LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Wairarapa sheepfarmer lias obtained 132 per eent of lambs from his blackfaced flock.

An octupus in a pool of water at Shelly Beach, Auckland, was killed -by two young boys on Sunday afternoon. Several burglaries hav taken place in Auckland city and suburbs during the past few days. For carrying a passenger on a motor cycle pillion fashion a young man was fined 15s, with costs 15s, at the Police Court at Wanganui.

The Southland Times states that no reasonable doubt remains that fish of the Atlantic salmon species (not trout) may be seen in the Waiau river. “Most of the good work we married men do is done by our wives, you know, really,”—Frank confession by a speaker as the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association.

Several country settlers report that quite an unusual number of “swaggers” are on the roads, most of them of a type superior to what is generally understood by the term. One station gave food and accommodation to 22 such travellers on one night.

The growing popularity of golf in New Zealand is evidenced by the fact that there are now ninety clubs affiliated with the New Zaland Golf Council. At the same time, there is a large number of small clubs which have not yet joined up. A children's dance, organised by the New Plymouth Croquet Club, was held at the Workers’ Social Hall on Saturday afternoon, when there was a good attendance of children in fancy dress. As the young ones circled the hall in the grand march, which opened the proceedings, their dresses made a varied and attractive picture. The music was supplied by Miss Kirkby, whilst the takings of the function amounted to £2O. No awards were made.

One by one Mr. “Pussyfoot” Johnson produced letters, at Saturday night’s meeting, from American State governors telling of the good effects of prohibition in the tracts of country under their control. “They all tell the same story,” was Mr. Johnson’s remark as he disposed of each letter. “Here’s one from the Governor of Nebraska —that’s where I got my wife—he tells the same story.” “And what sort of story did you tell her,” asked a wag in the crowd.

Just how “dry” America is was told by Mr. “Pussyfoot” Johnson to Saturday night’s meeting at New Plymouth. One place in the State was so dry, said Mr. Johnson, that people did not have enough moisture to lick the postage stamps and these had to be pinned on to the letters. Mr. Johnson could go one better -still. In another place he said it was so dry that fish swimming up streams left a trail of dust behind them. The last bit of evidence “Pussyfoot” produced to show the “terrible” effects of American dryness was a gem. On the first day of prohibition a man “who had been drunk for thirty years” arrived home sober, and not knowing him his own dog bit him! An alarm of fire was received by the New Plymouth Central Fire Brigade about 9.25 on Saturday evening. The brigade were very smartly on the scene of the outbreak], which had occurred at the residence of Mr. John Lye, Cutfield Road, near the intersection with Devon Street West. The fire was quickly

subdued. Two men who were standing at the corner of Powderham Street and Cutfield Road noticed flames bursting through the window of the house, which is a four-roomed wooden dwelling. A couch and chair were the only articles of furniture destroyed, whilst the scrim on one side of the room was burnt, the total damage being estimated at about £2O. The police investigations show that the fire apparently started iii a couch by the window where the flames were first noticed, and spread to the wall and curtain. The occupants were not at home at the time. The house was insured for £450, the furniture for £35 and the piano for £35, all the insurances being in the Phoenix Office.

Recently a valuable motor truck up the Manawatu line was completely burnt out in a very peculiar manner. The driver was buzzing along the road on a fine day with a quantity of flax for his load. He noticed people on the roadside waving rather excitedly to him, but thinking it was only a sort of passing .the time of the day to him he only waved back. Then the waves became more urgent, people pointing to the back of the vehicle. He looked round and found his load all ablaze. The cab was already burning and the petrol tank in danger. The driver immediately jumped and just in time. The truck ran on, hit a fence and set fire to it and did some damage before it burnt itself out. The outbreak was put down to loose ends of flax wrapping round the exposed portion of the back axle and being fired by friction. A second driver would probably have saved the vehicle from the total destruction that actually resulted. Special values in household goods at C. C. Ward's: 36in. pure longcloth, Is yard; colored roller towelling, 7d yard; all-wool Doctor flannel. Shetland and li»ht grey, 2/11 yard; 40in. apron checks (fast colors) 1/9 yard; a splendid range of cretonnes from 1/6 yard.

The Germs of Colds, Catarrh and-In-fluenza are having a great time. Fight them with Nazol 8

Transparent envelopes, which are in common use in the Dominion, are not accepted by the postal authorities in Australia. They are, however, accepted in the United States ana Britain.

