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Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 63, 10 February 1930, Page 6

The spread of ragwort in Tnranaki is exercising the minds of some farmers. A few years ago it could be found only on the second-class country, but now the large open farms are menaced. A 25-passenger motor-bus was destroyed by fire on the Main youth Road, T.aranaki, on Thursday evening, when on its way back from taking a load of racegoers home to Okato. The vehicle is a total loss. Some bullets, evidently fired during

Some bullets, evidently fired during the Maori War, were recently found in the cliffs on the northern side of the Oakura River, near the beach, a few miles from New Plymouth. Some were flattened, and others were as round as when they were fired nearly 60 years ago. Information has reached Wellington that the well-known American author and fisherman, Mr Zane Grey, intends to enlarge his fishing experience of New Zealand on his visit next season. He lias decided to try his luck with the rod in a number of the South Island rivers.

A Maori canoe of unknown origin was recently struck by the owner of a property at Moera, near the mouth of the Hutt River, while he was digging in his garden. The Dominion Museum is interested in the discovery and attempts were made to dig the canoe out, but .after the unearthing had proceeded for a time the museum officials decided that owing to considerable decay the canoe would not be worth removing. The trench was filled in again, and once more the canoe lies buried.

If you realise that you are not adequately insured against fire loss the Mercantile and General Insurance Co., Ltd., is a New Zealand Company with all its capital invested in New Zealand and thus can assure you prompt settlement. R. W. Priest, Times Buildings, Broadway, district agent.—Advt-

The recent warm weather has caused the snow on Mount Egmont to melt very rapidly. Conditions are good for climbing, however, and every day parties are making ascents to the top. The executive of the Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ Association on Saturday forwarded to Sir Charles and Lady Alice Fergusson a telegram wishing them bon voyage. Sir Charles is an honorary life member of the association.

On Saturday the borough artesian bore had reached a depth of 376 feet. It is anticipated that when it has been driven another 100 feet the main stream will be struck. According to the present rate of progress this depth should be reached in a fortnight or three weeks.

Our Bunny tliorpe correspondent writes that during the early hours of yesterday morning the motor garage owned by Mr J. Rees was entered and the benzine bowser was broken open. This was the second occasion on which this garage has been broken into during the past fortnight. Considerable damage was done to the Horowhenua Electric Power Board’s lines by a severe gale recently. In the northern portion of the district a number of poles situated in the soft country were blown over to a considerable angle, and in the whole area 21 wires were broken, 13 of these by falling trees.

At about ten o’clock yesterday morning a fourteen-year-old boy named Thomas Wilson was knocked down at Gisborne by a motor car driven by Carlile Herbert Norris. The lad was removed to the Cook Hospital, badly injured in the head and back. He is also suffering from cuts and abrasions (states a Press Association telegram). A decline in the number of applications for relief received by the relief committee of the Auckland Hospital Board was shown at a meeting of the committee. It was reported that many workers had obtained seasonal and temporary employment. Instances were given where money for fares advanced to the men had been refunded, in one case interest having been added. Falling from, a height of 18 feet out of a tree in Anzac Park yesterday afternoon, Mr Clifford Ellery, a railway clerk, landed heavily on the back of his neck to the alarm of bystanders. He was removed to the Hospital in a semi-conscious condition, but it was reported to-day that he had spent a good night and was now fairiy comfortable. An X-ray examination will be made.

Hundreds of dead mutton birds have been strewn along the sand at Oreti Beach during the last week. What caused their death is not an easy matter to say. Stormy weather should not have killed them, unless they were struck by lightning, but their bodies show no trace of such a death. Possibly they came 'across such a big shoal of small fish that they died from gluttony.

On account of the public walking on the grass plots round the Cathedral at Christchurch the authorities have decided to have a strip of ground ten feet wide dug on the side nearest to the Cathedral on each of the plots. It is intended to leave this strip in a rough condition for some months, during which time it is hoped that the public will learn to keep to the paths and not walk on the plots. At the meeting of the ManawatuOroua Power Board to-cLiy the chairman reported that a loan of £B3OO had been placed for twenty years at 51 per cent. He stated that a saving of £450 bad been effected through obtaining the loan from a new source, compared with the terms which would otherwise have been available. The board confirmed the action of the chairman in arranging the loan. “On the ground that the borough of Invercargill was at present profiting at the expense of the country as regards charges for electricity, a proposal was made by a member at last meeting of the Southland Electric Power Board that the general rate should be increased and the retail price of electricity reduced,” stated Mr W. A. Waters (chief engineer) to the meeting of the Mnnawatu-Oroua Power Board to-day. “The chairman said the proposal would have to be considered in the near future.”

Mrs G. Bradshaw, of Oneralii, near Whang'arei, had climbed a largo peach tree and was picking peaches one evening last week when she slipped. As she was falling she struck a small sawn-off branch, the end of which entered her body. She called for help, but as no one came she managed to extricate herself and crawl to her house, where her husband found her soon afterwards. A doctor ordered her removal to the hospital, where she was operated on at once. Her condition is improving. Two large sharks, which were swimming witlun a few feet of the shore, caused considerable excitement at Orakei, Auckland, the other afternoon. Some workmen noticed a stingray in the shallow water during the morning, and one of them killed it with a pick. This apparently attracted the sharks, which were both about 12ft. in length. A Maori attempted to kill one of them with a spear, but merely succeeded in wounding it, and it made a rapid escape from danger. Its companion, however, did not seem alarmed by the incident and continued to swim about the locality. A form of blight has attacked vegetable and flower gardens at Kaikoura, and the only vegetable seemingly capable of resistance is the cabbage. Tomatoes, beans, etc., have died, and potatoes seem to be particularly affected, the plants in some cases presenting a good shop of tops, but the tubers being completely decayed. Gooseberry bushes are also showing a completely withered appearance. The blight is prominent in isolated blocks, and cannot be accounted for, unless -it is due to the extreme rainfall, with hail, and the extensive humidity arising from the warm conditions prevailing. Fruit trees have, according to accounts, escaped the blight.