TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

Wo woro shown by a Nelson resident (states,an oxchange), a lock of His Grace the Duke of Wellington’s hair which has been in the possession of the family since 1848.

Fifteen pheasants have been released in the Taihapo district, and fifteen at Mangawcka (state* an exchange), by the Acclimatisation Society. Pheasants were plentiful in the Taihape district at one time, but have been very scarce in recent years.

A correspondent of the “Wanganui Chronicle” writes:—“l have discovered that the white pine borer is susceptible to odours. I find that I can postively keep them from attacking woodwork oi any kind and can destroy them wherever they are."

Rain is required throughout. Central Hawke’s Bay, as the country, generally speaking, is very dry (states an exchange). The' difference between the country at present in Hawke’s Bay and that in the Wairaraoa i* very noticeable, as much more rain hag been experienced in the southern province, ana the country, as a result, is appreciably more green. “I’m like all bachelors; anybody can walk in if he likes,” declared a witness at the Timaru Police Court, (says the “Timaru Post”). “They can get themselves a cup of tea if they like,” he said.—“Or a glass of beer?” queried a counsel lor me defence. “There wouldn’t be any lying about.” said witness with great emphasis.

The work of the travelling lecturer is not all that it is sometimes said to be (states the “Mataura Ensign”) An itinerant orator came to Gore. He chose as his subject a Question of topical interest, booked a hall, informed the people of his mission, and awaited xho hour of oratorical effort. At the conclusion of a two hours’ discourse he paid his bills. The net result for the star performer was 4d. in hard cash. Being of a philanthropic turn, of mind and not wishing to carry such a large sum away from the town, he disbursed it amon; | some of the inevitable small boys who linger about halls after their elders are tucked beneath the sheets.

Dry Ashburton is experiencing a very dry spell, and feed is going off (says and exchange). The Diamond back moth which is usually present about these times, is to be seen in much greater numbers this season, and the rape crops are suffering in consequence. This class of crop is said to be affected throughout the county, and many farmers state that the pests have eaten the leaves practically bare, all that remains being .the ribs. The dry spell is also having its effect upon the cottage gardens, the rough work being held up until a good- shower of rain comes.

A Masterton motorist who took an Easter trip across the Rimutakas to Wellington and then up the other coast was not extremely successful (says the “Eketahuna Express”). Near Paokakariki his first gear gave out. This was removed and the journey continued. Coming lound by way of Nireaha ho had just about reached the top of Drysdale’s hill' when the car went out of commission altogether. The driver ran the car back to the foot of the hill, philosophically put up his side curtains find with his wife put the night in there. Next day the car was brought into Eketahuna, where it remains for repairs, the balance of the trjp being' completed by train.

The progress of tho sectional games at the Northern green of tho Palmerston Bowling Club on a recent occasion (relates' tluj “Manawatu Standard”), was delayed, and darkness covered the last few heads. Tho jack became a mere conjecture, and was quite invisible until a resourceful player ran his car in at the gate and turned the lights along the green, when some brilliant plav resulted. Rival plans tor electric light on the green have nlreadv been discussed, one player who smells of the heather, put forward a thrifty scheme of an electric jack.

Nothing' in the way of trawling is now being done along this coast, except occasionallv at Patea, where conditions are seldom favourable (states the “Manaia Witness”). Fish railed from Thames or Napier comes very dear by the time it reaches Manaia. The suggestion that fleets of steam trawlers might be used more generally st suitable points elicited the remark “that would make the fish dearer still.”

An interesting experience, reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe, befell Mr. J. McEwen last week (says the “Whakatane Press”). On Friday ho visited Whale Island, but was unable to regain his launch owing to his dinghy getting smashed. He therefore vas compelled to sojourn on the island—along with the goats—until Mr. W. Parris, in the. Harbour Board lai.reh, rescued him from his solitude. Mr McEwen, not to be outdone by the famous Robinson Crusoe, had under construction a raft, with which he intended to sail out to his launch, but the arrival of the search party fortunately relieved tho marooned man the necessity of such a measure.

Blind people throughout New Zealand are Joking full advantage of the Braille Librarj’ at the Jubilee Institute for tho Blind, which has now about 160 subscribers (states the. Auckland “Star”). The scope of the library has been extended greatly by the Auckland City Council’s subscription to the British National Library, under which the institute receives eighty new volumes every year. These are distributed to blind people all over New Zealand, who are thus brought into touch with the best of modern literature as soon as it has been put into Braille. So successful has the lending system .proved itself, that the Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch City Councils have also decided to subscribe to the National Library, and an interchange of books among the four centres is now being arranged.' This will mean that 320 new volumes in Braille will be available for.the use of the blind everv year. A curious fact mentioned yesterday by the manager of the Blind Institute is that not one blind soldier is getting books from the Braille Library, although it is understood that all took a brief course in Braille at St Dunstans. The opinion was expressed that possibly it was too brief for the men to have gained the skill necessary for .them to thus continue their re. ding.

The recrudescence of price-cutting of a more intense kind than was formerly tho case has broken out among several of the leading grocers in the city of Christchurch, states an exchange, and in consequence a number of lines are being retailed at very low prices. Staple lines, such as butter, bacon and cheese, are not affected so much as lines not in such great demand, but margins of profit have been reduced very considerably, and in some eases practically wiped out. A notable example is kerosene. It costs retailers 12s. 6d. per case not, and is now l>eing sold at 12s. 9d., a gross profit of only 3d. “It is a fight to tho finish,” said one grocor last week. “Some of us will get pushed out, I suppose.”

