Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 15 May 1925, Page 8

Several shooting parties at the M airarapa lake report having lost a number of ducks through eels. One instance is reported and vouched for where three ducks were dragged under almost as soon as they touclied the water.

While shooting in the hack country, a Napier sportsman put up a young stag, which tried to jump a fence, and was caught by the top two wires. Die animal was trapped securely by a hind hoof, which was caught between twisie.t wires. The sportsman, who had designs on nothing bigger than quail, freed tho stag, which trotted away unhurt.

Fishing in the bay off N.apier has recently been poor as far as trawling activities are concerned. Schnapper and other round fish are scarce, and only flat fish .are being netted in any quantities. On account of the scarcity, the largest of tho Napier trawlers, the Norah Niven, was recently sent to Wellington to operate from there.

Fishing at tho mouth of the Wait,aliunui stream, Mr (Jemmell, of Wairoa, recently landed a trout weighing 201 b Boz (says the Taupe correspondent of the “Herald”). The fish was a male rainbow in magnificent condition, 33iii in length, 10m deep, and 27in in girth. It was taken on a small line with a fly, ,and is the largest rainbow so secured there this season. Mr Gemmoll landed a 15lb rainbow the previous day at the same place.,

April saw more financial failures in Hawke's Bay than there have been for many months (states an exchange). No fewer than seven persons sought the protection of the Bankruptcy Court during the month, there being an increase of three over the previous April. Thirteen petitions in bankruptcy were filed in Napier during the four months of the year, as against eight for the sanfe period of last year.

George Nelson Shore, who was found guilty or the theft of £3OO, the property of the Eastbourne Borough Council (Wellington), was sentenced to reformative treatment for two years. Mr Justice Ostler said the prisoner was ai master mind. The way in which his bank account grew made him think the prisoner had adopted some method of fraud not yet discovered. —(Press Assn).

“I would sooner catch two trout than half a dozen swordfish,” said Mr A.. P. Buchanan, of California, who has just completed an extensive fishing tour of the North Island. “Trout have a reasonable chance of getting away, and, my word, they arc game fish. I think it is far better sport to catch trout with a bunch of feathers than hook a swordfish.” Mr Buchanan said ho had done some sword fishing in Catalina, the famous American fishing resort.

Mr J. G. Gow, ex-school inspector, and a member of the Canterbury Education Board, writes suggesting that the leading article in last Monday’s issue of tho “Timaru Herald,” on tho death of the late Prime Minister of New Zealand (Hon. W. Ik Massey), should be printed in the next issue of the “School Journal,” or if that cannot b© done, arrangements should be made by which every child in New Zealand will receive a copy of it.

They grow hardy youngsters in tho King Country (Hates tho Taumarunui ; “Press”). On a recent morning as a local business man was coming to work he was stopped near the railway crossing by a bare-footed youngster, who asked him tho time. “Eight o’clock,” was the reply. “That’s good,” said the hoy, “I’ll be in plenty of time for school. X left homo at 6 o’clock, and have walked six miles.” “And do you have to walk home again from school?” inquired the man. “Yes, but I might get a horse soon,” was the hopeful youngster’s reply. During the municipal election campaign at Taihape (saps an exchange), the electors were somewhat amazed to read a letter published as an advertisement over the name of tho Mayor, on tho day before the election. Tho Mayor pleaded that the electors support the five councillors who were seeking re-election, but the letter caused something of a sensation, as on© part of it was worded as follows: “And if not over-endowed intellectually, they are at least honest and sincere, apd are all doing their best for the public weal.” Next morning a practical joker had parcels of sheep’s brains delivered to four of the five councillors n,amed in the letter, and a parcel of bullock’s brains delivered to tho Mayor.

No sooner have v,-g practically finished with one epidemic than, it would appear, we are about to be afflicted with another, that is, as far as Napier is concerned, where many complaints aro being made as to the increased number of rats that gre . descending upon householders. Local ironmongers and hardware dealers are being inundated with orders for rat poison and traps, and one dealer told a “Daily Telegraph” reporter on a recent morning that he had completely sold out of Ills stock of rat and mouse traps. _ It is said by an authority on the subject that the presence of such ,an unusual number of these rodents in tho e:tv is to be accounted for by the cold nights that have prevailed of late, which have driven the rats into town from the surrounding countryside.

That tho band of Maori War veterans is fast decreasing, was mentioned by Major F. W. Garner in Palmerston recently. At the time of the introduction of tho pensions system, of tho original band of 4000, inclusive of the 1000 friendly natives, who had fought in the wars, the..number alive had dwindled to some 2000, while at last September roll had shrunk to 4GO. Since that date probably 70 had passed away. Palmerston North possessed nine veterans, six of whom were over 80 years of age, four having attained the ripe ago of 86, and one 90 years.

The smoking carriage is no longer Sacred to man alone (says tho Levin “Chronicle”). Of 22 passengers in a second-class smoker on one of the slow trains a few days ago no less than 14 were women. This does not necessarily mean that they were all devotees of the soothing weed, but since some of the “flapper” type pave been travelling in the smoker for the sake of indulging in their recently acquired taste, wives now enjoy their husbands’ company on a railway journey, instead of being relegated to another carriage.

The Pleasant Point Gun Club will hold a shoot on Saturday next. Tho club, which commenced tho second season with a credit of £‘so, has purchased an automatic trap, capable of giving competitors a double use. A handsome cup lias been presented to bo shot for during the season, tbc member winning most of seven matches to bo the. winner. In addition, the president (Mr F. Neligan) lias doiy.tcd a valuable medal for tho highest aggregate during the season, and Mr W. Blackwood has offered a guinea for most first barrel “kills” during the sc.ason. The novel use to which red handerchiefs were put by a resourceful car driver probably saved the Edna 'Thomas Co., which played in Gore, several hours extreme discomfort. After appearing at Balclutha the night before (says the “Southland Times”), the company left by car for Gore, but owing to a particularly heavy fog, the driver found it difficult to proceed with any certainty. Tie therefore lift upon the novel idea of placing red handkerchiefs over the headlights, the result being that tho light was concentrated immediately on the road in front of the car. But for this device, tho driver stated that ho would not have continued 1 iis inurney until the fog had lifted, as white lights would net pene■‘jviia throuc u