LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 19 January 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In connection with the telegram received on Saturday from the Unemployment Board stating that no further subsidies on the basis of £2 for £1 under No. 1 scheme would be considered by the Board, it is pointed out by the Mayor (Mr W. J. Moffatt) that under No. 1 scheme the Council lias to find one-third of the money, and that it should be remembered ‘by ratepayers that this third has to come out of the General Account for which provision was not made, at the beginning of the financial year. Furthermore the subsidy is the people’s own money contributed by way of the unemployment levy. It is utterly impossible, in the circumstances, added the Mayor, for the Council to finance any unemployment work unless it raises a. special loan for the purpose.

At the Magistrate’s Court to-day, Mr T. E. Maunsel). S.M., gave judgment in the. following undefended civil cases : Wm. O. Price v. Geo. Flower, claim £lO, costs £1 12s 6d ; C. T. Webley v. Win. Molyneaux, £l9, costs £2 14s; J. J. Allen v. Herbert J. Palmer, £l2 7s 6d, costs £2 14s; F. R. Ilallam v. lh Friend, £lO 2s 4d, costs £2 15s; R. L. Thomson v. Vie. Adams, £3 6s sd, costs £1 5s 6d ; Neale and Hatldow v. Clif Exton, 12s 3d, costs 8s; Douglas G. Sutherland v. A. J. Campbell, 19s, costs 15s 6d ; A. Hunter v. Claude Wells, £9, costs £1 10s 6d. Several judgment summons cases were called on, but no orders were made.

An Epsom resident, Mr C. Smith, who had the curiosity to follow the root of a parsnip down in the soil of his volcanic soil garden, found that it had penetrated 30i inches within ten weeks of planting the seed (states the Auckland “Star”). Mr W. Downs, who was a judge at a number of North Auckland shows last year, says this is an example of the way in which parsnips will run down in search of water in drv weather. At the Whangavei and Wairoa North shows lie saw mature parsnips up to 30 inches in length which measured as much as three inches across at the top. The extent of the effect of the increase of £2 10s per cent, in New Zealand rates of exchange on London can be gauged by the fact that there is at present butter valued at approximately £1,000,000 stored in the Auckland freezing works waiting sliinment (states a northern contemporary). On this alone the premium through the new high rate of exchange will amount to a total of approximately £60,000. In addition to this the Auckland stores are holding just under £250,000 worth of cheese. From the point of view of Dominion producers there is natural satisfaction at the opportunity to reap financial benefit by the increase in the premium on exchange. Dairy companies with large stocks now on the point of being consigned to the British markets arc given positive encouragement at a lime when assistance is urgently needed, although the higher rates are likely to hold up f.o.b. sales because the seller in such cases does not get the benefit of the exchange position. Over a month ago the attention of producers was invited to the fact that from their viewpoint the bright spot in the existing position was the premium on exchange. It was estimated that if the rates then ruling continued the primary producer would benefit to the extent of £475.000 Ibis season. Assessing butter at lOJpl a lb, it was estimated by a competent authority to-day that the total premium on exchange is worth 6s 3d a cwt. on butter. Expressed in another way and again basing the calculation oii the supposition that the 6 per cent, rate would hold for the rest of the season, it was estimated that the premium would be £550,000 - for butter on shipment to the end of the season.

Mr J. L. Weldon, a housemaster from the English Borstal service, who is making a world tour studying methods of juvenile reform in the dominions and in the United States, visited the Invercargill Borstal Institution last week. He later informed a “Southland Times’ reporter that he was greatly impressed with the smartness and happiness of the hoys in the institution and with the co-operation and interest of the citizens of Invercargill, which lie considered must be most encouraging to the boys. Mr Weldon mentioned that although the Borstal system originated in England in 1908 and had developed into tlie principal method of dealing with juvenile offenders, his was the first visit of a British Borstal official to institutions in New Zealand.

