LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 3 September 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The old cannon which has stood for many years in the Queen’s Gardens, and which has been a never ending source oi wonder to the children, who were often to be seen clambering over it investigating the mechanism, has now been removed by the City Council to more secluded /surroundings on the other side of the pond in the vicinity of the Suter Art Gallery. The cannon was captured during the Great War by New Zealand troops.

“Tho time has arrived when farmers supplying milk to venders should guarantee its quality,” said Mr I. Massey at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council, states the “New Zealand Herald.” He said it was hardly fair to the vender to . have to shouldei all the responsibility. “Very few suppliers add water to the milk, as it is too risky,” said Mr J. S. Montgomerie. “It is easy to detect and the bigger firms especially have little trouble in this respect. Therefore lam rather surprised at Mr Massey’s suggestion as to the need for a guarantee from the farmer.” “It is perhaps as well to point out that the council'will not tolerate water in milk,” said Mr I. J. Goldstine, “and all offenders will be seriously dealt with in regard to their licences.”

From midnight on Sunday the retail price of petrol in Wellington was reduced to Is 8d for first grade spirit and Is 9d for super, a reduction of 2d a ballon. According to a statement issued by the Wellington Petrol Resellers’ Association, the drop is not due to a change in the wholesale price, but to price-cutting by certain station owners n, the city ami suburbs (reports “Ihe Dominion’'). “As petrol is bought from a common source at a common price, underselling on the part of any one reseller immediately disrupts the whole retail price structure,” says the statement, “Notwithstanding the fact that the new prices, if they are allowed to obtain for any length of time, may mean bankruptcy for several petrol station owners, there seems to be no other course.”

The Auckland City Council decided at its last meeting that the Municipal P»imd be given a further trial for twelve months under the supervision of the Mayor, Mr Ernest Davis, and Messrs 13. Martin and C. Bailey, members o the council, states the “New Zealand Herald.” At the previous meeting ot the council a recommendation was received from the finance committee that Die operations of the band be discontinued as from 30th September. A statement was submitted showing that the cost of the band since its inception was £33,619 and that the amount earned by the band other than council payments for the same period was £4OIB. The matter was referred back to the committee, which recommended that a further trial be given.

“There are few world issues more press than the apparent recklessness with which nation after nation seems to be abandoning those personal liberties of action and speech, and almost of thought, whose vindication we looked upon only a lew years ago as one of the most glorious achievements of heroic souls in days gone by,” wrote Bishop West-Watson in his letter to the diocese of Christchurch in the September “Church News.” \ “We cannot seek truth to order or to pattern,” the bishop adds, “and once the currency of truth is debased, what must be the cost of restoring it?”

Early this month the Shell Company’s motor-vessel Paua will load at Bluff 35,000 feet of Southland-grown piiius insignis which will be used for case-mak-ing. An order for a further 180,000 feet has been received by the Co-opera-time Beech Company of Southland, which is supplying the timber. Condemnation of the practice followed by some farmers of failure to provide sufficient winter feed for 6tock was expressed at a meeting of the Timaru branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The ranger (Mr G. Gliddon) reported that the majority of cases attended by him during the last month related to starving stock, and added that lie had had to destroy several cattle which had been allowed to remain in bare paddocks without .winter feed. He drew attention to a. case where a farmer had seven cows in a 10-acre paddock, which was bare of grass. The cows in their hunger had eaten all the bark of the butts of willow trees and were in a state of semi-starvation. Later, when given straw and swedes they suffered through over-eating and two of them died. Members instructed the inspector to take drastic action in any cases of a similar nature which came under his notice The inspector was also instructed to report on cases where drovers left sick animals in paddocks without attention, as it was stated that sometimes a sick sheep would be put over a fence, and the drover would go on with the mob and fail to return to the animal or notify the owner of the paddock that a sheep had been left in it. The rainfall at Motuelui for August as recorded by Mr 63. S. Huffam was 5.80 inches. Rain fell on twelve days, the maximum precipitation on any one day being 2.41 on the 4th. Mr Arnold Wells reports that the rainfall at Mapua during August was 6.60 inches, the heaviest fall being '2.84 incites on the 4th inst. For the year to date the total is 36.60 inches. Citizens are reminded of the function at the Council Chambers this evening, when the Mayor. Mr O. L. Page, will present to .Mr’W. J. .Moffalt, ex-Mayor, an illuminated address and abook containing the signatures of 10CO Nelsoninns Two chairs will also he presented to Mr and Mrs Moffatt. The ceremony will take place at 7.30 p.m. The Fire Brigade received a call yesterday afternoon to St. Vincent street, where a macroearpn liedre adjoining (lie raihvav fine near Smith’s store was on fire. The blaze was soon extinguished, only slight damage being done.

