LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 April 1928, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Full preparations for giving effect to the decision of the Navy Ollice to re c-rnil divisions of the Royal Naval Reserve in each centre have now been made and the bodies will come into existence at an early date. In Auckland there has boon a division of almost 200 men for somo time past, and the. Wellington recruiting, states Captain J. R. Middlelon. Commander of the Reserve, has now resulted in the formation of a first division of 68 men. A drill hall has been, acquired and training will begin at once. Tn "Dunedin, also, a drill hall has been obtained in Towsley Street, the officers of the division will he announced very soon and recruiting will begin. Negotiations for a drill hall in Christ elm reh are now proceeding and the officers' appointments are under consideration. Special halls are needed for the training of the men for the reason that elaborate equipment has lo he fitted up. In each drill hall is a four inch gun, rifles, a Lowis-gun, a miniature rifle-range, compasses, a steering-wheel, signal flags, signal installation gear, lead lines and knotting -.•m\ splicing gear. The intention is to give not mere general training, but training for a definite end. (hat of local flefencot Patroljing and mine-sweep-ing will he (aught in addition lo (he auxiliary mailers. At present it is nol intended lo extend the movement to ol her ports, hut when (ho various divisions are established it is possible that an allied voluntary movement will he formed in ihe smaller seaport towns. Motor patrols ,-il such places as Nelson and Whnngnrei are likely, and conditions will he moulded io suit, the place concerned. Full divisions or sub-divi-sions will be created only where it is possible lo give proper training.

A detailed list of Ministerial interpretations in respect to certain articles not specifically enumerated on the Customs schedules is published in this week's "Gazette."

A mat; armed wilh a len-fool iron pipe ran amok at Parliament Buildings last evening, and before he could be stopped had smashed nine windows.— Press Association.

The Minister of Lands (the lion. A. D. Mcl.eod) and parly up lo yesterday had seen praclica.il/ no sunshine on their tour of the Motueka electorate. The parly motored through rain to Mnrchisiii on Tuesday and tin- weather was cloudy on l In- journey to Motueka next day. Pain was met on the Taknka Hill on the same afternoon arid hoavv rain fell ai Taknka early on Thursday'morn mg. Rivers and creeks throughout ihe district have all risen slight ly.

The report of the executive of the Labour Parly presented to the conference (his week stated flint taking the capital ion fees received as a basis, the membership of ihe parlv for last vear was 45,586.

Owing to flu- unfavourable wcathet experienced (hiring; the past week, there has i* - -/• a considerable tailing oil' in the attendance al. (ho Municipal Paths. As scon as id" weather breaks. however, it is expected that there will lie a substantial increase in the numbers of those attending.

The Stanhope Hold Modal of the Royal Humane Society lias been awarded lo Ernest T Johnson, of Gorton, Marlinestor. ioi the bravest deed of the year, the facts being as follows: Pet-ween 'I and f, [, m on 10th December. 1926. (wo nun, David Inglis and Ernest T. John still, w-ve working in a trench which was !,< ill«_c excavated in a. garden near Manchester. The trench wns 16ft deep, the subsoil at this depth being quicksands. Without warning the trench collapsed, partially burying Johnson, and completely burying 1 nu; 1 i<. Johnson could easily have released himself, but realised that if he did so liirlis would have been suffocated, as he was entirely covered, only his hair showing, and he decided, at the lisU of his own life, to remain where ho w.i'-.. and thus try to save his male. He had constantly lo scrape the. earth away from high's' '.head, so that he could breathe, and at the same time carry the weight of the crumbling earth above, and so prevent a further collnpse. Assistance was summoned, but owing to the shifting nature of the sands, il took eight hours before the men were got out. and during this time the weight of earth Johnson was supporting forced him down in where Inglis was buried, making his position one of (he greatest danger. The Salford Fire Brigade assisted the men with lifebelts, as the danger of the shifting sand rendered the work of rescue most difficult.

"The sun never sets on the orchards of the Umpire," says the Empire Marketing Board, in an attractive advertisement, in a recent issue of the "Daily Express.'" London and Manchester, one of the Old Country's million-a-day-sale dailies. "From January to December, buv Empire Apples," said the board, and a 'calendar of Emp ; re apples for 1928 runs thus:—January and February. Home and Canadian; March, Home. Canadian. Australian and Soulh Africa; April. Home. Canadian. Australian. New Zealand, and South African; May, Australian. New Zealand and South African: .June. Australian and New Zealand : July. Home. Australian and New Zealand ; August, Home: September, (htolier. November, and December. Home and Canadian. It will be, noticed that whereas Canadian apples are on the Home market for eight mouths of the year, New Zealand fruit is there for only four months.

