TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 184, 1 May 1940, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY

Items Of Interest From The Provinces HAMMERLOCK GUNS Hope That Government Will Condemn Them I’lie hope that the Government , would soon condemn guns with hnminerlocks was expressed by the president of the Wanganui Acclimatization Society, Mr. H. J. Duigan, when emphasizing the need for care in handling such guns when they were cocked. That type of gun, he added, had been responsible for many accidents. Heavyweight Pumpkins. The heaviest pumpkin recorded in Hawke's Bay so far this season weighed 1501 b., and was grown by Mr. 11. Wheatley, Korokipo. Mr. Wheatley went into a field of pumpkins on his farm and selected six large specimens, which were weighed in Napier. They turned the scale at 1351 b., 1131 b., 1501 b., 1451 b.. 1251 b., and 1231 b. The six he selected were not necessarily the largest or heaviest in the crop; he did not spend a great deal of time in their selection. Attack on Ragwort.

Three tons of sodium chlorate has been sold at the offices of the Waitotara County Council within a week. It is being used mainly for the eradication of ragwort.

Early Settlers’ Reunion. With ages totalling 341 years, four Wanganui early settlers met recently. They were Mr. G. F. Walker (00 years), Mrs. C. Handley (85), Mrs. E. R. Morgan (S 3 and Mrs. E. Remington (83). The meeting took place on the sixtieth anniversary of the marriage of Mrs. Handley to the late Mr. John Handley, who took a prominent part in the early settlement of Wanganui. Mr. Walker and Mrs. Handley are brother and sister, and at her wedding she was given away by her brother; Mrs. Morgan, then Miss Russell, daugh- , ter of the first proprietor of the Rutland Hotel, and Mrs. Remington, then Miss Rawson, were bridesmaids.

Value of Esperanto. The difficulties experienced in the training of soldiers in Palestine were mentioned by the president, Mr. A. G. Wiltshire, at the weekly meeting of the Masterton Esperanto Club. tn some eases, he said, interpreters for as many as five languages were necessary, and the practical solution of the problem, and of-similar problems occurring throughout the world today, was the utilization of the auxiliary language, Esperanto. This language was the logicg.l choice, having been in use for more than 50 years, and having adepts in more than 70 countries. An address on the advantages accruing to the traveller with a knowledge of Esperanto was given by the secretary. Mr. W. H. King.

Fishing in Paliiatua District. It was reported at the annual meeting of the Pahiatua subcommittee of the Wellington Acclimatization Society that fishing had been good in all streams at some time or another during the season. Officers elected are: President, Mr. A. J. Morgan; committee, Messrs. R. iT. Taylor, J. Sargent, : J. McCormack, E. W. Eddie, F. F. Barraclough, P. J. Matthews. W. A. Darley, F. Parkes, G. Powell; T. H. Verry, H. H. Chinery, E. R. Winkler, W. Beales. G. Eddie, A. A. Vaughan, A. S'. Clulow, H. E. Beales, S. W. Matthews, R. Merrie, A. P. Jensen, W. Jensen, J. Miller. C. .Connell and H. Eglinton; secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. J. Morgan ; delegate to council, Mr. F. Parkes Paradise Ducks on Increase.

Reporting an increase in the numbers of paradise ducks in the Wanganui and Kangitikei districts, Mr. H. J. Duigan, president of the Wanganui Acclimatization Society, asked sportsmen to note particularly that those birds were on the protected list and must not be shot. Quite a number of the birds had 'been reported as having been seen on the Kangitikei River and in the Karioi. A number had also been seen recently on the Wanganui River and nearby lakes.

Clean Bill of Health. The borough of Mastertpn has presented a clean bill of health for the past month, stated the borough health inspector, Mr. T. A. Russell. The last ease of infeeious disease notified in tlie borough bus one of erysipelas, which wars reported in March.