LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In Monday's issue of "The Mail" will be published an interesting historical outline of St. Joseph's Church, Wakefield. This will embrace a list of all the early settlers who took an active part in the establishment of this church which under tho direction of tho Rev. Fatherd Chareyre, S.M., was erected in the year 1809,at a cost of over £IOOO. It will deal with the purchase of the two acres of land whereon the church is erected and give other particulars including a list of the various priests who have ministered in the church from its opening to. the present date. To-morrow's diamond jubilee services will also be reported. All persons desiring extra copies of Monday's issue should place their orders at once to avoid possible disappointment. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle) has declared the period from the Ist day of May to the 31st day of July, 1930 (both days inclusive), to be ap open season in the Nelson Acclimatisation District, for the taking or killing of the following imported and. native game—viz., Californian quail and grey duck; and the period from the Ist day of January to the 31st day of March, 1931 (both days inclusive), to be an -open season in the said district for the taking or killing of the following native game — viz., godwits. There are certain specified conditions to be complied with. . Usually at this time of the year building contractors anticipate a slackeningoff in house construction and other activities in the industry, but there has been no sign of such development yet this year (says the Christchurch "Press"). The long spell of fine weather has probably infused the trade with a certain amount of optimism, in spite of other depressing circumstances. Nothing affects the building trade worse than a protracted spell of unsettled weather, which means the closing down of work on house jobs and others where operations out-of-doors are rendered impossible. ]

After a useful existence of several years the Nelson Mothers' Help Society has been wound up and the assets, amounting to about £5 ss, are to be handed to the obstetric fund. This decision was come to at 1 a meeting held on Thursday evening, when Mr G. Samuel was in the chair. It was felt that help was easier to obtain now than was the case in former years, and that the necessity which 'brought the organisation into being no longer existed. Reference was made to the good work done by the Society; and a special vote of thanks was accorded the hon. secretary, Miss E. Gilkison.

The postal authorities advise mails which left Wellington per R.M.S. Tahiti, via San Francisco on 25th February arrived in London on 27th March.

' Now that the hurricane season is over in the Islands, the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross is getting ready for her next cruise, and will sail from Auckland on Bth April for the New Hebrides and the Solomons. The familiar steamer has only four more trips to make before being replaced by two schooners, which will do her work much more economically. Final plans and specifications are now being prepared, and when they are complete the work of building the schooners will be gone on with. Ag explained some time ago, the schooners will have their headquarters in 'the Islands, and will not! come Co Auckland, as the Southern Cross I does at the present time.. |

People in Sydney were evidently allowed to sleep anywhere, thought Dr. J. de Vilnits, a globe-trotter, who has recently passed through Auckland. It was quite the accepted thing, he said, about dusk itto see men methodically going through the parks, collecting all the newspapers which the general public had open-handedly cast from them, with the intention of using them for bedclothes. The police never seemed to take the slightest notice of them. They were just there. It is the. same with loiterers in the streets, he continued. In New Zealand there apparently was a strict vagrancy law, and any suspicious characters were carefully shepherded by the police.

The amount of coal imported at Wellington has shown a steady decrease, according to the annual report of Mr J. Marchbanks, general manager and chief engineer to the Harbour Board. Mr Marchbanks stated in his report that portion of this decrease was due to the greater use of oil fuel. The total amount of coal imported and transhipped for the year ended last September was stated to have been 357,432 tons, a decrease of 10,140 from the previous year's figures.

Alfred Gould announces an auction sale of toys, dolls, etc, on account of Mr W. White, on the premises Bridge street, opposite Y.M.C.A.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Nelson is inviting tenders for sections in the Takaka survey district; for the purchase of the launch Moa, now in Nelson harbour, and for a property containing an area of about four acre's situated in the Kaiteriteri survey district.

Parishioners of St. Barnabas, Stoke, are reminded of the harvest festival to-morrow. The Rev. 11. A. Wilkinson, of the Cathedral stall, will be the preacher at the evening service.

The city traffic© inspector has had his notice drawn to a number of unlighted cars which are parked in small streets in the city. Cars must bo near a street light if they are to be parked ualighted. The inspector points out that motor cyclists and others still "cut" the corners in city streets. a first offender for drunkenness was fined £1 in default 24 Ihours' imprisonment by the Magistrate, Mr T. . E. Maunsell, this morning. The offender had £1 16s in his possession when arrested last night, the police taking 10s bail. This morning he had nothing and Constable Lines described him as half drunk while in the dock.

