DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1927, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) NOXIOUS WEEDS. PROPAGATING INSECT ENEMIES. WELLINGTON, Dec. 20. With the completion of the now gauze insectary and biological laboratory at the CawtTiron Institute more intensive work in connection with the control of noxious weeds by the use of insect parasites is now possible. The insectary, which was officially opened bv the Right Hon L. C. -M S. Amerv last week, is considerably larger than the usual typo of insectary. It has been planted with a large range of plants for the purpose of testing out which are liable and which are immune to the four or five very drastictests to which insects are submitted before they are liberated to launch their offensive on the noxious weeds rf the Dominion. Naturally a good many insects do not pass the rigid tests imposed by Dr Tiliyard and his staff. The most meticulous precautions are taken to prevent the escape of any insect which has harmful effects on the useful economic plants of New Zealand. The large insectary enable the parasitic insects, especially the blackberry, to breed and he tested, it having been found that these insects do not thrive when confined in the small insectaries. This difficulty is overcome by the new building at the Cnwthron Institute. In the same insectary other weed pests of the Dominion, such as ragwort. foxglove, gorse and bidi-bidi, are being submitted to attack by parasitic insects belonging to a wide range. Special arrangements have been made with Dr Inline, of the Bothamsted experimental station, England. t< supply regular shipments of para siti; ins,acts collected in England and in tin Mediterranean countries. Ihe recent wet summer in t.ho northern hemi sphere, however, was not conducive t< insect life, with the result that com pnratively few consignments have beei coming to hand recently. I lie latcs consignment arrived by the lamaro; consisting chiefly of parasites peculin to foxglove and gorso. JAPAN'S PROBLEMS. POPULATION AND FINANCE.

AUCKLAND, Dec. 20. “Tho population of Japan is increasing at the rate of 1.000,000 a year, and the country is alarmed at the prospects of the food problem. The .Tapanc.se will never attempt to invade either Australia or New Zealand. They have no inclination to do so.” After living for 20 years in Japan. Mr F. I>. Burrows, managing director of the firm of Cooper and Co., of Kobe, Japana, can speak with authority on the subjects mentioned above. He arrived by the Maunganui this morning on a holiday trip to New Zealand.

“Tho finances of Japan are in a bad way,” ho said. ”1 be Government lias plenty of money, and there is plenty in the country, but it has never deflated since the period of the war l oom. Tho country has not yet recovered from the big earthquake. Yokohama is still a wreck. A few large buildings have, been erected by the Government and the overseas business houses, but there are numberless tin shacks on are*- which were wrecked during the big ’quake.” Mr Burrows said that the Japanese are slowly penetrating into Manchuria. They will be the next to control that country, principally because it will mean their own protection from Russia. In Kobe and other large centres of Japan there are numbers of Russians who have left their country am! never wish to return to it. Tho.-.e refugees refuse to acknowledge the Russian Embassy.

A [ISKNT WITHOUT LEAVE. POINT FOR SHIPMASTERS. WELLINGTON, Doc. 20. According to a judgment by the Chief Justice, it is necessary when a seaman is prosecuted for absence from his fillip to state the country where he has signed on before lie can he imprisoned, as. under the law, a Magistrate has no power to sentence to imprisonment a seaman who has signed o:i in New Zealand, but only if he has signed on elsewhere. Similarly, in England, a seaman who has signed on there cannot he imprisoned. The can? was a motion to make absolute' an order nisi calling upon the. Magistrate at Nelson to show cause why the conviction of Richard Mulvaney for deserting from the Wnipori at New Plymouth should not he quashed without a writ of certiorari actually issuing.

His Honour treated the motion also as a motion to quash the conviction. There was, in lii.s Honour’s opinion, no evidence before the Magistrate as to the place where defendant was engaged. The fact was not in issue before conviction, f>ut became relevant after conviction to determine punishment. The conviction was quashed with £lO 10s costs. A BANKER'S OPINION.

