NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Three young polar hears hare been purchased in Europe for the Auckland Zoo.

A chambers sitting was presided over at the Supreme Court yesterday by tho Hon. Mr Justice MacGregor, when a number of fixtures were made, and certain matters received his attention.

During August there were 152 men employed on the Stratford-Main Trunk railway construction works, 102 at the east end and 50 at the west end. On the Opunakc branch line 99 men were employed.

“Tho deputy-official assignee in Hamilton has 77 bankrupt estates in hand at the present time,” said Mr A. M. Bisley, president of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Mr Bisley said he understood the official assignee in Auckland had 200 bankrupt estates under his administration.

During last session members of tho Miiranui Surf and Life Saving Club formed a strong orchestra whicn figured very prominently in the social gatherings during the winter season. It will be still further augmented this season under the leadership of Mr W. J. Goddard

The Gisborne Chamber of Commerce is organising funds to enable surveys to he carried out on three alternative routes to give access to Gisborne from the Urewera country. It is stated that but a few miles of formation is needed to connect up existing roads and the railway.

Judgment urns given in the Coromandel Court with regard to the mining case of Lindsay and Hovell. Lindsay found gold some six months back on ground known as the “Lucky Hit” special quartz claim, but as he did not peg out tho claim correctly, and Hovell did so, the latter got the verdict, with costs.

The monthly meeting of the Makara County Council was presided over yes-' tsrday by Councillor J. Windley, the full council being present. General business and the consideration of reports took up the greater part of the council’s time, the only business of importance being the consideration and subsequent adoption of a new roading scheme, a report of which appears in another column of this issue.

“Every Samoan is a churchgoer,” said Captain J. M. Gillespie, who returned to the Dominion after a period of seven years’ service in the Samoan Administration. He added that in ono stretch of 35 miles there were 41 churches of different denominations many of the buildings being capable of holding between 509 and 600 people. A new church being erected by the London Missionary Society was to cost £2OOO.

Tho recent influenza outbreak has not been without its direct influence on the trend of business in the Auckland Supreme Court. Owing to the prevalence of this illness a number of cases had to be postponed from the appointed dates of hearing, solicitors, witnesses, or parties to the action being laid aside by the epidemic. The next session of the court opens on October 30th, and already there are 27 criminal cases in the list.

The installation of automatic telephones in Wanganui is being pushed on as rapidly as possible. Over fifty men are now directly engaged in making the necessary connections. Men have been drawn from every part of Wellington and Taranaki provinces to cope with the work, and still more will be engaged to hasten its completion. The department is putting every energy into the task, and hope to finish the job in about a month’s time.

Maranui Surf and Life Saving Club has established a library containing 815 books, which lias proved a valuable adjunct. During the lasi season the club won the following trophies: The Island Bay Life Saving Shield, at Island Bay ; the Novice Oup, at Island Bay; the Sanderson. Memorial Cup, at Paobakariki; the Otaki Land Drill Cup, at Otaki. The cluib teams came second in the Wahler Oup competition, at Worser Bay, and second in the Silver Reel Surf Championship.

Tho railway station at Matiere is practically all that is required to complete the Okahukura-Matiere section of the Stratford railway line. This section is now quite ready for traffic. The earthwork has been completed to Nilioniho, and work has been started beyond that point. It is hoped to have a temporary railhead about six miles from Ohura by next winter, thus bringing the line within a mile of tho metalled road leading into Ohura. There are several bridges to be erected before the line reaches Ohura. Beyond Ohura the work will be very heavy, there being one lengthy tunnel to construct.

The fact that bees have lodged themselves between, the weather-hoard-ing and the lining of the main Morrinsville School for the past 16 years, and that all attempts to remove them have f ailed was mentioned at a meeting of the school committee. Onq member stated that children were frequently being stung, and that the headmaster’s housekeeper always had the blueJbag ready. Most of the children knew that bees would not sting if unmolested, but if any of them'were stung with serious consequences it was contended that the Education Board would he held responsible. It was decided to ask the Department" of Agriculture for advice as to the best means of removing the bees.

It has been stated that “No man has yet discovered how the toad feeds.” A country reader writes: “I saw a toad perch himself on a piece of wood in front of a kiln one dark night and catch bugs as they flew past mm. in the light of the fire, by darting out his long tongue with a circling snap that never missed a bug. He swallowed them with one gulp without chewing, blinked his eyes and smacked his lijps in satisfaction; then set himself for another bug. I got into position to see the tongue shoot straight out and curl up at the end, snapping the bug baok into the wide open mouth with the speed of lightning. If this toad was not feeding, what was he doing?”

“It’s like hunting for a whisky still,” commented a councillor at the meeting of the Waitotara County Council after hearing a recital of the difficulties encountered in trying to catch owners of cattle who were obtaining free grazing on some of the back-country roads (says the Taranaki “News”). “It is less encouraging,” replied another councillor. It seemed that the ranger had made several attempts to locate the straying cattle, but when he arrived on the scene it was only to find the road as bare of stock as old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard was of the proverbial bone. It was also mentioned that the telephone was handy in passing along word that the ranger was coming. Councillors agreed that it was no use impounding the stock, and the best course was to proceed against the owners fat trespass. The engineer also a&reed to*'take a hand in the game.

“Mr Massey has gone to London end Mr Wiiford is visiting Singapore, so I have been left behind to look after New Zealand.” —Mr H. E. Holland in a speech at Palmerston North.

A proposal to send a team of Waikato -dogs to the Sydney Show is being considered by members of the Hamilton Kennel Club. It is understood that the proposal will in all likelihood bo carried out.

Wild pigs are plentiful on the island of Taviuni, in the Fiji Group, and the officers of the Veronica enjoyed some good sport there during a recent visit, ’llie party was mounted and had a pack of some 20 hounds. The outing proved exciting and a good “bag” was secured.

It was resolved by the Wliangarei Harbour Board to apply to the Forestry Department urging that steps be iakrfn. to have ah area of 40 acres of tush in McLeod’s Bay, near W-hanga-rei Heads, and estimated to contain a good deal of kauri, reserved for scenic purposes. It was stated that the section contains the last kauri trees visible from the harbour.

“Generally speaking, things in Australia are good,” said the Mayor of Palmerston North (Mr F. J. Nathan), on his return home from Australia, “though the drought in the autumn has greatly affected the price of butter and cheese this season. In September, the prices obtained in Sydney and Melbourne were two months behind those of the previous season, and I should say that the output has dropped from 2D to 30 per cent.”

The annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand will be held in Auckland on November 21st and 22nd. It is expected that over 40 visiting delegates will be present. They will be entertained bv the Auckland Chamber, and city, and it is intended to give them an opportunity to view the harbour and water works, as well, perhaps, as some of the city’s larger industrial concerns.

A Wanganui resident, now touring Europe, has gent to a local friend a million marks note, which before the war was valued at £50.000. He purchased it for Is 8d in Holland. Incidentally, the tourist mentions that he and his wife flew from London to Amsterdam in 2| hours in a ’plane which carried nine passengers. A nice wicker chair was provided for each. The passengers were able to walk about during the journey, which was described as “fine and smooth.”

A great record ha 6 just been achieved by a heifer of Mr James Parkinson, Waioeka, the milking shorthorn breeder (says the Opotiki “Herald’’). This heifer commenced her test under the supervision of Mr W. Scott (the Government testing officer for the' district) at the age of two years and six days, and has just completed her test over a period of 365 days for a return of 15,2751 b milk contained, and 5221 b butter-fat. This great quantity of milk is a world record for so young a heifer of the breed.