Botanical studies abroad have been completed by Dr. 11. H. Allan, of the plant Research Station, Palmerston North, who returned from England by tilt' lonic. Dr. Allan attended tne International Botanical Conference at Cambridge, the conference of the British Association at Bristol, and afterwards worked at Kew Gardens and South Kensington ■Museums studying principally the historical collections of New Zealand plants. “English botanists are still paying attention to the development of grass lands,” I)r. Allan said. “I visited Aberystwyth Plant Research Station. The work there is principally connected with cocksfoot, ryo grasses, and clovers. They are looking after the. best strains and are doing a considerable amount of breeding. A great deal of work is being done with New Zealand cocksfoot, which English experts rank very highly. Experiments are also being carried out with New Zealand flax m the South of England. However, the problem there is not sc much one of cultivation as of subsequent treatment.”

Bankers are nothing if not thorough. Following the startling rise in the exchange rates for cheques drawn on Australian banks, a Christchurch firm paid in cheques on which the exchange came to £l2 odd, reports the “Press”. A cheque was drawn for the amount and paid to tho bank with a request that the accompanying receipt should be completed. The receipt form was returned with an intimation that if the firm would affix a receipt stamp the bank would sign the voucher. “The banks apparently believe,” the customer said, “that if they take care of the pence the dividends will .take care of themselves.”

Chronic Constipation, Rheumatism and poor blood circulation troubled a resident of Lyttelton for many years unlil a friend told him about Dr. Don’s Granules—a physician’s prescription for purifying the poisoned blood system. 1/6 box. —R. W. Martin, Chemist. Ask for Free Samples.*

Doctor’s prescription for constipation— Dr. Don’s Granules.—-Hodgson’s Stores, Wakefield, Motupiko and Murchison.* McKay’s recommend “Ashdura” the superior wearing artificial silk lingerie fabric. Blue, lielio, apricot shades, 1/9 yard at McKay’s.*

Intestinal Poisons will bo eliminated and the body kept healthy arid active by taking Lubrolax, which contains no harmful drugs.—Nees, Chemist, Hardy street.* End of season sees balance sleeveless fuji tennis frocks with flared skirts, usually worth 19/6, at special price 15/6 at McKay’s.* Tennis girls will find Godet Face Powder just ideal, for it is amazingly fine and clinging, and gives tho skin a delightful freshness. Obtainable from W. McKay and Sons, Ltd.* The flannel used in McKay’s College shirts is woven to stand extreme wear, and dyed fadeless.*

A monkey, belonging to Mr F. N. Jones, of Halifax street, yearning for tho open, made a clash from his captivity yesterday, and “got away with it.’’ In the succeeding five hours “Fritz" rushed almost every housetop in the vicinity, including Anstice’s buildings. Efforts at recapture were successfully eluded until the animal was rounded up in a bathroom of a residence in Bridge street. Residents in the vicinity got a good deal of amusement out of the chase, the antics of “Fritz” in eluding his pursuers being watched by many folk.

A child named Ivan Christian was drowned in the Clowan river on Saturday evening.

Says the Wanganui “Herald”: — Superintendent Oiling, of Wanganui Gaol, has returned from a holiday at Stoke, Nelson, where the Clung family, well-known identities of Nelson, have a family reunion each year. Mr Clung slates that Nekton is prosperous at present and there are no empty shops. The grain crops will be very prolific, and the same applies to tobacco, which is now extensively grown. The season did not suit the hop crops so well. Apple trees were loaded with fruit, and in order to relieve the weight a portion of the apples were being picked for cider making purposes.

The opinion was expressed liy some of the members of the New Plymouth Harbour Board last week (says the “News”) that there would be an increase in the importation of fertilisers this year, as compared with last year. During the past three months there lmd been a substantial increase in the quantity of phosphate rock imported, and a shipment of 1100 tons of slag was expected soon. The chairman said he understood increased shipments of slag had been ordered this year. Mr W. T. Wells expressed gratification at this fact, remarking that if the importations of fertilisers were to decline so, too, would the exports of produce, which had shown ail increase.

