TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 2, 27 September 1922, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A peculiar ocurrence attracted some attention in Queen Street, Auckland, the other evening (states, the “Herald”). While a man was passing the Chief Post Office about nine o’clock, the umbrella ho was carrying suddenly burst into flames, and he was put to some trouble to smother the blaze. The unusual happening was attributed to falling cigarette ash.

The charred remains of a five-seater motor-car were to be seen last Thursday on the Bonny Glen side of Gower’s Hill at Turakina, (reports an exchange). The car was just at the brow of the bill, and was headed towards Wanganui. Practically nothing remained except the metal framework and the machinery.

A Wairarapa farmer who had to take £1 a head for his weaners last year, has just sold this year’s contingent for £2 7s. 6d., a good evidence (states the “Standard”) of the improvement even in the beef outlook.

The Maoris, who watched with mingled awe and admiration recent rapid flights of an aeroplane over the Manawatu, seem to have arrived by common consent at an appropriate name for it (says the “Manawatu Daily Times”). “To Karere,” the swift messenger, is the name by which they referred to it.

Some Masterton pig-hunters had an exciting experience in the bush at the foot of the Tararuas when out hunting during the . week-end (relates the “Age”). Die party were returning with a fine young sow which they had secured, when the dogs got on the scent of a big boar, that did not “bail” until it reached the thick undergrowth, where it was impossible to shoot unless within a few yards. With infinite cunning the boar eluded its pursuers with short desperate “breaks,” but the dogs finally cornered him in a narrow gully. When capture seemed certain it cleared a track through the dogs, killing one outright and narrowly missing another, which escaped with a slight rip on the throat. The remaining dog, evidently thinking discretion the better part <J valour, did not follow the boar, which made good its escape. At this time of the year boars are particularly dangerous, and inexperienced hunters would be wise to avoid pig-hunting for the next two months.

The co mo Tax Department made a departure at the Avondale Jockey Club’s meeting that gave rise to some comment, states the Auckland “Herald.” Previously the department has been content to accept the statement of' receipts furnished bj- the racing clubs, but on Saturday two of the Department’s officers checked the admission roll, and counted the gate receipts.

A large tract of raupo swamp land on the seaward side of Buller Lake, Levin, was fired last Thursday afternoon, and blazed till a late hour. Just before sunset, states the “Manawatu Standard,” a heavy smoko screen drifted along the north-western horizon and acted as a natural protection tc tne eyes of the hundreds of people viewing tho eclipse*, which was then at its most interesting phase, the phenomenon being observed by numbers with the naked eye wiw.out injurious effect.

An elderly gentleman, suffering from lapse of memory, who wandered away from his home at Wanganui, was found Liter. Ho fell into tho W anganui River, states the “Chronicle, but was able to scramble out again, and the shock of immersion had the effect of restoring Ills memory, which had suffered in an accident he met with three, years ago.

The practice of throwing things from the windows of upper floors is a dangerous one, yet iu seems to be "rowing in Auckland, states the “Star. Last Saturday night, just before 10 o’clock, a large electric light bulb crashed into Queen Street, narrowlv missing a group of young women Earlier in the evening someone hurled a big red carrot into the middle of the busy thoroughfare out-side the Victoria Arcade, and on Saturday morning a ■'Star” reporter saw a box, probably the former resting place ol a millinery creation, sail gaily out ot a high window and land upon the top of"a passing tram, from winch it bounced to the street.

An unfortunate accident happened near the Greytown Fire Brigade oration, reports tho “Wairaraoa Standard ” A little girl named Higginson was walking across the road jvhen e motor-car approached. fene decided to retrace her steps, with the result that she was run over. Ihe driver tried to avoid a cohision, and in doing so struck the kerbing. One axle of tho car was bent ana one when damaged. 'Tho child find her skull injured, necessitating an opcra.tion, and also received otner injuries to her body.

Two bovs, each 14 years of age were charged at the Dunedin Pohce Gouit with bicycle stealing “Star”). Die statements by the boys were to the effect, that they had stolen the machines from outside build-, ings. Die Magistrate read the youn„ culprits a lecture on the evils of sneakthieving. He did not want to enter a conviction against them, he said, as they both came fro ™,, respect.to e homes, so he adjourned the matter for twelve months, ordering that in the meantime the boys were to be under the control of the juvenile probation officer, each to revive a whipping, and to refrain from visiting the vaudeville or the pictures during the period named.

The game of poker has hitherto been held sacred to the card rooms frequented by the smoking sex ; but Palmerston North, always progressive, has established a little seminary where their wives and daughters now .study its mysteries and facial expressions (states the “Daily Times”). The' control of one’s features is undoubtedly the l» ai d factor of success in the game, so that the fair plavers will teach men something of this. The charm of the contest will be increased in the knowledge that they will win in the end.

“If you’ve no bottom to your purse you can turn a farm topsy-turvey in a few years; but if you’ve got a bottom to your purse you’ve got- to go bit by bit ” was a comment made in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth (states an exchange) by a farmer of over .10 vears’ experience. He topped off fits opinion with the additional remark that 4 ‘the last sort ma-ke the best farmera.”

On the motion of Mr. Carr-Rollett. the Auckland Agricultural Educational Committee has decided that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands be'asked to set aside pumice and gum lands as an endowment for agricultural education in the Auckland province. It was further resolved, reports the “Star.” that the Department of Native Lands bo asked to induce Native landholders to set aside areas of Native land for the endowment of agricultural education for Maoris. It was suggested that these requests might form tho basis of a deputation to Mr. Massey on his next visit to Auckland.

