LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9105, 3 June 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the meeting of the Greytawn Borough Council, on Monday evening, Crs Kempton, Judd and Stevens, resigned. The Borough Council will meet as a Works Committee on Friday evening to discuss the estimates for the current year. Hugh Kerr, with several previous convictions, was fined £1 for drunkenness, at the Masterton Police Court, yesterday, by Mr E. G. Eton, J.P. At the meeting of the Eketahuna branch' of the New Zealand Farmers' Union,on Saturday last, considerable discussion took place on the question of fixing the amount of subscriptions. It was eventually decided that the subscription should be 10s. A Mastertonian, just returned frbm a Northern tour, states that he saw several ex-residents of Masterton in business at Hamilton. All appeared to be doing well, and considered Hamilton a fine residential neighbourhood. "When are we likely to see a start made with the erection of the new carbonising plant for the gasworks?" was a question put to a member of.the gas committee of the Borough Council yesterday. The reply was that the important work could tie put in hand as soon as the title is obtained to the site, which is on Bishop's .Reserve. The Librarian's report submitted to the Masterton Library Committee shows that there are now 276 subsribers to the Library, the total number of new books in the institution being 4.964. Last month 1,576 books were lent and 26 new volumes were placed on the sshelvss. Subscriptions received in April amounted to £lO 2a 6d. The Greytown Gun Club has elected the following officials for the ensuing year President, Mr D. 'P. Loasby; Vice-presidents, Messrs R. W. Tats, <;S. Kent-John-ston, T. Ingley, H. Morison; Management Committee, Messrs A. JR. Balfour, A. G. Rhodes, J., Robertson, D. C. Humphrey; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr G." Laurenson. The Club has decided to hold a live bird match in July. One of the ninety-eight applicants for the position of steward of th« Greytown Working Men's Club, who had not previously held a similar position, admitted his inability to produce a testimonial, but, as a saving qualification, mentioned that lie had a mother-in-law who had lived with him ever since his marriage, and with whom he had got on all right. The trustees of the Club decided not to separate him from the old lady. When the question of what the amount of the annual subscription of members should be was being discussed at the meeting of the Eketahuna branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, on Saturday last, «nya the "Express," Mr T. T. Youle stated that factory girls in the manufacturing towns of England paid their threepence a week to a Union much more spontaneously than did the majority of the farmers contribute their quota to an organisation promoted to conserve their interests. Bro. W. W. Mansfield, A.D., presided at the installation meeting of Totara Lodge, U.A.0.D., held in the Foresters' Hall, Carterton, on Monday evening. A letter was received from the Fernieaf (Greytown) Lodge extending an invitation to the Carterton Druids to be present at their installation meeting, which will take place on Friday evening next. The balance-sheet for the past year, which was read and adopted, sho.wed that the receipts had been £9O. Bra. Smith, D.P., performed the installation ceremony. A social evening was afterwards held. The Gas Manager (Mr J. W. Blackmail} reported to the Borough Gas Committee at Monday's meeting that the quantity, of gas manufactured at the Gasworks during the month of April was 2,200,700 cubic feet, as compared with 1,G4'7,900 cubic feet for the corresponding month of luSt year —an increase of 552,800 cubic feet. The amount sold per meter during the month was 1,789,600 cubic feet, as against 1,487,300 cubic fent for April last year, the increase being 302,300 cubic feet. Fur last month the receipts totalled £757 Is 1 Id— an increase of £3O 3s lid over the receipts for April, 1907. During last month the staff laid eight new services and connected twenty new .meters. Mr C. F. B. Livosay, Architect of Wte lington, has moved to mora convcnicnrooins in the National Mutual Chambers, Customhouse Quay, (adjoining the Head OlHco of the Bank of N.Z.) Address— P.O. Box 771. Tefephono 2692,

During the month of May there were six marriages and two births in Eketahuna.

