GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1919, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

Maori soldiers have recently been much ifl the picture at the old parish church of Chertsey, from which, prior to the war, the surt'ew had sounded for several centuries without it break (says the Londoii Daily Mail). Private ft. W. Waitia, of the New Zealand l'erce, was married to Miss Emily Pearce, of Fordwater Eoad, Chertsey. The happy pair were, then accompanied by LanceCorporal Komene Poutu, another Maori, and Miss Alice Julia Pearce, sister of the bride, the former being described as the son of W. J. Poutu, farmer, of Hixbay, Wellington, New Zealand. Corporal Poutu and Miss Alice Pearce entered their names in the parish church register as witnesses of the marriage. They had never met before, but after only nine days, they, too, appeared at the old church and were married. To complete the romance, Private Waitia and his bride appeared in turn as witnesses, and their signatures were attached to the register. The announcement that Captain Frank. Wilde will command an aeroplane expedition to the North Pole has special interest to residents of Christchurch (says the Christchurch Star), because Captain Wilde made some very cl«,se friendships when he was in that city, preparatory to leaving with expeditions to the South Pole. Captain Wilde was a member of both of Captain Scott's and Sir E. Bhackleton's expeditions. He left, Christchurch first in 1901 with the Discovery (Captain Scott) jthen in 1903 with the Nimrod (Sir E. Shackleton), in 1910 with the Terra [ Nova (Captain Scott), and finally in .Sir E. Shackleton's last expedition, by the Weddel Sea, on the other side of the globe, in 1914. On that occasion the leader and his men went through some extraordinary adventures, and endured almost incredible hardships. Captain Wilde is. about forty-five years of age, a man of splendid physique, and with a eery likeable disposition. His brother, Mr Ernest Wilde, also known in Christchurch as an explorer, was killed in the Mediterranean Sea while in charge of a mine-sweeper.

"Such a thing is unique in war-time," said a leading estate auctioneer to the London Evening News, "and is evidence of not only of there being plenty of money in the country, but of the returning confidence of investors " The speaker was referring to seven large sales conducted by his firm in one fortnight, ranging from the Midlands to the South Coast, and including farms, licensed premises, and residential property. "In forty-five years," he said, "I have known nothing like it.'' Auctioneers, he said, were never so busy. An estate in Cheshire was sold last month for £51,000, or an average of £sl an acre, compared with £4B, the highest price for agricultural land hitherto obtained in the county. "I account for these high prices," he said, "by the fact that the price of grain lias been guaranteed for a few years, and by the feeling that we shall never revert to free trade." Cows which used to sell at £23 to £25 now fetch from £SO to £6O. The farmers are getting a stake in the country. An American statistician is quotqd today as estimating that an indemnity of £540,000,000 annually can be collected from Germany without breaking down her industries, and that the amount can be increased gradually co about £700,000,200 annually. These sums in themselves look large; but they fall considerably short of what Germany will be required co find if anything like an adequate indemnity is exacted. Probably also they are considerably short o: what Germany io capable of paying if account is taken of her enormous reFiuircej in ores and other raw materials. It hasi been estimated that the war cost 3 of the' Allies aggregate £25,000,000,000. £540,000,000" per annum would amount to a little over twp per cent on this sum, and £700,000,000 to less than three per cent. The Allies, therefore, will demand substantial heavier payments from Germany unless they are prepared to forego payments to which they aro justly entitled.—Dominion.

In another year or two Alaskan reindeer meat will be coming into the market, says an American paper. Alaska's present reindeer hcrda number 200,000 head, and they ordinarily double in number every three years. About ten per cent, annually are surplus males that can be marketed without impairing the future supply A shipload of the meat reached Seattle this summer from Norn?, and it found ready favor in the market. The deer, fattened on tha Northern grass and mosses, were in prime condition, and averaged about 150 pounds dressed. The Federal Government put the Northern Esquimau in the way of financial independence when it started him in reindeer breeding 20 years ago. The natives now control the majority of the herds, and private capital is also being attracted to the busincM. Inspired by the example of America. Canada, is now encouraging reindeo-: breeding in its north-west territories, ,;nd on the Crown lands of the Western proi'inces. An Indian company liu-it recently oppiicd for and bo«?n grunted a permit for the use of certain territorh'! graidnn; land;-, for 37 yearj. Private cn.pitd is r.ivitc-d to invest in the industry, which is re-

garded r.,0 m ii!ipork'.:ii fc.".cur« of Canada's hiicin.' dcvelcpmest, 'TV WcUord ranges Ion?: ejro cerjral 1,0 fnrnirfii any important som-cu!: o'-. beef supply in the United St.<-:,-s, di:o in the of thc.=e diiitrii::-, by farmers! and the utilising of thn for growing crops. Canada and Alaska Ir.iva v:at traefai of land suitable for the reindeer industry, bui too far north for a.tik to do well. In this situation reindeer ranches prom< iso profitable earning, ss woli s. l toi»tf relief to the public iii market prices.