WELLINGTON, Dev. 20. "It is perfectly true. The trouble in this country is that it is young and that it is attempting to develop too fast " said a prominent hanker 10-day wihen invited to express his opinion on a statement by Mr AY. J. Poison, president of the New Zealand banners’ 1 nion that the Dominion was living beyond its means. “AVc are borrowing, at the present moment, about. £0,000,000 or £7,000,000 a. year. Our interest bill annually on the loans, which we have in existence is in the neighbourhood of £0,000.000. on top of which is an additional million for local body loans. Fo that we are borrowing annually the amount of the interest on our loans; borrowing to meet, those loans. AA’liat we have to ask ourselves is what would happen if those loans were suddenly cut off? ‘That is not to say that there is any cause for alarm. The position is very difficult. AA'e must have capital and we must develop. The trouble is that at present we am attempting too much and deciding that, with our small | population \and comparatively small !

national income, we must nave all the amenities of life which exist in larger countries. ,Tt is impossible to cut off our borrowing suddenly. That would create great unemployment all through the country. It would also mean higher taxation. But the attempt to decrease our borrowing should he begun. A gradual lessening. even if accompanied by slightly higher taxation, would be for the national good. “There arc several loans maturing next year. The whole amount is £30,000.000, which is too great a sum to hope to raise- within the Dominion, hut a beginning could be "made and several millions certainly would lie forthcoming within New Zealand. This line has been followed in Australia with regard to the Commonwealth £36.000, CKXJ conversion lean, and lias proved very effective. 'l'he sooner a beginning is mode the better," I

ASCENT OF MOUNT COOK. A NOTABLE FEAT. AUCKLAND, Dec. 21. The feat accomplished by three Hermitage guides in their record climb at Mount Cook is a noteworthy one, said Professor Algie, of Auckland University College, in an interview with a “Star” correspondent this morning. Professor Algie, who is member of Hie Alpine Club of London, knows Mount Cook very well. Not long ago lie made a successful ascent in company with Mrs Algie. They achieved the distinction of being the first married couple to reach the summit. Many in Auckland are unacquainted with the vastness of the Southern Alps and are tempted to think of Mount Cook as being similar to Mount Eginont, said Professor Algie, whereas something like four days are required between the time of departure from The Hermitage and the return. So Guides A. Brustnrrl, J. Pope and V. Williams performed a notable feat. The ascent accomplished this week is tho twenty-ninth successful attempt to reach the summit of Mount Cook, continued Professor Algie. The feat was all the more praiseworthy by reason of the circumstances in which it was accomplished. Perhaps the guides felt some effort of this kind was 10quired of them in view of the recent comparisons between West Coast and Hermitage guides recently made by Mr Amery. 1

SANDERS CUP TRIAL. WELLINGTON, Dee. 21. A further Sanders Cup trial was held to-day. Wellesley TI. winning from AH Black by 9Osee. 1 ACCIDENTS ON WHARF. w Filling ton, Doc. 21. Two accidents occurred on the wharf to-day. AY. Manning, of 157. I pland Road, a clerk, sustained a crushed foot as a result of being run over by a trailer. P. Stapels, a wa torsi dor, sustained a fractured nose through being struck by a frozen carcase. MOTOR FATALITY. BLENHEIM, Dec. 22.

A saloon Austen car driven by ’I . C. Wilson, of Wnimai. Huntly, and occupied by Mrs Gwendoline Wilson, aged 35. and their four children, all of school age, left the road on Redwood Pass to-day and crashed to the bottom of a deep gully turning over several times and landing upside down. Tho car was proceeding from Blenheim to Christchurch.. Mrs Wilson was extricated with difficulty from the car and is now in the Wairu Hospital suffering injuries to her chest and back and broken ribs. The remainder of the party fortunately! escaped with minor injuries. The car was badly damaged. It was at this spot that two people were killed and five injured two years ago. At the inquest on that occasion the Coroner strongly recommended a parapet to be erected at this spot which he considered dangerous.

POLICE CHIEF’S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, Dec. 22. The following Christmas messagi lias been issued by the Commissione of Police, Mr Mcllvency. through tin medium of the Police Gazette.

*• To members of the police force, 1 take this opportunity and medium ol addressing you collectively to exprosmy appreciation and very high commendation of the courteous and effective service and assistance ronderei by you during the last year. I deem it a privilege to thank you. I th this with sentiments not only of gratitude. but also of pride, for the personal association of such offices, non-com-missioned officers and men. and tin realisation that the people of the Dominion appreciate your watchful, efficient and tireless protection. Kindly accept from me the season’s greetings and all good wishes for a glad and prosperous New Year.”

MUNICIPAL MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH, Dee. 22. Municipal markets were opened in Christchurch this morning, but Die venture bad a rather weak beginning, only two stalls being occupied for business. It. is stated that fourteen have been applied for. The two stalls trading did u big business, one .silling fruit and vegetables and the other dressed poultry. DROPPED DEAD IN CITY. CHRISTCHURCH, Dee. 22. Margaret Eleanor McAlieeo, 09. widow, dropped dead in Cathedral Square this morning. Heart failure was the cause of death.