LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 979, 24 February 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A farmer who has lived for many years m the Ashbnrton county has iixpressad the opinion that the harvest has never previfiusly been, carried out so quickly. Crops in the upper districts are not threshing out so well as was expected, the tallies of several machines among wheat crops being approximately 900 bushels for a day of 12 hours.

At the time of tne recent rain that damaged grain considerably, a North Canterbury farmer sold his wheat standing in stook to a grainbuyer at 3a per bushel, a condition being that the farmer was to stack the grain for two months. The crop is estimated to yield 5,000 bushdls, and a good deal of interest is being taken in the result of the de x al.

Our Bluff corresportngnt, says the "Dunedin Times," states that a* transaction in sealskins has come to light through a dispute as to the shares in a hundred skins. He states that the Customs authorities and the police are v orking up details with a view to a prosecution, and that a resident of Danedin will" be called upon to explain his connection with the matter.

Auckland is going to put up a fresh record this season in connection with the dairying industry, says the "Star." Ali <.ady its export of 4,500 tons to date fur the province far exceeds the total output for the whole of the South xslanJ. For the past fortnight, besides supplying a great local market, the Auckland butter factories sent into cool store, for export, 14,500 boxes, or 362 tons of butter, which at present rates on the London market represents at east £89,800 in money valut.

It is with pleasure, writes a London correspondent, that I have to announce the continual improvement in the health of Mr Hall Jones. He came up to town from Folkestone for a few days early in the week, to attend a meeting of the Pacific Cable Board. As it was not deemed wise for the High Commissioner to get back into harness too soon, he has returned to Folkestone for a few weekß longer. It is hoped that he will then be thoroughly restored and set up for the most trying months of the year.

Mr H. E. Pratten, relating his experiences on his recent trip to the East to members of the Chamber of Manufacturers oo Monday of last week, says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph," saiid that in Tokio he engaged a university student to show him the sights of the city, a commission which the student accepted for the advantage it would yield him in practising English and the resultant yen. During their travels they came across a statue of Togo. "I naturally thought that the memory of the daring Japanese admiral would hold as high a place in the veneration of the Japanese as our own Nelson," said Mr Pratten. "My guide, however, dispelled that illusion by a significant remark. 'There are hundreds of men in Japan,' he said, 'who would do as well as Togo, if they got the chance."

The British electorates have, says the "Auckland Herald's" London correspondent, been unusually hospitable to candidates from the Outer Empire. Apart from the candidates who are actually contesting seats, Dr. Chappie, Mr Fell, Mr J. Cathcart Wason, and Mr E. G. Jellicoe, there are several New Zealanders to whom seats or nominations were offered. Mr R. McNab, who has been assisting Dr. Chappie, in Stirlingshire, was offered nomination, with a good chance of success, in a threecornered contest, but he fe't that his native land had still some strong claims on his activity. Sir Robert Stout, the Chief Justice, was pressed to accept a nomination, and the same honor was/ accorded to Mr I. W. Raymond, of Invercargill, whose business ties prevented his entertaining it. The difficulty by which most colonials are faced in British politics is the conflict of land taxation on the one hand, and tariff reform on the other.

The Greymouth correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times" states that Mr L. S. Ayson, chief inspector of fisheries, during his stay on the West Coast establiished a Government Hatchery for quinnat salmon at Kokatahi. The hatchery has been erected by the Marine Department out of a vote of £250 provided by Parliament for the acclimatisation of salmon on the West Coast. Before selecting a site for initial operations, Mr Ayson first visited South Westland, and is reporting on the suitability of the streams in that locality for fish distribution. A very convenient site has been selected at the Kokatahi, and an adequate water supply has been brought in from Duck" Creek near by. The hatchery is capable of dealing with half a million ova, but it is not expected ti at any large number will be dealt wim for the tirst season or two. The salmon ova will be collected on the East Coast, where (he auinnat; which have been introduced from the northern waters of A merica, arei thriving well. The hatcheiry* will; probably be continued for about five years, by which time the fish ought to he well established in the waters of the West Coast.

