GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 March 1926, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Good progress is being made with tie* work of erecting the fish hatchery i Temuka. One advantage that would be derived from the lower prices being obtained for New Zealand lamb was the saving of a urea ter number of ewe lambs for breed mu purposes, stated Mr Adam Hami'ton during the course of an address at (hue. ‘"Wo want, a Minister of Love as well ns a .Minister of .bauds,” said a bachelor at a. haui|U< ( to Ihc Ihime Ministm- iu ihe miith, in pinpnsbig iho loast of '‘'fhc Radios.” “The Minister you want is a parson," promptly relorled the chairman. Prospects for the iniiUou-birdiiig season, which opens on Ajnil i, are bright according In a parly of 'Natives whom Captain Rodorique, in command of the ketch Waterlily, has just taken to the South. Capa Island. On brine; landed the .Maoris ieporle.l that (lie birds were plentiful and in good condition.

A cable message from Sydney reports that the New Zealand tennis team were passengers by the Munganui. They will bo given a civic welcome by the Lord Mayor on Wednesday.

Information received from the Public Hospital last evening was to the effect that the condition of the young man Douglas Christie, who was injured in the collision on the Point Hoad oil Saturday evening, shows slight improvement.

The dry weather is evidently having a very serious effect in the Hawke’s Hay district. A visitor to that district says:—On the East Coast for miles not a blade of grass is to be seen, and in many places there are evidences of the willows and poplars having been cut down for feed.

The last of the s tone required to compete the metalling of the East Coast road, between Gisborne and Tolaga Biiy was carted out yesterday, ensuring the comp etion oft lie most extensive roadmaking undertaking carried out in the Domin.on in the course of one season.

Word has been received that Mr Jas. Koberts, witii Guide Clem Williams, climbed the Hock Peak, next to Edgar Thompson, a height of 63'12ft. on March Id; also Jamieson’s Saddle, between Edgar Thompson and Lloyd Peak, a height of 5152 ft. on March 21. .

The ship John Wieldiffe, the first of the two vessels that brought out tho pioneers of Otago Settlement, arrived at Port Chalmers on March 23, ISIS. Yesterday was therefore the seventy-eighth anniversary of the founding of the settlement. —(Press Assn.)

“My only vice is tobacco,” said a debtor under examination in the Supreme Court at Auckland, before Mr Justice Herdman. “It costs me 6s a week,” “Smoking,” observed His Honour smilingly, “is not a vice.” Ho did consider, however, that tho weekly expenditure upon tobacco was rather large.

An interesting arrival at Auckland by tho Athenic was “Sultan,” a fine Groat Dane dog (says the New Zealand “Herald.” Although only a year old, the dpg is unusually intelligent. He has 1 “acted” in several pictures made in England. During the voyage ho was a. great favourite with the. children. Two sheep dogs of high breeding, two Alsatian dogs, and two valuable Siamese cats also arrived bv the Athenic.

An extraordinary situation has arisen in connection with a Wanganui local body’s negotiations over the rent of a section it owns. The tenants originally offered a, sum which was considered too low, and it was agreed that arbitration should decide the issue. The •arbitrators disagreed, so an umpire was called upon, and his decision was a price much lower than the tenant’s first offer. This the local body declined to accept, while the tenants refused to pay more. The result is that the parties are still bargaining.

A meeting is to ha held in Timaru at an early date with a view _to the establishment, of a Herd Testing Assedation here. These Associations have resulted in great gain to dairy farmers wherever they have been formed, ami there is no reason why they should not be equally profitable here, in some cases they have been tho means of showing that dairy fanners, by discarding their “boarder” cows could keep ton good ones which would give them a return equal to that which they hud been getting from twenty cows which had not been tested or culled.

Penetrating rain accompanied by fitful gusts of cold wind, swirling unpleasantly through the streets and around corners yesterday, provided Timavu with its first taste of winter. Commencing about mid-day with light showers, the rain increased appreciably in volume as the day wofe on, and towards evening fairly heavy rain was lulling to the obvious discomfort of those homeward hound. With conditions settling in for a typical winter’s night, it was obvious that allurements of home and fireside would far outweigh any other inducement to brave the elements, this being borne out ill tho small attendances at tho various meetings and functions arranged for the evening. Up till ten o’clock last night £3l [mints had been registered for the day.

