General News

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 12

General News

O Rangiora Water Supply The consumption of water in the Rangiora borough during February showed a phenomenal decrease of 70 per cent, on the wate* used during January. The level of the well during the last 10 days has continued to rise. At the beginning of the rise the level went up as rapidly as four and a half to five inches daily compared with about three and a half inches during the last few days. Yesterday the level was 8 feet 9 inches—four feet higher than it was when the rain came about a fortnight ago. There is little possibility of the restriction on the use of ' garden hose being lifted for some time yet as it is thought that there may be several weeks of warm weather ahead, in which case the daily consumption of water may again show a rising tendency. The well is still 4 feet 3 inches below its normal level. Value of Conferences "In 1900 the population of the South Island was practically the same as that of the north; now "there are 1,000.000 people in the north and 500,000 in the south. There is a great danger that the interests of the South Island will be neglected unless all its organisations work in concert," remarked Mr G. 11. Holford at the meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League last evening, when the advisability of a conference of progress leagues was debated. Mr J. E. Strachan expressed the opinion that periodical conferences were of value only when very thorough research in the subjects discussed was carried out in the intervals between them. On his suggestion it was decided to recommend the Nelson Progress League, from which the proposal emanated, to ask for remits before deciding whether a conference of progress leagues would serve a useful purpose. Prime Minister's Portfolios Criticism of the principle of the Prime Minister holding a number of portfolios was voiced by the president of the Canterbury Progress League (Mr F. W. Johnston) last evening, when referring to the Prime Minister's reply to Mr K. J. Holvoake, M.P., as to when it was proposed to complete the Lewis Pass road. "In addition to the office of Prime Minister Mr Forbes is now Acting-Minister for Native Affairs and Attorney-General. Here w'e have him answering also for the Minister for Public Works. To my mind it is nonsensical, declared Mr Johnston. "The people of Canterbury and the West Coast should rise up in arms and insist on this work being carried through in a businesslike manner." White Butterfly Control Parasites to control the ravages of the white butterfly pest in the districts near Kaikoura were liberated yesterday by Mr R. McGillivray, fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture. The Kaikoura Agricultural and Pastoral Association had previously written to Mr McGillivray about the pest, and had received a promise that some of the parasites would be liberated in the districts. Mr W. F. Perrin. secretary to the Agricultural and tnral Association, accompanied Mr McGillivray when he was distributing the insects. Outstanding Kates An unusual type of letter on the subject of outstanding rates came before the monthly meeting of the Levels County Council yesterday. Signed "Fair Play To All," it read: "I see by the report of your last meeting that you are taking steps to bring pressure to bear on certain ratepayers for non-payment of rates. It is to be hoped you will carry out your proposal with the strictest fonv, as some of those ratepayers are simply laughing up their sleeves and calling us a lot of fools for paying. Some of us are sacrificing and denying ourselves in many ways to pay our rates, which we have done for years. It is scandalous and not a fair thing for some to pay and others to go free and tell us they have no intention of paying. A few of us were thinking of getting up a petition and presenting it to your council to see that fair play was given to all." Narrow Escape from Octopus i A five-year-old boy had a narrow escape when he was seized by a fairly large octopus at Point Jerningham yesterday afternoon. While he was bathing in shallow water, an octopus, measuring eight feet, caught him by one leg. The boy struggled and called for help. A man fishing nearby jumped into the water, and with an open penknife stabbed the octopus in the head and freed the boy from its tentacles, which were wrapped rou-1 him. The boy recovered quickly. The octopus was thrown on the shore.—Press Association. Governor-General and Music "I noticed, in the musical programme to which we have just listened." said Lord Bledisloe in his farewell address to the people of Dunedin the other day, "that you have thought it desirable to include an item entitled 'The English Rose.' I should in no sense have been hurt or offended if you had chosen instead 'The Scottish Thistle,' as my mother was a full-blooded Scots woman, or 'Welsh Leek or Daffodil,' as my wife is a full-blooded Welsh woman; or the evergreen emblem of Ireland, as one branch of my family is Irish; or even the fleur de lys of France, as my maternal grandmother was a Frenchwoman, who could hardly speak a word of English."

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