People who find the Auckland waterfront a fascinating place for a stroll may have been struck by the absence of the watermelon boats this autumn (says the "Star"). In past years a trim yacht from Whangaparaoa with cabin and deck load of monster melons used to tie up Jthree or four times a week at the launch steps near Prince's Wharf and dispose of her cargo over the side. Large greon melons cut in two were attacked with vigour by boys sitting on the launch steps. With their faces half buried in the luscious red pulp, the youngsters reminded the amused older onlookers of their own youth, when such a feast meant paradise instead of the pains of indigestion. The yacht's customers included all soils of people—men who carried their purchase away in a-sugar sack, others who carried it in their arms like an infant, women who brought kits or bags, but ono very seldom noticed a boy with sufficient strength of will to get far away from the steps without investigating the interior and having a feast. This year the smart little yacht and the picturesque scene of bargaining are absent, and people who are fond of melons will be sorry to know that the crop'was an absolute failure. Like the tomatoes, the melons suffered from the unseasonable spring and early summer, and though several plantings were ' tried every one failed.

In forwarding the following clipping from the Hampshire "Chronicle" a correspondent states:—"From what I gather the "Gliding" scheme would be enthusiastically popular in Nelson, and Tahuna would offer a, splendid field for tyros. I do not know whether any facilities as outlined in the letter are yet available in New Zealand, but the sooner they emerge the better, and perhaps the appearance nf the following would act as a stimulant: —'It may not be unknown to many of your readers that the subject of gliding, or the use of engineless aeroplane, is receiving marked attention throughout the country. Recognising this, the British Gliding Association has been formed under the presidency of Air Vice-Mar*hal Sir W, Sefton Brancker, K.C.8., A.F.C., with the object of promoting the formation of Local Glider Clubs, supplying them with technical information, assisting them to' obtain and build gliders, and to choose' suitable sites for their work. It may not be amiss to mention here that glidingis the only form of mechanical locomotion in which no fuel, oil, or tyres is necessary; it no more to fly for ten hours than ten seconds; it is a supreme test of skill, and the most skilled will be able to stay in the air as long as he wishes, have a considerable range of travel, and be able to make.use of almost any wind short of a gale. No other sport can show such reward for skill at so little cost. Steps are being taken to form a Local Gliding Association, affiliated to the British Gliding Association, and, in due course, a meeting will be announced, at which all particulars known will be given, and all interested will be invited to be present. On the formation, of a Local Association, a,glider can be hired or obtained by grant from the parent association, and an instructor also. The annual subscription is likely to be in the reach of all.'" > •'•■«■

At the weekly stock sale at the Blenheim yards this week there, was a good attendance of buyers, who operated at prices from Is 6d to 2s lower than last week's rates in the stores department. Prices for fats also slumped slightly. However, vendors seemed prepared to meet the reduced prices and, considering the bids received, surprisingly few pens were passed. Altogether a total of 3864 sheep of average quality were penned (states the "Express"). Of these 366 were fats. Prices for ewes ranged from 10s 9d to 15s, compared with last week's sales at 9s 3d to 14s Id. Prices for wethers ran from 15s 9d to 21s 6d, compared with 17s 9d to 21s, which were the ruling prices at the sale a fortnight ago. No fat wethers, it should be explained, were penned at last week's sale.

It is nqt often that steamers have to come ail the way out from the Old Country to New Zealand in ballast, but, owine: to the falling off of shipments from' England to Australia, both the Mahia and the Maimoa, Shaw, Savill steamers, are coming out empty to the Dominion. They are wanted to pick up produce here tor the Old County. If times were ordinary, they. would bring out merchandise for Australia, and then come across to New Zealand in ballast, but owing to the temporary slump Australia's imports are not what they used to be. The Port Sydney is also coming out from England to New Zealand in ballast. Of course, the two Shaw, Savill boats and the Port steamer are" additional to the regular traders in the New Zealand-Britain trade.

I An echo of the tour of the British Empire farmers was heard yesterday, when , Mr F. Pawson, Railway Business Agent, ,was conferring with the North Canter- ! bury Executive of the New Zealand i Farmers' Union. Mr Pawson, in the course of a speech, stated that he entirely agreed with a remark made by one member of the party to the effect that New Zealand beef was of inferior quality. "There are two thingj which cannot be produced here," he said; "one is i beef, and the other ia fish. The flavour ■of the beef is inferior to that produced in the northern hemisphere, but there is a reason for it. In England, cattle are confined in yards for the greater part of the year arid fed on oil cake. Hence, they are not moving about and keep more tender, which is not the case out here, where the cattle through roving about become tougL" His remarks occassioned a good-humoured storm of protest from the members of the Union. Some of the Welsh place-names are hard ;o beat for length, and harder to pronounce, but some of the ancient Maori place-names run the Celts fairly close. Two men on a service car down the East Coast were discussing names. The conversation turned on some of the better-known Maori names, such as Kikowhakarewa, and everyone in the car contributed something to the controversy. The man who won the competition was a sheep farmer from up the coast, who produced (and pronounced) Pipiwhenuatauwhareparae, which is the name of a hill up toward the East Cape.

