ITEMS FROM NEAR AND FAR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 28 September 1907, Page 3

ITEMS FROM NEAR AND FAR

There arc (it) registered motor-cyclists in and around Wellington. North Island Maoris, who are credited by old residents with possessing almost supernatural pre.-ciciue in matters meteorological, are busy foretelling an early and hot summer in New Zealand. It is stated that the proprietor of a hotel on the outskirts of the Ashburton electorate lias paid .CI 0.000 to a Christchurch wine and spirit merchant for spirits obtained during a period of less than two years.

The defeated competitor in the Marton to Taihape walking race the other day, made an attempt to regain his laurels in a 100 yds sprint with a local carter for £lO a-sidc. The match toolc p'aec at Taihape, and resulted in the defeat of the boniface. The alarming increase of suicide among school children and very young people in Germany has received a fresh illustration, says the Berlin correspondent of the London Chronicle, by the suicide of a schoolboy at Ileilbroun. The lad, who was 15, having heard from his former master that he had failed to a certain examination, drew a revolver from his pocket and shot himself through the head in the presence of the entire school. Professor Eulenburg stales that during the last 12 years he has traced 1152 cases of, children who have committed suicide, of whom more than half have been driven to this act by failure to pass school examinations or bv overwork at school.

The advertiser must advertise to secure his custom and then continue advertising to hold it, says the Caxton Magazine. Advertisers who have never advertised except in a spasmodic manner ' no doubt think (and rightly, too) that 1 advertising may be all right, but it has never done much for them. But with the continuous advertiser all is different, lie hasn't any doubts, he knows it pays, and all about him know it pays. The advertiser who keeps everlastingly at it does not have to complain of a poor season, for the crop he cultivated in summer has only to be harvested in j winter. His advertisements are in I every issue of the best mediums, and—if they are good—are always read, ft is only by continuous advertising that one can realise the profits or fully appreciate the power of advertising.

Lapsing into retrospection at Friday's gathering of postmen in Wellington, says tin l Post, I lie Postinaster-Ccncral' compared the growth of the Post and Telegraph Department since 1890—when he became Postniaster-d'encral—with the present day. In 18!)0 the number of articles handled by the post was 37% millions—a three-fold increase. The revenue for 188!) was- £M5,339; for last year it was £740,250, while the balance of revenue over expenditure had increised from £12,732 to £127,120 in 1900. The number of telegrams had increased from 1% millions in 1800 to nearly ti% millions in 1000. Receipts from telegrams had in the same period increased from £10,252 to £100,810., and that, they should remember, on a diminishing rate. The revenue of the Post and Telegraph Department showed no signs of decline, and there had been extensions by the service in almost every direction.

Senhor Ilinlze Rilu'iro, who for 2i) years had led the Conservative party in Portugal, died suddenly early in August under tragical circumstances. The deceased statesman had attended the funeral of Count Casal Ribeiro, a personal friend and a menilier of the House of Peers. It was noticed that he was greatly agitated, and before the ceremony was ended he was overcome by emotion, and died ifi a few moments from failure of the heart's action. His death caused a sensation in political circles, be having been the protagonist of Senhor Joaco Franco, the Premier. In the present circumstances his death is a serious blow to the Conservative party. Sinlior liibeiro had held Cabinet rank, having been Minister for Foreign Affairs in Dom Serpa Pimcntal's Cabinet for eight months in 1890, after the fall of the De Castro Ministry.

The Christchurch Press, dealing with the complexities of the new Land and Income Assessment Bill, remarks that one merit of the Land Tax Act in the past has been that it was possible for an intelligent layman to make out what was tlie amount of tax for which he was liable, and he could fill in his return with reasonable confidence, and he could do so correctly without the risk of being called to account for attempting to d> fratid the Oovernment. Under tlie new Bill the intelligent layman will be a very bold man indeed if be attempts to make cut his own land tax return. It looks ;is if he would require, not only the assistance of his lawyer, but also of a skilful accountant as well.

Berlin is being terrorised by a ruffian who has made a series of murderous attacks on little girls. Parents are afraid to let their children go into the streets, and, unless an escort is available, they are timorous even of sending them to school. This monster began his work by murdering one little girl and making fiendish attacks on two others, and he made another attempt to take the life of a child. He went to the staircase of a tenement house not far from the centre of the city, and seized ITelenc Arcndt, a girl of twelve years, who was coming down the stairs. He clutched her by the throat to prevent her crying cut, and was in the act of drawing his knife, when the occupants of one of the tenements appeared on the stairs. The ruffian fled at once, ami left his victim to rejoice over her escape from serious injury. There is no definite clue to his identity, and the efforts of the police have failed to secure Ids arrest. Several persons have been detained on suspicion, but the real criminal is still at large, and pending his capture the parents of girls in Berlin are in a state of virtual panic.

The conditions under which the Government of the colony grants passages at reduced rates from tin? United Kingdom to New Zealand do not appear tu be generally known, judging from the mnnlier of cmpiiries made by us, savs the I'ost, and also to the Immigration Department. Assisted passengers may travel by the Shaw-Savill, New Zealand, or Federal Companies' steamers. The pavincnts required from a passenger are as'follows;—Second class, -C27; third class (two-lierth cabin), Cl2; thirdclass (four-berth cabin), .till. Children between three years and twelve years of age, travelling with their parents.are charged half-price. One child under three years of age in each family is taken free. A quarter fare is charged for each additional child under three years of age. The full rates are—Second class, .CSS; and third class, £2l or £lo—a reduction to the passenger of £ll in the second class or £!) in the third ciass. The question of suitability of any applicant for reduced passage is decided by the High Commissioner. Residents in the colony may nominate near relatives for passages at reduced rales, and pay the necessary sum to the Under-Secretary for Immigration, Wellington. The persons nominated must be within the age limit, and have a suitable occupation or calling. A nomination is accepted only upon the understanding that the relative in the colonv is responsible for the nominee immediately on arrival.

Captain Allman's suggestion that homing pigeons could he valuably einnloyod liy steamers in ease of mishap has" been In ought under the notice of the Christchurch fanciers. They stated that the proposal would be impracticable as far astho Tas-.nan Sea was concerned. They Mid that the common impression that a ''homer" finds his way back to his loft by instinct was ipiite erroneous. It has been ascertained by experiments on Transatlantic liners that a homing pigeon's limit distance from a point at sea to laud was about .'!SO miles, and that only under favorable conditions. The average limit would be about 20) miles, and even then the conditions would have to be fair. In a long distance trial in New Zealand under adverse circumstances, only 5 per cent, of the birds got home, 1 lie rest being completely beaten by a strong wind In the neighborhood of Coo); Strait. At sea, unless the atmospheric conditions permitted the birds to sight the land. 1 hoy could nut return, and over distances so gival that the rolundity of (lie oavih prevented the pigeons from sightinir bind at all it was impossible to use them. Carrier pigeons were used with "great success by coasting schooners in the timlier trade in New Zealand, and by the naval authorities at. Home for coastal work, but for a long distance pea voyage (lie carrier pigeon Mas absolutely outclassed as a means of communication by the Marconi telegraph system,