Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1027. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3653, 18 June 1927, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1027. LOCAL AND GENERAL

A severe frost was experienced locally this morning. The High School pupils who have been accommodated in All Saint’s school removed to the old teacher’s residence in the school grounds this week, where they will be taught until tile new building is erected.

The Education Board’s architect is engaged in completing plans and specifications for the secondary school building and tenders will be called for the construction next month.

number of Rugby enthusiasts proceeded to Shannon this afternoon to witness the HorowhenuaMnnawatu rep. match and others proceeded to Palmerston North to witness the Palmerston High School -Wanganui Technical School game. The Education Department recently wrote to the Wanganui Education Board concerning a scheme for the interchange of letters between scholars in England and the Dominions. The Board has registered its approval of the suggestion.. A conference of leading Paris dressmakers announced that they had reached complete agreement that the present-day skirts are too short, and are opposed to aesthetic taste. They decided that on not quite ankle length. ■Motor registrations ’throughout the Dominion now total 166,079, of which 102,657 are in the North Island. The latter figure comprises 66,681 ears, 10,795 motor-cycles, and 16,181 trucks, etc. In the South Island there are 41,269 cans, 14,865 cycles, and 7288 trucks, etc.

American: “I tell you-we’ve got land in our lil ole country that grows melons so big that it takes a horse and cart to get one away.” Irishman: “Pretty good that-, but we’ve got some land in old Ireland that grows so well that if you stand on it for more than ten minutes you have to dash off and get your hair cut.”

The unusual incident of hooking a wild-duck when making a fly-cast has a parallel that goes almost one better in the Rev. H. Braddock’s experience at Piet on recently, says the Press. While line fishing from the boat jetty, a strong drag and swish of the line resulted in a shag being brought to the surface. On landing this strange catch, it was found that one of the bird’s legs had been caught in the bend of the hook.

“Cancel - in New Zealand is not increasing to such an extent as is generally imagined,” said Dr. C. E. Kerens at the meeting of the Plunket Society in Christchurch. “The only type of cancer which always shows any increase is cancer of the digestive tract. People must remember that cancer is curable in the early stages and is painless.” The crossword puzzle competitions in “Humour” have been such a success that further series are announced. The sixth competition weekly joke competition makes “llustantial cash prizes are offered, and this, taken in conjunction with the, weekly joke eomptition, makes “Humour" a potential gold mine for the buyer, ns well as a gold mine of wonderful humour.

At the Palmerston North S.M. Court on Thursday, Angus George Gifkins, farm labourer, of Pohanginn, was fined £25 and bis license

was suspended for twelve months, on a charge of being drunk while in charge of a ear. The accused collided with another car on the main road at Newbury, and both vehicles wore severely damaged. “It has been said that the difference between a statesman and a politician is that the statesman decides what will he best for his nation and advises accordingly, without thought of his own popularity or gain, while the politician thinks only how he may get the votes that will keep him in office,” declared a speaker at the Navy League in Auckland.

“New Zealand is famed all over the world for its beautiful ferns, and has adopted the fern-leaf as its national emblem,” stated Mr. V. C. Davies in a lecture at Wanganui. “In this small country we have i,n less than 134 species, with an additional 30 varieties, a total of Hi-!., of which 44 spicies and 16 varieties are found only in New Zealand.”

in continuation of its new scheme iif special numbers, the latest issue of “Aussie” (June), is a Rogue’s number. As the title suggests “Aussie” has found great material to build up a wonderful collection of humour in picture, story and verse. Every writer and artist of note in Australia and New Zealand have given their best to the issue, making it altogether an outstanding

number. Of course, all the humour of the issue is not built on rogues, this would be overdoing the subject. The number is generously leavened out with the irresistable witticisms of general appeal.

Several visitors to a tobacconist’s in Gisborne the other afternoon, during the police raid, received a shock (remarks the Times). One well-known business man was entering the door when he saw the sergeant. He bolted out. Another a tobacconist, got such a shock at the sight of the police that he bought a packet of- cigarettes. A third didn’t recognise the police. “Give us a card?” he asked. “What card” demanded the owner. “I have not got any.” “What! No cards for Hawke’s Bay?”" asked the visitor in an amazed tone. “It you want cards you’d better come earlier in the morning,” laconically interjected the police officer standing by tbe owner. The visitor departed.

Magpies are being . electrocuted by the dozen at Kakaramea. This tragic condition of affairs among the feathered tribe was drawn attention to on Thursday, by a letter to the Wanganui-Rangitikei Electric Power Board, from Mr. G. V. Pearce. Mr. Pearce said that two wires placed close together near his gate were proving a trap to the magpies. As the birds did a great deal of good by eating grubs on his farm, he would like the Board to attend to the matter. In Australia magpies were protected and there was a minimum fine of £5. The resident engineer (Mr. H. Webb) said that at this point the earth guards were close below the electric wires. The unsuspecting birds alightod on the guards, wiped their beaks on the wires and then departed this life. It was suggested that the guards be lowered, but the engineer pointed out that if fixed further down, a power line, in the event of it falling, would strike the telephone wire before it struck the guard with the result that half the people in the countryside might be killed. Members thought Mr. Pearce would he satisfied with this explanation. Apparently the only thing to do was to shorten the bird’s beaks, or erect a “Warning to Magpies!"—•Chronicle.

Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective of fiction, smoked strong black shag tobacco and derived inspiration from it when puzzling over some problem of more than ordinary complexity. Shag is too fullflavoured for many smokers. It contains a lot of nicotine, and excess of nicotine is a bad thing. The habitual use of such tobacco is bound sooner of later to affect the consumer injuriously. Unfortunately practically all imported tobaccos are heavily charged with nicotine. And in that respect they differ essentially from our New Zealandgrown tobaccos, the comparatively small amount of nicotine which constitutes one of their chief recommendations. Also —and this is importantr—they are all toasted, and toasting brings out the flavour of the leaf in a most remarkable way. There are several brands of this popular tobacco. “Riverhead Gold” is mild, “Navy Cut” (Bulldog label) is medium, and “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bulkhead) is full strength. Each of them has its merits. That seasoned smoker, Sherlock Holmes, would doubtlessly prefer the last named. 18.

“When you’ve been married twen-ty-five years it’s your silver wedding; when you’ve been married 50 years it’s the golden wedding; but when you bury your old man —then it’s your jubilee.’’ This quaint specimen of a country woman’s definition of “jubilee” was appended to an apology received by the chairman, the Right Rev. Campbell WestWatson, at the complimentary dinner to Dr. J. C. Bradley, which took place at Christchurch the other evening.

The children’s treat held in the Town Hall supper room last night proved to be a most successful function. An excellent tea was provided, which, needless to say, was done ample justice to by the children. Bright singing' and recitations were a feature of' the afterservice in which the children reflected credit upon themselves and their teachers. The address on “Spiritual Lessons drawn from the Flaxmilling Industry,” was listened to with interest by all. The evening’s entertainment concluded with the giving of prizes to those who had earned them by their work during the year.

A southern business man, who visited Willowbridge recently, was shown a -20-acre crop of potatoes. Last year the yield was 18 tons to the acre, but this year it was only four tons to the acre. Some potato diggers in that district expressed the opinion that a block of 70 acres on which they were working would yield under four tons an acre (says the Oamaru Mail). It lias been ascertained that these conditions are not peculiar to Willowbridge this seasin. In Kakanui and other parts the crops have also been light. One Oamaru man, who handles a large quantity of potatoes, says that it will surprise him if North Otago exports over 200 tons of table potatoes this season. The price of the tubers, lie considers, must soon show a big advance.

A meeting of creditors is scarcely the place where the display of much sentiment would be expected, lmt recently in Auckland it was manifest that memories of mother remain strong with even hardheaded business men. The Official Assignee had remarked that the bankrupt was a single man, and should therefore be prepared to try and liquidate his deficiency, whereupon a gentleman present said: “He may be single, but he has supported his mother. I happen to know that he has been a very good boy to her.” That virtually ended the meeting. There was a moment’s silence, and (hen the petitioning creditor said: “If he has been a good son to his mother that is enough for me. I move that the discharge of the bankrupt be facilitated.” There was no dissent.

At the Christchurch Citizens’ Depot for the relief of the unemployed the patience of the voluntary workers sometimes is sorely tried (states the “Press”). Last week the patience of Mrs. Herbert, who is in charge of the depot, snapped suddenly. A young man, unmarried, about 23 years qf age, was offered a job at Kimberley. Mrs. Herbert ascertained for him that the Labour Department would advance him bis railway fare to Dar(ield. The young mnii then wanted his bus fare for the five miles between Darlield and Kimberley, and when it was suggested that- lie might walk that distance, the young man replied: “I have done enough walking in my time; I’ll' chuck the job.” This was too much for Mrs. Herbert. “I quickly ordered him out of the depot,” she said to a report er, “and told him not to come back here for assistance!”

Lake Orakei, the sheet of 13G acres of water impounded hy the now railway embankment on the foreshore of Auckland harbour, is tenanted by a pair of blue heron (states the “Auckland Star’’). The birds, which are becoming' fairly scarce in New Zealand, are quite tame, and not disturbed by the construction work in progress. Moreover, the Public Y\ orks employees are taking care of the heron," and it is hoped that the protection will be continued by the public. Each bird has its own particular patrol, one on cither side of the lake. The birds have voluntarily taken up their abode at Orakei, and it is just possible that a heron colony liiav become established. The suggestion has been made that at a later date other aquatic birds should be introduced, as the lake would make an ideal sanctuary.

A request for additional lights to be placed on Kapiti Island and also at the entrance to Tory Channel was made to the Minister of Marine (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) last week by a deputation from the Merchant Service Guild. Captain F. A. Macindoe said the guild had received a petition on the subject, Captain A. H. Prosser and Captain Webb referred to the need for a main light at the entrance to Tory Channel, on the run to Picton, and this was borne out bv Captain Hooper, of the Marine Department. Captain Smith said that if a light were placed on Kapiti Island it would enable mariners to pick up theii position, and in bad weather thej could go between the island and the mainland. The Minister said the naptain of the Tahiti considered the most important light needed, in New Zealand was one on Baring Head. The matter would have to be gone into carefully. He had been told to cut down his estimates this year, though lie recognised the question was a very important one. He would have a report made by the Department, and advise the guild of his decision.