CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 219, 4 February 1913, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

A CURIOUS oaVUKKXCK. Our Tikorangi correspondent reports a curious occurrence. Says ho:—"In connection with the testing of milk, which is an ever-green topic of conversation amongst milk suppliers, a peculiar incident has been brought under my notice which, in my opinio]), goes lo show what a complex and mysterious action the creation of butter-fat really is. Briefly, the facts are as follows: One of our well-known settlers wdio has retired from dairying is the possessor of a. Jersey cow which last season he milked for household purposes. The milk was rich in butter-fat and always showed a good head of cream, so much so that from / to Slbs of butter was made weekly, after n.-ing what milk was required for the house. This season, so as to obviate the necessity of always coming home to milk, the calf was not entirely wcan"<l. bi't was allowed lo suck a "portion ami the rest was milked in the ordinary v.'iiy. But to (he owner's surprise the milk was .so poor that practically no ''«■'<»' «l iiH mse. The calf was'then ii lowed to have its share first, and the stnppmgs were carefully drawn and set. with entirely the same result, with a test, which came out at 2.1 The calf, which was thriving amazingly was limn entirely weaned, and the'milk at once resumed its normal character. \ thick cream rose and one,, again from ''" * '.'* "/ h " ll( ' 1 ' I"''' «■"'* was made. T-rom the foregoing facts, which can he vouched tor. an interesting problem for scientific dairymen arwe-. and if almosf seems as ,f {|,j s ,-ow In particular possesses he power tn control at will ()„■ '"Uer-faf content of her milk. W ,„.. «'"■<• < Ins ,S .SO I w„„|,| „„, wy._l.iit I would bo pleased to hear the '.'!»"""' «' more studious ami M-ienlific f'""'',- °»" tiling it. does prove is that the variations of (he factory (c | ""' not always the re,ult of the allied 'leanous machinations of the unfort,,. mite factory manager."

and semi-tropical walers. Tiny arc ver;, pretty, but their long blue tentacles, when they come into contact with human llesh, raise bad blisters, occasion severe, pain, and bring about a poisoning of the nervous system which produces symptoms very similar to those of acute rheumatism. Mrs. David, wife of I'rofessor David, in her book, "kunal'iui." says: "The natives of Funafuti are more a I raid of a Portuguese man-of-war than of a shark, and if the harmless-looking blue cable of one of these queer creatures happened to twine iisell' round an oar that a native was bidding', that native would leave hurriedly." Sydney bathers have a superstition that, washing blue is a sovereign specific for the sting of the "bluebottle," but the medical authorities recommend first soap and water and then lemon or onion juice. Tf tiie tentacles are not speedily removed from the skin there is a danger of verv sciiou-, if not fatal, result-;.

CASIO] N .MANITAtTTKE. The manufacture of casein bids fair to become a notable industry in Taranaki. if we may judge from the number of factories that are undertaking to deal with this by-product of the dairy industry. The Midhirst Dairy Company have installed a plant, and are manufacturing the article, whilst the Nori.li Taranaki Dairy Company (I'reniii). the liel! IJlock Company, and the Lepperton Dairy Company have, we understand, all resolved to start the process immediately, and the Waitara Company will meet to-day to discuss the subject. BOAT I NT! OX Till': LAKE.

Some time ago a deputation representing the Expansion and Tourist League waited upon the chairman of the Pnkcknra Park ISoard relative to the charges, etc.. made for boat hire. At its meeting last evening the iioavd decided upon a fresh .set of regulations and rales, which are published elsewhere. We would suggest that notice-boards should be placed in conspicuous positions in the Park. Then there would be less heard of overcharging for what is a pleasant lit He diversion. AMERICAN WOOL DUTIES.

Kvcn the republicans and Mr. Taft admitted I lial some of the duties are too high and should be reduced, and it i.-, lioforiou- Mia' one of the duties unmistakably too high is that on wool. Mr. Champ Clark, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Wilson's prineipal opponent for the Democratic in,iniiiatii.il. d'>elared. in an attack on the woo! duties, that a man in the United States pays CO for a suit of clothes which he can obtain in England for ,C 3. If is extremely probable, therefore, t.liat the current year will see a sweeping reduction of the American wool duties and a great impulse given to the purchase of that valuable staple in Xew Zealand bv American buyers.—Auckland Herald.

Till' XEW ZEALAND DEATH. "Drowning has been called the Xew Zealand death," says the Wanganui Chronicle, "and so far as the present year at least is concerned the Dominion, and Wanganui in particu'ar. has been keeping up its name but too well." Our contemporary reckons up thirty-four persons in the Dominion who have met their fate by drowning in the four weeks since the Xew Year opened. The list is as follows: —Wanganui 4, Aobanga 4, Kangitata 2, Dunedin 2, New Brighton 2, Sumner 2. (Jisborne 2, llukatere 1, Morrinsville .1, Mokau 1, Masterton 1, Waimauka. 1. Waipawa 1, Christchurcli ii, Manaia 1, Crevmouth 1, Omata 1, Te Went 1 and (ikere 1. The deaths at Wanganui were all in the river. There were no fatalities on the, beach at Castlecliff, but many narrow escapes were reported there, and the immunity from deaths is attributed to the good v.ork ot Hie Sort' Club.'

MoI'XTAIX ci.nir.ixf;. Mr. W. A. Collis, chairman of the Xortli Egmont Mountain House Oommit tec, in conversation with a News representative yesterday, said our correspondent, Mr. W. Baxter, of Egmont Village, confuses the Mountain House Committee with the gentlemen who have undertaken tin- responsibility of building the new hostel. "As," said Mr. Collis, "lie infers I lnil, (he committee, have spent their money in studying the comfort of visitors instead of seeing to the safety of mountain climbers.. I would point out that ihe committee's funds have always been very limited, and it is always a question of money for pressing needs. If tin' money is provided we will Tie only t on pleased to provide further safeguards. I would, however, point out that the side (racks (hat have been eiil round part of (he mountain, under Mr, Murray's direction. partly to meet the cases of persons losing themselves, who were supposed to in such eases simply come down the mountain till tliey mossed the said tracks, and thus find their way back to the right road home. However, if this plan fails to entirely meet, the case, we are quite willing t,o do other work if the money can be found, ami probably, when the committee decide what is best to he done, Mr. Baxter and others interested may have an opportunity given them of assisting by contributing their mite towards such work. At the present the plan that, I think may be the easiest to aeeomplish. financially and otherwise, is a strong wire rope leading out of the crater through the correct entrance, down over the Lizard and scoria, past the moss and on to the ridge at Humphries' Castle, where a well-defined track is picked up. This would minimise the risk of losing one's way. but would not meet the cases of persons, climbing alone and meeting with mishap. The folly of climbing without, adequate company cannot be too strongly impressed on ail." In regard to installing a telephone. Mr. Collis says it. is inadvisable. Had it been in existence on Sunday week it would have availed iiolhing, and probably, instead of one fatality, there would have been two. presuming the parties had remained awaiting relief they had sent for per telephone, as in such weather conditions safety lies in reaching lower altitudes at the earliest possible opportunity.