Gift to Museum.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 161, 9 June 1939, Page 6

Gift to Museum.

A massive kauri bedstead, said to have been the property of Captain William Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand, has been presented to the Auckland City Council lor the Old Colonists’ Museum. American Dust Storms.

“'lt is commonly said that there are only 47 States in the Union now, for Oklahoma, which is in the centre of the ‘dust bowl.’ has moved to California,” said Mr E. J. Thomas, of San Francisco, who arrived at Auckland with his family in the yacht Silver Spray from Russell this week after a trip from America. Clue of the Woollen Trail. A long trail of wool winding into one door, and out again, and into another door at the Municipal Theatre, Napier, was the cause of some amusement the other night. One ol the theatre officers discovered an end ol wool and wound industriously. After following the wool in one door, up an aisle, back again, out the same door and in another door, followed by curious stares, the winder finally reached one of the patrons, who was quite unconscious of the fact that early in her perambulations around the theatre she had dropped a ball of wool. Railway Deviation. When railway traffic is switched on to the new deviation in Greatford on Sunday night, the length of the construction work from the Rangitikei River to the site of the new railway station in Greatford will all he in use. 'The deviation up the hill from the river to the flat country at Greatford has greatly improved the grade. This portion was brought into use earlier in the year. At 3 o’clock on Sunday morning a gang of about 40 men will start the transfer from the old line bo the new in Greatford, and the work has to bo finished by 8 o’clock on Sunday night.

Metal Worker Injured. When engaged in using a circular sinv, yesterday, a Palmerston North metal worker, i\lr L. (J. Picsse, had the misfortune to cut several tendons in his left hand. lie was admitted to the Hospital. Seagulls Found Dead. For the past few weeks a large number of seagulls has been found dead in the vicinity of Whangarei, especially at Port Whangarei. The accepted theory for this large number of deaths is that tile birds have been eating poisoned grain when feeding inland. Noted Ministers Visit. An invitation lias been given by the Pi •esbyterv of Wanganui to Rev. Professor John Baillie, D.D., of Edinburgh, to visit the Wanganui district during the time lie will be in the Dominion next year representing the Church of Scotland at the centenary of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Government As Sawmiller. The Government is considering alternative means of exploiting the extensive red pine and white pine forests which exist in South Westland, within access of the new wharf erected at Jackson’s Bay. It is proposed either fo work the areas as a State enterprise, or to hand milling rights over to private interests. Insurance Against Rain. Five insurance policies against rain have been taken out b.v the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association for the Winter Show. The policies are of £2OO each and the stipulation is that before the sum becomes payable for any one day, ten points of rain must fall between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The days affected are tomorrow. and next Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and ■Saturday. Deerstalkers Return Home. Arriving in good spirits after a nine and a-lialr hours’ journey lrom the To Aiutawai Hut, where they had been located previously by searchers, .Messrs F, C. Swauwiek and H. Pickering, the two deer-stalkers who wore lost lor two days in the Taruruas, reached Levin at 7..'30 o'clock last evening. It is reported that when -Mr Swauwiek realised that lie and his companion were lost he made use ol his compass and map, and trampers state that it was no mean feat for him to have found the way hack to the Te Alatawai Hut. Standard Holidays Urged. Standardisation of holiday observance throughout New Zealand to facilitate the smooth running ot business and the better enjoyment of such holidays was favoured by the New Plymouth Harbour Board yesterday, when it considered a draft of proposed legislation to make a statutory annual two weeks’ holiday for all workers. The hoard considered the matter could be dealt with hv the Government. A 1 embers expressed the opinion that, to he satisfactory, legislation would have to embrace such occasions ns hank holidays, statutory holidays, anniversary days and union holidays. Import Restrictions. A brief reference to the effect of import licensing was made by Air J. R. AleKenzip, managing director of AlcKcnzies Department Stores in his address to shareholders at the annual general meeting of the company at Wellington. The restrictions had placed a very considerable amount of extra work on the head office staff, lie said. He did not wish fo enter into a discussion as to the ultimate benefits or otherwise of import control, hut would content himself with saving that for this year there would certainly lie a. shortage of quite a lot of consumable goods that could not he made in Now Zealand. He could only hone that the future would bring them to a. condition where normal trade and commerce could 1)0 pursued with the measure of freedom that they hud enjoyed in the past.