TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 233, 28 June 1922, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

'lite Woodville Examiner states: — “Hard times, indeed I Included in the collection at the local church last Sunday was a double-headed penny I”

“Have you any complaints to make?’' asked the Minister of Lands of a soldier settler on the roadside nt Te Oro Orc last Saturday (states the “Wairarapa Age”). “No,”.came the prompt reply. "Drive on quickly; we ha ve met another man who has no complaints!” said Mr. A. D. McLeod, M.P., amid laughter, in which the settlor joined.

A foolscap sheet of good-quality paper, covered with few words in comparison to the space available was received on Saturday by the Mauriceville Ooiintv Council from the Receiver of Land Revenue, intimating (states the “Wairarapa Age”) that there had boon placed to the credit of the county’s general fund account the sum of Is. Id.! .

There has been of late a remarkablo falling off in the coastal trade between Southern ports and Auckland, principally owing to the produce stores hero being overstocked (states the "Herald”). A month ago seven of the Union Company’s steamers were engaged in the Dunedin to Auckland coastal trade, and they were often bringing full cargoes to Auckland. At present only three steamers —the Katoa, W’ingatui; and Wanaka —are engagpd in the work and on most occasions they arrive at Auckland with their holds only partly filled.

An amusing scene was witnessed outside the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company’s retail shop (states an exchange). A cat was sitting between the tram rails watching a dog. and evidently did not notice the approaching tram. The conductor dropped the safety fender and scooped up the cat. which was tossed clear of tho rails. Tho feline evidently thought she had been attacked by the dog, for she stood for a while with ruffled fur and in a defiant attitude, and then, seeing tho coast clear, bolted for safety.

A portion of the bush on the Glenside estate near Gladstone has bean acquired bv the 'Wellington Farmers’ Moat Company to be milled for boxmaking purposes (states th© “Wairarapa Age”). Tho area acquired is about 120 acres and a royaltv of a penny per running foot will be paid. A contract has hoen let by the company for milling the timber, and tho milling plant is now being erected on the site. It is expected the timber will last for about two years.

Knitting is a craze that has nt last seized tho menfolk as well as the women. especially in the country , districts, where during the long winter evenings men knit and chat over the big log fires, and card-playing is not nearly so prevalent as it was (states tho .Auckland "Star”). Many schoolboys aro becoming quite expert with knitting needles, and good warm socks are being turned out at a great rate. Although the work looks tedious, men and boys say they like it, and after a time it becomes a pleasant . and profitable pastime. Women knitters will look to their laurels as knitters.

It is expected that the export royalty on coal of 9d. per ton will yield to the Government. from the coal mines in Westnort alone, apnrnx’mately £30,000 per annum 7 on tho existing output (states the "News”). If the Goree railway were completed as far as tKe Buller Gorge coalfields, the cost of the line would soon be met by freights and royalties.

The “Wanganui Chronicle” understands that the local butchers have not vet taken advantage of tho reduction in’ wages made by th© Arbitration Court, but intend doing, so. and ore passing on- the benefit to tho public in the shape of a reduction in the price of meat immediately. Although the reduction in wages does not in itself ov|p(rrant 'the Kredutetionß (made, the price of beef has not advanced as anticipated, although mutton has advanced considerably lately, pnd tho ers'er tone of the beef market makes it possible to make the reductions.

Taupo earthquakes have not disfigured the landscape as much as tho hand of man (comments the Auckland "Star”). Huka Falls are one of the sights of the district. Not so wonderful as Aratiatia, they hava a beauty of their own, and no one that has caught that first view of them that one gets from the corner where the road from Wairakei, to'Tiupo takes a sudden bend, and you look down on tho wonderful sight, can ever forget it. From a rocky channel, so evenly cut as to suggest human workmanship, the noble Waikato River spreads into a fan of foam, shot with sea-green, which tumbles down into an immense basin, the river gradually subsiding and flowing away majesticallv. almost the colour of the ocean. The ferny ledge on the right-hand side of tho falls, just above river level, has been disfigured by a wooden powerhouse, where hydro-electrieitv is generated. With the iron water-pipe running down the rocky face, the construction reminds you of nothing so much as a washhouse with an unusually long chimney. It is astonishing that anyone ever gave permission for such a disfigurement of one of the finest sights in the district, but now the deed has been done the least that anyone should stipulate is that tho eyesore should be given a coat of green paint, or that creepers should bo planted to hide this painful reminder of the laundry plastered on tho face of one of New Zealand’s most perfect falls.

A good' Wanganui churchgoer last Sunday night commented on the fact that there were not nearly such a large number of ladies iu their pews as usual, and it was hard to account for the absence of so many. 'The problem, however, was solved on the Monday morning (states the “Herald”). The majority of the regular attendants had had thoir eyos. fixed on some bargams which were being offered by a certain large drapery firm to mark the commencement of a big sale, and acting on tho principle, “Early to bed early to rise,” they simply stopped home and retired early. Early in the morning, however, they were on the warpath, and the Avenue presented quite a busy scene as the ladies and their escorts swung in from all directions. Men, too, participated in the big rush for bargains, and though there has been talk of scarcity of money, the crowds who have lately been out circulating in a most lavish manner some of their “hard-earned” proves that there is no shortage of cash in this town, when there is a sufficiently good drawing card to act as tho "open sesame.”

The Teachers’ Grading Appeal Board has finished its consideration of the Otago appeals (states the Dunedin ‘■Star”). Forty appeals were lodged; fifteen were withdrawn, seven were allowed. sixteen were disallowed, and as to the remaining two the board’s decision was deferred. In the seven appeals that were allowed higher marks were given, , varying from twenty-four to one.

