TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 196, 14 May 1924, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

An event almost unknown to old Wairarapa residents (says the “Age”) took p|ace recently, when the outlet of the Wairarapa Lake opened itself as the outcome of a southerly.

“The days of teams on our roads seem to have gone,” said the chairman of the Featherston County Council at a recent meeting (states an exchange). The Stratford Borough Council (states the “Post”) is rigidly enforcing the motor regulations, and at next sitting of the Court in Stratford it is expected that 27 informations will be heard against persons alleged to have committed breaches. A “community” lighting system on the lines of the system operating in New Plymouth is being discussod by Eltham business men (states the Wanganui “Herald”). The Taranaki Power Board is prepared to instal tho system in Eltham if sufficient inducement is offered. An elderly Maori walked complacently along a street of Napier with abbreviated football shorts in place of the longer garments that are customary for city wear (says the “Daily Telegraph”). Above he was immaculate, with collar and tie all complete, and he showed lofty disregard of the smiles with which the sight of his swarthy calves were greeted by by“The Southland children lead New Zealand in physical fitness,” said Mr. Cree, physical instructor, at a meeting of tho Invercargill Carnival Committee (states an exchange), "and the Southland people should come and see them. There is no doubt about the physical fitness of the Southland children, and they are a splendid type. They prove that Southland is a good place to live in.” “He is 82 years of age, and has only 4s. fid. He "escaped from a home at Wellington, and has been sleeping in doorwavs about Palmerston North at nights,’’ said Senior-Sergeant O’Grady in the Magistrate’s Court ut Palmerston North, when a man named Robert Wilson appeared charged with being idle and disorderly (states the “Standard”). His Worship directed that accused be handed over to the charitable aid officer to be returned to the Wellington home. During the storm recently tremendous quantities of wood were ■washed ashore at Otaki. The long expanse ol beach there, was heavily littered with wood, and residents secured a great supply for the winter. All hands (states an exchange) carted the wood away in all sorts of vehicles, and the harvest was a rich one. Even now much good fuel remains along the sands. I' is thought the wood came from the Wanganui River, having been carried out to sea by flood and washed ashore miles south of tho place where it entered the sea.

Lieut. Stitt, of H M.S. Repulse, who was a member of a pig-hunting party at Stronvar on Sunday, had with him a brace of guns which were a present from the Kaiser to the Czar of Russia (says the “Wairarapa Daily Times”). Ono was a 16-boro boar gun, beautifully chased and inlaid in gold, with the Royal Coat of Arms. The other gun, similarly ornate, was a beautiful piece of work. Lieut. Stitt procured meso trophies in Moscow.

Pllans for the nejw cathedral at Nelson have been submitted and approved. The building will cost £BO,000. There is £20,000 in hand, a legacy from the late Miss _ Marsden, and a vigorous campaign will shortly be started to obtain the balance. The old building has been condemned, and will have to be vacated shortly.

The story goes (relates the “Lyttelton Times”) that a district devotee of Rugby was far more at home in the scrum than in the ballroom. At least so his fair partner found. He had seized her in an enthusiastic grip, whisked her round the room at furious pace, nearly tripped her once or tw*N>, and' trampled heartily on her silve? brocade shoes. “Oh, Mr. ,” she gasped weakly when she had recovered her breath, “do you mind we try ‘Soccer’ for a change ”

Opunake wants a demonstration farm established in that district (states an exchange). The matter was placed before Mr. 0. Hawken, M P., and he supported the proposal. The Government, he said, was not buying farms for such purposes, but where an association or body of responsible trustees established such a farm, as at Stratford, the Government assisted financially to the extent of £3OO a year for the first three years. After that time this assistance was withdrawn, and the farm carried on solely by the association for the trustees.

The “Eltham Argus’’ waxes enthusiastic about the prolific growth of marrows, pumpkins, and kumi-kumis this season, and mentions that a large lenmi-kumi, weighing 361 b. was on view n few days ago. But the “Wai; pa Post” boasts of a kumi-kumi grown in the Korakonui district and shown in Te Awamutu last week, weighed 65|1b., while a pie-melon grown near Morrinsville tipped tho scale at 831 b.

“It is impossible for a man to live in our district with a milking herd of 23 cows.” stated Mr. 11. B. Burdekin, of Hawora, when speaking at the R..S.A. District Conference (states the “Manawatu Times”). The speaker substantiated his remarks by quoting figures showing th© small profit to be derived “Well, according to you, the dairy industry is doomed,” interjected another delegate. “On a basis of 23 cows—yes,” was the retort of Mr. Burdekin.

