LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 14 January 1928, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A message from Timaru states that Mr R. E. Aubin, son of Dr Aubin (Auckland), climber Mount Cook on Thursday, with Guide Jack Pope. The weather conditions were perfect, and the climb was made in the excellent ti meof 18 hours. A world’s record chess match recently. took place at the -Ministry of Health, London, where ">(.!() Civil Service players opposed 500 from the Southern Counties. 'The players were distribute*! among 26 rooms from the basement to the fourth floor with 50 stewards to marshal the crowd. One of the most peculliar trains in existence ,from one standpoint at any rate, is one that runs between Berlin and Leipzig, for it leaves Berlin at no hour of the day or night—at least so far as the clock is concerned. Its time of departure is 0 o ’clock, 00 minutes This strange hour is due to the introduction of the 24-hour clock on the German railways. A train arriving at midnight arrives at 24 o’clock while a train leaving at midnight departs at 0.00 o’clock. Thus the mystery of the Leipsig train meets with a simple explanation. There are apparently, hard times ahead .for motorists in Italy, for plans are afoot to make all Italian motorists Government auxilaries. The automobile Club of Italy has been ordered to Transfer its head quarters from Milan to Rome and all motor owners must become members. The club is now obliged to maintain a register in which all sales of motor vehicles thoroughout the country must be entered, as well as all financial transactions in connection with motor cais. Although the hire purchase system is to encouraged all transactions are illegal unless registered with the club. Forestry as an Empire concern is gaining in importance. According to a London cable, Lord Lovat, who is proving one of the most far-sighted if Empire conservators, considers that the most important Forestry Conference in the history of the Empire will be that held at Canberra in the middle of September. Every part of the Empire will be represented. The itinerary in. clud s a visit to New Zealand in October. Lord Clinton, head of the British delegation, hopes the outcome w.ll be the establishment of an Empire Forestry Service to which al' should moderately contribute, and will enormously benefit.

A Canterbury visitor to Greymouth remarked yesterday that if the young people on the Coast were encouraged to go in for the study of pasture, it would be a help in the economic progress of the Dominion. lie suggested that a start, could be made by means of simple observation of the ordinary growths along the streets and the roads. He was doubtful if any pupil of the schools hereabouts could identify all of the common', r varieties of growth to be met with by the roadside, but said that a study of these would afford a good starting point. Then it would be help-? ful also to compare the growths at different times of the year, as some species flourish d in the early summer, while others only come into evidence later. Observation was the foundation | for a practical nature in this matter. i A Napier motorist, while travelling on the Wellington-Napier road recently, discovered a grass fire at the foot of the first, railway viaduct south of Kapua, which threatened to cause trouble (states the Telegraph) He reported the trouble at Ormondville station and the railway officers despatched to the scene, where everything was found to be cpiite safe for the passage of trains. The fire however, was responsible for the delay off one train, the up relief mail for about 20 minutes but that made little difference to her timetable, as she usually waits at Waipukurau for the ordinary mail to pass and go ahead. A few mornings ago a settler who j lives within 100 miles of Whangareij was called upon by a boy who asked the settler to grant a loan of £5 to a well-known good nature! Maori (states the Northern Advocate.) The request was unsuccessful, the settler stating that ho did not possess the £5 required. A little later the Maori’s son appeared bearing the following note:“Not believing the boy this morning : that makes mo send my own youngster to see if you could give me the amount of money I wanted this morning. Conldn’t you give me the poor beggar £?. please give two give me something Bill 2 any rate you not broke. Don’t tell fibs sometimes I am late, in fixing up with you it’s better late than never. IT. kiss you Bill I am.” Such an appeal surely deserved its reward. At an American Legion parade in Paris recently the National standard of the United States the Stars and Stripes, headed the processions, with the standard of the American Legion beside it. The flag of the United States is by a national custom always accompanied by the standard of some organ isit ion or society. The reason for this custom is that this flag, as such, may not receive honours, nor may it !bo inclined before monuments or personages. The standard therefore, of the military or civic organisation accompanying the national Hag receives and pays these honours, while the national flag remains erect. Referring to a gift of £39,000 to the University of Baltimore, U.S.A., for the study of the origin and nature i of the common cold, and its possible cure, a London Harley Street specialist

(says a cable) asserted that nobody would ever cure the common cold, and that its study would be a waste vf time. The common cold, he said, was caused by an enormous variety of organisms. Doctors could give only one advice, “Keep away from a person with a cold.” The best form of prevention was not to catch it, and the best treatment was to remain in a warm, well ventilated room. Cold had baffled the best medical brains in the world. The We,gt Cdast Agricultural and Industrial Association have receive! offers of assistance for prize funds as follows:—Alilking Shorthorn Association of Canterbury £3:3:0; Osmond and Son (N.Z.) Ltd., Dairy Medicine outfit, value £6; N.Z. Ayrshire Breeders Shield for 1928, with trophy £1:1:0; Airs H. W. Kitchingham, £1:1:0; Air H. G. Carter. £1:1:0; Grey Farmers’ Union, £1:1:0; W. B. Clarkson and Sons, Christchurch, £1:1:0; Vacuum Oil Co., Ltd., £1:1:0. The Show dates arc 15th and 16th‘ of February. General Committee meets at Town Hall, Tuesday 17th.. at 1.30. Anyone interested is invited to attend.