Bay of Plenty Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th., 1932. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10829, 30 March 1932, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th., 1932. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A most remarkable rock melon, weighing 151 b all but 2az has been grown in a garden situated in Church Road, Taradale (says the Napier Telegraph). The seed was bought in the ordinary way, and when the melons began to grow on the vines they were large and round, with a smooth, grey skin, resembling a grey iron-bark pumpkin. In fact, some humorous remarks wore passed about pumpkins being secured frofn rock melon seed. However, as the melon began to ripen the unmistakable odour of rock melon permeated the garden, and when cut the fruit was 1 a deep yellow, and was nearly all flesh .only a small pocket of seed lying in the centre, and the flavour and texture were delicate and delicious. Only two of these melons grew on the vine, the remaining one, not yet ripe, being equally large. Great interest is being taken in what may be described as the world’s champion rock melon.

A meeting of local bondholders in Timberlands Woodpulp Ltd., was held at Whakatane last week, when Messrs W. McFarland and R. Hume recounted their impressions of the company’s conference, held at Rotorua recently (says the Whakata.ne Press). Considerable interest was displayed in the company’s proposal in regard to the establishment of wood-pulping mills in the district, and a vote of thanks was passed to Messrs McFarland and Hume for their services on behalf of the local shareholders.

While on a, visit to a Feilding farm recently a Wanganui Herald reporter was shown some healthy specimens of (he white butterfly, a dangerous cabbage pest, which first made its appearance in Hawke’s Ray. With its appearance in Feilding it is obvious that the pest is spreading further afield, and it is only a matter of time when it will be seen along the west coa.st.

Local bodies in New Zealand who borrowed money from big financial institutions in Australia arc faring differently as to interest. Those who borrowed in Sydney, and pay iuteres! in Sydney, are getting the advantage of the New South Wales Act that reduced the interest payable on investments. Legal opinion is that people who owe money to Victorian moneylenders and pay interest in Melbourne still have to go on paying the full interest. The matter has been exercising the attention of two Auckland electric power boards, for the Waitemala Board, which borrowed money in Sydney, is getting the benefit of Mr Lang’s Act, while the Auckland Board, which has a Melbourne loan, has to pay up in full. The Auckland board still hopes, however, and it intends to obtain a ruling as to the position from the Minister of Finance.

A special feature of the Bay of Plenty Sports Club’s Easter meeting at Whakatane on Monday was a race between one of the sprint competitors, R, Bridger, and a greyhound, over a distance of 100 yards. Bridger had a start of 50 yards, and he won the race, doing his 50 yards in six seconds, while the greyhound covered the hundred yards in 6 2/ss.

Fifteen years in the possession of the New Plymouth Fire Board and never in use at a Are is the record of the Dennis fire engine which the hoard has agreed to sell to the Auckland Fire Board. The machine once went out to a fire at Borthwick’s at Waitara making a very fast time for the trip, but was not used in fighting the fire. “The board can consider itself very fortunate,” said Mr W. C. Weston, the chairman, at the last meeting of (he board, “that there has never been a fire in New Plymouth big enough to require the use of the Dennis machine,”

“What was the condition of the swamp?” asked counsel of a witness during the hearing of a civil claim in the Magistrate's Court at Invercargill. "Wet,” was the reply made amidst laughter. “We’ll take your word for that,” remarked the opposing counsel.

A hearty laugh was raised by the chairman at a meeting of the Marlborough Hospital Board when he suggested that a long circular entitled “Cure for Unemployment" be left in the hands of the medical superintendent so that he could report upon its efficiency at the next meeting. ‘

With the abnormally low prices for wool some farmers are considering having oddments manufactured into cloths and blankets for their own personal use. says the Southland Daily News. Whether New Zealand mills would undertake to do so at a reasonable charge or not is doubtful, though Scottish woollen mills all do so. There is every chance of some old bales of Southland wool going direct from the farm to the works of Scottish manufacturers. It will be a new experience foT farmers to be clothed in material made from the wool grown on the farm.

The “Buy British" campaign conducted in England during the past year or so is having a very good effect, stated Mr A, B. Gibson, a Nottingham produce merchant, who is on a visit to New Plymouth (says the Taranaki Daily News). He instanced the case of his own firm, which handles about 16.000 tons'of butter annually. Formerly only 15 to 20 per cent, was colonial; now it is 60 per cent. The English consumer was beginning to realise that the future of his own country was bound up with the welfare of the rest of the Empire, and that unless ho gave preference to colonial dairy produce its against foreign there would bo less orders forthcoming for his own manufactures.

A particularly good example of the commonsensc saving that can be effected as a result of the issue of licences to service car companies under the new Transport Act was quoted by Dr G. A. Gibbs, chairman of the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Licensing Authority, states the Express. He stated that prior to the authority's sittings in Nelson no fewer than 70 buses and service cars passed through Stoke daily between the hours of S a.m. and 5 p.m., and of these 4S were suburban buses plying to and from Nelson. As a result of the consideration of the applications for licences by the various companies concerned conferences were held and an amalgamation of services arranged. An efficient service will he rendered the public, while a saving of between 20,000 and 30,000 road miles will be effected annually.

