NEWS AND NOYES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1923, Page 4

NEWS AND NOYES

“There is no doubt that the eyes of the astute Americans are turned upon the islands of the Western Pacific,” 'writes the Fiji correspondent of the Auckland “Star.” “It is not many months ago that Fiji was visited by two leading officials of Hawaii’s chief pineapplo company, with a view to coming here. This would have oientnated, because the visitors were delighted with local conditions which tlley publicly stated were ideal for pineapple growing; but when they 10turned home they found that their I u> directors had in the meantime purchased 10.000 acres of additional land u, Hawaii, so they had to leave their Fiji proposals until later. Now anotiier leading American has reached Suva. This is Air Howard Throgmorton, a leading banker front San 1' rancisco. and well known in all American financial circles. Air Throgmorton is delighted with all he has seen of Fiji, raid has determined to spend a month or more in investigation. He says lie can bring much capital into Fiji immediately he can see a suitable opening and be believes this is a land of wonderful opportunities.”

“What,” asked His Honour Air Justice Stringer, at Hamilton, “is a balJoon dance?” The case was one in which a Rotorua boardinghousc-kec-per sought an injunction against the owner of a hall to restrict dancing, skating and Alaori concerts in the building. The annoyance which it was complained was caused by bakas. jar./, hands, balloon dances and similar noiseprovoking amusements, led to His Honour’s query. Air C. L. AracHiarmid appeared for plaintiff, and said His Honour apparently would not have engaged ill this particular form of ainu.seniciit. A ballon dance, he explained, was one where the ladies tied toy balloons to their ankles, the object ol the men being to stamp on and burst the balloons. The result was a general tangle, men anil women getting tie I up in the balloon strings. The result was general squealing, laughter and

A new phase of the advantages ol electricity was opened up at a meeting of the Taranaki Power Hoard, when, in tl-.e course of a discu.-j.sion on this aspect of the proposition of inr board it was remarked (stales an cx tha'ge): “The cows will ids.: nppreivie the silence of the motors in !•:*•• ' of lhe present engines.” lhe lomment p.ompt.d the speculation as lo whether the prospective tranquility in the milking shed would in any wav increase the butter-fat output, ami also as to whether occupants of the milking shed would show an equally kern appreciation of the “silent system.”

There was a brief discussion on the “cost of dying” at a meeting ol lb" AVaiigantti Hospital Board ns the outcome of a protest from .the Iliniierville Town Board, that £•> w.t, iii-ngfi-cient to fix as a maximum tha-g- cl a pauper’s funeral (relates the '\ ang’-nt ui “Chronicle”). It was -taied tlu-t the aitual cost of a pauper's funeral ii. Wanganui was fifteen shillings, and mint' the members thought that the cost at Taihape should be twelve shillings seeing “that it was nearer to the hush.” The introduction into New Zeaumd (,f woud-horing |ivsts was discus-cil ai i: meeting of the Dominion 1-i-derat'.l Sawrnillers’ Association some days ago. (says an exchange), when the following resolution was passed:- 'This i"G •- ration strongly sun, juris the enden- \ ours ol the Stale Forest .Service in prevent the entry of loreigu insects into New Zealand." It was decided to send c copy oi the resolution to the Forestry Departneiit and ulsu to the .Ministers of Forests and (.’usLoms. Several instances have come under tie polite ol the Forestry Department, and of the Sawmill-era* Association, ol l lie manner in which the borer (-ni othe Dominion. Not long ago the parking of a coiisingment of nursery stick from .Japan was found to contain small apple-tree twigs harbouring borers of a jes pei aliar to that country. In another ce-e imported Japanese oak was found to ha practically* riddled by tins- pests. More reieiitly examinations. of a shipment of Australian hardwood disclu.-ed the tact that a yellowish grub v.v.s working have, hencalli the hark, and in the tap of the timber. The d, prndauons ol insects in the larch forests in -Maine. F.S.A., are t-.iiising same coiuern in Hint Stale, and examination of the trees alleilcd inis shown that they are being allacked hy a comparatively new insect in that region. A motor trip over the "scalded plains” beyond Dublin was an experience that some of the members ol the New Zealand tennis team enjoyed during i heir recent tour of New South Wales. It was in this locality that tinparty ( ante across a sight that Nett /.calami does not provide, in the shape nt a look as far as the eye could rent h along a section of railway line which stretches for *220 miles without it grade or a turn —an absolutely flat, straight stretch. The plains hereabouts are so fiat that when rain falls on it the water lies there till burned off hy the sun. Hence the term .scalded plains. For u short time alter the water has been evaporated, the surface of the plain* ,s like concrete, a line motor speedway just- for the moment, but generally an inferno of dust.

Lord Haldane recently opened new chemical laboratories for the Liverpool FDiversity, the first instalment of a large scheme e-tinatid to cost £2071.001). He said: Manufacturers had better regard gilts to great institutions like mis university not as

benevolence but as investments of capital. There are scores of developments of chemistry in the future which will bring fortunes. We must not he like the foolish virgins and keep, our lamps uitrimmed. The laboratory is still a place of smells and stinks, in which the stinks predominate, hut it is also a place of ideas.

Maslenit/.a. or Butter Week, ns the Russians call the fortnight preceding Lent, is always celebrated with feasting and drinking in Russia. This year, according to the. Latvian Telegraph Agency, the Soviet moneyprinting liresses, were unable to supply enough money to permit nationalised factories to pay their workers. Therefore all the State institutions paid long overdue salaries in vodka, with the" result that thousands became drunk. The police throughout Russia reported thousands of arrests.

Lockjaw following a slight injury to the thumb was stated at ail Fast London inquest to have caused the death of Mrs Annie Ward, 41, of Frenchstreet, Sunhury, Middlesex. Mr Ward said that when his wife was using the poker a small splinter of steef entered her right thumb, inflammation followed. A doctor advised removal to the London Hospital. The house surgeon said that she was given anti-tetanic serum injections but the trouble was too far advanced. It was a matter of surprise at the hospital that she should have become infected in the way she did. His chief at the hospital told him that most of the cases he had had to deal with were those of woihqh who bccnnic illfected while peeling • potatoes. The verdict was Accidental Heath.