LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 6 June 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In accordance with a promise made to the Mayor (Mr W. .1. Moffatt) the Hon. K. S. Williams. Minister of Public Works, has telegraphed confirming his verbal promise to treat the King's Acre jo)) as a relief work, and in make the subsidy retrospective.

"We have bad practically no spring over there and things have tint been too good in consequence; but they are picking up." said Sir Joseph Carrutl' ers. ex-Prime Minister of New South Wales, who is a passenger to Suva by toe Aorangi (reports the "Auckland Star"). "We have no exportable surplus." he added, "but our wool ehe(|tie was £60.000.000." Sir Joseph wenl on to say that there was a distinct slackness in Ihe coal trade, ami it was likely to lie so in future. "It seems strange to me that the coal owners ami the mill ers cannot realise that the advent of oil for h\y\ has made the difference, which will be enhanced as lime goes mi," he added. "1 havc> nothing to say about Samoa," Sir .Joseph answered to a (pierV, "onlv things have turned out exactly as I expected. I shad be visiting there during the next few weeks." Sir Joseph Carrulhors is making one of his periodical visits to Fiji and other islands in the Pacific in which he has business interests, lie will leave the Aorangi at Suva, and will join the vessel there on her next trip to Vancouver. Onlv 12/6. Smart ready-to-wear Felts, in latest sliadings to tone with present day frocks and coats, all sizes, 12/6, at MeKav's.*

Boys' Oiled Canvas Coats! A splendid line just opened, prices from 22/6. Irathen's.*

Just opened, 20 ladies' useful House Cardigans, in new crepe wool, popular colourings, women's and outsize 13/6 to li)/6. McKay's.*

Men's Overcoats! In a variety oT styles and colour, prices from 47/6. Trathen's.'

Remarkably few votes were cast in the ballot conducted by the Labour Representation Committee t«> select t|he candidate for the I'iccarton seat (remarks a Southern exchange), indicating that little interest is being taken in the elections yet. even in Labour circles. It was a postal ballot, and about 200 members were eligible to vote,, yet only 51 exercised the privilege. Of these 27 voted for Mr G. 11. Thompson, who was selected, 19 for .Mr U. Al. Macfarlane, and live for Mr .1. W. Robert.-.

An encounter between a man and a maddened bullock on a road near National Park on Thursday had a remarkable, conclusion (stales the "New Zealand Herald"). Two Taumarunui drovers. .Messrs D. Meredith a ntl W. E. Rrightwell, were taking 160 bullocks by road from Taumarunui to Taihape, and 11 miles from Owhango had stopped by the roadside for a spell, when one of the bullocks wandered from the herd in search of water. Fearing it might £ro too far. Mr Meredith went after it on Foot with a whip, and was endeavouring to turn the animal back when it charged. The man was knocked down in the lirst rush, and at the same moment the bullock caught its head in the ground ~„,! turned a complete somersault, pinning the man underneath it. Hearing cries for help, Mr I'.right well hurried up and assisted his companion to rise bv raising tin- animal by the legs. Mr Meredith' was unhurt, but the bullock was found on examination to be dead, its neck having been broken. It was a prime beast, weighing 15001 b.

Plant life in many instances seems to have been put "out of step" by the ilrv summer, and the recent wet mild weather (writes the Henderson correspondent of an Auckland paper). The drv weather caused many hedge plants and ornamental flowering shrubs to die out completely. Some varieties of trees were seriously affected. The citrus familv. being evergreen, of course suffered' the most, but apple and pear trees ca riving large crops matured their fruit well during the dry spell. When the rains set in. a remarkable recovery was immediately noticed in all plaiit life and trees and shrubs and manv plants which became defoliated during the drv weather, apparently deceived ns to the seasons, took on spring .rrowTh and flowering. The most notable under this heading were the orange trees. These carried an enormous blossoming at the usual October flowerin<' season, and a good crop was set generally, but the drv summer caused a set-back. A new flow of sap was caused bv the rains. Spring conditions were bro'nglrt about, which resulted in an exceptionally heavy blossoming—a most unusual 'occurrence in oranges (although a main flowering of the lemon is usual in the autumn). These set fruits which in this district are now about the size of a large pen. will either fall or be cut by frost. Plum, peach, apple, and pear trees are also now making second growths, and almond trees in ornamental plots were in full bloom some weeks ago.

