NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1675, 15 February 1917, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

In childish acts are often found the secret of a man’s ultimate success. Sixty-three years ago a little boy was returning home from school and, like thousands of other little boys, was attracted by some apples displayed in the window of a small shop. But this little boy saw more than the apples. He noticed that the price was written on an insigni-ficant-looking card. He promptly went home, painted an illustrated card with a shilling box of paints he had won as a prize, and next day took it; to the old woman who kept the shop and told her it would sell her apples better than the little card she was exhibiting. She was struck with the idea, and made a deal then and there by which the little bov received a supply of apples in return for his advertising card. That little boy was Thomas ,1. Barralt, whose wonderful advertising schemes ultimately made Pears’ Soap world-famous. “You see,” said Mr Barralt, with a. chuckle, when relating the incident not long ago, “I began’by advertising apples, and I ended by advertising ‘Pears.’ The island of Ax-ension in the Atlantic, belonging (o (treat Britain, is of volcanic formation, 8 miles Inti in size, and has a population of about 450. it was uninhabited until the confinement of Xapoleon at St. Helena, when it was occupied by a small British force, it is 250 miles northward of St. Helena. Vast numbers of turtles are found on its shores, and it serves as a. depot and watering place* for ships. Ascension is governed by a captain appointed by the British Admiralty. There is no private property in land, no rents, no taxes, and no use for money. The flocks and herds are public property, and the meal is issued as rations. So are the vegetables grown on (he farms. When an island fisherman makes a catch he brings it to the guardroom, where it is issued by the sergeant-major. The climate is almost perfect; almost anything'can be grown. Keas are more troublesome amongst the Hocks on the Canterbury ranges now than they ever were before in the experience of Mr C. 11. Ensor, president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association. Mr Ensor says he has known them to come into* the yards and take toll of the sheep there. He estimates in one case that keas accounted for 50 sheep out of 4,000, and he believes that, on the whole, they are doingmore damage than the snow. Ills sheep are suffering from their baneful activities at Whiterock, St. James’, and Snowdale. In some places shepherds and musterei-s use captive keas as call-birds. These, by their loud, hoarse cries, attract other keas, which soon come within range of guns. For these keas he pays 2s Gd a head, but for keas in other parts, where there is not continuous human habitation, and where call-birds are not used, he pays 10s a head.