LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 14, 17 January 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Regret was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association at the City Council's advice that no sum was included in the current- year's estimates for extending the breastwork in the vicinity of the •K^K'M iS-S'imming Club's.shed, although the item, was specifically mentioned in the Press as being portion of the Works ■provided for when the allocation was made. The council was again being requested to undertake this work when next year's estimates were being pre-' pared. The dangerous condition of the Wnipapa, road footpath was also referred to. .

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday on the subject of Japanese life in relation to commerce, Mr. M. Shathih, who has. had five years' experience in Japan, said that up till recent times the merchant and trader was not regarded as amongst thß leading classes of the community. Then with the influx of a class.of trader from outside, which, in many instances, possessed litle honesty or commercial morality, it was ho wonder that the standard of trade for some time, and in certain respects was not as ■ high as it might be. These conditions were now changing, and commerce had been placed on its proper level. '

Valuable information to dairy farmers is contained in a.summary made by the National Dairy Association, a-nd sent to clients', of feeding experiments made by Mr. C. J. Babacock, of the United States Department of Agriculture. It is shown that turnips fed before milking produce objectionable odours but double' the quantity fed after milking has little, if any, effect on the milk. The effects of alfalfa, or lucerne, on the flavour o? milk when fed one hour before milking imparted pronounced flavours and odours, hut these flavours were not apparent if the animal was fed on lucerne hot less than five hours before milking. At least 25 pounds of green corn "may be fed to cows at any time without producing any objectionable flavour or oddiir in the milk.

An interesting point in regard to Rugby football rule's was raised during last 'season, through the inability of -a player 'to take the kick from the mark which he had made. According to the rules, a player successfully making a mark must take the kick, but in the case under : notice tlie player was injured. The procedure to be adopted under such circumstances was made the subject of a question to the English Rugby Union. At last evening's meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union, a decision on tho matter was re'eeived from the En-dish Union, the Laws Committee of that body having rules' as follows :-*'lf'the player who made the mark is injured", aiid cannot take the kick within three minutes, the kick is void, and a scrummage is formed at the mark."

A Press Association. message- from' Christchurch,. states tliat at a meeting of the exec'UtK'e of Hie' Cah.terburv Industrial Association last night a letter was read from -the Dune'diii. Exhibition Company addressed to the president, asking him to allow his name to be included oh the list of executive commissioners. It- was stated that the position entailed only the formation of a local committee to push the interests of the. exhibition locally. It was.urged that the Canterbury Association had set its face against the Dunedin project all along, and could not support it now. It was decided that a reply be sent regretting that the association could not accede to the request, and pointing.out'that it did not consider a foreign exhibition was in the interests of-New Zealand industrialists.

The proposal that a monster deputation representing all sports- bodies in the Dominion should wait on the Government during the next session of Parliament in support of daylight saving was strongly supported'by "Mr. F. M.eadoweroft,. of Wellington," vice-president of the New Zealand Bowling Association, at the bowlers' smoke concert at Christchurch this week, states a Press Association message. Mr. . Meadowcroft expressed the hope that, the deputation \+otilif be thoroughly successful' in its purpose. Bowlers intended to see that the Daylight Saving Bill .was carried out. In Wellington, bowlers, tennis players, cricketers, and all others, who indulged iri sport in ■summer-time were being asked to join in urging tho Government to alter the clock so that one hour more of daylight would be availbKU in ih* urirouu>£.

Milliner is proceeding satisfactorily at the Westport Coal Company's collieries! at Alillortcn and Denniston, states "The Post's" Dunedin correspondent, quoting reports received in 'the city. The men who went away during the cessation of operations are gradually returning to their employment, but there is room for more. ■■'„,

Bush fires have done a considerable amount of damage to the State Forest reserves at Kaitoki in the vicinity of the Tararua track. The men in charge of this district have had a strenuous time for several days .past fighting the fire, which they had well in hand before the ram began to fall. This has now put an end to the danger and given reliel to the men. who were practically exhausted by their work.

