TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 134, 22 February 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

Manawatu farmers are now receiving their valuations for the Wellington wool sale on February 23. On an average (states the “Daily Times”) these are about a penny higher than those given in January, when the prices realised quite a penny more than the valuers’ estimate-

The present season (says the “Pahiatua Herald”) has been a heartbreaking one for the horticulturist and cottage gardener. Rain, snails, and gale, frost, rust, and blight have all had a good innings.

Canterbury members of Parliament recently interviewed the Primo Minister and put forward a request that a Government grant should ho made towards the local war memorial. The Mayor of Christchurch (says the “Press”) has received a telegram from one of the members that Mr. Massey received the request very favourably and undertook to consider it carefully.

Production of coal from the Westport mines has been heavy lately, and no doubt before long it will reach pre-war figures, when the average was 18,000 to 22,000 tons export per week. The introduction of colliers from the Old Country probably accounts for the welcome increase in the production (says an exchange).

Levin’s suburb, Weraroa, is putting on an air of activity with th» commencement of the • erection of the Morowheriua Power Board’s depot buildings/(ss.ys the “Chronicle”). The board also intends to er°ct a number •of dwellings for the staff, so that the appearance of the township will be changed for the better within tho next few months.

“We are not altogether pleased with the interchange of press news between New Zealand and Australia.” remarked Mr. Collins (ex-Mayor of Wagga) at •the civio reception in the Dunedin Town Hall (reports the “Star”). The speaker went on to say that Australians knew a good deal about Now Zealand. but most of their knowledge was gained from visitors to tho country, rather than through the press. They knew verv little about each other 'through the press, and they had to pay visits to get news. This was a state of affairs that should be easily remedied.

The electrical storm which passed over South Taranaki late on Saturday night and during the early hours of Sunday morning was severe, and it is a long time since the district has experienced so brilliant a display of lightning (says the Hawera “Star’ ). A resident of Hawera who watched the storm approaching from over the sea described the lightning as fascinating. There were many occasions during the disturbance when the lightning was of the forked variety. Later the lightning became even more vivid. A motorist who went along the South Road at the height of the storm describes the effect as most remarkable. The light was blinding, and during tho flashes lit up the neighbourhood as with a most brilliant electric light. Out to sea the effect was even more wonderful. and right to, the horizon the sea was a sheet of light. It was one of the most wonderful sights ho had over seen. No damage was reported in tho district.

The decidedly varied nature of the weather during the past month or so lias had ita effect upon the potato end onion crops in the Marshland district, states a Canterbury exchange. Reports from other outlying districts also go to show that these root crops are in a serious state of infection. After thorough inspection of both potato and onion crops it is stated that the prospects for the majority of Marshland farmers are anything; but bright. Marshland is noted as being tho largest onion producing district in Canterbury, and also one of the largest producers, of potatoes. The blight made its appearance early in the new year, up to which time the various crops were apparently the best, seen in the district for years, but those onion crops which it was thought would yield anything from 15 to 20 tons of onions to the Aera, will (now scarcely total from seven to ten tons, while in somo cases it will take them all their time to go four or five tons to the acre. As in the case of onions, potatoes in all classes of land are very severely infected. Many of the paddocks are absolutely black, and crops in dry land are in just as bad a state as those In web soil. Even the early crops are as badly diseased as these put m later.

For several years past (states an exchange), Gonville (Wanganui) has had a mystery. Various town boards have tried to solvo it ; but without success. The mystery is a huge discrepancy in ■ connection with the water account. It has been found impossible to make the figures registered by the borough meter supplying Gonvillo and the total readings of the Gonvillo householders’ meters agree in any wav, and this after making a big allowance for water used for public purposes. As it was assumed that the borough meter was at fault, and that Gonvillo had been charged with water not received, a test was made under tho supervision of tho local bodies’ engineers. The Gonvillo baths, after being measured for cubic capacity, were filled from the main, and the result disclosed a small margin in favour of GonviUe. This result was discussed at a meeting of the Gonvillo Town Board, and it ° was suggested that the trouble inio-ht be that the householders’ meters were not registering properly. In support of this an instance was quoted of a householder’s meter that road lackwards at the rate of 50 gallons a day.

Tho climatic conditions at Mangahao (says the Shannon “News”) continue very wet, arid last week witnessed the third frost since the. New Year. Thursday recorded, a veritable downpour with a thunderstorm thrown in. Asa result of the lightning affecting the power plant at Mangorei, all the local plant was rendered, idle, with the consequent flooding of both tunnels. Tho workmen in the No. 1 had a more narrow escape.than hitherto, nnd emerged from the tunnel breast deep in water. Xn view of the few days delay in getting the plant going ngnin, about 40 men went out on leave. “Juice” from the auxiliary plant reached Mangahao on Friday evening, but was too weak to accomplish much in the way of pumping. A. start was made to pump the No. 2 tunnel on Saturday, but insufficient power was available to give the pump the required speed. The pump attendant was obliged to wado waist deep in the icy cold water to start the mechanism. Full power was restored by Sunday afternoon, and pumping enabled work to be resumed on Monday. Messrs. Olsen and party are making good progress with tho drive at the top of the hill in search of rock, the tunnel at present being pierced a little over a chain. "No rock of much consequence i» in sight yet. Another test shaft is i.0i,,,/sunk'alongside tho Arapoti dam cxcn.vaiioi' on ttie western side. It is '’'tended to go down about oO feet from the surface. The" workers aro at_present abp l /t the 20ft, level.