A frost-fish 6 ft. long, 6 5-8 in. in girth, and weighing 13|1b., was picked up on the beach at Castlecliff, Wanganui, recently. The Wanganui Harbour Board has received advice that the efforts to effect’ the sale of the dredge Kaione in Australia have not been successful (says the Chronicle), and the vessel is therefore to be employed dredging the basin at Castlecliff.

“What policy is to be adopted if our Church is to maintain its hold upon the Maori people?” asked the Bishop of Waiapu when addressing the Waiapu Diocesan Synod. “Left to themselves they fall a prey to the exponents of all sorts of strange and phantastic cults engineered by the evil one.” “Fancy any two men, with only £7OO between* them, wanting to start in a business requiring £16,000 capital,” said Sir Robert Stout at Masterton on Friday, when addressing the jury. Such eases were an unfortunate feature of the purenase of farms in this country, he continued. A great number of people in the Waikato, Gisborne, and Hawkes Bay had been ruined by speculations of this nature.

Another example of the confidence placed in the financial status of New Zealand was forthcoming this week (writes a London correspondent on July 27th) when the £350,000 loan floated by the Auckland Electric Power Board met with immediate success. The list opened in the morning, and was closed only ten minutes later. For the amount offered to the general public the demand was so heavy that applicants got only 10 per cent, of what they applied for. Next day the scrip was quoted on 'Change at 3 1-8 per cent, premium.

“It is a pity it is not compulsory for push-bicycles to have a reflector on the back,” stated Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M.. at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court. “In my opinion the reflector is more important than the light on the front.” Motor-cars looming up behind, he continued. would than be able to see the bicycles more clearly. All push-bicycles, also, ought to be registered, as at present they used the streets and paid nothing, and they should be provided with bells.

■Speaking at the annual meeting of the Lyttelton Y.W.C.A., the Rev. W. Gray Dixon deplored the tendency among the young girls of to-day to be impolite. He thought the worst offenders were girl undergraduates at universities, who seemed to cultivate a spirit of independence, a kind of rough masculini which was free of gentleness, and was unbecoming, besides being distastful to the other sex. A comparison of the woman of New Zealand and of Australia was made. The Australian girls, said the speaker, struck him as a splendid type. They seemed to be shot through with the great and glorious sunshine of their country. They were piquant and well read, and in many respects ahead of their brothers, many of whom were not fit to wipe their sisters’ boots. They had no culture, and seemed to think of nothing but £.s.d. and sport, whereas the girls were artists, musicians, and women of letters. Here, in New Zealand, fortunately the position was different, and he believed the young men to be on a level with the young women so far as culture was concerned. What is claimed to be the first shipment of New Zealand grown lemons to Vancouver is reported to have opened in very satisfactory condition. The fruit was shipped by the Makura on her last voyage and created a very good impression, being stated to compare more than favourably in appearance and quality with the Californian -product. Some idea of the extent of the lemon industry in the province is gained from the fact that over 11,000 eases, representing the output of 100 growers, has been handled by one firm this year. It is stated that there is still plenty of room for improvement of quality, which can be best achieved in the grove by methods of culture, picking, pest control, and selection of a better type of tree. A second consignment by the Makura on her return from Sydney is contemplated. As regards strawberry supplies, which are expected to commence coming in toward the end of next month, the recent heavy rains should be beneficial, says the Auckland Hera.d. Though backward this year, the present conditions are ideal for advancing the vigour of the plants, which should yield a normal crop if weather conditions continue favourable. The aggregate production this year, however, will probably be considerably less than usual, on account of the large shortage of young plants. The only possibility of an average output is an abnormal crop from the plants under cultivation. This, of course, is not anticipated, though weather conditions play an important part in producing quality as well as quantity, provided the plant is good.

A Palmerston North visitor to Wellington thus describes the accomplishments of the fox terrior in the home of her hostess. When the worker returns at the close of the day, his slippers are carried to the fender by the little dog, one at a time, and the discarded boots placed in their cupboard in the same way. At meal times, a paper is spread upon the floor;' and his tin plate laid upon it by the dog. He sits up and salutes each visitor like a soldier. He sings a mournful ditty for a crust, or barks his requests for more food or a drink. He brings the morning paper from the far gate, and on wet days watches for its delivery, and prevents it from being damaged by water. All this and more he acquired in a few months’ tuition.