When 11.M.5. Veronica leaves here on 17th April, she will proceed to Uisborne. arriving there on 19th April, and remaining there until 24th April. The Veronica will then go- on to Hauraki Gulf for exercises during 26th and 27th April, and will arrive in Auckland on the latter date. Subsequently the Veronica and Laburnum will proceed lo the South Sea. Islands.

The Mayor nf Onehutiga. Mr W. C. Coldicutt, is of the opinion that the annual reopening of old war wounds on An/ac Day is not the correct thing. The Rev. D. D. Scot!, wrote to the town clerk suggesting that the Mayor should call a meeting of the clergymen of Onehunga to make arrangements for the usual religious service nn Anzae Day. When the letter was read at the meeting of the council this week, the Mayor said: "I am not in favour of these services being kept up. It is not the correct thing. They only serve to bring back the miseries which happened on that day. If 1 had lost any of my near relatives I.would not like to have the bitter memories revived every year." Cr. Moor: "If everybody thought like that, nobody would attend the services. That is not.' the idea of Anzae Day at all.'' It. was agreed to make the usual arrangement's for Anzae Day services.

A significant circumstance in connecLion with the disappearance since Menday of ""' 12-yenr-old son of P. C. Tympany, of St. Helier's. says an Auckland Press Association nx-ssage received this afternoon, is the fact that Stanley Sadler, a draughtsman and engineer, who had been living witli the Tympany family, also left the house on Monday morning and has not ret rune,!. The committee of the sub-branch of the Plunket Society at Wakefield hopes to have a well a'lteuded meeting on Thursday. If is stated with regret thai Iho pubic interest has been so poor that tlie present committee has been compelled to consider the advisability of rlesing down. As the commit lee desires to emphasise it seems ft pity to let such a good work lapse at Wakefield when it, is already so well established,

The police, habit of setting traps to catch offenders against the law is adopted in all the Australian States, particularly in cases concerning illegal Imt, ting or' illegal grog selling. There are few nvigist rates who see much harm in it, or if" they do, they are silent about it." An exception is the magistrate at Port Adelaide, -Mr Haleombe, who has more than once protested from the Bench against these tactics. Mr Halcombo's latest protest took the form of reducing to Is a fine of £5 imposed in a belting case. The. individual responsible for the conviction was in a most peculiarly favourable, position to catch the offender. Not yet sworn in as a. member of the force, and merely a recruit out to prove his mettle, the, half lie was convenient, if unjustified, when answering the question, "Are you a policeman?" lie said. 'No." The magistrate., however, considered that the defendant had boon unfairly tricked into making a bet Willi him, and after reprimanding the enterprising recruit, he cut down the fine.

•'Dear, dear; what a lot of cigarettes your father must smoke! - ' said the teacher at a local school when a little girl brought along an unusually large packet of tinfoil to assist the Plunket Society in its campaign to raise funds by the accumulation of tinfoil which ; s marketable at a good price. "Father doesn't smoke cigarettes," said the little Plunket enthusiast, "i collected these from packets 1 picked up in the street, hut I got most of all at ibe tennis court and on Trafalgar I'nrk." As the Society points out. "Every little helps." and those who see that the tinfoil on their cigarettes or chocolates is placed in the bo.xes now available, or who give ii to the. little (or big) collectors are helping a most worthy cause.

Various remits dealing with the licensing issue were discussed by the Labour Party's Conference this week, lint all were defeated, tin' confeience ifeciding i,, adhere to ihe party's present policy regarding lie-rising, namely, thai members of the party are free to vote as they please. The party's platform plank providing for a referendum when there are two or more issues on any subject still remains in tone, however.

Ten bankruptcies were notified in the "N.Z. Gazette" issued mi Thursday last. Tliev included two labourers, a market gardener, grocer. fruiterer, auctioneer, produce merchant, moving picture operator, salesman, and a builder.

The programme to be presented on Tuesday evening next ~i tin- Harmonic Society's concert is so varied that it should please all tastes. Resides the two choral works, one of which will be pi'i fin tueil for the fir.sl time in Nelson, there nil- sevm-fil orchestral pieces and li, vocal and n, pianoforte solo. Tickets in-)v be obtained and seats ii-sci veil n t liege's. .Alfred t.'onld will sell the furniture and effects of Lieut. Marry corner of (oil lug wood street and Sehvyn Pln«*e on Tuesday next, at 2 p.m.

Dr R J. Tillyard, the newly - app'iinte.,l Commonwealth Entomologist. wdl leave Sydney on the Tahiti on 19th April for the United States and Europe. The purpose mi* his visit, is to select staffs for insect pest .and noxious weeds research work in Australia, and to establish two sub-branches for the work in England, and one in France. Dr. Tillyard's absence, will probably not, exceed six mouths, and by the time of his Kturn laboratories and' other buildings required La his wotk at, Canberra will have been elected In Tillyard's ap pointment i>\ the Ministry was an attempt, to control the blowfly pest in sheep in Australia by scientific means, and also to minimise the depredations of buffalo flies, thrips, lucerne fleas, grass grubs, codlir. moths and aphides of various kinds. His work is divided roughly into two classes—the control of insect pests by their natural enemies, and the destruction of noxious weeds. Applications are being invited by the Commonwealth for three positions as entomologists.

