NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

Purchasing A Ram

The possibility of purchasing a .ram simply through an onlooker scratching his nose is on the card&jit a ram fair. Yesterday at the Masterton fair, an harassed auctioneer announced to an embarrassed parent that “If the little boy in the first row doesn’t stop raising his finger he will find he has bought a ram.” The auctioneer added that the. boy’s finger was continually catching his eye. The parent joined in the laughter. Girls Bolt From Custody. Stated to have bolted from custody while on a visit to hospital, Margaret Kingi, 21, domestic, aud .Shirley Robertson, 22, waitress, were sentenced to three months’ jail with hard labour by Mr. Stout. S.M.. at Wellington yesterday for escaping from a Borstal institution. Senior-Sergeant Paine said they were giving a good deal of trouble at the institution.

Self-sown Tomatoes. A New Plymouth gardener who has tried unsuccessfully for four or five years to grow tomatoes in his home garden has a self-sown plant this year with six dozen tomatoes pn it. Some of tuem Will weigh more than 11b. each. ripe. The plant had no attention till it flowered. Then the. four mam branches were staked. It is still throwing out new branches, and these are being allowed to grow.

Pilfering of Cargo. The executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce has endorsed a suggestioji from tlie Dunedin chamber that the commercial community should insure itself against losses from carjro pilfering where such insurance is available. By this means, apart from the advantage of the cover, it is thought possible to obtain a much better idea of the losses being suffered from this cause than can be done at present. Cost of Making Impression. Stated by his counsel, Mr. G.C. Kent, to have borrowed and worn New. Zealand Army shoulder patches, signifying overseas service, to create a good impression on a young woman he had met, William Peter Anderson, soldier, was fined £5 by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday for wearing an emblem without authority. Senior-Sergeant G. J. Paine said the maximum penalty was a fine of £2OO or two years’ jail. Liquor For Serviceman. “This class of offence has been, going on for months, and I am not going, to reduce the fine of £lO I have set for it,” said Mr. Stout, S.M., after hearing Mr. A. J. Mazengarb’s plea in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday for a man charged with procuring liquor for a serviceman. Mr. Mazengarb: “I have told my client that. All I have been trying to do on his behalf is to see your Worship does not increase the fine.” A £lO fine was imposed. Esperanto Society. ‘Though it is true that most worthwhile technical information is available in English, the same does not apply to the languages of smaller countries,” saiti Mr. D. Mac Gill, B.Sc., at the Karori Esperanto Society’s meeting this week. He pointed out that technicians could not always afford the time required for learning two or three additional languages in an endeavour to increase their knowledge. Through the medium of an international auxiliary language, however, technicians would be able to make their discoveries available all over the worldLeaned on ShoveL Stated by the prosecution to have reported for work but then to have leaned on his shovel and refused to do anything, Sydney Arthur Gray, labourer, was fined £5 by Mr. Stilwell, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellingtoa, for behaving in a manner embarrassing to his employers with the intention of procuring his discharge. He was convicted and ordered to pay costs for leaving his employment with the Wellington City Corporation tram track repair section without permission, Senior-Sergeant Murphy prosecuted.

Scales Stolen. Thomas George Ward, 53, labourer, walked into the fruiterer’s shop of C. C. Lee, at Waihi, and asked if Lee had any scales, for cleaning. He was given a pair, which he then took to a secondhand dealer in Paeroa to sell for him. These facts were given by Chief Detective Thompson in the Court, Wellington, yesterday when Mr. Stout, S.M., sentenced Ward to a month’s jail for theft of the scales. This term is to be cumulative to a two months’ sentence now being served on a charge, of false pretences heard at Palmerston North. / .

Reception at Westport. Brigadier N. S. Falla, C.M.G., D. 5.0., V.D., chairman and managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company, ana. Mr. J. N. Greenland, the general manager, both of whom were born at Westport, were accorded a civic reception by the mayor, Mr. J. M. Robertson, with a very representative attendance of, the public. The two joined the company at the Westport branch as youths. Present also was Mr. AV. A. Flavell, general manager of the Westport Coal Company, who came to Westport 60 years ago and has been associated with the Westport Coal Company for 58 years.—P.A.

Production of Honey. The honey production in the Waikato this season has been much better than has been experienced for several years. However, the early promise of an outstanding output has not been fulfilled, as the prolonged spell of dry weather checked the growth of clover in January. Growers are required to forward 70 per cent, of their make to the Interual Marketing Division. The price they receive is 7jd. a lb, aud the local retail price ranges up to 1/3. Honey production has been good in Taranaki and there has been an ample retail supply in the New Plymouth shops. Control of Pest.

A survey of the Manawatu, Rangitikel and Hawke’s B.iy districts by Mr. J. Muggeridge, entomologist of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. stationed at Nelson, reveals the successful control of the diamond-backed moth as the result of parasite liberations in recent years. This moth in the past 60 or 70 years levied a heavy toll on turnips, swedes, rape and chou mollier conservatively estimated at £250,000. This probably represents the greatest economic gain achieved in New Zealand by biological control of an insect pest. A similar survey win be made in the South Island. —8.A.,

Waste Paper Salvage. A statement by the Salvation Army sets out that it is the main agency for the collection of waste paper in the four main centres. It works in close conjunction with the National Council of Waste Reclamation, and, under the con-, trol of a sub-eommittee in each centre, constantly gathers waste for baling and transport to the mills at Mataura end Whakatane. The amount of paper dealt with last year at the main centres was: Auckland, 1822 tons; Wellington, 1359 tons; Christchurch, 844 tons; Dunedin, 409 tons. The men’s industrial homes in these centres are the places where the work is carried but; in Wellington, at Miramar. Hutt County Fires. “Several gorse, scrub and swamp fires have broken out in the Wainui-o-Mata, Heretaunga, Epuni, Taupo and Whareroa Ridings, and considerable damage has been done to growth and plantations," said the Hutt County overseer, Mr. E. M. Campbell, in his report to the monthly meeting of the council yesterday. “It was extremely fortunate that dwellings were not burnt out; this was only due to the efforts of the various fire brigades and helpers in the districts concerned. Army help was given at Silverstream and in Raumati South. In the latter area the Public Works Department have put in a fire break on behalf of the Army.” Chain Letters.

Chain letters are once again making their appearance, pernicious productions which certainly have an ill-effect on weak minds. Ridicule is the most effective weapon. Here is a copy of a letter with that intention which appeared recently in a United States newspaper: “Dear Friend, —This chain was started in Reno in the hope of bringing happiness to tired husbands. Unlike most chains, this requires no money. Simply send a copy of' this letter to five male friends, then bundle up your wife and send her to the fellow whose name appears at the top of the list. When your names work to the top you will, in return, receive 15,176 gorgeous girls. Have faith! Do not break the chain! One man broke the chain and got his wife back.”