Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1924 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2698, 21 February 1924, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1924 LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mushrooms are very plentiful around Foxton at present, owing, no doubt, to (he recent heavy rains.

The white pine (kabikatea) of the Auckland provincial district has been tested by the State Forest Service and found to he a suitable material for the manufacture of wooden matches.

A reminder is given of the public meeting, convened by the Beautifying Society, to lie held in the Town Hall supper room this evening at 7.30 o’clock. The object of the meeting is to discuss tin l equipment of a children’s playing ground.

Mr Morrison, district manager of the State Fire Office, visited Foxton on Tuesday. Me inspected the tire station and made enquiries into the efficiency of the local lire brigade. He complimented Superintendent Hamer on the result of his investigations. At the conclusion of the opening ceremony of All Saints’ Home, at the local seaside yesterday. Mr Uollings motored the little inmates to Foxton to set' tin' animals at Wirtlis’ circus. Mis thoughtful action was much appreciated by the matron and the little ones thoroughly enjoyed the outing.

Horses attached to vehicles refused to enter the railway station yard yesterday morning. The sight of the elephants and the dull roaring which came from the animals cages fairly terrorised them. The horse has a wonderful memory and it will require a good deal of patience to'coax the same animals to again enter the station yards.

A chance capture of a carrier pigeon bearing beneath its wing a small packet containing a drug, lias led to the revelation that hundreds of: such pigeons each carrying its little consignment of narcotics are being released on the Mexican side of the border at specified times by a smuggling gang, the birds arriving a few hours later at their owners’ homes on the American side.

Interesting facts regarding the growth of the Auckland railway staff are recalled by tlit* approaching departure of the district fra Hie manager Mr A. K. Harris (says the N.Z. Herald). When that officer joined the service in 1884 the station and yards staff numbered 47. It now totals 285. Forty years ago 117 men were employed throughout the Auckland district. The present total is a little short of 2,000.

A freak of nature in the shape of a deformed trout was caught by a'local resident this week, says the Levin Chronicle, The tisli, which was of about two pounds weight and in excellent condition, was of the natural shape for half its length, after which it was bent upwards at right angles mid, taking a lmlfeircle, returned to its alignment again, before reaching the tail, Despite its malformation the trout is said to have had tlm usual activity in the water.

The development of the Port ol' New Plymouth whs illustrated .yesterday by the arrival of three overseas vessels and the departure of another liner. The need for further berthage accommodation was emphasised and the completion of another wharf, to accommodate the biggest liners coming to the Dominion is being expedited. 11 is hoped to have a berth available at this wharf in two months. The first section of the extension of the breakwater, giving more shelter, was completed yesterday.

Lord Par moor, in the House of Lords, said the Government was introducing a Criminal .Justice Bill wliereunder the penalty for being drunk while driving a motor ear would be imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding £SO.

The president of the Critics’ Circle has been declaring that a critic’s job is not an easy one. Everyone likes praise, but the critic owes a duty to the public. Someone asked Mrs Kendall one day to sec a young actor, and give her opinion on his work. Unfortunately he had neither presence, nor experience, nor brains, and had gone oil the stage because ho “liked flic idea.’’ “Well,” said Mrs Kendall, trying to be as kind as possible, “he is not a great actor yet, but I bear be is very good to bis mother.”

A novel touch was introduced into the divorce proceedings on Saturday at the Auckland Supreme Court. His Honour, Mr Justice Stringer, bad just concluded half a dozen undefended suits, when a woman who had been sitting in one of flic jury scats, surprised everyImdv by giving a long, hollow, laugh Mich as one reads of in novels. His Honour eyed the woman who was fashionably attired, whereupon she rose and apologised for laughing aloud. Outside the court she went up to one of the parties in a ease and skipping in the air, she exclaimed. “Now I am free!”

The question of charges per point for elertrieal installation was brought up at Tuesday’s meeting of the Horowlienua Power Board, a member asking if there was a Hat rate for every point no matter how many were installed. The engineer explained that this was not necessarily so. Although the average price per point was in the neighbourhood of 30s, a separate estimate was made by the contractor in each case and Die prices would vary according to the requirement of (he consumer and the work necessary. In no case, however, would the variation be great and the JOs per point would be close to the price in all eases.

The arrival of the special train with Wirtlis’ circus outfit at 7.30 o’clock yesterday mornng created much interest by a large number of people who had gathered at the station to witness the disembarkation. Of course the kiddies predominated, many of whom had gone without breakfast in order to witness such an event unique in the history of Foxton. The majority of the rising generation got their first glimpse of real live elephants and it; they did not sight other strange I,casts which comprise the menagerie, they at least scented their whereabouts and listened to the low grumblings of I lie caged animals.

