General News

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20983, 11 October 1933, Page 8

General News

What Gladstone Said. The price of wheat in 1383 was under discussion by the Tariff Commission yesterday when Mr James Carr was giving evidence. "You must have a good memory, Mr Carr," said Professor B. E. Murphy. Mr Carr admitted that his memory was fair. "But you can't remember what Gladstone said in '83," added Professor Murphy, smiling. Good Fishing - . Good fishing continues in the Waimakariri. Reports received by the secretary to the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society yesterday advised that six rods procured 40 fish, averaging one to three and a half pounds in weight, at that point at the back of the Belfast Hotel. Anglers state that so far this season the Waimakariri has returned exceedingly good bags. The fish are in splendid condition. Poets and Money.

Poets are traditionally considered to be careless of money, and the prospectus of a projected book of New Zealand verse seems to have been drawn up in the light of that tradition. Although the promoters offer prizes for poems submitted to them for publication, each competitor whose poem is printed has in eil'ect to contribute substantially towards the eost of the book. He has to sign an agreement for publication without payment —his poem has to be original find hitherto unpublished—and if his contribution is printed he has to forward one guinea (the cost of six copies of the book) before he knows whether he has won a prize or not. The promoters further protect themselves by providing a space on the form of agreement where the parent or guardian of a competitor may sign if he is a minor. It appears as if the book will be paid for by poets.

Gift Declared Invalid. New Zealanders who hoped to benefit from the trust fund of £11,068 created by William Stoney, of Birmingham, will be disappointed, as the English courts have declared the gift to be invalid. The following cablegram from London appeared in the New Zealand newspapers in April last year: "William Stoney, who died on January 14, left £11,9'.":, the whole of which he bequeathed to the Public Trustee of New Zealand to assist poor migrants from Warwickshire and the surrounding counties at the trustee's discretion." Following this a court in England ruled that the gift was not valid, and the will, therefore, had no effect, the conditions making it impossible to give effect to the gift.—Press Association. A Subtle Distinction. A veteran horse trainer was questioned in the Supreme Court at Auckland by Mr Norlhcroft about the special skill necessary to train horses so thr.t they might win races. "That is the object of training," said the witness. "Yes, but not necessarily the purpose," retorted Mr Northcroft. "Not necessarily the purpore," the trainer agreed, "and I can tell you why." But he did not get an opportunity to expound the mysteries of this distinction further. Scrap Iron lor Japan. ! The Japanese steamer Nankwa JMaru is reported to h.nve left Miiki, | Japan, on October 3, ioe New Zca- , land to load about 5400 tons of scrap metal for Japan. Her loading ports are Wanganui, Napier, and Port [Chalmers. She may possibly also i load at Wellington. During the last eight months four steamers have been dispatched from New Zealand to Japan with scrap metal. The total quantity taken by them was 21,577 tons, valued at nearly £26,000. It is understood that a sixth vessel to follow the Nankwa Maru will load scrap metal in New Zealand later in the year.

Prices of Benzine in U.S.A. "I did not see benzine at a higher price than 21 cents a gallon," said a Wanganui resident who has just returned from a trip through the United States. He said that the oil wells on the west coast, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, were very numerous. Some of them were as far as a quarter of a mile out in the sea. Referees Criticised. There was a refreshing note of candour about the reply of the Spriggens Park caretaker (Mr George Morgan) to a toast in his |honour at the Wanganui Rugby referees' dinner. He had two complaints to make, he said, adding: "One of the complaints I want to make is about the referees. There is too much, time lost in accidents to players in Rugby. What I say is that there should be one ambulance man on each side of the ground, and when a player is hurt drag him off and let tire game go on. They were dragged off in the old days, or came off themselves." Farmer Surprises Court. That certain food which is supplied to pigs at Goodwood is eaten every day by human beings in Dunedin was the surprising statement made by a farmer who was giving evidence in the Duncdin Magistrate's Court. The plaintiff in the case, who was claiming wages from the farmer, had complained that while he was on the farm he had to eat '.he same meat as he was killing for the pigs, and the farmer, when Iquestioned on this point, replied that what the plaintiff had said might be true. He knew that the plaintiff I had taken two joints home to his 'mother. "You eat the same meat every day," he informed counsel, jwho, after recovering from his surprise, remarked that what the eye 'did not see the heart did not crieve I for. The farmer then explained that the cows to which he referred were killed for pier food because they could not be driven from Goodwood to the market at Burnside.

Potato Growers aro advised to call and inspect Duncan Potato and Manure Sowers. The following is an extract from one of many letters of praise received by the Makers: "The Planter has civen us every satisfaction, being 100 ner cent, efficient. The notatoes can bo put in to «nv reciuired dentil. One man can plant three acres a day." P. and r>. Duncan. Limited. Iff! Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton.

Twelve boys lose their jobs through a rival firm taking legal, proceedings against the Gold Band Taxis, so every reader of (his paper should ride in Gold Band Taxis only as they are out to help you Taxis <!d per mile for trips over 10 milej out: Lowest fare 1/-. Thank you. —-1

SEPARATORS FOR. THE NEW SEASON. We still have a few Alia-Lava! and Domo Separators landed prior to the exchange going up. which we are selling at the old prices. Dairy fanners who require new machines should seize this opportunity of getting m before prices rise. MASON, STRUTHERS and CO, LTD.