LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Last night there were railed from the West Coast to Canterbury one truck of cattle, six truc.ks of lambs (for the freezing works), and two trucks of butter (for Lyttelton copl stores).

Kumara residents are advised that copies of the “Argus” are obtainable at H. Hamer’s Store, Kumara.—Advt.

The opening euchre tourney of the Greymouth Labour Party’s series will be held at the Lyceum Hall tonight, commencing the aggregate count.

It may not have been as careless as it sounded, and one can appreciate attempts of broadcast announcers to break away from the conventional in telling the world of items to be played. An announcer at one of the New Zealand national stations, however, made rather a “bad break” recently when, after giving all the details of a violin solo to be played, concluded with So-and-So, “at the violin.”

For best values in Exercise Books, Drawing Books, Pencils, Pens, Erasers, Rulers, Writing Pads, Scribbling Blocks, Inks and all school lines go to B. Dixon’s Ltd., Booksellers, Tainui Street.—Advt.

It is understood that the regulations compelling all cyclists to have proper lights, rear reflectors and white mudguards, are to be enforced in Greymouth. Despite the fact that the regulations have been in force for some considerable time, many cyclists have made little effort to comply with them, particularly in regard to white rear mudguards. They would be well advised to take immediate action.

One of the humorous incidents at the Wanganui East swimming carnival last Thursday night was more than usually appreciated by the crowd. Two clowns made their unauthorised entry over the fence by means of a ladder placed in position by a confederate. A challenge was then issued to. Mr. J. B. Cotterill. M.P. for Wanganui, to swim 50 yards for £3OOO a-side,” and amidst wild hilarity the challenge was accepted. Not all the rules of amateur swimming were observed in the contest which followed, but doubts as to the ability of either challenger or the challenged party to pay the sidewager were set aside when the judges declared the race a dead heat. The Wairoa race meeting on Saturday was. made the occasion for the running of the first passenger train over the southern section of the East Coast railway. The route has been in service for freight transport for some months. There was a heavy demand for booking on the train, which left Napier with 16 carriages drawn by two engines. More than 400 passengers were on board when the train commenced the journey. The distance was covered in four hours seven minutes, including stops and after a good deal of delay owing to the necessity for slow travelling over certain sections.

The Public Works Department has let a contract for the erection of a storage shed on the Greymouth wharf to Messrs P. Hendry and A C. Bruhn, of Greymouth the price being £173. The shed will be used by the Department for assembly of material for Jackson’s Bay.

Because of the popularity of the Milford track it has been decided to extend the season this year to include the Easter holidays. The Government Tourist Bureau at Invercargill has received advice from Wellington that the track will, remain open until April 19. The customary closing date is March 31.

School time is here. What about School Books, School Stationery, School Bags, School Attache Cases? You will find the best of values are offered by B Dixon’s. Ltd., Tainui Street.—Advt-

“This is the slackest time we have had there,” said a Nightcaps coal miner in the Magistrate’s Court at Invercargill, when giving evidence of his recent earnings. He said he had worked only two days and a-half on some weeks lately. Twenty-seven men had been discharged two months before at his mine and 20 had received notice a short time ago. The Magistrate (Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M.) said that the weather had been so fine there could not be much demand for coal.

Four blue heron, the first, it is understood, ever seen in the district, have been observed for the past month in the vicinity of the Waitaki River on the property of Mr. W. T. Dixon, Tawai. The birds disappear in the daytime, but at night time roost high in the tall pines in Mr. Dixon’s plantation. The blue heron is a tall, beautiful bird, marked with a delicate blue on the back and wings, dull red on the breast, and white on the throat. Heavy penalties are provided for shooting this species.

It is expected .that a start will be made this month with the New Zealand building for the Empire Exhibition at Glasgow. The building will be slightly more than 100 feet long and about 50 feet broad, and will be the same size as those of all the other Dominions except Canada. It will be floodlit at night. Features will be made of all kinds of New Zealand produce, progress in transport, with special reference to railways, hydroelectric schemes, social and industrial developments, and tourist attractions. Pictorial and dioramic effects will be largely used in the displays.

All Primary School Text Books and Stationery and Secondary School Stationery and Requisites are now on sale at B. Dixon’s, Ltd., Tainui St. All school lines cold for cash only. No booking.—Advt.

In Nelson district, rambles for the study of botany and nature, art work, additional swimming, and classes held out of doors are the features of the “summer curriculum,” which has been adopted by the primary schools for the hot February weather. Though it is only a few days since the schools re-opened after the Christmas vacation the Nelson headquarters and staffs have already adopted suitable programmes for lessons out of doors, and much useful instruction and work of a practical nature is being carried out.

The sport of trout fishing has many followers, and the stories attached thereto are never ending, but of all the strange catches the experience of a workman on the main highway to Wairoa during the height of the recent storm deserves a place in the records. This workman was plodding along the road winding up the “Elbow” at Tangoio, when suddenly a 21b trout, was deposited, very much alive, in front of him. Apparently the fish had taken the wrong track in the much-swollen stream up the hillside, and had literally been thrown overboard.

An Auckland family is still chuckling at the expense of the daughter of the house (who learned recently to drive the car (says “Mercutio,” in the New Zealand Herald). She drove to town, parked in a side street, and, after doing some shopping, returned to the car. Halfway home she felt in the door pocket for her gloves, could not find them, and stopped to investigate. A search of the car revealed a pipe, tobacco and a road map that certainly had not been there before, and it gradually dawned on the driver that she had the wrong car. Back she drove as fast as possible, put the car back from where she had “converted” it, and found heiown machine still parked 20 yards further up the street. The cars were of the same make, model and colour, but, the surprise was that the one key fitted both door locks.

“It’s a rum world,” remarked the bus driver to his cobber, “and there’s parties in it wot’s never ’appy unless they’re miserable. They reckon its a sin to enjoy yourself, go to the pickshers or the races, take a ’and at euchre or ’ave a ’arf ’andle occasinal. As for smoking they’d made it ’ot for them as does, and love to! Why can’t they be content to practice wot they preaches and let it go at that? But ho—not them! Wot’s the matter wif smoking, any ’ow? I been smoking since I was a lad, and it never done me a ’apworth of ’arm! Not likely seeing I smoke Cut Plug No 10 (Bullshead), one of the gennwine toastted brands t’others being Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish, Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold. They can’t ’urt anyone, cause why ? Cause there ain’t no nicotine in ’em, not to mention they’re toasted, and as chockful of comfort as they kin be! 'Give up me pipe? Not me.” Not for all the cranks in Noo Zealand! Gotta match?”

When the water in ponds at the Taranaki hatcheries rose to the abnormal temperature of 78 degrees last month, largo numbers of trout fingerlings, mostly brown trout, died. Only prompt work to liberate the remaining fingerlings, which were transported in ice at night, saved a considerably greater loss. It was stated at a meeting of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society the other night that the condition of the trout was first noticed. Fingerlings, which are young fish from three to four inches long, were to be seen lying on the surface against the screens gasping for breath. On January 19 the temperature of the water was 78 degrees. f Emergency measures . were taken. Fish to the number of 85,000 were transported in ice by night and liberated ... in Taranaki rivers. It is considered fortunate that the number of fish at the hatcheries had been considerably reduced by the liberation previously of 300,000 to 400,000.