TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8235, 13 September 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The total value of precious metals and minerals obtained in New Zealand smoe 1853 ia £92,875,260. The following are details, with the amounts won in 1905 (aggregating £3,622,756) in parentheses: Gold, £67,230,584 (£2,093,936); silver, £777,695 (£120,542) copper ore, £18,228 (£17); chrome ore, £38,002 (nil); antimony ore, £52,598 (nil); manganese ore, £61,791 (£165); haematite ore, £439 (nil); mixed minerals, £140,431 (£8,136); coal, £11,602,931 (£838,531); coke (exported), £24,818 (£15); kauri gum, £12,920,531 (£561,444); shale, £7,211 (nil). "Very little," says the Year Book, '•has been done in the colony to prospect and develop mines other than gold end silver. The only exports of metalliferous products last year, excluding gold and silver, were 535 tons of auriferous ore, 28 tons cf scbeelite ore, 55 tons of manganese, and small paroels of other minerals, representing an aggregate value of £8,318.""

According to an official statement recently published in the London 'limes, the number of Indian coolies imported into the Fiji Islands has increased from 17,105 in 190 l to 25,000 in 1905, while the Fijiana have decreased by 4,000 during the same period. In the Federal House of Representatives Mr Crouch directed the Prime Minist t's attention to these figures, and inquired whether the Fiji Islands were included amongst the British islands in the Pacific wbflsh under the constitution would eventually come under Commonwealth control. The Prime Minister stated in reply that; tne constitution gave the Federal Parliament power to legislate with respect to the relations of the Commonwealth with the islands of the Pacific, but gave no authority to assume contrpl, nor did it make any distinction between British and other islands. The present relations between the Commonwealth authorities and those of Fiji, the Prime Minister added, were quite cordial.

Present-day manners in the ballroom were severely oritioised by Mrs Ourrer Briggs, ex-Mayoress of Leeds, at the second day's conference of the Imp'arial Society of Dance Teachers, recently held in Leeds. Speaking at a reception before the congress, she said she wished they could have some of the beautiful dances of olden days, when a pretty woman looked best when she was dancing graoefully, and when men did not think it best to lift their elbows to their earp. In opening the business part of the congress, the president (Mr K. M. Oromptou, of London) declared that they needed some scheme that wouli elevate the tone of dancing and induce parents and principals of schools to appoint none but teachers who were thoroughly qualified. The art of dancing had been degraded in the past by many self-Btyled teachers, whose ignorance of the very rudiments of the art was so lamentable that their teaohing had done more than could possibly be imagined to introduce the present miserable and slovenly dancing into our ball rooms and to bring the profession down to its present level. The "Cake Walk" was oondemned in strong terms as was also romping in ballrooms, both of which had done great harm to the graceful art. If properly taught danoing was an important eduoational element.

Mr J. E. Maroh, Superintendent uf Village Settlements, has issued his annual report. During *he past year the number of seotions taken up under village Homestead regulations was 72, with au area of 657 aoree, and 34 sections, with an area of 1,607 acres, were taken up under

other tenure. Seven sections, with an area of 173 aoreß, were forfeited or surrendered under village homestead regulations, and 19 seatlons, with an area of 106 aores, under other tenure. The number 'of settlers under village homestead regulations on Match 31st last was 1,487, holding an area of 31,672 aores, an average of 21J4 aores each. The number under other tenure was 576, holding an area of 12,980 aores, an average of aores to eaoh settler. The total number of village settlers under all syatema on March 31st last was 2,063, holding an area of 44,652 aures, an average of 21}4 aores to eaoh settler. The annual rent and interest on advances under village rjomestead regulations amount to £5,120, equivalent to a rental of 3s 2d per acre. The annual rent of sections under other tenure was £2,266, equivalent to a rental of 3s 6d per aore. The total annual rent and interest «vas therefore £7,386. !^ r The amount actually paid during the year was £6,559, the whole of the year's rent not being due on sections recently taken up. The actual arrears amount to only £390, about 2d per acre on the area held, or 3s 9d to eaoh settler. The value of improvements on sections held under the village homestead system was £181,620, equivalent to an average of £5 14s per aore, or £122 to eaoh settler. The improvements on sections held uader other tenure are valued at £39,675, equivalent to £3 Is per aore, or £6B 17s to each settler. The number of souls on the land under all systems is 5,378. Of these 2,544 are in the North Island, and 2,834, in the Middle Island.