Particulars of loan transactions of the Public Trust Office and nerv business reported during the month of l<'obruary, supplied by the Prime Minister, show that new loans were paid out to the amount of £169,179, making a. total paid- out during the present - financial year since Ist April last of £2,841,960. In the same period new loans were granted amounting to £75,420. New loans granted but not yet paid amount to £768,003, and loans offered being less than the full advances applied for amount to £BI,OOO —a. grand total of £849,003. There nro further applications for loans to bo considered, and these amount to £516,025. In the same period the value of ilie estates reported for administration was £326,887, making the total of tlie new business since Ist April hist £4,217,120. The number of wills deposited for safe custody was 406, bringing the total number of wills ■held on behalf of living testators to 48,-196.

That repair work to the Rangitatn. bridge should be delayed until after Easter was the request made to the County engineer (Mr A. A. Rooks) by a deputation from the Ashburton committee bf the Canterbury Automobile Association. The deputation pointed out that the hours for closing the bridge, namely, 8 a.m. to noon, and i p.m. to 5 p.m., would be most inconvenient for travelling motorists, c-'pecially those from Christchurch and the North Island and those returning from the Dunedin Exhibition. Mr Kooks explained that the delaying of tiie work was no small matter, as he had already engaged gangs of experienced men to carry out the work. It was decided to throw iho bridge open for light motor traffic from 5 p.m. on ihe Thursday preceding Easter until 8 a.m. o-i the following Wednesday. Mr Kooks, however, states that I lie planks of the bridge will he loose, and the phblio are requested to travel slowly over it. Men will he .stationed ai, the bridge, and should anyone attempt to speed, the bridge will be ccmplctely closed. People will travel evef the bridge entirely at their own risk...

Tn conformity with a resolution passed by the Timani Borough Council, His Worship the Mayor (Mr G. J. Wallace) is endeavouring to have a special train run from Timani to Dunedin at an early date, at excursion rates, so as to allow oilmens of the town who have not, visited the Dunedin 'Exhibition the opportunity of doing so before the Exhibition is brought to a close. Yesterday morning the Mayor interviewed the station-master (Mr S. Andrews) with a view to having a special train run on Saturday next, but the .stationmaster pointed out that owing to the short notice, .and the fact that another train, from Christchurch, would berunning on Saturday morning, he did not lliink tlie Department would bo agreeable lo running an additional excursion Irani Timani that day. He could a'nin.sf promise, however, that if sufficient local support was forthcoming, the veninro might he carried into oneralion oil the first Saturday after Easter (April 10), when a train could leave Timani, say, about 6 a.m., and arrive at Dunedin about 10 a.m. A full day could lie put in at tlie Exhibition, and tlie return journey could be Made r.t 11 p.m.. arriving at Timaru about 3 a.m. on Sunday.

“Those who speak of Danish competition forget that it takes 25 Danes to produce as much as one New Zealand iarmer,” was a statement made by Mr A. Nicol at the meeting of dairy cone panv representatives at Palmerston North last week. “You are wrong, replied a Shannon delegate. Why, J tell vou,” said Mr Nicol returning to tho attack, “that in Denmark a Dane and his wife and family milk six cows, and nbt far from here I know of a- returned soldier who is milking 45.

“Present wool prices do not give a very satisfactory return to the back country farmer,” said a North Island grazier. He said ruling rates ielt voiy Rttle over for improvements to rough country of the class to be found 21) miles or more inland from Wanganui. Although wool prices had - fallen > as much as 50 per cent., grass seed was still dear, and its price showed no sign of falling. What with construction of buildings and fences, and tho sowing of grass seed, prices were not at all what eoukl be wished for.