The attention of readers is drawn to an advertisement appearing in this issue with regard to the proposed formation of a W.E.A. Circle in'; Nelson. As is generally known, the movement is unuer the direction of Professor Shelley of Canterbury College. The course proposed is one in Nineteenth Century Art, and Musio and will take the form of written lectures accompanied by appropriate gramophone records, pictures, copies of plays and other accessories necessary to a thorough, appreciation of the particular subject. There is nothing sectarian in the movement and it is hoped that a large number will be present at the Institute on Tuesday evening) when full information will be available.

It is typical of an Englishman to keep up his spirit in adverse circumstances. This-morning hearty community singing was indulged in by a number of men in the Nelson gaol. It evidently takes more than the atmosphere of the Jock-up and an impending charge in Court to dampen the spirit of some prisoners. Visitors to Wellington who take /an /interest in Maori affairs will appreciate an opportunity to view an extraordinary line model Maori canoe, which will be on exhibition until 20th May. This model, which is between five and six feet in length, is the work of Mr L. S. Mackie, of Otakeho, Hawera, and represents 700 hours of work. Everything is exactly to scale and every detail is complete, whether in the actual carving or in the internal fittings. So fine is some of the carving that one would think that it would have been necessary to use a magnifying glass while working. After the canoe has been exhibited in Wellington it is to be sent down to Duned'in., The hull is made of solid totara, and measures five feet six inches in length. I The prow and stern ornaments, showing the most delicate carving, are veritable triumphs of the carver's art. The side strakes are of carved rimu, and the thwarts of matai. The gratings inside are of manuka, the lashings being made of dressed flax finished off with real albatross feathers. The paddles havo carved handles, as has also the baler. All the fittings usual to a Maori war canoe are there, even to the big stone to serve as an anchor. The model as an oxample of what can be accomplished by patience is worth seeing: but its interest and value is greatly added to by the fact that it is an exact representation of an art which may before long be lost to the Maori. Students of the Maori will find it valuable; others will find it fascinating.

Though New Zealand is a primary producing country largely reliant upon I scientific assistance to agriculture for her exports, there is a dearth, of reliable information on productive methods and processes. This deficiency is being remedied by the work of the recently established Farm Economics Branch of the Department of Agriculture. No one in New Zealand, for instance, knows what is the normal yield of an acre of apple orchard, or even the true average of an acre of wheat. There are production statistics, but they are admitted to have been roughly kept and to include a liberal margin of error. With selected farmers and selected farms, groups of statistics are now being compiled which will bo invaluable in the future when questions arise of what classes of land respond best to certain treatment for cetain crops. There will be compiled, exact knowledge available, the product of years of close observation by competent men, and a gap in the Dominion's statistics will be filled. "

The current issue of the "New Zealand Gazette" contains a list of the kinds of imported game and native game which may _be killed in each acclimatisation district. Californian quail and grey duck may be killed in the Nelson district; and Californian quail, grey duck, spoonbill duck, and black swan in the Marlborough district. Godwits and knots may be taken or killed in the Nelson district from Ist January to 31st March, 1931 (both days inclusive). It is also pointed out that under the Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921-22, it is illegal for any person to take or kill any protected birds, or have in possession the skins, feathers, or eggs of any such birds, without the consent of the Minister of Internal Affairs. It is also illegal for any person to rob or destroy the nest of any bird to which the Act applies. Every person who offends against such provisions is liable to a fine of £25 for every such offence. The pub-, lie are _ earnestly requested to assist in preserving for posterity the native birds of New Zealand. It is illegal, without the authority of the Minister of Internal Affairs, to take any dog or firearm on to a sanctuary, or to' discharge any firearm or explosive thereon, or to do anything likely to cause any bird or animal to leave a sanctuary.

Fifteen. notifications of bankruptcy are contained in the latest issue of the "Gazette."

The attention of holders of all licenses (other than motor drivers) is drawn to the advertisement in this issue notifying that their licenses expire on and must be renewed before the 31st instant. Existing licenses must be produced at the time of application for renewal.

The annual Easter camp of the Nelson Methodist Young Men's Bible Class Union will be held this year at the Maitai Revive, Nelson, from Thursday, 17th April, till Monday, 21st April. Campers will be under ideal conditions in the best of company. The programme at these camps is never dull —plenty of fun, sing-song, sports, organised games, live meetings, study circles —in addition of course to meals and an up-to-date canteen. There is plenty of variety and campers have every opportunity to develop four-square—sgiritually, physically, mentally, socially. Anyone interested should apply immediately for further particulars to Mr S. Russell, 117, Bridge street, Nelson. i