LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 9 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The steamer Alexander has been chartered by Thomas Hunt and Suns, the well known Nelson sheep breeders of " 11 iglilield," Wakefield, for a- trip to Gisborne with a cargo of stud rams for the annual lluwkes Bay sheep fair. The Alexander sails to-morrow afternoon.

A veteran of the Crimean War, tho Indian Mutiny, and the Maori War, Mr George “Rowley” Hill, of Takapuua, celebrated his 92nd birthday on Sunday last, says the “Herald.” Mr Hill was born in Devonshire and ho entered the navy in 1851, joining 11.M.5. Britannia. lie earned the Baltic medal, the Crimean medal with bar, and the Turkish medal. When the Indian Mutiny broke out lie was serving on 11.M.5. Shannon. He was wounded at Cawnporc and Lucknow. Later Mr Hill was with Garibaldi’s army at Palermo and Capua, and in the Straits of Messina. lie came to New Zealand in 1804, and as a member of the Forest Rangers, participated in 15 engagements against the Maoris. Mr Hill was awarded the New Zealand Cross, the Maori War medal and tho New Zealand long service and good conduct medal.

T he first of three new locomotives of the Garratl type, for the New Zealand Railways, have arrived at Auckland from England by the Northumberland, now at Auckland, having been shipped in accordance with an order placed about twelve months ago with Messrs Beyer, Peacock and Co., Ltd., Manchester. The engine will be taken to Wellington for assembly at Hutt Valley workshops. These engines will be used on the Maift Trunk Tine from Taihapo northward as general utility engines, and will be employed on* both goods, and passengers trains. Thenpower is two and a> Half times that of the ordinary express engine now in use. The main reAson for importing the engines is their adaptability for curves on hilly runs, and they‘are so constructed that they can negotiate any of tho curves on the Main Trunk line with ease. It is not intended to speed up the present time-table for trains.

The annual conference of the New Zealand branch, of the British Medical Association will be held in Wellington on the 19th of next mouth, and the meetings will extend over four days. IJis Excellency, the Governor-General, will open the conference. Mr Sampson Handley, the eminent surgeon, and a leading authority on the surgical treatment of cancer, will attend the meeting as the representative of the British Medical Association and of the British Empire Research Fund. Mr Handley will open the discussion on cancer, an.'l will be followed by Dr. E. F. D’Atli (Sydney) and Dr. Douglas Thomas (Melbourne). In the evening there will be a civic reception in the Town Hall, after which the incoming president (Dr. J. S. Elliott) will be inducted and will deliver his presidential address. In addition to. the visitors front Australia, it is expected that there will be a large attendance of medical men from all parts of the Dominion.

The probable effect upon city buildings of the vibration from the underground railway beneath Auckland iias been raised in view of the early Mart to be made upon the Morningside <ie\ :u----tion (states the “New Zealand Henri"). Within about three or four years mere will be a large volume of heavy iailway traffic .passing beneath the l.cfrt of the city from the new Auckland railway station at Beach road to Newton road, a distance of one and a quarter miles. Above this subterranean route stand hundreds of dwellings and commercial structures, including some of the city’s largest buildings. The foundations of one house in Parnell recently had to be reinforced owing to the severe shaking which accompanied the passing of heavy traffic. So pronounced was the vibration in this ease that ornaments were knocked from the shelves; It is considered doubtful by experts whether suflicient information is available to make any pronounced judgment in regard to surface traffic vibration. The effect of vibration on buildings is modified by numerous considerations. The width of the street and the nature of the building itself are both important. In addition, the nature of the ground upon which the building is erected must be taken into consideration. A building on a foundation ot clay is more susceptible to vibration than one built on gravel.

Liberally provided with fresh and salt-water bathing places young New Zealand has taken full advantage of the natural facilities offered and swimming has become a very popular pastime, comments the “New Zealand Herald”. Moved by common impulse the experienced and the inexperienced alike take to the waters during the warm weather. Under such circumstances great risks are often run and accidents become almost of daily occurrence during the holiday season. During the Christmas and New Year holidays 11 persons lost their lives by drowning, four more than for the same period last year. There is a lesson to be learned front this. The necessity for teaching children to swim under capable instruction and safe conditions is apparent to all.

Three narrow escapes from drowning occurred in the Clarence River, at South Grafton, New South Wales, on 27th December. Winifred Gibson, aged 19 displayed great heroism, and nearly lost her ‘life. Two boys, Neel and Kevin King, visitors from Cessnoek, went to the river to bathe with Misses Gibson and Irene Weatherston. The boys got into deep water and Miss Qihson swam out and brought Kevin to the shore and then returned for the other boy. He threw his arms around her neck, leaving her powerless. Meanwhile, Verdi Schwinghammer came lon 12 and swam out to their assistance. Mr H F. Davis also saw what was happening and seized an inflated motor tvre with which he had been teaching his children to swim, and swam out to the woman and the boy. lho woman •Tabbed the tyre and Schwinghammer ami Davis swam back with the party tu the shore.