Swaggers are generally not loath to accept lifts from passing motorists — only too rarely are they offered the luxury—but occasionally they learn to prefer more familiar methods of locomotion. This was demonstrated to a motor salesman taking a car to tho Waverly Show. He picked up a tramp by the wayside, but his “cornering” was so advanced and artistic that at the bottom of the first hill the passenger requested that he be Set down again.

On the mixed trains oil the Wanga-nui-Hawera section- goods traffic has increased, which is a good thing for tiie Department. On the other hand, passenger traffic, owing to motor competition, lias fallen off to a negligible quantity. These trains nowadays are almost invariably late. For instance, tho train which’ left Wanganui at 8.30, trundled into Waverley shortly before 11 o’clock. Plenty of time en route to view the scenery and iifteen minutes at Waitotara to note how the pukeko are increasing in the sivamp.

“You cannot give a guarantee of 100 per cent safety,” said Mr J. R. Templin, engineer, when the Wanganui-Ran-gitikei Power Board was discussing safety devices to prevent Joss of life owing to breakage of live wires. Mr Tempiin made certain recommendaiions of a technical nature, which would give 60 per cent, safety, at least. This was better than nothing. He recommended especially that all wire fences crossed by feeder lines should be earthed. This w»B a valuable safety measure.

A good story was related by the Rev. J. Ernest James at the Congregational Union meeting at Auckland. He was referring to churches “so cultured that they had no time for the common people.” The minister of such a place went on vacation, his pu'pil was filled b.y a “popular” preacher and the church was so crowded that at one service two sons of the absent minister had to sit on the pulpit steps. One remarked to the other; “Wait till father comes back, lie will son get rid of this crowd.” “Yes, and he did,” added Mr James.

Staff-Captain Holmes, in charge of the Salvation Army’s Boys’ Home, Tomuka, writes: —“On behalf of the boys of tho Bramwell Booth Home, Tomuka, and myself, we desire, through the columns of your paper, to thank the friends who gave donations to make it possible for us to go to the Exhibition Tho boys had a really good time. The educational instruction they received will bo a lasting bcnelit, and will help them in years to come. Wo are very grateful to the public for subscribing so liberally. We also appreciate the thought! mness of tne promoters of this effort.’

An erstwhile athlete lias pointed outthat 11. A. Rose’s marvellous long <Uslance performances may be due to brachvcordia. Brachycordia is a medical term for “slowness ot tho pulse, the rate of the pulse being sometimes as low as 40 per minute in perfect health. Rose’s average pulse rate is 54. Brachycordia may bo pathologic ot physiologic, as it is undoubtedly with Rose, and it would seem natural to suppose that a braeliycordic athlete would have greater reserve power than an athlete with a heart beating at the usual rate. This may account to a great extent for Rose’s wonderful staying powers. It would be interesting io know what Nurmi’s normal pulse rate is.

What must be tlie oldest motor ear still iu commission in the Manawatu was seen in Palmerston Nortn. ns manufacture probably antedates 19U0. \ twin cveliiuler of British make, it had many characteristics of interest to the modern motorist. Iho bonnet, which was made of galvanised iron, concealed nothing, for the engine was located under tlie seat and was started up bv means of a handle situated midway along tiie footboard. On tlie otliei side of the car the magneto was exposed, presumably for convenience mmakine- adjustments. The differential was of‘'immense proportions—tar arger Mian the present day type-and the benanio tank was built outwards from the dashboard towards tho steering column, resembling a s’oping table top. Hie oiilJ conventional feature was the nuhatoi. ft speaks volumes for the quality o* metal put into cars in those days that, the motor in question is easily started and only recently did a .-0-milerun with a 2601 b bale of wool tied on to its back. Tho owner states that lie has sufficient confidence in the machine to consider building a new body on it.

It is indicated that there will be an even larger number of beginners on tho local golf links during tlie coming season than in previous years Many of these will be in doubt as to the most suitable equipment to procure. A visit to England, Mcßae, Ltd., will dn-pd all doubts, as the new player— am the expert also—can always be '?, obtaining tlie correct clubs, balls, c-uld> bag, and other equipment at the liorrressive Hardware Store. A nnci assortment than ever is on view tlicro this year. ...