TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 163, 28 March 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A gold key is to be presented to Mr. Massey in connection with the. opening ceremony of the Weraroa Memorial Gates (states -the “Manawatu Evening Standard”).

“When women forget their Godgiven place in life and go after the place God has given to man, hell boils over,” stated Dr. Oliver during one of his lectures at Palmerston North (states an exchange).

Fishing in the Rangitata River last Thursday night, Mr. J. E. Pigott grassed one of the finest salmon caught this season—a fish in splendid condition which turned Lire scales at exactly 2G pounds (says the Timaru “Herald”).

“When a man admits he did not blow his horn, I should be inclined to look upon him as a truthful witness, and believe his evidence on other points,” said Mr. Justice Hosking in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth the other day (reports an exchange), and counsel commented that sucli a witness was quite unusual in motor collision, cases.

The North Auckland Main Trank railway construction is being pushed on (says a northern exchange). The rails extend all the way now from Auckland to Okaihau, a /distance of ISO miles, and trains will shortly run oyer the whole distance, though portions will for some time yob bo under control of the Public Works Department. *

His failure to remember that methylated spirits and air form an explosive mixture involved a Mangatoki resident in a peculiar accident on Wednesday (says an exchange). The man was cleaning out a rennet barrel to have it ready for another purpose. Methylated spirits was the chemical with the aid of which he was doing the job. For some reason or other he hr n match over the barrel, and the result was a violent explosion. The sides of the cask wore blown out, and struck the man on the left leg, breaking it below the knee.

A potato haulm measuring Bft. 2in. in length was brought to the office of the .‘‘Mataura Ensign” by Constable Dustin, who took it from the crop in his garden in Gore. This rank grower had a crop of 15 potatoes beneath it, one of them very large, and nearly all quite big enough for table use.

A correspondent to a contemporary writes; “I have read of many cases of ptomaine poisoning in the newspapers lately, and can guarantee as a cure a tablespoonful of powdered wood charcoal, taken with a wineglass of water. Pound the charcoal with a hammer, roll it put fine with a rolling pin, and bottle it. Every household in town or country should have a supply. It will effect a complete cure in half an hour.”

That Justice* of the Peace are very evenly distributed amongst the sporting societies of the province was shown bv a statement made by a leading jeweller in Auckland (states the “Star”). He said that not many men nowadays liked to wear a lot of pendants on flheir watch chains, and since the medallions had been given out to the.justices a great many pendants and medals of all descriptions had been taken off to make way for the judicial sign of office. Most of the medals were to be made into ladies’ brooches, and ranged from bowling medals to prizes for good conduct at school, and not a few were curling medals which had been won on the ice-covered lakes of but all classes of sport were represented. Thetjeweller, with a twinkle in his eye, said he wondered if when the day came for lady justices to wear medallions they would scrap any of their jewellery.

Recently the G overament photographer visited Napier and filmed a number of beauty spots about the town for inclusion in the New Zealand film to the British Empire Exhibition (relates the “Hawke’s Bay Herald”). After his visit the Napier Thirty Thousand Club thought that the tourist roads from Napier to Taupo, Wairoa, Waikaremoana, Morcre. Gisborne, Motii. thence Rotorua, should be included in the film, and so communicate,(l with the Department of Internal Affairs, suggesting that, the photographer should bo allowed to make the trip. They also offered, on behalf of the Hawke’s Bay Motor Co., free transport over the route. A reply has been received by the club stating that the Department was considering the request and would advise later as to its decision. »

A new regulation by the Education Department restricts attendance at manual training classes to pupils who have reached Standard V in the schools, with tho result many children of 12 years and older, who are somewhat backward in their studies, and have failed to get into Standard V, ar© debarred from getting • advantage of the handwork training classes. The matter was brought to the attention of the Auckland Education Board by the Director of Technical Education, who pointed out (states an exchange) that many children were thus debarred from useful | and necessary instruction. Members of tho board generally took the view that tho manual classes, as providing a foundation for vocational training, were probably more useful to the children who were backward in ordinary study than to the average pupil. It was decided to refer the matter to the next Technical Schools’ Conference, and tq communicate with other boards on the subject, with a view to having it fully discussed in the interests of the children.

A high patriotic note was struck by the Hon. C. E. Statham in the course of his reply to congratulatory addresses at Dunedin, relates an exchange. Mr, Morrell had referred to the fact that two of Mr. Statham’s brothers were killed on Gallipoli, end in referring to that Mr. Statham said his brothers And 10.000 New. Zealand soldiers had laid down their lives that we might enjoy the freedom inviolate that had been handed to us by our forefathers. Many of our soldiers had looked through the gates of death: many had returned broken in spirit and broken in mind. “No honour which I could obtain or see in front of me,” said Mr. Statham, “no service which I could render to my country, could be as great as the service these bravo men gav© to you.”

There was a great commotion on the Timarn railway station when the first express from Dunedin arrived the other day (says the Timarn “Post”)- “The Grand Duchess Ivanovitch,” otherwise Mrs. Fuller, 'hastened off the train, made a bee-line to a policeman, and inquired anxiously where the refreshment room was situated. On being told there was none at the station, “tlm Princess” rushed hot-foot to the nearest hotel, and on entering the bar called lustilv for a whisky and soda, 1 ' and also for cigarettes. Half-way through her “spot” she was informed that the express was about to depart, and straightway fled across the road at a trot, screaming loudly to the guard to stop the train. The excitement only ceased when the “Grand Duchess” was eventually borne out of Timarn on the north-bound express —in a second-class carriage.

