TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 58, 3 December 1923, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A man (relates the “Marlborough Express”) walked into a local music shop and said to tho young lady behind the counter: “Have you ‘Yes. we have no bananas?’ ” She replied, “Yes, we haven’t no bananas —I mean, no, we havn’t ‘Yes we have no bananas,’ but we’ll have some to-mor-row,” with which he had to be satisfied.

Frequently beautiful trees, which grow for half a century, are cut down with little consideration. Such a raid upon a fine clump took place last week (says the “Manawatu Times”), and when ono only was left a card bearing the following appeal was nailed to it, but without the desired end:— “Goodl friend protect this tree, Touch not a single bough. If beauty touches thee, Then pray preserve it now.”

Surprise was expressed at the last meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board tsavs the “Chronicle”), that the coal bill for tho Wanganui Hospital for the past month was just on £l5O. One member said that it worked out at £5 a dav. and another member pointed out that it was equivalent to

14 tons of coal a day used. Seeing that tho gas is also used at the instiution the board decided to have inouiriles made into the matter.

A racing enthusiast recently purchased a motor-car at a bargain sale, and. after a few short runs, each of which involved a breakdown and a more or less heavy bill for repairs, he turned up at a local gathering in his bargain purchase (relates the Gisborne “Times”). The gatekeeper, who had been observing his approach for a long time, asked the usual charge for parking the vehicle. “Half-a-crown for your car, sir,” he said. “Sold!” exclaimed the sport promptly, “it’s yours.”

A resident of Whareamt. settles out of hand the vexed question of the severity of an earthquake which occurred in Masterton last week. Writing to the “Wairarapa Age” he says: “The earthquake shock last night was so hard and severe that all round and about our camp was strewn with feathers shook from birds roosting in the plantation, and all the birds are frozen with the cold.—l am. Micky Riley.”

It is not often that a man forgets the names of his children, but _ such (says the “Poverty Bay Herald”) was the case when a man was purchasing a book of 21 tickets in the art union being run by the Poverty Bay Horticultural Society. He has te n children, and decided to take one ticket in his wife’s name, and two tickets in each child’s name. After he had filled in the ninth child’s name he was stuck, as he could not remember the name of the tenth, so he decided to put down “the baby of the family.”

The idea of establishing a zoo for Dunedin, recommended by the Acclimatisation Society, makes no appeal to the Hon. G. Thomson. “Very ex-i pensive luxuries,” was his opinion of these particular institutions, expressed when his opinion was sought by a “Dunedin Evening Star” representer tive. He thought that had been the experience of Wellington. He doubted if the educational value of them was more than elementary, and for his own part he always found them sad places to visit. It was unnatural that animals, used to the freedom of wide spaces, should be kept in a narrow captivity, though when they were born in cages their confinement would be unlikely to trouble them.

A plain envelope addressed to the manager in crude handwriting was handed into the “Southland Times” office on Wednesday morning. It contained five £lO notes, and the slip inside, on which the writing was equally crude, stated that the £5O was a donation from “Anonymous” to the “Cancer Research Fund.” It was obvious that the writing both on the envelope and on the note enclosed was disguised and the generous contributor to the radium fund very successfully concealed his identity.

The Auckland correspondent of the “Press’ telegraphs: The allegations of impersonation at Training College examinations reported from Dunedin have prompted an investigation of the papers returned by the candidates at a recent examination held at the Teachers’ Training College at Auckland. The result must have been an unpleasant surprise to the officials, for it is stated that there is apparently clear evidence of collusion among a number of candidates. The “Star” says: “The possibility of one candidate representing another in a certain subject in which the first was doubtful of his ohance of success has existed ever since public examinations were held on an extensive scale. The simplicity of substitution is evident where the supervisors have a large number of candidates under their care. Each has a code word or a number which is_ tho official designation of each candidate on the papers, while in addition each signs his or her name on a slip which is collected from the respective desks by the supervisors. The only chance of detection in tho examination room is from a personal discovery made by any supervisor Who might notice that a particular candidate was not the person the slip represented him or her to be. It is this knowledge that has evidently . encouraged the practice, for practice is surely seems to be.”

Statements in a text book on civics i used in the New Zealand public schools | were criticised by Mr. AV. J. Jenkin, at Christchurch (says the “Lyttelton Times”). They were brought under his notice as president of the Canterbury Industrial Association. The statements, apparently, were made by Mr. C G. Bottrill, and were passed by the Education Department. Amongst them are the following:—“Protection of local industries certainly does make thp Dominion more self-contained, but it takes men from more vital and more profitable industries which need no artificiaF'protection. New Zealand is n very heavily protected country. All sorts of infant industries are . protected by a high tariff wall of duties. Over-protection will assuredly injure a young country by making ’it fritter away its energies on a multitude of trivial articles of production. From a scientific viewpoint, then, them is not a good word to say for protection. It is quite unsound, but it is retained and extended mainly for sentimental and political reasons. AVeie the protective duties in New Zealand suddenly abolished many men would bo thrown out of employment because the industries would not pay.’' Mr. Jenkin said that children should not be taught on those lines. In the opinion of practical people and of Governments protection was essential. lie suggested that the Education Department should be asked “to have this distorted, prejudiced, individualistic view expunged, and in place of it hare a clear, concise, definition of what protection is.” Mr. I. Woolf strongly supported Mr. Jenkin, and described the statements in the text-book as “detestable doc- , trines.”

A Lyttelton fisherman, a Maori, while fishing with hook and line last week near the Heads (says a southern, exchange), landed a conger eel which measured 6ft.. 2in., and turned the scale at 681 b.

