NEAR AND EAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 January 1932, Page 4

NEAR AND EAR

"No Gumption." "The man who used the grader across the desert road from Tokaanu to Waiouru does not seem to have used any gumption at all. He has piled the spoil all up^on the one side. It is a delightful trip, but- it is spoilt by the elumsy and crude way in which the Publie Works Department is having the road attended to/hsaid' a; well known business man from Pahiatua, when speaking to a reporter pj, the Taihape Times. Big Swamp Fires. Billowing smoke, which overcast the sky, assisted by a light south-wes-tsrly breeze, drove over Thames re- ' eently. The annual Swamp fires in the peat country at the western end ' of the Hauraki Plains were in progress, hut died down- towards mght. . So far as can be ascertained at present, no particular damage has been sustained. Paper To Cease Publication. After 55 years' = existence, the "Temuka Leader," the tri-weekly newspaper, will cease publication at the end of February, says the Temuka Post. The decision to close down the paper was made known recently, when members of the staff were verbally notified that their employment would be terminated at the end of next month. Economic conditions and competition from papers in other eehtres, have combined to "clinch the decision to close down. The. paper was established as the "Temuka Leader and Geraldine Guardian" by Mr. 1 Joseph Ivess in 1877, and was subsequently sold to Mr. Alexander Wilson, who in turn disposed of his interests to Colonel Hayhurst in 1913. On the latter's death the paper passed to his widow, who, though having no interests in journalism, carried it On until now because it represented i a local industry. j Melbourne Tramcars 'Designed to improVe the riding • qualities and to incorporate the most recent developments in tramcar construction, six new tramcars have been built by the Melbourne Tramw^ys Board at the Preston workshops and are now in service, says the "Argus." These trams have been built to the same general outline as the board's standard car. The bodies are of steel, electrically welded, with timbered interior facing. More than 2| tons in weight has thus been saved, with a corresponding reduction in power } consumption. The windows have been made larger, with louvre blinds. The j bogies are of new design with extra long leaf springs, instead of helical springs, following motor car practice. Larger wheels have permitted improved braking. Tests have demonstrated that the improved design has resulted in much quieter operation. With the exception of the Westinghoiise brake equipment, Australian i materials have been Used throughout.

Aeroplanes as Hearses. Mr. Charles L. Reade, speaking at an undertakers' meeting held recently at Boston, Massachusetts, declared that aeroplanes will supplant motorcars as the funeral coaches of the future. Government authorities, predicted Mr. Reade, will set aside large burying grounds as far as possible from centres of population, and the aeroplane will be the logical conveyance to use. ; Girls' Unusual Occupation. What is the most unusual occupation •I for a girl ? A strong bid for the j world's championship in this direction j is made by Dr. Anne Reed, director j bf the Student Personnel Bureau of I New" York University, on behalf of j certain students at that university j who are helping to pay their way l through college. "Several of our ) girls at New York University," says j Dr. Reed, "have jobs as 'chop-watch-i ers.' A 'chop-watcher' supervises j chefs as they cook chops in restaurants and caf eterias to see that ' the proper brown is obtained on the surface of the' chop." Does anyone know oi a more unusual . occupation for a girl? Loder H/orticultural Cup. Every year horticulturists compete for the Loder Cup, which whs presented to the Government by Gerald Loder, president of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain. The present holders of the cup, Messrs. Benfxett and Sons, of Nortli-east Valley, have prepared a most imprpssive display of over 800 varieties of New Zealand native plants in a'n attempt to hold the coveted prize for Otago at the present competition in Christchurch. All plants exhibited must be in the possession of the exhibitor for not less than five months before the competition, and it may be mentioned that some of the plants to be shown by the Dunedin men are the results of years of cultivation. Relief Workers in Cars. The Foxton Unemployment Committee investigated at a recent meeting two cases of relief workers driving to work in cars. In one instance it was alleged that a man on the No. 5 scheme had a wife who was milking eight cows and whose son and a boarder were contributing to the household expenses. It was stated that there was a wireless and two dars in ihe family. It was decided to suspend the man forthwith pending the signing of a declaration. In another case, of a man who drove to work, it was stated that he resided in another district, but came to work at Foxton "because he preferred to work with a gang that worked instead of with a gang of loafers." Perdltion. ' "We prefer to go to perdition ori our own horses, and in our own way, rather than be driven in a closed coach by the Treasury," stated Mr. H. D. Acland, president of the New Zealand Slieepowners' Feder'atiori, at Methven recently, when criticising the establishment of the exchange pooh