General News.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20382, 31 October 1931, Page 14

General News.

The second round of matches in the Canterbury Cricivct A-ssociuuioii s championship will be commenced today, as follows:—Old Boys v. St. Altftns, Vlagley No. 1; Old Collegians v. West Christchurch, Hagley No. 2; Lancaster Park v. Sydenham, Sydenham Park; East Christchurch v. Riccarton, Lancaster Park. After communicating; with firms in all parts of the world in order to ascertain the best type of glider to procure, the Masterton Gliding Club has decided that no country in the world can supply a machine of the same quality and performance, and at anything' like the same price, as one which can be manufactured in New Zealand. The committee is placing an order with a Dannevirke firm for » machine to bo delivered within three months. Some interesting facts regarding certain seeds were given at a meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board. The inspector reported that it was rather remarkable th-it spoil, dug from the bottom of the Sluggish River Drainago Board's waterway in the Wen Oroua district, when thrown on the banks produced a prolific growth ot hemlock, despite the fact that the seeds must have remained under water for many years. The (Mr B. G. Gower) said that his experience ot eprse had proved that ground that had once had this growth covering it would produce gorse after a lapse or 25 years, and a well-known resident had told him that he had seen •gorse come up on a section after the lapse of 60 years. That cannibalism still existed among certain peoples of the Western Pacinc was stated by Mr T. A. Richards, ot Fiji, who arrived at Auckland by the Tofua" on a visit to New Zealand. He said heathen rites were practised among the Nambu tribes, in the bacK country of Malekula Island, in the Northern New Hebrides. When a raid was decided upon, the natives would dance before their gods and work themselves into a frenzy. Fired with the desire to kill they would set out to attack another tribe. Mr Richards said cannibalism was not as rampant as formerly, but cases occurred at intervals. The fighting was usually between small parties from the different tribes, who frequently crossed eacn other s path In the jungle. Occasionally a warrior would lie in ambush on a wellfrequented path, waiting for the chance to kill.

It is the custom of the School Medical Service (Department of Health) to recommend cocoa as the accompaniment of the school lunch, says Dr. A. G. Paterson, director of the Division of School Hygiene, in a letter to the secretary of the Auckland Primary Schools' Association. The Association wrote to the Department of Health asking its opinion concerning the value of cocoa to school children as a health food, as some difference of opinion had appeared among members of the Association. Dr. Paterson added that while theoretically cocoa was a valuable food practically so little of it could be taken at a time that its value was greatly lessened. When milk and sugar were added its food value was greatly enhanced, and cocoa made with a liberal amount of milk provided an important item in the school lunch or other meal. Cocoa had a great advantage over tea or coffee in that it had practically no effect on the nervous system. It provided an easily-prepared warm drink, which was an asset to the meal.

"I have made many visits to Hawke's Bay in my life," said Mr H. S. Hislop, on returning to "Wellington, "but I have never seen it looking so wonderful as it was during my stay there last week. The season has been a great one. There is plenty of grass, the lambing has been good, and the spring has been, on the whole, a very favourable one for the man on the land. I was on one place where there were about 5000 sheep and some 1800 lambs, and they were all looking extremely forward for this time of the year. The lambs are fattening up already, and, if from nothing else, there should be a good return from them during the next couple of months. As a whole the district was looking a picture, and if the farmers, who are working hard, are only given a little bit of a break by King Luck it will not be so long before they are out of their difficulties. Some people told me not to go to Hawke's Bay, as I would be depressed, but I would like all who wish their faith in New Zealand reinforced to lose no time in visiting Hawke's Bay. It is the greatest stimulant one could take." "Benzine is a national necessity in modern life, and to have to pay, as we are paying in country stations, as high as 2s 3d and 2s 4d a gallon when the landed cost of good second-grade benzine is only 10.274 d shows that there is something radically wrong with the system of distribution," said Mr W. J. Poison, M.P. (Dominion president), at the meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at Wellington. The remark was made "during a discussion on a number of suggestions forwarded by the Southern Hawke's Bay branch in connexion with motor insurance, benzine prices, and other matters. A member said that in some parts the price was as high as 2s 6d a gallon. Mr Poison said that he understood the retail price of benzine at Home a few months ago was Is 2d a gallon. Steps were being taken to meet the situation by motor organisations and others, and he thought that in the interests of the farming community the union should take action itself. It was clear that the price of benzine to the consumer could be very considerably reduced. After some discussion the matter was referred to a committee set up to deal with, the Ha wke'# Bay suggestions.

