LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 1274, 16 July 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“The only mistake the Manawatu Gorge Board of Control ever made was that it should have closed the road when it commenced the repairs to the road,” declared Cr. U. S. Chadwick, borough representative on the board, at the mooting of the Dannevirke Borough Council. "Ducky board,” retorted Cr. W. Dobson. Social changes which "fleeting time” produces are speedily forgotten. Few are aware of the fact, for instance, that in the seventeenth century men wore felt hats at table, sitting to meat covered, since Pepys complains. “I got a severe cold in my head by flinging off my hat at dinner.” The hat, moreover, was then worn even at church, though custom now requires every head to bo bared as soon as tho church door is entered. We are told, however, that, as a sign of grace and of the congregation would doff their hats at the mention of tho Divine Name. The preacher, ttta, entered the pulpit and hung his hat on a peg behind him. In Turkey all citizens who have reached their majority and are mentally sound, enjoy equal rights without distinction of sex or religion. With this equality has come about tho emancipation of women, and not only do they enjoy equal rights with men, but also have equal duties. The Turkish army is open to women, and largo numbers of sturdy daughters of a sturdy race have been enrolled in tho ranks. Military promotions are available to the women just as if they Were men—-so that the Turkish army is to-day the only army in the world that can boast of two women colonels and about a hundred women officers of junior ranks. Sent out by our London buyers, big purchase of duchesse sets which is to be cleared at a very low figure, during our Great Winter Sale. Made with trimmings of lace and insertion, white 1/-. 1/41, 1/6 and 1/9 set: with pretty coloured effects 1/3 sot special sale prices.

Runners in relays carried a flaming torch, and passed it from hand to hand two hundred miles from Verdun to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Paris.

At a public meeting of tobacco and cigarette vendors in Wanganui last night, it was resolved to urge the Government to give the tobacconists a proper measure of protection against Illegal sellers of tobacco and cigarettes.—Press Association.

The Appeal Court reserved decision in matter of the appeal by Matthew Oliver Tremain, farmer, of Kairanga against an order for a new trial made by the Chief Justice after the jury had awarded him £SB? 15/ damages in his action against the Manawatu Drainage Board for the flooding of appellant’s land.

When in England Mr J. Wallace, of Palmerston North, who returned yesterday from an extended trip abroad, was greatly impressed with the tremendous growth of the artificial silk industry. This new material, a product of wood plup, was being worked Itno every conceivable article of clothing.

The Moeraki, which arrived in Wellington yesterday from Sydney, mot with enginoroom trouble on her second day out and was hove-to for about six hours for repairs. It was fortunate, said Mr J. Wallace, of Palmerston North, who was a passenger that the mishap did not occur the day previous, which was exceedingly rough.