Regret at tlio apparent increase in tho number of women drinking in the Wellington hotels was expressed by Mr W. 0. Riddell, S.M., at the nnual meeting of the Wellington Licensing Committee yesterday. Mr Riddell said that the police report on the matter referred particularly to the cases of the White Swan Hotel and the Central Hotel, where more women were served than the committee cared to hear of. "It is within the law, of course, to serve women." said Mr Riddell, ' but it is undesirable" that women drinkers ir. hotels should bo encouraged, and Hie committee hoped that each licensee v. ill do his best to reduce the number of women drinking in his hotel." The subject of war was touched upon by Dean Julius at the Anglican Cathedral on Sunday afternoon at the commemoration service to soldiers who had lost their lives in the South African War, 1899-1902 (states the "Lyttelton 'rimes - '). Dean Julius was urging people lo lead a Christian life. "Nowadays," he said, "we only get at the surface of things and dp hot worry about the fundamental things of life. War is necessary for the fine qualifications it exacts from men. War against sin, or war against men, calls for splendid qualities—qualities which lie dormant if not demanded by the urgent exigencies of war. To-day "we are asleep. We are too easily satisfied, and there is too much preference shown for the easy side of life. The hard side is avoided." "The wheat crops for the coming season in all the States in Australia will be- a record," said Mr J. M. Brunton, of Messrs Brunton and Co., on arrival at Auckland this week. Mr Brunton belongs to one of the largest flour-milling concerns in .Australia, arid has como over to look into the question of tariffs in New Zealand. "At the present moment the Y/heat crops are the best fhat have ever been seen in Australia, and there is every evidence of a great yield," he said. "Trade, however, is depressed," continued Mr Brunton. "This is because the overseas wheat market is below the usual price. There is practically no export of Australian flour to Egypt and America, two of the biggest customers of the Commonwealth. Prices for" Canadian and Australian wheat are lower than those of Australia, because of the small Australian crop hist year." Mr Brunton says n great new wheat belt i.s springing inio being in Western Australia, where there are hundreds of thousands of acres still untouched. The West, he says, has groat prospects, and is one of the coming States of the Commonwealth. "We have come to the end of the time-payment system in Australia," said Mr Brunton.

"Every trade is depressed and people are rcmpl'imiiig bittevly." "Licensees sliould supervise their premises in such n way that betting ,s not carried on," said Mr \V. 0. Riddell, S.M.. at the annual meeting of the Wellington Licensing Committee yesterday, when dealing with the police report which stated thai betting had been carried on in the Cen.tr.al Hotel and Wellington Hotel. "If they permit helling, they are acting contrary to the Statute, and they bring themselves within section 253 of the Licensing Act, whereby tin- committee can refuse to grant them a renewal of their licenses." Mr Hiddell added (says "The Post"), that convictions for betting in hotels counted against the licensees if they wished lo transfer their licenses and applied for a Magistrate's certificate. There was then a chance that the certificate would he refused on the ground that a breach of the Act had been committed.

A lecture on "Yield and Quality in Fruit'' will be given in the Church Hall, Mapun, on Friday evening next, the lecturer being Mr T. Rigg, Assistant director of the Cawthron Institute.

The Moutere Hills Fruitgrowers' Asgncinlini! invites all fruitgrowers and land workers to attend the lecture to "ho jrjvpn by Mr Rigg of the Cawthron Institute iit the Church Hall, Mapua, on Fridav next.

Smart, yet lowly priced! Men's Felt Hats, good colours and popular snap and roll brim shapes, all sizes at 10/6 at McKay's.* School Pullovers for all town schools. superior qunlitv, all sizes now in stock again, 7/11 and 8/11. McKay's.*

Boys' Oilskin Coats! Single 17/6, halflined 19/6, Sou-westers 4/3.' Trathen's.*

Rv parcel post, just to hand, a special purchase of dainty silk Evening Shawls in plain and rnulti coloured designs, deeply silk fringed lo tone, 14/6 to 35/-, at McKay's,*

Writing from Salisbury under date 3rd .May Mr W. Dee, of Nelson, who is touring with the New Zealand bowlers, gives some interesting information concerning the doings of the tourists. The greens played <>u up to the time of writing were on the heavy side, and the opinion was expressed that unless faster ones were met with the team would not do very well. At Bournemouth, where the local team won easily, it was stated that every shot had to be a running one. At Weymouth, where a win was obtained, the green was not so heavy: and in the drawn game against Salisbury the New Zealnnders were compelled to play very narrow and right through the head. Good but cloudy weather, with no rain, had been experienced. Great hospitality was being met with on every hand. At the Tsle of Wight Lord Jellicoe, formerly Gover-nor-General of New Zealand, was met and the visitors were taken over Osborne House. The Dominion, said MiDee, was held in high estimation, and at the functions attended a very strong note was always made of trading within the Kmpire. In a further note regarding the game, Mr Dee said a promise had been made that the greens would be cut closer in future matches. The visitors had "not complained loudly regarding the greens, as it would be had manners after such lavish hospitality."

The new military policemen in Samoa have several gifted members in their ranks, but two of their number. who play the bagpipes, will probably do more to make their force famous than any action they are likely to have with the Man. These two are greatly admired by the Samoans, who never seem to have heard such instruments before. The white residents near the barracks have different opinions on the matter. according to their distance away. At a concert given by the men during May one of the most appreciated items was a bagpipe solo.

Receipt No. 1000 of the New Zealand (Nelson) Alpine and Rock Garden Society was issued to Mr J. D. Anderson, manager. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Association, Wanganui, and a collection of fifty packets of rock and alpine plant seeds has been forwarded free, with the society's compliments. The nearest number to 1000 was No. 0!);") for a Nelson member, the winner being Miss Hudson, Tapawera, while the nearest Wellington number was 1007. made out to Mr W. H. Cooper, Lower Htitt. A collection of seeds has been sent to each.

