LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 77, 13 March 1934, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

A heavy veil of smoke hung over Auckland on Sunday afternoon. At times it was so thick that from the eastern suburbs it blotted out the view of Rangitoto and the North Shore. The origin of the smoke was difficult to locate, but eventually it was established that it came from two fairly extensive scrub fires on the hills above Muriwai. Exhibitors at the Hawke’s Bay Autumn Show are particularly requested to read their receipts for entries, and note the time at which exhibits are required to be sent in. All judging in the produce shed, with the exception of the floral section will be judged to-morrow (Wednesday), and all exhibits, except in that section, must be staged by 11.30. a.m. to-morrow, so that judging will proceed without delay. Some notion of the coldness of the Canadian winter may be gathered from the fact that a Vancouver City resident, writing to a Hastings friend, illustrates the mildness of the past winter in Canada by saying that she used only three tons of coal, as against the usual seven, for central heating alone. The house in which the writer of the letter lives is presumably an average size bungalow, with electricity available for cooking. A plague of caterpillars is having a very serious effect on pastures and crops in the Pukepoto district, a few miles from Kaitaia. Although caterpillars have previously appeared in the district in large swarms, this is the first occasion for many years on which extensive damage has been done. In one instance a settler has had several acres of crops destroyed, while in a paddock shut up for hay most of the grass had be endestroyed. Another settler who had has second crop of grass ready for cutting for hay had the paddock practically stripped within 48 hours. Men’s clothes interest women just as much as those of their own sex. The dross of young men in Christchurch was commented on by an Australian woman visitor, whose chief objection was so few of them wore coat and trousers to match. “When I first came here a week ago,” she said, “I roused my host to laughter by asking in all seriousness whether the brown coats and grey flannel trousers worn by so many young men were a uniform for university students. I know now that it is not a uniform and not restricted to university students; but why do they all want to look alike! ’ ’ Many farmers in the Karioi district still contend that the Government should never have pursued its afforestation policy in that locality, because of the value of land for agricultural and pastoral purposes. Of this there is clear evidence in what has been done on many of the adjoining properties, where splendid crops of red clover, swedes, chou moellier, peas and rape have been grown. The Government has thousands of acres available for tree planting purposes elsewhere, and it is considered that farming claims should come first, as Karioi is practically all level, and has two railway stations, one at either end. The plantations of trees, however, have shown splendid growth, due to the excellent growing conditions this year. Without doubt the star item of entertainment at the Autumn Show on Thursday next will be the Maori entertainment by four teams of 25 each. These teams will present an entertainment as interesting a s it !s rare, for seldom if ever before in Hawke’s Bay has such a comprehensive series of Maori dances, and songs been given at one time by such a large number of participants. The war dance alone is an item well worth seeing. It lias probably been seen by but few of the present generation, and the next generation will have even less opportunities, if indeed it will have any opportunity at all of seeing such a display. The older natives, to whose tuition the teams taking part on Thursday owe their skill, are fast passing away. The Maori display is a new feature and one which it may not be possible to repre duce at future shows. Reference to the damage to crops by small birds, and a request that the purchase of heads and eggs should !■ continued, were contained in a letter received from the Canterbury Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union by the Levels County Council. “We seem to be between the devil and the deep blue sea,” remarked the chairman, Mr T. B. Garrick. “The Agricultural and Pastoral Association wants us to discontinue buying tho eggs, and now the Farmers’ Union wants us to continue the payments. Which is the more influential body?” “The Farmers’ Union, every time,” said Mr D. Grant, amid laughter. “When we cut it out we beat the country boys out of their pocket money.” It was decided to forward the letter to the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The wild ducks that make their homes on the Auckland Domain ponds and at Western Springs appear to visit one another. On fine afternoons during the past few weeks ducks from the Domain have been seen to rise from the water, circle in the air, and fly westwards, with the windmill (to the human eye, at least) as a guiding mark. Recently a flight of .15 was noticed, and it was observed that none of them returned to the ponds. creatures have a much wider and more secluded range at Western Springs, and the movements of the ducks are harder to follow on account of tho background of tree-clad hill, sloping towards Grey Lynn, but it has been noticed that several flights have left in the direction of tho city. This movement of the birds may be coincident with Hie approach of the autumnal equinox. It is curious that at about this time of the year flocks of starlings take to the air the birds leaving the quarters in which they have been established during spring am'[ summer, j

The Hastings retail shops will close at noon on Thursday, the day of the Hawke’s Bay Autumn Show. Repeated attacks upon a model aeroplane in flight were made by three seagulls at the Auckland Domain during the week-end. The aeroplane, which belonged to a member of the. Kestrel Model Aero Club, swerved away from the birds as if under control and landed without being damaged. Some members of the New Plymouth Watersiders cricket team had a novel experience on their way to Wanganui. Just after passing Waitotara a pukeko on the side of the road took to flight and headed straight for the car, crashed through the windscreen and landed on the legs of the driver, Mr S. Flood. Final arrangements for taking over control of the King George V Hospital at Rotorua from the Health Department as from March 31 have been made by the Waikato Hospital Board. Dr. J. G. Mackereth, who was on the staff of the Waikato Hospital for seven years, has been appointed medical superintendent, and Sister M. M. Huy, of the Te Kuiti Hospital, matron. An agitation to have native place names pronounced correctly has been revived to some extent in the Wanganui district by Mr Gregor McGregor, Ranana. He deplores the efforts of the rising generation in referring to Ohakune as “Koonie,” Upokongaro as “Upuck,” and Paekakariki as “Paicock.” He Is urging that the Education Department put the matter right. The second ship recommissioned in Wellington within a week after being laid up here for several years is the Richardson Company’s coastal steamer Parera, which -went on to the Patent Slip yesterday for overhaul and survey preparatory to re-entering the trading service. She is a vessel of 555 tons, and for a long period has been tied up at the Thorndon breastwork. She will be running under charter to the Holm Shipping Company, whose steamer the Holmglen recently suffered a mishap. The Parera is expected to make her first run next week after being thor oughly overhauled. Last week it was announced that the trawler Nora Niven was being recommissioned after being laid up in Wellington Harbour for about three years. Both these ships are now on the Patent Slip being prepared for their re-entry into active business. The headless skeleton of what was to him a quite unidentifiable animal was discovered on Monday by Mr. James Hall, of Ikanui road, Hastings, while he was digging a drain on his property. One of the strange features of tho skeleton was that it had 28 ribs on each side. The problem was submitted for solution to Mr. E. E. Elphick, veterinarian in the Agricultural Department, and his opinion, after an examination, is that the skeleton rs that of an emu which was probably one of several pets which he believes were at one time running on the Frimley Estate, of which Ikanui road was once a part. Mr. Elphick considers that the bones are too recent to be those of a young moa, but that they certainly belonged to some member of the family of running-b'rds. The “Tribune” has so far been unsuccessful in its attempts to find out whether or not there were ever any emus on Frimley.