General News

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21315, 7 November 1934, Page 10

General News

+ Firearms at the Museum The uninitiated might think that there was no necessity for the collection of ancient pistols and firearms at the Canterbury Museum being registered with the police authorities, the possibility of their being used by anyone seeming to be extremely remote. It appears, however, thai the police authorities decline to take any risks, no matter how remote they may appear to be. A reporter was told yesterday that all the,firearms in the collection at the museum have had to be registered, the police authorities having intimated that there would be a prosecution unless this were done. Jade and Greenstone The term jade, as applied to a precious stone, Professor R. Speight told his audience at his lecture on gems and precious stones at the Canterbury Museum yesterday, is used in a very loose and unsatisfactory way as it described jadite and greenstone (nephrite). Jadite was slightly heavier than greenstone, he said, and in colour ranged from white to a deep apple green. From the earliest times these stones had been valued by primitive and civilised peoples, especially by the Chinese and Japanese, exactly why he did not know. The Chinese were very skilful in carving jadite. Most of the jadite had been obtained from Burma. The Chinese also used nephrite (greenstone) obtained from mines in Turkestan. The name nephrite was derived from a word meaning kidney, and the Chinese made drinking cups of nephrite because it was supposed to benefit the kidneys, but, as his hearers knew, Chinese medicine was very peculiar indeed. He narrated that in the early days of the West Coast someone loaded a schooner with greenstone for China, but no doubt he loaded with some green stones other than greenstone, thinking that the Chinese would not know the difference. But the Chinese knew the difference, and would not buy, and the cargo was thrown into the sea at Shanghai. "Professional Natives" The opinion that tourists from oversea do not see the Maori as he really is, and, therefore, do not get a correct idea of his character, was expressed by Mr Oriwa Tahupotiki Haddon, a painter of Maori life, and a carver and designer, in an interview yesterday. Mr Haddon said that certain resorts popularly supposed to be the centre of Maori native life were visited by large numbers of tourists, but the Maoris there were becoming professional natives—they were adopting a pose. There were only two or three districts in which any semblance of native life could be found, and one of these was the heart of Taranaki. Such districts were generally unknown to, or at least were not visited by, the tourists. The Maoris and Mexico A suggested connexion between the ancient Maoris and Mexico, probably centuries before the Maoris came to New Zealand, was mentioned by Professor R. Speight \n his lecture on gems and precious stones at the Canterbury Museum yesterday. Amongst other countries •in which jade was looked upon as a precious stone, Professor Speight said, was Mexico and when Cortex invaded that, country the Spaniards were attracted by the many beautiful objects made of jade. It was a mystery where the Mexicans obtained jade; it was possible that mines existed and that the original inhabitants had disappeared and the secret o£ the mines had been lost. Jade was considered by the Mexicans of the time of Cortcz as really more valuable than gold. In New Zealand greenstone (nephrite) was used for similar purposes as those for which the Mexicans used jade and was looked upon as a precious stone. The tikis of the Maoris had their exact analogy in similar little figures made in Mexico of jade. It made one wonder whether there had been any real connexion between Mexico and the Maoris. Close Season for Seals Extended A notice in the New Zealand Gazette, dated November 1, 1934, states that the close season for seals, under section 5 of the Fisheries Act, 1908, has been extended for three years from November 30, 1934. Unwanted Hoardings A proposal that local authorities should try as far as possible not to do business with those firms whose goods were advertised on hoardings in the countryside was made by the Mayor of Mount Eden (Mr T. McNab) at a meeting of the borough council. In moving that a remit embodying the suggestion should be forwarded to the conference of delegates of local authorities, the Mayor said every beauty spot was being disfigured by hoardings, and the matter was a serious one. "It does not matter in the cities, perhaps, but it does in the countryside," he said. "The newspapers are the advertising medium," he added. After discussion the Mayor withdrew his motion in favour of an amendment stating that the council viewed with alarm the number of hoardings disfiguring the highways, and suggested that local authorities should frame by-laws to stop the practice.—"The Press" Special Service.

RACE TAXI FARES are only half if you 'phone for a Gold Band Taxi Private Hire Taxi. Example: Riccarton and Brighton, 6s; other taxis 12/- for 5 passengers, so why pay more; spend a penny in the nearest 'phone box and ring 33-477, and by doing so you are helping to fight against the high fares. We have the largest fleet and give you the best service. —<■

Hook, R.M.D., Via Tinuiru, 23/8/34. Messrs P. and D. Duncan, Ltd. Dear Sir, —Just a few lines to say what I think of your newly-designed 15-coul-ter Drill that I purchased. I would like to express my pleasure with the work it is capable of doing, the ease with which 4 horses can draw it on the hills and the simple method available to adjust the depth of sowing without stopping the team, also the simple method of altering the pitch of the coulters which should prove very useful when rape and turnip sowing time comes round. I am quite satisfied there is no better drill made anywhere that will give better service for a greater number of years with so little expense to the farmer. (Sgd.), John Dempsey. P. and D. Duncan, Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton. D 2915 —1

For the convenience of our patrons we have a number of PRIVATE CARS which do not bear trade signs. These are particularly suitable for Weddings, or private hire at taxi rates. BLUE STAR TAXI SERVICE. 'Phones 35-228, 35-229. —2

England buys Butter; you should buy their MOWERS. BAMLETT is the best and strongest English Mower. Very reasonable price. Come and look it over at Show, ANDREWS AND BEAVEN, LTD, —2