Speaking to a “Mail” reporter to-day a police officer said that in nearly 40 vears’ service in the police force ot New ‘Zealand lie had never encountered a more peaceful and law-abiding community than Nelson. 1 Crime was negligible in the city, and even on such occasions as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve liiere were no signs of hooliganism.

A prophet, they say, has no honour in his own country, and it- has been tuo much the policy of New Zealanders in the past to pass over the prudurt of their country in favour of the. imported goods, which, in many cases , irc actually interior to the New Zealand article. Take tobacco for example. Most American tobaccos are objectionable on the score of excess nicotine, and defective combustibility, loading to the clogging of the pipe, with unpleasant, and indeed injurious, consequences to the smoker. _ Try piverhoad Gold mild and aromatic or Toasted Navv Cut (Bulldog) of medium strength, and if you prefer a full l,o(lv try Cut Plug No. 10, the Bullhead’ label. Their purity, flavour, aroma and all round excellence will surprise you. Unlike most brands from oversea this particular type of tobacco does not foul the pipe and leaves the mouth sweet and clean. Experts maintain that of all varieties known N.Z. leaf is the least injurious on account of its small percentage of nicotine and that it may be smoked continuously without the slightest after effects.*

A louiTeen-mcnUis-uid \\ ellington baby pmyeu a (.iisuirbing prank on ms inoiiTCi eariy 0110 ovoiinig jasi week, wiien, wUu surprising strength lor a LuUUicr, lie siaimnoa llio clour on Ins parent alter slio nail entereu Ltie pantry. As tne door laid an outside lock only, tug mother remained .1 prisoner lor hulf-an-huur, being unable, until men, to attract the atteution ui neighbours. fortunately tiiere was ventilation, provided tlirougli a built-in meat sate.

Writing in the Auckland “Star,” M.A.T. says: Ivir A. \V. Melion, a United States statesman, has given the breathless price of £200,000 for .Raphael's Madonna. Although successive owners have kept that apparently priceless picture lor 42_0 years, it is only an eyeful, after all. "sir Mellon can merely look at it the same as you can A you are lucky enough to be invited into the place where ho will hang it. Another Madonna was sold by the Duke of Marlborough for £70,000. Did you hear the story of the Duke’s valet? Of course it was a great treat for anybody }o get an eyeful, and his artistic Grace did his valet the honour of taking him into the picture gallery of Blenheim Palace and showing it to him. Having had hfs eyeful, the valet said : “I thank your Grace for giving mo a share in this wonderful picture.” The Duke cackled: “What d’you mean? I’m not giving any shares away.” “I suggest, your Grace,” said this amazing valet, “that any picture is mine as much as yours while I can see it.” Lots of horse sense about that valet.

The danger of leaving a bonfire before ascertaining that it is properly extinguished was illustrated at Murray’s Bay, Auckland, during the holidays when a small boy had both feet badly burned through treading on the ashes of a fire which had been burning many hours previously. Similar mishaps have occurred on other beaches, and parents will be grateful if holiday makers will bear the fact in mind, says the “Star.” Some of the children who took part in the Waikato children’s camp at Port Waikato saw the sea for the first time. One youngster was by no means impressed, and sea-bathing and sand had no particular attractions for him, but he was overjoyed at the sight of a small creek with numerous waterhoies in it.

“TJiis is more like what we’ve got up our way,” ho said to a visitor to the camp, “and it will do for me.”

It is expected that Australian traffic to 'New Zealand this season will break all previous records. The Government Publicity Office reports that already many Australians are in the Dominion, and have been most generous in their praise of the natural scenic attractions of the country.

Suffering from severe scalds about the neck and back, Gwen Yeo, aged about 12 years, was admitted tci tiie Wailii Hospital, from Aongatete, near Katilcati. The child, who resides with her grandparents at Auckland, was staying with an uncle and aunt at Aongatete. It is stated she upset a saucepan of boiling water upon herself. She is making good progress.

Interesting visitors to Wanganui last week were a pair of albatrosses, both of which, however, were dead when found. One was found on the sands at Castlecliff beach. It measured Bft. from wing tip to wing tip. There were no marks on it _to indicate how it had met its death. The other was found in an alley in the cevj.re of the city. It was larger than the first. Local mariners and naturalists are puzzled at the presence of these birds, which they state rarely venture near the mainland.