In June, 1920, a New Zealand sheep farmer, whilst attending to some flocks of sheep, lost his g®ld watch. He soon discovered it had somehow fallen from his pocket but, try as he would he could not find it on the ground near. He was simply astounded this year when the watch Was returned to him (it had his name and address engraved inside) from a city in the United States, to 'which some bales of wool had been shipped by him in 1922. One player in yesterday’s hockey match closely resembled C. G. Porter, the All Blacks’ skipper. It was J. Abel, captain of the Australians. The crowd on the bank soon got to know him as “Porter.” A Manawatu player’s prowess was recognised by the bestowal of the soubriquet of "Cinquevalli” on Con. Burgess, who gave a wonderfully fine exhibition as left half. As Central School was well represented the genial dominie was a subject for much hero-worship, too, from the younger fry. Peppermint, the oil of which is extensively in demand by confectioners, chemists and perfumers, and is needed also for making creme do menthe and other liqueurs, is not being grown on the same scale as formerly, and the British Ministry of_ Agriculture have issued a leaflet on its cultivation and distillation. Mitcham’s peppermint acreage has decreased from SOO to about 150 acres. Centres of cultivation In Lincolnshire and Hertfordshire also do not produce as in former years. The number of plants required per acre is 4 2,000. In favourable conditions a yield of 101 b. to 121 b. of oil to the ton of mint would be a good return. A meeting of farmers was held at Foxton, yesterday', yvhen a branch of the Rangiotu Herd Testing Association was formed, and the following elected officers:—Chairman, Mr W. E. Barber; vice-chairman, Mr S. Austin: secretary and treasurer, Mr P. Woods; committee: Messrs. W. Ross, P. Easton, T. Brown, R. J. Tompson, H. Hughes, and A. Spiers (Junr.) An offer of Mr W. Ross to loan his cow-testing plant free of charge was accepted with thanks, as the offer will moan a saving of £3O to the branch. It was decided to purchase a Gerber tester and testing will commence the first week in August, The guarantee of 15,000 cows has been fully made up. An article published yesterday which reported the death of many thousand of migratory birds through flying against the newly erected aeroplane lighthouse in France, recall* the local experience of half a century ago. When the first single telegraph wire from Wellington to Wanganm was put up, hundreds of wild duck came to grief. Boys made regular morning visits, and found the birds with broken wings along the route. The number of birds and the number of wires have increased a hundred fold, but immunity has been rapidly acquired by the subtle teaching of instinct, which in some respects is superior to reason. The migratory birds of France will rapidly teach their fellow's and their progeny to avoid the new' danger as they have that of the wires, For many years the woolly aphis was a thorn in the side of fruit growers and restricted their industry to a great extent. The usually accepted method of competing with the pest was by spraying, but of later years profitable use is being made of the natural enemy of the blight, a parasite called Aphelions Mali. The Agricultural Department is anxious to help fruit growers in combatting the disease and prunings containing the eggs of the parasite may bo obtained free of charge from the Palmerston North Office. These prunings are being supplied by Mr W. C. Birch, of To Awe Awe Street. It is interesting to note that Apholinus Mali was introduced into New Zealand about two years ago by Dr. Tillyard. of Nelson, and is becoming fairly well established around Palmerston North. On the subject of cattle ticks, which has been brought prominently under notice of late, a veterinary authority of standing said yesterday that he did not look upon their presence in New Zealand with any great alarm. Farmers were expressing concern about the spread of the pest because in some countries ticks were associated with certain diseases, but there were also many other countries which possessed cattle ticks in abundance yet no harm had resulted. Ticks -would probably carry disease when once a disease which they could disseminate, was established but not till then. Exactly the same thing applied with the mosquito, which in countries where malaria was established, were instrumental in spreading that trouble, but in New Zealand, where mosquitoes were in abundance and there was no malaria, no notice was taken of them.

Another case of infantile paralysis, that of a little girl, was reported in Timaru yesterday, states a Press wire. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was resumed last night and was Interrupted by another Labour amendment, which was defeated by 38 to 33, states our Parliamentary reporter. One of the responses to “Kindred Sports’’ at last night’s dinner to tho Australian Hockey team was by Mr. A. M. Ongley. It must have been a pleasant task to Mr. Ongley who has played against five Australian cricket teams and one Rugby side from tho land of the Kangaroo.

There was a full platform at Palmerston North station last night when the “limited” arrived. Passengers were the Australian Hockey team and a happy couple whose wedding had taken place during the day. Friends of both parties rolled up in force to give them a great send-ofr.

Mr. W. H. Down, honorary seers, tary of the New Zealand Hockey Association, in speaking at last night’s dinner, congratulated the Palmerston North press for its criticism of the appointment of referees for the Aus-tralla-Manawatu match yesterday. He was of opinion that “taking the gloves off” in such matters stimulated interest in the game. “Black cats for luck,” they say, but none of the crew of tho steamer Wainui were particularly disturbed at Auckland last Tuesday when the ship’s cat could not be enticed aboard. She had her reasons, for shortly afterwards the Wainui collided with and sank the fishing launch, Iris Eileen. When tho Wainui returned to the wharf the cat walked aboard calmly, and proceeding to the wheolhouse, sat down on the open log-book at the page where the account of the collision had just been entered. '