GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 7 April 1926, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Mails which loft Wellington on March *2, per the Tahiti, via San Francisco, arrived in London on April 1,

A cable message from London announces that Mr James Francis liyains, of Chicestor, and formerly of’Dunedin, loft .C29,3G9.

Air AY. H. Orbell/of Levels; had the misfortune to lose one of his best polo ponies, “The Limit,” this week. ..'The pony was found in tbe paddock 'with its neyk broken, but bow this happened nobody knows. 1,

More grey ducks have been reared on tin* ornamental waters in Tiriiaru Dark -this season than ever before, and the birds are unusually tame.

Tim attendance .at,,the .Exhibition on Aldmlay broke ' all <• records, 51,323 entering the grounds. The total is noiv 2,501 ,275.

Major Mercer haSjforiyavdecl'to the Dunedin Exhibition on behalf of the AVhakatane Borough Council seven or eight cases of specimens from White Island. The exhibit includes a block of sulphur’weighing ljcwt., gypsum, and other mineral deposits, and two hags .of different fertilisers.

There were many lively exchanges at the annual meeting of 1 lio Canterbury Rugby League at Christchurch. Several members' questioned Hie rulings of tiio chairman (Dr. Thacker), and the climax came when tbe deputy-chairman of the retiring committee, AJr E. Healey, left the room-, .saying. “Goodnight to everyone, and good-bye to tbe League a.s Well.”

“I know of nothing better for the education of farmers,” remarked the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. O. J, I-lawken) when speaking at Raugiora on Tuesday of the value ,of agricultural and pastoral shows. These shows were difficult to carry on successfully, particularly with regard to finance,' but they achieved a great amount of good. They brought stock together, and showed farmers what their neighbours were producing and what stock there was in the country.

'Though the weather has'been on the rough side the last day or two, some good catches have been made by ii.sheriiVeu in North Auckland waters, including the following:—Dr. Barton, Sydney, swordfish, 2901 b; Mr C. AVi.seman, Auckland, swordfish, 2221!); Colonel Phipps, Australia, swordfish, 2501 b; Air 0. S. Ready, England, make, 2401 b; Captain Ritchie, 14.A1.5. Diomede, swordfish, 2u4lb; Commander J. H. Godfrey. JI.AI.S. Diomede, swordfish, 2751 b; EngineerCommnuder .11. At. Jones. Ii.AI.S. Diomede, swordfish. 2601 b ; Afr M. \V. . A-. Horne, Te Kuiti, make, 4341 b. (a. record for thi3 season).

Speaking at Rangiora on 'Tuesday, the Alinister of Agriculture (the Hon. (). J. Hawkeii) Said that be had been greatly impressed by the potentialities of Canterbury in the direction of afforestation. A.s Alinister of Agriculture and Commissioner of Forestry, he had visited tin* plan tai ions of the Slate Forest Service at 1-lanmor ‘and Balmoral, and it was bis settled opinion that 'Canterbury; although now practically treeless, was capable of growing forests iust as good as any other part of the Dominion. The forests be bad inspected wen* very fine indeed. Commenting on what lie bad see!) at. lianmer, Air Mawkon said that an arid waste had been turned into productive land.

Mr Thomas Ross’s launch Secret was totally destroyed by fire on .Lake Taupo ■ last Thursday evening. About .)..'!() in the afternoon, the launch was returning from Mr Zone Grey’s camp. only tlie owner being on hoard. When off Rangitcra. Point, lie Mas sfcTM'tled by an explosion in tlie engine-room, which blew off the hatch over tlie room. Immediately, the . boat was in flames, despite the efforts of Mr Ross to extinguish the tin*. Mr Ross laid to swim nearly half a mile to the shore and then walk over five miles round the edge of the hike to a camp, where he obtained assistance to return home, being b.v then pretty well exhausted, and having nix feet severely cut by the locks. The launch was insured for £io().

That the present trouble in China was in some measure due to the attitude of the English towards the Chinese, was the opinion expressed by the Rev. Wilkinson, M.A., at yesterday’s meeting of the Timavii Presbytery. Mr Wilkinson, who is at present on furlough from the Chinese Mission Kidd, stated that..towards the Chinese the English were; apt to assume a very supercilious attitude, which was deeply resented by tlie natives of (hat country. Although not having seen it hiniselt, lie could not personally vouch tor it, lie laid heard of a notice erected outside a public building which read: “Chinese and dogs not admitted.’’ r i bat, bo considered was an instance of the sort of thing which did not make the work of the missionaries any easier.

The ease of tetanus, or lockjaw, which terminated in the death of Mr J. iVL Cassic. of Chelsea (Auckland), draws attention to the simple manner in which this dread congestion can be contracted. It is caused by the tetanus bacillus, which lives mosll} in the soil, and in well-cultivated and manured soils especially. Consequently if a wound on the foot oi band has contact witii cultivated gulden soil, all the conditions present for contracting tetanus. Therefore parents should exercise all possible precautions in the case of even trivial wounds on the leet or bands suffered by children iii such circumstances. Small wounds should be thoroughly cleaned, dressed with iodine,' and bandy gad. Wounds inflicted with thorns or wood splinters should receive attention to ensure that all foreign matter is removed.

