LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 August 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The constniction of the new road between Tarakohe and Wainui (3 miles) is now approaching completion. In the House of Representatives Mr E. E. Healey (United, Wairau) gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether it was his intention to impose a dumping duty on Australian feed barley.

The Ronga Valley-Croixelles road construction work is now practically completed. Over 60 men were paid” off lastweek.

The Minister of Agriculture stated to day that arrangements had been made by Mr Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, with Professor Riddet for the cheese instructors of the Dairy Division to spend some days this week at the Dairy Research Institute at Palmerston North, to discuss various questions relating to cheese manufacture. The arrangement will enable all of the officers devoting their whole time to instruction work to get more closely acquainted with the work being done at the institute in connection with cheese, and also with various tests of milk as carried out in the institute’s laboratories. The excellent co-operation existing between the institute staff and officers of the Dairy Division should help to make this conference a particularly valuable one and further co ordinate the work of dairy research and instruction. —Press Association.

Mr George Ford, of Waimea street, writes:—“On Spud Monday we were digging new potatoes instead of planting them—not self sown ones, but planted. We had them for dinner on bpud Monday.”

A jumble sale in aid of St. Joseph’s new school takes place-on Friday afternoon next at 2.30. Goods of all descriptions, useful and ornainontnl, will be on sale, also nroduce including dress-

ed poultry together with butter, eggs, and cream. Light afternoon teas will be provided. Gifts intended for sale will bo gratofully received on Thursday and on Friday morning at the hall or | at the presbytery.

The quickest, safest relief for constipation is to take Dr. Don’s Laxative Granules. These are prepared from the prescription of a Now Zealand doctor Dr. Don’s Granules are non-habit form ing and are easy to take. A Free tried package will be sent on receipt of a ?d I stamp. —R. W. Martin. Chemist.*

The Public Works’ Department report that the survey is now in progress for the proposed improvement to the Hope Saddle road.

In reply to Mr 11. E. Holland’s representations to resume dredging operations in the Buller River and tfie re-employ-ment of the harbour staff at Westport, the Minister of Marine states that the dredger Maui will be put into commission as soon as the necessary preparations to do so are complete. The Eileen Ward will go on the slip at Wellington when she is prepared for the journey to that port, but will not resume dredging before she leaves Westport. Police handbills usually set the same price on a wanted man whether dead or alive. A woll-known Rotorua farmer has reason to regret, says the “Rotorua Chronicle,” that pedigree dairy stock are not valued by the same standard. Two cows were sent from a farm in the Waikato. One gave a yearly average but-ter-fat- production around the 5001 b. mark and the other was a close follower. They went by train to Rotorua to be sent to a farm along the Te Ngae Road and were duly met and started along their journey. The drover did not know the country well. Night came on, with the cows only a couple of miles along their way and he turned them aside into a paddock for the night. Next morning the cows were not to be seen. Inquiries were made at a large building standing near by, the cows described minutely and their glories extolled. The man in charge looked aghast. He said he had seen the animals and they were even now in another part of the building. They were. The building was the municipal abattoirs and the cows were hanging by the hind legs from hooks in the ceiling. Later, the two animals, for which the owner had refused £2O apiece when alive, were sold to a butcher for a little over £6.

Explaining in an address at St. Mary's, New Plymouth, the difficulty of accurately defining each race’s meaning of the word cruelty, the Bishop of Waiapu repeated an interesting old-time Maori criticism of the British. When certain Maori chiefs had visited the Rev. Samuel Marsden at Sydney they came back shocked at British cruelty in that a convict had been sentenced to death Tor stealing a pig and that he was not to be hanged for two or three weeks. The Maoris considered the penalty was too severe as the convict “probably only stole because he was hungry.” But they considered the real cruelty lay in keeping the man awaiting death for two or three weeks. “Had a slave of mine stolen,” said one chief, “and I considered lie would be better out of the way, I should have come behind him and split- his skull with my mere. He would not have known punishment awaited him in the cruel fashion of you Eng-, lishmen.”

