The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1889. THE NATURAL ENEMY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3127, 12 February 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1889. THE NATURAL ENEMY.

There Is a striking contrast between Wairarapa North and Wairarapa ' South in the matter of rabbits, In the former dominion the plague of the sheep owner increases and multiplies, but in tho latter it decreases and diminishes. The presence of the natural enemy in the South County is said to be the cause of its comparative immunity from the pest. In our last issue Mr T. L, Thompson placed very lucidly and , fairly the arguments of those settlers at this ond of the Wairarapa district who entertain some doubt as to the expediency of encouraging the natural enemy, but there are also very many settlers in this neighborhood who have implicit faith in this particular exterminator, and it is extremely probable that the latter will be found to be in a majority at the meeting of settlers convened to consider the expediency of importing the natural enemy. The comparison between the work done by,the natural enemy in Wairarapa South and in Wairarapa North by trappiug, bunting, and poisoning is all in favor of the former. The ferret, \ semi-domesticated animal, extremely sensitive to cold and ready in a sneaMng kind of way to bite the hand of his master, has become acclimatised in the southern part of this district and now resembles the more robust polecat. He has increased rapidly in number and now holds the rabbits in oheck, Each year the number of the natural eneuiy will increase and the number of his prey, the rabbit, will decrease. In Wairarapa South the fate of the rabbit is sealed now that the natural enemy has established a footing on the soil, .In the northern district with all the hunting and trapping and poisoning, the rabbits are estimated to be moro numerous than ever. In vain has a man for the past ten years devoted himself to exterminating the pest by all recognised means, He is just as badly off now as then, andalMiis labor in the past has to be repeated in the future,' Under the existing law he will probably have to appear as a malefactor in the E.M. Court, ..and after being duly : fined and harried will have to try again to perform an almost impossible task, and to be again punished if. ho fails to' comWe jo hot wonder that sheep 'farrners under (he oircuinstanoes,', give -a preference to the natural.eneiny, and take concerted measures to import ferrets, stoits, and weasels. There is of course the danger pointed out' by Mr T, L. Thompson of the natural enemy, when: his natural food fails him, attacking lambs, destroying game and jpyading our poultry, realms, but settlers in Wpjrarapa South/do:not appear atallalarrnod fttjbese contingencies. On the contrary, they seehito be perfectly well satisfied to have secured so large a number of ferrets as local residents.. It is extremely probable that whpn rflbbitshecome sparse, the natal,enemy, for laj)k- of suitable food supply, will 1 oeasp t,p fjqurish, and, his mission accomplished op the land,,wjll die out. slowly but surely. ■However tlus may'be,'the principal growers of meat and wpoj. jn.jthjs district will naturally regard tif.e .question from their own standpoint, and.will.be justified in resorting to any legal; methodipf extermination; •That;tl|erew(ll 1)6 80-ill after-oon-seqiiences:following in of' the natural fliiewy js extremely i

but.tliei'b .is 'reasonvto believe tliiitllie • benefit dnffie odmmimity'^iU"/be Itirge: and n d :. the^eyil ,tbat will Miow will be small and; remote; ;g ;

. .{Waikato droliardists'W making big 'profits out ofthe plum crops this year, ; lifiero were three deaths from heart disease; in Lyttelton on one day lust

' MrF.'H. Wood adds to his stock'sale for. Thursday next .400; lambs .and two good saddle and-harness 'horsCs. - : :', Speakor Q'jiorke is contributing a series of artiolos on this colony to the pages of the;' Sydney Morning Herald,' *An eel'six foeb long and eighteen inches in circumference was caught the other. day at. tho Waieoka ■ Bridge, Opotiki,,

A Farmer's Agency Company has been formed in Dunedin, with a capital of £IO,OOO, MrGrindloy is manager.' A summoned meeting of tho Loyal Masterton Lodge 1.U.0.F., M.U., is convened for this evening at 8 o'clock, Harvest thanksgiving services will be held in the Wesloyan Church, '-Master: ton, on Sunday uoxt, morning' and eveninf, ;■■'■'"

The Auckland Board of Education has agreed to the proposal to establish a practising school at Mount Albert, for pupil teachers and Mr N, Heath lias been appointed headmaster.