A defendant at the Dargavillo Court said that a man had put a “king hit” on to him. His Worship (relates the “Auckland Star”) asked what that was, and Sergeant Griffiths chipped in with the explanation “A hit a man got for not minding his own business.” A returned soldier defines a “king hit” as “a blow deliberately given without provocation.” and it appears to correspond to the revolver shots fired at random in Mexican saloons by local “bullies.” who in this manner impress the crowd and intimidate the public. In hotel bars and other places quit© harmless and inoffensive men have been suddenly struck to the ground and even sadly injured out of sheer brutality. The “ king bit” grows out of the effect of bad drink on violent characters.

The recent rise in wool apparently has not as yet had nny effect on the prices of woollen materials in New Zealand, n.nd there is no indication that the prices will increase in the immediate future (remarks the ‘Wanganui Chronicle”). .An informant staled that his experience with certain high grade serges had been that ’here was, if anything, a ten■oenev for the prices to be reduced; but several special 'inns much in demand had shown an increase. It was also pointed out that the prices quoted by those selling forward did not show nny increase as prices of materials depended largely upon competition.

At tho opening of St. Saviour s Babies Home at Sumner (states the “Lvttelton Times”), Archbishop Julius said that it was proposed that some of the best girls from the home at Shirley should go to the babies home to learn how to properly care for ininfants. “The majority of mothers in this country,” he said, “seem to know exactly what not to do and are doing it with all their might.”

Anyone interested in Jersey cows can easily train the horns in any direction required, said Mr. H. E. B. Watson, the noted Jersey breeder during a demonstration at Richmond (states the “Nelson Mail”). lhe horns on the heifer generally appeared to point backwards. A hole could be bored in the ends ajid a wire inserted pulling them together, "hen later a small weight attached would keep them down and other adjustments made later. In no sense could this be termed “faking.” It was perfectly simple, anyone could do it and it greatly added to the appearance of the animal as well as making them much less dangerous in a herd, by removing outstanding horns.

“Why is it that I cannot get a decent piece of bacon in New Zealand?” asked a visitor from England the other day (states the Manawatu “Times”). He continued that whereas at Home he was accustomed to the most tasty rashers, he had not partaken of any such delicacy during, his six weeks in the Dominion. In England it was the practice, he added, to discriminate carefully in which parts of the nig were cured for bacon, and he wondered if the same care were exercised here.

“I do not believe in teaching a child to read too early,” stated Professor Shelly during a lecture in Timaru on “Education in Relation to Agriculture (reports the “Post”). “I have a boy,” he went on, “and ho did not want to read until he wanted to, which was about eight. I may mention that ho did not go to school until

he was ton, and after he was a year there the teacher said that he was the only boy in the class who could read. Nor is he particularly brilliant.” The professor explained that he did not think a child should learn to read until he had learnt to know the things about which he read. It was through children’s not associating tho symbol with the article that there was so much monotonous reading in schools.

Leap year, the delight of penny comic papers, the last resort of the feminine love-lorn, is going ahead with a swing, and the Auckland marriage market is booming (says the “Herald”), Figures foi’ the first four months of. 1924 show conclusively that leap year is going to establish a record in local marriage statistics. The number of marriages already performed this year (717) is in excess of the totals for the first four months, of the past three years, and comes within ten of the record achieved last leap year (1920), when 727 marriages were registered. The 1920 statistics, combined with those available < for 1924, are incontrovertablo. Last leap .year there were 2212 marriages, and this figure has not been reached since.

A resident near the Palmerston North borough abattoirs had for some time been enjoying the visits of a couple of pukekos, which lived somewhere in the vicinity, when, several days after the shooting season commenced, the birds disappeared and have not been seen since (says the local “Times”). It is stated there has been some reckless —and it. would appear over-enthusiastic—shooting going on in that part of Awapuni. The resident referred to has given up keeping household ducks, because, accoding to his statement, they invariably disappeared for good when the shooting season commences. He and another resident of the district were startled the other evening when, at about 6 o’clock, two shot whistled over their heads and ended their journey in a stable on the property.

With the idea of educating the public in the work.which is carried on in our public hospitals and kindred institutions. the Otago Hospital Board recently decided, on the recommendation -<f the medical su]>erintendent (Dr. Falconer), to institute the observance of May 12 in each year as a national hospital day, following the custom, in America (states the “Star”). National hospital day was instituted four years ago to commemorate the birth of Florence Nightingale, whose memory it will serve to perpetuate. On Monday the observance was carried out locally for the first time. The Taiboys sun room at the infirmary ward of the Benevolent Institution, Caversham, was opened, and a party of fifty pupils from the Girls’ High School paicl a visit of inspection to the hospital and to the nurses’ home. In connection with national hospital day, a nurses’ graduation ceremony was most interesting because of the presence of three Indies who were among the first to go into training in D” n °din as nurses for the Dunedin [ospital.