General News.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19268, 24 March 1928, Page 14

General News.

The auction advertisements of Lohrey and Co., Ltd., Ford and Hadfield, Ltd., L. W. Ballan and Co., Dal- 4 gety and Co., Ltd., Tonks, Norton, and Co., Ltd., New Zealand iFar-i mers' Co-op. Association, Ltd., L. P. Devlin, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., Harcourb and Co., New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., W. E. Simes and Co., Wallace, Wade," Co., Ltd., H. B. Sorensen, and H. C. Smith appear on page 22 and 23 of this issue. At yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury Education Board Mr W. A. Banks made reference to the visit during the month of Dean Russell, of Carnegie University. Hitherto, Mr Banks said, Canada had been getting the whole of the" money that was available under this educational scheme. It was really meant for all the outlying corners of the British Empire, and it was hoped now that New Zealand wouldl, in the future, get so many thousands each year. "It's just as well to know that money is available,'' he added. "Canada has been getting it all for the past fifteen years." Difficulties experienced in the early 1 days in forming the New Zealand Rugby Union were referred to by Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, C.M.G., at the annual meeting ot the Wellington Rugby Union. When the proposal to form the New Zealand body was first mooted, he said, Canterbury and Otago held aloof, and for a time the prospect looked hopelessK "However," said Colonel Campbell, "we fixed it up by sending a New Zealand team to Australia in 1893. I happened to be in charge of the team, and it had such a successful run that when I returned to New Zealand nothing more was heard of the opposition to the formation of the New Zealand Union.'"

A lady's silk stocking was submitted to, the Mount Roskill Road Board by a lady resident in the district. The hose was carefully Examined by the members, who found a big hole in the leg, which the sender said had been caused by coming in contact with blackberry brambles overhanging the footpatli by 2ft in Hillsboro' road. The pair of stockings cost 7$ lid, and had been worn only a short time. The owner pertinently asked: "What about it?" and concluded with the statement that the Board should recompense her daughter, who owned the article. A few weeks ago another lady sent in • a claim for £5 to make good the damage done to her dress by an explosion of the Board's tar boiler as she was passing it in the street. The money was paid, and a member wanted to know if that was to be taken as a precedent. A member said that if every young lady suffering a similar mishap sent in a claim to the Board, fche chairmai» would be kept busy inspecting the damaged goods with a view to_ appraising the compensation to be paid. It was decided to express sympathy with the owner, and to inform her that the Board had notified the owner of the property on which the blackberries I were growing to have them removed. "I say without the slightest hesitation that the land in New Zealand has been kept better occupied than . anywhere else in the Empire," said the Hon. Mr McLeod, Minister for Laads, in his address at Waiuku. "New Zealand is a great little country," he added. From the fourteen or fifteen million acres of the Dominion's best lands exports to the value of no less than £45,000,000 or £50,000,000 were already being produced, and the value would be increased as settlement extended and methods of farming were improved. Referring to the development of the Hauraki swamp, the Minister said it did not follow that because values had to lie written down the venture was a failure. What was a few years ago a wilderness now carried 2500 people, and this year the value of the dairy produce from this area would approach a million pounds sterling. While the State had to help in carrying the charges, however, care must be exercised in seeing that the country did not become involved in losses amounting to millions of pounds. "The time is fast approaching when the Board will have to consider the establishment of a maternity ward, so that we can train our nurses and have them available to send wherever we want them to go," said the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board at the last meeting, when concurring in the view expressed recently by Dr. Victor Bonney, the eminent London specialist, as to the value of obstetrics to the nation. Mr M. J. Coyle agreed that the Board should not go outside for its nurses at all. Nurses should be trained in all departments, and graded at the local institution. Mr E. Hi. Potter thought the Board should not add yet another institution to the ons that was already the largest in the Dominion. Mr Coyle suggested that there would be no harm in approaching the Minister for Health, in the matter. Notwithstanding Mr Potter's observations, it might start something, and wouid be satisfactory to itself and not be a large expense. The chairman: "If you knew the number of cases that come to the hospital from St. Hielen'6 you would be surprised."

At the invitation of Unlimited Charities, over 250 children from the various orphanages of Christchurch will attend the opening matinee of "Babes in the Wood" pantomime to-day. The Railway Department advertises the issue of holiday excursion tickets in connexion n'ith the coining Easter holidays. The Department is also granting excursion fares for the Hawarden Show on March 30th.

In connexion -with Professor Bendandi's earthquake prognostication, it is interesting to note that a large earthquake with an arcual epicentral distance of apparently about 98 degrees from Christchurch, was recorded at 5 minutes past 4 p.m. New Zealand standard time on Thursday, March 22nd, on the seismograph of the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory.

