Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14th 1924 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 14 February 1924, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14th 1924 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr «J. W. Hodgson, postmaster of Carterton, paid ;i brief visit to Foxton yesterday and looked up a few old friends.

Eight residents over SO years of age died in Auckland last month. Six of them were men, I lie oldest being 92. Of the two women one was 81 and the other 88. In Dunedin in the same month an old lady of 97 passed away. While competing' in a maiden hunters’ competition at (he sports gathering at. Linton yesterday, Frank Batehelar, of Linton, fell at a hurdle, his mount as it passed over him kicking him in the forehead, and he was removed to the Palmerston North hospital.

Tt is reported from Christchurch that. Mr Dillon, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Railway Department, confirms the statement that the Department is making investigations regarding the adaptability of petrol-eleetric trains for New Zealand. Several types of these trains are on order.

A diabolical plot to spread foot-and-mouth disease was revealed at Stans lead, Essex, one of the uninfected areas. A farmer received an anonymous parcel, posted in Birmingham, containing pigs’ food, which he disgustedly threw away. He discovered too late that the parcel was. infected. The. result vas the slaughter of 4(> valuable pigs, and the closing of the markets all over the countrv.

Amended regulations dealing with immigration into Samoa are gazetted. They provide that any person over 14 years of age shall not land in Samoa unless a declaration is first made to the Collector of Customs or to the police. Unless they possess a permit authorising them to do so, Chinese may not cuter Samoa. Provision is made lor the payment of a poll tax of £IOO by Chinamen lauding in the territory.

The announcement that the Christchurch City Council would on February 14th institute legal proceedings for the recovery of outstanding rates caused a rush of rate-money into the collector’s office last week. The total received for the week was £17,898. Included in the money was one large cheque for £1,215. Of the £240,960, which represents the amount of the total rate levy collected by the City Council, including the city general rate and rates levied by other local bodies such as the Drainage and Hospital Boards, £102,366 lias been collected, leaving outstanding £144,594. Although school committees may feel that their authority has been somewhat weakened in the matter of appointments, they should be gratified to know that the classical ion system is in the best inter ests of education generally, and they should place no obstacle in the way of that system being operated in an equitable and scientific man ner, says an Otago paper. The time is probably not far distant when education boards will be abolished, the appointment of teachers will be vested entirely in the departmental offices, and the responsibilities of school committees will be considerably enlarged in oilier directions.

For talking to a liiotorman on a tramoar, a man was lined in the Magistrate’s Court at. Christchurch on Friday. The case is the first one of its kind in Christchurch, and was brought ns a warning to the public. Mr J. J. Dougall, for the Christchurch Tramway Board, said that, the Board tried to isolate the motonuen from tile passengers, and the passengers were not allowed to speak to the liiotorman. Defendant squeezed into the moforman’s little cabin. The case was taken to warn the public not to enter the inoforman’s cabin. The magistrate said that it was essential that nothing should distract the attention of the motorman.

The Sydney Sun on January 28th published a facsimile of an envelope containing commercial matter which bad reached Sydney just previously. The letter was addressed : “Jackson and MacDonald. cor. Keith and Druitt Ms., New Zealand, Tasmania, Sydney, N.S.- \\\, Australia.” The post mark was that of Sprinklield, U.S.A., and, under the caption of “Somebody’s Typist Ought to be Sacked,” the Sun. says: “It seems impossible to think that there could be so much ignorance in the world; but then, in America, they are always out to do something that nobody else can do. Isn’t geography taught in the American schools, or is the only lesson car driving"?”

A motor-lorry laden with cases of benzine was destroyed by tire on the main road at Karaka, Auckland, last Thursday afternoon. The lorry’, which was owned by Messrs. Andrew and Andrew, of Otahuhu, and was driven by Mr. J. Ilaslip, was proceeding to Pukekohe with between 70 and 80 cases of benzine, and when near the Karaka School the driver’s attention was attracted by a woman driving a horse and trap. He stopped and noticed smoke issuing apparently through his load. Immediately afterwards the lorry burst into (lames, which rose to great height, states the “New Zealand Herald.” The driver could only save his coat and tarpaulin. The cause of the fire is not known. The lorry was insured.

An amusing incident was witnessed recently in one of Napier’s business thoroughfares l . A tall, dignified-looking man came partly out of an office door leading to I lie street, and held out his hand at right angles. Several people walking along the pavement at the time stopped just before the obstructing arm and contemplated the owner with enquiring looks. Presently several more came up and joined forces with the throng until eventually a small queue was stretched down the pavement. After a lapse of about (wo minutes, he of the outstretched arm dropped his hand and, walking hack into the office, remarked to someone inside that “II is raining.” Meanwhile the collected queue continued on its way looking decidedly wrathful.

