LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43370, 10 September 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Australian butter imported into

Japan last jear was worth £6414

Two of the greatest literary productions of the Chinese are a dictionary in 5020

vo'umes, and an eneyclopsdia in 22,937 vo’umes. The funeral of the late Mr A E. Rayuer took place at the Waihi cemetery on Sunday, the Rev. Mr Dukes (Te Aroha) officiating. The interment was private, but a large number of the deceased’s relatives were present. A Presbyterian parson in New South Wales compared the number of people who called themselves Presbyterians on the census rolls with the number of actual church members He found that, there were 73,000 Presbyterians in the State who were not church members. He urged the people to look round for their lost sisters and brothers

Property in the Tauranga district continues to attract investors from outside. The last sale recorded was effected

by Messrs Nerns aud B 11, land and estate agents. Tanranga, who disposed of Mr S. Fielding’s property to Mrs Docray, of Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. A record has been established at Springbank, Victoria, by a potato-digger, Patrick Mangan, who dug in six days 150 bags, making an average of 9 b bags a day. In one day he dug and picked up 29 bags, which was his highest tolly. Constable Morris, who was formerly stationed at Thornes and afterwards at Auckland, has been placed io charge of the Kerepehi, and other districts on the Piako, iuclu led in the Thames police district.

“ New Zealand, ” says tho Westminster Gazette of a recent data. “ can hardly be said to have covered itself with glory in the matter of a memorial to tho most famous of its Prime Ministers, the late Mr Seddon. ”

It is s iid that the cupressus macroearpa is a more valuable tree than is generally snpposed ; that trees five or six years old will make fence posts that will last longer than totari Many persons have long advocated planting these trees aud pines extensively on farms to provide shelter for cattle, and suggest that they should ba put in about a yard apart, and thinned out when they are of suitable size. Close planting ensures straight trees with no bottom branches. In view of the fact that before many years' ure past fencing posts will be hard to get, it will be easily seen what possibilities there ure in the mncro-carpa.

The music-loving portion of Te Aroha and district will he phased to leuru that in future they, will be able to purchase a r piauo or an organ, right at their very doors, so to speak. Mr Robt. Huunli ies, so long an 1 favourubly known at Waihi, in musical circles, has decided to open a music emp at Te Aroha having taken a shop'in Whitakor Street, next to Mr Jefforsou’s Pharmacy. Mr Humphries is well-acquainted with the nature of his business, and those riqtiiring musical instruments or music would do well to give him a call. A petition is being sigued in Wellington by jewellers, ironmongers, stationers, tea merchants, grocers, furniture and funcy *good dealers asking that tho coupon system, which entitles the purchaser to a packet of somebody’s tea or baking powder or other article, to receive a prize be abolished. The petitioners claim that such legislation is necessary owing to the use of coupon and Limerick competitions being injurious to honest trading and demoralising to the community.

A man who travelled by the train from Auckland to Wellington, recently took careful note of the duration of the various stops There were 19 in all. ringing from five to 45 minutes, and the stoppage totalled 3hr. 56min- As the total time occupied on the journey was 19J hours, i". appears that the distance was covered i i just under 16 hours. The members of the Young Peoples’ Literary Society met in the Borough Council Chambers on Monday evening last. In spite of the many counter attractions the meeting was well attended, and part of Shakespeare’s wellknown play “ As you like it,” was read. On the 14th inst., the members meet again, when the reading will be continued. These meetings prove not only enjoyable, but are of an educational nature.

An illustration of the depth of the race hatred that has been left to America as a legacy of the slavery system is contained in the following A minister whilst travelling in that country met a negro waiter, an educated and a peculiarly gracious man who in the course of conversation thus expressed himself : “ I was born a slave just about the time of abolition. My mother was a slave. To the day of her death she bore on her body the marks of the whip in wales.” Then, dropping his voice, he added : “ If I could learn the name of the man who did it, and where he is, I would kill him.”

In order to obtain some information for wheat-growers as to the relative results obtained from fallowed and unfallowed land, some of the principal farmers of Victoria were invited by the Government Statist to give their experiences of the two methods last season. Taking the districts as a whole the yield per acre from fallowed is shown to be more than twice as great i s that from unfallowed land, and taking the districts separately that proportion is maintained in each of three principal dstricts.

The Prime Minister, speaking at a luncheon given to Mr Field, M.P., referred to the ensning elections. He said there were about five Government icindidates to one on the other side, but there was just a chance, under the existing electoral laws, of the one slipping in. He hoped to have this remedied during the present session. There would be an alteration of the law in favour of majority representation. He did not think there should be a system in vogue which allowed a minority vote to elect a member. Minority representation was a blot on the dominion which would have to be wiped off. The sun’s rays penetrate the waters of the ocean to a depth of some 200 fathoms. Thus the great part of the ocean bed is pitch dark.