For a considerable time the Scientific and Industrial Research Department of New Zealand has been actively engaged furthering the adaptation of sheep, lamb and deer skins (o ;h ■ i’-.uufacture of various commerce': i articles, such as gloves, leather garments, cotton rollers and gas meter leather. Research work has been proceeding in the elimination of defects in an endeavour lo raise the general standard of pelts, and this work has been developed by sending experimental shipments of specially treated pelts to England, where they have been carefully examined by experts after manufacture into suitable goods. There is definite evidence that the work is proving success. ul and that the demand for New Zealand pelts is expanding. Various manufacturers have been persuaded to Interest themselves for the first time in these products with promising results. Although prices are low there is every hope that when conditions become more normal the work already concluded and that in progress will, have a. beneficial effect on future demand and prices in compctilion with other pelts.

Support for the Future Farmers Committee, of Auckland'which is endeavouring to find jobs for town boys on farms was accorded by the Piako County Council in response to a circular letter. All councillors spoke in favour of the idea, and suggested that riding members of counties would be in a position to say whether farmers in their ridings who had applied to the committee for boys were the right sort to be entrusted with the training of the boys.

At the last meeting of the Matamata Chamber of Commerce, a communication was read from the Associated Chambers of Commerce advising that* to finance the visit of the British Empire Chambers a levy was being made on all affiliated chambers. Accordingly a levy of £5 had been made on Matamata.—lt was decided to ask for particulars as to the basis of allocation, as no details were given in the letter.

You can make a weather-teller from a pine cone (says an exchange). Get a cone of good size and shape. Put the cone in some warm place to get it thoroughly dry. It is a good plan to pla.ee the cone in a warm dry oven until the scales open widely. After this drying the cone is extremely sensitive to changes in the amount of moisture in the atmosphere. The scales open widely when the air is dry and fine weather likely. They close when the atmosphere is damp and rain is coming.

The growing practice ef motor-car owners taking passengers for trips, if they paid a share of the benzine used was the subject of a complaint made by an applicant for a bus licence before the Transport Authority in Greymouth. The chairman (Dr S. A. Gibbs) assured the applicant that he had the sympathy of the Authority, but stated that there was no way of stopping the practice. It was decided to record the protest of the applicant against the abuse of private cars.

The vital importance of the dairy industry of the Dominion and the desirability of opening up new markets for our produce, fully justify the New Zealand Dairy Board in delegating to Mr William Grounds the task of watching the Interests of the industry at the coming Economic Conference at Ottawa (says the Timaru Post). At that conference the work of completing the task already begun, and in some measure accomplished by the British Government, in readjusting tariffs in the light of changed conditions, will be taken in hand with the idea of finalisation, at any rate for the time being, and it is consequently desirable that the delegates should have at their disposal men able to give first-hand information, and in the closest relationship with the producing enterprises. To-day the names of the British delegates are announced. They are all capable men, but there can be no doubt but they will require guidance.

Roads in the Piako county are to he classified by means of discs insteads of boards as in the past, in accordance with the neAv regulations. The county engineer proposes to stencil figures on discs of tin which will be nailed to the present boards. This will involve the council in very little expense. About 25 discs will be required. All county roads will be classified for 4J ton traffic except the portion from Morrinsville to the Waikato county boundary, which is classified for (>i tons.

A good story was told at the Morrinsville saleyards the other day. It happened that one lot of pigs was sold at 4s each and those in the next pen for 5s 6d. The buyer of the 5s 6d pigs, in his haste to get home, put the Is pigs in his cart and drove off, while the other buyer, finding his 4s pigs gone, went off with the 5s 6d pigs. Naturally the latter buyer was quite satisfied, and it will not be worth while for the other man to demand an exchange.

“One thing which I noted during my stay in Nelson was the variety of people working on the fruit farms and the tobacco plantations,” said Mr P. Higginbottom, when addressing the Wanganui Rotary Club at Its weekly luncheon the other day. “During the summer and holiday seasons there are school teachers, students, lawyers, and all classes engaged in good, healthy work, not making a fortune, but living comfortably and smiling,” he said.

There was no change in prices for eggs in Auckland yesterday, quotations toeing as follows; Hen eggs, first grade. 1/9i per dozen; B grade, 1/4| and C grade, 1/11. Duck eggs: First grade, 1/9i per dozen; B grade. 1/6J, and C grade, 1/3J.

An elephant fish weighing 121 b was on view in a Wanganui fish shop the other day. It was a queer-looking object with a six-inch trunk and a sucker at the end of it. The fish also had two sets of triangular fins. It was caught at Castlecliff. and is the second to he caught there within the last two years.

