TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 173, 10 April 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

There are over 700 dogs in the borough of Palmerston North (states the local “Times”).

The rising moon was the cause of an alarm of fire being given at Wanganui the other evening f'rtates an exchange). A person, seeing the golden glow, immediately concluded that a big fire had broken out.

Out of one acre of silver pine near Ema. on the Main Trunk line, timber has recently been cut. giving the high return to the Forestry Department of £BB in royalties. The timber (states an exchange) was suitable for purposes ranging from poles to house blocks.

The new breakwind on the end of trie wharf at New Plymouth, which has now been completed, has made an appreciable difference to steamers moored at the deep sea berth in protecting them from the force of westerly gales (states the “News”).

The rargst of New Zealand birds, the white crane or heron (kotuku), made its appearance last week on an Island in the Waihou, near Wharepoa (states an exchange). Bird lovers are asked to protect the crane, and prevent children and others molesting it.

Catering for visiting country school children was a substantial item during the Wanganui carnival (states the “Chronicle”), the youngsters in addition to consuming 1200 buns, getting through 140 gallons of soft drinks.

Commander Sherston, of H.M.S. Laburnum, had a good word to say for ihe port of Wanganui before departure (states the “Chronicle”). He was surprised at the splendid shelter at Castlecliff, the warship lying snugly during her stay with only ordinary mooring lines out.

A great deal of crop is still standing in stock in the South Otago districts, where a very considerable area seeing to have been sown down in cereals this year (states the “Otago Daily Times”). The warm sunshine of the past two days has had a very benefioul effect on the grain, and “lead-ing-in” operations are now proceeding at a rapid rate. The turnip crops are looking very 'veil.

In connection with the competition instituted by the Palmerston North Central School Committee for the beautification of the grounds (states the “Standard”), one scholar of an inventive turn of mind aliji’uted on the idea of converting portion of an old bedstead into a makeshift harrows. To obtain the necessary pressure other boys were requisitioned to ride on the harrows, with, however, detrimental effect to the trousers of the passengers.

The effect of the fall in the price of building materials and the cheapening of money is to be seen in the number of building permits which have been issued by bhe New Plymouth Borough Council during March (states an excliange). The total value of the proposed new buildings is £16,400, as against £6900 for the buildings commenced in March of last year..

The blue gums throughout the Manawatu district are showing increasing signs of their probable extinction by black blight (states the “Manawatu Times”). The Forestry Department has so far offered no suggestion by which they may bo saved. One owner is trying the experiment of cutting the trees when first attacked. He thinks they will spring from the root. He will in the meantime liave the use of the timber.

A member of the Palmerston North borough staff, with a party of five, made an Easter excursion, with guns hnd dogs, to a friendly farm in the Poha/igma, where 500 rounds secured as many rabbits. The skins and carcases more than covered tho cost of ammunition (states tho local “Times’). The Rabbit Board, it is hoped, will soon spoil the sport, and. make room for sheep in the place of the profiteating bunny.

The early settlement of the Paßia district is recalled by the following paragraph, which appeared in the AA aiiganui ••Herald” at Easter time 50 years ago: "A constant stream of settiers is moving into the Patea district, taking with them stock and farming implements. Hawera is fast rising into importance. T,he natives have commenced to construct a road by the back of Egmont, the fine weather favouring its progress. The only want in Patea. is more land for settlers of moderate means, and it is hoped the Government will not delay in disposing of the railway reserve.”

Some strange experiences are often the lot of touring motorists, but to find a car standing in the middle of the road with a man asleep therein has something uncanny about it. Such, however, was the discovery made by a party of Gisbornites who were motoring through to Rotorua recently (states an exchange). After running down the Otoko Hill they camo across a motorcar in tho roadway. Its owner was sound asleep. It was ascertained that the man had had an arduous drive of some hours’ duration, and while returning homo alone he experienced an overwhelming desire to go to sleep. So great did this become that at last he pulled up and immediately fell asleep.

Two Timaru men who were in Dunedin the other day went to la tearoom in Princess Street for refreshment, hut they left the place very dishevelled, and somewhat shaken (relates the “Timaru Post”). When the waitress arrived with the ■ tray she slipped just as she reached the table where the Timaruvians were seated, and, with humorous precision, spilled one half of the boiling tea in the tea-pot over one man, and a Generous sprinkling of milk over the other. In fact, it was described as being an awful mess. The Timaru man, who received the deluge of hot tea, was certain his legs were scalded, and was not comforted bv tho titters of the other people in the establishment, the apologies of the waitress, or the loud-voiced declaration of tho manager “that was tho worst of them girls with them ’igh-’celed shoes.”

In welcoming visiting riflemen at the meeting of the Otago Rifle Association on Pelichet Bay range, Colonel Smith referred to the. urgent need of our young men being well trained, and narrated a Gallipoli incident (states an exchange). On the occasion referred to our troops were being badly punished by a Turkish sniper whose whereabouts could not easily be discovered, but at last a young Now Zealander niade his way to the officer and said . “I seo him, sir,” and indicated his position. “Good boy,” said the officer. “Shoot the blighter! Shoot him in the eye.” “Yes, sir,” said the sodier, 'saluting smartly. “Very good, sir! Which eye, sir?” That, continued the speaker, was an indication of the type of marksman our riilo clubs were striving to produce.

