Importing moose into New Zealand

Field Marshall Lord Kitchener inspecting the school cadets at Abbotsford. Accompanying him is Major McDonald, officer commanding the junior cadets; immediately following are Sir J. G. Ward, Minister of Defence, and Colonel Fitzpatrick, staff officer to Lord Kitchener. - Otago Witness, 23.2.1910.
Field Marshall Lord Kitchener inspecting the school cadets at Abbotsford. Accompanying him is Major McDonald, officer commanding the junior cadets; immediately following are Sir J. G. Ward, Minister of Defence, and Colonel Fitzpatrick, staff officer to Lord Kitchener. - Otago Witness, 23.2.1910.
The ultimate destination of the eight moose imported by the Government recently has not yet been settled, and the animals remain meanwhile on Somes Island, in Wellington Harbour.

The Minister in charge of the Tourist Department (Hon. T. Mackenzie) has (says the New Zealand Times) been giving a good deal of consideration to the matter, and believes that a suitable place would be near Lake McKerrow, in the Hollyford Valley, reached from Martin's Bay, but there are navigation difficulties which might prevent the steamer from entering the river.

As an alternative, Mr Mackenzie favours the secluded Seaforth-Mackenzie Valley, at the head of Dusky Sound, where the moose would be absolutely secure from interference while becoming acclimatised.

• As an instance showing the help the motor car is in connection with the tourist traffic to Milford Sound, via Te Anau (says the Southland Times), Messrs A. Russell, Fowler, and Tapper left the Pompalona huts, which are nearly half-way through from Milford, on Monday morning at 8 o'clock, and duly arrived at Glade House.

After a two hours' spell the group took the steamer to Te Anau Hotel, arriving there at 7pm.

After half an hour they left for Invercargill in a 12-h.p.

De Dion car, arriving at their destination at 2am.

As an hour was spent at Central Hill Hotel for supper, the actual time taken by steamer and car was a little over 10 hours.

The travellers state that it is quite possible to go from Invercargill to Milford Sound, via Sutherland Falls, in 24 hours.

• There are at the present time about 40 flaxmills at work in Otago and Southland.

The material being produced is principally fair, that being the quality of the millers largely contracted with merchants to supply.

The amount of good, fair quality being produced is accordingly limited.

The dry weather is having a rather serious effect on the industry, and if rain does not come very soon the position will become fairly acute.

Several mills have been compelled to suspend operations, while some others are contemplating doing likewise.

• Ratskins are being increasingly used for making fancy goods, and last year the ratskin trade in Britain amounted to 50,000.

A business for securing and preparing the skins will probably be started in Calcutta, where the supply of rats is said to be inexhaustible.

- ODT, 28.2.1910.