LOCAL GOSSIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22172, 27 July 1935, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP

lit MKIICUTIO

ITieV are becoming very agitated in the South Island because the Government proposes to hand over to the Main Highway Board the road to Milford Sound, the construction of which •was begun with so much enthusiasm. It is to be hoped this work isn't going to develop into a poor unwanted road that everybody would be proud to have if somebody else would only build jfc Things seem to be tending that But the habit must not be allowed to spread. The Public Works Department- has another bright enterprise on hand, the Lewis Pass Road from Canterbury to Westland. Suppose it decides to pass that on to fornebody else. The good American phrase about passing the buck will j, ave to be turned into "passing the road." an entirely different thing, by the way, from roading the pass. But if the ingenious device is really workable, and cun be extended, what a pity jt was thought of so late. Suppose the Government could have found somebody it could have handed the Otira tunnel to before it was fiuishod!

t member of the council says lie does not wish to ?ee a Continental Sunday ' in Mt. Albert Borough. One wonders whether, evca if he were differently minded, he would ever see it. The good suburban folks of Mt. Albert are not given tc Parisian levities. It is left to Hillsborough or Glendowie to bo the Montmartro of Auckland.

The hectic last-minute rush of business negotiated by Mr. Coates as he left- London was very impressive; but not half so impressive as the photograph of Mr. Coates in Court dress. What with braided coat and kneebreeches and buckled shoes, o:ae felt that the bucks of the Regency were out-moded and the heroes of full periwig days tottering on their thrones of romanticism. So majestic a mien, so imposing a. presence could more than hold its own' with the beef-eaters of Britain. In fact, a front like this —front being used strictly in its Shakesperean sense—seems far more aristocratic than in tune with the democratic spirit of this country. But is Mr. Coates really looking forward to being democratic when he gets back to New Zealand? The answer to that hinges on the new meaning given in some circles to the word nowadays. When he sets, about campaigning in Kaipara before long Mr. Coates will certainly make it clear that he is no Democrat, in the [particular meaning that term will have then and there.

This one comes from the Winterless North —from Hoteo, in fact. He was not to be put off by floods and kept his date with her. She protested prettily at such devotion. "But," he said, looking ruefully at his dripping trousers, "I'm knee-deep in love with you." "Okay," she heartlessly replied, "I'll put you on my wading list."

Aw Auckland doctor says defective teeth and tonsils are due to the tendency to drink food and not to eat it. That i 3 surely a new one. The vulgar have sometimes been heard talking of beer chewers, but never of bun-drink-ers. It is a happy thought, nevertheless. The nest time John Citizen finds it impossible to masticate a tough steak or scone he can drink it. Is ■there a correspondence course for this ?

From the age of 12 American schoolgirls pluck their eyebrows, pencil their faces/tint their fingernails, rouge, lipstick and all the rest of it. And, according to an ex-New Zealand schoolmistress, the same barbaric (or civilised?) customs apply in Vancouver. Girls even sit in class in shores, stockingless and in sandals to reveal the tinting of their toe-nails. What would be the reaction of lliss Johnstone or Miss Loudon, Miss Edwards or Miss Clouston to this soft of thing. A very healthy and prompt reaction, we may be sure, and thank goodness for their common sense and for the natural complexion of the New Zealand, schoolgirl.

* A food deal of discretion and "vns3om have to be used in connection with eliminating interference," said the -fo»tmaster General to a deputation 01 listeners who came with plaints about the noises that interfered with the perfect enjovment of radio programmes. In other'words, it is necessary to be careful about interfering with the interferes But after all the problem is not so modern as it sounds. Radio listening may be very new, but the exasperation felt at the intrusion of unwanted noises is not. For many days it was necessary to use a very great deal of discretion and wisdom in connection with eliminating the sounds of scales being P**actised by the girl next door who had aspirations toward a musical career, or the lad down the road who wanted to earn a bugler's badge. Neighbours feuds could be caused so eas.ily and last so lorig. That is to sax, the impulse to bat that girl over the head or gently but firmly drown the lad With his bugle hung round his neck as a make-weight had to be resisted at all costs. The coming of radio may have helped to eliminate these noisies. The people who ( deplore the decline of real music in the home infer so. Still, it has brought its own annoyances with it, a fact which merely proves again that life i? hard and fate is cruel; but it didn't need radio to prove that.

The old saying "save us from our friends" its penalty for Mr. Havward Wright, tbe Avon dale nurseryman, who lias achieved great success in crossing and grafting sweet and mandarin oranges suitable for this climate and certain' soils of the North. The Herald, alter an investigation, was convinced tliat Mr. Wright's researches had placed in the hands of orchardists the basis of n great industry which in due course will make the Dominion independent of outside citrus fruit supplies. Representatives saw and tasted a targe variety of fruit, took its photo-

Sfaph, and informed the public that the right, sorts, rightly grown behind Proper shelter, Mould have a fine marAt on re the public invaded Mr. "right's njirsery and instead of tastthe specimens Mr. Wright offers in ?bundancp, did some surreptitious pick,r, £ on their own. Among the loot were for the proper ripening of which Mr, Wright had 1m >en anxiously await--2?" ( ' r ' iri ! ,s he wanted to know if the fruit of a Loo Tim "sport" grafted on to a trifoliata stock would be better than a Best seedling budded to a Cleo- „ P&tra. Some of the specimens taken by may have been grown 'to prove definitely that their hereditary must Wfake them'duds. However, there it is. Mr. Wright's problem seerns to lie to •f.y the foundations of a citrus industry "without shoplifters taking away part of the fruit of a great horticultural brain.