TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 97, 19 January 1924, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A cow at Alataura the ether day had its career cut-short owing to a flash of lightning (writes the bore correspondent of tho ‘'Otago Daily Innes ). K grazing peacefully et the tune it. received the electrical discharge from the atmosphere.

It is estimated (says :n exchange) that 100,000,000 feet of timber is contained in tho Waipoua. State Forest, through which the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works and llailwavs, and his party journeyed on horseback or. Saturday. Of tins Quantity 60 000,000 feet is kauri, making U aipoua easily the most important kauri forest left in New Zealand.

‘‘A good boy is always better than a man ” said one of the speakers at a meet ng of the Wanganui Farmers’ Union on Wednesday. 1 His ambition is to get a dog, and next to .become a good shopherd.”—“Chronicle.’’ ,

' “There is plenty of work for boys,” said one of tho speakers at a meeting of the Wanganui Farmers’ Union on Wednesday. “The trouble with .New Zealand boys is that they are influenced too much by their parents and employers, do not have a free hand. “Chronicle.”

Says the Woodville “Examiner”: “We understand some men from Feildin.g have lately been prospecting on Mr. J. D. Inglis’s property, where coal indications have been found. We hear an option has been taken for three months over the coal lights.”

“It is a remarkable thing that over 600 children in New Plymouth are attending private primary schools,” said Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., when (says the “Nows”) the question of providing additional school accommodation was being discussed by the 'Taranaki Education Board on 'Wednesday.

A peculiar accident occurred to the baby of Mr. and Airs. Osborne, Lahore Street, Wairoa, one evening recently (says thc z Napier ‘‘Telegraph” correspondent). Air. Osborne had left the little one on a rug on tho lawn when a wandering cow entered and stepped <>n its neck, inflicting injuries which necessitated the, insertion of several stitches.

A white heron has been reported from Lake Ellesmere (says the '‘Press”). Air. O. AV. Hervey, secretary to the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, at a meeting of the society’s council on AVednesday night, asked the newspapers to record the stranger’s arrival, in order that sportsmen at tho lake should bo warned against shooting it, and causing as much trouble as arose when the previous white heron that visited the lake was shot.

Mr. Al. H. Godby exhibited a deformed brown trout at' AVednesday night’s meeting of the council of the North Cahterlnu-y Acclimatisation Society (says the' “Press”). Its upper jaw hid been turned over and shortened, but it was in good condition, and its deformity, obviously, had not interfered with, its ability to make a living. Air. Godby said that the deformity was hereditary, and was fairly well known in the Old Country. The trout was caught in the Ashley Rive/.

“Although it is necessary for Getmany to come into the world's trade to restore the economic stability of Europe, it should not be beyond the power of England and France to see that, by coming m Germany docs not throw Eugjish and Now Zealand workmen out of employment. Germany must pay lor the great wrong she did the world,” said Air. E. 11. AVyles at AA’ednerday night’s meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Industrial Association.—“Press.”

Among the twenty-eight- applications received by the Sjtd-atford Borough Vouncil for the position of foreman of works was the following extraordinary mussive which (says an exclm’ngel is printed literally:— “6,’1/1024 Post Office Sli>— Dear Sir 1 writtf«U£ these; few lines to you t\nd i mi'll find you good health so i am present time well Sir i seen on the paper yon want good foreman if you like i take it on if you lit me know i been working for bricks and stone work and quarrey and marble quarrey my life if you send word 1 came seen you. your trtiily —” It was unaccompanied by nnv testimonials, and beyond raising hearty laughter when read at the coun•:il table, the claims of the writer wore not further considered.

“On all hands the call is for better stock,” stated tlfe Palmerston North district report furnished to the conference on Wednesday of tho New Zealand Association of Nurserymen (says the “Standard”). “The public is asking for a better and choicer stock in shrubs and trees, and it is believed that the demand for the better class of nursery supplies will increase year bv year. The demand ’for good twoyear pines and macrocarpa was exceptional during the past year, and all stock of this description cleared rapidly.”

“The New Zealand Stare Forest Service is successfully competing with forest frees,” said Mr. H: G. Kingsland when delivering a paper to the Palmerston North Nurserymen’s Conference on Tuesday evening. “I consider it tho gravest indictment 'that can be levelled against any business, to say that a Government department is successfully competing with it on level tonus, it says very littlq for the efficiency of the business. The. scivices make it a success because it is growing forest trees under methods of mass production. Tho average nurseryman is not.” —“Manawatu Times.”

Mr. Allan Gardiner, secretary of the Palmerston North A .M.C.A., whose camping partv recently returned after a ten days’ visit to Lake AVaikaremoana and surrounding country, stated that opossums are very numerous up there (says tho “Manawatu Times”). The animals cover about 20.000 acres, and are on the increase. The campers encountered dozens of opossums on the roads at night, while the animals even ventured into the camp and nibbled the bread.

A mountain of empty casks on the local wharves proclaim, in mute eloquence that Wanganui has Icon well refreshed and .fortified during the Christmas festive season by a wellknown beve'-aco from tho South Island (says the “Chronicle”). Soon a special steamer will bear the “returned empties” to their southern home, there to b° replenished. Afti?r many davs the hogsheads will perchance return. to perform once more tho duties ordainbd bv Bacchus.

Holiday-makers who Imre returned from Stewart Island report that very boisterous weather was experienced there during the holiday season (save the “New Zealand Herald ). So (Treat was the force- of the gale on New Year’s Day that, three whales were stranded at Paterson s fillet. Mr. D. L. PoppelwHl. flavor of Gore, states that he is of opinion that the whales are of the pornmse species which is coined to New Zealand waters. Ono of the whales was 30ft. lons.