A traveller returned from Honolulu tells of the practical application of civics as now universally taught in the schools. They have there gone a slop beyond the instruction given to New Zealand children with regard to behaviour in traffic. Whereas our youngsters are (aught the negative principles of avoidance and vigilance, the Honolulu kiddies have emphasised tlie positive virtues of control. Outside every public school in the recess hours, two schoolboys are placed on duty as traffic controllers and their “stop-go’’ signals are obeyed by the thronging' motorists, the proportion of which in Honolulu is one to every live of the population. Alert and decisive, these little traffic inspectors are far more effective than painted signposts in protecting tbe crowded approaches to the public schools, and the boys chosen for duly appreciate experiences in the realm of practical civics.

It was oHicially stated last night that the condition of Douglas Christie, who was injured in the: recent accident on the Pleasant Point Road, shows a slight improvement.

At a meeting of the South Canterbury Football Association last evening Mr T. Sherry occupied the chajr. in’the absence of the president (Mr Young). It. was decided that registration forms be altered as recommended by the special committee. The secretary was instructed to call for entries for the Cave Cup, these to close on April 12. It was decided that tile committee meet at an-'early date to revise the rules. ’

A Press Association message front Auckland says that trouble with the crew delayed the Richardson steamer Mako, at Auckland yesterday. The dispute was over the dismissal of a fireman, by the chief engineer. Other members of the crew and also the Seamen’s Union, resented the man’s dismissal, and consequently the steamer was unable to obtain a fireman to replace the discharged man.

A telegram from. Dunedin says that the New Zealand draughts championship is nearing its final stages. In the championship class G. A. Brown (Christchurch), has played so consistently that it is certain he will win the title. Full scores made in. various sections are as follows insertion E—Dotting GL Hutchins GJ, Moore 5, Henry* 41, Ellis 4. S. Templeton 31. Section G —Lucas 9, Gibbard G, Rendall si, Templeton 5, L. Morris 4, Longstaff £. Section F—Murdoch 91.

A Press telegram from Christchurch says that hundreds of dead trout floated down the river-' Avon yesterday afternoon. Some . poisonous substance which found its way into the river took heavy toll; and the spectacle of fish floating down the stream attracted a large number of people at the bridges in the city. The curator for the Acclimatisation Society stated that he had mAde a brief inspection, but had not' 'then ascertained what length of the river had been affected. A few years ago tbe fish were a fleeted in a similar fashion. • - ■ .*.

Some excitement took place on the Auckland ferry wharf on Thursday night just as the 7.40 boat was leaving for Devonport. A heavy shower of rain had made the wood on the end of the wharf and the railing on the ferry boat very slippery, but this did not deter a number of ladies from attempting to board the boat, after she had been untied. One Devonport school teacher, who had her hands full of parcels and' was unable to catch a hold 'of anything, jumped on to the rail of the hpat, and, slipping, fell very heavily on'ito her side. It was just touch and go whether she slipped over on to the heavy plies of the wharf ,or fell on the deck of tile boat; fortunately it was the latter. Many willing helpers went to the girl’s assistance, and first aid was rendered by some officers from the warship.

Yesterday His Worship the* AJayor of Tiimtru (Air G. J. Wallace) had another interview with the statioijmastei* (Air A. E. Firman) concerning the special train which is to run to Dunedin from 'Timaru on Saturday next. A good many people have been inquiring as to. whether they would be able to book seats by this train, country people especially, not caring to 'take the risk of not being able to 'get a seat when they reached tho railway station. It iiad not been intended to permit seats to be booked by this train, but as-a result of tbe Alayor’s representations Air Finnan has agreed to accept bookings, a.s from to-day. The train will leave Timaru at C a.m. and will reach Dunedin at 10.46 a.m. On the return journey the train will‘leave Dunedin at 11 p.m., arriving at Timaru at 3.20 a.in. Tickets-are.-now on sale, and judging by the inquiries which are being made, the train 'will, be well patronised by last-minute patrons of the big Exhibition.

After a fortnight’s residence in West Australia, an immigratttr -girl 'bet' out, in fancy high-bee’ed shoes, to walk to Melbourne. Slip was in service at Mount- Barker when she received a letter from a friend in Melbourne telling her that things were better there and advising her to come over. ’Without money or clothes other in those which she was clad, the girl, who is not yet 20 years of ago, set out on the tramp, intending , to gq via Albany. After covering some miles in highhccled shoes, she was naturally tired, lootsore and .hungry. > ,A -motor-lorry driver, seeing the pathetic little figure trudging along the road in. irout of him. and learning she was going to. Albany, offered her , a lift. On the way she told him her intention to walk to ’Melbourne. He could no£ convince, her that she could not walk 2000 miles over arid country, carrying provisions in her handbag, so be handed her over to the Benevolent Society at Albany, and- they returned her to Mount Barker.-