GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 68, 25 February 1916, Page 2

GENERAL.

Over 200 head of cattle per day are how being slaughtered at the Waitara Freezing Works, the sheep, killed being proportionately high (states the Waitara Mail). Consequently the freezing chambers are well on the way to being full up. Some silly fellow has been occasionally appearing in the Dunedin suburbs late at night and scaring unattended ladies the Star.). His practice is to rush sjfter them, give them a push or something of that sort, and then run away. He has done this kind of thing in Heriot row, St. Kilda, and St. Clair. The last time he was heard of was aland a fortnight ago. Anglers this season have had some ' fair sport (reports the Eithara Argus). Mr H. de Launay yesterday secured one of the best baskets we have heard of this season, having taken 25 nice trout from the Mangawhero, some of them weighing up to 51 b. The Mangawhero, below the Skeet road, offers good sport to anglers. A correspondent writes to the Hawera Star as follows:—“1 throw this out as a suggestion—At the conclusion of the war—after matters have been fairly settled—a s a compliment to the Dominions, the reigning monarchs of the Quadruple Entente (also Serbia), should be invited to visit Canada, South Africa, Australia and Now Zealand.” Despite the efforts of the Agricultural Department, lucerne growing has not been taken .up as energetically as it should he. Suitable soil for lucerne exists in most farming districts of New Zealand, and this wonderful fodder plant, where successfully grown, is a veritable gold mine. A Hawke s Bay farmer has earned a profit from ten acres of lucerne amounting to £4O per acre. The land used was previously a mass of Californian thistle, which the lucerne has completely killed out. We (Waitara Mail) are informed that a very large gathering of Maoris is to take place at Waitara about March 14. The occasion is the homecoming of Mrs Hipaugo, and a tangi is to, he held in connection with the deaths of Waata Kipango and other i chiefs. Our informant stated that if I the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa natives come as expected, in addition to Wanganui, there will ho over 600 visitors to Waitara. It transpires that the Federal Prime Minister (Mr Hughes), when he was about to leave Australia for England recently, was regarded as a marked man from the enemy standpoint, and precautions were taken to 'guard him from possible molestation on the occasion of Ids leaving Australia. A ruse was resorted to in cider to throw enemy agents off the V ; eni, and ,i was quite siuccssiuL idle “Sydney Morning Herald,” ol behru'ary 16th. says:—‘‘When Mr Hughes 'and his party left the Central Railjway Station, Sydney, on the evening of January 19th, by the Melbourne mail train, it was naturally thought Iby the cheering crowd that farewelled him that he was off to Melbourne I to, as given out, pick up the English 'mail steamer Osterley there, or at »Adelaide or Fremantle. As a matter of fact. Mr Hughes did not embark 'by the Osterley at either of these places, and did not go far outside 'Sydney in the mail train. At one of the lirst stations at which the train I stopped, the Prime Minister and party jalighted. A motor-car was in waiting! The Prime Minister was then whirled in the automobile to Watson’s Bay. Here Ibe pilot boat (taplain Cook was in waiting, and early 'next morning it took the Prime Minister outside i lie Heads. Ihe Makma, bound for Vancouver, was cruising outside, and Mr Hughes and bis party were transferred by rowing boat from the pilot to the Canadian liner Mr Hughes passed through Suva, Fiji, on January 28th, where a welcome was arranged for him by Australian residents, the secretary of the welcome describing Mr Hughes as ‘the cleverest, the wittiest, and the most popular man in Australia. Writing on January Ist to Mr Macintosh, of Suva the Commonwealth Treasurer (Mr Higgs) informed him that Mr Hughes would leave Sydney by the Makura on January 20th. and he would be. ‘accompanied by Mrs Hughes and the baby.’ ” A Press Association cablegram this week reported that Mr Hughes had been sworn in as a Privy Councillor at Ottawa, and attended a meeting of the Canadian Cabinet.