During the holiday seasons the boys, and even now the girls connected with the various organisations, whose occupations make exercise a necessity, conceive the idea of a mountain or forest tramp in search of adventure. On the next occasion when some of these collective adventurers feel that they are foot-loose or fancy-free, they should (suggests the “Manawatu Daily Times”) explore the little-known beauties of ihe caves at Piripiri, iu the valley of the Pohangina.

At a farewell to Miss O’Brien, a Wanganui teacher, the other afternoon, the Mayor of Wanganui (states the “Chronicle”), Mr. T. B. Williams, addressed his remarks to the children. “Boys and girls,” he said, “what is our mission here this afternoon?” Of course he expected them to reply “To say good-bye to Miss O’Brien.” But they disappointed him. and at the same time gave an unconscious tribute to their teachers. With one accord they said: “Please, sir, to be good.” The Mayor was quick to retort: “Quite right, my children. Always be good and you will always be happy.”

For many years past fishermen on trawlers operating from Port Ahuriri have honoured Saturday as their Sunday and have remained in port, whilst on Sundays they have gone to sea and followed their calling. As a result of negotiations between the Fishermen’s Union and the owners of the trawlers it has been agreed (states the “Hawke’s Bay Herald”) that during the winter months there should be a change in the week-end fishing. During those months the majority of the trawlers will nowi go to sea on Saturdays and remain in port on Sundays, whilst with the coming of the summer months they will once again revert to trawling on Sundays.

Mention of the introduction of the print-script system into the Auckland schools was made at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board by Mr. G. Brownlee, who stated (reports the “Herald”) that he was not at all enamoured of ihe change, and would like to know who was the controlling authority in the matter. On learning that the matter was in the hands of the inspectors, Mr. Brownlee suggested that they should be asked to furnish a report. It might possibly come about that the systom would turn out a failure when the pupils left school, and the board should know exactly what the inspectors thought of it. A report will be furnished as requested.

The question of the time during which an unattended motor vehicle may be left in the street was under consideration by the Auckland City Council last week (states the “Herald”). The Auckland Automobile Association had written requesting a modification, stating that in its opinion 15 minutes was not a reasonable time to allow for an ordinary business call. It suggested that 30 minutes be the time limit for all streets named in the bylaw. The council decided that, with certain amendments, including one extending the time limit for unattended cars to 20 minutes, tho special order should bo confirmed, and the new bylaw will come into force on April 23.

When a business man retires it is .said that ho loses interest in life (states the “Wanganui Chronicle”). It must be different in the teaching profession, judging by a confession made by Mr. Jas. Aitken at a farewell in Wanganui to Miss O’Brien, a local teacher, last week. He said that Miss Blyth, formerly headmistress. of Queen’s Park School, told him that it was only after resigning her duties that she really began to enjoy life. “And I admit to the same experience,” added tho ex-dominie. Turning to Miss O’Brien, he gallantly remarked: “May you now begin to enjoy life also.”

There has been a controversy in Wanganui on wood borer’s alleged affinity for totara in AVanganui (states an exchange). Air. G. Aleult makes this contribution:—“1 have never in my wide experience known sap or heart of totara to take tho worm. Some time ago I had an outbuilding over forty years of age pulled down. This building was lined with sap of rirau, mixed with about 40 per cent, of 0.8. totara. The limu was riddled, every quarter-inch of it, but tho totara was perfectly sound. On being sawn and planed it proved to bo full of life and as fresh as the day it was put in. There was no dotbt of it being sap of totara, as the bark, w.hicli is easily recognised, was still on some or the boards, and even this bark was quite sound. I drew one of our local architect’s attention to this; and he shortly afterwards built a house loi himself with 0.8. totara.”

Air. Cyril Bavin, general secretary of the Migration Department' at the National Council of the Young Alen’s Christian Association in London, in an address ttb the Rotary Club of Dunedin, said that his mission aimed at the selection of emigrants of the right type. It did not pay England, he said, to send out undesirables. He referred to the present system of individual nomination as being weak, and placed before his hearers the outline of what he considered a more effective basis which had been evolved. If the present nomination system were broadened to embrace collective bod es such as churches, lodges, rotary clubs, etc., then, Air. Bavin urged, the chances of failure as regards the class of emigrant sent out would bo greatly minimised. It could be arranged that these collective bodies work in unison with similar bodies in the Homeland to the benefit of all concerned, especially to the Dominion as a whole.

The members of tlio Campbell Islands syndicate who returned to Dunedin last week state that the men on the islands secured over 3000 seal skins (reports the "Otago Daily Times”); It has been a close season for seals on all the coming under the jurisdiction of the New Zealand Government for a number of years now, but special permission was granted to the syndicate to take 400 skins. The sealers at the islands worked under great difficulties, and in many instances they had to be lowered down cliffs by ropes to enable them to secure the seals. If the close season were abolished, however, the syndicate would no doubt take stern, to secure a launch, whaleboats, etc., and prosecute the industry on less difficult lines- than at present. The members of the syndicate say that there are thousands of seals on the various southern islands, and that there is no fear of them being exterminated. They hold that the New Zealand Government is taking up a wrong attitude in continuing the close season from year to year, and they assert that it is a well-known fact that auxiliary sailing ships come from America and take as many seals as they can without let or hindrance. The’ time when the svals coma to the rookeries is in June, July, and August. Thev then swim away to the icefields. It is pointed out that the islands art- under the control of the New Zealand Government, and that it is a Utopian policy to protect the reals to enable outsiders to come and freely poach in the rookeries.