An ancient mariner offers the “Manawatu Times” an explanation of tho two wrecks recently reported He says that the seismic disturbances in New Zealand’s thermal region are having their effect on the ships’ compasses, and thus thrwing the vessels off their charted courses.

Despite the evident presence of stoats and the fact that, for want of other food, the bark had boon eaton off every stick of broom for 2ft.' up, sixty-four rabbits were secured on a small island in the river near Glenore by a couple of local youths (says the “Bruce Herald”). This by no moans represented the whole rabbit population of the island, which was eaten bare of every vestige of vegetation, resulting in the rabbits becoming .arboreal in their habits in their search of the wherewithal to sustain life. Numbers were seen lying about, having been killed by stoats. The rabbits, though poor in condition, were in fine fur.

In tho fine black sand washed up by the sea in certain parts of the foreshore of Te Wao Wae Bay, traces of gold aro to bo found (states the “Southland Times”). 'Some years ago a plant was erected at Orepuki for extracting the gold, but after a short trial the works were closed. Recently two Maoris with a miniature plant commenced working the eand at a spot on the Tuatapero. side of Bluecliffs, and the results evidently are encouraging. About three weeks ago they sold £2B worth of gold to tho Tuatapere Bank, and last week they came in with another parcel.

The ever-increasing demands on ratepayers of contributory boards to such institutions as hospital boards (states.the Dunedin “Star”) has been much in evidence of. late, and when at the monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council the Medical Officer of Health advised that the charge for sanitary inspection had been raised from 4d. to sd. per capita, a councillor remarked: "Another molehill that will soon ■be as big as mountain.”

With reference to the campaign to urge the public to buy fruit and vegetables from European vendors,. a correspoliserit writes to the “Wairarapa Age”:—"l agree most heartily that we should support our own people and cut our foreigners in every direction; but my experience this week was not very satisfactory. I purchased from a Chinaman for 9d. an excellent marrow which weighed exactly 111 b. Next day a white vendor called and was askea if ho had. any marrows. H»*had, and brought one to the door. ‘How much ?’ ‘One shilling and ono penny.’. Th© money was paid, the marrow weighed, and it barely recorded 71b. 1”

Conditions have become very desperate with some people in Auckland, and much thieving has taken place in the porches of tho churches during the evening services (states the “Star”). A well-known public man of Devonport lost an eight-guinea overcoat from the outside porch of one of the oldest city churches on Sunday after being .fissured that nothing had ever been stolen from the hat-pegs during the long history of tho church. The gentleman’s hat and stick had been left, but tho coat had been stolen during the service. Some of the churches have taken the precaution to warn worshippers not to leave their coats in the porches of the church, as thieving had become systematic in several parts of the city.

The eagerly-awaited decision of the Railway Department on tho sites for the Palmerston gasworks and electric power station has not yet been reach'ed (states the local "Times”). For some time past negotiations hav© been iu progress between the Borough Council and the Department. Tho last move was the refusal of the Tatter to agree to a site at Terrace End. The council has since, in committee, conferred with Mr. Widdop, of the staff of tho Chief Engineer of Railways, concerning four tentative sites for the gasworki; and electric power station. Plans depicting the suggested areas were produced and a thorough investigation was made.

An enforced stoppage of nearly three hours was made at Whangamarino by the Main Trunk express which left Auckland at 7.10 on Sunday night (states the “Herald”). The /train stopped at five minutes past nine owing to a breakdown in the engine duo to a defect in the super-heating apparatus. Another engine had to bo sent from Mercer, seven mlies away, and the express restarted at five minutes _ (before midnight. Frankton Junction was not reached till 1 a.m., and the train left, there about half an hour later. Entertainment for tho waiting passengers at Whangamarino was provided in good style, by tho members of the Australian University Rugby league football team, who were on their way to Hamilton to play South Auckland.

A Foxton fishing party hod an unenviable experience last Thursday (states the “Manawatu Standard”). They proceeded by launch over the bar to fish off Kapiti. When about to return they filled the petrol tank with kerosene, a case of which had been taken aboard in mjstake for benzine. The result was that the engine would not work, and tho launch drifted. They signalled the shore off Levin, and a boat put off and took two oi the party ashore. In the meantime the firm which supplied the fuel, discovered that kerosene had been taken by the party instead of benzine, and at once communicated with the cap-' tain of tho Kennedy, about to leave for Wellington, and a case of benzine was taken aboard to be transhipped to the launch if sighted. Fortunately for the men aboard the launch the weather was fine., and the Kennedy sighted the drifting launch, and transhipped the benzine, and supplied the occupants of the launch with food. The party crossed the bar at daylight on Friday morning after spending a very cold night, Tut little the worse for their experience.

As an illustration of tho arbitrary manner in wmeh the rateable value of property is in some casts puslied up, the following local instance is of interest, states the “Otago Daily Times.” At the time of tho purchase of a certain small property 18 months ago the rates upon it amounted to £8 9s. Last year the rateable value was increased till ths charges amounted to £9 10s. This year tho rateable value has been raised from £lO to £5O, and the owner is confronted with a. demand for £ll 15s. 'This represents an increase of nearly 40 per cent, in tho brief period mentioned, and that in respect of a four-roomed wooden house, by no means new, with quartor-acro section, remotely situated, ten minutes distant from tlie terminus of the worst tram service in the city, and in a street never' yet deemed worthy of enjoying tho advantages of the corporation’s gas service. Tho property, moreover, ~ »■> wise appreciated in value of late —rather the reverse. This example seems to indicate a curious method of encouraging that desirable thing, a drift of population to’ the suburbs with a view to relieving congestion in tho city proper.