LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 197, 6 September 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Farmer as Accountant. "There is no'law to compel a farmer to keep books if he is not a bankrupt," said a delegate to the Farmers' Union conference at Paeroa, when the assessment of income for unempioyment taxation was under consideration, and members had given instances of high arbitrary assessments. "Well, we will soon have to,'' observed another, "for they are making us all bankrupt." Youths Wanted. The dilficulty 0f obtaining youths between 16 years and 18 years to accept positions, not only in the country _ but in the city, was mentioned by Mr N. G. Gribble, of the youth employment branch, at a meeting of the executive of the Boys' Employment Committee in Auckland. "1 have offering at the present time good positions in some of the best firms in Auckland for boys between 16 and 18, and I cannot fill them," he said. Flying to England. "I intend to Hy the next time 1 go to Engdand,'3 said Blr H. J. Butcher, a member of the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland), who returned by the Mariposa after a world tour. Mr Butcher remarked on the remarkably accurate time-table maintained by Imperial Airways mth the new flying-boats between Alexandria and Southampton, and said that the ship on which he made the journey landed on time to the minute. Specuiation in Tickets The extent to which speeulators in Christchurch have operated in the purchase and resale of tickets for the second Test against the Springboks on Saturday is evident from the number of advertisements that have appearod in Christchurch newspapers each day last week. On Wednesday one newspaper published 33 advertisements offering tickets for sale. At least 80 tickets were offered at various stands the prices ranging from 15/- to £5 each. Dog Racing Popular. The extent to which dog racing has captured the imagination of a large proportion of the English sporting pubiic was described yesterday by the Hon. Eliot R. Davis, M.L.O., when he returned by tlie Mariposa after a long visit abroad. He said there were 26 different tracks in and around London and it was estimated that the average nightly attendance at all these tracks was 250,(300. The totalisator at White City Stadium was capable of putting through L8000 a minute. Last, year £70,000,000 was put through the totalisator s at the different meetings, compared with the £8,000,000 ab tlie horse races, Cheap Travelling. "Travelling in England is exceptionally cheap and completely organised," said Mr E. J. Howard, M.P.. on his return to New Zealand from a visit to Britain. "There are travel shops everywhere selJing tours. I went, to a shop in London and said I wanted to go to Portsmouth. The sbopman said, 'We will send a car for you at 2.30,' and they did. 1 travelled from door to door, London to Portsmouth, for 6s. Everyone appears to be on the road, especially at week-ends, and there are crowds of tanclem cycles everywhere. We used to have the tandem years ago and they are couiing back with a rush." Two-Minutes Siience. Strangie indeed it is to read that a Napier woman (anonymous) claims to have been originator of the ''tvvo minutes' siience" now observed as a tribute to the war dead on Armistiee Day each year_ writes B.C.H. in the Auck1 land Star. The lady claims that sliort^ly after the signing of the Armistiee she suggested the' ceremony to Bishop Bennett. Those "Diggers'' who travelled. back borne on the good troopship Paparoa, which calicd at Capetown in August, 1918, will know that for a long timo prior to that date a two minutes' siience was observed in Capetown daily. If my memory serves me rightly, the idea come from the then Mayor of the city, Mr Hands, who had several sons serving at the front. Personally, I would never accept the Napier woman's claim, were it only for the reason that I have yet to find a woman capable of observing two minutes' siience. Fiightless Ducks Whether a specits of fiightless ducks existed on Campbell Island was discussed at a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand by Mr E. F. Stead. He referred to a specimen which was recorded as having been taken on Campbell Island about 50 years ago, and whieli had been preserved. Recently an authority had written a paper claitning that it belouged not merely to a new species, but to a new genus. Mr Stead, however, contended that there were insuflicient grounds for so desoribing it, and also put forward the view that it did not come from Campbell Island but from the Auckland Lslands. "Many scioatists will make a new species if a specimen comes from a place where it was not previously roeorded," be said. He had made inquiries, however. and bad been unable to find any evidence that there were fiightless ducks on Campbell Island.

Napier Plunkct Society. A shop day organised oy the NapiejPlunket Society realised £62 16/-. A Long Train A large number oi people travelled by tlie mail train this morning. There were eight carriages attached to the engine and all were well packed with travellers. An unespectedly large number of people boarded the train at Hastings, and it was noted that many had to accommodate themselves in a speci-ally-reserved carnage for collegians. New Private Company, A new private company to oporate in Napier, the Central News Agency Ltd., with a . capitai of £300 in £i shares, has been registered. The new company will carry on business as stationers and booksellers, the subscribers being Messrs L. C. Smith, of Taradale, £150, and J. F. Soarrott, Bay View, £150. Wild-Pig Menace. "Une sheep farmer at Toatoa lost 20O lambs this season," said Mr J. H. Reid, chairman, at a meeting of the Opotiki County Council, when referring to extensive damage done by wiid pigs. The discussion took place as the result of a ietter received from the Minister of Internal Affairs on the subjcct of the destruction of wild pigs. Soxing Representatives. The three Hawke's Bay representatives, Rex Davis, Jack Davis and Joe Mclvor, to the NTew Zealand amateur boxing cliampionships, left Hastings by mail train this morning for Wellington, en route to Greymouth. There was a large crowd of well-wisliers and supporters at tlie Hastings Railway Station to see their departure. Aceompanymg the trio were Mr W. J. Baiilie, manager, Mr J. Spencer, trainer, and Mr J. Brunton, official second. The team is not expected to return until nex^ week. Schoois Resume. Schools in the Hawke's Bay Education Board's district resumed for the .third and final terrn tliis morning. Though tlie year •hUs been an unusually broken and short one, to date headmasters are satisfiod with the progress the chaldren for the mostpart have made, and are confident tliat with contmued diligence and application tho children will not suffer from tlie liandicap imposed at tlie boginning of the year, when there was much delay occasioned hy the infantile paralysis epidemic. Arthur Henderson Leaves. England was watching with great interest the outcome of sociological ckanges in New Zealand, said Mr Arthur Henderson, Britisk M.P., who was t'arewelled by Labour and peace organi-. sations at Auckland prior to his departure for Australia. Especially was this so with regard to tlie 4U-hour week, and he liad i'elL it a great privilege to have the opportunity during his visit to observe conditions for liimself. Hc had Jiad a very strenuous tour on behaif of the International Peace Council, but had met with great kindness everywhere. Mr Henderson was given a liearty ovation on leaving, and messages of goodwill to peace workers in other lands. Big Geyscr Stays Dormant. Pohutu Geyser, the largest active geyser in New Zealand, appears to have gone into retirement. (writes a Rotorua correspondent). During the past niiu nionths the big geyser has # played oniy three times. althougk last year during the winter months it was particularly active. During April, 1936 the geyser played 80 times, during June 32 times, July 15 and August 35. This year, however, after one short period of activity during May the geysay has given no sign of activity. Although Pohutu is qniescent, other vents in Whakarewarewa Reserve are unusually active at the present itime. Two unnamed vents between Pohutu and Waikorohihi have been playing almost continuously, while Waikorohihi itself lias given periodical displays. The Cauldron, which usually becomes very active before Pohutu plays, has been seetking and bubbling incessantly but without any apparent effect on the geyser.