The pastoral possibilities of the area of country devastated by the Tarawcra eruption of 1886 were much impressed upon Mr. C. F. Bennett during a recent visit to the Rotorua district (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The eruption mud, reaching a depth of from Din. to 18in., is naturally prone, when cultivated, to the growing of white clover and trefoil, said Mr. Bennett, and will raisa good crops. The growth of grass and clover on some lands he had inspected in that area compared favourably with that in many of the best parts of the Waikato. Farms brought in during tho past five years were showing every sign of progress, and with a little attention the land would do wonders. In many parts between Lake Rotorua and the' Wairoa. district the land comprised easy rolling country, growing magnificent bush, while where the bush had been cleared by fire there were good pastures. The country was watered by springs, and was said to be absolutely free from bush sickness, which had been a bar to successful settlement in certain other parts of the thermal region,

A married man named Bert Grumaldi, of Clyde Street, Hamilton East, was out shooting with a party on the Cambridge Road (states the “Waikato Timos”), when his gun accidentally discharged, and blew the second toe off his left foot.

In a police by-law case at Waipukurau the defendant was charged with utilising an unlicensed driver to drive a licensed car. The defence (states an exchange)'admitted that the driver was unlicensed, but claimed that tho car on the occasion in question was utilised simply for the purpose of carrying His Majesty’s mails and not for tho carnage of passengers. The Magistrate gave judgment for the defendant.

A Wanganui resident who visited Wellington last week was conversing with two of the city solicitors ‘regarding their experiences when they went along to enlist tho other day (relates the “Herald”). Both men entered the room together, and solicitor No. 1 was asked whether he had any previous war experience. “Well, I happen to be a captain,” he remarked. “Oh, this way, please, sir,” politely remarked the attendant, pointing to another department. Then it came tho turn of solicitor No. 2. Ho was asked a similar question, and on the reply being in the negative he was told abruptly to “go down there.” How polite (the “Herald” observes) some of these parsons can be when there is a “star” or two about.

Two vessels are at present at Auckland with Admiralty writs nailed to their masts (states the “Herald”). They are the steamer France and the trawler Naumai, both having been seized for debt and having a bailiff on board. The France arrived at Auckland from Noumea on May 3. The plaintiff on the writ is given as Mr. Alfred Brown, Parnell. The Naumai is a wooden trawler of 47 tons. She has three writs on her masts on behalf of three plaintiffs: the captain, engineer, and a fireman. The vessel has been lying idle at Auckland since April.

The cold snap experienced during the past week in the Poverty Bay district does not seem to have had any serious effects upon the young stock, so far as can be ascertained (states on Auckland “Herald” correspondent). The snow in the high country accounted for the death, as was expected, of a small percentage of lambs born just prior to or during the snap, but the remainder of the lambs, through rendered weak and miserable, survived fairly well, and have now picked up again. Die rain on the flats was welcomed by most of the fanners, who were glad to see tho break of the long snell of hot weather, which was rapidlv taking the moisture out of the ground.

The Dannevirke hounds have been very much in prominence during the* past hunting season, on account of tho good sport they have invariably furnished their numerous followers with, and this week they will again be in the lime-light, but in quite a now and probably loss arduous role (announces the “Nows”). They are to make their appearance on the stage. They have gone to Masterton, under the care- of Huntsman Selby, to take a prominent part in the production of “Dorothy” bv the Masterton Operatic Society. When they hear the “Tally-ho” chorus musingly sung, no doubt they will add their vocal contribution, giving vivid realism to the well-known refrain.

A Wyndham farmer is a believer in tho effectivdiifcss of the natural eueiny in the destruction of rabbits, and his conclusions are based on this favourable experience (states th-e local paper). On a given area, part of his own property and part; of a neighbour S, at this time last year an experienced rabbiter trapped no fewer than 943 rabbits in three days. In the interval ferrets have become numerous on the particular area, being countable by tne dozen, with a few cats joining forces. The same rabbiter has just worked tho same area again, and in the same time of three days his catch aggregated 30 rabbits.

For some time the Southern Hawke s Bay Farmers’ Union headquarters at Dannevirke has been keenly interested in getting a supply of Nauru phosphates for the district at the cheapest rate possible. At the last meeting of the executive of the branch, Mr. R. S. Chadwick (president) stated (reports the “News”) that it was his intention ti try and formulate a schema whereby the farmers in Hawke’s Bay could procure the phosphate direct from a crushing plant in the province, thus removing the heavy rail charges from Auckland, at which place the rock was taken to be crushed. At the annual meeting of shareholders of the Hawke’s Bay Aleat Company, Whakatu, Mr. Chadwick (chairman of directors) asked the meeting to discuss the advisability of the company putting in a crushing plant so that shipments of the rock could be laffded at Napier, cruslied at the company’s works, and supplied to farmers at a very mucl reduced price. Die suggestion was very favourably received, and the directors have been requested to compile all the data possible bearing on the subject.

Something in the nature of a warning was issued by Mr. A. J. Sinclair, assistant manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Association, in an address to the cheuso suppliers ol Orini (states the Hamilton correspon-y dent of the “New Zealand Herald”). Dealing with tho prospects of butter, Mr. Sinclair said it was a matter to> gratification that the present position was &o firm. This might continue for' some little time. There was a possibility, however., of a very sharp decline in prices in England after Christmas. Shipping at this end was not very satisfactory, and it looked as though butter made in New Zealand in October would not reach England until the new year. If this eventuated tho London firms handling produce on consignment would certainly become conservative in thfiir advances to New Zealand factories, and this would react on the monthly advance payments for butterfat.