LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 January 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At Whongurni tho holiday passed off quietly, the weather being rather unsettled. 'The Onorahi regatta was well patronised. The ocean race, Russell to Whangnrei was won by tho "Forest Gold" on time.—Press Association telegram.

The manuka on Nelson's back country is flowering very heavily this year. According to tho Maoris this denotes a season when fish, especially schnnpper are plentiful. Tho increase in the payment of shearers has not. made the farmers more disposed to overlook rough work on their sheep, and the. Farmers' Union heard a complaint from a member concerning a dispute he had become involved in with the. Shearers' Union (says the "Poverty Bay Herald.") Having warned a Maori shearer against roughness in the handling of sheep, this farmer later found a sheep dying in the pen, and received what he considered an unsatisfactory explanation from the employee as to why the accident was not reported. Subsequently he docked the value of the sheep from the pay of the shearer, on legal advice, but had been informed that the man's union was going to fight him for the £l, on the grounds that Jio was entitled to discharge the shearer, but not (o deduct the amount from his wages. The matter was referred to the attention of the Sheepowners' Federation, as one affecting that body more particularly than the.Farmers' Union.

' Contrasting weather conditions were experienced yesterday afternoon by passengers on the Nelson-Blenheim and Blenheim-Nelson service cars. Pouring rain .and flood conditions prevailed in the Rai and Pelorus- Valleys where the. livers were'running bank high. On this side of the Wangamoa Saddle the roads were cli'y 'nnd/dusty . ■■- • The'folly of driving a car with de-fective-brakes was again illustrated on Friday when a car travelling on the Wangamoa Saddle from Blenheim to Nelson, ran into a car in front. The leading vehicle pulled up because of an obstruction on the road and the driver of the other vehicle could not stop soon enough to avoid a collision. His car was but slightly damaged. The danger of attempting to negotiate the Wangamoa and Rai Saddles in a car with inadequate brakes cannot be over emphasised.

Immediately after the races at Canvastown on Saturday a light car driven by Mr W. Gardin'ftr of the Pelorus Valley went off the road into a lagoon. The occupants including' two small children were lucky to escape with a wetting as they were underneath the car which landed upside down in' the water. Prompt action, by several of the homeward bound crowd rescued the victims of the accident from the water. Mr Gardiner was passing another car when the accident happened. A growth of blackberries and grass prevented him from seeing the true edge of the solid road wo v.

Remarking that of all the places visited as yet by the Carinthia on her world tour he lilted best Hong Kong and New Zealand, Mr F. W. Kellogg, one. of the tourists, said the British were to be congratulated upon the way in which they governed Hong Kong. He took pains to go through the native city, in, the company of a Chinese merchant, who had lived for some time in San Francisco, and- he found a very positive opinion prevalent that to be under British rule was the ideal condition.

Exceptionally bad weather has been experienced at Apia lately, according to advice from the. Director of the Apia Observatory (Mi' A. Thompson) which came to hand yesterday. Under date 16th December, the communication states: "Although this is only the 16th, we have had 17.3 in. of rain. That represents over an inch a day for sixteen consecutive days. No upper air work has been possible. Most of our energy has been devoted to polishing the amber insulator's of the atmospheric electric instruments.'" ■

A peculiar phenomenon is reported to have accorred'at Waipu and Maungaturoto. Following upon warm and normal weather", a bank of heavy clouds approached from.the east, presenting a semi-circular front. When the cloud reached the settlement there was a very heavy fall of large pieces of ice. Unlike, ordinary hail, the. pieces were of irregular shape and varied in size from that of half a crown to a shilling (statestfie "New Zealand Herald"). Almost all had an air bubble i.n the. middle, of them. The fall did not fast long, and at Waipu there, was no rain afterwards, although at Maungaturoto there was subsequently a heavy downfall. Some children who were bathing, had a rather unpleasant experience, but nobody was harmed. The ice cut and bruised growing vegetables and shrubs as though they had been beaten with sticks. The progress in concrete paving in Auckland ranks as one of the paramount recollections of the year and rapid work, in both the city and suburbs, during 1926 has brought the aggregate, mileage of cement concrete surfaces, to nearly 50 miles (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Programmes already commenced will bring the total to over 60 miles before the New Year is old. Auckland's concrete roads have cost nearly half a million pounds, but the city's total of about 16,000 motor vehicles are reaping the benefit in reduced wear and tear and more comfor'able riding.

