LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 18, 5 February 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

A Rword Year. The Port of London experienced a record year in 1936. More than 62,-OOO-OOQ tons of shipping used the Thames, the highest figures over recorded. About 40 new freight and passenger liners were added. to the port's regular services. Guaranteed Price for Gum„ The gum diggers in North Auckland approached the Miniaier of Lands wxtfi a request for a guaranteed price for gum. It was pointed out that there was little demand for the product and the ruling rate was so low that diggers had a hard struggle for existence. Tho Minister promised to place tho matter before his colleagues. Shortage of Maize. It is estimated that about 3000 sacks of maize are held in the Gisborne district and i'rom 30U0 to 4000 in the Bay ot Plenty and concern is being expressed at the policy of certain growers in withliolding supplies' and trying to force the market. It is pointed out that larger importations may have to be arranged and that if the bulk of the maize is imported a good argument rnight be raised for the remission of duty. A warning to growers has been lssued "by the presiden.t of the Poverty Bay Maize Growers' Association. Bicycle Sheds Wanted. The need for shed accommodation for bioycles at many of the leading business establishments of Napier, may be judged from a gfance in the right-of-way from Dalton street to Dickens street between the General Post Office and Peach's garage. This thoroughfare acts as delivery area for the leading shops and warehouses on the southern side of Emerson street, in which establishments there is a very large number of assistants. Deposited at the side of thi thoroughfare along a great part of its Iength there are to be seen daily two 01* three score or more bioycles, chiefiy women' s bicycles. Remarkable Yield of Carrots. To Rose Hill, a pupil of the Waimatuku School, goes the honour for the 1935-36 seasoo of being the champion boy or girl root crop grower of New Zealand. In advising the Southland Education Board of the award, the Department of Education wrote: "I have to inform you that the Stuart-Wilson Cup3 which js awarded annuallv to the club member who has put up the most meritorious performance for root-grow-ing, has been awarded for the season 1935^36 to Rose ' Hill, of the Waimatuku School, Soutliland. The coinpetitor grew carrots in her club plot at the rate of 80 tons an acre, whdch is regarded as a remarkable yield," Sheep Like Stags. The Royal Welsh Show1 provided Mr A. S. Holmes, of Waimahaka, with considerable amusement during his recent trip' through Great Britain and the Continent, xvhich he desciibed to the directors of the Southland Agri- ► qultural and Pastoral Associatoin. The stock was very good, but all the breeds of sheep were pure Welsh, One species was black and another pure whjto with black dots. The second type grew pparse hair ingtead of wool and was very ugly in conformation although ifi was pujely a mutton sheep. The idea is to approach as near as possible to the bufid of a stag, Mr Holmes was informed. The Welsh ponies struck him as. being particularly beautiful. They were small and grey and formed on extremely gracefui lines. Bowrs a Tiring Gama, Bowls was once regarded as a game essentially for old men — or at least for men who had become too old for crio ket tennis, and games. Tournament play, however, is strenuous, and taxes the physical strength of the comparatively young as well as of the old. There were players at a recent Taranaki tournament ranging from about 21 years to over 75 years. One young player of splendid physique remarked that he had played cricket, tennis, Rugby football and other games, but he never felt eo tired as he felt after having played four rounds of bowls in the pairs tournament. He had been playing from 9 a.m. until nearly 7 p.m., with an hour's break for luncb, and durnig that time had delivered 352 -bowls and had traversed the gveen 84 times at least4 Little Butter Eaten in England. The opinion that th© sale of New Zealand butter in England could be multiplied many ibimes if the English people "were tauglit to eat butter" wgs expressed by Mr O. A. Newman, formerly inspector of Post Olffice Savings Banks in New Zealand, who has returned from a visit of nine months to England. He said that th'e amount of butter given in restaurants was very small, and was very surprismg to New Zealanders, avIio were accustomed to eat butter in large quantities. He did not consider that New Zealand butter was sufficiently well advertised in England. Another thing thafi struck Mr Newman was the quality of the bacon whdch they had for breakfast on seven days a week. It had a much finer fiavour than that of New Zealand bacon.

