TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 170, 6 April 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

“A little gold minol” was the expression used of the toll-gates in Eltham county, when it was shown (states an exchange) what the revenue would have been if the rates had not been reduced.

“It was the first time I had ever driven a car,” feebly explained the victim of the accident. “I got going pretty fast and forgot how to stop. I looked ahead and saw a bridge rushing to meet me. I tried to turn and lei tho bridge past, and —that is all I know about it.”—Exchange.

“The creditor is the debtor’s aunt. Only a. blood relation would do a thing like this,” was counsel’s explanation at New Plymouth (states an exchange) of the reason why a judgment debtor, who had already served a term of imprisonment for non-compliance _ with a judgment order, was again hailed before the Court on a judgment summons with respect to tho same debt.

Pickpockets were operating on tho Riccarton racecourse on Monday and Tuesday, and several persons (states tho “Lyttelton Times”) report having lost substantial sums of money.

Building operations aro “dead” in Pahiatua. says a Wairarrvpa exchange. One building permit ws issued by the town clerk during March. It was for alterations to an existing residence.

The Now Zealand Painters’ and Decorators’ ’ Conference in Auckland adopted a-remit establishing one union in the painting trade in New Zealand (reports an Oxchange). It l instructed the executive to continue negotiations for the linking up of all federations in tho Dominion.

Addressing a, meeting on land values at Lenperton, Mr. W. Hall stressed the •fact that it was tho productive value.of land we had w. think about, not the speculative value. Manv farmers in Taranaki had learnt this lesson to their bitter experience.—“Taranaki Herald.”

Apropos of being lost in the bush with wet matches (says the Wanganui "Chronicle”), a Wanganui resident with considerable back-block experience says that if the head of a soaked match be drawn gently through the hair several times it will bo dried sufficiently to strike. The more the match head is soaked the longer and gentler should be the drying process, but ho guarantees to strike any match no matter how wet it may be.

Motor traffic to the Wairarapa races on Saturday and Mondav (states the “Age”) was well up to that of former years, and conseauently the main road, especially from tho Waiohine along the Ahikonka. here a stream of cars. Wellington patrons (who were many) to the meeting all spoke well of tho splendid condition of the Rimutaka Hill

In connection with tho recent berthing of tho overseas liner Hannah at Castlecliff, it is interesting to note that tho loading alongside the wharf meant a considerable saving in lighterage duos to tho shippers of tho wool and tallow, states tho Wanganui “Herald.” On wool tho lighterage charges ranged about 2s. a hale, and on tho quantity lifted by the Hannah the saving was approximately £250. To shippers who can get their wool loaded on board ocean-going steamers at Castlecliff wharf, provides a very cheap loading port for wool, and this will undoubtedly bo a great factor in its future development.

A letter was received bv tho Gon-ville-Castlecliff Trainway Board from the Bank of New Zealand, at its last ipceting, asking that the “domicile” of £33,000 value of debentures held bv tlhe bank should, be transferred ■to Melhourno (relates the Wanganui “Chronicle”). “What is the object?” asked one of the members, and tho reply was that there was less income tax to pay in Australia. “I thoimht the Government had a share in that hank.” remarked another of tho members facetiously. As tho bank is entitled to nom’nnte tho “domicile.” the board in future will remit tho interest to Melbourne, and incidentally pay exchance.

Coming events were. casting their shadows bsforo them when some half dozen cars wore held up at tho Mokau ferry last Thursday evening (relates the “Taranaki Herald” of the the re cent Ministerial visit). .The ferry can only take two cars each trip, so that some of them had to wait the best part of an hour for their turn, though the ferryman did his best. He is a humorist by the way. He .sails th*' Chamber of Commerce-the Chamber of Horrors, and referring to the opening of tlhe npw Awakino Valley road said it means “From Auckland to Now Plvmouth in three and a half minutes, and no harm done.”

The sad experience of a visitor to Timnru who had heard that Dashing Rocks was one of the beauty snots of Pogth Canterbury was rcla_ted to a Timafu “Post” reporter. The visitor had seen postcard views of Dashing Rocks that had aroused his admiration, and he had been told that a visit to *tlie place was well worth tehijg. Ho set out one evening after dark, and next day was eager to relate his experience's. His description is given in terms.of high, barbed-wire fences, evil smells, dead sheep, trackless diff-edgps unpleasant abattoir drains, weird noises, slippery clav slopes, and not a little bad language.

Constable Dawson, of the Te Kuiti nol'ce force, was attacked while on dutv on Saturday night at 11 o clock, by four Maoris, and seriously, thopo’n not dangerously, injured bv kicks about the head and body, received when he was- borne to the ground m the struggle with his assailants (reports the lAuckland “Star’s” correspondent). On hearing of the occurrence. Clref Fearn,jey set out in pursiih of tho men. and captured the one said to have started the trouble, but the rest' are still at large.

Thn old grnv«l pit on tho face of St. John’s Hill, Wanganui, makes a capital Hollywood for local lads, who have made a hero of Tom Mix, Bill Hart, Hucklebury Finn, or Tom Sawyer (says tho “Wanganui Chron* do”). There are caves, cliffs, water and bushes to explore, dizzy ledges to scale, and in short, the whole sotting for deeds of adventure and derringdo. The other day an urcSin. clad in blue shirt, riding pants, leggings, slouch hat. and with ped handkerchief round neck, was seen peering anxiously down Gravel Pit Gulch. In his hand was a lasso. With a fiendish yell ho jumped down the precipitous sides of tho canyon. Indians were in sight. Ho rushed among them, slung his lasso, and roped them down. He lo<l them captive to his secret den and made them prisoners. Tho Indians were arrayed in long trousers made of sugar bags with fringes down tho sides. In their .hair we.ro eagle feathers, plucked from the tail of some barnyard turkey. Scalping knives, which mother will never see again, hun" useless from their belts. So th;v pass, the happy hours, for boys will bo boys tho world over.