A meeting of the Managers of the Masterton Technical School will be held in tlie Technical School on Friday evening at H o'clock,

There will be no class this evening of the ludies'jjdivision of the St. John Ambulance Corps. The next first aid clas3 will be on the 10tb inst, and the home nursing class will meet on the 17th inst.

The Tc Ore Ore meeting house is to have better night illuminants fitted in its interior, and to be renovated in other respects. To raise money for the purpose, the Maoris are giving a dance on the 11th inst.

It is freely stated that 10 o'clock closing of hotels in the jurisdiction of the Masterton Licensing Committee will be carried at the next meeting of the Licensing Bench. The publicans themselves are reported to lie favourable to the idea.

An executive officer of the newlyformed North Island Collie Association states that probably ten clubs all told will affiliate with the Association. A meeting is to be held in Masterton in January next to decide where the first championship will be competed for. The place of holding the championship will then rotate. The second of the Life Saving classes in connection with the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming: Club will be held probably next week. The class was to have met on Monday evening, but owing to some data not having come to hand those who attended were not able to proceed \yith the first lesson in practice work.

A petition is at present in circula tion in Masterton amongst telephone subscribers for presentation to the telephona authorities praying that the bureau at Masterton be kept open continuously, as at Wellington. The signatories express their willingness to pay another £1 per annum for the privilege asked. It is believed that if a good majority of subset ibers sign the petition the request will be acceded to.

The natives at Te Ore Ore pah and their East Coast friends intend holding a great celebration at the meeting house on July 15th, when the first anniversary of the christening of the three native children, Hamauoaha, Himiona and Hinemoa (one a child of Hikapuhi, a wellknown Hawke's Bay Maori chieftaiffness) is to be celebrated. The christening ceremony was carded out last year with a great feast, and was the occasion ef the largfcst assembly at Te Ora Ore for many years. ' .

Mr J. W. Blacktnan, Manager of the Masterton Gasworks, who has just returned from a holiday tour of the North Island, says that in Auckland there are in the heart of the city which can give Masterton roads a start and beat them in the matter of mud and surface water. Mr Blackmail- said it was an amusing spectacle one recent wet day to see the crowds of hurrying men taking a running jump across two lines of tram rails where the surface watar was inches deep, and this in one ol the chief business streets.

"It is now morally certain that the the next A. and P. Show will be held on the old grounds in Dixon street," stated an officer of the Association to an Age reporter yesterday. "When do you propose to commence the worlc of laying out Solway grounds?" was asked. "As soon as the competition for the best design is completed, and that will be some months yet." Yesterday the Ground Committee visited Solway and went into, the question of ploughing the grounds. It has been decided to plough at once, an:l then re-plough and level the grounds in the spring. . Although many potato crops suffered very severely from the drought, individual growers have recently dug some magnificen- tubers. The variety known as "Up-to-date," a great favourite for a couple of seasons cast, thrived very well where the soil held the least moisture at all. Local Chinese are now venditjg potatoes grown by themselves of a size, shape and quality which could hardly be bettered. , The same remarks apply to South Wairarapa growers, a farmer from Featherston stating yesterday that tie saw a crop dug recently which could not be improved upon, oven in Oamaru. The Borough Gas and Library Committee met on Monday eyening. There were pressnt Crs Elliot (chairman). Ewington, Haughey, Morris and Pragnell. It was resolved tha'. the Committee should meet henceforth on the Monday evening preceding the Council meetings. It was decided to charge the Hospital 6s 8d per 1,000 cubic feet of gas until other instuctions are ordered, and to charge the Borough Council 4d per gallon for tar. The Chairman and C'rEwington were deputed to attend to repairs to the manager's house. The Committee decided to inspect the borough personally, with a view of placing street lighting on a better footing. The Librarian's reports for the past four months were adopted. It was resolved to place the sum of £5 at the disposal of the Librarian for the purchase of library books. Accounts amounting to £l2 17s Sd were passe,d for payment. Whilst some of the smaller school centres in . the Auckland district failed to el°ct a committee on the date appointed, this default cannot be laid to the.charge of the householders at Tahuna, a small settlement in the Piako Valley, says the "Herald." At this place two committees were "duly elected," ar.d it became a question as to which gain the imprimatur of the Education Board. One party had remained outside the building whilst the first meeting was held, waiting for the local "manager," who had not arrived at the appointed time. The other side did not wait for that official, but elected a committee, after, it was stated, waiting for a quarter of an hour after the meeting was opened. Their opponents allege that this election was held with "undue haste," and they claim that the committee subsequently elected by them is the only legally-constituted body. The Education Board, which received considerable correspondence on the subject at its last meeting, decided to uphold the election of the com- j mittee first appointed.

