NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11253, 4 July 1922, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Tourist Department has forwarded from Rotorua five crates of 20 live pheasants to Napier by rail, en route for the Wairoa and Waikareanoana portions of tlhe Rotorua acclimatisation district, where they will be liberated in approved localities at the close of the shooting season. The birds are all well grown and in splendid condition, and were among the last reared at the department’s pneasantry, hy Ranger Coibeldick, last season. Some 384 'birds were liberated prior to March 31st, and the ‘balance in the pens will he finally culled over to select the beat birds for next season’s operations.

"A good illustration of the durability of rata trees, left as a forlorn reminder of the one-time glory of hush cover, exists on the northern slopes of the Karori hills near Wellington. The lesser bush in this locality was felled and burnt some forty years agjo, tho tough old giant ratas being avoided as too heavy a proposition for the axemen. Though showing signs of decay, the great tnvisted trunks still raise broken and battered arms skyward in mute appeal against the vandalism of man. The ground from which they spring is reduced to rook and rubble by tho elements and has become a desert useless to man or beast.”—“Forest Service Newsletter.”

In the matter of developing her hydro-electricity sources Tasmania is setting New Zealand a splendid example. The Government is undertaking the work of installation, and is going about it in a manner that is winning commendation from experts. When the installation is complete Tasmania will have one horse-power to every three and a half of the population, compared with Norway’s two horse-power, the United States of America’s three, and Canada’s four, leaving the rest of Australia hopelessly out or it with one horse-power to every twenty-five of its inhabitants. That Tasmania, the smallest State, with a population of 200,000, should have the courage to undertake this work speaks volumes for the energy and far-sightedness of the people.

An examination of the wood infected by borer, which was forwarded to Mr David Miller, the Government Entomologist, by Mr A. Cummings, of Otahuhu, showed that the ghihs were in a very young stage and not long hatched from the eggs. The shape of the holes, combined with a miscrosoopio examination of the grubs, tended to show that the insect was one which is already causing very extreme danger to buildings, so much so in fact that infected parts collapse. 'Mr Miller said the insect was of the “hu !hu” type, but smaller. As the grubs grow they spread in all directions throughout the wood, travelling for many feet if the board will allow. The infested wood becomes honeycombed and greatly weakened. When full grown the grub measures about three-quarters of an inch in length and transforms to the pupa within the wood. From this the adult beetle, a narrow bodied insect about the size of the grub, emerges by cutting through the surface of the wood. In conclusion, Mr Miller remarked that this insect is included in a work he is shortly producing, and is one of the species on which he is working.

The members of the Court of Arbitration went south last niglit. The court sits in Christchurch to-day.

Tile Flora which arrived at Auckland yesterday brought a consignment of 14,000 cases of oranges and 1400 cases of bananas.

During a football match in Northern Wairarapa, A. Galvin, a member of the Hamua team, had a leg broken.

Seven degrees of frost was registered in South Canterbury at the weekend. The barometer fell as low as 29.21 in.

The appeals in the opium cases were dismissed and tho convictions upheld by His Honour the Chief Justice. The palc-a-poo cases have net yet been decided.

In the howling clubs’ Billiards interclub tournament Tliomdon and Kelburn Clubs made a draw, each winning two games at billiards and two at snooker.

The Town Clerk of Pahiatua has received advice that the 'Governor-Gen-eral will perform the unveiling of tho war memorial on the afternoon of Thursday, July 20th.

July Ist was the sixth anniversary of the commencement of the Battle of the Sojnme hy the French and British forces. This battle continued with very little intermission from July until October in 1916.

It is not often that creditor* in a bankrupt estate are gladdened by receiving 20s in the £. But it is announced that such has been the case in the estate of Mr F. A. Carlisle, of Nelson.

“The cheapest land of the Dominion is to be bought in Westland,” was the comment of a visitor to the West Coast. When in Hokitika, he urged Closer settlement in Westland, and the cutting Up ot leasing of some of the larger held areas.

The revenue received from the Napier tramways during the four weeks ended June 23rd was £1053 Is Id, and the working expenses for the same period were £BB4 11s. For the same period of last year the receipts were £1291.17s 5d and the working ex. penses £993 18s.

The "Record” understands the Awarua. Boggy Burn, Browns, and Hedgelrope butter factories {South Island! have sold their surplus stock at a very satisfactory price. The original contract price and the price for the surplus return the factories over lOd per lb.

The usual weekly community “ring” will be held at the Dominion Farmers’ Institute to-day from 1 to 1.45 p.m. Mr Sidney A'llwright is to be the songleader, and the contributions received 1 wall be devoted to the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund for the Civilian Blind.

The number of bankruptcies filed with the Deputy-Official Assignee in Napier for Hie month of June was six. The number for the quarter ending June was 21 and the previous quarter 20, making a total of 41 for the six months this year, as compared with 29 for the whole of 1921.

A Manawiatu “Standard” representative was informed on unofficial hut good authority that the departmental executive heads have advised the Government that the only way to satisfactorily cope with the pressing problems of the returned soldier settlements Js to go an for a revaluation of the properties in the immediate future.