Jn an agitated tone, a postman rang the acting-town clerk of the Dargavillo Borough Council last week with an urgent request that the council take delivery of “livestock” (states the “Star”). Cinnabar moths’ eggs, forwarded in a package from the Cawthron Institute, for liberation in the water catchment area where ragwort is prevalent, had hatched out. The institute had given instructions that the parcel was to he taken delivery of at once. The postman, who opened the mail hag on Tuesday, was astonished to find a parcel that was crawling with myriads of tiny creatures like ants. The town clerk arrived in a hurry, and doubly wrapped the parcel to save further loss, but next morning the creatures were still crawling all over the package. The consignment was the first of its kind to reach the Dargaville district. It will he interesting to see how the moths attack the ragwort area, some of which is now being successfully treated with sodium chlorate.

“You can never solve world problems until you equalise the standard of living in all countries,” declared one delegate to the Institute of Pacific Relations, according to Mr Walter Nash, M.P., in an address to the Teachers’ Summer School in Christchurch last week. If that applied internationally it applied nationally as well. The problems. of the world could not be solved when one section of the people were on one standard while another section alongside them were on a much higher standard. Since 1913 the population of the world had increased 10 per cent, and production had increased 25 per cent. It seemed a terrible indictment that because we were getting more somebody had to get less.

“I do not know whether we teachers realise that we have a duty to teach the young people under our charge to respect and love New Zealand’s native birds and help to preserve them,” said Mr Frank Milner, prior to an address on New Zealand birds delivered to the summer school in Christchurch, by Mr Johannes Andersen. This country, lie said, had some very wonderful birds, including the tui and the mocking bird, which were two of the best songsters in the world.

A man at the flower show in the Art Gallery in Christchurch (says the “Times”) spoke about the “gladiolus” with the accent on the “di.” and not on the “o.” His friend made a remark about affectation, and they had a bet. It turned out that the man who accented tho “di” was right, and that nine hundred and ninety-nine people of a thousand pronounce the name of this familiar flower incorrectly. Clematis is another flower name that is commonly mispronounced. The accent is on the “clem” and not on the “a” as commonly heard. Camellia is yet another example. The accent is not on the' “me” but on the “moll.” In each of these instances the man in the street would think a person pedantic or alfected if he pronounced them correctly.

The remarkable tameness of the native birds on the Kapiti Island sanctuary was shown in a series of beautiful slides exhibited last week in Christchurch at the conclusion of a lecture to the Teachers’ Summer School by Mr Johannes Andersen. Mr Andersen said that nearly all the photographs were taken from a distance of three feet. One picture of the caretaker, Mr Wilkinson, showed him with a tiny bird perched on his hand, another on the crown of his hat and a third sitting unconcernedly on the stem of his pipe which was in his mouth.

Trathen’s sale starts Wednesday. See full page advertisement to-morrow.*

Women smokers? Why they are as plentiful as blackberries in Autumn ! The proprietor of a leading Melbourne restaurant was talking about it to a reporter the other day. “Formerly/” he said, “every restaurant had its smokeroom where men could smoke in peace. But after the War girls invaded these places, yes, and insisted on smoking at meals, 100. And we daren’t object. We should have lost their custom.” It’s the same in our big New Zealand restaurants and hotels. Well, all said and done, smoking won’t hurt anyone—man or woman—so long as the tobacco is pure. Unfortunately it so seldom is! The foreign brands are often poisonous with nicotine. Can it be good to absorb that poison into the system every time you smoke? Tho safe way is to smoke toasted New Zealand leaf. The toasting destroys practically all tho nicotine. So you can smoke this tobacco freely as you please. It can’t hurt you. There are only four brands of toasted: Riverliead Gold, Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3, and Cut Plug No. 10—all of them famous for flavour and fragrance.* Wonder bargains at every counter. Trathen’s sale Wednesday 9 sharp.* Surprising bargains, Trathen’s, Wed nesdav.* McKay’s lingerie fabrics are unique for daintiness and wearing ability. British fugi in best shades, 1/3 yard.* Trathen’s Sale starts Wednesday.* Watch for it! Trathen’s full page sale advertisement Tuesday’s “Mail.”* For tennis, for the beach—Sports blazers, in both plain and striped effects, 29/6 at McKay’s.* Trathen’s Wonder Sale Wednesday.* Trathen’s Sale starts Wednesday.*

