NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2813, 20 November 1924, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

The estimated area planted in potatoes in the South Island this year is 18,000 acres (states the Oainaru Times). The area last year was 15,303 acres.

The Post’s London correspondent records that when Newport was leading the All Blacks with three minutes to go, one Welsh spectator, who had secured for himself a seat on the roof of one of the grandstands became no excited that he fell from his perch on the heads of the people below. But the enthusiasm was running so high that none of the parties concerned seemed to suffer any injury. Another indication of American prosperity is given by the latest, figures showing that there are fewer paupers in the almshouses of that country to-day than for 20 years. >n January 1 this year, according to the Census Bureau, the United States, with a population exceeding 110,000,000, contained only 78,000 known paupers, which is a reduction of about 0,000 since 1010, when the population was about 02,000,000.

Dr. Ewing, Professor of Pathology at Cornwell University (U.S.A.) says that more soap and water would prevent cancer of the skin. Cancer of the stomach was seldom (mused )>v stomach ulcers; cancer of the longue and lips was usually from tobacco or had teeth. Cancel was usually caused by constant irritation over a considerable time. Tie would expect to sec a large increase among motor mechanics, whose arms and hands were coated with oil.

A few • months ago some alarm was occasioned in certain localities in Hawke’s Bay by a mysterious fatal disease among sheep. The V’et - inary Department’s investigations met with difficulty in coming on fresh i-nses for-buetcriologii-fil examination, as it was useless after decomposition. In the meantime the disease suddenly stopped a month ago, without the officials being able to determine the cause. It is said there was a similar outbreak in the South Island twenty years ago, when the cause was not. discovered.

A Maori correspondent of the Mil - nawatu Times says: "llapuku, one of New Zealand’s best esteemed fish ’s persistently misnamed hapuka. The Maoris themseLK.es initiated the error and for a reason. To Hapnkn, a well-known and much respected chief in Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu, was deemed by his people to have suffered indignity each time ais enemy fed upon his namesake, iicnce the change in the final vowel. Significantly also the chief became Known to his people as To Ika (the lish) an appropriate compromise for his correct name. To Hapnkn, which fell into disuse for the reason given.

Visitors to Falmouth, England are interested by the liny chapel ,it (ivllyngdune, the smallest place of worship of modern construction in Britain. It was built in 1840 by the then rector of Falmouth, and used by him for daily prayers. The church stands on an arch at the edge of the cliff, overlooking a private bathing place, which ihe rector also built, with a subway down to the beach. The aivhilectare f* t.'.e chapel is as unusual as ; i - size and -hows something ot ■ lie iij. a.s that preVajib dl eighty The commission which is invest i ting the problem of the delenoraiion of the hill country of the Tara■mk is; - . Hand and the King (’ounIry, held a short sitting at Stratford, and proceeded to Whangamomnna where evidence is now being taken and a number of properties visited. Evidence is as to general values, access to holdings. Hood damage to roads, reduction of rents, and tlie question of Government assistance in regard to Ihe purchase of seeds and manures. The committee proceeds to Oliura, thence to Tnnmarunui and To Kuili, reaching the latter on November 28. I’iopio on December 1, and Olnrohangn on December 5.

Aii unusual accident occurred on MV Millar's property at Oeo during tile week-end (says the Animate Witness). A two-year-old draught filly had evidently harked over the e 1 i(Vs some time on Saturday, and was discovered on a ledge some 30ft. down the cliff side on Sunday. The animal had barely room to turn, and there was a drop of some 120 ft, below it. A band of neighbours came to Mr Millar’s assistance, and succeeded in lowering the filly to the beach below. The filly was lassoed (this took over an hour to accomplish) and lowered to the beach by the neck. On landing it followed another horse up a very rough track and is now none the worse for its experience 1 1 tidy is a valuable one, and worth fully £SO so Mr ’ Millar has cause for congratulation on his luck. ’fhe ways of the American people in regard to many things are usually reckoned by the more stolid Britisher as freakish. A recent visitor to Honolulu told a Gisborne Times reporter that he happened to hit Honolulu during carnival week. One of the stunts put on was to place lads in charge of the various civic* activities for a day. There was a. lad in ehargeof the municipal office, another lad took over the city’s police, and still another lad look the city’s traffic. And so on. These lads had, of coarse, had some preparatory training, and they carried out their duties in a remarkably capable manner. It was not. difficult to see, added the visitor, that: the people were justly proud of theij juvenile temporary administrators. He had learned,- too, that on that particular clay, the people were most

careful to he on their very best helm vi our. As a result of playing with fireworks, a hoy named Albert Woodhouse, aged seven, i- now in the Wanganui hospital. lie lin’d lo have an eye lcnnovcd. Il appears that the hoy came am-.is- a hunch of mixed fireworks left over from Uuy Fawke’s Day. 11. put them in a tin which he placed in a hole ill the ground, holt.mi upwards. Ifc then made a fire with tin* oh jeet of seeing the tin driven- up into the air by the explosion which would follow. Unfortunately he stood too close while awaiting results and received a nasty blow on the' face with pari of the tin and splinters of: the tin bespattered his chest. He was conveyed to the hospital, and had to have an eye removed. He is now progressing favourably.