Mr A. H. Herbert has sold his. farm at Newrrjan to Mr A. Jenkins, of the West Coast. It is stated by the "North OtagoTimes" that the leases of over one million acres of pastoral and grazing runs will fall in in Otago during--1910, amongst them being Morven Hills run. Messrs Duff Bros., of Wellington, have purchased Mr J. J. Thomasen's farm at Mangaronga, and Mr Corlett, of Eketahuna, has purchased the property of Mr Gorzinsky, of Dannevirke. John Sorenson,'a labourer, of Dannevirke, has filed a petition to be adjudged a bankrupt, having incurred liabilities to the extent of £155 17s 7d, and possessing no assets. The majority of the creditors are in Palmerston North and Masterton. Out of 156 deceased persons' estates finally certified by (lie Commissioner for Stamps during May, the largest were those of the Hon. W. Johnston, of Wellington, (£496,Gls), and the Rev. John C. Andrew, of Wairarapa, (£109,786). —- Arrangements are nearing completion for the annual social and datige of the Carlton Cricket Club. rne'cw ing of the Club's ladies' committee, which was to have been held this afternoon, has been, postponed till Saturda*' next at 3 o'clock in the Foresters' Hall. A Raetihi man has a rather novel way of getting a cheap trip from . London, says a conttmoorary. At intervals of two years during the last, eight years he has been taking a trip. Home, and comes back as an assisted emigrant. He is preparing to goHome again, and will emigrate some time during the spring. The number of passengers arriving at Wellington from oversea ports during the month of May was 1,310,. including 44 Chinese. The number leaving the port for overseas was. 1,771, including 25 Chinese. Of the arrivals, 500 were from the United Kingdom and 725 from New, South . Wales. The outward total shows, that left for New South Wales and 433 for the United Kingdom. Last year the Labour Department.. assisted to employment 1,440 married and 4,865 single men, and up to date the departmenthad similarly assisted 58.782 persons, with, 93,226 dependents, .or a 152,008 person®. In the fgee of these figures, said the Han. J. A. Millar, in his Dunedin speech on Monday night, could it be paid that the Labour Department was not doing' good service? For the past three months a jet of soda-water, sointi two feet high, hasi been spouting from the old horo sunk during coal pro3pecting operations on Mr H. Carter's farm at Te Mata, near Mangapai, North Auckland. The water effervesces strongly, and is heavily mineralised. Samples have been forwarded to Wellington in the hope that the water may be found to possess curatiye properties similar to that at Kamo. The flow shows nosigns of playing out. A,malformed deer-head i? on view at the Christehurcb Tourist Office, its principal deformity being that - right,antler starts from a spot in the skull almost where the eye should be; and the eye is quite close under the horn. The left antler has five points, and the right only two. The deer was shot by Mr F. S. Steffan, stalker's guide, of Wairarapa, who saw it in a big gorge near the head of the Ahuriri river,, in Central Otago. Mr Steffan, who was on a trip to see the country, shot several other malfurms as well. It was very late in the season, and the weather was very rough, and for four was snowed up in his catnp.

