LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 10 August 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Building Permits During the past month 13 building permits to a value of £6,234 were issued by the Horowhenua County Council. Cultivation of Paua Pearls Suggestions for the artificial culture of paua pearls have been submitted to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by Mr. P. H. Keyes, of Feilding. Mr. A. E. Hefford, former Chief InSpector of Fisheries and Director of Fisheries Research, has commented on the suggestion. He states that given the skill, based on scientific study and correct manual training, there would seem to be no reason why paua pearl culture should not in time produce results. Damages Awarded After a retirement of eight hours 35 minutes, a jury in the Supreme Court, Wanganui, returned a verdict in favour of plaintiff in the case where John Francis Fox, insurance agent, Palmerston North, claimed damages amounting to £3783 from John Jones and Sons, Ltd., builders and contractors, Wanganui, on the grounds of negligence. The case followed a collision 011 the Marybank hill _ on November 5 last, between plaintiff's car and the defendant company's truck, driven by Emlyn Isitt Jones. The jury awarded Fox a total of £1783 damages. Catholic Agricultural School The well-known estate of the late Ernest Short, "Parorangi," has been purchased by the Catholic Educational Board for the establishment of an agricultural- -school, - probably for Maori students. This valuable property of some 750 acres, is situated seven miles from Feilding in the vicinity of Cheltenham, and it was there that the late Mr. Ernest Short established the renowned Parorangi Romney Marsh stud. The property, it is stated, was previously oft'ered to the Government for soldier settlement but nothing came of the move. Rare Crab Found The second living King crab ever found in New Zealand waters has been presented to the Auckland Museum by Miss F. V. Davies, -of Motairehe, Great Barrier Island. who found it in some seaweed on rocks at low tide. There are two species of the crab, one, to which this specimen belongs, found in Oriental waters from China to Malaya, and the other on the east sea-board of America. The crab has a tear-drop shaped body about seven inches by five inches, with a tail about six inches long. The first crab was found some years ago Ln the Calliope Dock, and was believed to have been brought there by a ship. Handsome Bequests After the termination of certain prior iife interests, the will of Mr. Henry Benjamin Eglinton, of Longlands, Hastings, provides for the payment of one-half of the net income from the residuary estate to the New Zealand Returned Services' Association for the general charitable purposes of the Association in New Zealand, and the other half of the residuary income to the Wellington City Mission (Church of England) Trust Board for general charitable purposes of the Wellington City Mission. The estimated value of the residuary estate is approximately £20,000. The Public Trustee is appointed executor. 9 The Test of History Passing reference was made by Sir Apirana Ngata, when opening his Hawke's Bay campaign on Wednesday night, to the recent settlement of the Waikato Land claims. In order to understand the situation in the. Waikato, said the former Native Minister, New7 Zealanders should read their own history, then they would have knowledge of that and similar problems. Personally he resented any suggestion that the Maoris were getting something for nothing. Such was not the case. Huge areas had been confiscated in the Waikato, and the people there were deprived of their economie resources. "In estimating that settlement one has to take into consideration the special position of the Waikato land, he'added. "Therefore it was wrong to- say they are getting something for nothing, or that the Maori people are living on charity. If you want to know the truth, do as I have done, and read New Zealand history. No, there has been no charity for the Waikato."