TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 5, 30 September 1922, Page 9

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

Craving for an intimation from the Chief Justice at. the Auckland Supremo Court as to when a succeeding case could be expected to be heard, a wellknown' barrister suggested that 2.15 p.m. would suit. ‘‘.Make it 2 o’clock, and cut chit the fifteen,’-’ said Sir Robert Staiit, who (states the “Star”) delivered a little homily to the assembled Bar that he found, when tlxSro was work to do, it was the matiter of filling in the minutes that always. told.

A .collision occurred in Queen Street, Masterton,. between two boys on one bicycle and’ one riding another machine the other day (reports the “Daily Timbs’’). The force of the impact was such that one of the boys, teamed Maurice Winslade, was very seriously injured about the head and face, requiring medical attention. One of the other boys' (Allen) was also injured, but to. a lesser extent. The third lad escaped injury.

The coal trade at Newcastle is somewhat disorganised owing to.- labour troubles and x>thbr causes, with tho result that'vessels calling there for cargoes are subject to considerable delay (slates the Auckland “Herald”). The Commonwealth Government steam er Pundula, which arrived at Auckland this week, was twenty days at Newcastle waiting to load her cargo of coal, and another four days load’ng it. She brought nearly 5000 tons for the New Zealand railways.

( Time will probably reveal that quite a lot more than cargo was lost as tho result of the wreck of the Wiltshire (states the 'Auckland “Star”)- . Th'e Bank of, New- Zealand has notified the' Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board that seventeen coupons in the board’s ■ loans wore paid by their Jjonflon office, and forwarded to Auckland by registered post per the ill-fated steamer, and as they - had not come to hand it was concluded they were Dow “treasures of the deep.’’ The engineer-secretary recommended that tho authoritv asked for by the bank be granted by the . board upon receipt of the .original certified declaration, of which a copy of dispatch had been supplied. This was agreed to.

, The Otago University Museum ’(states the “Otago Daily ’Times”) has received as a gift from Miss L., A. Harwood, ten partially complete moa skeletons,' found in the earlier years of the Otago: settlement on the Lower Portobello sandhills by the late Mr. )O. Harwood. Though imperfect, the skeletons afford' important evidence as to the characteristics of the different species of moa that in ancient times inhabited the district about Dunedin. The museum has acquired from the same neighbourhood a large adze made pf greenstone, mottled and marked in a most unusual manner.

An expanding market for New Zealand butter is promised in France (states the Auckland ‘ ’Herald ’). The production of butter in that country in recent years has considerably diminished, partly owing to the depletion of the herds during the war period and partly because of the extensive manufacture of soft cheeses. The country fa also consuming much more butter than it did previous to the war, the acquisition of Alsace and Lorraine having included two provinces which are large consumers, but produce no butter. During the last few seasons New Zealand butter has >en placed on the Paris - market through London, but I efforts are now being made to establish p, trade in New Zealand butter with France direct.

“Would you like to give us the name?” asked the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr. H. B. Sorensen) at the last meeting of the board, when (reports the Christchurch “Press”) Mr. A. Smith was detailing the circumstances of a '’ € ' l " fcaan ease which had been considered by the Benevolent Committee-. JNo, 1 would not,” hastily answered Mr. Smith. “I gave the . name to the board once, and I nearly got fnree months for it.” (Laughter.) Oh, we U bail you but, you know,” said Mrs. Herbert, hut Mr. Smith was not to be persuaded.