A Patea resident, while in Auckland the other day, purchased a gramaphone record and was carrying it under his arm when he went to board the train. He was greatly surprised when accosted by a railway official who wanted to know what was in the parcel, and who, on being informed, told the man from Patea that he would have io pay excess on it. Remonstrances were of no avail, so the traveller said he would leave the parcel behind. He then went off the station and quietly obscured the record, and it is now doing good service in his home, and the money-losing Department is still short of its little item of excess.

A retired British admiral told Mr. Duigan, president of the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society, during a conversation at Tokaanu, that it was cheaper for him to come out to New Zealand to indulge in his favourite sport of fishing than to go to Scotland. He said that the wealthy Americans who cross the herring pond have driven away the British sportsman of moderate means by simply outbidding him for positions and by raising the cost of vshing on the Scotch lochs.

The Severest Cold on .the Chest is overcome by the proper use of Naeol. S

The Whangarei Hospital Board has received a writ for £2OOO in connection with alleged negilenee during an operation performed two years ago on a woman patient named Huyton. The writ was accepted by the board and notice given to defend.

Whjeti a request came before the Patea County Council the other day for a contribution towards the blind the chairman (Mr. Gibb's) said the Council was not in a position to contribute, but he thought the councillors could put in ling allowance for the day and send it ih as a donation. He then asked for a motion in that direction, but his suggestion was received with stony silence, and after a short interval the chairman passed on to the next business. Later, over a nice dinner, the councillors reconsidered the matter and subscribed £B.

Cases of theft of 'an original character have recently been experienced by a Wellington grocer in a big way of ■business, who delivers his orders by motor-van. In a great many cases (says the Dominion) the orders which are received in the mornings are made up and sent out in the afternoons, and are frequently left on doqrsteps ..in the absence of everyone from home. In several of such cases the have mysteriously disappeared, and the only erplanation is that they were stolen, evidently by some person or persons who had kept a “tag” on the house. All such people had to do was to knock at the door several times to make quite sure no one was in, and failing any response, to pick up and walk off with the parcel. A sharp look-out is being kept for offenders of the kind.

A Manawatu Standard representative, in conversation with a district farmer, was informed t’ t future prospects are very bright. The wonderfully mild late winter has provided a heavy supply of grass; the early spring assisted in a big measure towards high percentages in lambing; the markets at Home are showing every prospect of reaching a high level —butter is firm and wool better than expected—while the glut of produce which previously stagnated the markets has been cleared, with the happy result that meat export buyers will now find a more competitive field. Whereas only two firms were competing in tne open field last year, the coming season would find business operating with its old-time spirit. “During my thirty-eight years’ experience of prison administration I have seen many changes. I am. However, satisfied that the present-day method of employing men outside prison-walls on farms and in roadmaking camps, and in many instances without direct supervision. is having a good effect upon the men themselves.” states Mr. M. Hawkins, Inspector of Prisons, in his annual report to the Minister. “The rifle and the baton have given place to firm but kindly supervision; and, speaking from personal experience, the change has been for the better, not only in the case of prisoners but also in regard to the officers themselves. As a result the relations between prisoners and officers have improved enormously, hened the almost total absence of complaints.”

Two black swans who live in the river near the Manchester Street Bridge, Christchurch, receive their daily bread from a nature-loving bootmaker whose establishment fronts the river on Oxford Terrace. Regularly at appointed intervals during the day the swans leave their nest by the water’s edge and waddle up the bank and solemnly cross the road quite undismayed and unperturbed by the passing traffic. They station themselves in the side-channel opposite the boot shop, and if their food is not already there they wait patiently and with certain hope until it appears. Gn occasions they are joined by a cat and a small dog, and the company then co-operate in a friendly dinner party. At all feeding times interested spectators stop to watch. To-night at 8 o’clock in Messrs. May and Arrowsmith’s Tea Rooms the usual weekly lecture of the local Business Science Circle will be held. The subject announced for to-night is the “Mental Law of Sale.” Mr. Wylie will also give some interesting character analysis data.

The Justices are holding their next meeting on Thursday, 21st inst., to finally decide on their constitution and confirm rules, etc. It is hoped there will be a full attendance.