A gentleman and his wife some time ago took tea at the house of relatives, spending a very pleasant evening thereafter and returning to their own home without a care and both in unimpaired health (says the Auckland '"Star"). Some time afterwards they again visited the same relatives and stayed to tea. The lady of the house smilingly asked them if they remembered the last occasion they wore with her. They, of course, recalled the pleasant evening. "You felt quite all right afterwards?" she asked, and they assured her that they were never better. "Because," she continued, "when we emptied the tea leaves out of the pot we also emptied with them a roll of one-pound banknotes." The hostess explained that on receipt of these notes she had rolled them up and placed them in a teapot not generally in use, putting the teapot on a shelf. Another lady called upon to make the tea had used the "bank," so to speak, not knowing about the notes which had thus been infused with the tea leaves. When this wealth was dried and aired the notes were negotiable, and, of course, thoroughly sterilised. One hears so much of bank notes loaded with bacteria being a menace to the community that this simple story of a drink concocted partly from them may emphasise the hannlessness of paper money (if it is boiled).

It is amusing how, at odd intervals, the most plebeian games enjoy a passing aristocratic patronage (writes "The Mail's" London correspondent). Thus the humble shove-halfpenny of the upriver taverns was quite a vogue with certain members of the Smart Set after an Oxford rowing eight caught the passion for it during training, and played regular test matches against picked local sides at Putney. And now the equally democratic game of darts, usually associated with the simpler order of rural inns, is becoming a West End vogue. Members of some swagger West End clubs, such as the R.A.C., are getting quite keen about it, and arranging matches at those queer old hostelries that still preserve, in baclcwaters off Piccadilly and Half Mooii street, some relic of the ostler epoch. Commonly the dart boards at these taverns are engaged by chauffeurs and valets in their off hours, but nightly now you may see strenuous games between elegant clubmen in faultless evening dress. They slip round from their adjacent clubs to indulge in the latest sporting thrill.

In the course of an address at Blenheim, the Bishop of Nelson said there were certain things which he wanted. The first of them was a more widespread use of family prayer. Then he longed to find more men and women prepared to take their share in public in the work of the Church. There had been a tremendous improvement in the last few years in that, and it had been very encouraging indeed. There was also the work of foreign missions, which was the test of a standing or falling church today. The next part of the work was home missions,, which the festival was designed to help. A remarkable thing in that connection was that during the past five years certain districts in the Diocese had received gifts from parishioners totalling nearly £7OOO, and every one of those gifts had been bestowed upon places which had been accustomed to hold home mission festivals, while not one. single gift had been received by places which did not. hold such festivals. It was enough to make a man think. Sometimes most remarkable gifts were received. Some little time ago l he received a letter from a firm of solicitors which stated: "We beg to Inform you that under the will of So-and-so, we are to pay to the Home Mission Fund the sum of £IOOO for purposes of endowment. on one condition-that no mention is to be made of it in any newspaper or document." That gift came from a girl who assisted at one of the tables at a home mission festival. (Applause.)

Burglars have been unusually busy in many parts of New Zealand this winter, and surprise has beer, expressed that (lie "swag" secured has so often taken the form of tobacco. But tobacco, it must be remembered, is not nearly so easy to identify as most other things; also, it is saleable almost anywhere and readily convertible into hard cash—one more proof of the hold that smoking has got on the world. The habit is soundly abused by non-smokers. Vet ii contributes to the comfort and happiness of millions every day. If tobacco proves injurious it is because it contains an excess of Nicotine. The imported brands are full of it. The pures't tobaccos of all are our New Zealand ones. Containing only a trifling percent age of Nicotine, they may be smoked without fear of consequences. They possess a peculiarly delicious flavour and a most delightful aromn. Ask for "Riverhead Hold*' (mild), "Navy Cut" (Bulldog). medium or "Cut Plug No. 10" (Bull's head), full strength. You can get these brands from any tobacconists.* The Kia Ora Hockey Club will hold a dance tonight in the Richmond Institute.

At the weekly Rngby Union meeting last, evening Mr Senile stated that the Nelson College Ist Fifteen did not have the opportunity of gaining the experience that offered to the three colleges it would meet in the inter-Collegiate tournament in August. It was remarkable, he said, the difference in interest that was apparent when the team were practising among themselves. and when they were up against any outside combination. Mr Searle was anxious to get every opportunity for his team to meet something approximating to the strength of the'other Colleges concerned, and was seizing every chance to get the team fit. In view of this ho requested that the junior representatives play a match with the College juniors before playing Marlborough or Golden Bav-Motue'ka, as the case may be.

Recently Mr Wilkinson, secretary of the N.Z. "(Nelson) Alpine and Rock Garden Society, sent a garden photograph to Mr H. McD. Vincent, news editor of the Auckland "Sun," a recent addition to the membership of the society. That gentleman, in acknowledging receipt, asked permission to reproduco the photo graph in the "Sun," but Mr Wilkinson is arranging to send some alternative pictures. Mr Vincent's covering letter added: "The growth of your society is not so very wonderful after all. It; is easily accounted for, by every indication.' by your great enthusiasm. The society is very lucky to have a man at its head who has such a marked attribute of friendliness."