NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The supply of good water to the Franklin Hospital, situated \near Waiuku, is a problem still to be faced. Several bores have been put down, and it was thought that the last one, which had a splendid flow, would have been suitable, but such has proved not to be the case, much to the disappointment of those most deeply interested.

There commenced yesterday at the Ruakura Government farm school a special course in agricultural science for instructors and others. The course is being conducted by the Department of Agriculture in co-operation with the Auckland Education Board. Forty instructors in agriculture and teachers interested in agricultural education will be present, representatives from Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wanganui, Canterbury, and Auckland having signified their intention of attending. This is the first course of its kind ever held in the Dominion, and it is expected that the results of the instruction, debates, and lectures will prove of inestimable benefit.

Members of the Federated Seamen’s Union who were thrown out of employment at Dunedin when the recent shipping dispute commenced are, gradually joining up with various ships. Several men have already “drifted” to other ports and found employment (says an exchange). About twenty-one seamen, firemen, and greasers joined the Union Company’s cargo steamer Kaikorai at the Bluff, replacing non-union members of her crew. The Waitomo, which signed on a new union crew at Port Chalmers, absorbed about twenty-seven men. There are still fully 100 seamen, firemen, trimmers, and greasers out. of employment in Dunedin, but these, no doubt, will all be placed within the next week or two.

Apropos to the story of the bees on a truck of wool loaded at Douglas (Taranaki) for Wanganui, the sequel which took place in the Loan and Mercantile Company’s shed at Castlecliff was rather interesting. The woolshed staff, not expecting to meet with such things as bees in a truck of wool, pulled off the tarpaulins in the usual manner, and they were, much to their astonishment immediately surrounded with a cloud of bees. They beat a hasty retreat, and left the truck in glorious isolation for the rest of the afternoon. Finally the bees were persuaded to accommodate themselves to the confines of a box, which was taken possession of by one of the staff, who will now put them to a much better use.

By means of the proposed stock drive the Wairarapa P. and A. Society anticipate that £IOOO to £ISOO will be raised. As a difference of opinion has arisen at Port Chalmers as to the most suitable site for the proposed soldiers’ memorial, a public meeting of subscribers is to be called to decide tiie question. Abnormal quantities of fruit arrived at Wanganui during the last week, and a good deal of it was in bad condition, particularly the southern consignments. A good deal of 'the fruit was dumped. It is now hoped to have the official opening of the Wairoa. hydro-electric scheme performed about the first week in March. Everything is in readiness. The Power Board is in the meanwhile playing a waiting game until tho Prime Minister and the Minister for Public Works can come through. It is understood that the conference of experts dealing with electric power matters in the Wanganui-Rangitikei Power District has come to a tentative agreement. The report should be received in Wanganui during the next few days, and should be one of the matters discussed at next week’s meeting of the Wanganui-Rangitikei Power Board.

In reporting a picnic held by the staff of a contemporary journal, the “Wanganui Herald” Temarks sarcastically: “The ‘Chronicle’ staff turned out in full force for their annual picnic today. A conspicuous object on one of the lorries as it passed along the Avenue was a demijohn. This, no doubt, contained the milk for the afternoon tea.”

Advioe has been received by the Wanganui Hospital Board that it has been granted a further instalment of £IB,OOO of its loansfor £50,000. This is the seoond instalment, the Board previously receiving £12,000. Of the sum now received £6500 will be spent in the erection of a nurses’ home at Taihape, ,and £BSOO in building a similar institution at Wanganui. A meeting of cycle manufacturers, racing cyclists, athletes, and all others interested in the proposed formation of an Athletio and Cycling Club was held at Dunedin. A club was formed, to be called the Dunedin Athletic and Cycling Club. It was proposed to apply for affiliation with the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union, and a further meeting .will be called to elect officebearers. The family with the pram which is migrating slowly northwards from Wellington is said to have reached Mauriceviile. A farmer at Rangitumau reports that he offered the man work, and he stayed the night in the woolshed with a view of starting the following morning. When day dawned, however, he had changed his mind, and with his family and belongings he once more took to the road.

“Even we have had enough rain to last us for some time,” remarked a Poliangina Valley farmer in conversation with a “Manawatu Standard” reporter. Farmers, he added, had a habit of calling out for rain, but they would be quite satisfied to see a month’s dry spell. It was becoming a difficulty to keep down the growth of grass, and in some paddocks it was going rank. Crops, too, were suffering, and potatoes particularly would be a bad speculation.

