Produce From Islands.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 243, 11 September 1940, Page 6

Produce From Islands.

A large shipment of fruit and produce has arrived at Auckland from the Cook Islands. It includes 14,762 cases of tomatoes—one of the largest consignments to Now Zealand—l9,B4o cases of oranges, 1486 cases of bananas, 963 cases of kuniaras, • and a quantity of beaus. Etiquette For Bowlers. The Wellington Bowling Centre last night approved a suggestion by Mr Andrew Fletcher to arrange for a series of lectures by Mr Frank Ross on etiquette and various other phases of the game of bowls. The lectures, which will be given in the near future, are to be open to club members and prospective members.

Prohibitive Duty. Tobacco and cigarettes constitute a problem to the New Zealand soldiers of the First Echelon in Egypt, the majority of whom apparently do not relish the Egyptian product. Requests have repeatedly been made to parents and friends in New Zealand to forward ■tobacco and cigarettes that are more in keeping with the soldiers’ tastes, but an almost prohibitive economic factor arises, making it encumbent on the soldier to pay about 2s 3d in duty on a tin of tobacco worth 2s sent from home.

Generous Giving. A fine example of generous giving for the work of the Church was cited by Rev. C. Eaton at St. Paul’s Church, last evening, following an address by Rev. L. 13. Neale (President of the Methodist Conference). In the course of a few hours’ visiting, said Mr Eaton, £SOO had been donated for “munition making for the Church” in Palmerston North, individual gifts including two amounts each of £IOO and £6O, as a result of an appeal by the president on behalf of the Centennial fund of the Methodist Church of Now Zealand.

Transport To Ohakea. •’Whether anything had come of the council’s protest to the Government over the failure of the Public Works Department to use the Sanson tramway was information sought by Cr H. J. Eagan at a meeting of the Manawatu County Council yesterday. The council at its last meeting decided to bring to the notice of the Government again the fact that the Public Works Department was still using motor lorries to convey materials from Palmerston North to Ohakea when there was a railway service available over the whole route. It was the opinion of the council that the need for the conservation of petrol demanded that the railway service bo used, but no more had been heard about the protest. “They are still using the road and running motor lorries for the carriage of materials to Ohakea,” said the county clerk (Mr A. K. Drew). “The Press gave the matter plenty of publicity,” said the chairman (Cr W. E. Barber), “but we have not heard anything.”-

Waning Flax Industry. Mention was mado in the Compensation Court, yesterday, that in 1930 there were 16 flaxmills working in the Manawatu district, whereas now there are but two.

Cherry Blossoms At Esplanade. ./■ The buds of the cherry blossom trees at the Esplanade are now swelling and in a few weeks the trees should be arrayed in all their glory, providing ‘an attraction for many city residents as well as visitors from a .wide area. Puriri Moths.

New Zealand’s large and handsome moth, the. puriri, is .now making its seasonal appearance. The moth mens ures over Sin across, and its colour is remarkably beautiful, being chiefly a light green with silver reining on the wings. It is a night-flying creature. Bequest To War Fund. A bequest of £2OOO to the New Zea land Government to be applied toward defraying the expenses of the war is contained in the will of Mi's Hannah Veale Bayly, of Auckland, who died on June 26. Probate has been granted in the estate, which has been sworn at •under £IO,OOO.

Collection of Scrap Metal. A correspondent residing in the Manawatu County inquires where and how scrap metal is to., be collected for war purposes. Jn this Connection the Manawatu County Council decided, at its meeting yesterday, to open depots for the reception of such materials at Sanson, Rongotea and Oroua Downs. Patriotic Spirit.

Discussion as to the allotment ot £544 subscribed by members of the various bowling clubs for patriotic purposes took place at the 'Wellington Bowling Centro meeting last night. It was decided to divide the money equally between the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Eund and the Fund for the Sick and Wounded.

High Flax Yield. When giving evidence in the Compensation Court, yesterday, Mr F. S. Easton, of Moutoa, instancing the weights of flax crops, said he had measured a return of 68 tons to the acre of green leaf on the Paiaka area. A recent test on the Moutoa Estate had shown a return of 42 tons an acre. It was mentioned at another stage that 'flax fibre cost about £29 a ton to produce. Constable Injured.