During the course of excavating the mam sewer in Karaka Street, Castlecliff, an old “tatu” Maori canoe bailer was .discovered some five feet below the surface. It is well within the memory of persons living in Wanganui (says the “Herald”) that there existed a lagoon some three hundred yards further north, deep enough to swim in, and, in fact, a boat used to be kept upon it; but it is surely many days since water was found where this tatu was discovered.

A little bit of powder, a little bit of paint. . .... It is the same with everything. Scrape away the veneer and you will find what a thing really is. For instance, there is the “gold cup,” the trophy upon which Lyttelton yachtmen who sail the smaller craft look with covetous eyes. It looks the “real Mac Kay,” but it is only a lamp socket, with two handles, an imitation ebony base, gold painted inside, and an aluhinium finish on the out side. That »« what Lyttelton yachtsmen race for in earnest. As an asset, it would be marked down at 30 pence! But racing for it provides just as much sport as racing for a hundred guinea cup, says h Christchurch paper.

Do cows get drunk ? The answer is furnished by Mr. B. C. Aston, chemist to the Department of Agriculture. They do. He ,has collected evidence not oijly of drunken cows, but horses who became intoxicated and sometimes died from eating. the rangiora when in flower. The animals not only •get drunk, but when they sober up, they are “groggy on their pins,” as a Wanganui iarrner put it to Mr. Aston. The animals when in their cups do not appear to become musical or argumentative, but they certainty lose muscular control and in a legal sense become incapable if not disorderly. Many of the native plants of New Zealand are beneficial to man and beast, and Mr. Aston .has described in plain and easy Terms in the Journal of his Department some of their qualities and how they may be used.

Ashburton business men have become accustomed to receiving trade circulars from German firms. But now Austria is also taking a hand in the fight to regain her commercial strength (states the “Lyttelton Times”). Unlike the Germans, some of the Austrian houses evidently do hot employ foreign correspondents, for the circulars are written in their language. One circular received by an Ashburton cvcle dealer advertises an “Austro-motor-ette’i which, no doubt, means automotor. From diagrams enclosed it is seen that an auto-motor is more or less an ordinary push cycle with a mechanical device op the front wheel. Tim's device supplies the motive power to a somewhat uncomfortable looking machine. The postage stamp on the envelope was for 600 kronen, worth about £25 in normal times. This is good evidence of the depreciated state of the Central Powers’ currency.

Inquiries by an “Otago Daily Times” reporter respecting reported deposits of marble at the Nokomai (mentioned by Dr. Gordon Macdonald at a meeting of tho Dunedin. War Memorial Committee last week), show that according to the information supplied by one of his men, tho marble is well back in the mountains, and about 500 ft. above the creek bed. There is a large body of stone, and his informant is certain that the quality will improve as tho stone goes back into tho hill. Tine outcrop is in a rather inaccessible place, and it would bo a difficult undertaking to get it down to the railway siding. Ono party that tried to work the store was not successful in making anything out of it. Tho marble appeared to him to bo rat.her crumbly, and that being so it would he important to know whether the stone was of any thickness or not.. The grain of the marble looked all right, but a piece of the stpno was now being polished, and it was impossible to'judge its appearance until that had been done. •

Thus the “Marlborough Express” : —A good talo is heard of an orchard thief who- was gentlv but effectively reprimanded. A local resident. had a peach tree nicely laden with ripening fruit. The tree was near a low hedge, however, and the owner noticed with chagrin that the delicious fruit was becoming surely but mysteriously less and less. Being of a resourceful nature he decided to investigate tho trouble. Just at dark ho. hid near tho foot of the tree and waited with great patience. In a little while he heard a disturbance on the other side of the hedge, a box was placed on the ground and someone mounted it. Just as tho would-be thief stretched out a greedy paw to pick a peach the owner calmly rose and grasped the other man’s hand and shook it cordially. “How are you. old chap? ’ (he asked quite casually. The owner of the hand wrenched himself suddenly free and left the localitv in such a hurry that he did not think to collect the benzine case, which the now satisfied owner of the peaches thinks will come in quite handy some day.

A circular issued by tho Conservator of Forests, State Forest Service, Rotorua, to all local bodies, reads : An officer of tho service is engaged lecturing to meetings of farmers and others generally throughout the North Island, and during such visits ho will be prepared to inspect plantations and orally advise the owners regarding.the suitabiTitv of species, methods or planting, etc.' provided time and circumstances allow. In no other case will an inspection be made free of charge. Incll-li-luals and companies desiring to go in for planting on an extensive scale will bo helped to the following extent: —An officer of the service will be sent to make a detailed inspection of tho area to be planted, and supply a report at actual cost price to the serv.ee, i.e., cost of travelling expenses and salary and wages, etc., of officer or workmen while travelling to and from and making inspection, and making up the ieport; re'eommend reliable and experienced men for the carrying out of tho work, and supply trees and seeds at reasonably low rates.”

A Timaru patron of the totalisator at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Easter was favoured with the kindiv smiles of Dame Fortune to a remarkable degree, states the limaiu “Post.” The would-be investor was advised by a friend to put £1 on a certain horse in the Fendalton Handicap. Mistaking the figure, tho man put £lO on the horse, thereby making himself tho butt of his friend s caustic wit until the race was well started. The repentant investor s selfchastisement, however, eased off as tho race progressed, his mouth opened, his eyes did not look but simply glared, and 'bis arms worked wildly. His excitement knew no bounds when his luirse was seen to come homo the winner and his beaming countenance lightened up the more when the declaration of a dividend of over a score was made. His friend’s sarcasm was then of no avail; indeed, no more was offered, for a strange outward —though, perhaps, not inward—quietness came o «r him as the successful investor struggled to squeeze the roll of notes into his pocket.’