When the Hon. ('. J. Parr was at To Arolia last week a deputation waited upon him with regard to (he prevalence of gambling in t he town. Captain Rotherham, of the Salvation Army, said lie was handed only recently a betting chart from which to select a “double.” He knew personally that local hookmaker- had openly made bets with boys and youths. Several others spoke, and asked the Minister to ad in some manner to blot out the bookimiking element. The Minister said that the law was hedged with many difficulties, but he promised, ;ls Minister of’ Justice, to do something to alleviate matters.

That portion of Australia known as Queensland differs from the other portions of the Continent, not only in I lie plentiful water supply, which is abundant, but in the productiveness of the soil and the great variety of fruits and vegetables that are grown. Among the curious native plants is the “stinging tree” a luxurious shrub, pleasing to the eye but dangerous to the touch. It grows from two to three inches to 10 or 15 feet in height, and emits a disagreeable odour. Speaking of its effects, a naturalist sa vs :—“One often forgets the danger of the tree until warned by iis smell, and I was stung but once very lightly. Its effects are curious, l! leaves no mark, but the pain is maddening, and for months afterward- the part when touched, is lender in rainy weather or when it gets wet in washing. 1 have seen men who treated ordinary pain iightl\. roll on the ground in agony after being stung, and 1 have known a horse so completely mad after getting into a. grove of the trees that he rushed open-mouthed at everyone who approached him, and had to be shot.”

Through the simple process of Toa-ting his tobacco the modern manufacturer has been able to eifect an enormous improvement in the smoking quality. It is a wellknown fact that cooked food is wholesomer and more digestible than raw food and the same principle applies to tobacco. We do not eat raw meat or fish or drink raw coffee, why should we smoke raw tobacco. It is wonderful how the flavour of tobacco can be developed by toasting. Try any of the local brands and you will notice a marked improvement, and what is also important, as a result of the toasting process the tobacco loses all deleterious properties. Smokers who study their health should therefore give this matter their attention and avoid strong foreign tobaccos heavily charged with nicotine, they are sure to undermine even the most robust constitution, Not only is the local article purer and more wholesome than most of the imported brands, but it is cheaper too. Riverhead Gold is mild and. aromatic; Toasted Navy Cut (Bulldog) of medium strength, but if you prefer a full body try Cut Plug No. 10.*

Amongst the many novel inventions which the Prince of Wales was shown during a visit to the Middlesex Hospital was a clock which would go for thousands of years. It is n radium clock which registers Die minutes by means of a piece of radium acting on two metal leaves. Close by the clock was a bottle containing two and a half ounces of substance the equivalent in energy to 1.000 tons of coal.

The elephants connected with Wirtlis’ circus were taken to flu* river for a bathe yesterday afternoon and the spectacle was witnessed by a number of people. The huge animals fairly revelled in the water, rolling over and immersing their bends and indulging in other pranks. A feature of the proceedings was the watchful care of the older animals over the baby around whom they circled and prevented from getting beyond bis depth.

An Invercargill motorist was hailed the other day by an nequaintnn ed the other day by an acquaintanbeen keeping rats in his ear, as be had just seen one jump out (says the “News”). The motorist was surprised, but offered an explanation. which appeared to meet. Hie case. A few days later lie bad occasion to remove the front seat to examine bis battery, and was amazed to find a rat’s nest in a small vacant compartment next to the one enclosing the battery and in the next were nine young rodents! His battery was ‘bone dry!’

The lesser is sometimes more honoured than the greater, and an amusing instance of this was forthcoining recently, on the West Coast. The storekeeper at Kotulm, reading the announcement of Mr Wilson’s death, went outside the store where a number of bush workers bad gathered to enjoy their evening smoke. “I see Woodrow is dead,” said the storekeeper. “That cranky thing!” fumed one of the bushmen drawing his pipe from bis mouth (and thinking of a well-known Coast racer). “I’m jolly glad—l’ve lost more money on him than be has hairs in his mane!”

“Men and women of the future should lie spherical in shape, and should be provided with wings and feathers,” says Professor Bnrstall professor of mechanical engineering at Birmingham University. The professor adds that man is the weakest and most imperfect of the animals. He is prevented from doing useful work by his shape. A spherical configuration would enable him to do more work in four hours than he can now accomplish in eight. It would enable him also to move about with greater fncililv and to reduce his expenditure on ■ lothes.