A belief that there is some connexion between a boiling mud pool a few chains off the road about a mile from Wairakei and Ngauruhoe is held by residents in that part of the thermal regions. The pool was discovered about twenty years ago, and, after a short period of activity, it became quiescent, remaining in that state until three years ago, when it became active again for a short period. At that time Ngauruhoe was active, and now that the volcano is agaiy showing signs of life the pool is active once more. The pool is in? an inverted cone about 60ft across th<e top, the pool itself being approximately 15ft wide. At present it is one of the most active in the thermal regions, every ten minutes or so throwing up mud from Bft to 20ft high. "Selling has become a highly-train-ed profession," said Dr. E. P. Neale, in an address at the fortnightly luncheon. of the Auckland Advertising Club. Continuing, he.stressed the advantage of advertising from the community viewpoint, and said that business no longer waited in Asiatic dignity for buyers to come along, but pursued its market everywhere. One of the tests of advertising efficiency was its usefulness, and the public could generally he relied upon to find out quickly whether a thing "boosted was good or bad. For changing a point of view or introducing something entirely new, advertising was ideal, hut for competitive purposes it was sometimes wasteful. The real social benefit was obtained when articles of inherent merit came into keener demand. One of the most potent methods of building up a large turnover for an industry was by means of an extensive advertising campaign. The advisability, under certain circumstances, of bringing an appeal from a Full Court decision to the Court of AppeaL as against appealing to the Privy Council, was discussed for a few moments in the Court of Appeal at Wellington by Mr Justice Reed. The case was originally heard by the Full Court, consisting of the Chief Justice (Sir Charles Skerrett), Mr Justice Macgregor, and Mr Justice Ostler, who gave a unanimous decision. The appeal was made to the Court of Appeal, consisting of Mr Justice Sim, Mr Justice Reed, and Mr Justice Adams. Mr Justice Reed remarked that it struck him as being absurd to appeal from three Judges to three Judges. He pointed out that the Court of Appeal decision might be a majority verdict, which might not be satisfactory. He said it was a very inconvenient practice to appeal from a number of Judges to an equal number Counsel for the appellant agreed. He added that in certain circumstances the parties might have had five Judges, but those circumstances did not exist. One Judge was away, and the Bench was short-handed.

The president of the Wellington Rotary Club (Mr I>. S. Smith) made a strong appeal at a luncheon on behalf of the Boy Scout movement, urging members to undertake to raise a sum of about £3OO a year by securing three subscribers each at £1 .per g.nnmn. The suggestion was agreed to by acclamation. Three years ago, stated the president, the club undertook to stand behind the Boy scout movement in the city and put it on a financial basis. Members had .succeeded in that up to a point, but the movement was in need of further funds, and the directors of the Rotary Club had come to the conclusion that the only way was to induce 300 people to become annual subscribers of £1 each. There were 2500 Boy Scouts in Wellington. and the number was rapidly increasing. Each troop had various officers doing honorary work and training boys in the principles laid down by the Chief Scout, Sir Robert Baden Powell, which contained everything that would make the boys become good citizens.

An enormous number of words'passes over the telegraph service of the New Zealand Railways daily, covering as the service does all the exigencies of train running and unexpected situations as well as the more formal management of freight and passengers, and stationmasters and their assistants will welcome the innovation just introduced of a cod© book which will cut down necessarily long and exhaustive messages between stations to one word. Instead of "heavy demand for waggons. Do utmost to get all wagigons standing or loading at stations released immediately. Advise me number available/' the operator will wire "Jovial, ' and the number, and proceed with other duties. There are 1000 such code words in the book, which are calculated to deal fully with any eventuality. To messages dealing with bookings for the inter-island steamers now done by the Railway Department, in connexion with which there are a number of possible requests and situations, according to the composition and numbers of the travelling party, there are allotted 145 code words. "Two berth cabin for man and wife. If not available reserve two berths together in first-class. Will not accept "berths in separate cabins," is condensed into "Briar." The innovation will save a great deal of time and considerable muscular effort in writing. The system of indexing facilitates decoding. Being considerably over-stocked in china, dinner, andteasets, we are making a special bargain offer to reduce our stocks, and are offering dinner sets from 30s and teasets from 555. View our special window display. Ashby, Bergh and Co., Ltd., High street. —6

Mowers, rakes, and threshers, and duplicate parts thereof held in stock at reasonable prices. T. and S. Morrin and Fenwick, Ltd., 377 Moorhouse avenue, Christchurch and Auckland. —6

Johnston's N.C. Motor Co., Ltd.. Central Garage, Rangiora. Cdihplete plant and staff for repairs in motorcars and tractors. Tyres, Petrol, and all accessories in stock. Garage 'Phone 87. W. C. Wilson, Travelling Rep.; A. Prestney, Manager. Private 'Phone 88. -1

Testimonial to our latest improved tractor plough, signed by Mr Wnisker, Mr Allison, and the other successlul ploughmen at 1927 ploughing matches. "We have used the P. and D. Duncan tractor plough at the matches in 1927, and found the plough and the lift O.K. in every particular, thoroughly reliable in action, convenient to operate, perfect control of depth, the double steerago a great improvement, the back wheel lever a great saying of time and trouble! No doubt this is the perfect tractor plough." P. and D. Duncan. Ltd., Tuam street, Christchurch. —6 Ransome's _ farmers' threshing machines are built on same plan, of same material, by same workmen, as their well-known contractors' machines, many of wlych ; with over 30 years' continuous sendee to their credit, are still in operation al] over New Zealand. Orders being booked for nest season's delivery, Booth, Macdonald, and Co., Ltd, —1