GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2643, 27 October 1909, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

A proposal of the Wellington Benevolent Trustees, that the able-bodied men who are the heads of families receiving (help from ’ the trustees should do work at Oliiro Home equivalent in Value to the rations granted Ms not been favorably responded to by the bread-winners themselves. There were twenty-one such* eases, and the secretary reported to tho Trustees recently that only four or five of them had put in an appearance during the week to work out the rations granted to them and their families. ' A Wellington paper states that the Now Zealand Amalgamated Society Of Railway Servants has made a further deposit of £7OO with the Bank of New South Wales at 4 per cent, interest per annum, for a period of two years. The society’s deposits, apart from money om current account, amount to £2700. An Ashburton farmer recently secured a line of several hundred well-wool-led hoggets, at 9s each (says an exchange). The hoggets have.been shorn, and their fleeces are each worth Bs, so that the farmer lias-actually purchased his sheep at Is per head. The greater number of the hoggets, if put into the market at the present time in their shorn state, would .realise over 8s pcihead as fats. Up to last week there were 37 flaxmills working in Otago and Southland, •and there is every, indication of tho number being increased. Prospects for the flaxmiller this season are very much brighter than they have been for years }iast (says the “Otago Daily Times”). Prices have imnroved considerably, and the quality of Ahe hemp, .being turned out is accordingly higher. A well-known Southlander of the younger generation, noted for his knowledge of the agricultural and pastoral business, is said, to have reaped a substantial benefit from the inflation of prices in connection with mutton. The gentleman' in question, who has a Unique knowledge of the sheep resources of the Province (says the “Times”), secured the major portion of the available stock at a few hours’, notice, and accomplished some very Smart travelling and bargaining work, to say nothing of his financial gains. In commercial and sporting circles his success has been favorably received. .Mr S. R. Lancaster, Palmerston North, has presented a Romney ram, valued at 10 guineas, to the Mastorton A. and P. Association, to be sold at the stock fair being organised in aid of the Solway dhow ground fund. “It was nice of the old man.” This remark was made by a lady member of the Trustees of the Wellington Benevolent Institution. The old man had died and for a year previous to his death he had been a total abstainer from liquor in order that he might have a small sum to bequeath to the institution. He suggested that the money should go towards tho purchase of a phonograph for the amusement of Ms former comrades. During the recent run from Sydney to Wellington, H.M/S. Pioneer was in continuous wireless communication with either the Powerful at Sydney or the Challenger at Wellington. One evening she had messages from.them-both. TMs was when about 300 miles frdm the Now Zealand coast. While the Pioneer was communicating to the Challenger, the latter was called up by the Powerful. On board the Pioneer the signals of the Powerful were quite audible, but the instrument on the smaller ship was not sufficiently effective to enable her to send a message back, Tho Parliamentary Committee of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation has ■ represented to the Minister of Mines that gold robbery is rife in the dominion, and that many thousands of pounds’ worth is stolen annually. As convictions are difficult to obtain, it is suggested that the law should, be amended so that any person who is or has. been in possession of gold, or who is suspected of having stolen it, should be required to prove that he came by it honestly. The fishermen engaged at Kaipara, in the Auckland province, are now experiencing considerable opposition to successful hauls by the presence of large shoals of dog and jelly-fish. Jellyfish make their appearance regularly with the warm weather, but there is an unusually large number floating about just now, some of them measuring fully twelve inches in diameter. Considerable difficulty is being continually experienced in preventing them getting into the nets, particularly as they affect -■ the flavor of the eatable fish, especially flounders, if there is contact (between the two species.. One of tho worst, troubles, however, is tho dogfislv large shoals of which are causing trouble because they get into the nets, and, being vigorous ,twist and turn the nets in all directions. Fishermen are at their wits’ end to know what to do with them. Lieutenant Antony Honnuzd Rassam, late of the British Army, who served through the South African campaign, has.been appointed a. probation-acting-staff-sergeant-major to the infantry of th© Otago Defence District. Lieutenant Ross am is a son of Mr. Hormuzd Rassam, formerly British Resident at Aden, who assisted Layard m his Assyrian explorations. He succeeded Layard, subsequently discovering the palace of Sardanapalus. • In 1864 Mr Rassam was sent by the British Government to demand the release of Mr Cameron, British Consul at Magdala, who had been imprisoned by King Theodore of Abyssinia. He was well received by the King, and having, as he thought, accomplished the object or his visit, set out on the return journey to the coast. On the first night out the camp was surrounded, and the members of tho party were all made prisoners, including Mr Rassam, who was confined to a cage for three or four years. Those were pre-cabl© days, and the news travelled slowly. (When it reached England, the Government decided to despatch an expedition under Lord Napier, in which manner the Abyssinian campaign was initiated.