NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1929, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

RABBIT PERMITS ESSENTIAL.

“It is probably not generally known

lint the Rabbit Nuisance Act; of 192 S rovidos that any person who keeps

live rabbits without first obtaining a permit from the Minister of Agriculture renders himself liable to a penalty of £20,” said :ur D. Elliott, Inspector of Stock in Auckland, to a “Star” representative. Whether consciously or otherwise, a number of people were breaking the law, he added. Unless they obtained the necessary permit, the Department would have no option but to prosecute.

UNEMPLOYED “ EX-DIGGERS.”

The problem of unemployment

amongst men who served their country in the field during the years of war continues to cause anxiety to the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. ' “The number

Diggers who are up against it for

want of work is most distressing,” states the annual report. “ Your Executive is doing all in its power to re-

lieve the position, but feels that employers of labour might do more than they do to help the Digger by applying to the association when wanting men.”

FRIEND OF THE FARMER

“1 hope pukeko will not be on the shooting list this year,” writes Mr DaviS Smith, of Masterton, to the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society. “I have known the birds all my life (over 60 years), and I do not know of any mischief they do. I know, however, what good they can do, and all thinking farmers like them around in order to lighten our fight against insect pests. I have never had grain stacks touched bv them, and they are strutting round the stacks every day. Further, if they did take a small quantity of grain, I would not mind, hut would merely look upon such as well-earned wages.”

THE NAUTICAL COLLEE,

A sheep dog that was a good sailor and had served his apprenticeship before the mast was mentioned at Tarata when the wind-up of the Sheep Dog Trial Club’s annual competitive meeting was being celebrated. The description by the owner, who bad also served his younger life at sea before he took up land in New Zealand, was one that highly amused the gath-

ering (states the “Taranaki Herald”). The dog was sent out by an English Bhepherd, and; on the way learned “to get away to starboard,” “get away to port,” “full ‘ahead,”

“hard astern,” or “steady vour helm” in place of the orthodox - shepherd’s terms. That dog, the gathering was assured, could work, but the difficul-

ties were that not only was the sailorowner the only man for whom the dog would work efficiently,. but all the other shepherds gave up their erstwhile tasks to watch the fun.