LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 February 1935, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday about 50 male casual employees at S Kirkpatrick and Co.’s factory, who were engaged in stoning peaches, left their work. They later explained to tile foreman that they would ask for an increased rate of pay on the 8d per benzine case handled. Fhe management explained that the payment was more than that paid for similar work in other factories. However, some adjustment was made in regard to small peaches and most of the men returned io work this morning. The secretary of the Collingwood School Committee has forwarded the following letter to Mr Hollis Hill: ‘‘At the last meeting of the Collingwood School Committee, I was instructed-by unanimous resolution of the committee to convey to you very hearty congratulations on the success achieved by Master Joe Benson in winning the Tiiilino_ Scholarship. It is felt that this pupil’s success was largely due to your oilorts in expounding the currculum and also to the great personal interest you took in his work as well as in that of every other pupil in the school. 'I fie members wish to convey to you and to Mrs Hill the best wishes for your future happiness and express the hope that you have already found a congenial field of activity to which to devote your energies.” Bequests* totalling £1595, chiefly to ■Roman Catholic organisations in Canterbury, are made in the will of Mr John Meehan, Waimate, who left an estate valued at approximately £47,000 (states a Press Association telegram troiii Timaru). The chief items are: •€ioo to Sisters of Mercy. South Dunedin; £IOO to Catholic Sisters of the J’oo:, Dunedin; £IOO tc, the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, Auckland; £IOO to the Catholic Sisters, Third Order (Regular) •of Mary, at Makogai, for the purposes 0 f the leper station. After providing for an annuity, the residue is bequeathed to the trustee in perpetuity upon trust to apply the income each year for such charitable purposes and. objects in the provincial district of Canterbury as the Catholic Bishop of Canterbury sltall direct. Two child ren receiving instruction at the New Plymouth muncipal baths iu tile ‘'Learn to Swim Week” campaign can claim something of a record lor rapid progress. Unable to swim at all when instruction began on Monday, on Wednesday they swam 50 and 100 yards respectively for their certificates, Roughly, 250 children are receiving instruction at tile baths. The instructors report- that a large proportion have already learned to swim a. few strokes and to keep themselves afloat, an l that in the main ihere are low afraid of the water. “As far as banking is eoncernd today, wo have passed through a. period which lias been a crisis in the world,” said Mr M. Mailing, manager of the Hamilton branch of the Bank of Australasia, speaking at a, farewell function in his honour this week. “Bank managers have always been a butt, but there are many things they would like to do for their clients which ihoy cannot do,” lie added. “There is nothing wrong with (lie nresent banking system, anrj New Zealand lias the soundest system of the lot.”

Tiic palatial motor-yacht Rosaura owned by Lord Moyne, who is visiting New Zealand with a party of guests, anchored in the roadstead off the. mouth of tim Okarito Harbour, Westland, this week, according to private advice received in Auckland (states the “Herald”). Lord Moyne and a party landed at tile Okarito Wharf from one of the yacht’s launches and left later on a visit to tlie Franz Josef Glacier, 15 miles away. The message stated that tlie conditions on the bar were good. The Rosaura left Wellington late on Monday afternoon on a cruise to the West Coast Sounds. Improvement works being carried out by an Auckland company with the object of opening tlie harbour to navigation have made the visit of Lord Moyne to tlie Westland port possible. Seventy years ago Okarito was an important port and was visited regularly by trading vessels, but subsequently it was closed by the action of the sea. The Auckland company, which has secured rights over large areas of timber lands, is now carrying out works designed to make the port navigable to ocean-going vessels. The works include the construction of a. training wall approximately 800 feet long, which will have the effect of directing the whole force of the .outgoing current to one point and thus open and maintain a deep and permanent channel. Tlie easy entry of the Rosaura’s launch would indicate that the training wall has opened a deep passage to the sea. About 75' per cent, of the C-ook Islands Trading Company’s banana plantation at. Avarua, Rarotonga, was damaged by the recent storm which swept the Cook Islands, and extensive damage also was caused to citrus crops. /Advice to this effect has been received by Air R. AlcKegg, manager of the firm, who is at present in Auckland (reports the “Herald”). Mr AlcKegg said that while his firm’s store buildings had not been badly damaged, it appeared that' Government and other buildings on the lower levels near the harbour of Avarua had suffered severely. Indications were that 75 per cent, of the banana crops in the islands had been destroyed, and it was evident serious damage had been caused to the citrus crops, although it was too early for an accurate estimate of the loss in this direction. “I am afraid that the export trade will he badly affected,” said Mr AlcKegg “and it will be ten months before things are back to normal as far as the export of bananas is concerned.” He added .that replanting operations would be put in band immediately.

