LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1928, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawks are very numerous in Southland at present. At Otapiri the hawks have changed their diet, having been consistently robbing fowls’ nests much to the perturbation of the hens. Hunger has probably made the hawks bold for they recently ousted from a paddock near Makarewa the countless number of seagulls which are usually assembled there.

“It is impossible to trade solely within the Empire,” said Sir Alexander Roberts at a meeting of the Wellington branch of the Navy League when the question of supporting an Empire shopping week was being considered. “It is even impossible to run successfully a store trading only jn British goods,” he said. “For some time past an attempt hag been made to establish an Empire store jn London, but I heard by the last mail that it has been found impossible.”

Tlie necessity for extreme caution in the handling of benzine cannot be too strongly emphasised, remarks the New Zealand Herald. Early last week a resident of Epsom suffered severe burns to arms and hands through the handling of a dish of burning benzine. The benzine was being used by a woman in what appeared io be a safe position, but in the adjoining room, more than ten feet distant, an enclosed fire in a water-heating system was burning. Apparently the fumes were drawn toward the fire, as with startling suddenness the benzine burst into flames, singeing the hair of the woman and threatening the house. In coping with the situation the husband received burns to arms and hands.

“■One is almost afraid to whisper the question of the suppression of a name in these days,” said a defending lawyer in the Dunedin Police Court, as a prelude to a formal application for the suppression of his client’s name. “Why do you make that statement?” asked the magistrate, Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., sharply. "Well, after all the press comment that his taken place,” began the counsel. ‘Tress comment may be made about anything,” interjected the magistrate. “However, in the case before the Court—that of a girl 21 years of age, who is charged with theft —the application for the suppression of the name is definitely in her own interests.” The order for suppression was made. In the hurry of Americans to get things done, Professor A. B. Fitt, of Auckland, found on a visit to America last year there was some lack of thoroughness. He saw on many hands signs of uncompleted tasks, and considered that it might be just an indication of the everlasting I'estlessness of the people. Still, there remained some touches of “Old England” away in odd corners, and people were to bo met who were quite Fnglish in life and sentiment. As a whole the Americans were a law-abiding race—even more so than Australians and New Zealanders. There was a noticeable pride in self-achieve-ment, and this provided a lesson for people of our country giving them reason for more pride in their works and reliance upon themselves and their Dominion.

“Make the railways pay!” is one of the mottoes that the railway staffs have had flaunted in their faces for some time now,” says the Lyttelton Times. Other slogans have been invented which indicate that economy is needed. This wave of economy has had many efleets, but the latest one is regarded as the last word. Travelling officers of senior rank are allowed a certain fixed sum if they are away from their homes for a night, but if they are away for part of a day they are allowed actual expenses or meals. So a new circular has been prepared, which states that officers, instead of having meals at hotels, should take sufficient food with them from their homes. "They’ll be issuing us with nosebags shortly,” declared a prominent officer recently,

Nineteen weddings took • place in New Plymouth yesterday, it is reported. Easter-time is surely wedding-time. An assault of Mr. C. P. Granger, it is alleged, took place at Moturoa on Saturday afternoon. Inquiries in the locality have so far failed to reveal the assailant.

The following is an extract from the annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce: —“The excursions of Government and local bodies into trading ventures still give great concern to private enterprise owing to the unequal nature of this competition and the relief that Government and local holy trading enterprises enjoy from general taxation and local rating. Business people have expected that this problem would have received a larger share of attention from a Government whose election was greatly influenced by the slogan ‘less Government in business and mere business in Government.’ ” “This is the first time a Minister of the Crown has ever visited the Great Barrier Island,” said Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. 8. Williams, in the course of the Minister's visit to the island, leports the New Zealand Herald. “I hope, sir,” continued Mr. Savage, “that you have realised during yoor visit that it is not merely a place on which ships get wrecked.” Mr. Williams was quick to assure the speaker that this impression had been removed from his mind. He said he had been surprised at the extent and potentialities of the island, which, when viewed in tin distance from passing steamers, did not always give the impression that it was an extensive and well-favoured area. “The Vancouver and San Francisco mail contract steamers continue to perform their trips with regularity, and the mails between New Zealand and Great Britain are received and dispatched with little or no delay,” states the annual report of the WelHngtoil Chamber of Commerce. “The average times occupied during the year in the transmission of mails dispatched to and from Great Britain by the Vancouver and San Francisco routes were as follow:—Auckland to London (via Vancouver), 31 days; London to Auckland (via Vancouver), 31 days; Wellington to London (via San Francisco), 30 days; London to Wellington (via San Francisco), 30 days. The Vancouver and San Francisco contracts expire on March 31, 1920. Action will shortly bo taken to arrange new contrasts as from April 1 following.”