The Hui Tan (Mormon) Conference of the New Zealand Maori Mission will bo open on the Mahia Peninsula., Hawke’s Bay. on April 1 and will continue until the Monday following, April 4. The. mission president, John E. Magleby. will be in direct charge of the conference, and the Mission'Hui Tan Board and the Mahia Marae Committee have arranged a programme, which will consist mainly of religious meetings of various auxiliary organisations, recreative activities, dinners, concerts and sports contests.

From Ballance, in the North Wairarapa district, comes the story of a sheep dog which was recently pushed over the edge of the road while his master was droving sheep through the Manawatu Gorge. The drop was a sheer one of 50ft to the river, ami the drover, being unable to see the animal, thought it must have been lost in the river. Some days later, Mr Coppel. manager of Tar.mia DairyCompany was fishing in the neighbourhood, and discovered the dog, wasted for want of food, crouching on a precarious ledge. After considerable difficulty the dog was recovered and subsequently returned to his owner.

‘‘l do not want to use Canadian flour if I can possibly avoid it,” remarked a Wanganui baker to a reporter, “for the reason that I am quite satisfied with the New Zealand flour. Canadian flour has certain qualities to commend it from a hardening and drying point of view, but my experience is that my customers do not want dry bread. As an experienced baker I will say without hesitation that New Zealand flour is the finest in the world, so why go to Canada for an article that you have in this country?’’

Renewed agitation for legislation to over-rule the decision of the Court of Appeal that rates are not a first charge on State-mortgaged properties is likely to be made in the near future by the Municipal Association, and by the local bodies which it represents. “The position is becoming more and more serious for local bodies,” said Mr M. E. Lyons, a member of the Association’s executive to a reporter of the Christchurch Press. “It is having a very disturbing effect on local body finance, particularly in the new settlements, where large numbers of houses are coming back into the hands of the State Advances Department. "Some of these houses are being rented by the Department; but local bodies can still get no satisfaction in the payment of ratesi from this or any other Government service. The executive has the matter in hand, but it is more or less up against a stone wall.”

That the Postal Department is losing a lot of revenue through its high parcel post charges was the opinion expressed by Mr L. J. Harvey at a recent meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. Mr Harvey contended that these charges were from half to double those made previously and were driving revenue to other sources, such as road services. He thought that the railway charges were very reasonable. Mr F.. Perrin pointed out that the department made the same charge for a parcel from Napier to Stewart Island as from Napier to Wellington, and they also gave a house-to-house service. These points had to be remembered when considering the charges. Mr Harvey admitted this, but contended that the road services were picking the eyes out of the business. Over short distances, the charges were too high and the road services were getting this business. It was decided that the attention of the department be drawn to the fact that on account of the postage parcel rate being so high, this was tending to drive business to road services over convenient distances.

“Have you done any honest work for the past 12 months?” asked the magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.) of the accused in a case in the Christchurch Court recently. “No,” replied the accused, “but I have done some work under the unemployment scheme. Apart from that —nothing. After the laughter had subsided the magistrate said: “I’m going to find you some honest work for a considerable period—six months’ hard labour!”

A serious accident was narrowly averted after the sports at Ngongotaha on Monday, when a small child, who was a passenger in a gig which was proceeding along the main road, was suddenly jerked out of the vehicle by a plunge of the horse, and fell almost under the wheels (says the Rotorua Morning Post). Fortunately the wheel did not pass over the child, who escaped with bruises and a severe gravel rash.

A huge female brown trout turning the scale at 251 b, was taken by Mr Hugh Barlow during the Easter holidays from a pool in the Tongariro River (says a Rotorua message). The fish, which was in perfect condition, has a length of 32in. and a girth of 22in. •It is the largest known since 1910. when one of 261 b was taken at Taupo.

One of the best known personalities of the Ngati Whakaue hapu of the Arawa people, and a carver famous in his tribe, Mr Rotohiko (Tiny) Ha-upapa, died on Sunday after an illness which had extended over some weeks (says the Rotorua Morning Post). The late Rotohiko Haupapa was one of the original carvers of the Maori school of Aids and Crafts at Ohinemutu, and during the past four years, had contributed some outstanding work to the craft of his people. With his passing, there has departed one of the fast dwindling band of Arawa craftsmen who have handed down from father to son the guild secrets of the Maori carving. He was a master of design, and in this respect alone, his loss will be almost irreparable so far as the work of the school is concerned. The late Mr Haupapa was also well known as a singer and was one of the foremost members of the Rotorua Maori Choir. He had participated in a number of gramophone recordings of Maori music. He was of genial disposition and his passing will be mourned by an exceptionally wide circle of friends both Maori and pakc-ha.

Ofving to bad weather the departure of the s.s. Tuhoo from Auckland has been postponed till tq-morrow, and she is therefore, due to here on Friday morning.