HERE AND THERE IN NEW ZEALAND

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 300, 3 December 1936, Page 6

HERE AND THERE IN NEW ZEALAND

GLEANINGS OF DOMINION NEWS.

Gold Fever at Eighty. That gold fever attacks the old as well as the young was instanced recently when Mr. J. Botting, of Mataura, who is well over 80 years of age, with his cradle and gold dish, took the train for Queensland. From Queensland Mr. Botting cycled to his claim, which is several miles away. In. conversation with, an acquaintance while waiting for .the train, Mr. Botting said that he intended “having m shot” at the gold before he became too old to do so. Full of enthusiasm, he is quite confident that success Will attend his efforts. Gisborne Air Mails. Residents of Gisborne are to enjoy a new mail service in the near future, the' Post and Telegraph Department having arranged for the carriage of mails by the machines of East Coast Airways, Limited, on the Gisborne-Napier route. Only first-class mails, comprising letters and packets, will be dealt with in the air-ma’il despatches, and despatches, and details of the proposed serivce are not yet ready for publi- j cation. The proposed time-table of the East Coast Airways machines calls for departures from Gisborne at 6.45 a.m. and 2.45 p.m.; and from Napier at 9 a.m. and 5.15 p.m., on the summer schedule. The trip in either direction will average one hour, and mails posted late at night in Gisborne will be able to catch the early plane to Napier, and connect with the Wellington express. On Sundays there will be a morning service each way, but no afternoon dispatches.

No. 5 Scheme. At a meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council last week, the Mayor, Mr. C. R. Petrie, M.P., read an extract from a circular which foreshadowed the end of No. 5 schenie. The extract( read: “As there is now very little difference between Scheme 5 rates of relief and the increased sustenance rates which operate as from November- 30, a number of men on Scheme 5 will prefer to be transferred to sustenance; Such a transfer will be effected as expeditiously as circumstances will allow and arrangements are being made to close down all Scheme 5 works as soon as possible.” / Pending further information, the matter was not discussed, but it seems that there will be many men anxious to change over. One case was reported where a man working two days 20 minutes a week gets 2/3 per week less than he would get by going on sustenance and not working at all.

Ragwort Eradication. In , the opinion of many farmers in the Auckland district the rate of wages fixed for men employed on j private farms in the eradication of ragwort at £4 a week is too high, and it will result in farmers dispensing with this class of labour. The labour is subsidised, the Government subsidy beinng £2/5/- a week for married men and £l/10/- for single men. Farmers using this type of labour are allowed 17/6 a week for the men’s keep, and are required to find the balance of £l/12/6 for single men and 15/- for married men. The class of labour was ranked officially as A2 men, farmers pointed out, which comprised men not fit for heavy work. In those circumstances, it seemed absurd to pay such .men the sabie rates as those fixed for Public Works employees, who were classed as fit for any work. Further, it was stated that farmers did not think it equitable that they should have to pay more for a single man than for a married man, each of whom would give the same return in labour. It was little wonder that dismissals of men engaged in clearing out ragwort were becoming general. It seemed likely that, as a result, the pest might spread again where it had been partly eliminated.

Unusual Animal Pals. A unique and charming study in animal life may be seen at a service station at Putiki, where an Alsatian dog acts as foster-parent to a young opossum. The latter appears thoroughly to enjoy the protection of the larger animal, and rides about on its back, at the same time eating an apple. Such the opossum happen to stray too near the road traffic, the dog carefully chases it back to safety.

Newspaper Publicity. The view that newspapers are still the basic, vehicles for the dissemination of information was expressed by Mr. F. C. Spratt, at the meeting of the New Zealand Road /Safety Council. “There is an impression that other methods are superseding the newspapers, but the adult education and propaganda committee feels that newspapers are still the basic vehicles for the dissemination of information,” he said. “Newspapers are the public’s library.”

£40,000 PROFIT. Produce Company’s Splendid Year. Press Association —Copyright. Christchurch, Last Night. The annual report of the Canterbury - Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Co., Ltd., states that the nett profit for the year, after making provision for depreciation, is £41,119 8s Id. From the amount brought forward from last year a sum of £3OOO has been deducted for an additional dividend paid during the year to preference shareholders by order of (the Supreme Court. The balance, added to the nett profit for the year, makes an amount at the credit of the profit and loss> account of £45,308 7s 3d. Out of this £lO,OOO has been added to the general reserve fund and £12,000 to the renewal reserve fund, and after such appropriation there remains £23,308 7s 3d, which dir/ctors propose should be dealt .with as follows: Dividend of 6 per cant, oni preference shares, £6000; payment of dividend of 7 per cent, on ordinary shares, £7875; carry forward £9443 7s 3d. The directors who are retiring are Messrs John Deans and John Grigg, who > offer themselves for re-election.

City Council To Purchase Milson Aerodrome. 0 Palmerston North, Last Night. A. proposal to raise £20,000 by way of loan to enable the Palmerston North City Council to purchase Milson aerodrome for ithe purposes of a municipal drohie was carried by a majority of only 137 votes at a poll ■to-day. The voting was: For, 1039; against, 902.

Arrest Of Motorist Follows Death Of Cyclist.

Press Association —Copyright. Whakatane, Last Night. As a sequel to .the death of a cyclist, Augustus Frederick Moore, on Poroporo Road on *the evening of; October 19 the police to-day arrested Peter Paul, a Maori, on three charges that being the driver of »a motor vehicle on the Whakatane-Awakerii Road he failed to stop when an accident arising from the use of ‘the vehicle occurred, that he negligently drove a motor vehicle, thereby causing the death of Moore, and that he was in charge of a motor vehicle while in a stake of intoxication. On the application of the police Paul was remanded until Wednesday next.

Bad Case Of Sustenance Fraud. 0 — Press Association —Copy'right. Hastings, Dec. 2. Stating that it 'was a bad case, the magistrate, Mr J. Miller, to-day imposed a fine of <£>l2 on Archibald Edward Ferguson, who wrongfully received £9 17s (Id sustenance by omitting to declare the earnings of his wife.