The distribution of the 70,000 magnaliutn medals, . which fhe Government ordered to be struck to com-r memorate the proclamation of New Zealand as a Dominion, wiil be made amongst the various schools within the nex 1 ; week or so. The medals, beintr made by Messrs Moller and Soils, of Dunedin, will be sent direct from the firm's factory to the Education Boards, and a request has been made by the Minister of Education that the distribution at each school should be made with some little ceremony. The Wellington Education Board will receive. 19,3{)0 medals, the Aucklind Board 37,600, the North Canterbury Board 22,900, the Otago Board 22,000, and the Wanganui Board 15,200, At the present time, according tP the secretary of National Dairy Association (Mr J. G. Harkness), about 72,000 boxes of butter are in s cold storage in New Zealand against about 100,000 at the same priod last year. The quantity stored in .WcU~ lington is between 18,000 and 20,000 boxes. The mild weather has enabled some factories to carry on much longer than usual, and Mr Harkness says there is a possibility that a few may work right through the winter. The lonic took away 7,592 boxes of butter last week, and the Turakina, which sails from Lyttfeiflpgn on Tuesday nex*:, will take between 5,000 and 6,000 boxes for the Horn!} market. New Zealand's butter trade with South Africa is not expanding at a very rapid rate, but Mr Harkness says it is steadily increasing. The situation at Otira in regard to th_> labour trouble has become very acute, and the workers have issued an ultimatum that should bring matters to head one way or the other. Concerning this matter, the "Greymouth Star" has the following: —•"At a meeting held at Otira a few days ago it was decided by the men connected with the Union that nine days' notice should be given the contractors for the'tunnel, and that,' if the wages are not increased, the men will point-blank refuse to work. Great dissatisfaction is expressed by men working in the tunnel at the present time owing to what they consider the unsatisfactory conditions. Men about the works are constantly leaving, and unless somethingis done to settle the labour difficulty serious trouble will in\all probability'arise." TUSSICURA (Wild Cherry Balm) never fails to givo relief in cases of stubborn coughs and colds, catarrh, etc. ■' For Children's Hacking Cough at night Woods' Great Peppermint Cvu-e. JjL/ft and 2/6. «

The severest frost this winter at Eketubuna w» a experienced on Mon-< day morning.

Since the beginning of the present year 848 births, 290 deaths, and 458 marriages have been registered in Wellington. The respective figures for the five month of last yea: were 783, 343, and 451. During lust month there were 166 births, 64 deaths, and 74 marriages in Wellington.

In li.is address at the quarterly maet'.ng of the Canterbury Cnamber of Commerce, the President said that the general state of trade and the t stringency of the money marktt* were matters that were becoming familiar to his audience. Figures were not required to prove the solid foundation on which commerce was being carried on at the present time. The present check was a most salutory one, as nothing else could so effectually stop the buying oE land at the inflated values that had ruled for many months past. Therein had been the greatest danger, and menace to the future development of this Dominion. Though some would require assistance, yet there was nothing in the present situation that indicated in any way general disaster. On the contrary, "the outlook was distinctly hopeful. What was wanted was not so much to look at the profits that might have been, and the luxuries that would have been enjoyed, but to take, as it were, a giip' of the present with both hands, and with a courage founded on the conviction that the Dominion was undoubtedly sound throrghout, face the future with a determination that must command success, and bring about renewed prosperity to all.

Out of a total of between sixty utid sevtnty nurses employed in the Auckland Hospital, no than eleven have been down with typhoid since the beginning of the year, one case resulting fatally; and aa mai y more have been compelled to tsmporar ly relinquish their duties on account of minor ailments arising lo a large extent from over-work t:nd the generally run-down condition of those employed on the nursing staff. Some weeks ago, at a meeting of the Hospital Board, very strong comments were mace on the subject of the excessive amount of work imposed upon the nursing staff. One member went so far as to remark that it was small wonder that nurses were laid uo since they had to endure su&h, scant comforts and poor accommodation. Enquiries prosecuted by a committee revealed the fact that tHe hospital was overcrowded with patients, the work of the nurses therefore being- more arduous and more dangerous than under ordinary circumstances. The report further stated that the nurses being run down wera not strong enough to resist the inroads of typhoid germs, and that there was need for a general improvement of tions.How long does a dream last? The famous psychologist Professor Verwon, of the University of Goettingen, has published a book in which he relates many - interesting experiences. The duration of dreams is amazingly brief, che longest, says the:, professor, lasting but a.fractidn of a second. The mind during sleep works with a rapidity unknown to it in the waking hours. An example, among others, illustrating this fact is quoted by the professor. He dreamt that he was a witness in a pistol duel. He saw plainly the spot, the surrounding scenery, the two opponents, and their friends. The duel started. One of the adversaries fell to the ground. He i*an tT the man, examined him, and spent a considerable time in attending to the wounds. He then had a conversation with one of I the witnesses, who eventually took his arm and said to him, "Come." He then woke up. A friend had called on the professor, had knocked? once with His stick on the tied, and shouted "Come," because of an urgent engagement. Between the knocking —rep'eserited in the dream by the pistol shot—and the word a second coiild not have elapsed, for the friend had Knocked and shouted almost simultaneously.

