THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which Is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5207, 23 November 1927, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which Is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Following on the heavy rain which fell locally on Monday, the wind changed to a more westerly direction early yesterday morning, and a fine day resulted. This morning dawned with an overcast sky, but before 8 o’clock the sun broke through and mild summer weather has been enjoyed.

The Paeroa Boy Scouts are taking part in the ambulance competition for the Manawaru Challenge Cup at the Te Aroha Show to-day. The team, which left. Paeroa this morning under assistant Scoutmaster N. Campbell, comprised Patrol-leaders E. Verran, R. Campbell, P. Barclay, and Scout G. Southby.

Twenty-three thousand cases of butter arq included in the cargo which is being taken by the Royal Mail steamer Niagara, which sailed from Auckland last night. This is the biggest shipment ofl butter to be made to Vancouver within recent years. The greater portion of the, Niagara’s butter is consigned to Honolulu, Victoria (British Columbia), and Vancouver, while several thousand cases are for transhipment to Shanghai.

In order that the public may not be victimised through the embezzlements of solicitors, a proposal has been made that every practitioner in New Zealand should pay a fee ofl £5 5s annually to establish a sinking fund out of which those people, from whom money has been embezzled may be repaid. Originally the suggestion came from the Canterbury Law Society. At a special meeting of tiiej Auckland ciety on Friday the proposal was almost. unanimously rejected.

The announcement that thieves have stolen a number of fowls, injected with various toxins, from t'he Physiological College has caused panic among Parisians lunching on chickens. Experts predict that anybody eating the fowls is likely to suffer from botulism, but there is no danger of death. Detectives have failed to trace the fowls to the markets.

Tired of having their slumbers disturbed by the chiming.of the Post Office clock, the properietor and residents of an hotel at Gisborne made a request to the Borough Council that the ch lines should bej cut out from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. In a letter to the council the proprietor stated that this matter was the subject of continual complaint by guests at the hotel, and in view of the fact that councils such as those at Rotorua, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Greymouth, Invercargill, Wairoa, apd probably others took the precaution of cutting out the quarterly chimes from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m„ he submitted that similar action might, with advantage to Gisborne, be taken by the council. - It was decided to accede to the request, provided the clock could be regulated without difficulty or expense.

It. is probable that thej new insectary at the Cawthron Institute, which has recently been built at a cost of £2OOO for the purpose of housing certain parasites which are to be used in experiments in the destruction of blackberry and ragwort, will be opened by Mr L. S. Amery, secretary for Dominion Affairs, on December 13The Imperial Marketing Committee made a donation of £l3oo' towards the cost, and this was supplement: ! by £7OO from the Government;. Messrs. H. Atmore (Nelson), and R. P. Hudson (Motueka), have been in communication with the Prime Minister with a view of securing a visit from Mr Amery for the purpose of opening the insectary, which is the first of its kind in Australia or New Zealand, and Mr Coates has submitted a provisional itinerary to Mr Amery. It is now practically assured that Mr Amery will arrive in Nelson from the south at 3 p.m. on December 13, for the purpose of opening the insectary.

Arrangements are well in hand for the Paeroa Athletic Club’s forthcoming fixture. The cycle race track has been surveyed and pegged out, and top-dressing is being carried out on portions of it. When that work is completed the whole track will be chain-harrowed and rolled, after which the handicapping pegs will be placed in position. It is considered that the cycle track will be a great improvement on the track which obtained last year.

Mr Leo Cotter, the Ngatea footballer whose leg was broken in the Piako representative match in August last and who was discharged from the Auckland Hospital on Tuesday of la‘st week, arrived ho,me yesterday for a few days. His leg is still in plaster of Paris, and he will be an out-patient of the Auckland hospital for another month or so.

During the course of his lecture to Waihi school teachers on Saturday Mr Spencely Walker stated that the firstclass fare on the Majestic from Southampton (England) to New York was £lO6, the journey only taking six days. A special class termed the tourist class is also provided, the rates being more; moderate.