When sowing the hillside to prevent slipping after the extensive cuttings for railway constraction through the Manawatu Gorge, the railway engineers (states an exchange) included a fair sprinkling of deep-rooted English brooms, but- when a similar operation was carried out on the road cuttings on the western side of the- river, the Government prevented the use of broom on the ground that it was apt to spread. The road cutting slips much more frequently than on the railway side.

An unusual preference for imprisonment with hard labour, rather' than a term of reformative detention, was shown by Arthur Lennon, who had pleaded guilty at Auckland to five charges of theft at Pukekohe (states the “Herald”). After considering the case His Honour said it seemed a more suitable case for reformative detention than imprisonment. He therefore imposed a Sentence of reformative detention for a period of not exceeding two years. Prisoner: “I would like, it hard labour.” His Honour: “'Would you?” Prisoner: “Yes.” H’.s Honour: “Very well, I will sentence you to hard labour You evidently prefer the ills you know of to the ills vou do not know of. You are sentenced to imprisonment for the two years.”

At the Winchester Show the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company provided an exhibition of dip-stained wool which was of great interest to all woolgrowers (states the Timaru “Herald”). Wool was shown free from stain, while alongside of it was placed, in a glass enclosure, wool which had been stained by dip, and it was demonstrated that US it result of the dip stains growers weyo losing from 4d. to 6d. per lb. It was stated than this staining of the wool has been worse during the past two years than ever before, and is now bo bad that about 50 per cent, of skins are affected, and the loss on such wool is equivalent to at least a farthing per pound on the weight of a lamb. Advice was given ns to how to avoid tho staining and the consequent loss which it entails.

“The highest-graded applicant is not necessarily appointed,” was an explanation made to Education Board members at Auckland by the secretary, when questions were asked why teaching appointments did not always go to the applicants with the highest grading, says a northern exchange. Mr. Purdy stated that the 'appointments must go to the applicant with the highest grading “except in cases where, in the opinion of tho chief inspector, and the board, another applicant was considered more suitable.” It was generally agreed by members that scholastic grading did not always indicate the full measure of a teacher’s ability, but several felt that wherever a departure was made from appointment on grading tho chief inspector should add some explanation to his recommendations. It was felt that this was necessary in order that the board members might use their discretionary powers with full knowledge, and be able to advise school committees accordingly.

The question whether brown trout are suitable for northern rivers has been discussed by the Auckland Accl’matisation Society. It was suggested that possibly the cause of the. failure years ago to stock northern rivers with this fish was the fact that not sufficient were put in. There was a strong diversity of opinion as to wh3tlicr northern rivers were suitable for -his Tsh, and one member, in condemning a certain stream, remarked that it changed its course after flood ing. To this another membed replied that he had caught, brown trout in a place that was a turnip paddock three weeks earlier. “You have to become a brown trout fisherman before you talk about it,” was the observation made by one of those who held that the northern rivers were suitable for tho raising of brown trout.

About a year ago, while on a trip abroad, Mr. and Mrs. Sandston made the acquaintance of the wife of a former official of the Solomon. Islands Administration. When they parted (relates the Christchurch “Sun”) this lady gave Mrs. Sandston a necklace, saying that it had been given to her by the natives as a mark of affection when she left the islands*. On each strand are threaded single joints from the legs of beetles. As each joint is a tube about three-sixteenths of ai> inch long and one-sixteenth of an inch or less in diameter, and ns only four joints can be obtained from each insect, tho work needed to make a necklace is enormous. The natives, who used to make them for love-tokens, have given up the practice, perhaps on account of laziness. The strands in Mrs. Sandston's necklace are about a dozen yards in length, and contain thousands of the little irridescent green and orange tubes.

“In a long run the motor-lorry is the better, but on short jobs the horses beat the lorries every time, from an economical point of view,” remarked a witness at the Mastertoil Supreme Court, when, discussing carrying charges.

“Does the judgment creditor seriously apply for costs in this case?” asked Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., at the Now Plymouth Court recently, when a labourer, who denied a debt for which judgment had been obtained against him, stating that his first knowledge of the judgment was the issue of the judgment summons, consented. to an'order in reduction of the debt. Counsel answered in the affirmative. “Well,” added Air. Mowlem, “I have full discretion apparently as to costs. The judgment creditor is allowed 6d.”

An incident which may well be termed “A Tale of Two Circuses” disturbed the usual peacefulness of Waimate the other evening (writes the “Herald” representative). Two circuses had arrived in tho town on tho morning previously, and opened up for business in localities not far distant from one another. All went well until tho evening in question, when on© of the rival showmen decided to play tho town again. His opponent, not to be outdone, followed suit, and both parties settled down to a keen struggle for supremacy. With the master mind of a theatrical magnate one of tho proprietors marshalled his musicians on the village green and commenced to make tho “welkin ring” in th© most approved circus style. His opponent was soon on the spot, and apparently not having sufficient power in his own band to combat his rivals on a “musical” footing, did whaib he could with the vocal power which Nature had endowed him with. Being well equipped „in this direction, his efforts met with a fair measure of success, and a lively dialogue ensued. Th© remarks so pleasantly interchanged wore received with keen appreciation by the crowd which had been attracted to the scene. Both contestants received a very fair hearing, and the result of the bout—a draw —was a popular verdict. Tho public, however, did not avail themselves to any great extent of the invitations to witness the respective shows, probably considering that they had already obtained a very cheap ©venue's entertainment.