TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 120, 6 February 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A rusty, single-furrow plough, which is atf present, hanging on a tree in a school ground in the Manawatu district, has miado history, a.s it turned the first sod in the Mamiwutu disfor farming purposes (states an exchange). A proposal has been made in farming circles to rescue this relic of former days, and preserve it as a momenta of early Manawatu.

A curious phenomenon is being experienced in connection with the rates of the Mastertoil County Council (says the “Wairarapa Age”). Last year nt this time, though things were anything but good for the farmers generally, only £5OO of rates was outstanding. To-day, with a very great improvement all round in the financial position of the ratepayers there is £5OOO outstanding.

Rolling stones gather no moss, but they are effective as wind breakers (says the “Wanganui Chronicle”). Some loose metal was scattered cn the River Bank Road near the Aramolio railway cross some time ago. but still shows no tendency to bind together. Three panes of glass in the shop windows adjoining have been broken by flying stones, and residents look upon the place as an “unhetitchy locality when motor-cars are passing.

An enlarged photograph of Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton, alter whom the capital of the Waikato was named, and who was killed at the. attack on Gate Pa in 1864, has been presented to the Ha.milton Boiough Council by Mr. A. C. Hamilton, of London, son of Cantain Hamilton (says the Auckland “Star’). The photograph is to be hung in the council chmabers.

A lily carrying an extraordinary number of flowers has been grown by Mr. Claude Barltrop, of Nile Street (savs the Nelson “Evening Mail”). The bulb has at present five flowering stems, one of which is fasciated and bears 105 fully developed flowers. Each of the other stems is also carrying a full head of large blooms. Altogether the lily presents a magnificent sight.

A slaughterman who appeared at the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court the other morning on a judgment summons, issued by a baker, said he had nix children ranging in age from 10 months to 12 years (says ,the Ashburton “Guardian”). “When did work stop?” asked cross-examining counsel. “When the men struck,” replied the judgment debtor. “1 see,” said counsel, "you were one of the unfortunate men who were thrown out of work?” “Well,” replied tho witness, “I wont out because the other men did.”

The Auckland Post Office had an interesting time answering inquiries received bv telephone regarding the reductions that camo into force on February 1 (says the Auckland Star )• The 'most frequent, query was whether accounts, in which the envelope is not gummed down, cost 2d. or let. postage. It will interest those in business to' learn Hint these now go at one penny, the same as circulars.

The scenic and prison reserve which has been set aside bv the Government at Pukearulie is gradually becoming covered with gorse and blackberry, ana, if left unchecked, a. delightful picnic spot will soon be lost (snys the ' Taranaki Daily News”). The sea in the vicinity abounds with fish, and there is excellent bathing to* be had, and the reserve is likely to be in demand by campers during tho next few years. The farmers in the neighbourhood state that they are willing to plant trees to keep the weeds in check if tho Government will supply them, hut they have not the time to be continually grubbing the reserve to keep it open.

Two Australian visitors who made a brief stay in Palmerston confessed that they had to come to New Zealand to see the flowering gum I (says tho “Manawatu Times”). They had travelled extensively in their own land, >,-f i --n.s hi VVaiKmmii two davs wro that they first saw the gorgeous scarlet blooms of this most beautiful shrub. Which calls to mind the story told against a well-known pedigree stock-breeder in this province who wanted something new m hedge plants —something that his neighbours did not have. Ho sent- to an Australian nurseryman for a catalogue,' and after reading the glowing description of a certain shrub he ordered a thousand. On opening the bundle he was just a little disgusted to find that the muchadvertised spitisporum was his own native ake-ake, of which thousands of plants were flourishing on his farm!

