TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 186, 4 May 1933, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY

Menace of Swangrass TOPICS OF INTEREST Dominion Special Service. An idea of the serious menace presented by tiie spread of stvaugrass in drains can be guaged from the fiu-t that, the fore man of the Moutoa Drainage Board removed one root from the main drain near Foxton this week which had a growth reaching to a height of ten feet. The board is experimenting with various “killers” with a view to combating the weed, the growth of which is very rapid.

Fire Engine Skids. The Wanganui municipal fire engine, while on its way to a fire recently, skidded on the wet asphalt near the courthouse and crashed into a car parked at the roadside, carrying away the mudguard. At the time there was no one in the car, which was owned by Mr. T. E. Roberts, of Patea.

Large Jury List. On account of the large number of jury cases set down for the quarterly session of the Supreme Court, wheih opened at Palmerston North yesterday morning. 63 jurors were sworn in. Of the 12 applications for exemption from jury service, only one was declined.

Hawke's Bay Rainfall. Up to about a week ago Hawke's Bay Province suffered from a grave lack of water, especially in the Waipukurau district. On one or two occasions rain has threatened, and sometimes light showers have fallen, but these were quickly negatived by hot- winds. The sporadic rainfall of the past week has been welcomed by farmers.

Maori Panel for Museum. Following their usual practice of adding to their collection of exhibits by exchange. when possible, the Alexander Museum authorities in Wanganui have recently acquired from tlie Otago Museum a handsomely carved Maori panel, nearly 9ft. high and some 3ft. wide. The panel is of East Coast design.

Market for Dairy Produce. “If wc could ; double production air acre, and halve the land values, which ar present .»re far too high, there is no doubt that we could undersell any competitor on the British market.” said Mr. T. W. G. Page when addressing the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch' Club yesterday on "Butterfat.”

Sarjeant Art Gallery. Decorators were busy yesterday _ distempering the vestibule ot the Sarjeant Gallcrv (Wanganui), thus providing the building with a brighter entrance. At the same time one o£ the pillars near the old cannons which had dropped out of alignment received attention. This is the first time that, renovations have been carried out at the gallery since it was built in 1917.

Manawatu Shooting Season. Although some fair bags wore.secured on the opening day of the shooting season. many Manawatu sportsmen have met with disappointing results. Yesterday swans and ducks were scarce, due to the weather conditions not being stormy enough to stop the birds from flying seawaffi at the first signs of danger. Some sportsmen on Lake Hunia secured limit bags, but those in other localities were less fortunate. South Island Apples.

A. large consignment of apples for the English market, consisting of 22,000 cases, is at present being loaded on the New’ Zealand Shipping Company's motor liner Orari, which arrived at Dunedin on Saturday afternoon from Liverpool, via northern ports. It is reported that there is not a very big quantity of the earlier varieties of fruit left in Canterbury for. export. The remaining shipments will consist of the late varieties, principally Stunners, which are now coming forward, and which are grading out well. The next shipment, is due to leave from Lyttelton on May 11. and will amount to about. 7000 cases, all for- the United Kingdom.

Bad Ohl Days. "With the price of butter looming at -id it lb, the position did not look bright, said Mr. R. Cock, president of the New Plymouth Savings Bank, at lite annual meeting, wle himself had bad a long connection with the baiter industry in Taranaki in the early days, and he recalled periods in the ten years from 1883 to 1893 when butter was -Id a lb. Tn 1887. 18SS and 1891. the price dropped to -Id for three or four weeks in January. In 1892. when times were a little better, they were tilde to buy butter at 1/1. It would be .seen, therefore, that the farmers had gone through bad times for their produce years ago. WANGANUI NOTES Customs Revenue Declines Wanganui. Muy 3. Customs collected at Wanganui, during last month, with the figures for April. 1932, in parentheses, amounted to £32-12 19/4 (£4314/378) ; beer duty, £389/2/(£303/12/6). Bankruptcy [Returns, One bankruptcy was recorded in Wanganui during April, as against, three in April, .1932, Vila! Statistics. Births in Wanganui for the month of April show a heavy decline when compared with tlii* same month last year. Following arc the figures for Ihe past month, with those for the same period of last year in parentheses:-—Births 54 (70). dcalbs 21 (25). marriage licenses 31 (18), marriages in office 5 (5). Figures for tlie first; four months of the year, with the same comparisons, are:-v—Births 199 (215), deaths 84 (SO), marriage licenses 79 (73). marriages in office 1.6 (17). CuiTeney Reform. “I think it is quite unnecessary for us to deal with currency reform w hen in a few weeks the principal nations of the world will be discussing it." said Mr. A. S. Burgess al the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, a request having been received from a local business man that the subject, lx* raised at. the meeting. It was decided not to discuss the subject. MANAWATU NOTES The Month’s Rainfall Palmerston North. May 2. The rainfall for Palmerston -North tor March tuts 4.19 inches, compared with 4.53 inches for lhe corresponding month of last year. Rain fell on seventeen days last month. ‘The average temperature ter the month was 53 11-3(1 degrees, and for April of hist year 53 1-30 degrees. ■< Certificate of Excellence. The fact tiiat the Terrace End School was the only school in the Mangatmi Education Board's district to receive its certificate of excellence during the past few years was mentioned by I lie president.'Mr. W. B. Cameron, at Hie annual meeting of householders last night. Makowiiai Relief Camp. The St. Vincent de Paul Society Ims presented a piano Io the inmates of the relief camp at, Makowiiai to replace the instrument which was destroyed by fire some mouths ago. The piano livered at the camp last Friday night, when a party of entertainers from 1 almerston North provided an tiltraclhc programme for tlie workers.