LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 30 July 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

They have made a start in men's dress reform in London (states "M.A.T." in the Auckland "Star"). A hopeful doctor who is going round collarless and in shorts (except when on business)' says that the society will first try to abolish the collar stud. This callous medical iconoclast desires, therefore, ta abolish one of the stock jokes of every comic paper since ever collar studs temporarily abolished themselves under the chest of drawers. The doctor referred to specifically states that he wears conventional garb for seeing patients in. A bedside manner with hairy knees protruding from chopped-off shorts, a. bare neck and apparent brisket is at present incompatible with professional demeanour. Yet you .know 'tis but a few short years when no medical men dare be seen abroad without a frock coat and a shiny silk hat. Now these aids to respectability are almost exclusive to politicians and other company promoters. In the case of the doctors the motor car has abolished the silk hat. Sherlock Holmes was in the habit of diagnosing a medical man by the bulge in the side of his shiny hat, indicating a hidden stethoscope. Now apparently Conan Doyle will identify London doctors off duty by their hirsute knees and bare breasts. There is no gainsaying the fact that already there is much distress among musicians in Sydney as a Jesuit of the talkie craze (writes a Sydney correspondent). Hundreds of professional men aro out of employment. These men have made music" their life study. The position is that the. public here is charged higher prices of admission for the extra expense the talking film is to the exhibitor. Tho latter endeavours to counteract that outlay by the. use. of amplified gramophone, music to the silent film, and expects the public to put up with this kind of thing. The average suburban picturegcer is plainly being imposed upon. One of the leading Sydney conductors informed mo, however, that he believed that the reinstatement of first-class musicians would. ultimately be demanded.

According to n statement made by Archbishop Avorill in Auckland (says tho "Star"'), there aro not so many Bible in schools sympathisers in the House of Representatives this Parliament as last, and in the circumstance*! it had been considered inadvisable to introduce the Bible in Schools Bill. There would be a meeting in Wellington, next month of the Bible in Schools League, said the Archbishop, when a policy would be drawn up for the future. It was no use trying to force a bill through Parliament with a hostile majority. The league had no objection to the Nelson system, but could sanction nothing that did not include the backblocks children, who had not the same opportunities of religions instruction as the children in the towns. A system toll' and helpful to all was necessary.

Bit; reductions on all Ladies' Coats. Frocks, Hats, Underwear and Knitted Goods at McKay's Sale, finishing Saturday.*

In Wellington potatoes have risen from £8 10s last week to £ll. The only reason given is that tho price had risen in tho South, but there is in known shortage. —Press -.1 ssociation. Counsel (to witness) in the Arbitration Court at Wellington: "Do you remember saying on one occasion that you would not have Jo do any more hard work?" Witness: "No, I do not." His Honour (Mr Justice Blair): "There are a lot of us like that. I once heard a man say ho wanted a job as a camera man taking a moving picture of the decoy of the pyramids!"

Flowers are -worth money in these cold, leaden-clouded days (says "Tho Dominion").' There is not a great variety offering at the markets. Daphne, yellow and white jonquils, friesias. and violets, with birch leaves and wattle sprays, offer the range. All are in eager demand. Yellow jonquils have this week brought a penny per bloom (wholesale), which is real money to growers of quantities in sheltered corners. On Friday jonquils sold at 8d per dozen blooms. If the stalks had been longer they would brought Is—much virtue in fon'g stalks. Friesias, heavily perfumed, all the way from Wanganui, brought as much as per bloomtwelve blooms for Is 6d—and not very choice at that. Violets aro still in good supply, and prices are a little easier.

To the many roles which the Rev. I J. K. Archer lias been called upon to fill since he became Mayor of the city must now be added that of matrimonial agent (states a Christchurch paper). As Mayor- of .the city he receives requests of many kinds, but one which came to him yesterday morning from England "takes the cake," to use his own words. The request is from a lady twenty-nine years of age, who desires to enter into correspondence with a New Zealand man between thirty and forty years of age, preferably one with a private income. She states that her qualifications are that she is tall and dark, has a keen sense of humour, is thoroughly domesticated, and not afraid of work, though she does not wish to have too much of it to do. "If any of our single men would like to correspond with the lady I will be pleased to supply them with her address," the Mayor remarked.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Atmore) has forwarded the following letter to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. E. A. Ransom):— "You are aware that extensive and much needed additions are to be made to the Nelson Post Office. Tho main building was constructed in brick, and one of the top portions over the entrance to the private letter boxes fell as a result of the recent shake. I believe that the additions are to be built on similar lines to tho6e designed for the main building, and as one of the lessons to be learned from the earthquake is to make sure that all new buildings are to be constructed on safe lines and of suitable material, I shall be glad if you will make immediate inquiry with a view of seeing whether, the plans, design and proposed con,' struction of the new building are on safe lines, and whether anything needs to be done in regard to the present Post Office tower or anv other part of the existing structure. Will you kindly treat this as a matter of urgency." The continued popularity of the game breed of poultry, as evinced by the dimensions of the present show in Auckland, recalled to a contemporary the fact that the breed is of great antiquity. Cock-fighting, for which game birds were used, was known a thousand years before the Christian era. It is said that Themistocles, the Athenian General, encouraged his soldiers' valour by pointing out to them two cocks fighting, saying: "These birds fight not for their gods, nor for their children, nor for glory, nor for freedom, but for the sake of victory, that one may not yield to the other." In England the game fowl was patronised bv several kings, including Henrv H., Henry VIII. and Charles 11. The latter king is said to have introduced the Pile breed of game, a cock of that colour belonging to His Majesty winning great distinction in the pit. Cock-lighting was a favourite pastime in England for many centuries, but was made unlawful in the reign of Edward HI., and again in 1569, being revived in fhe reign of Elizabeth and James 1., until suppressed by Act of Parliament in 1849.