Dudu was backed for. tho Dunedin Cup onSaturday for all the available money at three to ono, and has now supplanted Mantoti in the premier position' in the betting;

A tender has been, accented for rebuilding the City Hotel in the Triangle Reserve Christclmrch. A handsome, block of buildidgs',-. designed, by:j*Mr. Cornelius Cuff, is; to/ r'eplape 'tlie: old' ahauly at' prpSdnV-doinsrduty, The' total cost will be £4OOO odd'.'"'

On Saturday last .whilst'six men were sailing a boat on Lake Brunner, the boat capsized, and two men named Tuckey and Molloy were drowned. The others were rescued, but the bodies of;the drowned men have not yet been found; Four men went out fishing, on the Waitara, New Plymouth, on Sunday last, the boat capsized in the surf as they were returning. Tcefer," a blacksmith, was drowned, but the others swam, ashore or wero picked up. ,; ;" ■, An application to remit rates on the Salvation Army barracks has been granted by the In vercargill Borough' Council. An amendment by Mr. Finn; who said that tho barracks were not a place of worship but a nuisance, was ruled out of order.

Mr A. 0. Beeg ono of of the prohibition candidates for the Dunedin City Licensing Bench put forward an offer that if the moderate party abo'ished the bottle licenses this year bo would reccommend his fellow prohibitionists to withdraw.- The licensed victuallers regard this as a scheme to defeat them in detail and decline the proposal. In the Tauranga district a considerable proportion of tho crop is now safely stacked and thatched in, but much is still unsecured. A , good deal of, the, delay has been caused by tho small number of maohinesj and especially of binders, as the natives have so much crop in that they have no time to go out working as they did last year. It is expected that a, large number of reapers and binders will be brought into the district for next year's crops, ' At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty ta Animals, Mr Justice Williams was re-elected'president. During the year there have been 12 prosecutions and 11 convictions;- The membership is now 300, being an increase of 02, and the subscriptions have risen from £lO3 5s to 1123 9a, 138 cases havo been investigated, and 92 persons cautioned.

The flower trade of London is estimated to amount to £OOOO a day* The public honses in Liverpool have beenreduoed by fully 300 during tho past eighteen years. The Commander • iii - Chief of the English Army, the Duke of Cambridge, has .completed his fifty-Brst year. or service.

A band of gipsies, consisting ol four men and two women, wero found frozen to death lately, near Boskonritz, in Bohemia. Horseback riding has become a craze with ihe fashionable women of Now York, and tho liverymen aro turning it to good account,

.The Rev. J. W.Orißh has been elected president of the Victorian and Tasmaniain Wesleyau Conference, A run took place recently at Brisbane on Mount Morgan shares; 4000 sold at from £lO 10s to £lolss, and 1000 for £ll 103. On the aggregte '£70,000 worth were sold.

It is stated on good authority that the Prince of Wales, conversing with an eminent s'atesman lamenting the prevalence of Socialism, added reflectively, "We aro all Socialists." •

An imposing array of the chief Catholics of Germany have just issued a stirring appeal to the co-religionists in the Empire, calling on them to join and work in the interests of the African Society of German Catholics for the suppression of slavery, Reiueuyi, the great violinist, who, in all probability will give concorts shortly in St, James Hall, London, has been touring through Suuth Africa, Ho is said to have no less than £20,000 worth of jewels given him by'admirers the wide world over.

It is alleged that more than 6000 cheap pianos are worked off in Now York and Boston every year at sales of household goods, and each ono is advertised as "belonging to a lady who is obliged to dispose of this magnificent' instrument on account of finaucial difficulties."

It has been ascertained that, freo as light and air are over 27,000 families in tho city of Paris inhabiting apartments having, no other openings than a door, and that at least .60,000 familiesinthecity of.London reside in cellars,

A young man, tho son of a-clerk at the Irenoli Ministry of tho Interior shot himself dead in tho Rue Lafayette, Paris, outside the residence of a young girl who is studying tor the dramatic profession, aud who had refused his offer of marriage. ;,