A complete prohibition of the importation of live poultry into New Zealand from any country, except with the consent of the Minister for Agriculture, is made by an order-in-council published in the “Gazette.” The order revokes an order of 1931, which restricted importations, and will take effect immediately. Tlie phrase “live poultry” includes domestic fowls, ducks, geese, and turkeys.

The new pictorial stamps of Western Samoa wore issued first on 7th August (reports the Auckland “Star” correspondent). The Apia Post Office issued an official first-day cover for use on the opening day of the sale of the new .damps, and with the cover an attractive little pamphlet containing a full de-. scription of the scenes and landscapes depicted on them. As the pamphlet states, the Samoan pictorial stamps constitute a miniature view book of the territory, reproducing some of its most distinguishing features and portraying Jie Samoan in traditional dress and appropriate surroundings. The designs have been artistically done by New Ze.ixand artists, Messrs L. C. Mitchell, J. Berry and W. J. Coocli, of Wellington. The issue consists of nine stamps, of the values gd. Id, 2d, 4d, 6d, Is. 2s, 3s, and the denominations depict, respectively, a Samoan girl in native dress, the town of Apia, a river scene with a Samoan paddling his canoe, a Samoan .iiief with his wife standing ill front ol their typical Samoan “fale,” or house fishermen with their deep-sea “bonito” canoe, a view of Vailima, the tomb of Robert Louis Stevenson, pictures of Lake Lanute’e. and the Fafefa waterfalls, a favourite tourist attraction.

Twenty pedigree sheep valued at £IOOO were shipped from Auckland for Montevideo by the steamer Hertford hist week (states the “Star”). The shipment comprised Corriedale ewes and rams, a Border Leicester ram, and Romney rams, which have been purchased for breeding purposes in Uruguay and the Argentine. Half of them were bought by a Uruguay visitor. Dr. A. C. Uallnial rieber, for his father’s ranches. He previously made a selection from New Zealand studs, but they were unfortunately lost on the voyage, being washed overboard from the decks of the Westmoreland during the voyage. The Auckland City Council decided last week that a suggestion that a control board should be set up to fix the wholesale and retail price of bread was a matter for the Government to deal with, and not the council. The Auckland Master Bakers’ Association had urged that the City Council should set up a committee to inquire into the conditions of the baking trade in Auckland, particularly with reference to the production, distribution and sale of bread.

Boisterous wintry weather conditions have prevailed during the whole of this month in the Lower Waikato district, with the result that there is a great shortage of grass for stock, reports the Star's” Taupiri correspondent. Many farmers have used all their hay, and as there is yet no growth of grass the milk supply is falling off. Cattle in most cases are in poorer condition than is usual at this time of the year, and more deaths among stock are reported. Unless the weather improves shortly the butterfat returns for the spring months will be disappointing.

“To-night you are celebrating your 21st birtndav,” said Professor R. M. Algie in proposing the toast of ‘ Ihe Accountants’ Society” at tho reunion dinner to hono’ur the 21st aniiiversa-vy of the Auckland University College Commerce Students’ Society (reports the “Star”). “I am reminded of what an old friend of mine said at a similar function some years ago,” he added. “Twenty-first birthdays are .a myth, was what he remarked. Pointing to the numerous containers of amber liquid on Die tables, he said, “It is a myth, because you have not yet passed the bottle stage.”

Excellent opportunities for visiting California and British Columbia at special return fares by sailings of the Canadian Australasian Line from Auckland or the Union Royal Mail Line from Wellington during December, 1935, and February, 1936, are announced. These trips will enable those taking them to see such interesting places as Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Francisco, The Yosemitc Valley, Victoria, Vancouver, and the majestic Rocky Mountains. On the way Suva (Fiji), Rarotonga, Tahiti and Honolulu are visited, everyone of which lovely islands is full of interest, with wonderful tropical vegetation and friendly picturesque natives. The tickets are interchangeable bv either of the lines so that passengers may proceed to Vancouver via Suva and Honolulu, and return from San Francisco via Tahiti and Rarotonga, or vice versa, and they are now available for three months from the date of departure from New Zealand to the re-embarkation in North America.