A sample of eggs that have been preserved for nearly three years and are now almost as fresh as when they were first put into cold, store has been received by the Government poultry grader at Mr R. Pounsford. The eggs are part of the first v lot of eggs graded by the Department in Auckland, placing them in cool store on August 18th, 1905, for Messrs Dyke Brothers. Most of the eggs were sold about six months afterwards, but about thirty dozen were lef,c +n as an experiment for the Department, and from time to time they have been taken out and sampled. Mr Pounsford showed a reporter one of the eggs on Friday, .and breaking it, demonstrated that the egg was perfectly fresh and much superior to eggs usually preserved in lime. This*. Mr Pounsford site', indicated the superiority of cool stirage if intellectually carried out. It was not being adopted to any extent in Christchurch, but in Auckland the number of eggs treated had risen from 1,128,000 in 1906-7, to over two million and a half eggs in 1907-8. The method was merely to grade the eggs and place them in a card-board box, each egg being partitioned off, but not packed with anything. Of course the grading meant everything. The sample of eggs he had received was taken from ihe cooler at Auck - land on April 16th.

la tlio homo music ii as necessary to tho mind as ventilation is to the body. It doesn't matter whether yon run an elaborate establishment or a bachelor flat, a cottage or a club—you need a piano. Better gist a good piano while you lire at it. Tlie Dresden Co. de tls only in good pianos, and carries the largest and most varied stock in Australasia. Mr Brookes, in Wellington, who is manager for the North Island, is kept to see that yon get just what you want. You will be charged the honest value of the instrument —and 110 more. In selecting the instrument you will have tho full benefit of the specialised knowledge and ripe experience of absolute experts in the piano business. You can buy on terms so ( easy that payment of ■ the instalments will seem merely an habit, with the piano as clear profit at tho end. Beware of the dealer, salesman, or traveller who casts reflection upon his competitors. Jle dies so from interested motives—perhaps to back up'his own weak position. Our Agents are instructed not to discredit opposition firms. They are to rely solely on tho merits of the Company's instruments.

A severe shock of earthquake was experienced at on Sunday morning.

The lifeboat bv which the crew of the ill-fated Muritai, which was wrecked last week, reached terrafirma has be*;n an exceptionally serviceable craft. On two previous occasious, when Northern Steamship Company steamers came to grief, this same lifeboat was also in evidence, and safely conveyed ch« shipwrecked souls out of danger. The first was when the old Gairloch was wrecked off Cape Egmont, and the second when the Kai Ora was lost oft" Kawhia, when proceeding from Waitara to Onehunga less than "twelve months ago.

Nobody ever gets much sympathy on account of toothache, which is regarded generally especially by those who do not suffer as quite a harmless, if painful, illness, and not in the least dangerous. Those present at a meeting of the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children at Dunedin 'ast week, had it on no les3 an authority than that of Dr. Truby King that bad teeth are one of the sources of insanity. Dr. King, in the course of his address, made plain some of the causes of dental decay. This naturally caused toothache, which produced sleeplessness and insomnia, a fruitful source of mental disorder.

