LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 July 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“I am going to give our friend the pig a well-deserved advertisement," said the Governor-General in his address at the New Zealand Farmers’ Union conference at Wellington, when referring to the need of opening up new avenues in the farming industry. “At the Palmerston North Show I was given a side of bacon from an historic pig. He had been in cold storage for six months before being cured, and to that pig and his breeder and curer 1 take off my hat. It was the first really good bacon I have tasted since being in this country.” His Excellency added that he did not know why bacon could not be cured in New Zealand as well as it could in England.

A Tim am angler secured a, novel inhabitant of the sea last week —a. fish of which no. local, sportsmen had any knowledge. This was what is known as the tour fish, of the Atlantic coast, of the United States. It came to the edge of the water at the foot of the rubble facing the wharves, and Mr M. J. Dunn got .it out, with a stick. It is about ten inches long and six inches broad, and is the reverse of attractive an. appearance, having a snub nose, two big bulging eyes, and a grey body with black spots, covered with sharp spikes. It lias the power of distending its body with water or air, and on, this account, probably, it. is sometimes called the swell fish. It was distended when caught, but. was very much smaller half an hour later. It is to be preserved.

The, last, of the scaffolding has been removed from the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain, and it is now possible fully to appreciate the beauty of the imposing portion (states the “New Zealand Herald”). Of creamy-white Portland stone, the eight Doric columns are almost identical in size and design with those of -the Parthenon at Athens. Each is 37ift in height, and is composed of eleven large blocks, the lowest sft in diameter. There is no core- or reinforcement in the columns themselves. The colonnade of the Parthenon lias inspired many a .minor copy, but rarely is .such a magnificent example raised as the one fronting the new museum. From all points of view the columns of Auckland’s museum produce a sense of size and majesty, and made a fitting guard to the treasures stored within.

Great, things are pending in daffodildom, judging by this letter, which appears in the July “Smallholder” : “Sir, 1 have read with much interest the article in the June aiumber by Mr. Weightman re the best dozen daffodils. I issue a challenge to him that I will stage 24 varieties, three of each, and will not stage any of the varieties lie mentions (although I have them all but “Puzzle”), at either the show at Wanganui on 13th and 14th September I next, or Hutt on 19th and 20th September, or both places, if lie prefers it, and if he should beat me at either place or both I shall give to the N.Z.N.D.S., the sum of £lO for each time he doeis so, and will not ask him to do so. A reply through the “.Smallholder” will oblige. Yours, etc., Robert Gibson, Sutherland road, Manaia.”

Interesting figures .showing to what extent the., availability of gas affects the use of electricity, especially forcooking purposes, were set out in a report furnished- to the members of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board by the secretary (Mr H. E. Lodge). The total number of the Board’s con-sumers--in ureas where gas is available was given as 4236, and tlic number ol electric ranges installed in that area as *226, being one range to every 18.7-1 consumers. Consumers outside the gas area numbered 31-19, and they had _439 ranges, equal to one for - " every i.l/ consumers. Over the whole of the board’s area the number of consumers was given as- 7385, and of .ranges 665, making a ratio, of one range to, every eleven consumers. The report also .stated that on a -population basis the number of consumers in Lower Hutt ami Pet one was approximately 1 to every 5 of (population, and in the outside area approximately 1 to every 7. Water-heaters. were installed in the gas area in flic proportion of 1 to every 32 consumers, and- in the outside area in the proportion of 1. to every I‘2 consumers, or over the whole- area- 1 to ovorv ! 19 consumers.

Among -the many items of interest at Harr ops ’ Fnd-of-Reason Rale special attention is directed to the balance of this season’s millinery. In this instance cost is entirely ignored, with the result -that Velvet Models, usually selling up to 37/6. arc being cleared a) 4/1 1 and S/ll and Felt ready-to-wears usually up to 21/-, at 5/11 and 6/11.— Advt.

The secretary oif the Otago Harbour! Board has received word that Com-1 mender Byrd should arrive in Dunedin,| (luring the latter part of October. I “Secondary schools receive pupils at too advanced an age/' said Mr H- .J- ---]>. Mahon, headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, at a meeting of theEducational Society at Auckland. ‘lt pupils' entered about the ages or 11 and| 12, aindi remained for four years, an education could bo imparted to the majority of them that, would fit them to enjoy and live a full life. A life-sixed cardboard figure of a girl in .a 'bathing suit was removed recently from the entrance to a Queen ...troet picure theatre, Auckland. The young men were seen walking clown Queen Street with the figure in their arms. Managers of Auckland picture houses reported having been troubled with repeated thefts lately, photographs of popular “stars” .being the olnef objects of attention.

“Newspaper accounts of crime are, in my opinion, factors in suggesting to impressionable and unstable minds the methods adopted by criminals m the commission of crime. Constant dwei.in'o- upon this leads to crime, .said Ail E M-oslcy, S.M., in a iccent address (i-'avis the “Lvttelton Times.”) ‘do <any thinking man or woman the publication of" big headlines over (sometimes erroneous! reports cannot but be regarded as wrong". Christchurch is now the worst offender in this respect though Auckland used to be.” Several of those present ait the meeting signified then approval of these statements.

