LOCAL AND GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 3238, 4 December 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“I don’t think it is generally understood among motorists, that it is an offence to overtake another vehicle on an intersection,” said Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., at Christchurch, when a man was charged with doing that. “But it is becoming very common and motorists had better take notice that prosecutions for this offence have started.”

When the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers’ Union was discussing the effectiveness of ferrets and weasels in killing rabbits, Mr. G. H. Pirrit related how he had dug up a rabbit burrow and found a female ferret with five young ferrets living in the burrow, where rabbits had been scampering about. The rabbits are apparently not afraid of the ferret.

What is the average cost of an ordinary New Zealand home? The annual repoi't of the Census and Statistics Office says that the average value of a dwelling, which showed a steady increase from £725 in 192122 to £B6l in 1925-26, and fell to £849 in 1927-28, has now shown an increase to £BBB. The average cost of wooden dwellings in 1920-30 was £B2B, and that of dwellings in other materials £1405. The average values for 1929-30 show very little difference from the previous years, wooden dwellings showing a slight increase and dwellings in other materials a slight decrease.

An Otakeho farmer, Mr. R. L. Stenlake, has in his herd a cow which bails herself up at milking time (says the Taranaki Herald). After walking to her place in the shed she “hooks” her right ear around the drag-post of the bail and pulls it towards her until it falls into place. If she does not succeed the first time she tries again until the task of “bailing up” is ac complished. The cow is valued for other qualities than her intelligence, however, as she gives 501 b. of milk per day.

An account of Maori life and customs is embodied in an article appearing in a recent copy of the American “Review of Reviews.” “The Maori groom in the bush of Australia,” states the article, “has really the hardest time of it to become a husband. Before he is allowed to assume the responsibilities of marriage he must go out into the jungle to cope with danger, hunger and solitude. When he has proven himself worthy he is brought back to his village and the ceremony performed.” This is an extract from a leading article that first appeared in the June number of the World Traveller-Mentor. The Review of Reviews quotes the article with nine others as the best of the month.

“Berlin is the gayest capital of Europe. They put themselves out of the way to make you ' comfortable, and to keep you merry and bright while you are there,” remarked Mr. E. Johnston, of Wellington, on his re turn from a world tour. “At Rheine and everywhere else the landlords of the hotels could not do enough for us from the time we arrived until we left. You were made most effusively welcome. It was all very jolly—and so different from France, where the people seemed to be much quieter, more sedate, and not nearly so plea-sure-loving.

A time in Somersetshire when his father, Archbishop Julius, faced an empty church was recalled by Dean Julius in his speech at the Canterbury West of England Society’s reception to Lord and Lady Bledisloe in Christchurch. “My father, as you know, is rather an authority on clocks,” said the Dean. “Once, in Somerset, a woman brought a clock to him to be mended. She thought it was ruined beyond repair, but there was only a slight fault, and he mended it in a moment while her back happened to be turned. Next Sunday his church was empty. He went out to find the reason, and met a man who assured him that no one would go. ‘Mrs So-and-so said you mended her clock by squinting at it,’ the man exclaimed. ‘You’re a wizard!’ ”

Reviewing Professor J. B. Condliffe’s “New Zealand in the Making,” the Scottish Educational Journal remarks: “Why should we, in Great Britain, with our long tradition, and our established institutions, and why should teachers in particular, study the ‘economic and social development of New Zealand?’ A country whose ‘civilised’ history has run for barely 100 years can at first sight scax-cely claim that it is worthy of serious study, but New Zealand is in a wayunique, for it has a world-wide reputation for experimental legislation, and especially' for measures of social improvement. There are few other lands where human life and welfare enter so consciously into political consideration. In this country we are but as it were at the beginning of serious consideration of these pressing economic and social problems. The experience of New Zealand is well calculated to teach us important lessons.”

