NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Farmers' Ordeal. A fractured pelvis and severe internal injuries were suffered by Mr. S. J. Harding, a farmer, of Wharepapa Valley, near Te Awamutu, when a horse which he was riding stumbled and rolled on him, states a Te Awamutu correspondent. Mr. Harding lay in the sun for six hours before his plight was discovered. He is in a serious condition in a private hospital in Te Awamutu. College Rolls. The number on the rolls of the colleges controlled by the Wellington Colleges Board of Governors and the average attendances in March were shown in the reports of the principals to the meeting of the board,on Tuesday afternoon as1 follows:—Wellington Boys' College, 655, 94.8 per cent.; Rongotai College, 547, 96 per cent.; Wellington Girls' College, 448, 93.4 per cent.; Wellington East Girls' College, 431, 95 per cent. Enjoying Life. "I believe I could have done better for myself and for my wife and family if I had let Parliament go by the board," said Mr. John Bitchener, former Minister of Public Works, when speaking at the opening of the Clydevale Bridge on Saturday, reports the "Otago Daily Times." "I thought 20 years ago that I had just reached the stage where I could enjoy life, and then they put me into Parliament. I was there for 16 years, and the result is that I am now just starting to enjoy life properly." Strange Lizards. Efforts to capture a specimen from the strange lizard colony on Te Aroha Mountain are hampered to some extent by the attention of amateur hunters who visit the area and thrust sticks into the burrows in an effort to dislodge the inhabitants, states a Te Aroha correspondent. Although a watch is now kept on the place, it is difficult to stop the natural curiosity of residents. Mr. J. D. Cummings, who captured the first specimen, stated that he had been offered £100 by an Auckland collector for a live lizard of the larger variety. Poultry Instructors. The appointment of additional poultry instructors was notified to the Poultry Producers' Federation annual conference at Wellington yesterday afternoon by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin). "In order to still further assist poultrykeepers, especially the beginner, two additional poultry instructors are being appointed," said the Minister. "One will assist the present Auckland instructor, and the other will be stationed in Dunedin and his services will be available to the Otago and Southland poultry-keepers requiring assistance. These officers are expected to take up their duties almost immedi ately." The announcement was received with applause. The Opening of a Swimming Bath. Commenting that there was no book to guide him in the correct procedure for opening a swimming bath, the Governor-General (Lord Galway) said at the opening of the new bath at St. Margaret's College, Christchurch, on Tuesday afternoon, that he was in difficulties, reports the "Press." He did not intend to jump into the bath himself, and he was afraid to push* his aide-de-camp into the water, he said, because of what the latter might do to him afterwards. He had thought of suggesting that the headmistress or a member of the staff might "open" the bath in the way usually expected; but he had decided that the best thing he could do would be to declare the bath open without further ceremony. This was greeted with applause, which was renewed when a very young pupil dived into the water from the springboard. Land to £80 an Acre. There has been considerable movement in farm properties in North Taranaki, three dairy farms having changed hands at j£Bo an acre or more, states a New Plymouth correspondent. Confidence in the future of the dairy industry is indicated by the fact that nearly all the properties sold have been dairy farms. A notable deal was the 51-acre property of Mr. J. E. Blyde, one of the province's model farms and easily the highest butterfat producing farm in North Taranaki, and one of the highest in the Dominion, which was sold for £80 an acre. The farm was purchased by Mr. Blyde at £65 an acre fifteen years ago, when butterfat was returning as much as Is 8d a pound. The price of £80 per acre is not the highest that has been paid for land in North Taranaki this season, for two Bell Block farms of about 40 or 50 acres were sold at £82 and £84 respectively.

No Entertainment There. A small rubbish ' fire between two houses in Abel Smith Street was easily suppressed by the Fire Brigade at abouf 8.45 o'clock last night. No damage was done, and the large crowd which quickly gathered considered it a poor show compared with that of the previous night. Road Safety. Although she was not a motorcyclist she had a nephew who was one, stated Miss M. Magill, a member of the Road Safety Council, speaking at the meeting of motor-cyclists held last night to discuss road safety proposals. Miss Magill added that her nephew appeared pretty safe, for he seemed to spend one weekend taking his machine to pieces and the next in putting it together again. (Laughter.) Campaign Against Rats. The last week of April has been decreed as a "rat week" by the Auckland City Council and it has communicated with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce with the idea of enJisting support of the business community in a drive against the pests, states the "New Zealand Herald." With a view to co-operation the chamber is obtaining details of the proposals from the City Council. Gift from Pensioners. The Minister of Pensions (the Hon. W. E. Parry), who, with the inauguration of the Social Security Scheme on Saturday next, will cease to administer that portfolio, was the recipient of a silver Labour Party badge from a number of women pensioners in Auckland. The" badge bears the inscription: "Our prayers are always with you." The donors explained that the gift was intended to mark their appreciation of Mr. Parry's work as a private member and as Minister of Pensions in the interests of pensioners. In his acknowledgment of the gift the Minister said he would value the badge and appreciated the message it conveyed. One of the pleasures in his long Parliamentary life had been the rendering of service in the cause of those people who needed it.