NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10633, 5 July 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

A syndicate of motor-car owners is reported to have landed a consignment of motor-car' tyres from Eurone. The landed cost is stated to bo less than half that asked by local dealers, and inquiry is being made as to where the tyres were manufactured.

The most popular fishing water during the past season, with the exception perhaps of Lake Taupo,'was the Hutt river. It is stated that the river carried more rods to the milo than any other water in the Dominion, and some excellent catches were recorded.

Two two-year-old stags and two one-year-old hinds are tp. be shipped from England in October, consigned to the Wellington Acclimatisation ' Society. The New Zealand Shipping Company is bringing the animals out* freight free.

Splitting coins found favour among counterfeiters at one time, especially among the Chinese. Their favourito and most successful deception was to split a genuine silver or gold coin, hollow out tho two halves an the inside, and join them together again over a thin sheet of copper. So cleverlv was this work executed that none but the smart-eat' of the smart Chinese bank officials could detect the fraud.

I "That this conference stronglv supports a forward forestry policy, and recommends that tho whole control of planting, conservation, and use of timber from tho forests of the Dominion bo placed in the hands of the forestry Department."—Resolution passed on Saturday at tho annual conference of the New Zealand Timber Workers' Union on the motion of Mr J. Read.

_ Petty thieving in Otaki, writes the ''Times" correspondent, is becoming n common ocurreneo, and during the past few evenings residences have been visited, and articles stolen. One housewife reports that her meat safe was rifled and contents, together with crockery, stolon, while at a private dance on Wednesday sovcral articles were taken by intruders. The police bavo tho matter in hand and havo n clue to the latter robbery.

The high price of horse feed led to the Auckland carriers recently suggesting to the Prime Minister that the export, of oats and chaff should be prohibited until such time as it was ascertained whether sufficient supplies were available for local requirements. A reply has been received from Mr Massey to the effect that he found, on making; full inquiries, that tho position of. tho oat market would not warrant tho stopping of export or the fixing of prices.

Which is the healthiest place in the world? In the last colonial repo.u from the Falkland Islands the deathrate for 1017 and 1918 was 5.31 .per 1000. During ten years thei death-rate in Enyland and Wales did not droji bolow .13.3, and was as high as 17.6. Yet the climate of the Falkland inlands isj vigorous and the country is more bleak and barren than tho Snefc lands. High winds blow almost constantly, but there is no scarcity of sunshine. To these, Nature's two great disinfectants, is probably due the longevity of the sparse population."

"Tho Origin and Pedigree, of Man" was tho subject of o. lecture delivered to a keenly-interested audienco at the' Thoosophical Hull last evening by Mr J. Zahara. Illustrating his address by the mso of a series of lantern slides, the lecturer described the evolution of the form, dealing specifically with the science of embryology and tho theory of'heredity, and then detailed the evolution of the consciousness, in which ho described the birth of life: Mr Zahara concluded with an explanation of tho theory of reincarnation, and of the deification of man.

It has been the iisual practice for waterside workers to cease work in order to attend' tho funeral of a deceased comrade, and in order that the business of tho port may be carried on, the Welfare League has made suggestions to the federation. One is that, when tho death of a watersidor occurs, only members of the executive of the union,' together with the deceased relatives, attend tho funeral; that the men remain at work, and that tho money earned that day—which, under present oondiUons, is lost—should be paid into a fund for the benefit of the dependants and relatives of the comrade who has passed away.

The members of "The Sleeping Beauty" Pantomime Company will go out to Trentham to-day to entertain the invalid eoldiers.

The R.M.S. Tahiti, with British and American mails, is due at Suva to-day from Vancouver and at Auckland on Thursday.

The deor park at Paraparaumu, which is under the jurisdiction of, tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society, contains 16 hinds, 2 hind calves, and 3 stags.

A Press Asociation message states that the Westralia left Melbourne on Saturday direct for Wellington. The vessel should arrive hero on Thursday and is to sail on Friday for southern ports and .Melbourne.

Yesterday, July 4th, was the 144th anniversary of the. Declaration of independence of America. 'The national holiday is being held throughout the United' States to-day on account of tho anniversary falling on a Sunday this year.

The site chosen at Lower Hutt for a high school for the valley did not meet with the approval of residents of Petone, and a further effort is to be made to have another selected in its place. To that end the Mayor of Petoiw: (Mr J. W. ■ MclSwan) has called a, public meeting.

"Work at tho Extended mine at Huntlv will-bo resumed this morning. Operations ceased a few days ago, first, on account of a shortage of powder, and subsequently because of heating which developed underground. The condition of the workings, however, it, now considered to be safe.

