Farm Research

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 116, 17 April 1939, Page 6

Farm Research

Plans are being prepared by the Public Works Department for the erection of the largest agricultural research laboratory in the Dominion at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction. Incomparable Word. “In the English language there is that wonderful word home, and 1 believe there is not a word like it in any other lunguago or dialect throughout the world which can explain something of tho meaning of that one word home.”—Viscount Galway, speaking at the annual dinner of the Wellington branch of the Royal St. George Society.

Slow Driving Prosecutions? Power to prosecute for slow driving is given by section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act. 1934, and this is likely to he invoked to a greater extent in the future than hitherto, according to information given by tho Transport Department on Saturday. Oases of prosecution for slow driving have been rare in the past, hut it appears that this phase of traffic and its effects on road satety is to be given more attention. Traders’ Problem.

Those of you who read the papers will know there are such things as licenses and a first period and a second period, and if 1 am somewhat brief it may be interpreted that, in the words of the Yorkshireman, I find it a bit difficult to say ‘owt about nowt,’ ” said Mr Frank Campbell, amid laughter, at the annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Royal Society of St. George when he rose to propose the toast of “British Trade.” “Without being too facetious,” added Mr Campbell, “some of us just don’t know whether trade is coining or going. Nevertheless, we do wish well to British trade.”

English Liberty and Law. “Men are prone to criticise England for wliat they call her love of compromise. Yet that very compromise may be a Higher wisdom after all,” said Archdeacon Bullock in proposing the toast of “The Royal Society of St. George” at a dinner in Wellington. “Extremists do not flourish within England’s borders,” he said, “for she knows her task, whic his to make as one the names of liberty and law. lor us. life is worth living that is not ordered and yet no life is free and happy where its totality is fettered and enslaved- I have long held that the appointed task of England and her people was to bring practical truth out of a paradox—that is out nt the marriage of Liberty and Law,” added Archdeacon Bullock.

Trumpets From Tomb. Silver and copper trumpets found in Tutankhamen’s tomb were sounded on Saturday for the first time for 32 centuries, states a British Official Wireless message from Rugby. Tlie occasion was a talk on the trumpets • found in Tutankhamen's tomb given in Cairo and relayed by Loudon stations, the fanfare being given by bandsmen of the Eleventh Hussars Regiment. “The Semple Bridge.’’

The new Whirokino trestle bridge had already been nick-named the “Semple” bridge by motorists, Mr W. H. Brown (president of the Manawatu Automobile Association) told the gathering at the official luncheon in Eoxton on Saturday in connection with the opening of the bridge. That was what tlie motorists thought of it, and he believed that the name would stick. Mr Brown also said that the association intended to preserve the oldest sign from the old route as a memento of the present occasion. County’s Big Payments.

A total amount of £7295 19s lid for monthly accounts, one of the largest aggregates in its financial year, was passed for payment at the monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council. This amount included £4847 for interest and repayment of principal on loans raised substantially for the construction of main highways, the control of which has since been taken over by the State. “Tin's shows where the money goes,” remarked Cr. A. J. Gimbletb, .who added that it was the highest payment of the year. A Notable Tribute. A tribute to the work of Dr T. L. Paget, Director of Maternal Welfare, is paid in the February issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire, published in England. In an article on the report of the Department of Health presented last session of Parliament, tun journal states that the practitioners of New Zealand are fortunate in having at the head of the maternal welfare services one who so keenlv appreciates their work and their difficulties, and who so enthusiastically eo-operutos in helping to solve, the problems they face together. Clearing of Land,. Tn the course of a speech at Whirokino on Saturday, on the occasion of the opening of the new trestle bridge, the Minister of Public Works (ilon B. Semple) said he had a film in his office showing a demonstration of clearing land on the West Coast, which he would he pleased to show Hon. J. G. Cobbc, a previous speaker who bad referred to land problems. Huge machines were used to clear standing trees, said tlie Minister, transforming a “jungle into ploughed land while you wait.” This week Cabinet would be discussing tho problem of bringing into production such land as that on which the demonstration had been held, ol which there was a tremendous area in New Zealand, and it would be dealt with by the aid of big machinery. How Traffic Has Increased.

The growth of motor traffic in the Dominion was emphasised by the En-gineer-in-Cliief of tlie Public Works Department (Air J. Wood), when speaking at the function held_ in Eoxton on Saturday in connection with the opening of the now Whirikino trestle bridge. In 1932, 55,000,000 gallons of petrol had been imported, and in 1938 96.000,000 gallons. There bad been a slackening off in January, otherwise the quantity would have been over the hundred million gallons. Motor vehicles registered in 1932 had numbered 157,000, but in 1938 they had increased to 293,000, which showed a rise of 46 per cent. These figures were the reason for many of the new works. Car Drivers’ Duties.

“When ranking a dangerous manoeuvre—and a turn is a dangerous manoeuvre—a driver has two duties. Ho must make the proper signal and then make sure tlififc any other traffic appreciates his intention,” declared Mr H. P. I,awry, S-M., in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court this morni.jg in the course of the hearing of a prosecution under the traffic regulations. Mr G. E. Rowe (who appeared for defendant) commented that, the section of tlie Act dealing with driving with undue care and attention being a penal one, mens rea must be proved, as determined by the Court of Appeal. He contended that there was no defence that could lie brought in the face of the Magistrate’s interpretation. State Highways Legacy. Reference was made by the deputy chairman of the Horowhenua County Council (Mr A. J. Gimblett) at the opening of the Whirokino trestle bridge on Saturday, to a legacy left the more progressive county councils whose main roads had been taken over as State highways. The progressive counties had undertaken huge expenditure in bringing the more important roads up to a first-class standard and sealing them, lie said. These had been paid for by loans, yet the backward counties did not have to shoulder such burdens and were now receiving subsidies for carrying out the work. He did not dispute the subsidies, but urged strongly that recognition should be given of early expenditure by the progressive counties. The Horowhenua County Council, as an instance, had to carv an interest burden of no less than £SOOO a year for the preparation and sealing of roads which had now become State highways.