When be chased a man who came out of the Waihi Borough Council yard on Friday night, Constable W. C. Harper was struck in tlie face and suffered a deop cut. His assailant escaped. Constable Harper bad called on a man to stop, but ne set off into the darkness. The constable gave chase and overtook the fugitive. Suddenly the man turned and struck the constable o;,i the right cheek. Incidence of Flooding. Giving evidence as an expert witness at the Compensation Court sitting today, Mr A. P. Grant, Public Vorks Department engineer, said that in the last 11 years there had been 45 9ft floods in the Manawatu River, 27 1011 floods, 14 12ft floods and five of 14ft. There was no regularity in flooding. As an instance, in 1937 there were no floods, but in the following year there were seven of 10ft. The flood in August of last year was of 14ft 9in. The largest flood of which records existed occurred in 1902. Local Body Elections.

Preferring to leave the matter to the Government, tlie Kairanga County Council, at its meeting yesterday, decided to take no action in regard to a circular seeking an opinion as to whether the local body elections should bo held, ns scheduled, in May next. “Why should we bo asked to decide this-"’ asked Cr J. Batchelar. “The ratepayers put us here and may not want us. The Government do not Consult us when they’re going to increase taxation; but they do over this matter. It is their business to give a ruling.” Other councillors endorsed this view. Holidays in Wartime. “It does seem that a lot of these people have their iieads in the sand aild do not know that there is a real state of emergency existing,” said Mr W. E. Anderson, representing the employers before the Arbitration Court at Auckland. Mr Anderson was contesting a decision to grant drivers a picnic day on the same day as the waterside workers’-picnic “This is no time for talk of extending holidays,” Mr Anderson continued. “We have got to get ouv backs into the job. To come along and suggest another holiday on top of what they have had through all the years is just,a little bit too thick.” Church and State.

In proposing the toast of the King at the annual dinner of St. Patrick’s Rugby Football Club,, last evening, Rev. Father Jansen stated that the toast had a special significance at this time. Only a nation in which there were perfect' harmony and adaptability between Church and State could be a really solid one. Such States comprised the British Empire. They had only to look at countries where the Church had been separated from the State to witness the evil effects. “It is often asked why we Catholics support sport in. the way we do,” lie added. “It is because wc do not isolate our daily life from the practice of our faith. We make our faith part and parcel of our daily life, and that is why sport is included.” Is This Communism?

A correspondent writes to tho Wellington Post as follow“ The present Socialist Government in New Zealand professes to be an enemy to Communism. The following extract from Time, a magazine published in Chicago under date July 22 last, is therefore of interest. Comrade John Strachey, a leading Communist, summarises the Communist programme for progress, the avowed object being tlie slow destruction of capitalism. It reads: (L) Vast public works; (2) reduction of the rate of interest; (3) discriminatory taxes; (4) excessive pensions and allowances; (5) unlimited Government spending; (6) popular control of the hanking system; (7) Government control of payments for foreign goods. Can anyone tell me the difference between this programme and the policy of the present so-ealled Labour Government which openly alleges it is an enemy to Communism?”

Rubbish in County. Criticism of the action of certain persons in leaving scrap and rubbish on the county roads was voiced at yesterday’s meeting of the Kairanga County Council. Cr P. V. Koehler stated that in Te Matai Road, in the Kairanga Riding, there was a heap of junk comprising parts of an aeroplane belonging to the Manawatu Aero Club which was wrecked a couple of years ago. Several motor-cycle parts and other rubbish were also there. In connection with abandoned motor vehicles' in the county, Cr M. W. Voss considered the council should find out the owners by the number-plates and order them to remove the vehicles or their remains. The engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering) stated that there was considerable difficulty in finding out from the authorities who were the owners of last year’s ears by their number-plates. All the present year’s number-plates were in a different numerical order. It was decided to endeavour to find the owners of the rubbish and instruct them to remove it.