LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 292, 23 September 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Summer Time will commence officially at 9 o’clock next Sunday morning, when clocks will be advanced half an hour. They will remain advanced till tlie msr Sunday following Easter, 1936.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that the Minister ot Public Works (the Hon. J. Kitchener) announced on baturday that the Government proposes to erect a new building at Napier to accommodate the Public Works Department, and other departments as pfleisent scattered m various parts of the town. The bull - ing will be on the Browning street and Shakesjearc road section, occupied by the original building burned alter the earthquake.

Considerable attention was attracted by a medium-sized octopus displayed prominently in a Wellington fish-shop on Thursday. The vender stated tha it had been brought in by one ot the trawlers. It was net the first time such a cephalopod had figured on his counter. Octopus and squid are eaten m France, Italy, China and many ether parts of the world. The Fijians esteem them a delicacy when cooked m fresh coconut milk.

Building operations representing an expenditure- of over £-50,000 are in piogress in Palmerston North. This figure does not consist mainly of several substantial contracts for business blocks, but covers a wide field of activity in the residential area as well; seme £20,000 of the expenditure is for house building. There is £30,000 worth of building proceeding in the business area, the major undertaking being the rebuilding of the Commercial Hotel.

The flying of the flag at the Post Office and the closing of banking houses were the only indications in Ashburton to-day of [Dominion Day. Thursday next is really Dominion Day, hut the holiday is more conveniently taken on the Monday. A proclamation by his Majesty the King on September 10, 1907, elevated the status of New Zealand from that of merely a Colony tc that of a Dominion, the change taking effect on September 26 the same year. Ten years later the title of his Majesty’s representative in New Zealand was changed from that of Governor to Governor-General.

The practice of many New.Zealanders of decrying New Zealand made goods was roundly condemned by Mr W. Bromley (deputy chairman of the Unemployment Board),. addressing members of the Wellington Rotary Club. He said that New Zealanders were the worst customers of their own manufacturers. "If you go into a boot shop they will invariably show you boots from this and that country,” said Mr Bromley. “How often do you hear a salesman say: ‘Here is a good pair of boots made in New Zealand ?’ That is my experience, at all events. I was in Invercargill the other day,” he continued, “talking to a farmer about the new woolpaek that was being made in New Zealand. Ho said that he had heard that they were not so good as the jute woolpacks. I say that the New Zealand product is the best until it is proved to the contrary.” The public ought to get the New Zealand production sense and learn to rely* on their own sound manufactures.

TJie first shipment of fresh whitebait to be sent to Australia was taken (says the “Now Zealand Herald”) by the Wanganella recently. The consignment. totalling 2001 b, was sent in a chilled state, whereas previews shipments have been frozen. The fish were taken from the Waikato River and it is stated the smallness of the shipment was due to a shortage of whitebait.

The fact that sodium chlorate, which is now extensively used for the destruction of ragwort and blackberry, could be rendered quite safe for use by the addition of 25 per cent, of common salt was brought to the attention of the Ohinemuri County Council at a meeting recently. The salt did not impair the efficiency of the poison, but it eliminated all risk of fire or explosion.

The Government Railways Board, accompanied by the General Manager, Chief Engineer, and the signals and electrical engineer, took the opportunity on Fridsjy of inspecting the progress of works on the Tawa Flat deviation, the layout of the new Wellington station yard, and the construction of the new station building. The Board expressed itself as being pleased with the manner in which the whole of the scheme was being carried out, and with th progress being made (says a Press Association message).

The snow on Mount Egmont this season has been the heaviest for many years, and mountaineers estimate that drifts more than 150 ft deep choke the great gorges near the summit. The high ridge of rock on the northern face of the mountain known as the Lizard is almost unrecognisable, the fields extending up its precipitous sides to within a few feet of its spine. The Syme Hut on Fantham’s Peak has not been seen for months, and the Tahurangi Hut is buried to the ridge of the roof.

The Wanganui fire engines have been fitted with a centre red light capable of throwing a beam 30 yards ahead when approaching intersections. Last neck a demonstration was given before Fire Board officials and proved most successful. At one intersection the driver of a tram, who kneu r nothing about the recent installation, saw a red light suddenly loom up on the read ahead, and brought his car to a standstill. It is claimed that the light will be of considerable value to road traffic at night, and can also be used for picking up objects at a fire.

The curious effect of a weed known as the onion plant on the palatability cf meat has been brought to the notice of the Department of Agriculture, which is investigating the position. A South Taranaki country butcher recently bought some cattle, and on receiving numerous complaints about the meat, traced it to animals from one farm. It was ascertained that they had all eaten the onion plant. The effect on the flavour of the meat was most noticeable, and made it almost uneatable. Worse, however, was the fact that some of the meat had been put into corn, and all the other meat there was affected.