The New Zealand Association of New South Wales is now an established fact, though its birth, truth to tell, was a somewhat painful affair (writes a Sydney correspondent). About 80 New Zealanders answered the call of the provisional committee this week to form an association, and although all waxed enthusiastic toward the end of the meeting, at first there was a determined opposition. A somewhat noisy section was strongly against the Government, being under the misapprehension that the New Zealand Government Agency was behind the move in order to boast 'the tourist agency. Why they should object to such an object, I do not know, for surely it is the duty of every New Zealapder as far as he can to interest Australians in the tourist possibilities of his country. This section favoured the establishment of a New Zealand Club rather than an association. The Rev. Albert Thornhijl, formerly of Auckland, wisely pointed out, however, that one had to learn to walk _ before commencing to run. The majority decided in favour of an association, and elected Dr. J. S. Purdy, another exAucklnndev, as its first president. The Government Agent, Mr Blow, who had kindly placed his office at the disposal of the gathering, had some difficulty in maintaining order in the initial stages, until he established beyond all doubt that the New Zealand Government had nothing whatsoever to do with the formation of the society. Returning thanks after his election. Dr. Purdy said: "If you do all come from God's Own Country you are by rio means all angels. It is good to see such virile New Zealanders, and I hope we shall be n very happy family."

The unusual spectacle of herrings by the ton was witnessed at Devonport when the water was let out of the Calliope Dock after the docking of the ferry steamer Toroa (states the ''Star"). Driven in, evidently, by some larger fish, a shoal of herrings had, on the removal of the water, been left stranded. Workmen at the dock estimate that the catch weighed between four and five tons. They were there for the taking, a quivering silvery mass of small fish, covering the floor of the dock for a distance of hot ween 40 and 60ft from the entrance. Shovelled into baskets and hauled to the land lovel by means of a small crane, many of the herrings were distributed "without money and without price," after which the quantity remaining was placed in a pit dug "by trainees from H.M.S. Philomel, there' to decompose and Inter to be used to fertilise the native trees and shubs which have been planted this year near the dock. On account of the production of "Going Up" no practices for the Harmonic Society will be held this week. Tt is hoped to give the concert. Mendelssohn's i Elijah, on Thursday. 15th August; and 1 a full attendance is requested for the two remaining practices on Thursday, the Bth, and Tuesday, the 13th August'. The annual meeting of the Nelson Chrysanthemum Club will bo held at the Institute to-morrow evening at 7.30. Final clearance of showroom goods this week at McKay'3 Sale.* I

Wet weather prevented the" Collego and Motueka junior representatives playing a Rugby match ut Trafalgar Park last Wednesday unci so arrangements have been made for the match to be played to-morrow afternoon.

Speaking to a Dunedin reporter, Mr F. Waite, M.P. for Clutha, stated that there was not a particle of truth in the suggestion that any reorganisation of tho' Kef own Party was contemplated, or that he was associated with such a movement. Mr Coates enjoyed the complete confidence of every member of the Reform Party. Moreover, there was no need to change tho name of the party, for in three years' time all those people who' had to pay taxes of any kind would be demanding reform in many directions. He had never heard a complaint against Mr Coates, and he was proud to serve under one of the most able administrators the> country had ever had.

"That legislation should be introduced with the object of a universal national contributory or pension scheme, to be self-supporting through contributions from wages, salaries, and incomes," was tho effect of a remit discussed at the Farmers' Conference last week. Mr Sim (Southland) pointed out that there was a great deal of reckless expenditure, and that it was hard for tho average individual to save money, with the result that he was rrtpidly becoming an object for assistance*. The consequence was that the thrifty had to contribute taxation for social service. Everyone should be compelled to join the scheme, which ultimately would take the place of the old age pension. Mr McKenzie referred to the superannuation scheme, and said he thought the conference should support the remit. Mr J. Cocker (South Taranaki) thought the young man was the trouble to-day, and said that there should be some) means of investing the voung man's wages. Flock "House boys had compulsory saving. The remit was carried. "That this conference recommends the Dominion Conference to congratulate our Dominion president on winning a seat in the House of Representatives, and considers that in so doing he is in a better position to watch over farming interests," was a Nelson remit which was carried unanimously and with enthusiasm at the meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union last week. The delegates all rose to their feet, and heartily sang, 'For He's a Jolly Cood Fellow." It was also decided to congratulate the other members of the Farmers' Union who had been returned to the House—\Messrs J. Bitchener. H. M. Rushworth, \V. Lee Martin, and F. Waite.

The provincial secretary of the Nelson Farmers' Union has received the following telegram from the Hon. H. Atmore: "I have conferred with the Hon. Minister of Lands regarding suggestion of your union that member of Land Purchase Board report on devastated areas, and am assured by my colleague that arrangements aro already in hand for a comprehensive report on the lines suggested. '

The final rehearsal of "Going Up" was witnessed last night at the Majestic Theatre by the children of St. Andrew's Orphanage and the patients of the Mental Hospital. The action of the Nelson Operatic Society in invitin'g the inmates of these institutions was greatly appreciated.