LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10058, 1 June 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Eabbiters ■■ in many districts of New South Wales, says the "Argus," are making very large wages, as high, it is stated, as £l2 and £ls per weeK in some cases. Numbers of skilled workmen are leaving their ordinary avocations to engage in rabbiting. A contractor at Molong offered 20s per day for bricklayers, and could not secure them. Provision has been made at the Nelson Freezing Company's works at Stoke for the storage of apples for use later in the year, Th cool chamber has now been completed, and accommodation provided for 5,000 cases. Already 1,500 cases have been stored on account of growers from all parts of the district, and applications for space are coming in freely, i,t being confidently anticipated, says the Colonist, that a few days wiil see the present available space taken up. During the hearing of a claim for damages at the Auckland Magistrate's Court, Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., remarked that the.Auckland tramway service was one of the fastest in the world. As rapid travelling was sanctioned by the police and by the City Council, and a great deal depended on the discretion of the motor-man. Tram conductors and motormen had no better rights on the streets for the purpose of traffic than motors or other vehicles. On the other hand, said Mr Kettle, tramcars were driven along defined routes, and uther-people knew this. They were thus euabled to judge when they were safe from collision, and there was not ine same danger from a car as from a restive horse. \

In view of the irui: season being j practically over, the Hastings "Standard" made enquiries at the railway station with the object of comparing this season's output with V, that of. last year. In 1909, 900 tonsjjf/ of fruit were railed away, produc- , * w ine a revenue to the Department of £9OO. This year 1,750 tons were railed, revenue amounting to ii 1,700, an increase of .£BOO. Some arrusement was occasioned at a creditor's meeting in Timaru by one man's description of a friend. "He is the kind of man," said the narrator, "who would lend anyone two poui ds in the street, even if he was going to pay an account it.'" "A vtry useful man to hav^jk" ahout," said a solicitor "Yes/™ agreed a representative of a timber firm. "I will try him the next time.l see him." "Take a note of his address, Mr Assignee," said another. The Carlton Cricket Club's seventh annual social and dance, which is to he held in the Drill Hall to-morrow evening, prom isestobe a great success. Judging from the number who have signified their intention of being present there should be a crowded room. A strong committee of ladies and gentlemen have been work- M> : ing assiduously for sometime, and ~' have spared no efforts to make the function orp of the most successful, ever held.Every detail has been carefully arranged,and an enjoyable time ■is anticipated. Mr C. E. Bartholomew, of the . firm of Bryan and May, who is aF""" present in New Zealand, states that the consumption of matches is, on the whole, increasing ■'■ largely, in spite of the advent of electric light- ■% ing. The increase is mainly due the enormous increase in smoking. New Zealand and Austra-'' lia use more matches per head of population than any other country id the world. This is attributable to the fact that a large percentage of the people lead an outdoor life, and that theie is a larger proportion of men'than women in these countries. i The first experimental trawj on the west coast of the Auckland province, when the teg' Sterling, which has been fitted up as a trawler, went over the Kaippra bar /for a day's fishing, resulted .in a good, haul, says the Star, no less than seventy tons of fifch, mostly schnapper. but including also bream, harracoutta, and other good fish, in good quantities. In one haul two tons of fish were lifted, and several others ran to a ton. The bottom ' is good, and trere are millions of acres which can be swept, so that heavy and regular supplies should shortly be available. Large smoke houses will be erected, and in addition to the Auckland market, the Jt towns along the railway line will be™ exploited. A story is being told of a New York maiden, a typist, who appealed at the office witji an encyclo-peadic-looking volume labelled "The Decline and Fall of the Rnmar Empire.'- One evening her employer caught sight of it, snd exclaimedt "Well, for pity's sake, don't tell me you are leading this." The girl broke into a friendly emile. "Why, this is my chaperooe, which I taue with me to have going home , alone on the cars," she said. "Everfl| since I've been carrying it I haven't W seen a man who would look at me a sscond time." The young lady added that only the outside belonged ' to Gibbon; the covers were filled with the latest fiction papers. An extravagantly invented story, of course; but is there not at least one grain of truth in it. A young man who arrived in Wellington by' the Moeraki from Sydney, en route for Tahitf, wasdetained by a Customs officer wbilflK" inquiries were made as to whether he should b8 allowed to land. He was b.rn in Adelaide. His mother was an Englishwoman and his father a half-caste Chinese. After a brief talk with the young man the Collec- ~< tor of Customs immediately gave him permission to land. The Collector explained that Customs officers boardiDg vessels would report to Collectors on all persons of suspected Asiatic origin before sueh.were allowed to land at any New port. The Solicitor-General had given ■ the opinion that Chinese and Eurasians could land in New Zealand sub- - jsct to the collector of Customs satisfying himself that they were halfcastes and not wholly Chinese to wfiom tne usual Chinese legislation, would still apply. It was recently mentioned that the Minister of Public Health was obtaining a report upon vaccination in New Zealand. ihe Hon. D. Buddo, questioned regarding the scope of this report, states says the Wellington correspo'dentjof the "Lyttelton primes," that it is net going int*K the merits of vaccination, -its efficft-/ ency or otherwise. Thougn the Minister declined to make any further i explanation.it is evident that the administration ofthe compulsory vaccination clauses of the Public Health Act, and the big percentage of children who are ! unvacdnated, though their parents may not have obtained the conscientious objector certificate, are the matters under review. The proportion of successful vaccinations per cent, of total births diminished/--from 25J per cent, m ISO 3 to 4 28per cent, iu 3 90S. i It seems safe to prophecy that the much truropetted Anglo Japanese Alliance will not be far less popular in Britain than it was at its inception, says anexcharge. Japan, in fact, seems to have completely outmanoeuvred Britain. The latter was pleased enough to see Japan relieve her of the duty of watching tfte Kuasian bear in Eastern Asia, and Japan was cute enough to use Britain's power and influence in order to make other nations keep their hands off.~"V And now, after holding the other na- Xtions back while she watched Japan doing the work she did not care to tackle herself, Britain gets just the reward she might have expected. Japan sharply and positively shuts the door of;trade in Britain's face and—this is the most, significant part of it—coolly states that Britain is of no use to her in trade matters. Japan says also that when the Alliance expires in five years* time, she will be in a position in the , Pacific.,' In otheeW* wordsj as Britain will have served Japan's purpose by then, the chance* are that the Japanese u'H not want, the Alliance renewed any noie„ Also, the further chances are that Britan will be too disgusted io do so.