During the year 1927, 772 petitions for dissolution of marriage (including five for nullity) were filed. This number was 17 less than in 1926, and has been exceeded on five occasions—viz., in 1920 <76S), 1921 (796), 1924 (708), 1925 (723), and 192(5 (739). The number of decrees nisi (629) has been exceeded on only two occasions, the greatest number recorded in a single year being 660 in 1921, followed by 651 in 1924. The number of decrees absolute (540), while 74 less than the record total for 1926, is also the third highest on record. Separation for a period of not lees than three years ranked as the principal ground on which petitions for dissolution of marriage were filed in 1927, followed by desertion and adultery. The last-mentioned is still the principal ground so far as petitions by husbands are concerned, states the Abstract of Statistics.

Vice-Admiral Sir William Creswell, formerly of the Royal Austrajjan Navy, in a letter to the Times, denies the contention that' Australians prefer to appoint their own Governors. “We are sportsmen in Australia, and therefore 1 appreciate the importance of an umpire who has not been a member of any of the political teams in the field. It is admitted that the competence of Australians does not enter the question, but the number of people who are qualified for the position is limited in our comparatively small community, while none could be free from local ties, to exclude the possibility of innuendo, says Sir William. "British-appointed Governors,” ho adds, "remain a tangible link between England and Australia. They leave us with mutual regret, and thereafter are every ready to speak for ns abroad. The system works excellently, and is favoured by all instructed opinion,” ... Of red deer stalking in the region at the back of Otago a most encouraging report was secured from Mr. K. W. Dalrymple, of Bulls, by a- Dunedin Star representative. He and Mr. John Deans, of Coalgate, have just returned from a three weeks’ excursion into the deer country. Entering it from Makarora (Lake Wanaka), a 30-n»le ride and a 20-mile walk took them to the Landrfborough Valley, which is over the boundary and in the Westland province. There they sighted over fifty red deer, and found traces of many more. What pleased them was to note tho email percentage of malforme, and those that were seen were not badly malformed. Their trophies of tho expedition are not anything out of J* 6 v/ay—all smallish heads except a thir-teen-pointer—but they spotted a fir-teen-pointer which could not be got at, and any number of good deer, very fat and active, betokening excellent condition. The Landsborough Valley itself is rough and difficult. The country generally is, however, shootable, and Mr. Dalrymple is so pleased with this, his first excursion into it, that he has fully made up his mind to return next season.

Exception to the statement made by Mr. H. G. Ell at a public meeting that much of the vandalism at Arthur’s Paes has been done by railway excursionists, is taken by Mr. H. C. Guinness, assistant railway traffic manager (says the Lyttelton Times). “We admit,” says Mr Guinness, “that when we first started the railway excursions some people brought back arms full of ferns and other plants, but we could not prevent that being done. The Railway Department now sends up a man with each party of excursionists, and these officials point out to the excursionists that ferns and other plants growing in the Arthur’s Pass region will not grow in the city. Now, very little trouble is experienced.” Mr. Guinness pointed out that the Railway Department in the last twenty-two months had taken 30,000 excursionists to Arthur's Pass and Otira, ami if Mr. Ell’s statement was correct the countryside would be praetieally denuded. He expressed the opinion that much of the vandalism now complained of was done m the old coaching days. He could remember people arriving at Halpin Creek, Cass and Broken River, loaded with great quantities of daisies and lilies during the season, and apparently no exception was taken at that time. At the present time very little stuff was taken away by railway excursionists. Buy your Easter Hat, Frock, or Coat now at The Hustlers, as we have just opened up a choice stock of Autumn and Winter Goods. These we are marking al very low prices. Now is the time to save money on your purchase®. The Hustlers. Devon Street.