Huge Pumpkins.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 129, 1 May 1940, Page 6

Huge Pumpkins.

The heaviest pumpkin recorded in Hawke’s Bay ,so far this season weighed 1501 b, and was grown by Mr H. Wheatley, of Korokipo. Tattooing Revived. Wartime has brought a revival of the vogue for tattooing. Many recruits in the armed forces have recently acquired patriotic or fanciful designs on wrists or forearms. • School Sport Not Appreciated. “Altogether there are about 70 pupils in the school who for no satisfactory reason do not participate in' organised games,” said tne headmaster of Wellington College (Mr W. A. Armour), in a report to the Board of Governors. Stock Feed Shortage. Claiming that the winter feed position in South Canterbury is desperate, Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., has sent a telegram to the Prime Minister urging that prompt measures be taken to prevent big stock losses. “It is time you came down and examined the South Island primary production position for yourself,” said Mr Burnett. “Run Here and There for Meat.” Monday. March 11, marked the commencement of meat rationing in England. The vicar of Christ Church, Ealing, pointed out in the London Times that one of the appointed psalms _ for evening prayer that day was the 59th, the fifteenth verse of which reads: “They will run here and there for meat; and grudge if they be not satisfied.” War-time Necessity. War-time conditions are reflected in the. annual report of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand in a paragraph inserted by the secretary, Mr It. McCay (Hawera) . which expresses regret at the delay in issuing medals won at the last Royal Show and also the forwarding of cups won by exhibitors. “Considerable difficulty has been experienced in this connection in view of the fact that the Government commandeered the services of all silversmiths and engravers for war orders. Consequently this society’s medals and cups have been held up. However, it is hoped to have these delivered within the next few weeks.” Historic Gift to School. The boat’s compass by which Captain F. S. Bell steered the Exeter in battlq with the Graf Spec, after the main steering gear had been put out of action, now stands in a window of the Matfield Grange School, Kent, of which Captain Bell is an old boy. Captain Bell must have looked out of the window hundreds of time’s. Sir Hubert Henniker Heaton, Governor of the Falkland Islands, presented the compass to the school. Captain Bell had given it to him when he brought his battered ship to the Falkland Islands after the engagement. Sir Herbert, however, has a son at the school, and thought it more appropriate that the compass should go there.

Section as Gift. The donation of a section in College Street,' Masterton, of just over quarter of an acre for patriotic purposes lias been made by its owner. Month’s Fire Calls. The Palmerston North Fire Brigade received nine calls during the month of April. They were made up as follows Fires, four; malicious false alarms, three; false alarm, one. One call was received outside the city boundary. Orange Shortage. There is a shortage of oranges in New Zealand, including Palmerston North, where supplies are at the point of exhaustion. A consignment of 28,000 cases of island oranges is due to arrive in Auckland at the week-end. Heavy Waikato Frost. The whitest frost this year was experienced in the Waikato on Monday morning, when the entire countryside was shrouded in white. The recording itr Hamilton was IX degrees, the heaviest since the middle of last winter. School Amenities. Having raised £425 by a queen carnival, the Turua (Auckland province) School Committee is moving in the matter of providing a swimming hath. A radio set with loud speakers in every classroom has been installed. School Dental Fee. The opinion that the provisions .of the Social Security Act should absolve parents from the payment of the .annual fee of 2s 6d for treatment at the school dental clinic was expressed at the annual meetings of householders of Hastings schools. Lasting Gratitude. The Itoyal National Lifeboat Institution has received through the Customs House at Ardrossan, Scotland, a gift of 2s from a seaman whose life was saved by a lifeboat in 1910 and who, “every time lie is paid off likes to give a little to its funds.” Winter Show Entries. Preparations are in hand for the Manawatu Winter Show and there are already indications that it will be attended with success. Butter and cheese entries are above those for the corresponding Show last year, marking an encouraging advance. Deer Grazes with Cows. On the farm of- Mr G- 1 Waite, at Pukekura, on Friday, a large 10pointer stag was found ■ among the herd when the time of the morning milking arrived. The deer caused considerable confusion among the cows, and was eventually shot. Farmers’ Tax Exemption. Advice that it was usual to allow farmers exemption from taxation of one-half of the wages paid to domestic servants has bean received from the Deputy-Commissioner of Taxes by the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. Each case would be considered on its merits. Dwindling Population. “An illustration of how the native population dwindles in face of advancing civilisation. On Ongtong Java, north of the Solomons,, in 1907, there were 7000 people; in 1939 there were 665—almost entirely due to epidemics.”—Extract from the Southern Cross Log, journal of the Melanesian Mission. Consolidation of Schools. 1 Emanating from the Manawatu provincial executive, the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union recently sent a remit to the Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) stating that the union favoured the consolidation of country school. A reply has been received from the Minister thanking the union for bringing the expression of opinion before his notice. State Housing Progress. Work on the final units which will complete the main block of State houses in the city, off College Street, is now well advanced, and it is expected that it will not be long before they are finished. The formation of roadways is also being completed. Four State houses are being constructed in Weston Avenue, and progress with these is now well advanced. A start will shortly be made on the building of four more houses, in Te Awe Awe Street. The Fishing Season. Taken generally, the fishing season in tile Manawatu and adjacent districts is stated to have been a good one, although . wet weather in January, February and March filled the streams rather more than was desirable. Hi vers and streams in the Pahiatua area gave, a good yield, while all the waters on this side' of the ranges fished well also. For several years attention has been paid by the Acclimatisation Society to the stocking of Lake William, near Bulls, and although the lake was fished only towards the end of the season between 30 and 40 fish of an overage weight of slb were taken from it. Breed Societies’ Donations. According to the report of the president of the Itoyal Agricultural Society (Mr L. J. Wild, of Feilding), a total of £438 8s was donated to the society by various breed societies and the report records gratitude for this generous assistance, which enabled the society to pursue the progressive policy of liberal assistance in the matter i •transport of stock to the Royal Show. The largest donation was that of the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand (£100). Others were £7B from the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Association and £SO each from the New Zealand Romney Marsh Stud Breeders’ Association and the Southdown Sheep Society of New Zealand.