The Government have treated the owners of orchards reeking with codlin moth with even more tender forbearance than they showed to the Blackball strikers, says the Christchurch "Press." Tney forget, however, that their consideration and sympathy are misplaced. The man who really deserves support and assistance is the man who, with considerable lauour and expense, tries to kevp his orchard .clean, not his thriftless neighbour, who renders his efforts nugatorv to a large extent by allowing the pests to flourish unchecked on his own property, whence they may spread all o/er the district. We hooe that evei at this late hour Mr M'Nab will awake to the gravity of the situation and attack the codlin moth with some of the energy with which he if prosecuting the campaign against the fruit fly.

The Civil Service Co-operative Company of Victoria has erected a co-operative bakery, claimed to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, which covers an acre and a quarter, at North Richmond, Victoria, where bread will be produced for y,OOO 'shareholders: All personal contact with the bread will be done away* with;; mechanical appliances being used , from the start to the finish. The ovens are capable of turning out 2.400 loaves in 25 minutes. The premises, which include stables for iOO horse?, and a storeroom capable of holding 20,000 bags of flour, were erected at a cost of £18,500. This co-operative company has had n Targe accession of business as a result of its sympathetic attitude towards the workers on the occasion of the recent bakers' strike in Melbourne.

The decision of thejjjerman Government to increase the subsidy by £11,500 for the Australian, Island, Manila, China, and Japan line of the N.D.L. Company has stirred the British companien into action, and an effort is,to be made (says tho "Sydney Telegraph") to induce the Commonwealth Government to take the matter up, and place the British lints on a better footing in connection with the Australian-Eastern trade. It is pointed out that the British companits are hampered in the trade owing tojthe fact that they have to compete with haavily-subsi-dised'foreign lines. The E. and A. S.S. Company, the pioneers in the Eastern trade, racaivas no subsidy at all, and the other British lines are in practically the same position. Something, it is argued, must be done in the way of subsidies to protect British interests, not only in the Easterp trade,' but also in connection with the Islands services.

Malca Makomako, who had reached the age of-00, died at Tuahiwi, Kaiapoi, last week. He is the last, we believe (sayfi the Chrietchurch "Press"), of tte 26 of the "principal chiefs" who sold the first block of the 400,000 acres in the south of the Dominion intended*for the settlement to be called New Edinburgh, but which has bepil known during 64 years as Otago —-or, in Maori, Otakou. The deed executed between the Natives, dated July 31st, 1844, in which they conveyed to Mr William Wakefield, ager.t for the New Zealand Company/the land in the districts known* as Otakou, Taieri, and Mataura, estimated to comprise 150,000 acres, -for £1,400, bears on it, among the signatures, the name of "Makomako." In conjunction there with ar-3 the names of Taiaroa, father of the late Hon. H. K. Taiaroa, Tuhawaiki, Horomonn, Pohio, and others. Th* sign manuals of the Maori owners of the soil were witnessed ay John Jermyn Symonds, P. M. Frederick Tuckett, George Clark, jun., Protector of Aborigines, and David Scott.

European convention does not trouble the Maori of the far north in the matter of christening his children. There are no high falutin English Christian names, but some very quaint things are done occasionally. Two young Maoris living near Holtianga are just getting old enough to comprehend that their loving parents bestowed upon them Christian names, lifelong labels, of the most embarrassing description. In 1896 the Waimea rebellion occurred, and some Maoris were arrested for treason. While one of the prisoners was in Mount Eden Gaol, Auckland, awaiting his trial, he heard that his vyif»; had p-esc-nted "him with a son. Not long afta-vvard3 the trial took place, and another prisoner, almost simultaneously with the news 0 11 hi-? sentence, two years' hard labour, received tidingsthat he was the father of a baby girl. These births occurred opportunely as a means of carrying down to the next generation a reminder of their parents' exploits, so the boy rejoices in the name of "Mount Eden," after the gaol in which his father was imprisoned, and the girl answers to the extraordinary name of "Hard Labour."

