TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 177, 21 April 1924, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

‘And who is this little red-headed fellow?” asked Mr. Massey at Waimahaka when being introduced to the residents, as he patted a small boy on thio head (states an exchange). “He’s a future Prime Minister, sir,” said somebody in the crowd- “Well, 1 shouldn’t bo surprised,” replied the present Prime Minister, smiling, “for fellows with that coloured hair always are fighters.”

“Like driving on city streets,” said a Napier business man who recently' drove from Taranaki to Hawke’s Bay (states the “Hawke's Bay Herald”). He was not referring to the trip in general, but only to the Elthain-Wang-anui section of the road which was tar-surfaced nearly all the way. Wanganui to Palmerston North, ho said, was very good on the whole, but once in Hawke’s Bav the roads were execrable in contrast.

Fearino- neither the moonlight nor the rending of garments, taking with serene impudence the risks of detection as trespassers, a number of persons climbed over the Carisbrook fences in Dunedin tie other night to see the pageant. Most of them (observes the local “Star”) seemed to be grown men, some of the age at which walking sticks are carried. No word to be found in the dictionary exactly describes such intruders As a contrast to the action of the fcncc-clirnb-ers, we may mention that the management has received much encouragement by letters and otherwise and the mail brought a communication enclosing £1 from a delighted Scottish visitor.

A very ancient landmark in Anderson’s Bay is fast disappearing (says the “Otago Daily Times”). The old Government School, which has served as the Church of St. Michael and All Angels tor over thirty years, is being demolished with a view to the erection of a new church on the site. Largo congregations attended the last services in the old building, including many persons who had once been pupils at the school, and several who had been present at its transformation into a place of worship. The fabric was in the last, stage of delapidation.

An invitation extended to the members of the Auckland Rotary Club bv the architects and builders to inspect the partially-completed Arts Building now being erected for the Auckland University, says the “Herald,” was referred to by the president. Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie at the last club luncheon as a distinct compliment. “There is an old Scotch saying,” remarked Mr. Mackenzie, “that fools and bairns should not sea things half done, and we, therefore thank our hosts for the compliment they have paid us.”

A peculiar view to enunciate in a conciliation council was set forth by tljrb representative of the furniture Workers recently, says the “Wairarapa News.” Ho said: “The employer produces nothing and takes most. It is the worker who produces all. Our position is that the worker should get the lot. and we are going to keep going until we "et it.” When they "get the lot” there is hardly likely to be anything for anybody. Not much conciliation about this conciliator’s remark.

What was described as an iniquitous proceeding on the part of the taxation authorities was referred to at the meeting of the council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce the other night (states the “Star”). It was stated by the member who brought the matter up that a man who had lent sorno money on land received a surprise later on when he discovered that the land tax due by a former owner bad not been paid. When the land changed hands no intimation was given that the taxation had not been paid. Apparently the Department had gone to sleep for several years, and then issued a demand for the payment of the tax. He believed that the Department was within its rights, but he thought that its action was very unfair. He underspend the same thing had happened in several cases. It was decided to write to the Department and to the other chambers of commerce with reference to the matter.

Ancient Maori treasures are being found in considerable numbers in North Auckland at present, and many settlers, as well as the Natives themselves, ar© in possession of some very rare specimens of Maori handwork. Not all those who are fortunate enough tq have these articles place any very high value, either historical or financial, urxm them, a circumstance which enabled a party of Australians recently to make extensive purchases. The fact that some of these old Maori articles are gradually drifting into private collections indicates that the authorities aro neglecting a splendid opportunity to acquire the rarities for the nation.

A. peculiar accident happened at St. Clair, Dunedin, the other day while the captain of tho French sloop Aldeboran was being conducted round tho seaside resort by motor. In entering the Esplanade from the western end, the car took a ouick swerve and collided with a telegraph post, tearing down two telephone wires and four telegraph wires. Tho car left the wires hanging with loose ends, but managed to continue its journey. It is stated that the citizen who was driving explained, on being advised what had happened, that he did not know he had damagwl the wires, and he promptly agreed to pay for the repairs. Fortunately tho repairing was effected by the telegraph staff before any children gathered. There was enough voltage in tho loose, wires to kill a score.— “Otago Times.”

When the annual meeting of householders at Hautapu, near Cambridge, assembled, tho chairman, Mr. J. M. A inbury, explained that the Auckland Education Board’s auditor had refused to pass the balance-sheet, taking exception to certain items of expenditure in connection with the recent visit of the Minister of Education —advertising and printing—and requesting tho committee to refund such expenditure. Tbe matter was (states tbe “New Zealand Herald”) was discussed at length, and it was resolved to protest strongly against the action of tho Education Board, declaring that no steps would be taken to elect a school committee until the board cleared tho matter up.

A Wanganui “Herald” reporter, rather out of touch with church matters, was sent along recently by his paper to report a certain church function, and found himself seated between two ardent church workers who were most enthusiastic in their responses to the prayers and also did their share in singing the hymns. Then came collec-tion-time, and the reporter cast his mind back to try and recollect what the custom was when he attended church as a boy. He then fumbled in his pocket, first withdrew sixpence, put it back again, and drew out a shilling, which lie dropped in the plate. Ons of the church workers already referred to contributed threepence, and the other allowed the plate to pars unobserved. The reporter has now come to the conclusion that ’he amount of collection one is supposed to contribute has considerably dwindled sir.ee ho was a lad.