The recent rains have brightened up the pasture along the coast between Wanganui and I’atca (says the AVanganui “Herald”). The grass has now taken a new lease of life, and fields are once more becoming clothed in greenness. The rain has also been particularly beneficial to turnip and rape crops'. The latter are now being fed off on a number of farms. It is feared that extensive damage has been done to the sulphur fields in the Taupo district by bush and grass fires last Saturday (sayn the “New Zealand. Herald”). Viewed from the Napier side the fire formed an implosing spectacle. Daylight for. a while was dimmed, the sun glowing like a. furnace door through a dense fall of smoke. Several wooded hillsides along the AVairoa Road have keen damaged, while many hundreds Af acres of pasturage have been burned. The loss of feed has been considerable.

“As jx matter of policy we must do everything possible to restore England to prosperitv, for it affects us in the matter of defence,” said Mr. E. H. Wyles at AVednesday night’s meeting ot the executive of the Canterbury Industrial Association (reports the “Press”). “AVc must have British ships to protect our trade. There is not one British statesman who does not recognise the importance of do fence to tho Empire..! hope Mr.. Alassev will have something interesting to tell us in this connection.’.’

The constable of a New Zealand village a ina.n of exceedingly good nature, found.is necessary to lock up three tramps who had strayed into his jurisdiction (relates the “Haweia Star”). Shortly after the arrest ho was met by the Afayor of the village, wlio, observing the constable hurry* nig down the main etreet asked “AVhere are you going, constable?” “Oh,” exclaimed the constable, “the three tramps I just locked up want to plav bridge, and I’m out hunting for a fourth!”

The road from Paeroa to Thames is in a. very bad state just now, mere especially after H’kutaia has been passed (says the “Auckland Stsr”). There are so many holes that it is quite impossible to dedeh them, and a journey by car is not likely to be forgotten in a hurry. At the Thames end workmen are engaged in putting down a tar sealed road, and satisfactorv progress has been made. It is a pity, however, that the lest of the rood does not receive some temporary attention, considering it is so much used.

Here is a striking comment upon British business methods compared with Continental: An Eltham business man advertised in a British trade journtjl that Im wished to receive trade catalogues, mentioning the lino of business in which he was interested. Now, the extraordinary result has been that, although the advertisement appeared in a British journal, for every reply received from England he has received seven from Germany, and a considerable number from France. Is it any wonder that there is unemployment in Britain when manufacturers show such apathy concerning encouraging trade with the overseas Dominions? AVe institute preferential duties to encourage trade With the Old Country, and British manufacturers should respond to oar efforts.—Eltham “Argus.”

Air. Skjellerup, of Hawera, had a remarkable experience on a recent morning (says the.,“Star”). He was driving his car from’ Gladstone Street, on the hospital side, towards town, when he heard the train going south approaching. He drew his car practically parallel with the railway, track to wait the passing of the tram. As the engine passed several large pieces of coal fell from the tender. One of these struck the roadway, and bouncing up struck the car with such, force that a large dent was made in the door at the driver’s right hand. Had the missible struck Mr. Skjellerup, be without doubt would have been seriously injured, so great was the force with which it travelled. He has come to the conclusion after his experience tliat only should, one “stop and look out for the engine, but stop sufficiently far away to obviate risk from what may be termed secondary dangers.

“I'am positive that there .is sufficient oil in Taranaki to pay the national debt,” said Mr. C. McDonald, of Pio Pio, on his return from a visit to the Taranaki oil fields recently, to the Te Kuiti ’’Chronicle.” Mr. McDonald has a local reputation for divining water and mineral deposits, and is a brother of the Mr. A. McDonald, of Pongaroa, who recently claimed to have discovered an oil deposit in that district. Before deciding .to bore, some interested Pongaroa residents requested Mr. McDonald to risit the Taranaki oil fields to see if his divining rod acted in the same Way as at Pongaroa. Air. AlcDonald accordingly journeydd to Taranaki, where he was joined by Air. C. AlcDonald, of Pio Pio. Air. McDonald emphatically asserts that there are still enormous deposits of petroleum oil away from the track of the present bores. He claims to have found vast undenground streams of oil from 60 to 70 feet in width all over the fields, and considers that if New Zealanders do not awake to this fact, there is a grave risk of losing one of the richest oil fields in tho world to foreign financiers. Returning to Fcilding via Eltham. Air. AlcDonald says lie divined oil deposits from 60 foet to 400 yards in width .all along the road, and is convinced that Diev were a continuation of the Taranaki deposits, which probably had their base at Mount Egmont. ' Air. AlcDonald. considers the discoveries are of [national imixirtance. and should be regarded from that viewpoint, and lie, is prepared to do everything in his power to satisfy those interested that the Tgranaki province contains one of the richest oil fields in the world.

Tho fact that great quantities of small fish, known' as “cockabullies,” die in Taupo lake about this time each year, and as a consequence cause quite an unpleasant stench', has from time to time puzzled visitors to the thermal regions (says the Napier “Telegraph”). There appear to bo literally millions of these little fish lying dead upon the shores, especially that portion between the township and tho Teivaces, which is the popular rendezvous of summer campers. A type of fungus attacks them and after eating away part of the “cockabully” kills it. Mr Henry Hill, of Napier, who is visiting Taupo, has been interesting himself in the matter, and has forwarded to the Old Country a. number of specimens with the hope rhat he will be abla to gain some information as to the cause of the peculiar mortality.