NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1924, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

In Alexico the largest and finest factory makes cigarettes exclusively. It is called Lit Tabacalera Alexicana, and turns cut more than 65,000,01)0 a day solely for American consumption.

Theio are ”00,000 qualified doctors in Lui-ope, of whom -18,000 live in .Great, Britain and Ireland. France inis 32,000, Germany 26,000, Italy 21,000, Russia 20,000, Austria 13,000, Belgium 12,000 and Spain 8000.

“Evert- man likes to see his name in the paper, otherwise his wife wonders whether he has actually been at lientham or not,” was a statement which was greeted with laughter at the annual meeting of the New Zealand National Ride Association, says the N. Z. “Times”.

Queen Alary will conic out in a new role next year—that of editor. She is practically editing herself “The Book of the Queen’s Doll’s House,” , in two volumes. Volume I will he a description of the house and all its contents, and Volume IT a reproduction of the contents of the volumes of the library, which contains examples of the writingof the- modern men and women win contributed specially-written books.

A Stiatford horticulturist took to Die local “Post” office a freak disc-uv-crad in his garden, showing a hyacinth bulb pierced by a root of couch, that bugbear of the tiller of the soil everywhere. The bulb had fastened on to the root, which was several inches in length on each side, giving the freak nn appearance not unlike a toy aeroplane.

There is very little inquiry for dairying land, iust now along the coast (says the “Feilding Star”). The general buyer will not pay the prices asked. for they are often above the real productive value of the land. Consejiiently. little business is being transacted. At the same time, the rich land lias reached a fair basis and a well-balanced farm, free from disadvantages can bo had for £BO per acre. Such properties, however, are not numerous and are difficult to acquire.

Gas pipes in Auckland suffer in varying degrees in depreciation of quality, according to the nature of the soil in which they are laid. Afr Jas Lowe, secretary of the Auckland Oas Company, told the Assessment Court that he had known old pipes to he taken up which could ho cut with a knite. Others laid in volcanic soil, were liable to pitting. He had seen pipes taken tip from Great North road tint were pitted into very bad holes. Another came of deterioration, since the advent of electric lines, was electrolysis.

Wiliie motoring through to the West Coast front Nelson, the car in which Viscount Jellicoe was travelling, got stuck near Inangalm.it Junction. Rain was falling heavily at the time, and the Governor-General, picking up a hag of apples and some sweets, paid ft call to a nearby settler’s residence (Afr Delaney), introducing liinisell at the had door. Thereafter, for me next hour, while awaiting the arrival ol another

car to remove hi.s car from the mud His Excellency amused himself wit! the Delaney children, to their unbounded delight.

For the past two or thu-e weeks, Feildi.ig residents possessing wireless receiving sets have had their evenings spoilt l>v some amateur who (relates the “Star”) apparently finds it impossible to get hi:- set in tune. Apparently it is the custom for listenersin, io tune up about 8 p.m.. then settle down and listen to the music from Wellington. Christeln;l eh. Dunedin. Auckland, or Sydney, just Ms Inc iam-;, lakes them; hut lor the pas 1 three weeks or so a now sot in Feilding or within a few miles of the town has been ii stalled, the owner ol which is learning how vo tune up, and is not making much progress.

A,, remarkable example ol the length T the law’s arm was given at the To Kuiti .Magistrate’s Court when a man was brought up in a- liquor case, the paginal offence having been committed In 1000 (says the “Taranaki Daily Yews”). At that time the present cer.ior-sergeant of police at Hamilton whs a constable at To Kuiti, and when recently lie saw the accused man a' the Hamilton railway station he re•ognised him as the individual "ho had been “wanted” for 21 years. The original informations, yellow with age. were produced in court, when the case was foinially adjourned. It is believed to constitute a record for the Dnmin-

Some interesting observations on tli" value of sheep country, and the price of wool were made by a stock and land niront to a Palmerston Xorlh “Standard” reporter. “Sheep country is worth the present prices asked for it.” he said “when you base the land value on the price of wool, but buyers are not prepared to purchase on the present terms as assessed' on the value ol wool. If fleece should xoiitinue at its present rate, sheep country "ill be worth its value to-day. but if wool prices drop the land will go down also. It must he remembered that- the price of wo.ll is solely dependent on conditions ir Europe, and one cannot help but view them with a great deal of anxiety.” The Scottish dialect appears to he almost a test language in the 1 nitod States, where there are nearly as many m lie re in tongues os there were at the building of the Tower of Babel. It was mentioned at Wellington Rotary Clubs luncheon, by Dr. V. B. Emerson, an ear spe.ialist ol Boston, that, since the world war, remarkable progress had been made in teaching the deaf and dump the art of reading the lips of speakers. One returned soldier, formerly a clever lawyer, had become so proficient that he was specially tested. A doctor stood about £0 feet front him and rend four lilies of ] uetry in the Scottish ‘dialect. 'I don’t know what vott mean.'’ said the soldier, wlm.-e hearing had been destroyed in the war. “but this is what you said, repeating the test with accuracy.” “Good.” said the applauding Jlotarian. “he must have been a clever lawyer.”

The X.Z. “Times” says that Councillor Temple took strong exception at the Masierton Borough Council meeting last Tuesday night to the' legislation which is in force giving Electric Power Boards the right to heavily rate non-consumers of electricity. Councillor Temple said that he believed that the legislation was introduced at the instance of the Southland Power Board. He had spoken to the member for tlie district on the subject. The latter had admitted having been caught napping when the legislation was going through, and that it was a most unfair imposition. Councillor Temple said that be-

cause a ratepayer did not care to take, or was unable to pay to install electric light, ho was liable to a penalty of from os up to £3O a year. This was an infringement of the liberty of the subject, and contrary altogether to the spirit of the democratic ago in which they lived. The council was heartily in accord with Councillor Temple’s remarks.

There is no accounting for a woman’s taste (says an exchange). Giving evidence at the Hamilton Supreme Court in a pig-farm case, u woman said she had no objection to pigs in the ordinary way. She thought little pigs were little dears, so long as they were well kept.

“You are telling the truth?” asked counsel of a witness in the Alasterton L’olice Court. “Yes,” was the reply. “The whole truth'?” “Yes.” “And if you dropped down dead there now—?”

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you anything,” was- the quick reply, which (states mi exchange) raised a general laugh;

“Curse you ; May you bo paralysed in your bed before morning.” These words were alleged at a Poplar inquest to have been addressed to Janies Haddrill, aged 63, of Bromley-by Bow, a few hours before lie was found dead in bed. It is stated that Haddrill who was unmarried, lived at the house of a sister, ar.d the family were greatly disturbed by intemperate lodgers in the house. The sister alleged that one of the lodgers shouted the curse several titerss. Haddrill was found dead the following morning. A doctor stated that death was caused bv cerebral haemorrhage. and it was possible that the excitement and emotion of the previous evening had something to do with it The coroner returned a verdict of “death from ntitural causes,” and suggested that the sister take proceedings in another court.