TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7954, 1 February 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Hawera Star says:—The boring for petroleum in New Plymouth has again reached a critical stage. At Moturoa the bore is down about 2,300 feet, and while there is a good deal of oil coming up and being barreled and sold, there is still tiouble with the water. If this can be shut off by the casing it is confidently believed that the gas below would force up the oil so that there would be a good flowing well. Once this was achieved the experimental stage would be over, and there would be no lack of capital to exploit the iudustry for many miles around. In a tew days it will be known whether the syndicate conducting the experiment will be suocesful or compelled to desist. Certainly the perseverance shown for many years under somewhat dispiriting circumstances deserves success.

Information concerning the receipts and expenditure under the Consolidated Fund for the quarter ended December 31st last published in last Thursday's Gazette, shows that the ordinary revenue was £1,979,757, and the territorial revenue £2,038,705, the total re ceipts being £2,774,669 7s 2d. Under permanent expenditure the sum of £1,037,594 18s 7d was appropriated. This amount inoludes the civil list endowments, and Old Age Pensions Fund, and the sum at Jaohed to the latter heading is £72,813 14s lOd. The annual appiopnationp which show a small increase on those of the previous year, bring the total to £2,774,669 7s 2d. The expenditure from cbe Public Works Fund was:—On railways, £192,000, on the utilisation of water-power, £870; on publio buildings, £39,558; on lighthouses harbour works, etc., £903, tourist and health resorts, £2647; immigration, £3210; roads, £44,609. Other expenses brought the total to £309,527.

Tbe Government Biologiot, in a leaflet which he has just issued, states that tbe onion miidew baa been greatly in evidence, the climatic conditions during the' past season having been especially favourable for its rapid dispersal. The disease is caused by a fungus, a near relation of the dreaded potato blight. The first signs of disease consist,of the development of yel lowish patches ou tne leaves. These areas soon become covered with a delicate coating of mould, much as if they had been powdered with flour. This coating soon changes to a grey or light-brown colour. Mean while the disease increases rapidly until tbe the whole leaf is affected and withers away. Mr Kirk recommends that the crop should be thoroughly sprayed with Bordeaux mixture as a preventive, but, if that has been neglected, ' then it should be sprayed as soon as the disease is detected. Spraying should be repeated whenever the disease appeals to be gaining ground. The use of potassium-sulphide—loz to two gallons of water—is also effectual, and is recommended for small plots.