GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2577, 4 February 1910, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

In the course of conversation with a Christchurch “Press” representative, Mr. Hugo Friedlander, the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, called attention to the unique position of the Board in comparison with others in the Dominion. “Everywhere,” said he, “harbor hoards are raising large loans to carry out works in connection with their harbors. Napier is doing so, and Auckland also, and Wellington lias raised large sums. Here in Canterbury we have done nothing of the sort. Our port of Lyttelton is dealing with the large trade, and the accommodation has been provided out of its own funds. This is due to the splendid foresight and excellent poliev of the earlv members of the Board, who instituted a magnificent system of finance. Foreseeing that the time would come when large expenditure in .improvements would he required, they built up funds for the -purpose.

“You are thoronglilv up-to-date in Morse signalling at Wellington/’ remarked an officer of the Morayshire to a “New Zealand Times” representative recently. “We must have been nine miles from the entrance when the outer signal station called us up by Morse lamp about 1.40 o’clock in the morning. We replied by givng a few flaishes with our lamp. Promptly the question came from the signal station, ‘What ship is that?’ We got the message very distinctly, and we replied with the word ‘Morayshire.’ We were asked ‘Where are you from?’ and replied, ‘Auckland.’ The signal station concluded with ‘R.D. Thanks.’ Considering the distance and that it was very bright moonlight, the signalling was remarkably clear, and is no doubt a useful equipment of the port.”

On the time-table question the “Hawke’s Bay Herald” says:-—ln the first place it seems that we made a mistake in insisting-on the daily service to New Plymouth. We did ask for it, and we got it; but it- is clear that we are going to pay too dearly for it, and we bad better make up our minds to do without it. It could, perhaps, bo preserved if the Government could be persuaded to speed up the trains a little. And that could easily be done. Travellers tell us that almost every day long Avaits are made Avliich are not warranted by the time-table. Within the- last day or tAVo the mail train from Wellington made a delay of 1 an hour at Palmerston, and Avas nearly an hour* and a half at Te Auto. Yet it managed to reach Napier not long behind its schedule time. It is clear that it would be possible to fix the departure and arrival of the. express trains for much more convenient hours by a little speeding up. In any case there is no reason why the Napier express should leaA'e Wellington an hour after the New Plymouth express.

A well-known stock agent stated to a “Wairarapa Daily Times” representative that the- demand for Romney rams during the past few months had been exceptionally keen and in a great many instances farmers and stationholders requiring rams had made their purchases privately—that was to say, direct from the breeders. A great-many of the recognised breeders of these, sheep in the district had disposed of most of their rams, and, in some in-' stances, would find a difficulty in meeting such orders as might come in. The demand for Romneys, lie l stated, had no doubt been accentuated by the good prices obtained for these wools at the beginning of the season, the American buyers being among the keenest of competitors in the market.

The “Waimato Witness” gives particulars regarding the returns received from dairying by a farmer on the Sutherland road. He has a farm of 45 *acres, which carries a dairy herd of 33 cows and seven other animals throughout the year.. Last year the return from milk amounted to £447 3s 2d, and pigs, calves, etc., realising £56 13s lid. brought the total up to £503 17s Id. This works out at approximately £ll per acre, and is a record which will take some beating. The present season, however, promises to give even a higher return. The cows came in earlier and in better condition than in the . preceding season and the flow of milk in the early part was more prolific. For the five months of this, season, from August to December, the milk cheques have totalled £217 18s 3d, on a lOd a pound payment, excepting for

lid in August; while for the corresponding period last year, on an lid a pound payment throughout, the total fell short of this sum, it being £193 1.6 s 7d. Of course, in order to get results such as this it is necessary to make judicious selections of stock, and not t<> have any useless cows in the herd. The farmer has factory documents to prove the accuracy of these particulars.

Sharks in the Oamaru roadstead are the bane of the fishermen at th e . present time. ( says the “North Otogo Times”). When a fisherman hooks a groper, for instance, he never knows that he will get the fish into his boat. The sharks, which are very numerous, follow the hooked fish up swiftly, and bite it off the hook.- Sometimes the whole of the. fish, hook and all, goes into the capacious maw of the shark. Last week a fisherman had two gropers on his line. One he secured, but before he could- lift the other in, a shark about sixteen feet long sailed over and bit off the line. The shark, in. these cases, does not turn over to secure its prey; it swarms right over the fish and it disappears. The sharks evidently wait for the boats, and levy a heavy toll on the fishermen, who have, in several instances, made preparations for giving them a warm, reception.

An old man who for some years has made a. business of following shearers round the country and playing the violin at the camps during the evenings was the. victim of a mean action at a certain camp in the Lakes district recently (says the Southland News”). At the camp he was handed" a small sum of money at the conclusion' of his opening perform ace, and given to understand that if lie kept on he would be well paid at the breaking-up o:f the camp. The feeble l old fellow supplied jigs and ditties for about a fortnight, but on the conclusion of shearing operations the men sneaked off •without giving their old musician a cent, with the result that he experienced considerable difficulty in making his wav back to civilisation.

Questioned as to the dryness of the decks of the turret-deck type of vessel, Captain Price, of the steamer Clan Macfarlane (a turret-deck boat), said to a “New Zealand Times” reporter that during seven years’ experience on that vessel he bad on only one occasion seen a heavy sea come’ aboard. “That,” he remarked, “Avas during a seismic disturbance near Japan, Avlien the sea AA r as moving in all directions.” The spar-deck of the turret-deck boat is not immune from sprays, but only under extraordinary circumstances does a green sea get on board. It is a strange sight to see the seas expending their force on the Avhale-back sides of the hulls of these vessels.