TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8106, 29 March 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Minister for Lands states that, with regard to tho encroachment of the Manawatu River upon the Ngawapurua Forest Reserve, a report has been obtained which shows that the Manawatu River has eaten into a portion of the road reserve whioh adjoins the river, and also that there has been a very extensive erosion of the Ngawapurua Forest Reserve. Tbe river has encroached on the Tiraumea Road at the point, washing away about some four or five chains, and it is evident that some steps will have to be taken to prevent the further encroachment of the river. The Commissioner of Crown Lands h»s been instructed to have an estimate of the cost of erecting protective works to preserve the river banks from destruction.

In giving evidence before the Shipping Service Commission at Melbourne, Mr Pranois Keep, a hard--ware merchant, and a prominent member of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce, was asked the opinion of the Commonwealth running a steamship service of its own. His reply was short, and to the point:— "I cannot see how it is possible for suoh a line to be commercial ly successful. The ships would oost more to build more to man ana manage. They could not be laid up in times of bad trade. The line would have to be run at a loss at times, and it could not, for Dolitioal reasons, make it up by increased charges. The Government cannot make a profit out of the necessities of its own people."

Wholesale aggregation of landed estates is said to be going on in the Tapanui district, Otago. The local paper, in an editorial, declares that although large estates have been frequently opened in the district for closer settlement, there is no actual increase in population, simply because the purchase of adjoining farms or small holdings is going on steadily, and the "big men" are "eating up" the little ones. . . . Some families have dummied in a wholesale manner, and hold several sections without homesteads on any of them; and the Land for Settlements Act is generally infringed without interference by the Land Board, who ought to declare forfeited some of the sections that have been taken up for speculative purposes. Right throughout this district there is an object lesson of decreasing population and falling oft in school attendance, simply

owing to the aggregation of farms by both freeholders- audi leaseholders.

Tbe Governments'has fleoided- to defray the costr of shipping to London fifty tone of shale from Orepaki for testings purposes.- The shipment is being made' on the advice of Sir Boverfcon Red wood,, who will supers intend the tests-inn Scotland and report on them, audi then select the expert to go oat' to Orepuki k He assured the secretary of the New Zealand Coat and OiliCbmpany that he was convinced 1 by the light thrown by recent developments on> the treatment of shale, that Orepuki could be;* made a very successful undertaking. He added'that the British Government must have all the oil that could be produced in the colonies;.at present it was putting its band on every gallon* it oould get hold of;

The value of prohibition orders is strongly questioned, but Mr Kettle, Magistrate, at is a believer in their efficacy. He stated that be was quite satisfied that prohibition orders did a great deal of good, and in this he was supj ported by the police. In bis opinion those best able to judge were the magistrates and police, and the police were with him that orders had a deterrent effect. As far as hotelkeepers were concerned they could only bo oonvioted of serving prohibited persons when it was shown that' they knew that a person was prohibited or did not take reasonable precautions tO' find out. He still held the opinion' that prohibition orders had a very good effect, that it was worth while to is«ue them, and bo would continue to do so, notwithstanding statements made by persons not in a position to judge.

Referring to the recont conference of sawmilllers in Palmerston North tbe Grey River Argus says:—"The principal business done was the unanimous decision arrived at to advance the prioe of heart of rimu timber to the Government to one shilling per 100 superficial feet. Much discussion*ensued on the subject of the importation into Wellington of timber from' non-associ-ated mills and also, the supply by associated mills of timber to nonassooiated 'timber merchants. Mr Morris, of Greymouth, threw- the blame on tbe North Island associations, and the reason the West Coast Association had transgressed was .that they,.rhaa not been properly 'posted with regard to the names of the merchants who had withdrawn from the North Island Timber Merchants' Associations. Regarding the importation of timber into Wellington by non-associated mills it was decided to appoint two members uf the conference to wait on the West Coast sawmillers to see if any arrangement oan be ccme to.

Mr Marriott's steam-propelled Stanley automobile, which covered one mile the otlier day on Ormond Beach, Florida, in the record time, of 281-58608, is attracting more attention now than at the time the record wae made (writes a New York correspondent). People have now begun to realise what suoh an astounding performance means. In England and America trains have occasionally done one mile in just over 3lspcs, but one mile in 28 l-sseos is undoubtedly tbe fastest time every recorded-by any human contrivance on wheels. The weird, canoe-shaped machine on bicycle wheels, says an eye-witness, did not seem to travel on the ground, but to fly over the track, barely skimming the surface. Both Mr Stanley and Mr Marriott are Americans. Mr Stanley, who now holds the reputaton of being the builder of the fastest car in the world, says, that the mile will be covered shortly in 24secs, but he believes that that figure represents the limit. Despite his thick glasses, Mr Marriott says the rush of wind during his record performance out bis eyes and pained bis face greatly. Subsequently another wonderful feat in motoring was accomplished, and another record established for Ormond Beach. Mr GliEford, the English amateur, driving a 90-h.p. English Napier, suooeeded in covering 100 miles in lhr 15mins, reducing the previous records made on the same track by several minutes.