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Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 216, 10 August 1940, Page 6

Heavy Pollen Deposits. What has been mistaken for sulphur dust by some people is pollen from pine trees, declared a Tawhero (Wanganui) resident yesterday. She stated that the pollen has been so thick lately that windows in the neighbourhood have had to be kept closed. Deer Near Foxton. An unusual sight was seen at Moutoa, near Foxton, recently, when two deer appeared on Mrs T. Royal’s property. One .got away into Mr Chrystall’s property, and the other, when fired on by a resident armed with a shotgun, swam the Manawatu River and escaped into the Poplar area. Railway Engine Whistles. In giving a majority verdict for damages against the Railway Department in a claim in the Auckland Supreme Court arising out of a level crossing accident, the jury provided an indication of its mind on the matter by adding a rider. The rider recommended that the engine whistle blown at all railway level crossings should be blown when the engine was closer to the crossing than it was when the whistle was sounded in the case under consideration.

The Real Origin. While English was full °f phrases once nautical technicalities, “swinging the lead” was not one of them said Professor J. Y. T. Greig, Professor of English at the University of Witwatersrand, in a lecture in Auckland on slang. Originally it was an. army term, “swinging the leg,” derived from a dog’s habit of running on three logs long after an injured liinb was well. Hence it meant a malingered. Landlubbers later confused it with the naval custom of swinging the lead, which to them appeared an easy job. Import Procedure, “We must impress on the Government the imperative necessity for issuing at once the fifth period import licenses,” said Mr J. A. C. Allum, at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. “The time for getting goods for the early part of next year has already passed and we are faced with the probability of another serious gap in the continuity of supplies. We must have this continuity-—too jnuch time and money have already been lost through the gaps /which have occurred in the past.” Levin’s Water Supply. Under an arrangement between the Government and the borough authorities there is to be an additional water supply for Levin and the surrounding district. The average demand has been 500,000 gallons a day, and the new supply will give 625,000. gallons a day. There has been considerable building during the last year, and this, with the new boys’ training farm and the Air Force training school it Weraroa drawing off 15 per cent, of the available supply, has caused serious inconvenience. J3y an agreement made with the Government Levin is to eceive a. subsidy of £6OOO toward the estimated cost of £20,000 for the work. •

Sacred Baboon Born. A male sacred baboon has been born at the Auckland Zoo. A sister of the new arrival made her appearance about a year ago. Baseball Association. A New Zealand Women’s Baseball (softball) Association has been formed with headquarters in Wanganui, The president is Mr C. Buckctt, of Canterbury.

The Wanganui Camp. An advance party of about 35 men went to Wanganui yesterday to prepare for the establishment of the military camp on the racecourse. The regiments are the Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles, Manawatu Mounted Rifles and the Wellington East Coast Mounted Rifles. ■>

Patriotic Fund Expenses. Salaries and office expenses, with the exception of office equipment and other realisable assets, in connection with the administration of the National Patriotic Fund are being borne by the Government. This was announced by Mr G. A. Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, after a meeting of the standing committee. Old Iron Supplies. “One thing which was disappointing from a farmer’s point of view was that the committee does not want old iron,” said Cr. L. A. Macintosh, reporting to the Wanganui County Council yesterday regarding activities to collect waste material.' He added that there were large quantities of old iron lying about farms, discarded ploughs and so on.

Rarotongan Gifts. At a meeting of the Patriotic Committee, which includes the Island Council, held on July 17 at Avarua, Rarotonga, a further £550 was voted irom Rarotonga toward the New Zealand Patriotic Fund, says the Rarotonga correspondent of the United Press Association. This brings the total contributions to date from Rarotonga to £1550. Soldiers of the Queen. “A number of us were soldiers of the Queen,” recalled Captain J. J. Clark, president of ihe Wellington branch of the South African War Veterans’ Association, speaking at the annual meeting in Wellington. Captain Clark was recalling how on Empire Day, May 24, the birthday of Queen Victoria, representatives of the association placed a wreath at the foot of the statue of the Queen in Kent Terrace.

Isolation Ends, One of the more remote islands of the Pacific, Palmerston Island, has been afforded wireless communication with the outside world. Palmerston Island is inhabited by the descendants of one William Marsters, who settled there in 1862. It has been unfortunate as far as hurricanes are concerned. In 1914, 1926, 1931 and 1935 hurricanes damaged the territory and left the inhabitants dependent almost entirely on fish till relief came. Wrong Use of Words.

A witness in the Christchurch Supreme Court was described as a receptionist, and the term brought ,a protest from His Honour Mr Justice Northcroft, who was on the Bench, states the Press. “From time to time we have to put up with that horrid word ‘contact’ or ‘contacted,’ and others like it,” he said to Mr E. SBowie, whose witness was concerned. “Please do not make the Court responsible for the word ‘receptionist.’ Is there not some other way of describing the witness’s duties?” “I hasten to assure Your Honour that 1 am not responsible for the term,” said Mr Bowie.