TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY

Items Of Interest From The Provinces SIGNS OF BROWN ROT Unharvested Stone Fruit In Hawke’s Bay Dominion Special Service. Unharvested stone fruit .iu Hawkes Bay is beginning to show signs ot brown rot following the recent spell of wet weather, though it is early.yet to loreeact what will be the extent el' the loss from his source. The early stone iruit, has mostly been harvested. Masterton Patriotic Raffle. The raffle for the Spode Duchesse blue teaset, given for patriotic purposes by Miss C. Morrison. Lansdowne, was drawn in Masterton last night. The winner was Jean Lennie. 191 Clyde Street. Belljngton. .8.2. ticket number 31431. the raffle realized £lO5.

Loss of Trout Fry. At a meeting of the Palmerstou North branch of the 'Wellington Acclimatization Society, it was reported that at tin inspection of the trout fry in the pond at the Esplanade on January 5. a number of the fish were found to be dead. Ihe society placed -10.000 fry in the pond some months ago and had been taking much trouble in the rearing of them. Ou January 17 it was discovered that only about 100 of the 40,000 tish were slid alive. The drastic loss was attributed to the excessive heat which causes pollution. It was mentioned that the temperature of the Tiritea water where it runs into the pond is- as high as 65deg.

Hastings Seed-growing Scheme. Crops which were sown in Hastings under the miiTiieipal seed-production scheme are now being harvested in some cases, and it is expected that rhe yields will be satisfactory and that the benefit to patriotic funds will be substantia] Good samples of paiviiip seed have . been obtained, and good returns are likely from the beans and earrots. The recent wind did not improve the mangel crops, and a fine crop of peas from the 10-acre section at Raupere was damaged by rani during harvesting, but it is expected unit the results will be quite good. Unemployed men are engaged in the harvesting, which is being carried out by hand.

National Party Address. The Leader of the New Zealand National Party, Mr. Holland, will address party members, supporters and their friends in the Opera House, Palmerston North, on Wednesday nignt, beginning at S o’clock. Mushrooms in Hustings Shops. The first mushrooms of the season have appeared in Hastings shops, though so tar the supply is not plentiful. lhey are being sold at 1/6 a pound. Burglars .Active in Foxton. Three premises .were broken into in Foxton during Wednesday night. Between 6 and I p.in. Mr. J. Aston<s garage was burgled and petrol coupons stolen. During the night the booksellers' shop in Main Street owned by Mr. H. 1.. Heath, was entered from a rear window. Access to the shop proper was not obtained by tlie intruders, however, because of a bolted door. Shelves were investigated, and goods strewn over the floor, but nothing was taken. Tlie office, suite of Mr. G. V. Fraser, upstairs, was also visited and completely ransacked, but nothing was stolen. An attempt was made to open the safe. Farewell to Woolbroker.

A large gathering representing the Wanganui Woolbrokers' Association and the Manawatu and West Coast Live Stock Auctioneers’ Association, met in Wanganui this week to farewell .Mr. F. Moffatt on the eve of his retirement from active business. The chairman of the auctioneers' association, Mr. W. C. Fowler, presided. He and many other speakers paid a tribute to the high esteem in which Mr. Moffatt is held by all his competitors, and laid stress on the valuable services he bad given to both associations over a long period, particularly as chairman of the Wanganui Woolbrokers' Association, since January, 1924. Presentations were made to both Mr. ami Mrs. Moffatt. The opportunity was taken Io extend a welcome to Mr. .1. F. Cameron, who has gone to Wanganui to lake over the position of manager of Freeman R. Jackson and Co., Ltd.

Drop Curtain 50 A’ears Old. A drop curtain which was first used over 50 years ago in the old Theatre Royal in Napier is still in use in the Westshore Public Flail, where it performs a function. The curtain depicts a scene on a Venetian waterway, and was used throughout the lengthy career of the Theatre Royal, which was situated near the foot of Milton Road on the site where the Napier central fire station now stands. The curtain was acquired some years ago for use in Westshore.

Ryegrass and Cocksfoot. Ryegrass seed is now coming into the store from Manawatu growers in excellent condition and the average germination is higher than for a number of years. This will lead to a more satisfactory "strike” and will also encourage growers to continue operations. The price received this season may be somewhat lower than a year ago, when it was considered by buyers rather high. The saving of cocksfoot in the Manawatu has proved disappointing this year, and indications are that the quantity will be even less than was the case last year, even though the price is good and the need for cocksfoot seed greater than ever.

Hawke’s Bay Stationmaster Mr. D. .Finlay, stationmaster in Hastings, has been appointed to a similar post in Napier in place of Mr. W. A. Finlayson, who has gone to Wellington. Air. Finlay’s place in Hastings wili be taken by Mr. Thompson, Dannevirke, Masterton Home Guan),

Twenty-five new enrolments were taken at a parade of the .Masterton Home Guard and Emergency Precautions units, which more than 200 men attended. The training comprised physical exercises, platoon drill, rifle exercises and field drill. Field work will be undertaken in the near future. The Mastertou unit commander, Lieutenant A. Al. Hibbs, D.C.AL, provided the N.C.O. ami officer classes with a sound instructional lecture on Tuesday night. In future N.C.O.’s of the E.P.S. unit will attend the Tuesday night instructional classes witli the Home Guard. These will be conducted by Ser-geant-Major Nut tall.