NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 24, 29 January 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Citizens' Lunch Club At the opening session of its 25th year to-day Mr. H de O. Chamberlain will speak on "A Traveller's Reminiscences.’* Next Meeting of Parliament By a Gazette extraordinary published last night the prorogation of Parliament is extended by one day. consequently both Houses will meet on Wednesday, February 24, instead of Tuesday, February, 23. Mushrooms From Marton Mushrooms from Marton are now selling on the Auckland market. They are in excellent condition, and at the markets, where they are bringing from 3s to 4s per lb., are keenly sought. Retail prices range from 4s 6d to os 6d per lb. Rose Hips For Vitamins Due to the shortage of fruit, a firm in New Zealand has been asked to manufacture vitamin C. Large quantities of rose hips are required for this and the firm has asked for the co-operation of the Southland Education Board by giving a list of the schools in its area and permission for the head teachers and children to be approached for assistance.

Farmer’s Fear Of Bees A farmer who appealed before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board at Hamilton for exemption of his son from military service suid he had 37 hives of bees. He thought he could look after them himself, but ho became frightened of them. Appellant was advised to sell the bees, as 37 hives did not justify the retention of a man. The appeal was dismissed. Lcder tup Award The Loder Cup, presented by the late Gerald W. Loder, afterwards Lord Wakehurst, of Sussex, England, “to encourage the protection and cultivation of the incomparable flora of the Dominion," has been awarded for 1942 to Mr. A. W. Was'tney. Wakapuaka, Nelson. Mr. Wastney lias an unrivalled knowledge of the ootanical resources of the Nelson Province, and has taken especial interest in the horticultural possibilities of the various species. Aged Horses Aged horses were discussed by a group of farmers in Auckland. One mentioned a pony, now at Titirangi, whose silver mane and tail gave added grace to Its spirited movements in the Waikato show rings many years ago. It is now about 20, and during an escapade the other day when it got out of its paddock showed much of the spirit of its youth. But this pony is merely mature compared with a draught mare on a Poke no farm. It is 38 years old and still enjoys life. 1 Getting Men Out of Camp When the question of Grade 2 men being made available from camps for farm work, waa mentioned at the sitting of the Armed Forces Appeal Board in Palmerston North yesterday, It was (stated that there was not likely.to be a list of such men in the Army being prepared for perusal by farmers. However, if a farmer knew of a Grade 2 man in camp and made application for his services, no obstacle would be placed in the way of that man's release. Duty Of Surgeons “A great deal of unfortunate publicity has been given in recent months to deaths while persons are under an anaesthetic," said Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M.. when conducting an inquest at Auckland. "I say unfortunate because from the evidence given to-day many operations have to be undertaken in the thin hope of saving life. I would not like to feel that the publicity given and comments made about the surgeons will stop them from undertaking the responsibility of trying to save life by operations when there may be some hope."

Disposal Of Wethers Criticism of the schedule of prices for wether mutton was expressed by Mr. Gregor McGregqr (Waverley) at a meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. To obtain the top price, he said, wethers must be under 481bs. in weight, but farmers were usually above this weight and as a result went down the chute as culls, Mr. A. Maonab, a member of the Electoral College of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, said all schedules were based on pre-war prices. | The difficulties were appreciated, but it was not the fault of the Board. Thousand-Mile Jaunt On Bicycle At an age when most men are enjoying a life of ease. Mr. Theo P. Browne, of Wanganui, aged 71 years, has been engaged since the middle of last month in showing his youngest son New Zealand from the saddle of a bicycle. Since Boxing Day, he and Elwyn Browne, aged 14, have been touring the North Island. When they arrived back in Wanganui, they had travelled approximately 1000 miles. Bicycle tours are annual events with Mr. Browne and as each of his sons has grown up he has given them more comprehensive lessons in New Zealand geography and history than any school could. Sugar Shortage “1 think the shortage of sugar is more or less dominated by the fact that sugar is a pretty expensive item to the Government at present," said Mr. M. E. Lyons, National Party candidate in the Christchurch East by-election, speaking at Waltham. “Sugar was pegged at 4d per lb, and cost the Government 7d per lb," he said. Almost every pound of sugar bore a Government subsidy of 3d. Naturally, with sugar at 4d and the Government paying 3d, the Government was not too keen on the people using too much. "It runs into an aggregate of £750,000 a year, rather over it, and this is a charge on the War Expenses Account." School Uniforms Optiona, The Minister of Education <Hon. H. G. 11. Mason) states that many schools have already-relaxed their rules regarding the wearing of school uniforms. It is realised that in normal times the wearing ol school uniforms had many advantages, but a considerable demand is row being made on the clothing industry by the Armed Forces and the Government wishes to reduce as much as possible the civilian demand for special shades and mateiials. I The Minister states, therefore, that he Is asking the principals of post-primary schools to relax the usual rules regarding the wearing of school uniforms and not to insist on the wearing of such uniforms in any case which involves hardship to parents or waste of clothing materials. Beachcombers Many kiddies were green with envy at a small ice cream shop near a crowded Auckland beach on one of our hottest days recently when the indulgent owner of a Great Dane dog treated it to a generous allowance of ice cream, which it seemed to relish to the full and looked for more. A little spiderlike dog. a real midget, when offered some cleared for its . life, but was coaxed back again when it „ was offered a piece of chocolate. Again l the kiddies looked on with wide opened eyes and were not satisfied till their guardians had bought them both ic« , cream and chocolate, although some <•! . them had boon long enough In the water ' not to need an ice to make them cool. : An old horse, well known on the beach sniffed at ice cream and turned up it* j lips in disgust, but when an apple was J offered to it on the palm of a bather’* [ hand, it crunched it in evident enjoymen J and blinked Its eyes in horse fashion it intense satisfaction. Not far away : ’ bird was trying to break a shellback ot ’ a scoria boulder, it preferred a flesh diet 1 while a cat was drawing a discarded * sprat across the sand to give a fish diet to its young which were mewing for food.