The flagship of the New Zealand Naval Division, the Dunedin. is scheduled to leave Auckland on 25th January for England, where she will refit. She is expected to be away about six months and will undergo alterations that will bring her right up to date in accordance with the latest-naval designs and progress (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Owing to discoveries and improvements/ that are made almost every month, warships that are quite new* from the point of view of fitness soon become out of date in their armament and oilier essentials. Consequently units of the fleet are continually recalled In the bases in England to be modernised. The Dunedin will be thoroughly overhauled, and certain alterations will be made to her armament and other appointments. During the Dunedin's absence Commodore. G. P. T. C. Swabey will transfer to the Diomede. Captain J. iS. M- Ritchie, 'of the Diomede will transfer to the Dunedin, and will take charge during the voyage. About 150 of the crew of the Dunedin, whose lime on the New Zealand station will have expired, will leave the ship in England. and will be replaced by men from the various naval depots. The Diomede was overhauled and refitted in England about a year ago, and she will probably return to'England to he refitted again in about eighteen months or two years' time.

Visitors! Lucas's Almanac will tell yoir all about the district.* Motorists! .The tables of distances from place to place, as given in Lucas's Almanac will interest you.* Visitors! You will find Lucas's Almanac a great help to you,* Emms' Motors are advertising a revised service for the coming season. Their mid-day car end also weekly or'.y service will prove a great benefit botn to tka local residents and tourists, giv ing as it does a surer means of irons port between these rjlaces.* The greatest shilling's worth publication in New Zealand —Lucas's Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Almanac for 1927.*

Camels were imported into South Australia from Afghanistan about 1850. Since then, by breeding and further imports, their numbers have been increased to over 11,000. It is interesting id note that Ihe Australian-bred' camels are superior to the imported ones. ' Cio : vernment camel stations have been established; private pastoralists have studs of their own. In the first instance, Afghan camel men were brought as well, but nowadays the white settlers are replacing them. In. the remoter parts, where conditions are most primitive, one may see a string of them, tied nose to tail, wandering through the bush like some giant serpent. Their Afghan camel man, riding at the. head, is striking in his Eastern garb beside the soberly clad Australian stockmen. Two motor cycles collided on the Mputere Hill on Saturday. Except for minor scratches neither rider was hurt, but the lighter machine was considerably damaged. The Nelson Provincial Fruitgrowers Council at a special meeting this morning decided by a considerable majority to go into voluntary liquidation. There were six dissentients.

Another special nieht will be held at the skating rink to-niuht. Ladies wtfl be given skates at reduced prices. Onlookers are invited free. The Band will be in attendance: A dance will be held after the skating. ■ ..' .

Between 40 and 50 Scbttish'pipers and dancers from Blenheim arrived in Nel : son on Friday afternoon by half a dozen cars and duly skirled their way through the' city on their way to take part,in the Caledonian' sports add concert -at Motueka on New Year's Day.•: .That Great Britain' is without an Empire conscience so far as commerce is concerned was Ihe opinion formed by Mr ; H. Valder, of Hamilton, 'who.' retiirn*ed , last... Week, abroad. While, 'iiiiliondrm.'.heiwas'ibokmg for a steam navvy and saw one: at work in the Strand, owned by the London County Council. On inquiry he found that it was an American machine, the price of which was very little less than that for an English machine of the same capacity. Tt was not generally known, said Mr Valder, that the New Zealand duty on an English car, the manufacturers' price of which was £243, was £49 and the duty on an American car of the same price' was £129.

More than half the crews of the warships Veronica and Laburnum will be paid off on January 11, having completed their term of service on the New Zealand station. Each vessel carries'a complement of 102, and 66 of the crew of the Veronica and 68 of the Laburnum will leave the ships for England, where they will await orders. Those who are travelling first and third-class will leave by the Mataroa, sailing on January 15, and those travelling second-class' will sail by the Athen.ic toward the end of January. New members of the crew, are expected to reach Wellington by the Corinlnic on January 10. The old naval system of flying a paying-off pennant when crews finish their commissions has been followed bv the vessels (says the New Zealand "Herald"). The length of the pennant varies according to the time the crews have been on the station. The Veronica's pennant was so long that it reached the "water and had to be supported by a buoy. Under the heading of "Splitting The Votes," interlarded with appropriate Christmas cheer, the "Evening Post" harbingers the approach of political strife. "Although in the ordinary course of events," it says, "the next, general election, will not lake place lintil towards the end of 1928, in addition to which this is the 'off-season' in politics, the fact remains that a certain amount of political'activity^is going on. A few weeks ago mention was made of the formation of a new political party in Auckland, to resist the intrusion "of politics into business affairs, and now it is reported that at least two strong political organisations, dissatisfied with certain aspects of the Reform Government's administration, are threatening to run their own party candidates at next election, even if, by so doing, they should incur a risk of letting the Labour Party attain office on a split vote. The NewZealand Alliance is not relaxing any of ils efforts to secure its goal of Prohibition, and, contrary to its former custom in the year immediately following a licensing poll, it has been very active in the past twelve months." "Though ihe time is scarcely seasonable for the discussion of such matters, it would be idle to deny that there is some considerable political activity in Wellington at tlie present time, and a growing feeling that Ihe liquor question will assume greater proportions than ever at the next licensing .poll.