An appeal for the conservation of mutton-birds is issued by the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society. It is stated that although the birds are still numerous the fledglings are taken for food, while mutton-bird oil has been in demand. The society adds: “If commercialism gets the upper hand, the flocks may be so reduced in size that natural enemies will soon be able to accomplish the final destruction of these unique birds.” A few days ago a lad named Bruce, residing at Port Nelson, took an involuntary plunge into the harbour. He was riding a bicycle and, endeavoured to pull himself up by placing a foot on the girder of the wharf The machine, however, “bucked,” sending the rider headlong into the water. The lad had no difficulty in getting to safety.

: Commenting on the decision of Mr Justice, Hei'dmgn in the Supreme Court at Auckland that Education Boards had not power to dismiss married female teachers, Mr Eric Trevena, a member of the Nelson Education Board said : “The decision is interesting and without doubt proves that the amendments to the Act have been badly drafted. To assume that Parliament intended, whilst giving the Boards power not- to make further appointments that married female teachers should remain in their present positions at their pleasure and that any single female teacher at present employed could marry, and still retain her present position for all time is rather far reaching. I am not discouraged,” said Mr Trevena, “neither have I any cause for regret for the attitude I have" adopted, for I have acted according to my honest convictions as to what I considered right, in view of the present economic state of the country; ‘and I feel sure that it will not he very far distant when the necessary legislation will be brought down, giving the Boards the necessary power to dismiss. Of course,” said Mr’ Trevena, “I have no authority to speak on behulf of the Board, but that is my own personal opinion.”

The influence of personality was illustrated at the founding of the Anglican Mission to Maoris by Samuel Marsden in 1814, said the Bishop of Waiapu at St. Mary’s Church, New Plymouth. When the missionaries arrived a barrel containing tools and implements was rifled by the Maoris and the contents stolen. Marsden, though not a man of striking appearance, told the chief that unless the goods were returned he and the'missionaries would go back to Sydney. The Maoris had not asked for missionaries and did not really care whether they stayed or left, but something about Marsden must have appealed to them. The next day all tlie goods were returned but one axe. It was explained that this was held by the Maori who had first rifled the barrel. He had been expelled from the tribe for his offence but it was thought only fair he should be allowed to retain just one axe.

The total tonnage, comprising mostly timber and coal, hauled from the West Coast to Canterbury during July was 50,654 tons, compared with 65,651 tons during the same period last year. The record for one day last year was 3607 tons on 24th July, as compared with 2905 tons on 10th July of this year, At a well-known Wellington Club the other evening, two members, a smoker and a non-smoker, were talking about smoking. The abstainer contended there was no such thing as a really pure tobacco on the market. “Tell me,” he said, “of an imported brand that is not more or less foul with nicotine. Hence my objection to smoking.” “Well,” replied the smoker, “I know of four brands that are practically free from nicotine.” “Name them !” cried the other. “Right! here goes: Riverhead Gold, Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3, and Cut Plug No. 10.” “New Zealand tobaccos, are they not?” queried tho non-smoker. “Yes, and very fragrant and delicious they are, but their outstanding merit is their comparative freedom from nicotine. They are perfectly harmless. You see they are toasted, and the toasting makes all the difference. It takes the ‘juice’ out of them.” The other man looked sceptical. But his opponent was right. Toasting does make “all the difference,” and it is worthy of special note that the only toasted tobaccos manufactured are those mentioned above.*

Good Taste in perfumes and powders is defined by the woman who chooses Godet. Toiletries —those fragrant, delicate creations of the Master Perfumer of France. —W. McKay and Son.* Alfred Gould announces an auction sale of military overcoats and denims, toys, fancy goods, furniture and potatoes at the" Rooms to-morrow at 2 p.m.*

Mental Vigour depends on internal cleanliness. Lubrolax, a combination of Japanese Seaweed and rure Paraffin, absorbs and eliminates intestinal poisons, j Not a In 'h purgative.—Nees, Chemist.*

"We do not see why workers should be penalised by the senseless method of distribution which is now carried on,” said Mr J. Purtell when appearing for the Auckland milk roundsmen before the Arbitration Court. "To give an exaggerated instance of the overlapping in the distribution of milk, I was informed by an employer that no fewer than 34 carls distribute milk in one street in Remuera.”