The latest thing in skyscrapers is aiow being built in New York. _ It has two motor road ways, each as -i<gh as a' o or five-storey building, running thiough its heart, and is bml.t over a netwoik of railway lines and a station. Amen-, cans believe in economising space, but in this ease they have every encouragement to economy, because the site m in one of the most expensive parts oi New York The skyscraper stands on great “feet” made of steel, which trun between the station platform and the ran\rav lines down to solid rock. “I think you will agree that it is unthinkable, and .certainly to the great disadvantage of the city and ~ that the river service, which, lias been is existence for some 40-years, should he abandoned,” said Mr J. H. ®urn (chairman) in lus 'report to dieJCnei Trust Board (states the M an._,anm Chronicle”). ‘‘lt as not at all. ReU that any private company will take t u .p The only public hotly that can come- to the rescue- is the River Trust Board, which already has the necessary authority, but the -situation a ; s full of difficult/, and will require serious con--1 sidera.tion.” Ten yeans 'ago the Unified States and Australia inaugurated their first a« mails. Th,e Australian experiment succeeded and developed at once, bin- the American experiment failed at first, not because, the idea was mipracticabe, but because the oounfirv w»s not yet ready for this swiftest type c.f delivery. A few months later the- experiment was repeated, on a larger scale. Its ultimate success ri demonstrated, bv the fact that air mail routes totalling nearly IO.tKM miles ane now in operation, and that n larw t-ransconitinenta.l air mail plan is in Vou-rse of preparation, under the technic a' advice of I/indhergh-. Air nm.it planes, owned and operated by eivdinn contractors, now fly more than 22,000 miles daily.

Kind deeds are constantly coming, under Mm notice of social workers m Auckland (states the “Star”) One instance took place last week, which relieved the anxiety of a mother with a large number of children. father Wad gone to Australia to seek work and after some weeks of idleness managed at last to get, a permanent job, but the money he had taken with'him had bv this time been spent on paving board, lie started at 'lus work ‘from scratch without a shilling in his pocket, lie found out that it lie sent his family so much per week to help them he might be able out of his wages to save fit per week to help pay their passages to Australia, where they would all be under one roof and expenses minimised. The fares would cost £34, and it would take more, than half a year -before ho could save that sum. A few generous souls, hearing the facts of the case, raised the amo'unt in three days, and in about a week from the time the matter of the fares was finalised the family will all be united again under the most happy conditions. Reporting on thfj pig industry investigations being carried out by the Council of Scientific Research and Indusitioa'l lt.asearcli.. the chairman said“ The establishment of three pig-recording investigations at Lincoln, Massey Coli.egi? a.n-cl -i.ii the \\ aikatoi, lia.s met with a very good- response. In all instance® no difficulty lias been experienced in securing the ready co-operation of taamei'S in t he scheme and the recording officers will be fuly occupied in weighing regularly the large number of pigs which: have been offered for the test-. The large amount of infoirnuation wlvich wiltli he gathered by this means riiomid prove of very .great use in the dnectin not- only of guiding farmers jn the economical use- of pig feeding materials', but also will a.ssiis/t ,i ; ii the breeding and selection of the most desirable strains of pigs for local and overseas market?’. The. successful development of the pig industry on a. sound basis depends upon producing pork and bacon of the highest oualitv" bv the economical use ot available feeds and the breeding of the best strains of pigs.”

At a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research at Wellington, it was reported that Dr. D. Miller, having taken up his duties at Cawthron Institute, had been receiving supplies of various insectparasites from overseas, hut, as this is the quiet time of the year, only a. very small amount of trials with these consignments had been possible. The mseetarv and laboratory had been submitted to a thorough overhaul in preparation for the coming season’s work, and it had been found necessary to renlace a considerable amount of the brass gauze used in«the interior fittings of the large insectary. Advice bad been received from Dr. Tillyard, who had l>een dealing with the matter of co-opera l ion with, Rothamstod' and Farnham Royal. As a result of these suggestions, the committee will require to give further consideration to fhe future plan of action regarding activities overseas. The approaching visit of Dr. John Russell would afford an additional opportunity of discussing the position and flic work at, Rothamstod.

“TT TR COLD,” RATD THE LIFTMAN “The draught just rushes up this open shaft. P.uf: T*m all right, T 'dairy Rillniolias with me.” He’s wise. Pnlmoiias make vou proof against colds and chills. Dissolved in the mouth, fliev kill germs and relieve coughs hv inhalation. Tn a handy tin—Pulm'oivas Is (id and _s f*d from all chemists. — A d vt. BUCKREIjIj'S, HAWERA. Lhe quality House in all departments of ladies’ wear, such as Coats, Fmcks, 3-piece Suits. Costumes. Hosiery, Furs. Buckrell’s with over 50 years’ experience on this const hive gained the enviable reputation as the Quality House in Taranaki. Opposite Central Hotel, Hawera.