A social and dance—the annual I function at which the season trophies 1 are presented, is to be held by the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club, on the evening of April 7th. The affair will take place in the Drill Hall, and will be on a larger scale than usual.

The scene at the Masterton Railway Station w,as of quite a gay, military character, yesterday at noon, when the Masterton No. 1 and 2 companies, and the Masterton Suburban Company of the Wairarapa Battalion of School Cadets, entrained for the Hutt Park Camp. The Cadets from the tfush district also journeyed down by the sam* train.

Two events —a 60 yards' swimming race and a diving competition—are to be held by the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Cluo on the Park Lake next Thursday evening, at 6.30 p.m., weather permitting. The diving competition will consist of the neatest platform dive, any height, and the neatest springboard dive. For each event a half-guinea trophy I will be presented.

A meeting of the Management Committee of the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club was held last evening, Mr J. Pryor, Vice-Cap-tain, in the chair. The resignation of the Captain, Mr E. R. B. Daniel, was received and accepted, and it was decided to place on record Mr Daniel's services to the Club. Mr J. Pryor was elected Captain in succession to Mr Daniel, and Mr A. D. Gillies was elected ViceI Captain.

At Wanganui, on March 14tb, there will be open for selection on the optional system 15 lots ot land in ' the Raupitatau block, ranging from 96 to 1,847 acres, and 88 lots in the Sooth Waimarino block, in-areasof from 350 to 1,750 acres. In the Tuakira block there will be three lots, in areas from 1,242 tu 1,257 acres; and in block 9, Monotaki, 912 acres for selection on renewable iease. At the Drill Hall, Wanganui, on March 18th, there will be an auction of four-acre lota in the village of Raketapauma; and at the same time the lease of run No, 31, Karori, 1,760 acres, will be submitted at an upset rental of £44.

' s A seven weeks' cruise is in store for the sixty odd lads of the Government training ship Amokura, which has lett Wellington for the outlying islands of New Zealand. Doubtless sufficient varieties of wind and wave will be encountered to give the young sailors a good idea of sea life generally, and the cruise should be a valuable experience to them. Search will be made on the outlying groups for wreckage or castaways, &nd provision stores will be replenished where necessary. On x-eturn to the Bluff the training ship will go t*» Dusky Sound, and endeavour to locate the rock where the Waikare came to grief.

The Koreans appears, .remarks a diplomatise, to be totally unconscious of the hopeless position into which they have allowed their country to drirt. They expect to awake one morning to discover that the Japspese have been driven off, aind that the representatives of ' a friendly nation; cap in hand, are awaiting to congratulate them upon the return of good fortune. They still labour under the delusion that assistance is coming from outside. The Resi-dent-General is unquestionably dictator of Korea to-day, i and the red disc of the Rising Sun everywhere proclaims the Mikado as virtual sovereign. That is substantially the position, and the foreigners are'only concerning themselves about the commercial rights they fear to be in jeopardy under the new regime. The "Auckland Star" states:— "We have not the least doubt that the Waitemata is still, as it always has been, one of the finest, natural harbours on this sioe of the world; but the fact remains that the public body to which it has been entrusted has been guilty of gross dereliction of duty in neglecting to correct the unowii errors in charts and seamarks, and in failing to insist upon adequate precaution being taken against them by all vessels vessels entering and leaving the port. It is a shametul admission, but there is no escape from Mr Kettle's indictment; and we can only hope that the Harbour Board will take speedy steps to repair the injury that its maladministration has inflicted upon Auckland city and port."

The Ohristcburch City Council has been unlucky in its contract for castiron waterpipes. Apparently the pipes were not tested before leaving England, and 1,757 straight pipes and 207 bends and other special pieces have been rejected. Those will take some time to replace, and the contractors for laying them will be c*elayed. There have been 746 connections made with the high pressure system, and the demand for water and the amount b<nng consumed exceed expectations, too much being used on gardens' The daily consmption at present varies between 300,000 and 400,000 gallons. Street watering on hot days accounts for 150,000 gallons. To keep the tank full it has been necessary tn pump on Sundays and for eight, hours each week day.

