LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

During tlio progress of the Waikato Summer Show on Thursday a spectator was examining some i'riesian bulls, when one of them attempted to gore him. 'lhe man was not hurt, but his clothes were ripped down tlio back.

Interesting results are promised by the scheme in operation at the Seddon Memorial Technical College whereby boys who are below a certain physical standard are given a pint of milk a day. The experiment has been in operation for over four months and provisional tests show an increase in the height and weight of boys taking milk as compared with a control group. The experiment will be continued at least until the end of the year, when a general comparison will be made. No trouble is experienced in the distribution of the milk, the boys themselves lending everv assistance

If there were such a thing as a society for the prevention of cruelty to trees it would find a clear case for action in Parkfield .Terrace, Grafton, just now. Ornamental deciduous trees have been planted on both sides of the street, and are promising nicely, but quite a number of them have been lashed tightly to stout poles and left. As the inevitable result of the growth of the trees the lashings have cut deeply into them, choking the flow of sap and in some cases distorting the whole shape of the tree.

The strong westerly gale on Thursday wrenched the minute-hand from tho southern face of the clock in tho I'eriy Buildings tower. The hand broke off short, but did not fall to the street, being caught in the parapet. A new hand was fitted to the clock yesterday morning. Tho temporary damage to the southern face did not affect the functioning of tho hands on the other throe faces of the clock.

Judging for the Seddon Memorial medals, presented every year to pupils of tho Seddon Memorial Technical College who show outstanding work, is now in progress. The competitions arc conducted for pupils in the trades sections, who are invited to submit work which is judged by outside persons representative of the respective trades. Two medals were awarded ori Thursday evening.

The gate takings at the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Summer Show on Wednesday and Thursday totalled £197. The takings for the 1929 fixture were £230, and for the 1928 show £4fio. Wet weather was experienced this ye;*,,

Ta have a daphne plant uprooted and removed entire by some unauthorised person was the experience of a Christchurch resident recently, and the loss was all tho greater as the owner had just arranged for the sale of tho flowers to a city florist at a satisfactory price. The owner felt more than compensated, however, when she picked up alongside the spot at which the daphne plant was taken out of the ground a wallet containing £7 10s. This, she considers, may have been left as payment for the plant.

A request was made to the Minister of Public Works recently by a deputation from the Port Christchurch League for an additional Government subsidy up. to £2OOO to enable a detailed report on the Christchurch port scheme to be obtained from Professor Hornell. The acting-Prime Minister, Hon. E. A. Ransom, has replied that tho Government is unable to accede to the league's request. " The Government," he states, "lias already subsidised to the extent of £IOOO the cost of a commission, which recently investigated the same scheme, but in view of the financial stringency at present the Government is compelled to restrict as far as possible further grants and subsidies to services of an essential nature only. It is also considered inappropriate that the Government should be called upon to further subsidise funds for any proposal for local works which may have a deleterious effect upon the financial operations of Government railways in the vicinity and cause an increased loss of public money for which the general ratepayer will bo responsible."

Lake Ellesmere, in Canterbury, is still 25in. above the zero mark on the gauge, and consequently an area of about 15,000 acres of land, which is normally dry at this time of the year, is submerged. The outlet to the sea is still blocked, and the lake is nearly 3ft. above the half-tide level. In the spring and summer, the lake usually recodes, permitting grazing to bo carried on on the flat land which surrounds it. This year, however, it has remained at a high level for some months, and the result is that the grazing country is still submerged.

A very mean theft was perpetrated at the Roman Catholic Presbytery in Inveicargill recently, says tho Southland Times, when somo person helped himself to about 100 bulbs, tho property of the Rev. Father Howard, whoso exhibits of seedling narcissi at both Milton and Invercargill horticultural shows havo excited warm admiration. Father Howard had lifted the bulbs for the purpose of replanting, but was called away, with tho result that the bulbs wero left on the lawn overnight. When ho went to attend to the bulbs next morning they had vanished. The thief must have brought somo vehicle into tho vicinity to removp so many bulbs.

"A man has to study 12 months U> procure a certificate to permit liirn tc put a few sticks of firewood under n boiler, yet he is allowed to drive a 50 horse-power machine along the road with very little restriction," remarked Mr. W. C. Green, chairman of the Egmont County Council, the other day, when discussing tho proposed new motor regulations. Mr. J. S. Tosland said there wore somo offenders among motor drivers who should bo brought to book, but there were others so considerate that ouo felt inclined to lift one's hat to them. Membors agreed that it was want of knowledge that caused many of tho offences.

An interesting fact in relation to the working of tlio scholarship system in England is related by Professor lMunt at Christchurch. In the course cf lijs recent stay in England ho said he had noticed a letter in the Times, in which the writer had maintained that English secondary school boys tfere being overencouraged, and had cited the case of one boy who had gone to Oxford and was receiving from scholarships an income of over £SOO per year, so that he was keeping not only himself but his parents by that means. The professor said that the scholarships would not all be awarded by the college he was attending, for many outside institutions awarded scholarships, and the college authorities had no means of knowing exactly what any student was receiving from scholarships.