An interesting relic of the past lias been discovered on the sand bills at Muriwai, near Waimauku, Auckland. Mr T. Moore, when taking a short cut from bis home at Rcwiti, came across what, at first looked like a weather-worn log. On clearing away the sand, an old Maori canoe, measuring 45ft. in length, wus exposed to view. A learn of burses was required to drag Ibe canoe lo the lagoon, where ii now floats, practically seaworthy. If is impossible to conjecture the length of time this relic has lain hidden from view. The possibilities are that it may have been hidden by a defeated tribe, as ii is said that near the spot a tribal war was waged, Mates the New Zealand Herald. The good state of preservation of the canoe shows that it was not an abandoned craft.

“We cannot hope in a country of this size, with the limited population, to build highways to carry the excessive loads which are being carried on the roads 10-dav," said Mr A. E. Jull, a. member of the Main Highways Board, at Stratford on Friday. Loads would have lo be limited, lie said, and if lirni lation could not be enforced by the present by-laws, legislation would have to be enacted. The beautiful surfaces in America, Mr dull said, were very enticing to huge loads, but regulations were strictly enforced by load inspectors who, provided with jacks for estimating the weight, had power to stop any vehicle. If the load was above the maximum allowed it was simply dumped on the roadside. That was an effective prevtentive tor overloading.

Nicotine is very poisonous, Even in small quantities pure nicotine causes vomiting, purging and collapse, and when you consider that many imported tobaccos coutain from 4 to 5 per cent, of nicotine, it shows how careful you must be in your choice. Smokers will be interested to learn Unit some of our New Zealand grown types hardly contain as much as 2 per cent, of nicotine. Small wonder that the local article is so much milder and less harmful, but besides, as a result of the toasting process to which the tobacco is now subjected, the aroma has been greatly improved. The llavour is brought fully out, while, at the same time, any deleterious elements which may be contained in the leaf are destroyed. Smokers are unanimously in favour of the new departure, and proclaim toasted tobaeeo superior to any other. Obtainable in three strengths. Eiverhead Gold very mild and aromatic. Toasted Navy Cut medium, and Cut Flug No. 10. The Bullhead label is recommended to those who prefer a full body.*

Tt was stated to a New Zealand Times reporter that cables have just been received from America advising a still further advance in petrol costs.

A Sydney visitor to New Zealand, giving his views on his return, said: “Yon can get the cheapest meal in the world in Wellington. You pay one shilling on the Kelburn cable tram, and that entitles you to a return fare and lunch at the Kiosk at the top of the hill. Since the return fare is sixpence, you get a hearty three-course meal for the other sixpence. All over New Zealand the cost Jf food is cheaper than Australia. T did not go to Rotorua or the geyser or earthquake country, and strange to say, T experienced no earthquakes, but I saw the effects of one. Malay years ago there was a tract of swamp in Wellington. One day an earthquake came along and lifted the swamp several feet. The place is now the Wellington cricket ground. T hope it. remains so. but you never know.”

“If New Zealand is to maintain her supremacy as a dairying country her farmers must live by the motto, ‘Breed, feed, and weed,’ ” said a well-known Auckland agriculturist. “I speak by the book of 40 years’ experience, and am convinced that ultimate success lies in (lie proper feeding and judicious culling of all dairy herds. He was enlarging upon the text of the plate of sirloin which be happened to be negotiating, and emphatically scouted the idea that beef production would ever be a New Zealand market mainstay. “The Argentine, with its vast pampas producing alfalfa. crops four times a year, and thousands of miles nearer the world’s markets, will for ever prevent New Zealand from competing seriously in fat stock. “Meantime,” the speaker added, “(be New Zealand butchery business, with stock at 25s per cwt., is literally and metaphorically in clover.”

Hearing a noise in the orchard a few nights ago, a Frankton lady suspected the operations of fruit thieves. Opening the back door quietly, she stepped out. into the garden, but her presence soon became known to the mnnrauders, who scattered in various directions. Next morning the lady made an inspection of the fruit frees to ascertain how far they had been depleted, when she was surprised and amused to find lying on the ground a large- under-ripe nectarine with a top set of false teeth embedded in it. It is common knowledge that certain reptiles shod their tails on receiving a fright, but this is the first time we have heard of teeth being shed from the same cause. The lady of the house has now made it known that tlie owner of the artificial masticators can recover them on making personal application. So far, however, no claimant lias pul in an appearance.