In commemoration of the twentieth anniversary this year of the landing at Gallipoli a special stamp is to be issued shortly by the Australian Postal Department. The stamp will be the first issued by any country since -the war dealing with any phase of the conflict,, as it lias been felt by the nations which have signed the international postal agreement that some feeling might be caused if war subjects were used. It has been learned, however (says the Alelbourne “Age”), that the new stamp will be of a commemorative character, and that the design has been approvec. abroad The decision to issue it has followed representations by tlie Federal president of the Returned Soldiers’ League, and the design will include a cenotaph, with a laurel wreath, and the words “Anzac Memorial, 1915-35.”

The new Imperial convoy sloop H.M.S. Wellington, which left. England early this month to replace 11.M.5. Laburnum on ‘he New Zealand station will reach Auckland on 20th May. Her ports of call on the voyage to New Zealand will be Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria Port Said, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, ,Batavia, Bali, Thursday Island mid Sydney. After leaving Sydney the sloop will, call at Wellington, instead of going direct ( to Auckland, because she bear's the name of Wellington, H.M.S. Leith, which ai rived kt the end of last year to replace H.M.S. Veronica, paid a visit ‘to the Scottish port after which she is named before coming to New Zealand. It is customary for cities after which vessels of the Royal Navy are named to present an engraved plate or some similar token to the ship. The sloop will be at Wellington from 13th to 17th May, when sh i will leave for Auckland. Like the Leith, the WelPngtoii is an oil-burner, and is also similar to the other vessel in tonnage, length and armament. The Wellington »vas built at Devonport, England, and was launched on 29th May last year, in the presence of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir James Parr.

Fashion dictates are peculiar, but an Australian visitor told a. "Star” reporter that he had seen more women in the Dunedin streets without stockings in twenty-four hours than would be met with in Sydney in six months. "What’s wrong with the stocking industry?” he asked. It seemed that everybody wanted to follow the fashion, and lie had noticed the same thing in Wellington and. Christchurch as well ,as in the country districts. The practice was one that seemed to he conlined to the dominion. Retaring to Now Zealand after three yours in Rio de Janeiro, the Rev. T. P. YVeatherhog, dean-designate of Hamilton. arrived by the Manama .'his week, accompanied by his wife and small daughter. Mr Weatherhog was last in the Dominion seven years ago, his work having been in the parishes of Whangave:, Otorolianga, Te Kui.ti and Taumai'unui. While in Rio de Janeiro he was chaplain to the British community and also to the Missions to Seamen. “Brazil is definitely not a. white man’s country,” said Mr Weatherhog to tile “New Zealand Herald.” "The climate is too hot and there is a marked feeling against foreigners, efforts being made to supplant them by Brazilians at every opportunity. Like in the British community, numbering some 3000, is pleasant. There, is a wonderful club, catering for every athletic and social activity. In recent, years there has been a slack time ns far as British shipping is concerned, and- the work in the Missions to Seamen lias not been arduous.” One of the features of life in ■Rio de Janeiro, stated Mr Weatherhog, ;vns the wonderful ■ mail service to Europe by the Graf Zeppelin. • It took iu.it three days for mail to arrive from England. The passenger fare was very reasonable, being .£IOO, which was only that of good accommodation on a de luxe liner, inking two weeks for the journey. A lantern lecture is to be given on Monday night at. the Presbyterian Hall by Mr E. Chris, Perry, Dominion secre.tnry nf ilie Mission (o Lepers, who is now visiting the district. The Nelson Auxiliary has been carried on for about 9 years past with good results. Tlie annual appeal for help has been generously responded to by supporters. Mr F. W. Sykes, lion, secretary, in view of his departure will be succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel Bissett, who lias kindly consented to carry on the work. Preparations are well in hand for St. Patrick’s ball, one of the social successes of the reason in Motueka. All visitors are assured of an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. Particulars are advertised in this issue. The- Nelson Silver Band will render a special programme at the Church Slops on Sunday evening under the condiH'torship of Mr G. O. Mocklcr, comi.ieuciiur at 8.1’). A silver coin collection will be taken. Fruit exporters are advised hv advertisement in this issue in regard to arrangements made for the pre-cooling of pears. .

Following Thursday night’s rain the weather was cooler yesterday, and last evening a strong south-easterly wind resulted in a considerable drop in the temperature. To-day bright sunshine prevailed, and with a continuation of the south-easterly winds the weather remained cooler—a welcome change after the hot conditions of the past few weeks.

That an octopus, even though a moderately small one, has sufficient strength to more than hold its own in a tug-of-war with a man was proved by an incident at Point Jerningham, Wellington, this week (states “The Dominion”). A bather who had just left the water was sitting on the beach when, he noticed an octopus swimming, in shallow water near some rocks. It full measurement was probably about five feet, and the man, thinking lie would be able to pud it from the rocks and throw it ashore, made chase and took hold of two tentacles, each about as thick as a broom handle. Despite every effort against it in a continued pull, the octopus not only held its own but steadily backed into deeper water and finally escaped.