General News

Cactus Garden on Display Townend House, the smaller of the two showhouses in the Botanic Gardens, has been turned into a life-like representation of the Arizona Grand Canyon. This effect has been brought about by a quantity of red volcanic rock and numerous cactus plants. A painted screen round the walls depicting a rocky mountain valley stretching to the horizon gives an air of reality and distance. The collection of cactuses, too, is extensive and some of these plants adopt forms both unusual and startling. One of the most interesting exhibits is a group of lithops, or living stones. They resemble the natural stones among which they are placed so closely as to defy detection. Mr de Valera and New Zealand Last year, during a visit to Dublin, where he represented New Zealand at a congress of architects, Mr J. M. Dawson, president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, was introduced to Mr de Valera. “I found him surprisingly well-informed on New Zealand affairs, and he expressed a particular interest in some of the recent legislation of this country,” said Mr pawson, at the annual meeting of the institute m Wellington last night. “This was in strong contrast to my experience on a previous visit to England when many of those to whom New Zealand was not merely a name had a vague idea that it was a state or town in Australia. I had one rather embarrassing experience. In a hotel lounge I was holding forth to a party of acquaintances on the beauty and grandeur of Swiss scenery, when one of the party remarked that he did not see why 1 s* 1 . 01 ! ‘i 0 ?" thuse when I had equally good and infinitely more varied scenery in my own country. He mentioned names of places from the North Cape to BIUfT, and I had to admit that he was better acquainted with my, country than I was. Incident Closed A reply to the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.8.), in his capacity as chairman of the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Fund Committee, when he made sharp criticism of the action of the Waimairi County Council in refusing to make a grant to the Patriotic Fund, was made by the chairman of the finance committee (Mr H. Kitson) at the council’s meeting last evening. After hearing a statement by Mr Kitson the council agreed to regard the incident as closed. Early “Import Restrictions” “Although building conditions 100 years ago were totally different from those of to-day, there are several points of similarity between them. With the simple requirements of the pioneers, and scarcity of members of our profession, it was a case of ‘every man his own architect,’ ” said Mr J. M. Dawson, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Architects last night at Wellington. “Then again, like us,” said Mr Dawson, “our earliest settlers suffered by import restrictions —-due to high freights and, I have no doubt, in individual cases, shortage of funds at Home. There is the difference, however, that while Nature provided the material necessary for a simple standard of living, Nature, with the help of local manufacturers, is v* na^G to provide all that is .necessary for our advanced ideas to-day.” Scrub Fire at Cashmere Ten firemen had to spend two hours early yesterday afternoon in bringing a grass and scrub fire under control in Kidson terrace, Cashmere, At the height of the blaze about ap acre on a vacant section was burning, two engines from the Central and Sydenham stations being on the scene, and a total of 2300 feet of hose being in use agaist the flames. House properties were threatened at one time, and a shed at 61 Dyer’s Pass road was slightly damaged. The outbreak was reported to the Central Fire Brigade at 12.7 p.m., and the cause was stated last night to have been the wind fanning embers in a fire left unattended after scrub-clearing work on the property. i Moa Bones Found From the windswept sandhills of Doubtless Bay, North Auckland, a large and important collection of moa bones was recently recovered by a museum expedition, according to a report to the council of the Auckland Institute and Museum by the director, Mr Gilbert Archey. Remains were obtained Of ,26 different birds, the discoveries varying from a few odd bones to partially complete skeletons. The remains had been made visible by the weathering of the sandhills, and the bones that were found included those of the largest and smallest varieties of North Island moa. An egg in two parts was also discovered. —“The Press” Special Service. • Not Like Arbitration Court Questioning a medical witness during an accident damages claim in the Supreme Court yesterday; Mr F. D. Sargent, counsel for the plaintiff, sought information as to how much the plaintiff’s earning power had been reduced. The answer was—by 33 1-3. Mr Justice Northcroft, to Mr Sargent: “This is, fortunately perhaps, not the Arbitration Court, where fractions and schedules have to be considered. The whole question is for the jury, which deals with much broader considerations.” Rannerdale Home Inspected Members of the executive of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund yesterday made an inspection of the Rannerdale Home for soldiers suffering from war disabilities. . The home has recently been repaired and repainted. Achilles and Ajax Streets Two streets in- the Government housing area in Shirley are to be named Achilles and Ajax, in commemoration of the part played by those two cruisers in the recent naval battle off the River Plate. This decision was < made at last evening’s meeting of the Waimairi County Council, when it was stated that there were 72 houses in this area between Cooper’s and New Brighton roads which at present were without postal addresses. Greeks Support Patriotic Fund Keen support is being given by New Zealand Greeks to the National Patriotic Fund appeal. Two members of the Greek community in Wellington, Messrs Dennis Gefondis and A. Loucas were appointed recently official collectors for the Patriotic Fund Board among their countrymen in New Zealand. A committee has been established to carry out an appeal among the Greeks throughout the Dominion. Mr T. E, Y. Seddon, the Greek Consul, is treasurer for the fund. Not only have these steps been taken to organise a campaign, but already £49 10s has been collected from Greeks in Welliftgton. Mr Gerondis gave £25 and Mr Loucas £lO, the remainder being subscribed by five other" Greeks,—Press Association. Weasel Found in South Island The Canterbury Museum has made the first authentic record of a weasel taken in the South Island of New Zealand. This week it has received a specimen from Mr John Matthews, of Rangiora, which was caught by a cat at Sefton. It is the only specimen of the weasel in the museum. The taxidermist (Mr P. J. O'Brien) said that weasels were rare in the South Island, and that this was definitely the first authentically recorded specimen taken. Although farmers often reported the presence of weasels, these reports were hot always to be relied upon, as young stoats were often mistaken for weasels. The weasel which had been received was nine inches long, weighed two and a half ounces, and had a tail two inches long. It was an adult female. The average adult stoat weighed nine ounces, was 15f inches long, with a tail of six Inches, Although young stoats were often mistaken for weasels, weasels could be easily recognised by the black tip on the tail. Hn 1885 a shipment of 183 weasels and 55 stoats was introduced into the South Island to attack rabbits. They attacked birds instead, and appeared to have no effect on rabbits. Farmers found them a great enemy of chickens. Although more weasels than stoats were introduced, stoats soon became preponderant: numerous weasels were to be found in the North Island, but the Museum had not received an authentic specimen of a weasel from the South Island before.