During the year ending Mqrch 31st, 1920, the Wellington Acclimatisation Society liberated 970,500 brown and 179,500 rainbow trout fry in tho district, making a total of 1,156,000 for tho year. During the same period 1600 brown yearlings were also liberated. The cost of trapping the ova was £256 Is 7d.

In tbe Middle Ages, the best treatment for: a "blade eye,-' -we are assured, was a poultice made with the blood of a tortoise. Serpent's skin steeped in vinegar and applied, to the aching tooth would stop the pain, while nervous patients were advised to try ' a concoction of eagle's brains. l'Vijiht could bo cured by talcing a mixture of asparagus and white wine, and. in those old-fashioned days, one could get rid of gastritis by wearing a plaster of roses.

A relic of tho early days of Auckland was discovered during excavations for the foundation of a new building to be erected alongside the old Y.M.C.A. rooms. In the course of the .removal of a bank of earth many years ago, a four-roomed cottage, minus its roof, was filled in with earth. The walls, which have now boon unearthed, have been splendidly preserved, the timber being heart of kauri. Tho house has not yet been fully uncovered.

When the Prince of Wales visited Petone he was prevented from seeing the majority of the early settlers who had assembled there from all parts of the North Island, on account of the largo number of persons who pressed round him. A letter has been received by a lady resident at Petone from Admiral Halsey' expressing the regret of His Hoyal Highness of his inability to carry out his wishes and asked those who were unable to see, to accept his sympathy in their disappointment.

Former pupils of the Chri&tchurch" Boys' High School, now resident in Wellington, have formed a branch of the- Christchuroh B.H.S. Old Boys' Aisociution. Tho following executive was elected at a recent meeting: Chairman, Mr T. R. Crcsswell; honorary eeeretarv, Mr L. H. AVood; committee, Messrs E. T. Norris, M. Burnett. M. O. Barnett, N. A. J. Barker, and O. F. HoultoJi. Until Mr Wood returns from Australia, Mr Burnett is acting as secretary. The first big objective of the branch is to help tho moveiuent for the building of a memorial arch and gateway at the now Boys' School- in Christchurch, in honour of ''ld boys who served in the threat war. It is expected that old boys who are citizens of Wellington will contribute a sum of at least £IOO.

The Commercial Travellers' Aesociation inaugurated a, fund tor the purposo of rendering help to blind soldiers, and appointed trustees to administer it. At a. recent meeting of the trustees several enses came up for conx'deration. . An application from a man who was in receipt of £9 to £lO per week was received; it was decided to take no action. In regard to a blind soldier who recently arrived from England, it was decided to try and (secure him a houee where he would be able to carry on the business of a. masseur, Mrs Cockayne, proprietress of tho Arcadia, is tcj be thanked for giving the yoldicr In question and his wife accommodation free of charge. In another case wliero a blind soldier wantod financial help to carry on his farm work, it was decided to obtain expert adveo as to tho suitability of the land in "question for dairying.

For the last cay of the Wellington Poultry, Pigeon, Canary, and Cat Association the cats wore the principal attraction. For long-haired cats, lira A. Kearns secured the championship. Other prominent prize-winners in the cla-ss were Mrs A. E. Peterson. Madame Mueller, Mrs R. Mason, Mrs W. Winter, Mrs (i. K. Burch, Mrs S. New, Mrs N. Brown. The championship in the Chincella class was won bv Mrs M. L. Bushby. For "smoke" Mrs M. E. Lowe was the chief prize taker; for silver tabby, Mrs 13. New and Mrs J. E. King; for brown tabby, or tawny, Mvs A. E. Peterson; for tortisesliell, A. G. Latimer; for Persian, Mrs R. Bernasconi: for neuter, Mrs F. Moxham; short-haired cats, Miss TV. Thomson. Miss McClure, Mrs W. Winter, Mrs Griffin. Miss D. Ball, Mrs Lane, and F. jßensley. In the" House of Representatives a (serious allegation against the Prisons Departemnt was made by Mr H, E. Holland (Buller). This "was that recently a number of bags of clover hay, hay, chaff, and oats liad been stolen frpm the Forestry Department by the Prisons Department. He wanted to know whether reports had been submitted by the Forestry officials in connection with the matter. One prisoner at the institution concerned, ho understood had admitted to a Forestry official that he had taken 20 bags of chaff and several empty sacks, from the Forestry property, by the goaler's orders, and the gaoler himself had assisted. When one prisoner was asked why he "hod taken the stuff lie replied that lie had to do as ho was told, and that if ho did not he would have little chanca of securing a remission of his sentence. Mr Holland said he beliered a secret inquiry had been held, and the chief ward*? exonerated, but h« a*ked that the Minister in Charge should go into the matter further.