. The Concregational Institate he d a social last evening, io the Guild room when song*, recitations ntd realgl were contributed by memSrei «d the provided refreshment* The piano for the occasion w. ki'ndb-lent b, the Dresden Piano Company. During the session this wX tue members have planned a study of Tennyson's "Princess. It is reported in Honolulu that the Kin* of biam, who is journey, in? thither, accompanied by -oxty wives, will meet with trouble if be attempts to land there. It is Hist possible, if his majesty persists in coins ashore from the steamer by which he and bis retinue are passenger?, that he will be arrested undpr tna Anti-Polygamy is. in force in Hawaii. An amusing incident occurred at the Coorabungee Agricultural Show, near Brisbane, where a prize was offered for the largest family in the district. The Queensland Minister of Agriculture was present, and remarked that the district could hardly equal his own constituency, where there lived a man with 24 children. A faimer promptly rose and interrupted the Minister by remarking that he hnd 32 children, and i that all ware living. Enquiries showed that this was the iact, the farmer having been married twice, and h2V.n2 reared two families, one after the other. When presenting to the Prime Minister Some chill?d beer from ■Qieens'and put on Smithfield market a- few weeks ago, 80 days after the slaughtering of the cattle, taking everything into consideration, turned out remarkably well. Outwardly the quarters did not present an a<.tractive appearance, but when cut rp the meat was bright, firm and dry. When it is remembered that chilled beef can be taken Home in practically half the time of this severely tested consignment it is pretty safe to say the "Linley" process has proved that chilled beef from Australia and New Zealand ran be successfully carried to London.

Last Thursday was'a notable day in the annals of hockey "in Hi's district, and the playing of five matches on the one ground caused a scene of great animation. The attendance was.between two and three hundred, so that hockey has apparently caucht on with the public of Masterton. The Association has decided to con- / tinue all cup contests on the King's Birthday, June 3rd. Many who have not had an opportunity of witnessing the pastime will no doubt take advantage of the occasion, rnor to the senior matches—Which commence at 3 o'clock—a ladies match between Masterton and Wellington clubs will take place. This event will probably start at 1.45 p.m. The half yearly meeting of Stonehence Lodge, U.A.0.D., No. 1, was held last evening, Bro. C. H. Anderson, A.D., presiding. The J nomination of officers resulted as j follows:—A.D., Bros. Levien and i Potter; V.A.D., Bros. MMes and Corbe'tt; Secretary, Bro. Pragnell; | Treasurer, Bro. Blinkhorne; J.G., ! Bro. A. Webb; 0.G., Bro. GourJay; A.D.B.'a, Bros. Corbett, Wheaton, Liddle; V.A.B.'s, Bros. Eagle, , McCalmont, and Gray; Auditor, Bro. E. H. Waddingum; M.S., Bro. Pickering; Delegates to F.S.C., Bros. Levien, Pickering, I and Gourlay. Bro. J. N. Gjant, Grand Secretary, ppid an official visit to the Lodge, and gave a lengthy addiess on Druidic qutstions, at the conclusion of which the visitor was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks. Two candidates were nominated and lour proposed for membership. / . ' .- Milk is being sterilised in Paris by submitting it to *he action of the ultra-violet rays, "thus avoiding the use ot heat or treatment bf chemical anti-septic substances. It has long been known that light without heat can destroy micro-organisms, and in 1893 it was proved that from the ultra-violet part of the spsctrum there proceeded ravs that had a bactericical effect. It was further shown that glass stopped thtse rays, which, howevf.r passed easily through quartz. Now in Paris an apparatus has been made'by which ultra-violet rays, through quartz, sterilise 132 gallons of wattr per hour. After much trouble the sterilising of miik has been accomplished, although its opaqueness was at first a difficulty.

Mr Ci E. Danieil draws attention to the many virtues of his coke stoves, which are cheerful and cheap.

All accounts against the estate of the late Miss Jane Legg must be aent to the office of Mr A. R. Bunny, solicitor, by June 20th.

Grazing for 150 bullocks, for two or three months within easy distance of Masterton is advertised for. A reward is offered for the recovery of a pearl necklace, lost on the night of the Fisk Jubilee entertainment. The Government Life Insurance Department insert a notice in respect to a lost policy on the life of the late Thomas brown. A good warm rain-shedding overcoat can be secured at this season of the year at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Queen street. Single and double-breasted coats, with a ereat raDge of prices.