To the thousands of sickly, run-down, nervous, full-of-pain and sulTenng men and women, we recommend with all honesty and confidence this true friend. ' Dr. Ensor'a Tamer Juice."

Mr F. Y. Lethbridge, M.P. for Oroua, lias given twenty acre 3of land for technical school purposes for Feilding.

The Tasmanian Premier estimates that Tattersall's sweeps enrich the revenue of the "tight little island" to the tune of between £40,000 and £05,000 per year.

The popularity of the Christehurch municipal baths has far exceeded even the most sanguine ideas of the promoters (says the '''Press"). Every day they have been crowded to excess, and about £lO per day has been taken in admission fees. It is intended to appoint an assistant custodian, as the work is too great for one man.

The strike of miners at the Blackball colliery lasted nine weeks {says the "Westport Times"). The loss in wages was fully £6,800, and the total monetary loss cannot be less than £12,500, taking into consideration the damage suffered by the company. About £14,000 was distributed ir. strike pay amongst the 130 men or 140 men affected by the trouble.

At Ironbark Gully, near Tarn agulla (Victoria), a man named Waltth' Grey, whilst digging up his potato patch, disturbed in the sub-soil on the cap of an indicator a specimen slug containing 4£oz of gold. About 100 yarns distant from the potato patch, on the line of the indicator, eighteen years ago. C. Smith unearthed the famous Magnum Bonum nugget, which weighed in the rough 458 oz.

"Hard wood" must be very hard if it is to resist the muscular jaws of every species of wood borer (sxyj the "Timaru Herald"). Some ironbark poles now being trimmed for electric light poles on the railway opposite the power-house contain grubs even in the heart wood. The carpenter who is at work on them came across two live grubs in a pole, the end grain of which showed that it was the very heart of a tree. The grubs were like the big white ones found in white pine, but not so large.

>They are eiving medals for honesty in Dunedin just now. The "Star" says:— "A prominent city firm, with whom Mr John McGrath, the well-known sculler, doe? business on a large scale, inadvertently undercharged him for h fairly heavy sum of money. He at once drew attention to the mistake, and to show their appreciation of the act, the firm presented Mr McGrath with a gold medal, inscribed on which are nicely chosen words desciiptive of the reason, for the gift."

From the statement of the trade and navigation of Tongatabu for 1907, it is evident that copra is still the backbone of the country, and the principal export, the quantity sent away being 7.300 tons llcwt Oqr lib, and the value of the same £119,717 2s Bd. The next item of importance among the exports is fruit —91,615 packages, total value £10,002. Fungus amounted to over SI tons, at a value of £1,394. The total value of exports for the year amounted £134,193 18s lid. Turning to the imports, New Zealand heads the list with £42,969 2s lOd, then comes Australia £36,570 Is Id, followed hy Germany, £11,046 16s 6d. The total value of goods imported for the year was £97,820 Is sd.

Higher education in America is to be further indebted to Mr Carnegie, who is adding 5,000,000 dollars — £1,000,000— to the endowment of the Carnegie foundation for the advancement of teaching. The fund will now amount to 15,000,000 dollars —£tt,ooo,ooo—and it has been increased in order to allow pensions to teachers in the State educational institutions. Hitherto the fund has only provided pensions to teachers in privately endowed schools. Mr Carnegie states that the fund is, and must be for all time, productive of lasting good, and expresses his gratitude that he is privileged,'as a trustee of this wealth, to devote it to such a U3e.

< Mr Keir Hardie ha 3 been giving a left-handed advertisement to New Zealand. Speaking in the Albert Hall one Sunday when Mr Pwamsay Macdonald occupied the chair, he is reported to have said that "there was only one country in the world —New Zealand—where they had real Socialism. There the working class stood on their own feet and rejoiced in their strength." One wonders what Mr Macdonald thought of such a statement, writes a London correspondent. When he was in New Zealand he seemed to think very little of the New Zealand working man, and declared that he had been deluded into believing that he was better off than he wa3 in reality.