In the early days of North Otago, merino sheep yere strongly in evidence. It is significant of the changing conditions (savs the “North Otago Tinies”), that there was not a single entrv of merino sheep at tho recent Oamaru show. /

' A monster eel, weighing 261 b., and measuring sft., was brought into Cartertou last iveek by Mr. Alex. Gallon, of Swamp Road, who caught it in a stream running through his property. —“Wairarapa Age.”

The editor of the “Waiuku News is also tho vicar of the Anglican Church in that town. As the head of the locals in tho last issue (says a contemporary). is the following oddity: A rumour has reached us that the present editor of the “News” intended. giving up his parish and devoting all his time to journalism. On the best authority we learn that this is not true at all. Our editor took up the editorsmp on the understanding that it would not interfere with lus life work.”

Although there is widespread unemployment in Britain just now, there is no revolutionary under-current among the people,” remarked Mr. M. A. Eliott, who recently returned to 1 almerston North from abroad, when interviewed by a “Manawatu Evening Standard” reporter. “I am quite satisfied that the great mass of the people are thoroughly loyal,” he added. Two grocers in Christchurch, formerly in partnership, have started a bread war (reports a southern exchange). The price has been reduced in rapid steps from 6d. per 21b. loaf to 2Jd. Onlookers, who are said to seo most of the game, predict an early declaration of jieace, but in the moantime bread is really cheap.

“Children must bo an asset of some kind to the country, since/; tho Government bring men out here from England with four or five children and keep them to the extent, of £7O or £BO before they turn them on to the charitable aid board!”—Mr. J. J. Corry, discussing social welfare at the last meeting of the Wairau Hospital Board.—“ Marlborough Express.”

It is customary after the Christchurch carnival week for many stories to bo current of handsome winnings and pitiable losses made by racegoers,

many of which are written off as decidedly fictitious. One, however, is vouched for, and that is the win of a skipper of one of the Union Company’s coastal vessels which is a frequent visitor to Timaru (says the Timaru “Herald”). Tho mariner took a day ashore on the Cup day, and although not supposed to bo a “horsey” man had a “flutter” on the big race. Ho took a big risk some people considered in plumping a cool hundred on Rougn, reckoned to be a rank outsider, but as soon as the race was run and the figures hoisted, the gallant skipper collected his “divy,” tendered his resignation as a servant of tho Union S.S. Co., and tripped to his home in Australia with a wad of notes numbering well into four figures.

Napierites have become quite used to receiving letters addressed “Napigr, Australia,” and on some occasions the location of our city has been given as America, but the following is surely the limit. In forwarding a business communication a well-known London firm addressed a letter received last week by Messrs. McGruer and Co., as follows:—“Messrs. McGruer and Co., Drapery, Napier, India.” No doubt (says the “Telegraph”), the Londoner has been reading something about India and the brilliant English general, Sir Charles Napier, the victor of Scindg I

At. a meeting at Kiwitahi (near Morrinsvine). which decided to form a rabbit board, a speaker said that he was certain that in manv districts they were losimr four times as much as would kill all .the rabbits. He knew of one farm of 300 acres on which the rabbits were so numerous that the owners could, not live on it.

Speeding motorists who took advantage of an attractive stretch of straight road between Foxton and the beach recently, oxnerienced the somewhat noiel process of being “clocked” and Pulled up bv a constable (relates the Manawatu Standard”). The procedure was tor a coilstable and an assistant to be concealed bv the roadside a given distance apart, one signalling the other when a fast motor vehicle came abreast ot him. his companion starting a stopwatch and calculating the speed from the time tho motor took to reach him. Judging bv the number who were stooped the coffers of the State should benefit in the near future.

The Christchurch Sports Club is seeking for the man who offered to pay the liiosuitnl expenses incurred by Brian McClcarv after his fight with Heenev fsavs the “Press”). Aftler tho fight, and while McCleary was still in an unconscious condition, an ambulance was ordered and directed to take the miured man to the Public Hosptal. An enthusiastic supporter, whoso identity is as vet unknown, got into the ambulance and instructed the driver to drive to the Lewisham private hospital, adding that he would pay all expenses. The other night, the bill for expenses was before’ the Sports Club, and members were emphatically bf the ooinion that the unknown man should 1 bo asked to fulfil his promise. ■The chairman (Mr. A. Fairburn) said that neither the Lewisham authorities nor McClearv were parties to the arrangement. It was a cheeky thing to do on the part of the unknown gentleman. The club decided to pay the bill in the meantime, and make efforts to get into touch with the prospective benefactor.

A Palmerstonian who has been visiting the Hawke’s Bay told a “Manawatu Evening Standard” reporter to-day that rain is badlv needed in and around Nanier and Hastings. “There are,” he states, “some very good crops of oats and wheat to bo seen, but, unfortunately. thov are ripening immaturely. The wheat, too. has been heading nicely. and unless rain falls very soon much damage will be done” Potato crops, he added, were very fair, but rain was needed to save them. Some of tho hills already presented a burnt appearance. Our informant also mentioned! that around Hastings could bo seen an area of native land badly farmed bv the owners, with good grass going to waste. This, however, was a common sight in the Dominion, where natives weie farming their lands

While digging on his property in the Hokowhitu. a local resident unearthed two Maori stone axes —“Manawatu Standard.”

A young lady who was giving evidence in the New Plymouth Supreme Court, was asked if she could identity a man who had cashed a cheque in the shop in which she was employed, and she replied: “Tho gentleman in the dock.” —“Taranaki Herald.