A boisterous w : nd which swept Pal-mm-ston North tho other day accounted for some amusing mid mildly thrilling incidents (says the “Manawatu Standard”). A ladv, with a baby in her Jan. was driving a. horse end gig a'ong Fitzherbert Street when the animal stopped and refused Io move any further. Efforts were made to induce, the horse to proceed, ami several minutes elapsed, during which it attempted to swing round with its back to the wind, before it could be induced (■• face the full force of the gale. A further incident, in which several pedestrians participated, occurred at the corner of Broad Street and the Square. A boy, carrying an office book, was riding a bicycle, and on turning round .into Broad Street the force of the wind ■carried the hook out of his hand. The confusion of the boy was apparent when it was seen that a number of .bank notes were scurrying along the street before the wind. They bad evidently been placed between the leaves of the book for safetv. but it looked as though some of the monev would Hie lost, when passers-bv joined in the e’ins-. end gathered in the elusive nptes wipe l ’ were restored to their discomfited custodian.

The other evening a visitor to TilUiani returned to his hotel feeling much benefited bv a day at the seashore (states an exchange',. Time for retiring arrived: the visitor was soon ■lvmg heck in his bed smoking a eigrrotte. The contented one vent sound •id cent, bpt the cigarette was still alight". Tt fell down onto the 'bedclothes in the vicinity of the pillow, which caught fire and slowly smouldered until it was nothing more than a heap of ashes. Much the same thing hnpnoned to warts of the mattress and blankets. The slumherer. however, still slept peacefully on. The fire, although there were no flames, spread to his trousers, which were lying at 'the top of the bed. and before long part of these* was ready to go back To the dust and the sod. By this time the room was full of smoko, and the visitor was being slowly suffocated. Fortunately, he woke un just in time, but urgently required pure air, and, of course, d : d the wrong thing—opened the door and threw un the window. The bed clothes and the mattress wore immediately in flames. Great excitement ensued. A rush was made for water, and after a strenuous time the •fire was extinguished without further damage being done, ft was certainly a sorry figure that cozed upon tho transformation that bad taken place while he slept so well. Tho marvellous nnrt about the occurrence ’s that tho s.leener escaped so lightly. He was burnt about the face and hair, but the injuries were not of a serious nature.

Three boys, a. bag of chaff, and a snin.ll motor-car —these were the three seemingly incongruous means of giving a. good surface to the dancing Loor at Milford Hall the other evening (says the Auckland “Herald”). The boys were seated on the chaff bag, ami this was slowl.v towed over the floor to give the required polish. J here are so steps to the hall, and .the car therefore was easily driven in from the street.

Complaining that a number of culverts on the ITrcnui-I’iikearuhe Itoad were blacked, causing shoots of water to lodge in his paddock, W. G. Glassford wrote to the last meeting of the Clifton County Council (says the “Taranaki News”): “I object strongly,” he said, “to having sheets of water, chains long, in my paddock simplv because tho culverts are blocked. ' What do I pay £B2 in rates for? T think it would be a good idea if you shut up shop for a year or two and gave the ratepayers a. spell.”

The Clifton County Council some time ago asked the Forestry Service to supply ammunition for the purpose of destroying wild pigs in the back country of the county (says the. “Taranaki News”). The 'service replied. _to the last meeting of tho council stating that it did not undertake to supply ammunition to be used for the destruction of wild pigs. The seriousness of the trouble caused by the pest was fully appreciated, and the Department of Agriculture had been asked to take the earliest possible measures to cope with tho evil.

Fruitgrowers occasionally have the mortification of finding that consignments sent to town for sale fail to cover expenses to say nothing of the cost of production and picking (says the Auckland “Star”). One fruitgrower recent'y sent fo towp some cases of Japanese plums, which realised only 4d. per ease. As tho cost, of the box was fivepence it is probable that the axe will be applied to the trees, which produced the flint. In another instance a box of small but fullv ripe tomatoes, which would be useful for sauce-making only realised sixpence, which meant extra expense for the grower.

