TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 4, 29 September 1933, Page 6

TOWN AND COUNTRY

Through American Eyes TOPICS OF INTEREST Extraordinary ideas of conditions and customs in New Zealand apparently prevail in America. Au American newspaper recently arrived at New Plymouth as packing contains a very iuteresting and dramatic account of fire-walkers in Natal. In the course of the article similar customs in other countries are mentioned. “In Auckland, New Zealand," the pnper states, "the Fiji’s have a fire-, walking ceremony similar to the Tahiti spectacle. In a pit about twelve feet in diameter and three feet deep a fire is lighted on which are placed stones which grow to be white-hot. Over the stones the natives strew leaves, and then, after chanting a hymn, the fire-walkers advance to the hot stones and squat down on them. The ceremony here is said to be a curious survival of cannibal rites.”

Long Ann of the Law, An offence committed in October, 1929, was charged against a man in the Gisborne Police Court this week before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M. The accused was Arthur William Curtis, who failed to appear to answer to a charge of having been found on the licensed premises of the Gisborne Hotel after hours on October 19, 1929. Sergeant Clark mentioned that since the incident the accused had not been located until recently for the service of the summons. A fine of £1 and costs was imposed.

Cheese Export Prices. Though no answer wps made by Mr. T. Baxter, representative of the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales, to a question asked him the previous night by Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., concerning the price for New Zealand cheese that would satisfy the English farmer, Mr. Baxter stated yesterday to a reporter that between 70/- and 80/- per cwt. would be sufficient. English cheese would sell at higher prices. The cheese market, he explained, was very inelastic. When prices went up almost the same amount was purchased, and lower prices did not greatly increase the demand.