For four hundred miles the. West Coast of the South Island stretches unbroken' from Cfipe- Farewell to Milford Sound. In all that length there is not one natural harbour worthy of the name to break its long monotony—save only, perhaps, Jackson's Bay. in the far south. A dozen or more rivers with perilous entrances were all that the pioneers of the sixties found, and each oT "tliesei soon had its foil of disaster. To-day, says the West-port "News", the visitor to the Coast finds the big river ports of Westport and Grevmouth, with (heir fleets of colliers and "timber ships, and the long streams of traffic pouring in from the mines. Theso ports have only been built up by heavy expenditure and their maintenance is unusually costlv.

According to figures' just issued by the Government Statistiean some 224,777 acres of grass were cut for hay last rear.

Comparing the years 102-1-25 and 1925-20, so far as the principal fruits produced in the Dominion are concerned, figures published by the Government Statistical! show that apples increased- from 1,563,256 bushels to 1,935,489 bushels; pears declined from 215,831 bushels to 179,20" bushels; peaches show a decrease from 120,733 to 105,171; a slight increase is shown in nectarines but considerable reductions in apricots, plums and cherries. On the other hand oranges, per bushel increased from 3.540 tot 5.049: lemons from 20.785 to 22,3(59: quinces from 2.153 to 2,577; walnuts from 572 to 1,394. Eleven bushels of almonds were produced last year against 19 bushels in the previous year.

Fashions in tobacco-pipes change as well as fashions in other things. The Meerschaum formerly held pride of place with smokers, but has practically disappeared, at any rate in New Zealand since the war. Clays have gone out, too, to a large extent, and calabashes are seldom seen now. The briar, is still with us, but genuine French briar is scarce and rather expensive. There are plenty of cheap substitutes, though. But. the. pipe is comparatively unimportant—the baccy's the thing! Apropos 'of that have you sampled our N.Z. grown tobaccos? They have their points. Unlike most of Ihe imported brands they are comparatively free of nicotine, and may be smoked with impunity. Also they are all toasted. Hence their fine flavour and aroma. The most popular are: River-head Cold, mild, Navy Cut (Bulldog), medium, and Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead) full. The N.Z. tobacco industry already finds employment for many, is proving of great importance to agriculturists (the average yield of a tobacco crop is worth £SO, or more), and richly merits fT.e encouragement it receives.*

Large numbers of /'motcfists are including Nelson in* their ;• tours of the South Island. ' During the holidays 'cats have, come Ho spend a, few' days in the Nelson .district ' frorn ' Clinstchurch, Dunedin and as'far, south as Invercarjjill,. while North".lsland motorists are also well represented' arnong the visitors.

At , the Caledonian sports' lield'at Ohakune on ' New Year's s Day Jeari Maclachlan, ,Wcllington, created what is considered a/recofd by winning all the, events in her class, scoring 100 per cent, of, the marks in five events.—Press Association telegram. :,'•■. ■ " , "

• "It js time something is done to check the speeding motorist who dashes rotvid sharp corners oir dangerous roads,"; said a Nelson motorists on his return from a tour abroad, to-day. '-'Most motorists Use ccmrmonsense and. show'.full .regard for the" lives of others, hut there are : exceptions r ahd renewed efforts, are necessary to: deaLtyjth this'wretched menace," he added. 'i ■; , : " , ; ; y ','

Over thirty million acres ,of New Zealand's farm lands are in f grass, and Under "two 'million acres are devoted to ctfoipjß. ■ 'Orchards, market gardehs„ vineyards,- nurseries and ' seed gardens account for 32,423 acres.' The differences are so enormous that' they shovv at a glance, the ''overwhelming supremacy of the pastoral', industries in': New £eala'rid<lover vagficulture and! horticulture. 1 ' : ; ..'■;■■:■:■ .■'.■' '''/'? Wi~-' ■'.'"!'. '''''■ '*'

. A Nelson' motorist who has', b£en on a tour of , the .Marlborough district presses 'his' appreciation of the work of the Marlborough Automobile /Association in ,erecting l ..warning at practically every .crefck ';or": ddn||er'6Us'ipat't'i'of.. the toads, V'He Says mc|torists',ar.e.,hbt.; likely |o jeahse the' Value of similar.; work'»in their, own .road£, are jbet(er known iahd "the signs -.therefore.rnot j;o necessary;,-'' The ''work of the; Nelson P.sociatiqn ! .he. ; rfe.ers.w,ill, be,'greatly';ap> ».cifitVfl;.;.by■ -all. visitors^' 1 ■■';/ :.^;\\?.>}x^

The camping place for visiting motorists arranged-by the City Council in the reservoir reserve on the plateau just inside the iron gates should'prove of great benefit to many. , The place is ideally situated for the purpose, ,with plenty of open space and large numbers of trees for shade. ■' Fireplaces and tent poles are also available. _