A ; nows agency says that a ring has been- formed in connection with the pottery industry in general .and the manufacture of china in particular, which cannot fail to have an important effect on the North Staffordshire trade.: Sir Saul Samuel has been informed that the new organ-intended for the Sydney Town Hall will r be unequalled by any other organ in the world. ' The Sydney City Council has. been offered £3,000 per annum for the right to-construct a double,line of cable tramway through George-street, American. customs are making an ; impression:, on tho most conservative sovereigns of Europe., At. a .torchlight, celebration given in his honor at Breslau the -week before, last. Emperor William of Germany shook hands with each one oftheparaders. The Glasgow Weekly Mail, of December, 8, says .Gillies, of. the New Zealand Supremo Court, is ah Aexatnple of what man can accomplisheven' wlthout'the genror of youth.: He was not admitted to the Bar until he was nearly 40, All the -honours he has merited he has wo'hsince," ■-''■'

As compared- .with' tho; returns, for ,1887,-there has during' the.past year beenan'Jnciease, of 21 n'er.cphi'in.tHe exportation. of' AjistralianMutton ? to England," lii tho'New Zealand trade in mutton and beef there-has been'an increase.of 73 percent. : , : ~•',:■' Last : year this colony sehtto'England 44],289bwt. of : mutton,-which- even at l|dper'lb. freight, meant'.'£2S7,|o;.tq tho shipping companies,',apart'frpm tin} other agency 'ah'd-'marketing' charges* .The meat muatbave ultimately,cost the Eiiglish-^icpnsiirners s ;over ;■»•'•= million': sterling,/ !'-:/';■> : -.':'■'■■':-.-' '. ':

• vM£;tevestatnSM;H.fi. for:!Nefsiiii diedjast eyening;:^ ; & '•■ ■ ■ ■■! ys*

Eowoa., r and lovne'lioid thoir Street 'yards to-morrow, iSvtieti tliey offer .2000 good brCeding£ew,csj/.350 fat;; ewes,/800 fat wethers. 100 lambs,; storo oMef-'dairy; cows,-2.bulls; h6r'sea,.pigs,etc. .'.; ■ A powerful Company' is', being formed in London with a capital of £1,000,000, far tho purpose of "extending' the New Zealand frozen ;meaV'tr'ade; v . The' pro-' niotera of tho'company offer producers' 'and -betlev facilities, for .plaoiiifj. the, on tlid Im.ai'kdt.' "."\%- : '-y. ■" : :''-'?

. Tenders '-'are ..invited for for twelve months': those■ commodious.premiles in Queen-stroet, Masterton, known as the li'orester'i .Hall, containing a large shop and four rooms together with a detached storing ; Bhei. Fuli'.par'ticu-''. lavs, can bo .obtained from" 1 Mr 'E.' H. : Waddington, .\ ;

It ia reported that -the 1 Railway Com-' missioners have issued a circular to the effect that in. futuro railway employees are not to travel by rail, without paying their faros. Even raihg9y ; guards Qn a return journey,; when ijpf .on du'fcyi' will require to purchase a ticket./ Naturally the.employees are somewhat'displeased with, tho : new. order of, has doubtless been adopted \vithii Viev of making the lines as possible ;j'J i'l;; '.'•- ,('.. f;•".': ; .