The Minister for Agriculture foreshadowed, in tbe course of some remarks at Greymouth, an important alteration the rights of aawmillers. He thus reported:— "There was a qua itity of land on which ribbon wrnod, black pine and white pine had gruwn. and whicii had been cut down. 'J it would be very good agricultural, land, but he noticed wherever he had seen these clearings that the bush had been ao badly felled that the clearing was very difficult to make. Instead of the trees being felled to a height of two or three feet above the ground, the stumps were left standing five or six ,feet out of the ground, thus making it very difficult to clear the ground or to secure anything like a good burn. He would endeavour to get his colleagues' approval to the issue of regulations for he prevention of such careless bushfelling in any future cases, as in such cases the second growth of the native underscrub made it far more difficult to get a proper clearance than if the land were overgrown with blackberry and noxious weeds. Therefore, if the regulations were strictly enforced as regarding thjs clearing it would not be many years before they would have one hundred acres, carrying a large quantity of dnirv stock and giving profitable lesulta, which would be beneficial to the Coast and the Dominion."

A rink of bowlers from Palmerston North succeeded in defeating the Feildiog holders of the well-known "Dixon" Cup last week. The Feilding rink held this coveted trophy for quite a considerable perioa.

A furnished house of five rooms is advertised to be let for three months.

Messrs Chamberlain and Son advertise for a cook for a threshing camp.

Mr T. Ridgway advertises that he is a buyer cf bottles, bones, metals and skins.

One pomi 1 reward is offerau for the recoveiy of a pig-tusk brooch, lost between Taueru and Stronvar.

A reward is offered for the recovery of a handbag containing a purse with money and brooch, lost yesterday between the Public School and Kuripuni Triangle.

Mr L. Stein, having decided to continue his sale for a few days longer announces "the goods are going at any prices." Drapery, clothng and mercery mu3t be cleared.

An advertiser is desirous of buying a quantity of household furniture, and would like particulars of any for sale sent to Post Office box 72.

The property in Wrigley street advertised for sale at auction by Messrs W. B. Chennells and Co. is withdrawn, having been sold pri.vately by that firm.

The Wellington Farmers' Meat Company notify that the time for closing of tenders for the erection of buildings for a freezing works at Waingawa has been extended to Friday, March 4th.

Applications for the position of huntsman to the Wairarapa Hunt Club will be received up to March 12tb, 1910. Further particulars may be procured on application to thb Secretary, Mr N. H. James.

As an inducement to customers to order, their wintet costumes early Mr A. Webb announces that he has decided to make reductions of a sensational nature, and profits are counted out of consideration of this bargain week. Ladies are invited to see the display.

The Wairarapa Horticultural and Industrial Society's Summer Show is being held in the Victoria Hall, Carterton, to-day. The entries are numerous, and there should be an ideal show of fruits, flowers and vegetables. Entries close with the secretary this morning at the Hall, Thursday being a half hoilday, it is anticipated; there will be a large attendance, i Refrejhments are provided for visitors in the afternoon.

This evening Mr J; B. Merritt, of Christchurch, will* give a lecture in the Y.M.C.A. Hall, at 8 o'clock, on methods of producing and marketing eggs and poultry raising, and everyone interested in poutlry raising should make an effort to be present at the lecture to-night The speaker will outline the system of selling eggs by means of an egg circle. Thousands of dozens of eggs are produced in\ Masterton each year, and it is a matter of great concern to the producers that they market at best prices.

Arrangements ' in connection with the Stock Fair, organised in aid of the Solway Fund of the Masterton A. and P. Association are now well in hand. The sale is announced to take place on Wednsday, March 2nd, when Messrs Abraham and Williams, palgety and Co., and the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.,' Ltd.; will sell at the Renall Street Yards twenty stud Lincoln ewes, donated by Mr W. Perry and by various donors, Lincoln and Romney rams, breeding and fat ewes, fat wethers, fat lambs. In cattle there is also very strong entry. Full particulars are advertised on page 8.