NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Big Carnations

Carnations up io four inches across the bloom were shown by an exhibitor, Mr. B. V. Cooksley, Taita. at the Hutt A’alley Horticultural Society’s Shoiv yesterday. The exhibit in which they were shown gained the Cooper Memorial prize. The carnations were perpetual flowering, the basis of the stock having come from England and the United States. An outstanding bloom was a scarlet pelargonium, not seen before In New Zealand, with all the petal colourings of a pelargonium but the characteristics of a carnation. AVell-kept Soldiers’ Graves.

Satisfaction with the manner iu which graves of New Zealand soldiers have been kept in the cemetery at Ismailia. Egypt, is expressed in a letter from one of the men of the first echelon. After visiting the cemetery, he says it was very pleasing to notice how neat and tidy the graves were kept. Hedges and lawns were well trimmed and everything else was in perfect order. Boys for Farms.

Though the Christchurch Youth Centre has 60 schoolboys over the age of 15 who are willing to do farm work during the summer vacation. Canterbury farmers have so far not shown any keenness in taking advantage of their offers. The centre launched the scheme following the success achieved by a similar one in the Auckland district last year.

New City's AVomanhood. The new city of the Hutt had nothing to fear when such bright amt pleasant young people as formed her guard of honour were present, said Airs. Knox Gilmer yesterday afternoon, acknowledging the guard of honour provided by girls of the Hutt Valley High School when she opened the Hutt A’alley Horticultural Society’s rose show iu the Horticultural Hall. Lower Hutt.

Taupo Fishing. One of the best catches of trout, in Lake Taupo reported to the conservator of fish and game is that of Mr. R. C. Richwhite and party, who took 50 on the fly at Western Bay, recently. All except nine were reported to be in good condition. Sportsmen report that angling has been fair in the vicinity of the Huka Falls, and the neighbouring stretches of the Waikato River, though the weather in the past few days had been unfavourable. Manure Bag Problem.

The scheme for using manure bags a second time was criticized at a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production. Several members spoke against the system, which they claimed was unfair, as a farmer who received manure in used bags stood little chance of .returning the bags in good condition and getting his full rebate. The council adopted a resolution stating that, in view of the evidence from all quarters, it considered that the scheme had proved a failure and was unworkable. It asked that the regulations providing for the scheme should be rescinded at once.

Damaged Maori Memorial. The last signs of an act of vandalism committed more than three years ago at Rotorua were removed in the weekend, when the bartered figure of a Maori warrior before the Arawa AA’ar Memorial in the Government. Gardens was removed by the authority of the Arawa Trust Board. The figure, whicn was a prominent feature of the memorial, was struck with some heavy instrument till the torso was shattered beyond repair. Erected in 1927 in honour of 35 members of the Arawa confederation of tribes who lost their lives in the last war. the memorial was unveiled by King George AT on the occasion of his visit as Duke of York.

Brothers' Reunion. Two Gisborne brothers. Major A. Blackburn. of the Expeditionary Force, and Captain V. Blackburn, of the Indian Army Medical Corps, recently spent five days' leave together in Alexandria as a result of a happy coincidence. Major Blackburn left New Zealand with the first echelon infantry, and has been in Egypt since. Captain V. Blackburn arrived at Cairo recently with the Indian General Hospital and sought news of his elder brother. The prospects of their meeting were remote, but within a few days Major Blackburn was fortunate enough to secure 10 days’ leave to be spent in Alexandria and by land line he arranged to meet his brother there.

Woman Braves Elements. The hazards of travel in the East Cape area in storm conditions were indicated when members of the East Cape Women's Institute, who assembled at a farewell party, became weatherbound. One member. Mrs. 11. Dewes, anxious about her children, decided to brave the storm. In crossing the AVaipapa Stream, which was swollen by heavy rain by that time, Mrs. Dewes got into difficulties, but fortunately her horse was strong and she is a good horsewoman. After crossing that stream she had another formidable obstacle in the Orutua River, which was in high flood. Leaving her horse, she swam the river safely after having been carried down several chains.

Naming of Wellington. ■Wellington was not named after the Duke of Wellington because of the great eminence of the Duke as a general. said Mr. E. P. Bunny, at the sitting bf the commission at Lower Hurt yesterday to hear evidence on a petition to extend the borough boundaries. The actual reason was that the Duke was in a Cabinet which at the time was able to grant a charter to the New Zealand Land Company and thus assisted the colonization of Wellington, said Mr. Bunny. As for the Hutt, a Mr. Hutt was a prominent member of the New Zealand Land Company — Wakefield’s company—and also a member of the House of Commons and one of its committees. The company was indebted to him and named the district the Hull Io periK'tuate his name.