The condition of Hugh Wells, who was admitted to the Public Hospital on Friday suffering from a rifle wound,in his breast, is reported to ho quite satisfactory.

At various points in the Otira Gorge, slips due to heavy rains kept Public Works employees busy during the past week. The slips on the gorge were cleared on Thursday, but as a result of the heavy downpours on Thursday night, further slips occurred, which it was hoped to have cleared away by the end of the week.

Considerable interest has been evinced by agriculturists throughout New Zealand during recent years regarding the fertilisation of the land that comprises the farm property. This is not surprising when it is considered that the soil is a foundation for tho successful conduct of agricultural and pastoral operations. The season is now approaching when farmers in various parts of the Dominion will give consideration to the question of autumn applications of fertilisers to the land. Progressive agriculturists are ever on the alert to augment their knowledge in respect of the economical application of fertilisers to farmlands and this is reflected in increased returns from farm ing pursuits. The appropriate seasonal fertilisation of the farm soil is of fat reaching value in its importance to the Nelson farmer; and Dr D. Linford Freeman, Ph.D., N.D.A., N.D.D.. of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, intends to deliver a number o,f addresses on fertilisers and their application in Nelson agriculture within the province during the next few weeks. It is anticipated that it will be possiblo to deliver some twelve addresses at an equal number of farming centres, and that as a consequence a more rational utilisation of the principal soil-improv-ers will accrue to provincial farmers with all the associated advantages.

Tho first slock sale for the year 1931 has emphasised the extraordinary position of the sheepfanners in Poverty Bay—and probably on the East Coast generally—and has recorded the staggering fact that, viewing the prices obtained under tile hammer, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that thousands —even tens of thousands —of sheep are to-day entirely without value (writes the Gisborne correspondent of the Auckland “Star”). No nimble sixpence even would be bid for them, and being valueless, who would take them as a gift? The parlous condition of sheepfarming generally is accentuated here by a very lengthy spell without rain. Recent weeks have been excessively hot, with burning winds generally prevailing. Except for some highback country districts, Poverty Bay is well scorched, and its grass has gone. Weekly sales with an entry of 25,000 sheep are usually met with in February and March, but this season may see the entry doubled, for the usual private sales “in the paddock” have not been made, and the export by road to other districts has been on a very small scale. How is this expected large entry to be disposed of? Your correspondent has discussed tho position with the sheepfarmers, and, although there is some reluctance to face the facts, it is perfectly plain that, on to-day’s local values, a large number of sheep that must be disposed of are without value, and cannot be sold. That they will have to he destroyed on' the property by the owner seems the only way out, unless export prices improve, and the district receives a good soaking rain, which, however, it seldom does at this time of the year. Even with bounteous rain, but no improvement in export prices, it would seem that, with heavy ewes being worth a lb. for export, the sale value of many sheep would he nil.

The harvesting of grass seed by hand is at present in evidence in many parts of the Auckland district (states tfie “Herald”). The seed on the stalk is now ripe, and on roadsides and vacant sections, individuals and groups are to be seen cutting and bagging the seed heads preparatory to threshing. A good deal of the yield will no doubt he marketed, hut in other cases,- where the harvesting is being done by farmers, it will be retained for use in sowing new grass on their farms.