, “No better forin of social service has been adopted during the past 12 months, in New Zealand, "than , at undertaken by the Young Women U Chris-. tian Association, which decided at its last conference in Wellington to initiate a campaign throughout, the Dominion in the interests of tho health of young'women who have to earn then- own living,” said Dr. Truby Kinc- in Auckland (reports the Herald”). The idea was to interest young, women in shops, offices, and factories in acquiring better health and a higher standard of efficiency and happiness. The subjects treated by leading authorities were work, food, exercise, recreation, and clothing in relation to health, and the series of meetings held in the three southern centres had been ientirely successful in reaching the class aimed at. Popular lectures on similar lines would shortly be started ,in Auckland, and would bo followed up next year as part of a continuous .policy- /

I Angling (observes the Dunedin “Star”) is supnosed to teach patience If that is really so, , the persons who have been seen fishing for trout at Henley arc not true anglers, and should punishment overtake them by means of l prosecution at the instance oi Acclimatisation Society no fair-minded rodman will pity them. The fishing Beason opens on October I_, and surely they could very well wait and take tint a license in duo form. Information is also to hand that snears and rifles are being used on (Jx* Shag River, particularly near Dunback, on Saturdays and school . holidays, n-nd that many trout have been so killed. These-matters are under tho consideration of the authorities, and something more may be. heard on the subject.

Three keas were observed flvine: about the Riverlands district in Marlborough the other day (states tho "Express”). Ono of them, killed with a shot-sun. was well grown, in good condition, and possessed of thick and striking pinmage. A peculiarity was that.the wing and tail. tips were very ragged and short, bearing the appearance of having been severely F-corched by fire. What brought the kea-s so far from their natural haunts it is difficult to conjecture. Possibly thev had had a narrow escape from a bush fire, or the recent heavy falls of snow and the subsequent shortage of fond mav have driven them down on to the plain. The fact that there are large numbers of dead lambs',lying about may attract more k"as. One of the settlers, Mr. Fisher, who has had considerable experience with keas on such backcountry runs as the Molesvzorth. stated that ho has seen the birds! feasting in great numbers on dead sheep, but has never noticed them attack a live animal. He has no doubt that they are carnivorous, as he once kept a tamo kea when out mustering, which ho used to feed on sheeps’ kidney. On one occasion he shot, a couple of stags in kea country, and on returning for one of the heads, which he had been compelled to Pave found that the carcasses had been stripped clean. of x flesh by an immense mob of koan.

Some difficulty is being experienced by the Public Works Department in making up gangs for work on the West Coast road (states tho “Marlborough Express’). Altogether about 115 men have registered as unemploycd in this district, and have offered to work on the road, but they apparently do not relish the idea of working on contract, even though the rates are the same as are always offered for public works jobs, and should prove very remunerative to good workers.

Three fire engines raced through Cathedral Square, Christchurch, in driving rain the other evening and pulled up alongside a blazing motorcar that had been hauled out of a garage into tho middle of the road. The flames were put out within a few minutes. According to eye-witnesses (states the “Lyttelton Times”), the motor-car had been standing in the garage since about three o’clock in the afternoon. At a quarter to eleven it was noticed that the petrol tank was leaking. Immediately afterwards flames shot up and, to reduce the risk, waiting taxi-men promptly pushed the marking into the street.

Tho filthy state in which notes are being issued by the banks in New Zealand was brought before the notice of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association by Mr. H. F. Sincock (reports tne “Star”). A business man (ho said) only needed to cash a cheque, and in exchange he was given a bundle of dirty notes that had been in circulation for a long time. This matter had been ventilated before, but the banks had given no explanation. Mr. T. Somerville said there should be some regulations governing the size and kind of paper on which the notes were printed. “You can get clean notes ir you know the teller,” -remarked another speaker.

The result of the recent'decisions of the Education Department that copies of tho inspectors’ reports as affecting individual teachers should not be supplied to school committees was seen at a meeting of the Oamaru North School Committee (states the “Mail”). Outside of some details as to roll numbers and the number presented in each standard and the infant department, the report received upon the inspectors’ recent examination was of a meagre character.' It consisted of a few sentences of a complimentary description, alike as to the work of the school in general and the condition of the buildings and grounds. The chairman expressed dissatisfaction with ,tho change, which deprived committees of information th>!> they ought to have. The whole thing seemed to him designed to shield those teachers who might be incapable, indifferent, or indolent from exposure of their shortcomings. Several members of the committee concurred in these comments and. a resolution of emphatic protest was passed unanimously.