Included in the cargo of the Manuka, which arrived from Sydney yesterday, were 100 Java finches of various colours, 50 parrots, 12 magpies, '2O blue-eyed doves, a crested dove, two red'-rumped parakeets, two king parrots, and eight cockatoos. Some were consigned to a local dealer, and others were going south.

One small cheese factory in the Carterton district that recently sold the balance of iite output will be in a position to pay out Is 2d per wound of butter-fat for the season. This is the lowest pay-out for over ten years. It is understood that other factories in the district have accepted up to 8d per pound for parcels of their cheese output at present lying in cool stores at Wellington.

“Two Australian bushmen, Messrs Jackson and Maclaren, are stated to have established the fastest record in the world at tree-chopping while felling oaks and poplars on the estate of the Marquis of Salisbury, at Hatfield, England. Gome of the trees were over one hundred feet high and ten feeit in girth. They were .cut down in less than three minutes each and logs sawn in fifteen Beconds.”—“Forest Service Newsletter.”

To commemorate the work of their lalte father, Mr Thomas Taylor, of Wakanui (South Canterbury), in the interests of ploughing matches, Messrs Taylor Brothers have announced their intention of presenting the Ashburton A. and P. Association with a memorial shield for amnia 1 competition at ploughing matches. The shield, which is valued at 40 guinea®, will, it is expected, be ready for competition at the forthcoming match.

With reference to the information supplied hy a Rallance settler that spurious coins were in circulation, and that there was an absence of tho genuine ring about them, the Pahdatua “Herald” understands none of the local hanks have discovered 1 any, though it is reported that the last issue of some coins contains less silver than previously, and some persons may, therefore, .he "under a misapprehension when handling them.

A visitor from (Riaeti'hi states that business in that centre at the present time is very quiet, and there are fully a dozen empty Shops which have been vacated during the last six months. Still, for all that, settlers had a very hopeful outlook, and these who could hold on expected to be well on the way to reoovery early in the next year, when the next season’s wool Clip would be available for market. The timber trade was also alack, and at the present time there are not half, the goods trains running on the section of the Hne to Taihape.

How Rotorua suffers from the false and senseless rumours disseminated in connection with the seismic disturbances in the Taupo district is illustrated by the experience' of a visitor, a gentleman from a not very distant part of the Auckland province, who arrived here a few days ago (says the “Rotorua Chronicle”). He stated that when ho announced his intention of coming to Rotorua, he was met with a chorus of surprise and of protest against his temerity in venturing into such a dangerous locality. He disregarded these warnings, however, and has had no reasons for regret, for since his arrival here he has _ had a decidedly pleasant time. It is, of course, to be regretted that siuch nonsensical rubbish is being talked about a place whioh has been, for all practical purposes, absolutely unaffected by the Taupe troubles, but then there is no putting padkek^fta^faaltf

The building trade still continues slack in Pahiatua. No permits have been issued by the borough for some months past.

For the half-year just ended, there were two bankruptcies in Pahiatua. None of these were recorded during the past month.

Four Chinese rooks, blue plumaged birds, with heads something like pigeons and legs like a crane, and also two black Australian magpies, arrived by the Manuka yesterday for the Wellington Zoo. The second portion of the interesting article, “Immigration Within tihe Empire,” by hi eut.-Co lonelL. S. Amery, M.P., a paper read at a meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, London, will appear in Saturday’s issue.

As a result. of the appeal recently made on behalf of the Russian Famine Fund, the sum of £ll3 was remitted by the Mayor of Wanganui to the Minister for Internal Affairs to be forwarded to the proper authorities in the Old Country.

Mr F. .T. Partridge, foreman stevedore to the New Zealand Shipping Company at Auckland, while coupling two trucks on the wharf had his head jammed between them. He was conveyed to the Auckland Hospital in a serious condition.

Over sixty licenses for opossum taking have been issued by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society for the present season, which opened on Saturday, but so far no reports have been received as to results. Last year (ifty-one licenses were isssued.

The Postal authorities have received cable advice from Sydney that the Ulimaroa left on the Ist instant for Auckland. She carries 46 hags of mails for Wellington, including 28 from Australia, two from beyond, and 16 parcel receptacles.

Palmerston North business men have decided on a scheme to hold a “shopping week” about the next spring show or Christmas week (writes the “Times” correspondent). Details of the scheme have been left in the hands of a special committee. It was suggested that free special trains might be run. one from Taihape and another from the Wairarapa.

There used to he a farm on the Richmond river with some beautiful trees on it, says the “Sydney Sun.” When a new man bought it he cut all the trees down. When someone remonstrated with him, and pointed out that, apart from their beauty, the trees provided shade and shelter for his cows, he replied, **l want my bloomin’ cows to eat grass and make milk, not to sit in the shade.”

During the month of June the estates of the following deceased persons in this district were accepted for administration by the Public Trustee, namely:—J. A. D’Orsa, blacksmith; E. E. Coleman, spinster; Catherine Hayes, widow; Edith Jones, waitress; Edward J. Von Dadeiszen, gentleman; James Smith, stone setter; Jane Foster, widow; Agnes MoKeown, domestic duties; Joseph Shearer, seaman: J. A. C. Lang, labourer; L. H. Cordon, collier; E. J. Kime, civil servant; Harry Guttery, labourer; Thomas Humphrey, retired farmer; E. P. V. Hare, Chemist assistant.