Kahukura Arolia, the name which has been given to the area of 40 acres at Waikato Heads presented by Mr Edward Spargo, one of the old residents of the district, as a permanent camping ground for the children of the Waikato, is to be declared a sanctuary. In the valley near the camping ground there is a big area of native bush containing large rata trees, ngaio, wfiau, titoki, rewarewa, puketea, manuka, with a wealth of punga and mamaku fern. In this secluded spot the native birds flourish, and the" pigeon, tui and kaka are often seen. It is to keep both the bush and native bird life that the decision to have the area gazetted a sanctuary has been made, and thus one more bit of New Zealand in its natural state will be preserved for all time. •

Any overseas tourist taking his first look at Muriwai Beach, Auckland, oil a fine Sunday might he pardoned for jumping to the conclusion that the adult population of New Zealand has not outgrown the juvenile joys of building moated castles in the sand (says the “Star”). The spectacle of scores of men and women digging for dear life, to the accompaniment of gleeful shouts, such as “Gee 1 Here’s a beauty!” or “Look at this whopper!” is typical of North Auckland west coast beaches only. Those who dig have no thought of sand castles, for they seek the elusive tolieroa. Burrowing deep into the sand, the toheroa does his best to conceal his hiding place, but lie canjt live without an airhole, which gives the clue to his whereabouts. Thousands of beach worms live alongside him, and though the toheroa’s neighbours leave holes, too, the practised eye of the beach diggers can distinguish the difference. Most visitors to Muriwai take a hand at digging, for the toheroa makes wonderful soup. Indeed, when the Prince of Wales had finished a plate he immediately ordered more, thereby setting a new standard in table manners as far as this delectable dish is concerned. The export trade in toheroas is increasing yearly, # and m other parts of the world toheroa soup is the most expensive procurable, with the possible exception of genuine turtle.

During the holidays many thousands of people wanted fine weather, and it rained, writes M.A.T. in the Auckland “Star.” Funny thing is that no one stopped it, and during the previous year’s drought not a soul made it rain. They manage these things differently in Africa. When the British royal party was at Dodomo, Kingo of Mkalama, the paramount chief of the Waimaras, politely asked the assembled nobility whether they would have it wet or dry. lie brought five lesser chiefs and four gallons of water in a benzine tin and asked them to choose their weather. One of the party suggested that as it had been rather droughty a nice shower or two would he acceptable. Kingo therefore incanted, and then decanted his tin of water. A sharp shower three days later was attributed to his incantations and kerosene tin of water. Local far mers had arranged for the presence of Kingo because their crops were being ruined. They reckoned he had brought rain in before, and could do it again. It is not so many years ago that a medical mail interested the Commonwealth Government in a rainmalung scheme. Ho had some corrugated iron guns made, and shot shells into the sky. The brazen heavens laughed at him and didn’t cry a spot. What about importing Kingo of Mkalann into the droughty wastes of the Never Never or Central Otago?

In this issue Mr F. C. C. White, of Collingwood street, announces that he has opened a Circulating Library.

Tn connection with (lie railway excursion to Kawatiri on Sunday, it is notified hv advertisement that Spiers's motors will connect with the train for the lake.

The Richmond Fire Brigade wishes to acknowledge- cheques of two guineas each from Messrs Herbert Sutton and Clarence Sutton in connection with the fire on 29th December.

A shock of earthquake accompanied by a rumbling noise, was felt m the Nelson district at about 10.30 last even-

A strong protest was made by the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association against the action of the Government in entering into a contract for the supply of a certain typo of artificial limb while other types, it is contended, have not been given fair or lengthy enough trial.—Dunedin Press Wire.

The body of Horace Junes was found in the harbour yesterday, says an Auckland/ Press wire. He had been missing for over a week. Ho was formerly licensee of the Marine Parade Hotel at Dovonport, and had also kept hotels at Gisborne and Hastings.

“Many people revisiting Wellington after an absence of two or three years have remarked on the general improvement in the appearance of the city/’ (comments the “Dominion”). “We have better paved streets and footpaths, shrubberies and garden plots have been added and improved, and the building progress has been very marked. Probably the last-named feature is the most striking, for the class of building erected in recent years in the business heart of the City has set a new standard indicative of the general development of the City and port. The increase in land values and the system of rating on tire unimproved value have been in a measure responsible for the erection of larger buildings. Last year 'a record was established in building construction,' 1 permits being issued for buildings estimated to most in the total over £2,000,000. In' 1926 and 1927 the total was slightly less, but for the three years building permits were issued for a total value of just under £6,000,000, which is also considerably above the record for any similar period.”