It is stated that there are soma COO Maori farmers working under the Maori land settlement scheme, known as the "Ngata" scheme, in the North Auckland district. The scheme authorities havo financed these settlers in buying no fewer than 75 separators. Fiftv of these are 60-gallon and the rest 75-gallon machines. "I know a number of people, worthy old Southlanders, too, who are not receiving a penny income from their mortgages, yet they are debarred by law from getting the old-age pension," said Mr D. Marshall at a meeting of the Invercargill branch of the Farmers' Union. "This relief to mortgagors cuts both ways." "I earned rny living at one time of my life by breaking stones on the road," said Mr P. J. O'Regan, at the Arbitration Court at VVanganui, when the subject of how a man held an axe, or a pick, was being discussed. "Not compulsorily, I hope, Mr O'Regan?" asked Mr Cohen. "Oh, yes," replied Mr O'Regan, "I had to earn my bread." Many small parcels of strawberries of varying quality' were offered at the Auckland City Markets on Tuesday. Captain Cook berries, which the previous week realised 3s to 3s 8d a chip, brought la 8d to 2s 8d; Helenslea Surprise, Is to 2s 9d; and other varieties lid to 2s. The retail prices range from about 2s to 4s a chip. Thousands of dead whitebait were recently found along the banks of the Wangaehu Stream, near Wanganui. Trout were also floating; about stupidly. It is considered that the stream had become charged with more than the usual quantity of minerals, which had killed the smaller fish and dazed the trout. During the gale last week at Dunedin a reminder of Gabriel's Gully was blown into an Eglinton garden—a bill issued by Bridgeman and McLisky, of the Provincial Hotel at Gabriel's, for goods supplied in September of 1861. Flour is charged at Is per lb, tea at 6s, tobacco 6s, and "nobblers" at Is each. The document is as fresh-looking as when it was written.

The question of prohibiting the importation of Alsatian dogs into New Zealand was recently raised by the New Zealand Farmers' Union. In a reply, which was read to the Dominion executive of the Union this week, the Minister for Agriculture stated that' no sufficient reasons for prohibiting the importation of Alsatian dogs had been adduced, but the position was being carefully watched, and the executive would be advised of any developments.

The purchase of an aerodrome of 60 acres at Bell Block has been completed by the New Plymouth Aero Club. The property has been in use for some years as an aerodrome. Plying rights which the club possesses over the remainder of the land between the aerodrome and the main road will give a runway of 800 yards in all directions. Thus the aerodrome retains the No. 1 rating allotted to it by the Defence Department. It is claimed that at present there is only one other aerodrome in New Zealand with a No. 1 rating. Of the 400 builders throughout Southland registered as union members, 200 are at present engaged on unemployed relief works, revealing the degree to which tho trade has Deen affected by economic conditions. The above figures have been made available from a census recently made by the secretary (Mr Charles Provan), who spent three weeks visiting various country districts. Painting was even harder hit, he stated, this line of business experiencing a very slack period at a season when it should be at its peak. In plumbing, another allied trade, there was generally suffioent work of a jobbing nature to keep union members employed.

By dint of hard labour .and considerable night work, the new St. John's Church, Napier, has been completed. The cost of the new church has been about £.2500, with an additional £SOO for fnrnishings. The new church has accommodation for a congregation of 450. The interior is finished with selected timbers, heart of kauri being mostly used, and round the walls is a polished mahogany dado to a height of sft. Above the altar is a handsome stained-glass window. This is one of the Coleman series and was to have been placed in the old cathedral, but fortunately did not arrive until after the earthquake. A number of the tablets which passed through the earthquake and fire have also been placed in the new church, several of them showing plain marks of the February catastrophe. The cathedral lectern, though considerably damaged, was not destroyed, and has been repaired and re-erected. The organ was obtained from Knox Church, Dunedin.

Considerable interest attaches to the question whether the grouse sent to New Zealand seven years ago by Lady Liverpool, and liberated by Mr J. Cullen, honorary warden of National Park, are still in existence, and if they have increased or diminished in numbers. There were 20 birds, and they were set free in the vicinity of the Haunted Whare and the Whakapapanui bridge. "Before liberating the birds," said Mr Cullen, "I kept them in my cottage for a few days; and some of them came back afterwards quite close to where I lived, having become fairly tame during the period of their captivity. The area in which the birds were first let loose was one where trampers do not go very often, and that may account for so few reports having come in recently of the birds having been seen." The last occasion on which Mr Cullen had heard of the presence of the birds in the neighbourhood of the area in which they were liberated was about, a year ago, when two of the staff of the Chateau reported that they had seen some grouse one evening by the Haunted Whare. Not long afterwards a few more were reported to b&ve been by the track along side the Whakapapa. The birds wander about a great deal, and as there is an area of about 4000 acres of scattered heather there, if is conceivable that they may exist in large numbers.

The Railway Department advertises particulars of cheap fares in connexion with the throwing open to the public of the new ferry steamer Rangatira on Tuesday. Maternity cases are specially catered for by the Gold Band Taxis. We are at your service day and night, our lowest fare is only. Is, so save your money and buy something for baby, and always remember that it was the Gold Band Taxis that brought the fares down, and that you should always ride in them and help to keep the fares down. Thank you. —4 Now is the time to send your portrait to your oversea friends. You secure accuracy of likeness and at tractiveness of finish bv having it made at the Steffano Webb Studios, 252 High street (Petersen's Buildings), Ckristchurch. Telepnone 35-457. Johnston's N.C. Motor Co., Ltd., representatives: W C. Wilson and F Meyer; manager, A G. Prestney, authorised Ford dealers. Travelling Rangiora. 'Phones 8" and 88. —2 We,find your chilled cast iron shares are giving every satisfaction to users and so far have not received any complaints regarding them. We trust you will continue making suDerior shares at better prices than the imported ones.— Invercargill, June. 1931 P. and _DDuncan, Ltd., 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton* , —?