There is a very great scarcity in Auckland of houses for the working classes. A land and estate agent, who was seen by a representative of the "New Zealand Herald" on the subject, said that the wotking men had some of their own number to thank for this state of affairs. He stated that years ago certain inhabitants of the cheaper style of houses used to knock them about to such a degree—in some cases they would tear the wainscotting off the wall.-! and use it to light the fire with - that landlords gave up building lliat class of house. "The consequenc-2 is," said the agc>nt, "the workingman now has to rent and live in homes built for the cleric or the tradesman. The difficulties experienced by landlords in former times were very great. I have known times when, to get rid of tenants who were destructive and undesirable, thc-y have smoked them out, or taken out the very doors and windows. The expense of suing them for possession would have been too great. So you see that when the working ''lasses complain about high rental they have some of their own number to blame for it." onck a man buys A suit from as lie is most unwilling to wear any otlnr make. That's why we're making suits for gentlemen all over the Dominion —gentlemen who have tested the fit, comfort, style, and quality of our clothes, and have found thorn the best: Why not leave, your order with us when next in Wellington. Our cash prices mean money saved to yon. Morrison and Penney, Tailors, 73 Willis Street, Wellington. For Bronchial Coughs take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, I,'ti and 2/G.

Rain fell on thirteen days lust month in Eketahuns. The total fall was 9.8 inches.

The export of silver from New Zealand last month was 164,6350z5, valued at £16,670, as compared with 265,4500z5, valued at £27,000 in May, 1907. At a meeting of the Licensing Committee at Timaru yesterday, the police said that there was very little drinking in hotels among women. Only five women had been arrested for drunkenness during the year. A man named John Nicholson, blacksmith at Maheno, was found in a dying state in a shed near his house yesterday morning. A breech-loader was beside him, and blood issuing from his mouih. He died during the morning, the de. ceased who was 60 years of age was confined some time ago in a mental home, and had been despondent lately. The Palmerston North police, reporting to the Licensing Bench, state there is practically no drinking by women on licensed premises there, though a little jug and bottle trade amongst women was done. Last year thirty-five females were convicted of drunkenness. The Licensing Committee refused the application of the police to make the closing hour for hotels 10 o'ljock instead of 11.

I Colonel Sommerville has written to the Wanganui "Herald," questioning the bona fides of East London Rifles Clubs phenomenal score of 824 in the Empi-e Match. He says that from long experience in rifle shooting, and the knowledge what can be done with the .303 rifle, the score of 824 under Bisley conditions is practically impossible and that the best score ever aiade ,at Bisley under the same conditions was 779 in 1903, and the next best 771, but he" recognises thp*e scores were made by eight selected men. The Colonel adds that in 1905 for example about 250 shot in the first stage of the King's Prize at Bisley, and eight highest scores only made 814. The "Herald" commenting,on the letter says that the atmosphere in South Africa being very dry and singularly free fmm refraction shows all objects with remarkable clearness, and suggests this may account for the truly phenomenal scoreAn. eight-roomed house rear the Post Office is advertised to let. Messrs Gilrnour and Clarke, land agents, New Plymouth, advertise for sale a number of highly improved sh«ep and dairy farms, particulars of which will be found on page 3 of this issue. Messrs T. Dwyer and Co., Masterton, advertise for sale a nearly new Humber motor car. The car ii splendidly finished, seats five persons, and is stated to bo a bargain at the price. At 2 o'clock on Friday, on the premises of Mr W. D. Ayson, Church Street, Messrs R. E. Howell and Co., Ltd., will sell by auction the whole of his furniture and household elfects without reserve. At their room, Queen Street. Masterton, on Saturday next, Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., will offer at auction the property of Mr F. J. Dillon, known ss Fairfield, at Matarawa. The property consists of 508 acres, which has been sub-divided into three farms of 97, 100, and 311 acres respectively. The land is of excellent quality, and situated near the iUatarawa Railway Statio-i, and will make first-class dairy farms. The particulars of sale may be obtained from the auctioneers.