The chairman of the Franklin Hospital Board said that the terrible scourge of consumption seemed to be very prevalent just now, judging by the large number of cases which had been dealt with at the last two meetings, where many applications were made by those who needed assistance to help them to get to a sanitorium. The usual course adopted is to first send the applicants to the hospital annexe shelters at E/p----som for the report of the medical superintendent there before patients are recommended for treatment elsewhere.

At a meeting of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation at Nelson, it was reported that an agent had been authorised to purchase 50,000 cases of fruit for South America, but that his buying orders had been countermanded from South America, owing to a report that New Zealand was consigning 16,000 to 20,000 cases to that market. It was decided to cable contradicting the report. The Nekon fruitgrowers’ share of the 50,000 cases of fruit to fill an American order was 5500 cases, and comprised 2300 cases of Delicious apples, 1000 cases of Adams Permain, 1500 cases of Jonathan, and 700 caseß of Monr®.

The Mount Cook district is establishing a record for a greater number of climbs this year than for some considerable time past. Although the mountains have not been in the very best conditions for the very high climbs such as Mount Cook itself or Tasman, yet the lesser peaks such as the Minarets, Footstool, Hochstetter Dome, Sealey, etc., have been in excellent'* trim, and have all been ascended. At the present time a number of good climbers, including Professor Algie; and Mrs Algie, of’ Auckland, Mrs Mumm, of the British Alpine Club, and Mr and Miss Manning, of Australia, are attempting various climbs of a more or less difficult nature.

It is not every day that one hears of an irascible Scotchman, but that he is not extinct was lately dofflionstrated to at least one astounded spectator (says the Napier “Telegraph”). A threshing contractor in Central Hawke’s Bay was doing some work on a farm belonging to a man from the land of oatcakes. Hearing a great commotion in the milking shed, the contractor investigated. Imagine his surprise to see his temporary employer astride a bailed-up cow, equipped with spurs, and digging into the animal much the same as the 'modern Tod Sloan does in a hard fought race. It appears that the poor cow had landed its owner a beautiful kick, which so enraged the old chap that the sequel was as above.

The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) has received the following communication from a prominent Auckland resident, who has recently visited the Old Country: “Having just returned from an extended business and pleasure tour abroad I desire to take an early opportunity of placing on record my thanks and grateful appreciation for the extreme courtesy Snd assistance so readily extended to me by Sir James Allen and those associated with him at the High Commissioner’s Office at London; especially to those officers of the Trade Department, I feel deeply indebted for the valuable assistance reoeived during my sojourn in England. You will readily realise how courtesy is appreciated and how assistance is acceptable to one who finds himself' a stranger in a great country, and my personal experience of the good work carried on has made me realise very fully the benefit that New Zealand is deriving generally from such an office. I am writing to you because I am at a loss to know to whom my expressions of appreciation should he forwarded, but I felt I must express my sincere thanks to those responsible for such a fine institution.”-

A continuous training course for the territorials of the district has commenced at Levin. The Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe public school pupils held their annual picnic at Plimmerton. The children were conveyed to the seaside hv special train and. left on the return journey in the evening. The postal authorities have received advice from Sydney that the Ulimaroa left at -2 p.m. on the 3rd instant ior Wellington. She carries 9" bags of mails tor the Dominion, including 33 from Australia and 64 parcel receptacles. In the past the Mount Cook Heimitn.sre has been closed to visitors during the winter months. This coming winter the establishment will be kept open for the encouragement of all kinds of winter sports, such as ski-ing, toboganning, glissading, ice skating, etc. If New Zealanders take as kindly to these sports as they do to most others, they will find their own country can provide them with natural facilities that at least equal those that have made Switzerland so famous.

The meaning of the word “punter” was the subject of brief discussion during the bookmaking case at the Police Court at Wanganui. The average person is fully acquainted with the meaning of the word as applied to racing. The new century dictionary associates the word with gambling, but not in the same way as the term is commonly applied in New Zealand. Websters defines the meaning as “One who punts, especially one who plays against the banker or dealer, as in baccarat and faro.’’ Also one who punts a foolball or propelß a punt.

The fact that there are several cases of sickness, caused through colic and summer dysentery, in Auckland at present has raised a question as to whether the water supply is responsible. Inquiries made, however, gave reassurance on that point. Dr. W. 1 Gblmour, pathologist and bacteriologist at the district hospital, stated that he makes analysis of the city water frequently enough to keep a complete control . over its quality. Prom a bacteriological point of view, he said, the water is very good, and quite safe. Owing to the recent heavy rainfall the water has been clouded, but there is absolutely nothing to worry about in that connection. Dr. Gilmour added that he did not think any of the prevailing sickness is due to the city water. ' Regular analyses of the suoply are also made by the medical officer of health, and from that quarter it was ascertained that there is nothing in the water to show a cause for sickness.