General News.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 23, 20 July 1899, Page 2

General News.

The Perthshire.— Bepairs to the | Perthshire arc completed, and after coaling she resumes her voyage to New Zealand.

Promotion.— The Admiralty, in recognition oi his services in Samoa, have promoted Commander Sturdee of H.M.3. Porpoise to a captaincy.

Hammer Throwing.— The Brisbane Athletic Association has agreed that the hammer used for throwing at the championship meeting shall be of iron, with a handle either of wood, wire or both, and flexible. The Amencan. Minister at PeMn I has received instructions to protect the interests of the American -China Development Company, which France is opposing.

A syndicate has been formed in Sydney to work gold deposits on i Woo'dlark Island, New Guinea. The promoter has just returned from a visit to the island. The lode is extensive and very rich. A ton and a half of stuff yielded 63ozs of trold

Messrs Guinness and LeGrkn no tify that they, will hold their sales in future foitnightly, instead of weekly and that a monthly horse sale will also be held. This firm intend lioldinc Saturday sales in Tiniaru on alternate days from those ia Wahnate. Early notice of the sales and full particulars of the entries will be advertised

A New Gun.— Mr Ohas. Enticott, of Auckland, states that he has invented a new method of discharging hi* guns by concentrated electricity. He proposes to use a cannon 25 feet long bv 4 feet in circumference. He says that the firing will be noiseless and smokeless, that the range of the gun will be five miles, and that the projectile -will pulverise anything it touches. Mr j Enticott estimates the cost of working such gun at £10 pe* shot. He intends to lay hK invention before the Premier. ;

Owing to a misfcake of our Dunedin correspondent we are unable to publish the Bm-nsKle maikets.

Jo«* opened, Madam Weigel's jourHal for July, price 3d, with free paper pattern (girl's sac jacket) at Arthur Jones and Cos. [Advt.]

Socml.— The volunteers' social to be be held this evening- promises to he a most enjoyable one. The best of music and other necessities have been provided, and gn en a fine night the iixtme should bo well patiomsed.

JNSTHI7CTIONS have been given to innsteis of vessels tr.iJmg between Gnpetown and Australia, to keop a look out for the W.-ukato, now 75 days out. No alarm is vee felt by the offici.vls ot tbts company, as it is believed thnt her machinery has piobablv o/oiton down, in which case it would take some time to got tidings of the steamer

I'oultry.— The Agricultural Department is receding applications from all paits of the colony ior supplies of e^s toi' bleeding pin poses and is m hopes Hint it will be able to fill all orders. Tlio poultry sheds at Momohaki have been enlarged and a cdnwdemblo addition make to the stock of poultry. At each of tlie Government ianns 14 varieties of fowls are now being reared, viz : langbhans, wy.andottes (golden and silver), houcUns, Plymouth rooks, oi-pingtous (black and buft). dorkmgs (dark and silver), Indian game, Jlinovcas, Leghorns (brown 1 and white) and Andalusians. — Wei. cor

Wiie\t Yield.— Some time ago the New Zealand Gazette contained au in terim return giving an estimate of the yield of wheat, oats, etc., with the aveiage imdcr other cereals for 1898. The latest gazette gives a return showing the act.ial a\er<ige and yields : following being the return for Waimate County. Average in wheat 35000, average yield per acre 35 7, total bushels 1,252,713. A\eiago in oats 21416 average yield per acre 40.66, total bushels 999,270. Average in barley 1,589, average yield per acre 45 1, total bushels 71,663. The estimated yield for the colony per acre was 27 bushels, oats 35 bushels, barley 28 bushels. The actual yield was wheat 32 76, oats 39 56, bailey 30.73. It will thus_be seen that Waimate County bad a good bit beyond the average yield for the colony in every class of cereals mentioned.

This Bay afc Arthur Jones and Co.'s end of season sale 30 do/en sample Handkerchiefs, slight damaged, at 2d, 3d and 4d each, usual prices from 6d to Is 6d to Is 6d each. — Advt.

The net cost per patient in the lunatic asylums of this colony for 1898, according to a return of Dr Macgregor's, averaged .£2l 3s s+d, as compared with £22 Os O^d for 1897. Some interesting details, showing the former ocoup c afcions of some of the inmates of | our lunatic asylums, are to be found I attached to the return. Of the 355 males, the large number of 127 were labourers, farmers coming a long way second with 35. There were 18 miners, and 12 each of bootmakers, clerks, carpenters, and cabinetmakers, while 20 weve of no occupation. Of the 258 females, 143 are classed under the heading " domestic duties," and 52 as domestic servants, sk were barmaids, eight teachers, five housekeepers, and 21 of no occupation. The proportion of insane to the population, inclusive of Maoris, is 1 in 316, and the percentage of deaths 6.14, as compared with 6.28 for the previous year.

A Return was laid upon the table of the House on Friday showing the area of land acquired under the Land for Settlement Act, as well as the capital and unimproved value of each estate, and the amount of land tax paid in each case for the year immediately preceeding its purchase. The return shows that so far 39 estates have been acquired, representing an area of 245,383 acres, the costbeing £1,171,150. The total capital value for 1 ' taxation purposes was £1,139,492, and the unimproved value £900,045 thus leaving £239,447 as the value of the improvements, and the amount paid in land tax was £7025. The largest and most valuable property acquired was Waikakahi, the area of -yhich ig 45;000 acres and the capital and unimproved value £314,979 and £249,162 resfcec

tively, while the last payment of laJ tax was ,£Bll4 The 'price paid y this estate was £323,090.— Wei. cor. v There was a modsrate attendxncj attendance at the Temperance Hill on luesday evening, to hear the fievs, Momson and Blight. Mr Monisoi? delivered a well thought out addict Pn n 1 An<llo # ies between the Liq^r Iraflic an-d the Slave Traffic" and Mi* Blight spoke on "Prohibition in olufcha a success." Mr T. Brown occupied the chair. The audience wiu very attentive, and at the conclusion of' the addresses a number of questions were asked and answered. Dunn" the evening, the Temperance Choir, under the leadership of Mr H. Marriott, con- ' tn bated several selections, which wm* well receh ed, esprcully the solos. The meetmq passed two resolutions, one to be forwarded to Mr J G. Smith n>v\ the Hon. W. J. Steward. M H.K >, '' rh.xt this meeting urges tliafc theLocal Option Scrutineers Bill, introdncfd bv Mr J. G. Smith, bo passed into Jaw during the piesent sessjon of larlnment," and the other, "That this meeting, atter hearing the address. , oi the Lev. J. Blight, is of opinion that partial prohibition in the Olutlia Jias been an undoubted success." A vof^ of thanks to the speakers, choir, and chairman closed a very lengthy meeting.