NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 113, 16 May 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Hint From a Chinaman. A Wanganui Chinese market gardener claims to liave discovered a means of keeping the white butterfly oH lite cabbage patch. Ho noticed that the butterfly did not settle on the lettuce plants, .so by nay of experiment he boiled a, quantity of outside leaves of tlic lettuces and sprayed the water on the cabbages. The result, he states, is highly, satisfactory. Relief Workers' Boots. Brief reference was made at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers 5 Association to the Unemployment Board's boot scheme. The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said that communiear tions had been received by the association, but it appeared to him that it was largely a question between manufacturer and retailer. Ho was of opinion that every trader, whether wholesaler or retailer, should have the opportunity of submitting prices. Stolen Wallet Returned. A visitor to Wanganui who left hie car in a recognised parking area while lie had dinner at a hotel found, on his return to the car, that his overcoat, with a wallet, and valuable papers, had been stolen. Later, after visiting a suburb of Wanganui, he returned and parked his car near the original position, and after a few minutes' absence discovered that the stolen wallet and papers had been returned. . The overcoat, however, is still missing. Lord Auckland Survivors. Residing in Parnell ie a survivor of the complement of the ship Lord Auckland, which arrived at Xelson from England in 1542. The old colonist is Mrs. Mary Pratt, who came as a child with her parents. A Press Association message published yesterday recorded the death at Nelson of Mr. Henry Hammond, in his 92nd year, and stated that the sole survivor of the Lord Auckland's company was Mr. William Cole, of Wakefield, Nelson. Mre, Pratt ie still enjoying life in Auckland, and is hale and hearty in her 93rd rear.

Unpleasant Surprise. A Wanganui farmer ventured forth with his dog mid gun before the dawn cm May 1 to celebrate fittingly tbc opening of the shooting eoaeon (says tlio "Wanganui Herald"). On ]iie property is ji riinall lagoon, and on the lagoon were liveducks, quite oblivious to the fate that was in store for them. 'J , he shooter's two barrels barked twice, and four of the five- birds were killed. The faithful dog retrieved them, and laid them at his master's feet, but the glow of triumph which warmed the farmer's heart turned to an icy chill when he saw four of his bast-laying ducks lying dead on the ground. A Job For Banks Only. "I will never be persuaded that exchange is a matter for anybody but the banks," stated Ml". K. CJ. Buckleton, of Wellington, to a luncheon gathering of business men and farmers in Wanganui. "Doesn't it etrike you, gentlemen, that several European countries that monkeyed with their exchange at one time or other, whether there are Hitlers or no Hitlers, will not monkey with it again? They have' had the taste of it, and don't want it again. We are just beginning to realise- what politically-inflated exchange is costing this country. Let us hope that it will not be as disastrous as was the case in those European countries which experienced political inflation of their currencies." Te Awhina Keeps Going. There in probably no better known vessel in the Waitcmata than the Auckland Harbour Board's tug To Awhina. Year in, year out, summer and winter the .same, her work goes on, and Sunday is juet the same to her as any other day in the week if it happens that her assistance is wanted on that day. At the present time the sturdy tug, which woe built at Paisley in 1908, is undergoing extensive repairs to a portion of her decking and to the bulwarks at her stern, but she. is still carrying on. A large awning has been rigged on her after-deck, so that the workmen engaged on the repairs are not hindered by wet weather. Employment Tor Boys. The lack of employment for boys was emphasised at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, and, on the motion of Mr. S. Takle, immediate past president, it was decided to send a circular letter to all members, appealing to them to find work for ae many hove as possible during the winter months. Mr. Takle, who is a member of the Boye' Employment Committee, eaid that if manufacturers could only afford to employ boys at odd jobs at noniinai wages it would be a great help. Lunches would be provided for the lade at the committee's city depot. New Zealand Publicity. . Though agreeing that both Xew Zealand and Australia carry out excellent publicity work in England, Mr, H. J. Lambie, director of the New South Walee (Government Tourist Bureau, who fcs returning to Australia by the Aorangi, stated that Xew Zealand is served the better. The advantage was particularly noticeable, he said, in the provincial cities and towns. Describing a week-end visit to the shopping centre of Bristol, Mr. Lambie said that nearly every provision shop seemed to be displaying New Zealand produce; he almost thought he was in Xew Zealand. Jn America he found great interest in Australia and Xew Zealand in the tourist business, and, provided world conditions improved, there was evidence of a stream of .sightseers next summer. In Loe Angeles he wae ■ informed by the travel agents that there were long lists of clients who had already paid deposits for holidays to the Pacific. The Barrister's Gown.

A broadcast address given recently by Mr. 0. C. Jlazengarb, in which lie touched upon the matter, has drawn some attention to a little pocket hanging from the shoulder at the back of every barrister's gown, which, undoubtedly, few people not knowing of its existence would notice. The pocket liae a very intereeting history. In early times the barrister was usually a politician who pleaded the casee of his clients before the Roman Senate. He took the cases without fee in order to advance his political prestige. Although ho acted without fee, the pocket was there on hie gown in caee an appreciative client desired to mark (even although lie could not measure) his appreciation of his counsel's services by slipping in a few gold, pieces. The pocket has eurvived from those early days. It is not on record, however, whether any counsel in these enlightened days has ever found anything more than poesibly an old moth or two in the little unnoticed pocket. Times and ways have changed! Zealand Oysters in India.

Some months ago mention was made in the "Star" of si trial shipment of frozen oysters to the East. A further attempt to carry the shelled product of Foveaux Strait has been made in a manner which seems to prove conclusively that there is an overseas market awaiting development by local enterprise. Oysters were dredged in October of last year, shelled, put in cartons, and frozen. At the" beginning of this year they started on a tropical voyage to India. At Calcutta almost all of the cartons opened up in perfect condition, and were eaten there as a great delicacy. Some of the cartons were retained aboard the ship, and only a few days ago passengers sat down to find fried Stewart Island oysters on the menu—excellent they were, too, though nearly six months from picking- had elapsed. It 'may not be possible to transport the oyster in the most attractive form, on shell, but there is evidence that it can be shipped, and retain .all its juiciness and flavour, when opened and block-frozen. Witli the season now in full swing, there is ample opportunity for opening up a trade in frozen oysters. Such, at least, is the opinion of visitors from those tropical parts who have sampled what have already been forwarded from New Zealand. The one great drawback to the continuity of such a trade, they point our. i> the in frequency of direct refrigerated communication with the possible market.