PERSONAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4753, 1 October 1935, Page 4

PERSONAL

Mrs. Telford and her daughters, Miss Telford and Mrs. Caulton, of Gisborne, are at present the guests of Mrs. C. W. Isaac.

Mrs. H. L. Dinsdale has returned to Te Kuiti after spending a holiday in Christchurch.

Mr. W. Robertson, Under-Secre-tary for Lands, Mr. Bromley, deputychairman of the Unemployment Board, Mr. Hunter, Commissioner of Unemployment, Mr. Baker, Inspecting Engineer for the P.W.D., and Mr. May, local District Engineer, are at present in Te Kuiti in connection with the new land rehabilitation scheme for the King Country.

A peace-time gas attack was carried out near Wanga'nui on Thursday, but no gas masks were used (reports the Wanganui Herald). The victims were rabbits, and their burrows, not being gasproof, afforded them no shelter. Under the direction of the Department of Agriculture a demonstration of the latest methods of warfare against rabbits was given on Mr. J. Allison's property, No. 1 Line. "A special machine was used to pump the fumes of lignite coal into the rabbit warrens, all openings of which were blocked. The effectiveness of this method of destruction was shown when two rabbits, seeking one of the exits, were dead before they could \ reach the opening. This form of rabbit extermination is a cheap one and is of value where the rodents burrow extensively.

Investigations with the object of establishing the sugar beet industry in Taranaki are proceeding quietly in the hands of industrial firms and chemists.. Although the nature of the product aimed at has not been disclosed, it is understood that it will not be sugar, because the quantity, and proximity of cane sugar supplies would probably make such a project unsound. There is, however, a suggestion to establish a factory, and inquiries regarding the possibilities of supply of raw material are being made. The investigation is interesting farmers, as the proposal holds out the possibility of a "sideline" in the growing of sugar beet, to which the soil and climate of Taranaki are said to be particularly suited.