NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 83, 8 April 1933, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

S Potato Blight Up North. The blight throughout the Whanga-pe and Broadwood districts has played havoc amongst I the root crops. In addition to the potatoes and kumaras, the melon plantations have been completely ruined, nothing remaining in many gardens but a blackened space. Satisfactory Deal. A Christchurch furnishing firm recently "sold" two easy chairs in return for honey to the value of the chairs. The honey was in 41b tins, and the firm had no difficulty in selling it to its employees. The deal completed, everyone was satisfied—the chairs had become the property of the man who wanted them; the firm had received the value of the chairs in cash, and the employees had bought first-class honey at a very reasonable price. Gastric 'Flu About. Colds are numerous just now, and in not a few cases they are accompanied by gastric influenza. One master of a large primary school reports that the normal attendance has been reduced lately by about 10 per cent, mainly because of severe colds or influenza. Influenza is making ravages also on office staffs, some members of which have been obliged to remain absent from three to six days. They are affected by giddiness and sickness. Its prevalence is not sufficient, however, to alarm the Health Department. Durable Blankets. The fine quality of New Zealand-made blankets was shown at the Auckland Infirmary at Epsom recently, when a large number were shown which had beei\ in almost constant use for over twenty years. Some of them had shrunk a good deal because of constant washing, but these were sewn together, and two old blankets were still as good as one new one. It was shown that the modern way of washing blankets and quick drying by up-to-date machinery did not shrink blankets as much as more old-fashioned methods, when they were dried on the clothes! line.

An Unsolicited Advertisement. It is difficult to imagine a better advertisement for Dominion products than this unsolicited tribute appearing in an article in the London "Times" of February, 1933. Writing on "The Science of Keeping Fit," the medical correspondent of the journal adds: "Our bodies should be helped by good, rich food. Now is the time to buy the excellent and delicious butter of New Zealand and Australia, which is bringing to this country the stored-up strength of the summer sun." It indicates also the consistent policy of this great paper, which, to use ite own phrase, "thinks Imperially." Taranaki Main Trunk Travelling. Although no information has been received from headquarters concerning the Taranaki Main Trunk railway, it is 6tated that there is little possibility of the line being used for passenger traffic before Easter. The line, which is still under the control of the Public Works Department, was blocked recently by slips and washouts in a number of places, but traffic from Stratford through Ohura to Matiere was quickly restored. The slip on the Okahukura side of the tunnel is very large, and it is expected that it will be some weeks before a through service is restored. Farmers and Union. A note of criticism was struck at the South Auckland conference of the Farmers' Union yesterday, when Mr. J. E. Martin, of Kotorua, said: "I am tired of these conferences. We get the same old remits year after year. The union needs reorganising. When I return home, I intend to form an independent settlers' association in my district. We got more good done before we joined the Farmers' Union." The chairman, Mr. J. H. Furniss, replied that settlers' associations were only good for building halls and laying out tennis courts. National action was needed. Mr. D. W. Norman: "We must have co-operation." The meeting then went on to discuss other subjects. Poaching Native Birds. Reports of poaching and vandalism in many parts of New Zealand are being received by the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society. The society this week issued the following statement: "The administration of our conservation Acts falls far short of being efficient. We hear of such things as wholesale shooting of godwits, stilts (a protected species) and any sea bird available, from motor cars on the Ninety-Mile Beach, despite the recent regulation prohibiting shooting from motor cars. On Stewart Island poaching and the disposal of the proceeds_ is reported, while in the more northern districts pigeons and kiwi are etill being illegally killed in numbers."

The Toothbrush Moustache. The toothbrush moustache has come back! Auckland young men have adopted the style of their fathers' early days, and Queen Street is once again sporting sundry small "rno.'s." Coincident with the return of the serai-Victorian element in women's drees, young men are determined not to be left behind in the march of fashion. Although male attire yields but little to the whim of dress designers, etc., in comparison with that of the opposite sex, a mild return to earlier fashions was evident in the return of the "boater." And now we have the "toothbrush" moustache, and many of varying shapes and sizes are to be seen. The majority are as yet in the embryo stage, but there are signs evident that this winter will see a universal return to popular favour of the smart little "mo" for both young men and old. May Be a Real "Strad." Bearing an inscription that stamps it as the work of Stradivarius and answering one test, the quality of its ancient varnish, an old violin in the possession of Mrs. Weavers, Blake Street, New Brighton, Christchurch, may prove to be a wonderful treasure. It bears on it as the date of manufacture the year 1724. The present owner cannot trace the history of this violin very far back. A friend was minding it for a soldier, and when he was killed in the war the violin was "•iven to Mrs. Weaver, whose daughter was of an age to start learning music. There have been thousands of imitation "Strads" made since the old master craftsman died, and the discovery of a violin which might possibly be his work is always met with some scepticism; but one test is answered by this violin, and that is the quality of the varnish. Though obviously many years old, the varnish on the back of this instrument is in perfect condition, polished and perfectly transparent. The colouring is as fresh as the day it was imposed. Hobson's Landing Place. With the assistance of some of the old people of the Orakei village settlement, the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, and the' city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, located yesterday afternoon the exact spot on which Governor Hobson landed on Orakei Beach on March 14, 1841. The Mayor has taken considerable interest in Orakei from an historical point of view, and he determined to mark Hobson's landing place, if possible, while there was still the evidence to be obtained of old native residents. He had the aid of Ngapipi Rewiti, through whom he interviewed several aged Maoris. They agreed that the landing place was to the north-east, some distance back from the present beach, at a point where the halfformed Crescent Road joins Tamaki Drive. In order to permanently fix the site, the city engineer will prepare a plan of the locality in order that later on, if so desired, a monument or statue to Hobson can be placed on the spot. The place where the Governor sat to hear the speeches of. the chiefs was also located. This is close to the partly-demolished house inside the Tamaki Road embankment.