In the whole Dominion no ono probably is better able to judge how the National Anthem should bo sung than the Governor-General, Lord Jellico©. The other evening His Excellency paid a tribute to the way in which “God Save the King” was sung by members of the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society, at the opening of the society’s rehearsal hall (states the “Herald”). “I have hoard the National Anthem sung in many parts or the world,” said His Excellency. I have heard it sung in the Albert Hall, in London, and elsewhere, ’out never have I been more deeply touched than by the rendering of that anthem as sung by the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society this evening. It is symbolical of the loyalty of this exceedingly local Dominion, and 1 congratulate the society exceedingly on that particular feature in the opening ot this hall.”

The wasteful propensities of the New Zealand children were referred to by the headmaster of the Fairfield School, Hamilton, at the householders’ meetincr (states an exchange). In regard to food, he said, the caretaker s fowls benefited to the extent of tons annually. Strong complaint existed m connection with writing pads, and he believed that in some cases nmcpence worth in the shilling was lost .leathers endeavoured to prevent this, but they could not keep a strict supeivision over each child. He urged parents, in the interests of their own pockets and for the welfare of their children, to endeavour to prevent waste.

Through colliding with a tramway pole at Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, the other morning, the Auckland Motor-Bus Company’s big bus suffered considerable damage and t-ie passengers had a narrow escape from injury (says the “Herald”). . The tramway tracks arc being duplicated and tne centre of the road has been excavated for some distance each side of tbe New North Road. Crossing places are provided, but as they aro at right angles the large buses running to Point Chevalier and Avondale find them difficult to negotiate. The driver of the bus in question, therefore, continued along the road on the right hand side and to avoid a collision with an approaching vehicle steered in toward the footpath, . with the result that the bus crashed into the tramway pole The windscreen was broken and the hood damaged beyond _ repair. None of the passengers were injured, but the driver received an injury to his hand.

About half a dozen houses m the Auckland city suburbs have been recently entered, apparently by the same man. who managed to enter tne premises, search, and secure money, and make bis escape without oemg observed (states the “Star”). The mocus operandi is believed to be as follows. The visitor knocks softly at the front door of a house, and if he receives no answer he quietly enters by the door or by a window. In every case lie has made straight for the place where money is usually hidden, namely, the left-hand corner of the right hand top drawer of the dressing table, and in practicallv every case he has found cash in this favourite hiding place. In several instances the housewife Has been in the washhouse when the robberies took place, and neither tne front door or a front window in the house has been open. When b- knock brings the housewife to the dooi the man generally asks where Ajr. Brown” or “Mr. Jones lives, and thus an excuse for his call.

A venturesome swan which flew into the telephone lines at Hinuera caused an interruption in the electric ng“t service for ten minutes in Hamilton on Satiirdav evening last (states the “N.Z. Herald’s” correspondent). Ihe swan carried tbe telephone lines ,r 'to the power lines, which hang immediately above. Both lines, one leading to Hamilton and the other to M aikmo, were put completely out of action, tut the power cable was soon disentangled from the telegraph lines, and put u to Service again. Tho necessary repairs were effected most expeditiously, and the effect in Hamilton would not have been so pronounced had it not been that the disentangling of the ’ irCa caused injury to a switch in the Hamilton transmission station. The department intends replacing the telephone lines with heavier material.

The Post and Telegraph authorities have a funny way of charging for the number of words in a telegram (says the Gisborne “Times”). “Cannot is one word, “can’t,” which is a eorry.ption of cannot, is one word, but don t, “won’t,” er any other shortening ot a verb and negative are charged as two .words. A man can send a code word that means fifty sentences, yet that is not charged extra. Another may send a telegram in Italian, Greek, or even Chinese, and each word counts as ono. Yet the Chinese telegram might bo a code telegram! The te..egrapfi counter clerk and the postmaster will go to a lot of trouble explaining to a customer that “won’t” is a corrupted word that means “will not, and the same with other words; but the word “zehngerichtenbund” counts as one. Ho will not waste much time telling a client why that word costs only a penny. A new book of rules should be issued shortly, and, an irate correspondent writes, ought to be worth Is.

A correspondent writes to the Christchurch “Press”: Birdlife is very numerous at Waipara just now, especially on the downs of the Glenmark settlement, between Mount Donald and tho Lake road. In addition to hawks, seagulls, magpies, and sparrows, which are always plentiful, there was recently a flock of from eight to nine hundred wild ducks waddling about in massed formation in a field of seli-sown wheat, whilst a cloud of finches, estimated at about a thousand, was flying about the green crops there. A fairly strong sou’-wester was blowing, which may have driven the ducks inland. Jhe finches were probably attacking the turnip blight, which tho dry' season has made prevalent. About a dozen pukeko nest amongst the reeds in a small lagoon adjoining tho road. Although apparently not disturbed to any extent, tho number docs not appear to increase.

The dangerous practice cf bathing in a stream still swollen with flood_waters nearly ended in a drown in <r_£ata lity at Morrinsvillc a day or two ago (says the Auckland “Star”). Three schoolboys wont bathing at a dam at a flaxmill. The current swept two of them over tho edge of the dam. One managed to cling to tho top of tho woodwork while the other was found hanging to one of tho supports below. Fortunately Messrs. F. Firman and W. Warren, working in a slaughterhouse nearby, saw tho hoys’ predicament and can’4- to the rescue. Making use of a floating tre 0 trunk, which they wedged between the dam and the bank of the stream, they were able, to rescue both bathers, tho one which bad fallen below the edge of . tho dam receiving a severe, buffeting by tho water, and being spun round like a top while being drawn up by a rope. Fortunately neither of the boys suffered any ill effects for tho experience.