NEWS AND NOTES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2441, 15 June 1922, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES

Kandy by night was very much more wonderful than by day during the visit of the Prince of Wales in his twenty-four hours’ stay. The Durbar of Kandyan chiefs, which opened the after-dinner festivities, was a striking display of Oriental colour grouping. The Prince received upwards of 100 of these bejewelled and 4 brocaded l chieftains, who may be litfened to heads of clans. The Prince afterwards witnessed a procession of elephants, to which each chieftain had contributed from his private herd, so that 132 of these animals drew out the spectacle to a mile long. A Wanganui grocer, when questioned by a. “Herald” reporter regarding a propective shortage in currants, etc, owing to Mildura supplies being absorbed, replied, “Take no notice of the report, old man. I heard rumours of that shortage three months ago, and was advised by a confiding traveller to buy in, but d'id not take his advice.” The retailer then produced a document which indicated that the Mediterranean products would be in larger supply than ever this year, and that the prices would also be easier, so the public need have no fear of a shortage. The Pahiatua Herald says : “The term “Bush” is still applied to the Pahiatua district, but it has long since been an absolute misnomer. Many years ago, when there was thick forest from Mauriceville to Woodville, the title “Bush” was in order. Nowadays, there is no bush, but there are on some farms plenty of logs and stumps, but nevertheless, firewood is extremely dear. When the question of a. new name was being considered for the new Cricket Association the other night, an Eketahuna delegate disapproved of it being styled “Bush,” and consequently the Association was christened with the name of something immovable and unchangeable—the Tararua mountains.

“If the pendulum doesn’t swing over it will soon he more profitable to he a watchmaker than a doctor,” said a horol.ogigt to an Auckland “Star” reporter. “Are you aware that there are only 40 apprentices to the watchmaking trade in the "hole of New Zealand, while the number of medical students is about--400.” It seems that such is the tact, and as watchmaking is-a trade that requires a thorough training, the result of this dearth of apprentices is that the journeymen watehrepairers is getting almost as scarce as the kauri, and much more costly. The journeymen only work on piece work, and on this basis they make as much as £SOO a year. “I am an immigrant who came here twelve years ago,j and there was nothing British in the reception I got here,” declared a lady who spoke at a public meeting held at Auckland on Friday, at which a settlement and immigration league was formed. “If we are prepared to work, and work hard, the New Zealanders should at least let us alone. The feeling that exists in the Dominion to-day towards people from the Old Country is not British at all,” she added. “The Chinese and Hindus are made more welcome. I do wish the Colonials would recognise us as British subjects and not call us ‘homies’ and ‘immigrants,’ as if we were criminals. I am going to return to England in August and I am very Mad to go.”