A sensation was caused at the Groytown Hospital a few days ago when a bullock walked into that institution, says tho “Wairarapa Dady Tinies.” It appears that a mob ot bullocks was being driven past tho hospital when one of them broke away and sought refuge from. the drover in the passage of the institution. Ino drover, on seeing tho animal enter tho building, went round to the back partAs ho entered the passage tho bullock: saw him and retreated without causing any damage, shortly afterwards rejoining the mob.

The number of people who continue to ignore tho reduction in postage offered them by the Postal Department from tho beginning of this month is really astonishing (says an exchange). A glance through the correspondence received the other day by a Dunedin business man who does a largo mail order business showed envelopes bearing the old twopenny rate pouted this month from almost all parts of tho Dominion. Had tho alteration been in the nature of an increase the oversight would have been 'more easily understood.

Some delay has occurred in completing the memorial to the memory of tho soldiers from tho Otago Peninsula who fell in tho Great War (states tho Dunedin “Star”). The memorial is to be placed on a natural volcanic rock, standing about sft. high, on tho righthand side of the upper road, about half-way between Anderson Bay and Macandrow Bay. The site has been surveyed, and the scaffolding lias been in position for some time, but tho work is at a standstill owing to the non-cojnpletion of tho model. The rock on wliicn the model bearing the fallen soldiers’ names is to bo erected is of a very solid nature.

In Upper Queen Street, Auckland, one day last week (relates an exchange), a car proceeding to Grey Lynn had stepped at Turner Street when a car following collided with it. The front of this car was smashed and tho driver temporarily incapacitated, with the result that the car coinm&iiced to I*llll backwards down the hill, many of tho. alamcd passengers jumping off as it did so. Iho conductor leapt from the motomian. s end, and running to the other end, applied tho hand-brake and biou&lit the car to a standstill, after it had travelled some distance. Both cars were considerably damaged by the collision, and Motorman Pilkington sustained severe injuries to his ankle. A passenger, Mr. J. E- Ensor, was also slightly injured.

There were ‘‘dog days” for motors in tho Eketahuna district last week says the Eketahuna “Express ). On Thursday a light car ran into tho watertable on the Bowen road. It was pulled out on to the road, but developed engine trouble and had to Do towefi into town. A little later an other car repeated the performance m the same locality, and this time the front axle and steering gear Buffered to the extent of a 24-hour delay for repairs. At tho other end of tho cutting on the Bow Road, and on the same day, a collision occurred between a local and another car at a sharp bend A"ain, a local resident took his wife and family out for a run, and was suddenly taken ill and the car was towed home. Another local motorist while out in the country developed ignition trouble, and after attempted repairs had to be towed in. At Pahiatua two cars collided, and both were put out of commission. The back wheel of one, with a section of axle, was taken clean off.

One of the leading chiefs of the Maori people in the North Auckland district died at his home at Ketenikau, near Kamo, in tho person of Edward Pohe, who was well known and widely respected among both tho Native and pakoha races. His passing (states the "New Zealand Herald’s” Whangarei _ correspondent) removes one of the links connected with tho signing of the historic treaty of Waitangi, in which his ancestors took part. His great grandfather was a signatory. Ho was recognised as the paramount chief of tho Ngapuhi tribe, and of four subsidiary tribes which were in olden days located in the vicinity of Whangarei district. Tho late Pohe was 67 years of ago. Ono of his ancestors earned notoriety among his people by bartering for a pair of riding breeches, part of Parahaki, a big area of which is now in fertile cultivation, and also embraces a part that will be included in the borough next month. Te Poho became n leading chief of Ngatikahau through his mother. His wife predeceased him last August.

The housing scheme of the RaiDway Department, which was checked in its progress through tho money difficulties which set in about two years ago, is about -to recsivo a frosh fillip, thanks partly to tho financial recovery of the Dominion and partly to the readiness for work of the Department’s housing factory at Frankton (states the Auckland '"Horald”). Tho ne<w factory is at the point of completion, and a start is about to be made to try out its machinery by employing it in the production of the requisite material for the erection at Frankton of five more buildings, tho actual construction of which will be proceeded with at once. Having then proved the adequacy of tho new plant for its work, the Department will continue enlarging tlio railway settlement of tho Waikato by going on with the erection of. about E 0 dwellings, a large number being required for tho accommodation of the additional staff that will bo required for the running of the factory. In all cases tho Dopartmont is laving out and forming roads in the localities serftied, providing attractive recreation grounds for tho residents, and generally acting upon town-planning tines.

The efforts of Otago orchardists to substantially increase apple shipments seem likely to bo frustrated through no fault of their own (says the “Otago Daily Times”). It was hoped to ship a total of 20.000 cases, but late frosts in some of tho main apple districts reduced this estimate to 15.000, which it was intended to ship, half at the end of March and tho balance early in April. Advice has now been received that only one steamer will be available to 'lift apples at Dunedin —viz., the Raranga, loading April 12 to 14, which may mean anything between that data and the end of April —with tho result that shippers find themselves faced with a belated shipment. again this season. Apart from this, it will probably mean that certain early varieties may have to be cut out altogether. Shippers are by no moans pleased, as it is quite evident that Dunedin must take a back seat in this as in other shipping matters. Growers are told that if they could guarantee from 15,000 to 20,000 cases per steamer, arrangement could probably be made for moro steamers, while on the other hand we find that last season no fewer than five steamers cleared from Wellington with less than 5000 oases on board. Efforts are being made to secure at loast two steamers, and it is probable that tho Importers and Shippers’ Association, in conjunction with the Harbour Board and Chamber of Commerce, will bo asked to take up the matter in the interests of the province.