GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2468, 5 April 1909, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

What is said to be a fairly rich coalmine has been discovered-on the hills near Featherston. The seam is good coal, and is about five feet in thickness. It is many years (says the “Wanganui. Herald”) since such a number of men who may be termed “dead beats” 'st re see n in Wnaganui as are hanging about the town at present. Wellingtonians do not walk half as much as the .average city dwellers in England, as . tramway statistics prove. ~ The' most striking illustration of this fact is the number of tramcars required for the system in Wellington. There are ninety, but for a tramway system m an English town of the same size, forty cars would' easily meet the requirements. The London correspondent of the Auckland “Herald” writes that by the unanimous vote of the “Bristol Savages”—an artists’ club, having among its members all the men of note in that part of the West of England—Mr G. E. Butler, the well-known New Zealand artist, has been commissioned to paint a large picture commemorating the King’s last visit to Bristol. The subject is to be “His Majesty Reviewing the Veterans of the Indian Mutiny and Crimea, at the Art Gallery, Bristol.” The selection of the artist was left to the Bristol Savages. \ The call of duty was strong.upon, a, telegraph messenger iixa. Northern centre when he interrupted Sir Joseph. Ward in the midst of a weighty peroration on the land question to inquire if he'knew the whereabouts of his private secretary, Mr Hislop. The boy was told by his postmaster to find Mr Hislop, and he took the most direct means of doing so, states the “Katipo.” The audience greatly appreciated the incident, and after Sir Joseph Ward had imparted the desired applauded loudly. “Industrial matters are very peaceful just now,” said the Hoh. A. WT Hogg, Minister for Labor. _to a "'Dominion’"' reporter last week. ‘ “In fact, I never knew the Labor world more calm than it is at present, and it will be my object to keep it so. The Conciliation Councils are creating a good impression, and the new system of keepng employers up to tin?; mark by means of the Magistrates’ Cotii'ts will have a most salutary effect. The long delays hitherto experienced in getting wrongs righted, have led to a large amount of friction, but the prompt methods of the Magistrates in dealing with the cases brought before them are hound to almost prevent abuses of any magnitude in the future.” A plea for the preservation of the •New Zealand bush has been made by Hr Tempest Anderson, of New York, who recently toured New Zealand. He tokl an Auckland interviewer ‘that he was particularly pleased with the bush on the northern shore of Lake Rotoiti. • ■ Avas much grieved, however, at an announcement he had seen to the effect that this bush-clad area was about to be thrown open to settlers. ’ Dr Anderson said he Avould suggest that a hand of a quarter mile in width should he preserved to keep some of the finest scenery in the world from destruction. By destroying the bush,, he considered the island was losing one v of its greatest attractions to tourists. The London correspondent of the Auckland “Herald” writes that at the Dore Galleries, New Bond-street,..there is in progress an excellent and representative shoAV of pictures, the work of Miss Grace Joel, the well-known Dunedin artist. The 56 pictures exhibited cover a Avide range of subjects—portraits, flowers, landscapes. The majority, hoAA-ever, represent figure studies, and for her subjects Miss Joel has dealt with Dutch, French, and English people. There are 10 water-colors and 46 oil-paintings. No fqgyer than five of the pictures shown have been on the Avails of the Paris Salon. For NeAv Zealanders, the oil-painting of St. Clair Baths, Dunedin, possesses special interest. New Zealand is to be strongly represented at the coming re-opening of the International Exhibition at Shepherd’s SMsh, London. The Government biologist states that a collection, including fruit, grain in the sheaf, grass seeds, preserves and jams, frozen poultry, etc., in fact, covering the whole gamut of the Dominion products, was to be sent to supplement and strengthen last year’s exhibit at the Franco-British exhibition. Some of the goods have already been forwarded, and the remainder will follow later. Included in the general collection will be special exhibits of bacon, ham and lard and frozen hare and game. The decision arrived at to be represented Avas tco late to alloiv of. the wool and frozen meat being obtained in New Zealand. These will-be supplied from the London end. . The origin of destructive. fires is often shrouded in mystery.; An incipient fire at Ontram last week, fortunately discovered in time, shows that both the cause and the discovery may both be novel and curious. A cyclist riding by the Outram Hotel at 5 o’clock an the morning AA r as surprised to see the door of that hostel apparently ablaze. Dismounting, he found that the lamp above the entrance had become overheatfSd, and, having' melted part of the. metal -work of the.lantern, "was emptying its ignited contents down upon the panels of the door. The cyclist gave the alarm, and the flames were quenched with a few bucketfuls of Avater. A pathetic recital of the results of an accident was given by a man at the Christchurch ; Magistrate s Court. Me appeared in answer to a claim tor Zos, tho balance of a loan. He said that he horroAved the money to purchase a horse and van to “hawk about the country. He found the business did not .suit him, and he returned to his occupation of fish-hawker in the city. Short ]y after, however, he was incapacitated by a tramway accident. His horse a killed his cart smashed, and bis beai - ing had been affected. The loss of his horse and cart had crippled h.e e sources and in addition he found that his old customers would.not bother with hirii iioav that it was difficult to make 3. p ' r He had paid the loan with „SS He. consented to judgment bein«" given against him. Tradesmen.pf .all descriptions wbo. arrived in the Dominion Csorm have fsavs the N..Z. limes ) ed at the Labor Department for infored at tap i-. There were about feists v.. ’ one official many of c s __ aTC not 1'»*» P«d felled “good