Untitled

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 February 1939, Page 6

A motorist who recently toured the South Island tells a good tale of his experience in the Balclutha district: Pulling up in a small town he parked his car near’ the footpath, and was preparing to leave when he noticed an inspector taking his number, which was carefully jotted down in an official looking book. “What’s wrong?” he inquired, somewhat perturbed. "Wrong, me bhoy?” replied the inspector, “there’s nothing wrong, at all. Sure, but it’s poker ye ought to be playin’, not droivin’ a car!” With a sweep of his majestic hand the “cop” indicated the car number, adding: “Sure that’s the foinest poker hand I’ve seen on a car this holiday season!” The motorist joined in the laugh, and breathed freely again.

Certificates for greenkeepers were advocated at the conference of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, in New Plymouth. Mr. F. S. Pope, the president, said that the number of men having the technical charge of golf links, bowling greens, cricket grounds, tennis courts, and croquet lawns in New Zealand was now very considerable, but there was as yet no ready means by which bodies or persons proposing to employ such men could ascertain whether applicants possessed the necessary training for the work. The engagement of an unskilled man might result in damage taking years' to rectify. He suggested that the Institute might issue certificates of competency to greenkeepers, on lines akin to those already applying in the case of florists and seedsmen. Certificates without examination could be granted to those who had satisfactorily held positions as greenkeepers for five years or so.