It, is estimated by the Railways Department that approximately "50,0011 people were handled at the Auckland railway station during the, rush of Easter rail traffic between the 3rd and 10th of April. Figures would indicate that people going south exceeded the visitors to the. north.

The raspberrv industry has become a big asset to the prosperity of Waimate during laste years. It, is estimated (states the Waimate "Advertiser") (hat during the season just ended, about £16.000 was distributed in the district, as the result of the, sale of the fruit in outside markets, and,' besides this, the employment, of extensive labour, mainly for picking, has also a beneficial effect generally: The Blackball miners, whose coming pay will total only about three shifts, had at last pay only one day's wages to draw. The'position of manual workers generally is very serious at present, in litis part of I he' West Coast, (states the "Grey River Argus").

Blackberry control is a serious problem in many districts to-day, and especially so in the northern TTawkes Bay district, where thousands of acres are steadily going back (states a correspondent of the Napier -Telegraph"). Ploughable land does not offer any serious difficulties as constant working lip eventually kids out both blackberry and gorse, but hill country always presents a problem, and if the area is large, successful control is well nigh impossible. Goats have been tried with some success, and the results _on a Taranaki farm would seem to indicate that where the paddocks are of reasonable size both blackberry and gorse can be got under control with goats. For a number of years a farmer in the New Plymouth district has kept his 100-acre' farm in perfect order by means of goats, and as his land was heavily infested when he first took it over, it seems that goals offer one if Hie best possible measures of control. The method he adopted when he took over the farm was to get a large herd of goats —over 200 —in addition to sheep and cattle. After dividing (he fa nn into small paddocks he stocked I hem heavily with cattle, followed up with sheep, and then turned the goats in. By the time they got there, the grass had been completely eaten, leaving only the blackberry and gorse for (he goats. So effectively did they tackle these weeds that in two years the farm was practically free from (hem. Since then this farmer has kept about •in fjoals on his farm in addition to sheep, and to-day his 100 acres are among the most, productive areas of the district. The method undoubtedly offers great possibilities to the farmer with limited area lo handle, especially as <_ r o:its can usually be nhfained for very .little. The ones used on this farin cost :Is'each, and the £f>o expended on them very soon returned in the added profits from the clean farm.

Material for a book on New Zealand is being: taken back to the United Stales by Dr. .1. S. Kcnnard. a distinguished American writer, traveller, and explorer, who left for Vancouver bv the Aoraugi on Wednesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Dr. Kcnnard. who has produced more than twenty publications in several languages, spent some time in the Dominion collecting material, and was greatly assisted by the Government Publicity Department. He met a number of 'prominent men. including the Prime Minister, who was greatly interested In his mission. Dr. Kcnnard has had n most interesting career, and has travelled extensively. The fascination of big-game hunting has led him to the dark'forests of Central Africa; while ft desire to trace the sources of the world's greatest rivers has taken him up the Amazon forests, and to the heads of the great rivers of India and China. Another of his many interests is alpine climbing. In addition. Dr. Kcnnard is a student of world polities and an advocate of world peace. Dr. Kcnnard was accompanied by his wife, who is recognised as one of the most skilled of American miniature painters. She is a Virginian, and is a descendant of Lord Baltimore. Her grandfather, although a Southerner, was a Union sympathiser and an officer of the 7th Regiment of New York in the stormy days of the Civil War. Her mother. Mary Dawson Young, is a well-known writer of tales in the negro dialect.

An attack on the golden scale parasite, whose attentions have caused ninny line oak trees in Christehurch to deteriorate, is to be made in earnest this year, the Curator of the Botanic Hardens (Mr .lames Young) having received from the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, a tube eoiltainins lot) tiny insects nniiieil llaberlepsis dalmanii. which is a deadly enemy of the scale (states the "Press"). These he has since liberated, and great hopes are entertained for their success in ridding the trees of Ihe parasite.

The secretary of Ihe Rival Football Club received a' telegram this forenoon stating that the Carluke team which was to have played a match at the Park this afternoon had been forced to cancel its engagement.

The attention of members of Maitai Lodge, 1'.A.0.D.. is called to the special summoned meeting to be held at 7.30 on Monday evening next.

The monthly meeting of the W.C.T.r. will he held in the Methodist Hall on Tuesday next at 2.30 p.m. The original date has been altered to enable delegates to the recent conference to be present with their reports.