LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3039, 22 May 1926, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The recent outbreak of typhoid fever in the Maori districts adjacent to Napier has been effectively stamped out.

Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, eliaryed with attempting to kill his wife, was remanded for a week at Wellington yesterday. The Postmaster notifies us that a supply of “Home Savings Banks” are m'nv to hand and may be obtained on application at the Post Ofiiee.

Sir Francis Belt has been re-ap-pointed to the Legislative Council, for a further term of seven years. He remains a member of the Executive and Mr. Coates says he is still a member of the Government.

A record believed to be without equal in the Dominion is that of Mr. Walter E. Dolman, engineer to the Ashburton Fire Brigade, who has completed 50 years’ service with that organisation. In the Supreme Court at New Plymouth, Matthew Miller pleaded guilty to 52 charges of theft, involving over £2OOO, from his employers, a milking machine company, and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

J. W. Mcllolm, who is fathering the New Zealand long-distance runner, Randolph Rose, says that lit has taken him to train at Hove, a suburb of Brighton, so that London footpaths will not damage his legs. Mcllolm is determined to exhaust every means in arranging a match between Rose and Nurmi.

' Speaking at the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, the new Senior Inspector (Mr. N. Lambourne), remarked that he was particularly interested in district high schools, and he felt he was going to have the support of the Board in getting these institutions functioning to the fullest extent. Bistrict high schools filled an jjnportant part in small communities, and deserved every encouragement. A letter received from a Stratford lady (says the Post) who is at present in London states that the price of food at Home is very high. Amongst the instances quoted are New Zealand butter which is sold at 2s lOd per lb, while beefsteak costs 2s (id. Clothing, she says, is certainly cheaper than in New Zealand, blit the advantage gained thereby is more then offset by the high price for food. The debateable question of whether the giving of prizes is the fairest method of rewarding efficient school work, was discussed by the High Schools Board, in Palmerston. The subject was introduced by the Principal of the Girls’ High School (Miss C. B. Mills, M.A.), who advocated that a system of giving merit cards be adopted in place of the old one of prizes in the shape of books. The suggestion was adopted.

Francis Powell, a grocer, was fined £5 in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court yesterday for selling a goitre cure in a packet bearing a false and misleading label.

Does tobacco growing in New Zealand pay? The answer to that question is: Look at the rapidly increasing number of men on the land who are now turning their attention to tobacco culture in this country. The early attempts to put New Zealand-grown tobacco on the market (about 30 years ago) were, it must be confessed, disappointing, The samples produced were very crude. But modern methods of culture and treatment of the leaf have completely altered all that, and as an average crop of New Zealand tobacco is now worth £SO per acre (sometimes more) there can be no question about tobacco culture paying the farmer. As to the “weed” in its manufactured form it is excellent. Unlike most of the imported brands it contains very little nicotine, and may be indulged in ad lib. without harmful results, while the toasting of the leaf (quite a new idea) develops flavour and aroma surprisingly. Undoubtedly this industry, already flourishing, is destined to become of national importance. Leading lines are: Riverhead Gold, mild; Navy Cut (Bulldog), medium; and Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullhead), full.*