Balllasting operations on the TahoraKohuratahi line are being pushed ahead (writes a correspondent of the Stratford “Post”). The first gravel is being laid between the two tunnels. Two loads a day, consisting of about 100 tons each, are- brought from Te Wera, as ballasting is of first importance. Since it commenced the passenger service has been slightly altered. The train is now dignified with a real guard’s van, and we are to have a carriage soon. Till now we have been served by a sort of a hut on a truck.

The total turnover for the twelve factories and one creamery in the Pahiatua district for the 1921-22 season (states the “Herald”.), amounted to over £175,000. The individual! figures were as follow: Rexdale, £26,972 ; Konini, £22,160; Pahiatua, £21,706; Mangatainoka, £19.070; Hamua, £14,232 ; Hukanui, £12,859; Kohinui. £ll/150; Tararua, £11,240 ; Mangahao. £10,327 ; Ballance. £8240; Kaitawa, £6845 ; Marima £8027; Makomako, £2865; totals, £175,703.

“That’s not my name!” said a woman charged with drunkenness at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Cpurt, relates the “Sun.” The charge was amended, and she was asked her plea. “No reply!” she said. A constable gave evidence that he found her in a drunken- condition in Durham Street, Sydenham. Defendant: It was not me, it was God! The Magistrate! Havo vou any question to ask tho constable? Defendant: There was no constable there! The Magistrate: Have you anything to say? Defendant: God will answer! Tho Magistrate: She had bolter be remanded till to-morrow. Defendant: No, sir; that I will not! No! I can’t .” She was taken .from •the court still protesting.

Before Mr. F. H. Levin, S.M., at Auckland, John McNeill, foreman of explosives at Wilson’s Portland Cement Works at Portland (represented by Mr. H. D. Harrison), was proceeded against by Mr. Newton (Inspector of Quarries), on counts of having loaded charges into a hole in a manner in contravention of the regulations, by using a metal tool in a born after an explosive had been inserted. It was shown (reports the “Star”) that a packet of explosives had jammed in the bore, and use was made of a copper tool in an endeavour to cut a string to free tho packages. After a lengthy hearing the Magistrate imposed a penalty of £5 and £4 16s. costs. The prosecution was an echo of the recent big charging operations carried out at Portland, when the blast was the biggest so far carried out in New Zealand, and proved completely successful. On this occasion 100,000 tons of rock were displaced by the simultaneous explosion of nineteen charges, containing a total of 10J- tons of explosives.

At a meeting, of members of the Citrus and Fruitgrowers’ Association at Tauranga, Mr. Harvey Turner furnished details concerning the curing and nwketing of lemons. The New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation intimated tnat it had decided to grant a subsidy up to £25 (£ for £) for the pui-pose of advertising lemons. Excellent samples of lemon peel froni the Auckland factory were exhibited. Californian and New Zealand lemons in a cured condition were exhibited. It was. readily admitted (states the Auckland “Herald’s” ,'dorrespondenb) that the New Zealand lemons were superior to the imported.

Tho quality of tho butter now being produced in tho Auckland province was the subject of a few remarks by the chief Government grader of dairy produce for the district, Mr. A. A- Thornton, at a conference of dairy factory managers, states tho '‘Herald.” Mr. Thornton said the improvement in quality of the butter received at' tho grading stores during tho last two or three years 1 ad been most marked. Ho attributed the improvement largely to the adoption of cream grading by tho various factories, but an equally important factor was the enthusiasm of tho factory managers in their endeavours to manufacture butter of the highest possible quality. A few years ago the quality of the butter was anything but uniform; to-day it was a pleasure to bring the managers to inspect the butter. If they continued on the same lines they had nothing to fear in competing for tho world market.