LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2741, 6 September 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Keep to the left" will become the '. rule of the footpath In New Plymouth ,!as from Wednesday of next week, . September 12th. • A reminder is given of the lecture , to-night in the Anzoc Club, under the . auspices of the Accountant Students ' Society. The subject is Rural l Credit," and Mr D. O. Williams, 8.A., i P.R.8.5.. is the lecturer. ' Sixty pupils of the Central school—- - 30 boys and 30 girls-will leave tins • morning for Wellington to take part 'in the choir singing events at the i competitions there. Many of childi ren will also participate in the solo : events. They will return to Palmers- • ton Xoith to-morrow evening. Mr P O'Keefe, Levin, who has just ' returned from an opossum trapping ' expedition in the Rimutakas. in formed an "Otaki" Mail representative that only on one day in six weeks ' snow did not fall. Six partes with- ' direw owing to the severity of the weather. The trapper secured 250 skins for which he refused 10/- each. The Opossum appears to be spread- ■ ing north says the Wanganui "Chron- ; icle," and is now known in the Ruahine and Kaimanaw a ranges. The ' animals' presence is also suspected In ' the National Park, and no doubt in those high altitudes they would ao ' well as it is a sanctuary for all aniImals and birds. For the six months ended June 30 ( 1923, no less than 1,105,584 pairs or boots and shoes were imported into New Zealand, valued at £488.359. Of these a large number had uppers • made of German leather, but being : manufactured in England. These en- . tcr the Dominion as British goods un- ■ der a preferential tariff of 25 per . cent ad valorem. This is estimattea to mean a loss of nearly £200,000 for twelve months to the workers in the boot and shoe factories of New Zea- \ land. An instance of how insects will , change their diet when native food , is not available is demonstrated in a New Plymouth garden. There is a bush-clad gully attached to the garden, and the owner has planted the slopes with climbingroses. The weta, a fearsome-loking beetle not unlike a scorpion, measuring up to two and a half inches, had taken a great liking to the tender rose tree timber, and during the niglit comes out to feed. Half a dozen of these creatures will in a few hours eat through a branch half an inch in diameter. The result is some very fine roses are being destroyed, and the owner is wondering how he can successfully eradicate the pest. An amusing incident which occurred in Napier is related by the Daily Telegraph. A gentleman was conversing with tin assistant in a baker's shop when a woman came In and purchased a loaf of bread. The bread was parcelled and tied up, and the customer left the shop. The customer was not long gone when it was noticed that the string which camo up through a hole in the counter, waa moving. It did not take a second to see that the string was merrily moving along the counter_ along the floor and into the street. Running outside t the man saw that string disappearing into a shop on the opposite side of trie jstreet. He went across, and after explaining matters broke the wanderer ifrom the parcel of bread and returned [it to its sanctuary benath the counter. The lady assistant had forgotten to 'sever the string after tying the parcel. An amusing spectacle in Rangitikci Street yesterday afternoon was that of three ducks, who made their appearance somewhere near Coleman Place, marched in .solemn Indian file into the Square, and then down Rangitiki Street. With steady gait and firm, they threaded their way through the busy thoroughfare, with, at first, la delightful disregard for the fiends !of the road. Their existence in this j world was imperilled for a moment when a passing car missed them by the thickness of a feather. Disturbed, they beat a hasty yet uniform rereat i to the doorway of a nearby hotel bar, but on second thoughts, passed on. A halt at a point of safety was mutually agreed and acted upon, and with plaintive little quacks they collected their poise and the full attention of passers-by, only to drop once more Into file and disappear Into the imore congenial atmosphere of King Street. One of Fashion's newest conceits Is the Coatee knitted in heavy silk. Sleeves a,re new—they're, the long, graceful kind that tie at the wrist. j'They all have smart polo oollars: phowing in maize, creme. eaxe, rose 'and putty for 79/6 not cash. The C. M. Rqm Co. 144*