I dont know whether they have satisfied themselves on the matter of principle," remarked Mr S S Dean (chairman of the New Zealand" Rugby union) at a meeting of the management committee last evening, when referring to the report published in "The Post" to the etfect, that the International Board had ruled that no mementoes exceeding in value the sum of £2 shall be given to players. "According to this decision, if a man gets a watch worth £2 he is an amateur, and if he gets a watch worth £3 he is a professional." "A lot of people believe their member has to be of the right political colour before their district "can benefit from .tovernment grants," said the- Minister of Public Works at Mangakahia' "There is no such thing as political favours with me. I try ttf take tiie national viewpoint and to allocate public moneys according to the merits of the case, and apart from any political consideration whatever., I have not sufficient money to do'all I could wish, but lam doing my best with what is available, attempting to allocate it fairly and to get just as good value as is possible." :

Applications have been received by the New Zealand Rugby Union from three lootball enthusiasts to travel with the All Black team which is to visit England this year. They were considered by the management committee last evening, and decision was made that the: applicants be informed that the committee viewed with approval the applications to be^.attached to the football party. The question of placing a limit on the number of persons to be permitted to travel: with the team was also discussed, and although no definite'decision was'made there was a strong feeling that.not more than five applications -should ge granted.

Members of the .Revaluation. Committee, who have been investigating applications for the revaluation of soldiers' land in North Otago, express the opinion that in a large majority of cases the settlers are of an excellent type, who, with fair opportunities, would "be bohnd to make good. Some have been working against heart-breaking pdds, and have had to. maintain themselves and their families, on very small incomes. This notwithstanding, the great majority are in good heart and nr'e determined to make ft success of their. holdings, A Press Association message states that so far not half of the settlers in the district have applied for a revaluations „

„ A lighthouse-keeper's life is necessarily lonely, because only at outlying points are stationed the big lights that require the attention of keepers. , Therefore, the men must have hobbies to keep them occupied during the slack periods which inevitably occur, and many of them turn to , gaj'de.tiijig,. if_.their .happens to be a suitable piece" of ground available. The PeTicarrow light-keepers have had their little plot of garden for some years, and things Were literally blooming this season, when the recent gale, from the south spoiled everything. Spray was driven inland for hundreds of feet, and soaked the foliage, which is already dying, and also covered the ground with a thick layer of salt, in Which no plant can, live.: The garden is not far from the shore, so the- driving of the spray'so far doesvnot emphasise the strength of the wind; . The panes surrounding the light itself were thickly encrusted With salt, which the keepers had to .wash off every evening with fresh water. And the light is 322 feet above sea-level.

The importance of inducing people ipi the right class to come to the Dominion was mentioned by Sir-,Alexander Matheson at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon .yesterday. He also advocated, under certain circumstances, the adoption of the group system of settlement, as carried out in West Australia, where he had lived for twelve-years, The land, he said, in the south-western district of Western Australia, enjoys a. regular though -not excessive rainfall, and is good fertile land. It is surveyed into blocks of from 40 to. 160 acres, according to the. value of the soil, each block forming the farm for one family. Twenty men and their families are settled On areas of twenty blocks; as a rule they are, families which have come out in the same ship,, and have made friends on boards or are from the same district at Home. The men work as a group under the charge and direction of" a local foreman, clear and fence the blocks, and erect house on each of the approximate value of £240. The: land is given free. As soon fis each block is sufficiently improved "to admit of profitable occupation, it is handed over to one of the settler's iit permanent occupation, the' drily charge on it being the cost of the improvements, including 10s aday paid to each man as sustenance al-' lowance while the improvements were being effected..

That Australian holiday-makers would be far more numerous in New Zealand than they are if the attractions of this country were more advertised is the opinion 6f General A. Jobson, of Sydney, who arrived in Diihediri from the North yesterday, states "Tlie Post's" Dunedin correspondent, Maiiy more of them, Bo rchiarked, would enjbv the delights of Mount, Cook, which he" had just visited, or Rolorua, if they kriejv that they -could get to either place in six days from Sydney. It would be ait advantage also if they could know how easily they could get a fishing license in New Zealand. General Jobson was well, pleased with his visit to the Hermitage, which he described as being excellently conducted, and with- the general tour made by himself aiid his wife and son in this country. The whole trip had been so' satisfactory to himself that he was unwilling to make any unfavourable criticisms. He thought, however,that something should be done by the authorities to improve the last portion Of the road to Mt.. Cook, so that it might be more quickly traversed after rough weather. His only complaint against the Railway Department was in respect of the sleeping cbmpartme'rits on' the Mam Trunk line. It was unfortunate, he obserted, that New Zealand could not depart from the narrow gauge but even with that disadvantage lie thoun-ht the compartments might he made more' commodious at the expense of a reduction of their number.

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