If there is anyone who doubts the educational value of agricultural show's a conversation which took place on People’s Day at Hawera Show would have induced a changes of view. “.What sort of cows are those ?” asked a young lady of her male companion. “Ayrshires,” said the young man, obviously. a townsman and proud of his knowledge. “Ayrshires are sheep, not cows,” contradicted the young lady scornfully—she. had been in the country once when travelling on a train. “No, there are no Ayrshire sheep,” said the man. “No, of course not,”’said the young lady, upon reflection. “I. was, thinking of Airedales.”'

Taking all classes of, footwear imported during the calendar years 1924, 1925, and 1926, the average yearly importations work out at 2,357,960 pairs. Over tliej last three years ended March 31 the average annual output of New Zealand factories show's 1,417,677. pairs, indicating that for every 100 pairs of boots of all classes made in the Dominion 167 pairs are imported. The above information is supplied in the “Abstract of Statistics” for October.

As ’one of the Manly ferry steamers was passing the scejnei of the Greycliffe wreck immediately prior to the start of the towing operations (says a Sydney paper) the band on the boat played “Lead, Kindly Light.” The large number of school children aboard rose to their feet and stood erect, with 'heads bared, until the band ceased playing. The incident visibly affected the divers and others who took part in the operations. “It was a fine mark of respect,” said Diver Harris.

Commencing on Saturday, November 26, the Railway. Department intends issuing cheap week-end excursion tickets to Rotorua, every Saturday during the summer months. Particulars are advertised in this issue.

The, Japanese believe that the souls of beautiful blossoms often appear in human forms, and play a. part in the joys and sorrows of men and women. Many charming legends are woven round the beautiful cherry and plum blossoms of Japan. Here is one ; A cherry tree brought prosperity to JeroUioi, who kept a tea-house. One day a great Samurai came and demanded a branch to give to a geisha. He refused to listen to Jerohoi’s explanation that it was a sacred tre,e, and its blossoms might not be gathered, and, drawing his sword to slash off a branch, killed the old man who strove to protect it. The tree withered, and all day long it stood bare and dead, though;at midnight it would burst once again into blossom. Only when the murderer had taken his own life in expiation did the tree return to its former beauty.

It may not be generally known that Christmas cards are; a modern institution. The first genuine Christmas card was sent in 1844, and it, is be-, lieved the sender was W. E. Dobson,. R.A. He had a friend from whom he received certain courtesies for which he desired to show some special appreciation. The time was Christmas,. So, after some thought, he made a sketch symbolising the spirit of the festive season and posted it to his friend. The sketch was done on a piece of, Bristol board about twice the size of the modern letter-card, and it depicted a, family group toasting absent friends among appropriate surroundings. From this small beginning the idea, now so largely utilised and constituting such a vast industry, was developed.

Some of the smaller farmers at Ohaupo go in extensively for fruit culture. One settler there has some thousands of gooseberry bushes, and he has already consigned away to a jam factory over 500 cases of fruit.

Mark Twain once said: “ Woman is a conundrum —but I will never give her up!” This was in allusion to the changeable views of the adorable sex. The sex is’ certainly apt to alter its point of view. Time was when ladies “couldn’t bear tobacco smoke” —said it made them “ ill.” In those days father and the boys had to seek the seclusion of the coaDhpuse or the back-yard wheii they when they wanted a whiff. Nowadays the, giirls—young, old, and middle-aged—will tell you when tobacco smoke is mentioned that they “ love it!” Well, there are worse habits than smoking, and so long as the “ baccy ” is good and not overcharged with nicotine it won’t hurt anyone. Apropos of that, its a pity the imported tobaccos are so full of nicotine. How is it ? Our N.Z. brands are almost free from it. You can smoke them “till further orders” and take no harm. Sweet, cool, and fragrant they appeal irresistibly to all, smokers. All tobacconists stock them. Ask for “ Riverhead Gold” (mild). “Navy Cut” (Bulldog) medium or “Cut Ping No. 10” (Bullshead) full-strength*