ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43216, 17 August 1907, Page 1

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The Crafton bridge gt Auckland will have the greatest single span in the world. There are nearly 13,000 more horses in Mew Zealand than there were twelve months ago. As a result, of the keen demand for land) in Southland, several areas that have ; lain in their natural state are now being drained and brought into _ cuMyation. In reply to a query as to the reason why Australians are so obviously superior as rifle-shots, the Sydney Daily Telegraph offers the word “rab- ’ bite” in solution. , .. A..woman in .Sydney was suffocated by ' hear own. dress: 'While intoxicated her head;had: fallen: upon her skirt;, and she had! been unable to move. Hie Honor District) Judge Haseiden , remarked) at Palmerston • North that he was pleased to see men trying to get along in the world, but he d’e- . plored the. system of getting cows, i farms, etict,. in .their wives’ names, "which, meant that the creditors were i; being deprived of money that was going into the pockets of both the ddbfor,and his wife. ' A man.who appeared in the Magis’Court in Christchurch, on a charge -.of 'having been found drunk =• on Saturday night, said that he was a member 1 of a football team,. “All the more reason for your sobriety, r ’ returned iMir H. WV Bishop, S.M., the presiding Magistrate; : “We came into u- town,your Worship,” replied the man, “and we went mad.” Thb return/ of gold duty for the year ended- December 31, 1906, and for. the Quarter ended March 31st, 190 T, for the Thames is as follow's: ■County £Bl4 5s 8d and £147 15®: Bdrpueh £4370 3s 2d and 1 £2224 ips l-idi ! / Wsth a view to satisfying himself as to. the purity or otherwise of liquor sold in. country hotels, Inspector Ellison recently had samples of beer, whisky, and other liquor taken from houses in the Marlborough and Wairarapa districts submitted for analysis. The results proved that none : of the liquor had been adulterated except whisky and brandy taker: from) oah&. house.

It is in; the Marine Report -that on' 1 © of the persons who ob tadnedi a .certificate of competency Storing! the year* was a woman, Mis 1 - J. A. McKegg, of Henley, hav-inr passed the necessary examination, and obtained aJ certificati© as engineer of a restricted-limit vessel propelled by "gas, oil, fluid, electricity, or other mechanical power ' than steam. This Is the first! instance in which the department has granted a certificate to " a woman 1 . The Salvation Artny is doing goo'cf work among the Maoris in tlie Ray of Plenty district.. Finding that the potato crop Was a failure the Army de- * vised ’a! 'scheme /for supplying the Maoris with enrolovment. hy establish- : ing a fish-smokehouse at Rhngawea The!: Maoris catch and smoke the fish under Army supervision'. Twentvthree boats ate ini constant' use in the trade.- There is a great demand for 1 this I fish. *•; A lucid and) desiring 400 doz. a week, besides an unlimited quantity of fresh' fish. The Dunlop Rubber Company, of ■• Australasia (through' their New Zealand; manager), announce that this year the road race usually held in New the -purpose of selecting * ! tte TOMweapabTe riders to represent ? nl ’annual road oham-i Australasia cannot be held, -S the company pay all the including those of the mien- chosen, they have been in formed that the police force and vari- ■ ous. local. foodies intend! to - suppress Voad racing.. . This is : to be regretted igr the .annual road’'fixture was an important item, and brought to light some splendid , New Zealand riders! One of the passengers in the recent goods train accident; Mr MtCbmmons, displayed remarkable coolness during the mad, rush down hill. His evidence in the - Court was very; clearly - and toaiurally' .given. He knew that the train had’ broken' away and he thought And came to the conclusion "it was all up,” nevertheless to use his own words, “I (tried to jolly my friend up, Abid put down' all. the windowis so that if we Vere killed we Wouldn’t be cut about, much.” Speaking of the pace the 'tjrain» Was: travelling' Mr MoCommons,humorbusly remarked ‘iThat Newt Zealand has ) the ' record; for iroaen’. meat, butter and l football, and mpw I r reckon youVe got the 'record for travelling.” Both Mo McCominons -.are .loud. in their trealtment by, Railway officials, police and all those whom contact with. When told by the Coroner {Mr London) that there Was. no* power tio release him {Mr - MoCommons) although lie had given- evidence, he remarked ‘'Alright, l isuppose you’ll find me a% return the people here rifoe and I- shan’t. .think it any hartyiip to come - back if I 1