A striking contrast to the wot weather which has been experienced Intel"’ in the Manawatu is afforded by tho statement of a visitor from Sydneywho was in Palmerston North during the week-end (says an exchange). Tim gentleman in question, who is interested in hydro-electric work, stated that bullock teams being used in the bush in Australia to cart out hardwood poles had at present to be fed from nosebags, so scarce was feed. Water also had to be carted to the beasts over distances up to seven miles. The Aus tralian was amazed at thogood quality of the land in the Manawatu districtand declared that it was tho finest ho had seen. “If we only had the climate that you have here, Australia would be much more prosperous,” he stated.

A visitor connected with a wellknown enterprise applied at a certain hostelry in Timaru for . the accommodation of a single room. The proprietor (relates the “Herald”) offered him a. room which the visitor would have to share with another boarder. 'The stranger thereupon said that he -would prefer a single room. Upon this, it is stated, the proprietor became abusive, ultimately iiirorming the applicant in no uncertain terms that his presence was not desired. As a. parting shot ho sarcastically offered him the whole hotel. Tho traveller states that owing to the nature of his business it has been incumbent upon him to dwell in hotels in various parts of the. globe for over twenty years, and this is the first time that ho had encountered such: an extraordinarily uncouth experience from “mine host.”

Urging tho acquittal of the two defendants in the counterfeiting charges at the Auckland Police Court, counsel quoted “Webster” to show that counterfeit means “imitation with a view to deceiving” (says th« “Star”). Defendants, he added, had no knowledge as to the purpose to which the rubber stamp would be put by tho purchaser. In such a case honest ignorance was a good legal defence. Counsel then cited a suppositious case that was once alluded to by Mr. Justice Williams. A bishop obliged a friend by posting what later proved to bo indecent literature. “How tho bishop could come to have such :> friend would bo mysterious,” continued counsel smilingly, “but if the statute .relating to the posting of such literature was internreted strictly logallv the bishop couk! be constnted to hnv» committed a serious offence.” 'I he Magistrate (Mr. J. AV. Poynton, S.M.) took a similar view and said lie eoulo not see how the makers of an infernal machine, if a person ordered different parts to be made at different workshops. could be held to be conledera-te? if crime was committed with the machine.

For an old man of 80 to'have walked from AVellington to Auckland, haying tramped every foot of tho way, is a feat which these days calls for a good deal of admiration and astonishment (says the Auckland “Star”). This happened recently. The old man thinks the Auckland climate superior to anything in the south and more congenial for one well up in years. He would not accept charity which was offered to him, but in years gone by he had spent a long time in Auckland and was anxious to get- into a homo here. He could not well understand that because he had lived so long in the south that he was not el gible for the home in Auckland, where many old people are spending riomlfortably the Jast days i'.f (their lives. Ho thought the mere fact that he was a citizen of the Dominion entitled him to enter any home in it. His is one of the problems which faces tlie local authorities, for the old man must be taken care of, and yet he is the responsibility of the board in the south in whose district he has just vo me from. ,

Tho trials oif a doctor in the backblocks are not those which the towndwelling medico encounters (says tho “Poverty .Bay Herald”). A few days ago, Dr. Weeks, of Tolaga Buy, received a call io attend a Maori woman in tho vicinity of Whangara t and set out in company with Nurse Leslie by car for the rendezvous, where ho was to meet tho patient’s husband. Iho roods were very rough, and it was a rough trio, and to add to the inconvenience, tho Maori did not turn up at tho meeting-place until an lioiir and a. half after the car. After .tourneying for a con side-ruble distance » bm'rv. the doctor found that the Maori woman refused to be treated, and an hour was lost while her husband caught his horses.. On the- way brick to Tola.ga, the doctor attpmpUd a bad niece of road at. top after setting the nurse down mi the road. The mud-hole was worse than it looked, and the ear sewed over o the extreme edge of the road ( .i id bowed The doctor and the muse walked five miles io a- station homestead, where they spent the night and obtained .n-wielani--; in the 4nornmg to free the car. I hey arrived j-.uk at Tobiga. at 1 I o’clock in the morning.