Tho ordinary monthly moeting.'oftlie North T(Vaivaraiia' , was held Pay ton(chairman);, Galloway, rDagc; and Beetliak.'uThemJnA meeting haying been read and confirmed the Treasurer icredit.balan'ce of£lß7s !fid,' 'Thecorreapondehce' in-' oluded '& /-claim' j:from /.'the"' Pahiatiia County : Gouucil tot £15.133 Meipen'ded .'oasesi \K^M ; :'dobided''.tu TOfw. this claim to tfaiNprth Wairarapa Cpuuci), and pay it that body. The. cases 'oirthe l Society were cohfid6're|Msolie len§sij' and it was deciMit^lrfekp. a further effort to' dispdse : J ; t oT;.'certain chronib pensioners,'. and : to determine' another where the character pf the recipient for relief did 'hot■■'.justify assistance being given. It was also resolved that Mr Beetham should, brine before the Hospi-. tal Trust the. expediohcy of allowing the Benevolent Trust to' send sick cases to that [institution 'on the understanding that a sum sufficient to cover cost of ' saino waaprovided by the latter, water which drowns, a-fluent ; stream, can be walked upon as ice. The i bullet whioh,' when fired from a musket carries death, will be harmless if ground to dust before being fired. The crystallised part of the oil of roses, so graceful in its solid at ordinary temperatures; though readily volatile —: is a compound substance containing exactly the same elements, and in exactly the same proportions, as the gas with, which we light bur streets. The tea which we daily driuk with benefit and pleasure produces: palpitations, nervous tremblings, and oven paralysis if taken in oscess; yet the peculiar organic agent called th'ome, to which tea owes it qualities, may ba taken by itself as theine—not as tea—without any. appreciable effect. The water which'will allay our burning thirst augments it when congealed into snow; so that it is stated by oxploreis of the Artie regions that the Natives prefer enduring the utmost extremity of thirst rather than attempt to remove it by eating snow." Yet if the snow be melted it becomes drinkable water, Nevertheless, although if melted beforo entering the mouth it assuages thirst like other water, .when melted in the mouth it has the opposite effect. To render this paradox more striking, wo liavo only to remember that ice, which melts more slowly in the mouth, is very efficient m allaying thirst, —Blackwood's Magazine. A Danish naturalist, Dr Pilandt, relates tho following curious fight between a vipor and a hedgehog, in the Copenhagen Jagttidende: -Sauntering ono hot day recently, about noon, on the Billeslund Estate, I espied a hedgehog in a grass meadow with its. eyes fixed intently on sonie spot injaiedgo close by; and by following its gazo I saw a' viper lying on the bank curled up, Bunuing itself. 1 sat. down on the gross to watch them. For quite an/hour the two combatants remained immovable, the hedgehog keeping a steady eyo upon his prey. Then suddenly the viper began' to move and exactly in the direction ot his toe.' The hedgehog let it nearly pass, when, swift as lightning it darted forwards, and, having seized the viper by tho tip of its tail with its teeth, rolled himself up, Tho viper writhed under tho bite, and dashod its body repeatedly cgainst the quills of the hedgehog til] its blood flowed, and in a short pace of time it had practically committed suicide. The hedgehog theu proceeded to devour its prey,'fromthe tail upwards, carrying away what lie could not consume.

An official programme, with regulai tions, of the New Zealand and South Sea Exhibition, proposed by the. Commissioner, has been circulated in Melbourne, and has been before the Commissioners. It has not been definitely adopted, but it is not likely to be much altered. The Exhibition will , be opened on November 20th, 1889, and ■ close at the end of the week aftor Easter ' 1890, The Government .will issue ] regulations for tho freo admission of intercolonial and foreign exhibits, Applications for space will have to be mado by June 1. The ordinary charge for space is to be one guinea for the first ten square feet, and one shilling for 1 every additional foot, Machinery and bulky exhibits will be shown in special annexes, in which the charge will be one . guinea for twenty square foet, and sixpence per additional foot, British and foreign exhibiis will be charged double ' rates, The Exhibition will bo open for the reoeption of exhibits by October 1, and space not occupied by November 1 will revert to tho Commissioners, Only articles manufactured in the building will be allowed to bo sold. Tho buildings will be • constituted a bonded store.. The protection of inventions is secured by tlm patent laws. Representatives of countries rind. Colonies will be allowed to group exhibits as they may .think fit in tlio portion allotted them,- subject to the approval of tho"Commissioners. Motive power will, be supplied free of charge to exhibitors of processes of manufacture, but must be applied for by July 1, Judges will be appointed, mainlyon the recommendation.Af exhibitors, Certificates, of first, second and third order of merit will be awarded, the first order carrying silver, and the second bronze medals, Not morp than twelve special gold medals'wilibe awarded, Speaking of the sloth, Sydney Smith says: "He moves suspended, sleeps suspended, rests suspended, walks suspended, and, iii fact, passes his life in suspense',- like a .young olergyman distantly related to a bishop,". ;. ; " I've got a complaint to make," said an office boy to. his employer. ..".What is it ?" "The bookkeeper kicked me, sir. I don't want no bookkeeper to kick me?" ;".;Of pourse he kicked youi Yo.u don't expect p to attend to 'everything, do you I I can't look after all the little details of the business myself, "•■:'.'■■ You should Vint Wellington]'and., above all tilings go to the sale of overplus Summer Drapery at Te Aro'House; Wellington,' '■ ■ Yon should visit this sale, Why ? Because you will benefit amazingly by so doing, and make your money go: fnrtkerthnn it ■ ever did before, if you will but call at the Over-: plus.Sale at Te Aro House] Wellington!: . .'You...should, visit - the: Sale.." Why? Because the bargai'ishavo.been numerous ahd'astonishingVahdjheremainder of.the Overplus will be sold,' at. '.still': lower. prices, during the present week' at To Aro House, Wellington,- , : .''■'{''/. ':-- i: \: You should' visit -the : Sale', . Why ?. Because it'is the last week! and it, positively closes oh'.iSaturday'-'next,' February--1 Gth, ■ st 10; o'clook". in the Evening. Fail not.itherefore, to give a look in at the Overplus Sale at'-Te Aro House, Wellington, .. You ; should -/visit the. Sale,,, Why ? Because you'' wo'iiid' onjaytfie"' outing.-; Because you would-purchase cheaply.— Because you would :save'money,: and Because so many, of your, neighbors have donoso. by ■ Yisiting-the'Sale of Surplus Stock at To Aro House, WeffingtoW; '. 'I .-. Da, npt dolayv-W<3 cannot possibly extend the time-the Saje: will positively,, come to an end at -10 o'clock'! in '-the .'evening of Saturday. NexV'at : ■■ Hqtise, Vfel. linaton.-';:';.-.;>: ■'•; v.; ■■. |

