LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 21, 18 October 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

The Rangitihi. The New Zealanil Sbipping Co. advise tbat the Rangitihi, en route from London to Auckland, radios ber expected arrival at midnigbt on Wedncsday, October 20, Huge Lottery Turnover* The "Golden Casket," a QueenslanU Lottery, tlie profits* of wbicb are useu to finance puUlic bospitafs, roccntly bad its oUOtli Urawxng. it bas been operaL mg lor 21 years^ and tbe total money bandled m tbat penod xs £15,UJ0,00U. Ihe protit from tbe "Casket"' bas reached £4,095,531. Sevenly-six Years Old. Tbe Banh ot New Zealand, whicn opened in Auckland cn Uctobcr 16, 1861, celebrated its 76th birtbda^ on Saturday, Tbe brst of Nevv Zi-aland, ongin in tbe countvy, tbe banh iolIqwed up tbe opemng ut an Auplilauil brancb wit.li tbe establisluneUt Q| an rifit-e in \Vq.nngtou tbe iolloM-jiji, year Lstablisbed by a sinall group oi bu.sxuess meli in AueUlsind, tfie u;ni k was incorporated by Act of Bariiameui. A t 6rst, rt bad a capitaj oi £500,000 anu discloscd assets uf £555,979 in tbe first balancc-shcet, On Marcli 31, 1937, tbe oapital was £6,328,125 and tbe assets were £51,830,227. Stronger Than Superstition. Twins are iooked on as an evil onien for their parents in paits ot tbe Solomon Islands, and soon after they are born one of them often disappears mysteriously. A missxonary nurse. Sister Elizabeth Commons, who is now in Auckland, tells oi ber conceru wlien a native Fijian woman in ber care gave birtb tq twins. Sister Copimons was afraid to let tl»e woman take tbem back tq her husband till she was reassured by a Fijian assistant. Tbe twins were in no dapger, he said, fiecause, ^>.yperstition pr nq iupefstition, tbere yvould nqw fie four children in tbe lamily, and tbe father would be exempt from snpartax. • +* Presentation to Mr Semple. A presentation will be made to tbe JVIinister of Public Works, the Hon. lt, Semple, by tbe Canterhury Pro. gross League, wben tbe Alinister opens thq Lewis pass road on flctoher 30. Tbe suggestiou was made by tbe president of tbe league, Mr F, Coop, at a meeting uf tbe league's executive. lt was unanimously approved, members paying trfbutcs to Mr Semple's energy in eompleting the road, "We are nonpolitical," said Mr M. VV. Stevens.ou, "but we do appreciate effort and energy whep it is sboxvn. Tbe job hung fire ior many years, and since this Minister came in it bas gone aheqd." It was lei't to tbe league's higbways committee to decide the form of tbe presentation. "Pcopje's dpv" at Shaw, Retail sbops. and stores in Hastings wd| fie cfosing at 11 O'clock on Iburs day, "People s Day at tbe Spring Sbow. This dec.iaion was arrived at by tbe executive of tbe, Hastings ltetaiiers' Association tbis morning wh.en qonsideration was given to tbe t eq nest oi tbe Hawke's Bay A. and P. Society that shops close at 10.30 o'clock. Many reasons were advanced by members as to why it would uot be advisable to close too early in the morning, tbe main one being tliat it was reeognised that many country people made a practice of combining tbeir sbopping and their visit to tbe Show and expected tQ find tbe shops open m the inoining, this having been the practice adoptei^ tor a uumher of years. To Deql. With R?gwort« Reseatcb worfi. at. Ru.aka.wa Punu witli a view to dealing witli tbe cag- > wort pest bas been proniised by tbe Government. "The Government bas made systematic plans for controf pl ragwort," the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture, 6tated. "Excellent work has been done by county councils, using labour and material supplied by the Government, r in clearing up ragwort on waste land and in belping indigent owners in the work. Sodium cblorate bas been used, but experience bas sbown that under certain conditions of soii moisture and plant grolvth tbe destruction of the weed is not complete. To improve tbe tecbnique of tbe commou methods of eradication of tbis weed tbe Government bas establisbed a ragwort committee, comprising officers of the Department of Agriculture aud of tbe Scientific and ludustrial Researcb Department."