NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1924, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

A hearty laugh was raised at a mooting of tlie. South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce when the secretary related experiences in connection with ft small parcel of memoranda books received front Liverpool marked “for gratuitous distribution,’ and assessed by the Customs ftt £3 on which tho duty was 17s 2d. After considerable correspondence (states tlto “Titnaru Herald") the Comptroller of Customs advised the Collector at T'imaru that an item was Iteing put, on the estimates to refund the amount of duty. On. receipt of this assurance the secretary paid thetmiiuunt. Within a day or two the ■Collector rc-u-iveil further 1 cJnnniTiic-ation front, tho Comptroller advising hint that the item had been placed on the estimates and in anticipation of this being passed the hooks (oulil he delivered free. The Collector very courteously called on the secretary to make a third trip to tlie post ofliee, anil again signed numerous forms and received a refund of 17s 2d.

Tlie disabilities under which country folk enjoy their pleasures is seldom without its humorous side (oltservos the “New Zealand Herald”). A dance Wits held recently at Maimatikti, and tlie problem, presented itself to one enthusiast as to how he was to (over the short stretch of mud ttml holes serving as a road between himseilf and tho township, and yet present a respectable figure tit the hall. A suitcase. a pair of gum hoots, and a bathing costume offered the solution. The trip was made in the costume and gum-hoots, the suit-case revealing its contents later on. alter a bath had prepared the way for a donning of the evening splendour. It iiJ pleasant to add that the gathering proved one of the most enjoyable and most successful that lias been held at Waimatiku.

In .some observat-ioiiß on a motoring accident. the Magistrate at New Plymouth (states tin exchange), raised the quest ion as to whether it left-hand drive on vehicles in Now Zealand was in keeping with the need for cate, seeing that it was provided to moot the ease of laws which were the opposite to those in New Zealand, requiring drivers to keep to a certain

side of the road. By-laws in souk cities in New Zealand prohibited tbe use of the left-band drive. Another matter on which he commented adversely was the practice of drivers of motor-service ears of piling up luggage on tbi' fore part of their vehicles and thereby interfering with n perfect vision, lie also said that there was tendency <m tlie part-of those drivers id monopolise roads on which they drove regularly. Drivers of such ears bad a very sacred duty imposed upon them, and passengers by such services were entitled to be driven without rid; to their lives.

The eti.se of a returned soldier-fa ruler. Wits referred to by counsel at the Wanganui Court during the hearing ol a civil action. He stated that the man lived ill a very simple manner. and during the first year on Ids properly did not kill a single sheep fur food, lie had been very hard up indeed, and hail lived on bitsit pig and deer, which It" managed to kill. the man was only 1G miles away front town, but bad not visited it once ill three years. In fact be bad no clot lies suitable for him to go to town in.

Tbe crowning feature of the Big Exhibition buildings in Dunedin (states r 1... “Star”), will lie the dome. 80IY. high, architecturally treated. A hauilsotne't oluiiliade lotmeeting the No. J and the N". 0 buildings, which are abreast of each other, is to puss tbrinigb tho dome. An experienced expert asked 1 an onlooker as in whether the wooden Hour plates o! the Exhibition buildings will remain sound in ijte sand, declares it was proved that tne lieart of rei! pice D e timber ii'ed tor tbitl purpose—is preserved rather than deteriorated by Iteing placed in 'ho sand.

At All Saints’ Church, Dunedin, on a itm'ciu Sunday, the dean staled that early in the mouth he m.-ived an oiler of CILIA as a eoiilrilmtinn to the par-i-.ii endowment fund on condition that the parishioners cuntrthuted an equal amount. In prompt rcspoii— (reportthe “Slur") I here were live MlbsclipI inti- o| £ 111;i each, one ol £2-ill. one of Cod. two of £25. two of C2d. other subscription- £3(l. total C92(1. leaving £. I vet to eiiiii'-. Ihe donor ol £l9-0. a parishioner of the early time, had been for some veals non-resident.

All interlude during the course of a vi-ii hv some of Ha- English League footballers In ihe Ruakiira State Farm at Hamilton, showed how strong is the „f home (-ays the Auckland •■Star"). Mr Green, the manager ol the farm, was explaining Hie virlucof hedge, when one ol the visitors interrupted with “Aye. lad. slop, addin... “listen to that beautiful music--il-r a thrush. That’- the lir-t hit of •horn.-’ we heard sine we left Home.’ The visitors were keenly interested in nil thev heard and saw at the farm, es-pi-i-iallv the a veil ' native trees ami .shrubs that lead up to the homestead.

That To per cent, of the total cost of British goods imported under the preferential tali if should represent British material ami labour, was allirme.l ill a motion carried aU a meeting ol the Auckland Cbamh-r ef Commerce (reports the "Star"). Mr A. A Barm, (president) who occupied the chair, saul •that the Wellington Chamber -upport,.(l the Prime Minister’s suggestion that ;,() per cent., instead of 25 p"l’ cent., ol imported goods should consist ol Hriti.di labour and material before giving them preference over foreign goods; but m inion of fhe Auckland Chamber this was not considered a wide cm.in; > margin for the British producer.

Evidently eiitei-pr.-e and accuracy do not go hand in hand with at least one linn in England, whose New Zealand directory is somewhat antiquated. . resident' of Palmerston North (dates the local "Times”) was very much surprised to receive front an English linn circular letter which was addressed to « house lie had not occupied tor -• wars past. The letter. winch * forwarded last month, hole the nutu > H local postmen, who m turn had endeavoured to locate the "Wi.ei .

• ‘There is nothing in modern life so ugly, joy-dispelling. j .j nlu . ui our model» ouiun ."nn.nils-, which should he place.- of and beauty and rest. saul .m D O Gross, in .... address a. the AuekArt Society’s Gallery (reports the “Herald"). “In »•' "}' Kr . " nrt have WO fallen so tar behind ; ..... Imvertv of ideal and lack of appreciation !,f t he* essential aw heyon.l description Ucrl.ai.s the idea is to make death, am i; - attendant assoc.turns terr.bie .nid repulsive. It, i- no use blaming individuals. The root of the trouble goes deeper Uian the mason s yards. It lithe luck of interest on the part ol tl« public, and societies such as ‘ - !,„t escape sharing the blame and >esponsibility