General News.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19165, 23 November 1927, Page 8

General News.

Members of the New Zealand permanent staff and staff corps go into camp at Burnham from December oth to 16th. The police received advice last night that a taxi, belonging to Samuel Aldo, 223 Hereford street, taxi-driver, was stolen from Latimer square between 7.30 and 10 o'clock last night. The number of the car, which is a Nash, is 94-990. The tar sealing of Wainoni road by the Heatlicote County Council will be completed, ,it is expected, within two weeks. When Kerr's road has been similarly treated by the City Council, there will be, with the exception of one-nintb of a mile, a continuous stretch of tar sealed roadway between Cathedral square and the Bower bridge. •» The absence of a quorum resulted in the meeting of creditors of Lennox Moore, ■ labourer, Tonks street, New Brighton, which was to have been held yesterday morning, being adjourned sine die. There were no secured creditors, and the amount due to unsecured creditors was £65 2s. Debtor's only asset was a motor-cycle, his equity in which was estimated at £7 or £B. Writing on October 21st, our London correspondent mentions thac according to the report of, the Governors of the University College of Wales, Abersytwyth, admirable work at the Plant Breeding Station has been done under Professor Stapledon in the production of pedigree strains of nutritive grasses. It is hoped that the tests will be of some service in developing the grasslands of Australia and New Zealand. A retort b}' a Maori witness in the Magistrate's Court at Port Awanui proved somewhat embarrassing for the solicitor who was cross-examining him "Ask the witness," said the solicitor to the interpreter, "whether he considers it reasonable of him to charge the defendants £2O for only two hours work." The interpreter put the ques tion to the witness, who promptly replied: "Yes. Some time ago I employ you for one and a half hours—£loo!" After the adjournment of the Supreme Court in the murder trial yesterday afternoon, the jurymen were informed by the Registrar that a tramway charabanc awaited them outside, and accompanied by two policemen, they were taken on a tour of the suburbs. Evidently this unusual procedure was adopted following upon his Honour's remarks with reference to the unwholesome atmosphere of the Court, and the strain attendant upon listening to the lengthy evidence. A homing pigeon dropped into the workshop of Mr W. G. Taylor, Oxford street, Lyttelton, about 5 o'clock on Monday night. The bird was in a very exhausted condition, and could scarcely move. It had a metal ring and a rubber race-ring on its legs. When given water it drank eagerly, and later it .was given a feed of grain. After spending the night in the rafters of the workshop it was given more food and water yesterday morning, and released at 9.30. When last seen it was heading in a south-westerly direction. Pigs do not make good passengers, according to the crew of the Union steamer, Waitemata, which arrived at Auckland from San Francisco on Monday. Two days out from San Francisco the Waitemata, with a number of pigs as deck cargo, ran into a moderate blow, and she soon began pitching and tossing in heavy head seas. Shortly aftej one o'clock in the morning a particularly big sea broke on board, smashing the styes and releasing* half a "ozeo frightened and squealing pigs. Dodging about the deck, the animals got covered with oil from the winches, and no greasy pig at a country show was ever harder to catch, or rather, hold. Impromptu styes were built out of ibe wreckage, but the animals were soon loose again, slipping and slithering across the steamer's iron deck. It was a tired, greasy, and beaten watch that went below at four o'clock, and the pig hunt had to be completed by the new watch. With an improvement in the weather the styes were rebuilt more strongly, and for the rest of the voyage the pigs were not allowed the freedom of the deck, although, as is always the case with animals at sea, they were much petted by the crew. "Alter 30 years' teaching in Leeds University, there was one aspect of your university life that interested mo very much," said Professor A. J. Grant, who is returning to England shortly, having completed a year's exchange with Professor J. Hight, of Canterbury College, speaking at a complimentary luncheon tendered him at the Auckland University > College Continuing, the Professor said he referred to the Dominion's federal system. He knew he touched on a burning question, but, whatever he said on the subject was without reference to this country's problems, on which he would not presume to pass an opinion, even were he sure he had an opinion to pass. He was at one time a member of a federated university, and he was a strong advocate of the federal system, prior to Manchester and Leeds forming their own universities. He found considerable advantage to their teaching in it. and he was in the forefront of the resistance to break up the Victoria university system. Although none of the consequences he anticipated came from the disruption, nevertheless he still adhered to his previous point of view'. He feared that as a consequence of the doing away with the federal system, intercourse and co-pporation between people teaching the same subjects in different universities would be cut off. but other wavs had been found to establish that intercourse. The disruption of the federal system led to a tremendous effort to establish greater union. Those who intend motoring and camping at Xmas are invited to visit our upstairs Showroom and inspect our range of Camp requisites, including two special types of tent suitable for use with a car. Everything displayed is designed to pack economically. Mason, Struthers, and Co., Ltd.

An opportunity was recently given a "Press' man to learn the number of "listeners-in" using crystal sets and J.I.S. 2 6tage amplifiers and so get loud-speaker strength. This information proved that the large majority of Amplifiers in use have been supplied by •I. I. Smail, pioneer radio firm. —6 Record Awards, Royal Show, 1927. Two exhibits for special mention. Gold Medal for one, Elevator Feeder and Band Cutter; Silver Medal for the other, a Potato Planter. The two best inventions on the ground. P. and D. Duncan, Ltd., 196 Tuam street, Christchurch. —6 Booth Mac Hay Sweeps and Swinging tracker. The most modern, the most durable on the market, and the most moderately priced, durability and efficiency considered. Moreover, they are New Zealand made, in our own factories, a fact New Zealand farmers should appreciate! Don't leave your order till the last minute. Place it in decent time, and be sure of getting it. Illustrated pamphlet, prices, etc., bv return post. Boqth, Macdonald, and Co., Ltd. 0521