A case, the first of its kind in New Zealand, heard at Balclutha Court (states the "Clutha Leader”) was that in which a Balclutha young man was charged with obstructing the police in the execution of their duty in that he did extinguish the lights of a car he was driving, when the constable was endeavouring to take the number of the car for speeding. The defendant was convicted and fined £3, with 10s costs. Sitting in divorce yesterday afternoon a motion was made before his Honour Mr Justice McGregor to make the decree nisi in the case Cyril Malcolm Rout v. Mary Frances Rout absolute. There were also applications on behalf of the wife for the custody of Rachael Rout and also for permanent maintenance. Mr Moynagh appeared for thepetition'er and Mr Fell for respondent. The decree nisi was made absolute. Ait application of the wife for access to Tancred Rout was refused, but she was by consent 'given custody of Rachael Rout. The application for permanent maintenance was adjourned to the next sitting of the Court in December.

Commenting on the present conditions in Palestine the Rev. W. Wilson Cash, in a recent interview in Auckland, said that a modern city of broad streets had grown up during the past 40 years outside the walls,of Jerusalem. That was the locality where most of the fightiilg took place during the war, and when the Turks were eventually driven out their retreat was made over the Mount of Olives. The movement for the return of the Jews to Palestine was; political rather than religious. They were giving great attention to agriculture and were developing a considerable expprt trade in oranges. They had built a splendid university at Jerusalem.

“In Germany there is a, law that if any person cuts down a tree he mustplant two in its place. It is a pity that we have not such a law in New Zealand,” said Mr W. P< Spencer, chairman of the Ouruhia Domain Board, at an Arbor Day ceremony, when children from the Ouruhia School assembled to plant trees around the park of that name.

For the first time since the Otira tunnel was opened on 4th August, 1923, the annual volume of goods passing from west to east has shown, a decline, reports the Christchurch “Times”. The year which closed yesterday showed a decrease of 158,449 tons as compared with the preceding year. The continued slackness in the timber trade and'the long dispute at the Blackball mine, together with the renewed' importation of Australian coal, are blamed for the decrease. The total amount of tonnage which passed from west to east during the last twelve months was 505,154 tons. For the preceding year the total was 663,603 tons, this being the peak year in the history of the tunnel. Although there has been a big decrease during the past twelve months, the tunnel is still carrying much more traffic than was contemplated by the designers. It was expected that the maximum loads the tunnel would have to carry would be 1000 tons a day, but the past year has averaged over 1500 tons a day, and in the preceding year the average was over 2000 tons for every working day. Railway officers on the Midland line are becoming rather tired of being snowballed almost daily bx,,passengers, says the “Christchurch Times. ; For the past two months,, snow,,-lias.Jain;,in : the sta;tion yards at AVfcnuft’s vPass and Otira' and immediately trains stop —and this is especially the case wtih 'the Sunday excursions—the younger passengers begin to snowball everyone in sight. When the trains re-start, most of these young people take a supply of snowballs aboard and use them to throw at railway officials passed on the line. Recently, stated a senior railway, officer, a serious accident was narrowly averted at one of the Midland line stations. The stationmaster was holding a pointslever, switching a passenger .train on to a loop line. As the train went pass, he was subjected to a barrage of snowballs. It was only the knowledge that, had he let the lever go, the train would have been derailed, with possible loss of life, that enabled him to retain his grip, so heaw was the shower of missiles that descended on him. The Department has also had complaints of the indiscriminate manner in which snowballs are thrown through open windows, to the discomfort of passengers. Occasionally windows are broken by the same agency, but the thrower of the snowball usually fails to see the sport in it when approached by a guard for a contribution of 12s 6d to repair the damage.