NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3558, 4 November 1926, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

The retiring secretary of the Post Office (Mr\A. T. Markmnn), speaking at a farewell gathering in his honour, at Wellington, predicted that the revenue of the Post and Telegraph service in 1940 would be at least £7,000,000, the expenditure £5,500,000 and the number of employees 25,000. Further estimates included a forecast that the Savings Bank deposits would reach £70,000/ 000 at that date. A quiet petrol war is going on in Wanganui at pesent, says the Herald. Following on the establishment in a central city position of a new kerbside station, the proprietor of which is selling benzine at a price slightly below that charged elsewhere,’other firms are reducing their prices also. It is stated that this action has been taken by direction of the big distributing firms in an effort to eliminate competition.

When the ferry steamers Maori and Wahine arrive at Lyttelton they are visited by four pigeons, which go on board to be fed. These birds are so tame that they will feed out of the hand, and they have become great favourites with both ships. On a recent morning when the Maori was docked for painting, they did not turn up as the vessel was not at the usual berth. This is the first time that the birds have neglected to call for a long time past.

Among other adjustments made in the New Zealand railway tariff, is a reduction in the freight on millinery. Formerly, owing to the space occupied by hat boxes, this commodity was charged a particularly heavy rate, but in future the cost will only be half of the former price. The vogue of the popular “cloche” hat, which does not demand large hat boxes, is apparently responsible for the reduction.

In the course of some divorce proceedings in the Wellington Supreme Court last week, when the dissolution of the marriage was asked for on the grounds that the wife was an inmate of a mentnl hospital, counsel asked for the suppression of the names. Mr Justice .Vipers said that there was nothing to be ashamed of in being in a mental" hospital. “In these enlightened days,” he added, “there should be no stigma attached to it; any one of us is liable to meet with mental disease at any time.” Counsel further urged the consideration of the children. “What the children have to struggle against,” remarked His Honour, “is the hereditary tendency and not the newspaper; paragraph.” No order was made.

The long arm of coincidence was in evidence to a Levinite last week, in a rather remarkable fashion says the Chronicle. Mr G. N. Newman, of the Newman Transport Co., was commissioned by a Levin resident to pick up and transport to Levin, a ship’s boat the latter had purchased in Wellington. On doing so, Mr Newman found that the boat was the identical craft which nearly 20 years before, had saved his life and those of fellow members of the ship’s company of the steamer Rakanoa. The vessel was commanded by Mr Newman’s uncle in 1907, and she went ashore near Westport. The officers and crew escaped in the No. 3 lifeboat and it was the self-same boat that came to Levin per Mr Newman’s lorry on Saturday, the Rakanoa having been dismantled and disposed of. The new owner of the craft intends to put an engine in it and launch it at Paraparaumu.

An instance of modernity as applied ‘to birds as well as to some of the present-day wives who jib at family responsibilities. During a son’s absence on holiday the canaries were handed over to a father’s care. All went well until the other day a young canary hen hatched out her first brood. As soon as she noticed the unfeathered arrivals in the nest she set off on a jazz party, or something of the kind, and refused to have anything to do with them. Father was anxious to save the young birds and was discussing the possibilities of forced feeding, when an inspiration struck him that the cock bird, might be of some assistance. The latter was introduced into the cage and rose to the occasion in fine style, and, gorging his neck, lie commenced at once to give the young birds their allowance, and has continued to do so 'daily, and they are thriving fine under his care. Father has come to the conclusion that there is something good in the male persuasion after all, even if only applied to small birds.

Smokers who are niggardly of their ’baccy are rare. As a rule their pouch is at the service of almost anybody. Of course, there are exceptions. Do you remember the story of the smoker "who kept two pouches One he called “the world” and the other “providence.” The first was always empty, the second always well filled. If asked for a fill he would regret that he “hadn’t a bit in the world.” If questioned as to what he was going to do for himself, he would say “Oh I must trust in Providence.” Well, there are all kinds of smokers, just as there are all kinds of tobacco. By the way, have you tried our own New Zealand grown tobaccos? In some respects they are unique. For one things they are all toasted. Hence their peculiarly delightful flavour; secondly they contain so little nicotine that they may be smoked “till the cows come home” without proving injurious. That’s why the doctor’s approve of them. Try Riverhead Gold, mild; Navy Cut (Bulldog) medium; or Cut Plug No. 10 (Bull’s Head) full. The latest addition is Caversham Mixture.