makes aii'addifior'io hi8 : 8took; Mb;M; 100, fat:/ sheep'ipO gTfdidera are invited in anothircoluiriii by?Mr;:H; Jf Haigh for lihe Tabßiildirig of a'libto'm;Dixon-Btrbet.: £.«s V. '■:... i-p ■'■,'

; McssiiLbwoiand lorns add to, their BanfandEwe Fair advertisement for 'the: 20tl>, SO ranis ahd 60 owes Avliiohi will bring np theirtbtnl'.entries to nearly 700; ..;■ ',The,SpiithKoif year, maiiy, being, left year's ',; JMotioo is given of the election • ;bf Jto! persons to act as a Licensing Committee for > the'. Mastofton ;Borbugh:-District? Nomihatioiis'close at noon on:':Weto'sr, day 20th./February,' and the eiectionj/jif necessary, takes place on the 27th instijj

: The total /number ..of bales^of : -\v.061. received at';' i the.Maßterton : ';;'Eailway Station-.this' season : nuniberfll f i;fi2pß., ; There are a few more yet to b'e'deliVered' whioh willprobably make theinurofief total up to-5300, bales in eioesa'qf last yfl'ar,v>3^^ i '; For the.noxt'six months the^pfiiefs 5 of the Shaw, Savill, and MbiofyOpmpany's line will make Fort Chaltners ani Lytteltoii-the. first commencing 'with the tawS'for||pr£ Chalmers. Tho NeW'Zealanighip'piiig. Opmpany's Northern, ports the. same period!: '■■ »U£v:i;^3sr •s§: : The Dunedlh Mirijat'era'v OdnferoUee have, passed a : resolution condemning, the usejot licensed hallsfforr r glove contests underthe.'Marquis of. Queensbury rules, as th|y are,thinly disguised prize, fights, brutAing to. those engaged/and demoralising .ftp; the. community... A deputation was appointed to'wait upon Jihe City 06uiioil on the'aubjepti /'■';.-.- .

:/A ihebtihg: of. the, Masterton Horctcultural and.lndusfcrial'Sdbietyjtv&sheld tonight!(Monday) when/the'special prizes for the Autumn Show amounting tp'£l2 odd' were.allotted and judges The exhibition will be held in the Drill hall on' Weduesday, i; '27tli February, and promise's, ■ to be a great success in point of entries.■■••■.

'■■ William J, 'Hamilton was chawed boforeMr W.H. Beetham, J. P., this morning with being drunk, and this being his second offence he was fined .ten shillings or 'twenty-four bonis' imprisonment, Being in' a state of impecuniosity he accepted the latter alternative, andj is now busily engaged, Bawing wood 1 at the 'Ma'stortoh Police Station. • r ' "

As thero seems to be some misunderstanding in connection with the date and time "of the Wairarapa Association Orioket Matches, we publish the following information which may bo relied upon as correct. On Saturday next the South Wairarapa team play the Masterton team at Maatertoiv On the sanio day the Star fifteen playa Carterton eleven at Carterton.

