GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2429, 18 February 1909, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

A poultry fancier of Ashburton had the misfortune to lose about 40 Wyandotte foy/Js, a few days -ago. By some mistake the food prepared for the fowls was mixed with brine used for preserving beans, and all the fowls which ate the food died. Settlers iu the Morrison’s Bush district, Wairarapa, are having the unusual experience this season of a very small fruit yield, the marketable fruit in sight being only about a seventh of that usually gathered, dales arc said to have been responsible for this unfortunate, state of affairs. A very large shipment of dairy produce will bo made by the lvaikoura, which is to leave Wellington for London next Thursday, A quantity of Southern cheese, which it had been intended to send by her, is being placed on board the Papauui at the Bluff. Mr. P. Scullion, of Napier, suffered the 'loss of his motor car at Moha'ka last week, under somewhat peculiar conditions. Mr. Scullion motored from Wairoa to Mohaka and left his motor car under some trees at the latter place. About half an hour later he was aroused by the fact that his ear was on fire, anti before anything could be done the body was burned out ol it. The car was insured for £250 si. the South British.

For the last two or three days (says a We e st Coast exchange) Mr. Daniels, with a large gang of men, have been removing all the valuable parts from the Hawea, at Greymouth, and have now started breaking the ship up with dynamite. The idea being carried out is to dynamite the beams, and then’blow a large hole in the bow so that the action of the heavy seas will cause the vessel to collapse in two. The beams are being broken with dynamite rings, which are placed round the beams, and then fired. The vessel was faithfully built, and was one of the strongest in the company’s fleet. The present spoil of fine weather is favorable for earring out of the work, and it is to ho hoped that before the next heavy sea sets in that all the necessary work wil he completed. The- only danger that is t-o be avoided is to see that the side of the vessel does not get swept into the fairway. Wellington has a somewhat uotor ions reputation for high rents, induced, in the first instance, by perfectly natural causes—the excess of demand over supply. Now, however, there is a check in the. commercial affairs of the Dominion and incidentthe city, which has had an effect on property. One land and house agent informed a “Dominion” -representative that there were at present sixty houses to let in the Island Bay district, -and lie could not remember eo many shops being empty in the city since he had been in business. There was, too, plenty of vacant office accommodation. Another house and land agent, representing an old-established firm of the highest repute, stated that never in his recollection had there been so little buying ancf selling in Wellington. He thought it was inevitable that the high rents ruling must go down this year if things did not mightily change, and referred to certain. unscrupulous practices which were being adopted, and which, he said, had come under his own personal notice, to keep up rents. One tenant in a block of houses had been given possession of a house at a certain rental on -condition that he informed inquirers that he was paying 5s per week more, and to ensure absolutely “that there should be no deception” he was given a receipt for the higher sum each week. The agent said he knew that the same practice had been resorted to in the letting of office accommodation in the city. It will come as a surprise to the most people to know that- before each sitting of the Supreme Court it is necessary to compile a Maori jury roll .aiul each native prisoner., if he desires, has the right to be tried by a jury of natives. The fact that the privilege is never asked for may be a flattering tribute to the justice disposed by the pakeha, but probably many a juryman summoned to serve his country in a native case would gladly forego the honor. Although a Maori jury is never summoned, the legal provision for such a thing neccessitates the compilation of a native jury roll and in this connection a good story is told. In view of the approaching sessions of the Supreme Court in Napier, a local police officer (says the Napier “Telegraph”) visited a Maori pah not a hundred miles from Wharerangi for the purpose of compiling the usual native roll. He was met by a Maori of importance whom lie .asked for the names of some of the leading and respectable natives in the pah. After giving the matter some stolid consideration the native wrote down one name. The constable took this but asked if there were no other men in tbe pah who might be considered respectable and of good character. The native solemnly shook his head and said there were not. With this the constable had to be satisfied, but it struck him to ask bis dusky informant who the one man in the pah was who might be considered righteous. The descendant of the rangitiras blandly replied, “That’s me.” ' __