WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1930, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

OPPORTUNITY FOR UNEMPLOYED COCKSFOOT HARVEST. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON., December 24. The suggestion of Mr Leigh Hunt that the members of the great army ot. unemployed might obtain substantial relief from their sore straits .by gathering 'the neglected cocksfoot harvest does no- appear to have aroused ,any enthusiasm either among .the- unemployed or among their genuine sympathisers. This doubtless is due -to. the fact that the great majority of town people know little about cocksfoot itself and nothing at all about its gathering. Interested -people, however, are writing to the papers about the matter and it will be the fault of the Unemployment Board if this opportunity is not turned to account. The -seed harvest lias been much delayed bv the wt weather of. -.the Spring about Wellington at any rate—and two or three weeks must elapse before the scattered crops are ready for the sickle. Presumably the Unemployment Board would be ready to assist the harvesters and the public certainly would approve of the undertaking . PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE. Mr R, J. Waghorn, writing to the “Evening Post,!’.; with practical knowledge of cocksfoot growing and gathering, warmly supports the -suggestion of Mr Leigh Hunt, “Over the- length and breadth of New Zealand,” he says “along roads and railways, around patches of bush, over oountless lighly Stocked paddocks and runs, . in closed sections, among shelter belts, in parks and reserves, and in almost every, ungrazed corner, in the city as well as in the country, will be found a promising growth of cocksfoot. In and about this city alone . are numerous patches of cocksoot that would-well repay the harvester for his labour. To show how übiquitous is this valuable crop, I may mention the remarkably clean patch that covers the whole of a small vacant .section -in »lcpyer Dixon Street.” . If- the Unemployment Board does not turn to account Mr Hunt’s observation and . Mr. Waghorn’s experience it. will be sadly lacking in its duty to the unemployed and the community at large. - 1 THE RAILWAYS’ ' !

At the annual pre-Christmas jubilation of the railways head office staff yesterday Mr H. H. Sterling, the General Manager, touched lightly upon the difficulties he and his staff had encountered during the closing year. “It is some year * we have come through,” he said, “a year carrying Jmore strain than any other: the Department has know, . , . , I knew that you would not let me down, and you have justified niy confidence, I hopo that 1081 will not be another euch hard year, but, if it be, I know.. that you will face it and i’espbnd;|’tf>; the call,” Just now the ment of the railways is a subject of wide discussion, and Mr Sterling is fortunate in having a staff that can ;be trusted to stand by him, That hts trobules. ijre not yet over is jtfain -enough; and they are not likely to be fianlly overcome until Parliament has had its say. SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK. Nelson and Blenheim, according to the reports that come across Cook Strait, are not in harmony concerning the continued extension of the South Island Main Trunk Railway. Nelson is threatening to do all sorts of, things that would be disagreeable, ..to the Government, if it does hot push on with the West Coast lines, which by some means of grace and association have attached themselves to the Main Trunk, Marlborough, on the other hand; sees no particular reason why 'the West Coast should not wait a while for its round about connection with the East Coast. Wellington, for the most part, it would appear from the tone of its newspapers, takes little interest in the development of either coast of the South Island, and places its faith upon the -steamer services. The ultimate outcome of it all, probably, will be the indefinite postponement of the West Coast construction nnd but tardy progress with the East Coast line. These are the indications of casual gossip.