Tennis Ranking Lis*. In a further match for positjons on the Hawke's Bay Lawn Tennis Association' s ranking list, Miss EVans beat Miss Ormond, 6 — 1, 6 — 2 Open on Sundays. The Hawke's Bay Art Gallery and Museum at Napier will now be open on Sunday afternoons once more. No charge is made for admiSsion. The Rangitane The New Zealand Shipping Co. advises that its m.v. Rangitane en route from New Zealand to London, sailed from Oolon during the afternoon oi Tuesday, February 2. Five Secretarles Only. To have had five secretanes only during the 65 years of its existence is the proud record of the Oourt Sir Charles Napier, which celebrated its 65th anniversary in Napier last Saturday. Oue of these, the late Bro. C. P. Lound, held office for 42 years, and rendered excellent service during the whole of that period. Ali-Night Journey. In order to make a connection witli the Napier-Wellington mail train this morning, the Connors and Paul Revue Company, who have been playing an extended aeason up the Coast, were obliged to make an all-night journey from Wairoa to Hastings. They arrived at Hastings shortly after five o'clock this morning and a special carriage was at tached to acoommodate the party. Ghristie Cup Tennis, The proposed Christie Cup challenge match between tlie present holders, Hawke's Bay, and Wanganui, which was to have been held in Wanganui on February 20, has now been postponed by the Wanganui Lawn Tenpis* Ass°cia- ■ tion, which has foupd the date unsuitable. A date in March is to he sUggested by the Hawke's Bay association. The challenge match for the cup with Manawatu will begin to-morrow rporning at the Hawke's Bay L^wn Tennis Club's courts at Marewa. "True Ulster Weicome." The Prime Minister, tlio Rt, Hon, M, J. Savage, has been assured of a "true Ulster weicome'' if he tisits Northern Ireland during his forthcoming trip abroad. Speaking at a luncheon at Parliament Buildings, Wellington, Sir Basil Brooke, Minister of Agriculture in Northern Ireland, said: "It is a small country, with not more than 1001,000 holdings ; but it is a loyal part of the Empire. A great weicome — -a true Ulster weicome — awaits the Ppme Minister of New Zealand in Northern Ireland," Network of Steel. The foundations for tho new auto-matio-exchange building at Napier are being heavily reinforced with steel. This should give hoth security and permanence. Work has been pushed aliead well up te schedule, and in one portion of the large site the steel framework for the walls of the building has already been set in position. It is not anticipated, however, that the building will be ready for the ipstallation of the complicated machinery of the automatic oxchauge before the middl© of next year. Oyster Bed Found. A bed( of oysters has been found ofi Otago Peninsula in about 45 fathoms and the oysters that have been sampled to date have been declared by experts to be large and in first-class condition, A definite ' pronoupcement will be made soon. In the meantime, experts have expressed the opiiiion that these oysters will prove a marketable proposition in large quantities ; but before they appear on the market it will be necessary to ascertain the quantity of the oysters available, and this investigfation is now being. undertaken. Cootfs Traln Late. The night goods train from Wellington arrived at Hastings over 90 minutes behind schedule this morning. The delay was caused by heavy traffic down ihe line and resulted in the mail missing the residentiql deliveries. Arrangements were made, however, for th© mail to he delivered in the business area, the depar.ture of the postmen being delayed, The late arrival of the train also resulted in the leaving of a considerable quantity of miscellaneous liousehold and hardware goods lying by the platform at the railway station during the time the south-bound mail train was at Hastings, Ticket Drawn TwIm. Those of a mathematical turn of mind may care tp caloulate the odds against a happening which occurred at the Masonic Hall, Wellington, on Monday eveningj — the drawing of two prizes by one art union ticket. Ticket number 17769, held by R. Angus, 463 Macandrew road, Dunedin, was credited with two £0 prizes. This has happened on only four or five" occasions during the past eix years. Another cuincidence was the successive drawing of two tickets bearing the nom de plui | "Just in Time," one from Gisborne and one from ' Greymouth. Meeting of Survivors. Reminiscences of one of the major disasters of the Dominion, the Tarawera eruption of Juno 10, 1886, will be recalled this xveek with the meeting at Ramaram,a near Pukekohe, of Mr • Wiliiam Bird, of Murupara, and Mr J. McRae, who for some years has been settled at Ramarama (states a Rotorua correspondent) . Mr Bird is now 76 years of age and Mr McRae about 89, and it is about 40 years since the two have met. Prior to the eruption the pair were business associatos, Mr McRae being the proprietor of the hotel at Wairoa, which was demolished by the disaster, and Mr Bird in charge of the store, which was also owned by Mr iUcRae. After the eruption Mr McRae remained in the Rotorua district for some years and will be rcmembered as the proprietor of botk the Palace and Lake House hotels. After ward until his retirement, he controlled a number of hotels in various parts of the Auckland province, and for a time was slieepfarming.