Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1925. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2959, 7 November 1925, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1925. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Speaking at Auckland this week Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., said that stainless knives, which only came into modern use about 13 years ago, were used by the ancients before the rise of the Roman Empire. Incubators for hatching eggs had also been used, and the speaker was of the opinion that time would prove that a great deal of the world’s present knowledge was known to the ancient world.

The extension of the women’s sporting activities to the game of cricket will probably be an accomplished fact in Hawera, for an endeavour is 'being made to form a ladies’ cricket club in conjunction with the men’s club. A fair number of probable players are offering mostly from the ladies’ hockey club, and it is anticipated that if the Hawera club, meets with success teams will be formed in the various surrounding districts.

A tribute to the honesty of a pedlar is paid by a Christchurch resident. Last week one called at his house and sold to his wife some paste tor removing grease stains. In the evening the man called again and asked the purchaser what she paid him with. “A £1 note,” was the reply. “Co and make sure,’’ rejoined the hawker. A search ot her purse revealed the I net that she had tendered a £5 note in mistake for £l. The man had returned with £4 at the end of his day’s work. An English visitor and his wile have planned to see New Zealand in “caravan” style. They are the Rev. Alan B. Portman, of Wheatshoaf, Shirborne, Dorset, and Mrs. Port?nan, who intend to leave Auckland for Rotorua and the Tanpo district this week, states the “Star." Mr. Portman has bought a complete camping outfit, and will follow the old English custom of caravan life, which he considers, is the best way of viewing a country, and at the same time affords the best opportunity for a pleasurable holiday. He intends to spend six months in the Dominion, and hopes to visit all the resorts and places of leading interest in both islands.

Specimens of a special postage stamp to be issued by the Post and Telegraph Department in connection with the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition have now reached Dunedin. The design consists of a Maori border, enclosing a view of the head of the grand court and dome of the festival hall. ITills lie beyond, with the lettering and numerals below. The values are id (green), Id (red) and 4d (mauve). The stamp was designed by a well-known artist, Mr. H. Linley Richardson, R.8.A., of Wellington. Mr. Richardson was also the designer of the King George issue of the New Zealand postage stamps and other stamps.

The bobbed hair vogue is largely responsible for the strike of barbers in New York and Chicago, who demand shorter hours and a large percentage of their earnings. The strikers admit that the bobbed hair fashion keeps them busier, but complain that women customers are not nearly as generous with tips as men, and, as one striker expressed it: “When the girls go out all they leave is a fragrance.” City barbers, or “tonsorial artists,” as they call themselves, have been receiving a wage of £4 weekly and 35 per cent, of the earnings above £8 weekly. The strikers demand a minimum, of £G and 50 per cent of their earnings above £8 10/-. They also demand a twelve-hour day and one o’clock closing on holidays. There have been several clashes between the strikers and non-union men who have attempted to replace them.

In a statement to the monthly meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on Monday night the president, Mr. IV. Machin, made brief reference to the shipping strike. Mr. Macliin said lhat the strike, had developed in a

sort of pin-pricking fashion that was doing nobody much good. But it showed that, in the future, bodies like the Chamber of Commerce might bring home to those who put grit into the wheels of the machinery of Ibis country and of the Empire the fact that such action would damage all in a greater or lesser degree. He could not help thinking that this was one of the things the chamber could do, and was doing by its economic bulletins and other tilings of a similar character to make the people realise that there is a great deal in such tilings that should remind them of the of the town of Falkirk —“Touch one, touch all!” If they could make the ■community realise that if one section was touched economically all were touched, there might he some hesitancy shown before such strikes as the shipping strike were started.

The effectiveness of strychnine poisoning by applying it to thistles has now been proved beyond doubt, the trials carried out by the Stock Department have satisfied the inspectors on the point (says the Cromwell “Argus”). At a recent meeting of the Manuherikia Rabbit Board the inspector slated that settlers had informed him that the thistle-strychnine method had proved a boon on land where the melted snow would not he run off, thus making trapping impossible. The “Argus” expressed first-hand knowledge in respect to the system. A rabbiter on a run near Cromwell had done nothing else during the whole of the winter, and had met with excellent results. The runholder in the case mentioned was enthusiastic in reference to the manner in which his run was being cleaned up.

That unity is strength was demonstrated on Sunday morning in Pitt Street, Dunedin (relates an exchange). A predatory cat, evidently bent on attending to the day’s menu was cautiously stalking a starling. Bit by hit the cat worked her way to within about a yard of the bird, and was just about to spring when the starling suddenly turned, and, to the intense astonishment of puss, immediately assumed the offensive. No sooner had it done so than, as if from nowhere there appeared nearly a dozen of its mates and for a few moments a very bewildered and angry cat was occupied in defending herself against an enemy whom, no doubt, she had previously considered in the light of a possible foe. For fulily five minutes the miniature battle raged, when, apparently the severe heckling she was receiving proved too much for puss, who deciding that deseretion was the better part of valour, hounded through the hedge and disappeared.

To lie run over by the full length of a train —engine to guard’s van — is a remarkable experience which was witnessed the other day at the Damievirke railway station (relates the “News”). A pigeon which was seeking its sustenance he I ween the metals either failed to notice the approach of the train or ignored it, and to the consternation of the watchers the engine ran over it. They waited until the train had passed, expecting to see a mangled body, hut the pigeon was intact and calmly going on with its chief occupation in life. Cariosity was evinced as to whether it would repeat the experiment when another train pulled in, hut this time it cleverly side-stepped and dodged a knockout hv fractions of an inch. After ils exploits it then calmly ascended the station platform, walking in and out among the people as if dodging death was a matter of the utmost unconcern to it. Anti-tobaecoites are wont to say hard tilings about smoking, but quite often they are untrue. Tobacco may have ils faults, hut ils virtues should not be overlooked. Smoking assists digestion; it is also a great preservative of the teeth and a destroyer of the harmful germs which infest all people's mouths, while its soothing and tranquilising effects in times of mental stress, worry or exertion are well known to all smokers. But the quality should he good. Brands full of nicotine (like many of the imported varieties) are best avoided. Our own New Zealand-grown tobaccos contain comparatively little nicotine and may consequently he smoked freely without injurious results, while owing to the leaf being toasted in the process of manufacture (quite a novel idea) they are remarkable for flavour and fragrance. The popular brands are “Riverhead Gold,” aromatic; “Navy Cut” (Bulldog), medium; and Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), full strength. The demand for these goods is growing so rapidly that the New Zealand tobacco industry is assuredly destined to become of the first importance.*