Passing Notes.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 145, 15 May 1900, Page 3

Passing Notes.

BY HEMI PAIKI.

A remarkable Btory conies from the front (says a London paper). It is said that the Household Cavalry Composite Reginientuvas met by an overwhelming forca of Boers, from which there seemed little chance of escape, when the sky was suddenly darkened by an immense swarm of locusts, which fell between the troopers and che enemy. The Boers could not locate the cavalry, and fired at random, wounding one or two men, The regiment, however, screened by the locusts, eventually galloped back safely to camp. — We will have tovt&ke this with not merely a grain of salt, but with a whole cwt. of it.

I notice a letter in Saturday's issue written by " Looker on " resenting my " unwarranted attack " on the Borough surfaceman, and declaring that it took ma a week to ferret out the information he refers to. It has taken " Looker on" just ten days to reply to that criticism. For his benefit I may say that I -have been in Waimate almost as many years as he has been months, and, unlike him, I did not h&ve to take hearsay evidence, which is accepted nowhere. My only contention is that the Council should get value for its money as well as any private person, and it certainly is not getting value. Since writing about the surfaceman, a fortnight ago, I have spoken to one man, at least, who declares that, if the borough streets were put in order he would keep them so for the -same wages as "-Sandie " is getting, or forfeit all wages if they were notxkept in order. The Borough Council is not supposed to -support, a pensioner. Then, Friday last (the day which " Looker on " spent writing his letter) wag -very wet, and, though no one expected him to come out, according.to " Looker on," '" Sandie " should have been out all day. This is not so, for I haven!t to get hearsay evidence to prove that he was at home all day. In conclusion, I advise "-Looker-on " to look before he leaps, and remind him ef the .words, " Things seen are mightier than things heard."

I noticed irr"<Passing Notes " of a contemporary on Saturday that the' writer considered that the energy put into such games as golf, football etc, would be much better . employed in beautifying the town. I comineud the above to hockey players and advise them to put in .Thursday afternoons breaking stones in Queen St. Just tts much fun I should emagine as breaking shins in Park. 'I am certain that if they look on it in that -light they will quite willing to take my advice. /

The Certain Exports ratum for April is to hand. The values at each porfc named are : Auckland, 7 £11,760 ; Poverty Bay, £14,404; New Plymouth, £36,715; Waitara, £14,031; Patea, £646; Wanganui, £16,197; Napier, £18,778 ; Wairau, £5,049 ; LytWton, £31,024; Timaru, £21,639; Oaoaaru, £5,494; Dunedin, £10,155. It will be noticed that Timaru is second only to Lyttelton and New Plymouth, and is streets ahead of Bluff, Dunedin and i Oamaru. 'Undoubtedly Timaru haj a ' gceat future Jbefore.it, !