To Convert Farm Vehicles.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 79, 2 March 1938, Page 8

To Convert Farm Vehicles.

In the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr C. M. Williams gave "notice of his intention to ask the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) whether he would cause research to bo undertaken that would enable farm tractors and lorries to be converted readily into producergas users, in the event of supplies of fuel oil being interrupted. Sunscorch Affects Apples.

Severe losses of apples through sunscorch in Hawke’s Bay orchards are reported. In one orchard at Twyford, near Hastings, the loss is estimated at two bushels to each Stunner tree. According to Mr N. J. Adamson, orchard instructor, insect pests are active as a result of the hot weather. Although plenty of labour is available for picking there is an acute shortage of packers.—Press Association. Changing Transport. The groat extent to which the more modern means of transport are supplanting the older was brought before the Terrace End School Committee last evening, when the headmaster (Mr A. W. Thompson) stated that, until they attended the school picnic at Awapuni, a large number of children in classes up to Standard 4 had never travelled in a railway train. Their journeys had all been made by motor-car. A member stated that during his four years’ residence in Palmerston North he had only twice travelled in a train, relying on all other occasions on the motor-car.

Pi ivacy of Savings. At a meeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce, last evening, Mr H. E. Townshend averred that at the Terrace End Post Office one’s Post Office Savings Bank book, when withdrawals or deposits were made, could be read by those standing nearby. He remarked that the writing was bold in character and other persons could not help .but see the entries. Several persons had spoken to him about the matter. The Chief Postmaster at Palmerston North (Mr O. Clark) said that at Terrace End those waiting did not form up in a queue as at the city office and the possibility of the entries being read was thus much greater. Mr Clark promised to investigate tho matter.

Beginning of Lent,

To-day is Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of Lent—a fast of 40 days, excluding Sundays, immediately preceding Easter.

Consolidation of Schools. The work of consolidating various schools is occupying the attention of the Wanganui Education Board to an increasing exent at present. Fish By ’Plane.

‘'Transport of fish by aeroplane to country districts is now no novelty in Australia,” said Hon. W. E. Parry, in an interview on his return from Australia. “A ’plane carrying fish leaves regularly from Nowra on the coast and travels 100 miles to the back areas. Australians speak of the service as a boon because it provides fresh fish supplies to people who would not otherwise be able to obtain them.” Numerous Sharks Caught. • Twenty-three sharks were caught off the beach at Tokomaru by a Maori using crayfish as bait, the sharks even taking the shells when they were put on the hooks alter the bait had run out. A seven-foot grey nurse had been robbing an eight-hook line a mile out in the bay. The boatman found only four schnapper heads, so he baited a special line and caught the monster. When he opened it he found lour snapper tails. Churchmen At Play. In addition to the 16 official Mannwatu bowling rinks which visited Wellington to-day, a team representing the officers of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church journeyed to the capital city to play representatives of the Kelburn Presbyterian Church. The players are headed bv Rev. John Hubbard, and include Messrs J. B. Gerrard, .T. C. Young. Brice and D. W. Low. The fixture is an annual one, having been arranged by Mr Hubbard to enable him, in some small measure, to keep in social contact with his old church. Clouds of White Butterflies.

Travellers between Dunedin and Christchurch report that the white butterfly is increasing. A Dunedin man said that last week lie saw clouds of butterflies between Oamaru and Christchurch. The express train seemed to disturb them, and at intervals all the way to Christchurch was thick with them. The remedial measures that were being adopted with respect to the pest by the various local bodies seemed to be making no impression whatever on them, and it seemed useless to tackle the problem in any way other than by the use of a parasite. Sport In New South Wales. “Sport for anglers and shooters is at a low ebb in .New South IVales; our sportsmen should feel elated with the plentiful and excellent fare jirovided lor their rods and guns in New Zealand,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs. Hon W. E. Parry, in an interview yesterday on his return from Australia. ‘Representatives of the authorities or societies aiding or controlling the sport virtually threw up their hands and said pretty definitely that they were all at sixes and sevens and the result was chaos. From the pertinent inquiries 1 made 1 believe they’re right in their judgment.” Ear Trouble.

The question of some of the children suffering from ear trouble in the school caused some concern at the* monthly meeting ot the Bussell Streee School Committee last evening. It was suggested that the trouble arose through the children bathing in the baths. One parent had forbidden his children to go to the baths. Mr D. McDowell said that the question was a serious one. He understood it was very prevalent in the district schools. He asked if it would be possible to get baths for the school with their own water supply. Several suggestions were made but the matter finally lapsed. Dominion’s Defence.

That the time had arrived for a “showdown” so far as military training in New Zealand was concerned was the unanimous opinion expressed by members of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Defence League at its first annual meeting held on Monday evening. Deference was made to the deplorably poor recruiting which had followed the Government’s scheme for the reorganisation of the Territorial Forces, and the apparent apathy of the public toward the need for adequate defence preparations in view of events overseas, the opinion being expressed that it would not be long before the country would have to face up to the question of compulsory military training.