Downs Station, Otapiri, lour men put up n record with sheep-shearing nuichineh 'says the Win ton Record). They got through 97?- full-fleeced "-keep in the day. Chinamen are generally credited with being lucky individuals on a racecourse. A son of the Flowery Land wlas "chaffed" a good deal at the Grcymouth trots while stuffing hi® pockets at the back of thoHotalisator with rolls of notes, the result of £2 invested on the- winner of;the lluiij anga Handicap. "John" took the barrack in good part, as lie, indeed, could afford to do, for his profits on the race exceeded four score in ciagles.

Thi? 12 trousei'-i'lacl women windowcleaners of Nottingham have rapidly i'everted to skirts and blouses (says the "Daily News"). Their uniform of tunic and trousers, which closely resembled workmen's overalls, did not please the Nottingham workgirls, who are said to be anion})- the smartestdressed girls in England. Crowds of girls would follow the trouser-clad women through the streets, asking 'questions and making loud catcalls. Flesh and blood could not stand it. The women went to their employers and protested. Now they wear skirts once more.

New Year's Eye passed off quietly in Perth. By the Colonial Secretary's direction the hotels were closed at 9 o'clock. When the hotels closed. about 200 soldiers marched to the Perth Drill Hall and gave .themselves) into official control. The .closing of the hotels secured a peaceful night. Under the Act passed last session the closing hour in Perth was at 9 o'clock, but the Scaddan Government postponed the operation ol the Act till after the Christmas and NewYear holidays until January ](). The Colonial Secretary, on Friday night, acted on his own discretion, as Minister controlling the Police Department.

It is interesting to note how the Government lias benefitted by the holiday race meetings in Auckland this year. The total amount invested was £301,123 (says the Wellington Post). Ten per cent, of that total is apportioned for the racing clubs and the State. The former receive 1\ per cent, and the latter 2i per cent. Therefore the clubs benefitted to the extent of £30,112. A special war fax of 1\ per cent., as prescribed by "The Finance Act, 1915," was also deducted from the dividends. An additional sum of £6947 19s 9d was realised for the Treasury in this way during the seven days' racing. The amounts of money mentioned were not, of course, all in circulation among race-goers. Some of it was invested over and over again on the machine during the ot> races which were run during the seven days.

At an inquiry at Tanfttorlh concerning a fire which consumed a wheat paddock at Bective, evidence was given ,by one witness to the effect that after the fire he saw in the paddock a kerosene tiii": —I'TYldPTTveath it wer e two pieces of deal hoard fixed so as to make a bracket. The crosspicco had a hole in it. There was <> quantity of short straw underneath the bracket. It was saturated with kerosene. The two pieces of wood were also-satura-ted with kerosene. Sergt. Doran gave evidence as to having , visited the scene of the fire. He said he saw two of deah board which appeared to have been used as brackets for holding a candle. He found no traces of candle greece. The Coroner returned a verdict to the effect that the crop was maliciously and wilfully sot fire to by some person or persons unknown.

A statement supplied last week by a man with business connections in the South Sea Islands shows how, in 1908, German agents were at work in Tahiti ostensibly trading, but really in pursuance of a commission' from the German War Office. Tracing 'under a French name, the German company showed remarkable activity in acquiring land at the chief harbors-in Tahiti. About the same time' there came from Samoa Herr Schultz, an officer of the German Government. He was said to be on a short visit for health, but stayed- six months with. Herr Coppen wrath. He became mixed up in the land purchasing scheme. The death of Heir Coppenwratij revealed the fact that the German land jobbers had in their minds neither copra noi' mother of pearl, but, acting on behalf of the German Government, were, as fast as opportunity could be found, acquiring the island by bits, particularly sites most valuable from a naval and military view-point, i 1 Mention has been made in British journals of the fact that the Hat-top-ped caps of the British troops made excellent marks, even at a distance of 'several miles, owing to the reflection 'of the light from its tightly-stretched {surface. In the manoeuvring of troops in and about the camps in New Zealand, according to the L/ominion, this has been demonstrated. At a distance of two miles the caps of the officers have been seen to gleam like whitepainted objects. The troops, however, usually manoeuvre and skirmish in their felt hats. A soldier who has been through a good deal of this mimic warfare savs he was surprised to und«what an excellent mark these felt hats made. It was easy to pick up men who were scattered over ground covered with grass and send), merely •by their hats, though the wearers lay as Hat as possible upon the ground. On the other hand, a hatless man was most difficult to see. Possibly, he said, the service cap, with the wire stiffening taken out, will prove to be | the best headgear for the soldiers to wear in action..

A lady when travelling from Kingston to Gore recently left her handbag in the train when she left the train at Gore. The handbag contained £3O in notes and sundry articles, dust before the train left Gore the lady missed her bag and, luckily, for her, the guard had discovered it and placed it among his lost luggage parcels. He was rewarded with a gracious smile. .

Some mean-spirited practical joker has been airing his hoodlum tricks in Midhirst, the result of which is. that Lister Bros, were the losers of about 300 loaves of bread, and residents were all on short commons in consequence (says the correspondent of the Taranaki Herald). When the baker came to make up the breed lie found that the dough had been tampered with. It seemed a shame to thin 1 ; of the waste when so many were in want of so much bread for the holidays.