A would-be disciple of tho Waltpniau art of angling was fortunate enough to land a 19Jlb. rainbow trout at Taupo some days ago, relates the “Dailly Telegraph.” T[aupo was elated, and anglers came from far and near to view tho monster. Late tho same evening, after there had been much admiration of tho speckled beauty, and the angler had been tho recipient of numerous congratulations, the huge trout was taken round the various hotels .and boarding, houses. The party returned home fairly late and the 19-}-pounder was left on a table, at the roar of one of the hotels, it being tho proud possessor’s intention to have tho fish dispatched to Hamilton tho next day for stuffing. However, when tho household awoke tho following morning it was with dismay they discovered that rats had boon at work on the fish during the night.

The problem of the unemployed is not yet solved (says tho Cluthu “Leader”), as is evidenced by the number of persens travelling the road with their “bluoys” on tlpeir backs. Ono swa gs man who was “down on his luck” travelled, through Balclutha, and stated that lie had not had a square meal for the past two days. In fact, he said chat when ho was passing through Dunedin lie called at the police station and asked' to ho taken into custody oh a charge of vagrancy, as this appeared to him to be the only wav to get a meal. However, it waspointed out to him that if he was arrested he was liable to get three months, so instead ho was provided with the wherewithal to procure a meal; but when spoken to in Balclutha he seemed to think he might just as well bo in gaol, as he could not get work or food.

“How do you plead?” asked tho clerk. “Oh, quits well, thanks,” replied Albert Newali'(22) fthen charged at tho Auckland Police Court with being a' rogue and a vagabond. Itwas stated (relates tho “Star”) that accused had been sleeping out for some time. Apparently ho had nowhere else to go. He was. a rather simple young man, and required looking after. “What’s going on? I don’t understand all this/’ accused remarked from the dock, as. if .to Qualify the statement concerning himself. ' “Ah, yes, he certainly wants kindly treatment,” 'said Mr. Boynton. Two Salvation Army officers who were present then came forward and announced that they had spoken to accused, who soemo.l "n unfeHunnte ■'nd of young man. They would look after.him in their home. “Oh, that’s very good.” said His Worship. “Convicted and discharged?’

A New Zealander who is now domiciled in Buenos ’Aires makes some interesting observations in a letter to a relative at Palmerston North (states the “Manawatu Times"). In referring to tho great oil prospects in Argentina, the writer says that nearly every oil combine in the world has preparations under way for the exploitation of the enormous wealth which is only awaiting enterprise to burst, forth in liquid gold. “Now that it is certain that the Mexican fields aro running but, the deposits either here or in New Zealand are things to be guarded and encouraged with jealous care,” he writes. “In this connection I feel that New Plymouth wells should not. bo permitted to fall into foreign hands. This is something which is being given very careful attention in this country, and all kinds of strings are being tied by the Government to concessions granted to other than Argentine citizens.”

It is stated that at the present time there is more than the usual amount of typhoid fever in evidence in . Gisborne. and, although the position is not sufficient to cause alarm, it is said to bo sufficiently acute to. warrant every precaution being exercised. Isolated cases, shs’s the “Gisborne Times,” aro being reported from various parts of the town, and, in some instances, several in one -family are reported to have contracted the disease. At present there are twelve cases in the public hospital, and this number is greater than has been tho case for some years past. Local medical men report having attended more cases during the past month or so than is usual at this time of the year, but state that, so far, the prevalence of the disease is not sufficient to cause alarm.

“There are two boys, one six years and the other nine years old. They live less than three riiiles from the school, yot they never attend- Their father defies tho law because he contends that the home is more than three miles away. One girl of thirteen years is in Standard 111, and is rather dull- Another is eleven years of age, and is a little brighter. She is in Standard 11. These four children assist their father in milking eighty cows night and morning. It should be stopped.” Such (says the New Plymouth correspondent of the Auckland “Herald”) were conditions in connection with one family. in Taranaki described to tho Education Board by the senior inspector, who said the board should know that such conditions existed in the district. Ho said the -attendance officer had now stated that the boys were going to school. A member: “Do thev milk eighty cows by hand?” Mr. Valentine: “Yes.” “Full publicity should be given to this case,” said a member, “and to the names as well. Fortunately such cases' are not geneval.”

The Hon. W. Downio Stewart was an unofficial visitor on the occasion of the celebration of tho opening of tho Awakino Valley road last Thursday (relates the “Taranaki Herald”), but he was called upon for a speech all the same.' In a happy response he said he had two or three grievances against his colleague, the Minister of Public Works. One of his grievances was that Mr. Coates had told him the road was pretty good, but he found that it was rather bumpy in parts. He had just come from Tauranga, where he and Mr. Coates had been endeavouring to avoid a political bump, and (turning to Mr. S..G. Smith, who sat alongside him'! as his friend on his loft would admit, “with sonic measure of success,” a little reminder that created a hearty laugh. Another of liis grievances was that though, he was accompanying Mr. Coates quite unofficially. he was stuck up on tho road by deputations who asked if he was the Minister of Public Works. “No.” he would reply, “ho is in the next car.” When Mr. Coates was asked bv another deputation if he was Minister of Internal Affairs- he had replied that he was not. that Mr. Stewart was in Iho other car. So when ho (Mr. Stewart) got away from Maiiocnui first and was stuck up by a deputation who wanted the Minister of Internal Affairs, ho retaliated by saying “Wait for the next car,” and pushed on. That was why he reached Awakino half an hour earlier than Mr. Coates.