NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3837, 28 August 1928, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

The quantity of freight transported last week through the Otira tunnel totalled • 10,021 tons. There are 1696 private garages in Greater Dunedin.

■Practically the whole of the Waipawa business people have joined in a shop window lighting scheme.

[Pishing at Taupo does not open till November 1, but specimens recently caught and examined indicate that the coming season will produce a better trout than last year.

There are 70 hairdressers’ premises in Dunedin, according to the annual report of the town clerk, an increase of five compared with the previous yeai'. •The development in Taupo during the last four or five is remarkable. The Afforestation Company’s plantation now employs over 100 men.

■Since the day the Railway Department commenced to issue holiday excursion tickets there have been heavy bookings to all parts of New Zealand. An announcement made by the Minister of Agriculture in the House that it had been decided to allow the importation under certain restrictions of the ehinesilla and angora rabbits, met with a cold reception from members. The Stratford Post states that most of the local dairy companies paid out 1/5 or 1/6 on August 20, and_it is reported in the case of one group that the pay-out for this month was larger in every case than for the corresponding month last year. Tobacco growing on a larger scale than hitherto attempted is shortly to be undertaken in various parts in the North Island. Preparations are being made by the Auckland branch of the Department of Agriculture to assist farmers throughout the district in what will be for them an entirely new venture.

An optimistic note was struck by Mr. TVHUiam Heughan when speaking at a luncheon tendered to him in Wanganui. This country, he said, had to be thankful for a lot. Many complained of the slump, but the state of affairs here was nothing compared with the outside world. f '

A white blackbird is one of the feathered population at Ellerslie racecourse (says the Herald). He has been seen at various times during the past two years, one of his favourite haunts being the lawn behind the members' stand where he was seen feeding on a recent morning. His plumage is pure white and glossy except for two black feathers in the tail. Naturalists state that albinos occur as rarely among birds as among human beings, so that a white blackbird is probably as disturbing to its paretns as is the albino negro. A woman football “fan” was almost in tears at the conclusion of last Saturday’s League match in Auckland. An ardent “Homie,” she had enthusiastically barracked for the English team, and when victory rested on its banners her cup of hhppiness was brimming. Alas, for transient human joys! When she glanced at her wrist to see if she had time to catch the ferry 7, she found that her watch, a farewell gift from London, was not “all there.” Hasty investigation showed that in the excitement of cheering the Englishmen, all the inner works had departed, leaving only the case on her wrist. The apparent hopelessness of searching in the dusk among the wilderness of hurrying feet for her tiny treasures, less than an inch square, sent her home sorrowing. But early on Sunday morning she caught the first ferry across, and there in the empty stadium at Carlow Park she found her missing treasure, still ticking merrily,, and quite unharmed. She is now prepared to admit that luck is a factor in current events, even on the football field. The following story was communicated by “George Washington Junior” to the Auckland “Star”: With others, including a son of Dr. Julius, formerly the beloved Primate of New Zealand, and a young English officer who happened to be a Rugger Blue, I stood on the deck of the lonic off Wellington. As you know, there was a terrific Government aerial on the Tinakori Hills, and the young officer said, “By Jove, those are very tall masts on that hill over there; what are they? “That,” answered the New Zefl- ' lander, “is a monument to New Zealand football—they are goal posts.” Without the flicker of an eyelid or the movement of a monocle the visitor said, “By Jove, no wonder your All Blacks can kick.”’A tragedy was narrowly averted in a Greymouth hotel the other day by the timely administering of an antidote for poisoning to a member

of the Southland Rugby football team (reports the Grey River AVgus). The Southlander concerned had paid a visit to the State mine, along with other members of the team during the day, and incidentally contracted a severe cold. On returning to the hotel he seized a bottle and swallowed a. large quantity of what he presumed to be cough mixture. The contents of the bottle, however, was embrocation of a distinctly poisonous kind. The unfortunate m'a'n immediately showed signs of distress, and but for the prompt actions of a companion in rushing to the chemist and securing an antidote his mistake may have had fatal consequences. Happily, however, the man soon recovered, and, but for slight internal discomfort, is none the worse for his midadventure.

Although the Japanese have the reputation of being a very earnest race, the discovery has been made by visitors to the cruising warships that the alert men from the Orient have a sharp sense of humour and a readiness at repartee (remarks the Auckland “Star”). “How long will it be before you are in there?” asked a visitor of a young midshipman who was showing him the wardroom of the flagship Idzumo. “Perhaps in five years,” replied the aspirant for official rank. “And perhaps after that you will be an admiral?” commented the visitor on a note of interrogation. “Yes,” came the ready answer, “and when I visit this country next time you will be Prime Minister, eh?” The midshipman won.

A fortunate escape from what might have been a more serious accident was the experience of a young man, Peter Burns, (says the Poverty Bay Herald). He is employed on Mr. E. M. Hutchinson’s station at Waikohu, and with a mate he was riding on horseback towards Te Karaka on a recent evening. They had got over the crossing about 200 yards on the *Tc Karaka side of the Waikohu station, when the horse took fright at the approaching train, and, turning round, ran into a carriage of the train, which by that time was passing the crossing. The gas generator caught the horse, and with the rider on it, carried the animal over the cattle stop before throwing the horse and its rider clear. Mr. Burns’ mate went for assistance, and the train crew returned to find the young man unconscious. He was taken to the ganger’s house at the Waikohu station, and his injuries were treated by a medical man. Mr. Burns’ injuries comprise slight concussion, and a bruise on the small of the back. He was subsequently removed to his home. The only damage done to the train was the tearing off of the gas generator on the carriage.