Speaking at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association recently, the president (the Rev. P. T. Williams), who has just returned from a visit to Great Britain, said he had been amazed at the wonderful change for the better, from the temperance point of view, disclosed on every hand in England and Scotland. He felt sure that this was largely due to the sweeping advances made in public house reform, which had followed the institution of the State control system in Carlisle and district. The licensed trade of England had been awakened to the importance of improving conditions if private ownership was to continue to exist in the Old Country. The provision of better environment thus created had done much to improve the self-respect and habits of the people. The old-time evidence of intemperance, which he remembered when working in a parish in East London forty years ago, had entirely disappeared. He had personally inspected the so-called Carlisle system, and had met. leading clergymen of the district, who all spoke in high terms of praise of the wonderful improvement effected under State control.

The bulletins of the Economic Committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce are studied and filed by the economist J of many countries (says the Times), but hitherto there has been no demand for them from Russia. However, their fame has now spread to Moscow, and the secretary to the chamber has received a request that they should be forwarded to the Soviet capital.

A medical witness in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth was quoting from a medical text book a passage relating to insanity as considered from the medical and legal point of view. “Thus,” he said, reading from the book, “insanity is often wrongly considered by lawyers, publicists, and ignorant persons to .” “Pardon me,” said the Chief Justice, “does it say ignorant persons, or other ignorant persons?”

Commenting on the statement made by Captain F. Colbeck at the last meeting of the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers’ Union, that owing to the tariff the price of commodities in New Zealand was 100 per cent, above the London price, Mr. W. Hetherington stated at Thursday’s meeting of the Morrinsville Chamber of Commerce that merchants could land 25 per cent, dutiable goods for 40 per cent, above London price, and free goods for about 10 per cent. It was suggested that Captain Colbeck might be invited to discuss the matter at a meeting of the Chamber.

Dentists are not infrequently called “gum-diggers,” but the other day a well-known Invercargill dentist went one better by the title of “potato picker.” Wrapt in thought, he was striding along Dee Street (says the Southland Times) when he collided violently with a box of potatoes which had been placed outside a fruiterer’s shop. The box overturned, and the potatoes were scattered on the pavement. The dentist said something very much to the point and then commenced the laborious - task of picking up the potatoes. Only a dog - came to his assistance.

“Generally speaking, I have found that, although people display an in-terest-in Persia, they know very little about that fascinating country,” said Mr. J. W. Burland, of the Imperial Bank of Perssia, when addressing the Wellington Rotary Club. “When the name of Persia is mentioned to them, it conjures up visions of carpets and cats, vdiich impression is comewhat erroneous, as, while it is an undisputed fact that the best Persian carpets come from Persia, it is equally true that the best Persian cats came from Paris. It may interest you to know that during my 12 years’ residence in Persia I never saw a genuine Persian cat, except of the short-haired variety.”

; A cow driven in a country lane or highway on a dark night should have a red danger lamp on her tail! That was the decision of an American judge, in the State of Connecticut, the other day. A farmer was leading his cow home on a very dark night, when suddenly a motor car coming round a curve in the road ran into the cow. The cow was killed, and the motor car skidded into a tree. The farmer and the driver of the car almost came to blows in the darkness. The farmer demanded the price of his cow, the driver the cost of repairs to his car. The judge decided against the farmer. He should have placed a lantern on the tail of his cow if he took her along the road on dark -

nights. Since motor cars and horsedrawn waggons must have rear lights, a cow should also, was his verdict.

From a dairying point of view Australia is having a wonderfully productive season, particularly in the northern part of New South Wales, said Mr. A. J. Highway, editor of the New Zealand Dairy Exporter and the New Zealand Radio Record, on his return to Wellington by the Maunganui from a six weeks’ business visit to the Commonwealth. “Exports to England,” he added, “are showing this year a big percentage increase over last year’s figures.” Mr. Heighway was, of course, greatly interested in Australian dairying, and he studied the conditions of the industry while in Victoria and New South Wales. The growth of broadcasting also impressed him, and he said that the system of broadcasting ball by ball the test matches played in England had resulted jn many thousands of sets being bought and a fair proportion of the population keeping very late hours while- the broadcasts were on. “There is no doubt,” he said, “that radio was given a great fillip at that time.”