NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 September 1931, Page 4

NEAR AND FAR

Southern Rugby Pride. "There are better footballers in the Sonth Island than in the North," stated Mr. D. C. Jolly, manager of the Otago Rngby touring team, at the dinner to the Canterbury and Otago •representatives on Saturday. "The game is better. looked after here. Another point is that all championship trophies in sjoort are held in the South Island." Stowaways in Dance Froqks. When the liner Newfoundland put out from Liverpool recently she carried among her passengers two pretty girls, Emma Mitchell and Mary McCarthy, who left their own homes three months previously as stowaways in dance frocks. The pair of tomboys, whose parents live in Newfoundland, were returning from a dance one night just before the British steamer Port Alfred was due to sail for England. The mad idea of stowing away entered their heads, and, without thought, they hid themselves on board. They were discovered, terrified and crestfallen, when the Poi-t Alfred was far out to sea. Although they were treated very kindly, they were put to work eleaning brass, suitable clothes being provided from the ship's stores, Grasshopper Plague. A gfasshopper plague held up the trans-Continental express on a recent Sunday in Western Australia. The grasshoppers made the rails so slippery tha.t the train was delay ed for 96 minutes. I Weekly and Daily Licenses. Provision has been made by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society for the issuing of weekly and daily fishing licenses. Previously only whole season licenses were issued, at a charge of 20s for men and. 5s for women and boys. During the new season, which will start on October 1, men may obtain weekly licenses at a charge of 5s and day licenses at a charge of 2s 6d. The day licenses will also be available at 2s 6d to women and boys for whom, however, no provision has been made for weekly licenses. •A Maori Explanation. "I've got no work, I'm not married, rny missus is dead and I have a family of three," explained a Maori second offender charged with drunkenness at the Wanganui Magistrate's Court. "Convieted and discharged," said the Magistrate. Attacked by an Eel. An alarming experience which savoured of a sea serpent story, befel two Hamilton boys, John Iiardingham and Harold Gilbert, when they were out spearing flatfish in Cox's Bay, Raglan (says the Waikato Times). Notieing what appeared to be a log lying in the mud in shallow water, one of the boys thrust his spear into it. In a fiioment the water • was thrashed into foam as a hnge eel twisted and turned in a frantic endeavour to rid itself of the sharp barb. A sudden j erk, and the quar- i ter-inch steel spear was bent almost double, while the stout pole to which it was attached was torn from the young fisherman's hands. But instead of heading for deeper water the eel turned ferociously on the two boys, who made speedy tracks for the shore. The monster, which was at least eight feet in length, with a girth of six inches, then swam leisurely out to sea, Tobacco Export Regulations. Regulations controlling the export of New Zealand tobacco have been gazetted. It is provided that tobacco shall not be exported unless it is graded and rnarked with a registered export brand. Provision is made for grading cigarette tobacco in five grades, and each grade has fine, medium and good condition classes. The same range applies to pipe tobacco with the exception that the colouring prescribed in the various classes is different. Grading is to be determined by colour, textuie and condition. Aviation in N.Z. Aviation is steadily growing in New Zealand. There are now 24 aerodromes with hangar accommodation in the Dominion, 17 being in the North Island, and seven in the South. Altogether there are 87 fiying machines, and 62 of these are civil planes, 49 being in the North Island and 13 in the South. Of the total number of civil machines 32 are controlled by aero clubs. Aero clubs in active operation and engaged in the training of pupils number 17, of which eleven are in the North Island and six in the South. The Man We Want. During his recent visit to Kaikoura Mr. D. McDougall, M.P., was entertained for a few minntes by a clever sleight-of-hand artist, who produced half-crowns from thin air, and, by the mere muttering of an incantation, turned one florin into two, and then into four (reports the Marlborough Express). The member for Mataura observed the performance soundlessly and with growing amaz'ement. Then he reached out and seeured the performer by the lapel. "Mon," he said gravely in his broad Scots, "ye're the very mon George Forbes needs. Cam ye to Wellington, and yet can balance the Budget. It'll be noArouble to ye!" Worth Ten Millions. "I foresee considerable . developments in forestry in New Zealand. Our forests must be worth ten million ponnds, and yet it is quite on the cards that a disease might sweep them out in a few months' time. We must look forward to the establishment of an institute to wateh development and the possible use of the many by-products. Two side-lines for which I can see a future are turpentine and power alcohol, and the Dominion has quite enough timber to make both by-products on a large seale." — Dr. H. G. Denham, Professor of Chemistry at Canterbury College, at a gathering in Christclxnrch. Dogs Poisoned. Numbers of dogs have been poisoned in Otorohanga and district during recent weeks. Flockxnasters have been annoyed by dogs straying among the lambing ewes, and Itave taken drastic steps to combat the nuisance.