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King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 256, 4 May 1910, Page 3

In dealing with a request for the establishment of an experimental farm, made by the Dargaville Chamber of Commerce, the Hon. T. Mackenzie stated that his department had to exercise the strictest economy, and the intention of the Government was now to induce agricultural societies to take up experimental work, by getting farmers to take on cultivation under the superintendence of Government officers, the Governmen't to supply the seeds and ' while the farmer supplied the labour and obtained the crops, A little incident occurred at the naming of the children's creche of Gisborne the other day, which proved that even a Prime Minister may make mistakes. Sir. Joseph Ward had to make a presentation of an umbrella to Mrs Carroll, after whom the creche was named, as a souvenir of the occasion. The handle consisted of a gold-mounted boar's tooth. Holding the umbrella aloft, the Prime Minister said: "This umbrella, ladies and gentlemen, as is only fitting, as phowing that New Zealand is surrounded by waters teeming with fish, is surmounted by a shark's tooth." "A pig's tooth," corrected a schoolgirl of about twelve years of age, who was evidently better up in t^e'natural histpry of her own, ' country than the Prime Minister, and a perfect roar of laughter greeted the mistake made by the head of the Cabinet.