NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3889, 29 December 1928, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

British aeroplanes are gaining great favour abroad, one firm alonehaving sold over <2OO ’planes to foreign buyers. A grandmother of 78 years and her grand-daughter are am'ong the pupils of the British Institute of Physical. Training in London. Greater London has increased in population by more than 2,000,000 since 1889, when the London County Council came into being. Lavender is a vegetable, 'according to one High Court judge; so it

is not necessary to hold a pedlar’s license for selling it in the street. Interesting stories of t many strange parts of the earth are told by Mr. J. A. Bond, artist and traveller, who is at. present visiting Wanganui, says the “Chronicle.” Before coming to New Zealand, MrBond spent about twelve months in Northern Queensland, where he journeyed into many out-iof-tho-way places in search of material for his brush. He was camped for four or five months in the bush about 150 miles past .Cairns, studying the remarkable scenery. At Malaytown one day, he was walking near the mangrove swamps fringing the shore, when he noticed a curious-looking object m’oving about in the mud. On investigation he found it to be a fish, which was actually walking about among . the itree roots on its fins. Had it not been for the softness of the njud, which impeded his progress, he' considers he could have captured it. He learned later that it. was called the “walking fish,” and was, found only in that part of the world.

Tourist® who have returned from the Milford track cannot praise too highly the magnificent hostel that has just been completed at that Sound. A party who returned to the Te Anau Hotel last week told a “Southland 'Times” reporter that although they went to Milford fully prepared to see a modern hotel, they had no idea it would be so luxuriously appointed. A picturesque exterior gives promise, of a comfortable, cosy interior, and this promise is more than fulfilled. They were amazed (to find rich car-. pets ..on the floor of their bedroom and drawing-room, and lounges that were the last word in comfort and ease. One of the tourists, a New Zealander, who has been round the fworld, said that he had never seen a hotel situated in a more majestic spot. Those who have done the track in previous years have had to be content to spend the nigm in the rather uninteresting spot where the* |Sandily Huts were situated. Now a launch takes the tram'pers for a 20 (minutes’, run- up the s'ound, and there nestling .among the magnificent mountains with the famous Mitre Peak directly opposite is the pretty wooden hostel that the Government has been enterprising enough to erect. The tourists declared that they received a shock of pleasant surprise, although they were expecting it, to pee so modern a building amidst such rugged grandeur. 'On the evening of their arrival, however, they appreciated fully the delight of isuch comfort and' courteous service as they experienced in the hostel after their three days on the .track. It was a wonderfulj>rivileg« to tawake next mlorning and see from their window the full glory of the sound. The accelerated steamer service between Glade House and Te Anau Hotel was also greatly appreciated. The boat used to take anywhere from five to seven hours on the journey. Now the average time for the trip is three hours and a quarter.