Tho " Patience" Company held a re-union last night at the Theatre Koyal and celebrated the success of their recent operatic performance by a dance, to which a limited number of friends were invited. The members wore nil ■ dressed in cliawoter, and the brilliant uniform of the soldiers' and the pretty and- graceful dresses of. the ladies were in strong contrast to the black dress suits and white kid gloves of many of the gentlemen, A liberal supply of refreshments was provided by tho ladies, Dancing was kept up with evident enjoyment (notwithstanding the. thermometer recording eighty degrees) until two o'clock in .the morning- -.

On the 7th February wo published an artiole upon the harvest in the Masterton district. Immediately upon its production! Mr Ij. S, W. Dalrymple, with his usual business insight ordered one thousand copies of it to ..be printed for him with an introductory note of his own. These he has circulated through his agents in Europe, America, China, India, and other places with a view to making known to the dutside world the agricultural capabilities of our well favoured town hnd district, '

' Mr Albert Koebele, the scientist sent to Australasia _by the United States Government to investigate Icerya, (known popularly as " watfclo blight") and its parasites, arrived in Napier on Friday evening via, Taupo. It would greatly assist Mr Koebele inhie researches (says tho Herald) if those who can lot him have specimens of Icerya, whioh appear to have been preyed upon by parasites of aiiy kind will do fo. This is the more to be desired from the fact that Mr Koebele's- efforts for the American Government will not only benefit the American United States, but Now Zealand also, as the bh»ht is a fearfully destructive one. It is known to be preyed upon in its turn by a parasitic fly and Mr Koebele hopes to so multiply the production of'this parasite that the the blight itself will become exterminated.

The Merchant's Journal reports that the French Miniator of Agriculture has recently had a number of tests made which will go to show that meat can be preserved by sugar in a much more satisfactory manner than by salt, The Bait is somewhat cheaper, but its effect is to destroy to quite a degree the nutritive qualities of the meat with which it iB brought.iuto contact while it meat is packed in powdered sugar a coating is formed over the outside, tho juices of the meat are retained, and not the least harm results. When sugar-pre-served meat is to bo used, all that ia necessary is the soakiny of it in water, which speedily removes whatever traces there may be of tho preserving subst'anco. It is thought thai the result of this investigation may lead in time to important changes in tho meat-preserv-ing industry.

In connection with the late Brunner fatality, a party of 18 went to Mitchell's accommodation house, on tho far side of side of the lake, for a picnic on Saturday, In the evening they camo back in two boats. Thers was not a breath of wind. The largest boat contained 14, including all tho ladies, the other boat six, viz., Joseph Molloy, Thomas Tuckey (who wero drowned)_,Jermiah McCarthy, M,O, O. Henry Whitnal, Oscar Hederstrom, John Williams. The cause of the accident was that Tuckey was reaching up to tho sail, one foot on the gunwale, when the boat overturned. Molloy was seen no more after the'capsize.' Whitnal got his leg entangled-in the ropes. McCarthy; who got hold of the boat a second time, in coming up'- tried -to extricate him, but he replied, " No.use, Jerry, it will not come," meaning he could not get loose, He bade him goodbye, and.asked him to remember him to his son Jack., When;Whitnal ,was rescued afterward ho wis Insensible, and was with, great difficulty brought to by restoratives. Tuckey was not seen after the capsize. The party were rescued by Mrs. Mitcholl' in her own boat, who out of compliment to the party was escorting them across the lake, and but for her all but McCarthy'.would haw been drowned,' A party has goneup to drag for the bodies. The.water is about 27ft deep,'

SkinhyMen ,-' .' , . .".Well's health,,, renew.er".. restores health and yigor, cures Dyspepsia, Im. potenco, Sexual Debility,. At chemists and; druggists". Kempthorne, Proßserfi Co, A?entvWellinsfton, .'- ■■■'■■ ',. '"JEtoooH oh Eats,

Clears outrats, mice, roaches, flies,' ants, beg-bugs, beetles, insects;: skunks, jack-rabbits, gophors| 'At ohemistsand dru,ggists.- ; 1; .;/ •,-;;:,