LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20084, 23 October 1928, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An inmate of the Waikoria prison farm, Cyril Reynolds, aged 20, was at 1j ge for n, few hours yesterday. He escaped in the morning and was recaptured later at To Awamutu. Reynolds was serving a term of three years' reformative detention.

Two cases of wine were stolen from tlio Crown Wine Company's store in Day Street, Newton, during the week-end. The burglary was discovered yesterday, (he thieves having apparently sampled the contents of several bottles .before making a selection. Entry was effected by breaking a lock.

Injuries to the head were sustained by Mr. A. Treinbath, aged 22, of 8, Iliintingtrco Avenue, Edondale, in a motor cycle accident on Sunday, lie was admitted to the Auckland Hospital yesterday afternoon, and his condition in tho evening was roportcd to bo satisfactory. Tho only Australian representative on the committee of Rotary International, with headquarters at Chicago is Mr. L. Moddern of Ballarat, who is passing through Auckland by the Niagara on his way to Chicago to attend a conference of tho committee on November 12, 13 and 14. Mr. Maddern said thero were only six representatives outside the United States on tho committee, and he hoped to bring back with him helpful information for Australian clubs.

The rainfall in Auckland for tho 24 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday was ,97in., and of that amount about ,75in. fell within three hours at the tiuio of the heavy rainstorm early yesterday morning. The month's rainfall to date is 3.36 in., which is .55in. below the average rainfall for October. Tho weather was showery until nearly mid-day yesterday, when the wind changed from tho north-east to tho southwest, and afterwards sunshine prevailed. Tho barometer at one o'clock yesterday morning had fallen to 29.50 in. It remained steady throughout the day, and last evening there was a slight rise, the reading being 29.60 in.

"New Zealand lias the largest timber trees in tlio world," said Mr. E. Morrison in a lecture 011 "New Zealand Timbers," before (be Institute of Horticulture last evening. Ho said it bad been clearly shown that New Zealand's trees wcro not of slow growth compared with the best timber trees of other countries.

A dead whale recently reported by the* steamer Totara to havo been floating off Capo Egmont has since come ashore threoquarters of a mile south of tho lighthouse. It is between 60 and 70 feet long and is in a decomposed condition.

In recent seasons there has been a shortago of fruit packers, and commercial orchardists in Poverty Hay have suffered some delays 111 connection with the packing of fruit for export. It is proposed this year to initiate packing classes for youths and girls, and so to build up a reserve of local skill upon which the fruitgrowers may draw. Packers mal;e good wages, and tho work is expected to appeal to many girls and youths as a seasonal occupation.

Some interesting sidelights on the relation of pigs' food to the market value of pork were given at the meeting of the Inglewood Bacon Company recently. Whey and grass fed pigs wero the worst he had to handle, remarked the manager, Mr. J. Allan, for their flesh was yellow and unsightly and difficult to market. In fact, such might bo regarded as second grade pork. To a questioner Mr. Allan added that pigs topped off with rape were worse than those fed on whey. Pigs fed on skim milk gave. good, white, fat and bright lean, making splendid bacon for immediate use, but not for keeping purposes. Tho chairman, Mr. Arthur Morton, remarked that when in Scotland 110 saw somo Inglewood pigs being cured as bacon and was informed that they suited tho requirements admirably. He emphasised' tho fact that no pig should bo delivered at the factory until it had been at least three weeks off green feed.

With tho object of increasing traffic safety, a proposal that tho Government should pass a law making it compulsory that all bicycles in New Zealand and future importations should be painted white, was mado by Mr. A. C. Wilson, a Christ church business man, m a letter to tho Canterbury Automobile Association last week. Mr. Wilson also suggested that the railway crossing keepers at. the Colombo Street crossing should be required to wear whito overalls so as to be moro easily distinguished from other pedestrians. The suggestions wero referred to a subcommittee for consideration.

Speaking at tho conference of dairy factorv managers and directors at Wanganuflast week, Mr. N. Fulton, Government grader, drew attention to tho condition of samples of cheese-crate battens taken from produce in the cool store. Some of the samples left room for improvement, both in regard to sizo and quality of pinus insignis timber. Mr. Fulton said it would appear that some of the pinus insignis battens were being used before tlio timber had been given the necessary drying out, therefore tending to show mould. As fanners, they would recogniso that (hat was bad business.

A type of soro throat, associated with influenza, is fairly prevalent in Christchurch at present. It is accompanied by severe pain at the back of the throat. There is acute inflammation of tho palate, and the tonsils are affected, but only as a secondary matter. The troublo is liablo to get down to tho bronchii, and if power of resistance is lowered by previous impaired health, the affection may develop into pneumonia. The type of influonzn, a doctor states, is of a somewhat sovcre form.

"Know him! Of courso I know him." indignantly replied a swartliy middle-aged citizen, who came beaming out of the hall after a recent election address. lie had been conversing with tlio Prime Minister and was subjected to the query by a mate. "I just wont up to him, tapped him on the shoulder and said 'Hullo Gordon !' Ho know mo. I was in tho trenches with him."

At a recent mooting of tho Oxford branch of tho Canterbury Farmers' Union, tho highway tax on traction ongines was discussed. It was slated that an ordinary motor-car owner on paying £2 2s 6d per annum, can uso the roads in any part of tho Dominion, but a traction engine owner must pay £5 2s 6d to tho local authority in whoso district ho rosides, ana £6 in respect of each local authority into whose district he takes his engine. By this it would appear that a traction engino owner in Oxford, besides paying his local tax, would bo liablo for about, £2O additional taxation if ho were to take it to Christchurch for repairs.