The spectacular fall of three fireballs into a field near Onehunga last week provided an eerie experience for Mr B. Wilson, 98 Great North Road, who was in the roadway about one hundred yards from the point where they appeared to end their flight. Mr Wilson made a search for the meteorites next morning, hut at mid-day Hot been successful. Mr Wilson described the phenomena as‘being most spectacular. His attentieon was attracted by a sudden burst of light which illuminated the countryside, and looked up just in time to see three burning substances bury their brightness in a field close by. ‘

The birth of full-blooded Maori twins has occurred twice upon the Hauraki Plans within the last fortnight. Last week twins were born to a Maori couple at Kerepeehi, but one baby died. The othei r set of twins were born at Waitngaruru, and are sturdy babies. The children are under the supervision of the Thames Plunket nurse, who states that full-blooded Maori twins are most unusual. In her experience she has not heard of a similar case. Mr W. Hammond, an early resident of Thames, states that in 70 years he can recall the birth of only one set of Maori twins. The Maoris of the local hapu are greatly pleased at the births, and state these are the first instances of such a happening within their knowledge.

The high incidence of goitre in New Zealand is, according to the annual report of the Director-General of Health, a major problem. Sir Robert M’Carrison, the well-known authority on this disease, had expressed his intention on A'isiting the Dominion, but unfortunately his assistance was not yet available as his visit was postponed. However, he had submitted a reasonable criticism on past research work, and helpful suggestions for the future. “It is proposed,” adds the report, “to continue investigations on the lines he suggests. These will involve a considerable amount of field work in the way of survey of water supplies, milk supplies, sanitary conditions etc., in the Taranaki and Palmerston North areas.”

The first two officers of the New Zealand detective force to receive training at New Scotland 1 ard in accordance with the scheme recently established between the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the Dominion Commissioner (Mr W. G. Wohlmann) will be Detectives William McLennan, of Petone, and Henry Charles March, of Auckland. The Minister of Justice (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) stated that the two officers would sail from Wellington to take up their assignments in three or four weeks. Mr Cobbe said it was anticipated that both men would prove receptive to lien' ideas and wore qualified to judge the practicability ot adapting to New Zealand conditions what they saw and learned in the centre of police activities.

Exceptionally bitter weather is having a serious effect on dairy production in Taranaki and the decline in production in comparison with that of last year in many cases is up to 20 per cent. The decrease in production, hcwcver, is not the only serious side of the question. So far as the dairy farmer is concerned, this spring is probably the worst since 1917. In that year there was considerable mortality • among dairy stock, more or less due to the lack ot fodder, and this spring farmers throughout the district, in spite of the fact that they had made what appeared to he ample provision for the winter and early spring feed requirements, now find themselves without silage, hay or root crops, and with their paddocks very hare. Cattle are in poor condition and even where there is ample feed stock hare not thrived.

Sustenance payments will he made to 180 men On the Ashburton unemployment register this week, and 231 others will he given work under the N. 5 scheme.

There was a large attendance at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church yesterday, which was observed as Flower Sunday. The Rev. R. S. Watson preached on the subject, “Spring, the Prophet.” More than 100 bunches cf flowers were presented and were distributed in the afternoon to elderly and sick members of the congregation and patients in the hospitals by pupils of St. Andrew’s and the Presbyterian Sunday schools at Hampstead and Allenton. An approprite message was attached to each bunch of flowers. .

The novel experience of drinking kava, the “national” beverage of the islands, was the privilege accorded the performers who contributed to the Hamilton Orphans’ Club on a recent evening. A quantity of kava (says the “Waikato Times”) had been brought to the Dominion by Mr A. E. Sandford (president of the club) on his return from Fiji, and in recognition of the services of the performers a small ration of the drink was distributed to them after each item. Mr Sandford explained that kava was a beverage of considerable significance to the Islanders, who drank it with much ceremony and ritual. ,

Private advice has been received that a New Zealander, Colonel H. G. Grace, M.C., formerly of the 21st (Prince Albert Victor’s Own) Cavalry, Indian Army, has been appointed by the King to the corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Herbert Scott (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The full title of the corps is “The King’s Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Centlemen-at-Arms.” It is the personal escort of the Sovereign on State occasions, and consists of a captain, four other officers, and 39 Cfentlemen-at-Arms. Colonel Grace, who is believed to be the first New Zealander appointed to the corps, is the eldest son of the late Archdeacon T. S. Grace, of Blenheim. He was educated at Nelson College, and while there in 1903 obtained one of the two Imperial Army appointments made available annually to candidates in New Zealand. He was awarded the Military Cross for services in Mesopotamia. Latterly lie was seconded for some years for special duty as adviser to the heirs-apparent of* certain Indian princes. Since his retirement he has been living at Broekenhurst, Hants. He revisited New Zealand about 12 years ago.