NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11733, 22 January 1924, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Waikatoites have a reputation in other parts of the Dominion for opulence, but an incident which has recently come under our notice would indicate that money is of far less value to someone, at any rate, than even the generality of folk up this way are fiven credit for (says the “Waikato imes”). About a week ago a local resident picked up a considerable sum of money in one of Hamilton’s .thoroughfares, and although the owner has been advertised for and the matter put in the hands of the police, nobody so far has come forward to claim it.

A provisional balance-sheet presented to a meeting of the general committee of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, showed that the recent summer show resulted in a profit of £IOB 6s 7d. The revenue amounted to £1962 14s 6d, made up of receipts from gates and stands, £lO3l 11a: privileges, £248; donations and special prizes, £220 8s; entry fees, £332 15s 6d; and side-shows, £130; while the expenditure totalled £1864 8s lid, the items being prize-money, £llß7 4s 6d; luncheons, £175 3s sd; judges’ expenses, £72 19s sd; printing and advertising, £192 18s lid; and sundry expenses, £226 2s Bd.

Tho sale of a farming property in Otago was just about boing completed the other day, when the seller notified tho represent* tive of the purchaser that the negotiations were at an end (relates the Dunedin “Evening Star”). “What’s the matter,” he was asked. “Is not the price big enough?” “Yes,” lie answered, “the price is all right, and I am wanting to get out, but I’ve seen the customer, and find that he is a returned soldier who is still feeling the effects of his war services, and I should be ashamed if if, turned out that tho work ho would have to put in to make the property pay at the price he is giving should land him in rogrets. I should feel that I had taken down a returned soldier.”

“Towns forget the existence of the country till they want something,” said Sir AValter Buchanan at a meeting of the Wairarapa- P- and A. Society. An innovation at the tennis tournament at Masterton is a magnavox. It proved of great assistance on Saturday, saving a good deal of the delay usually occasioned in getting players on to the courts. Up till the recent rains fell in the Waikato district, it was reported that the milk yield was decreasing. Now it is reported that in many cases the returns are on the increase. At the meeting of the N Z.A.A.A. last evening it was decided to supply six singlets with silver fern leaf badges for the members of the New Zealand athletes taking part in the Australasian championships.

An important sale of the freehold property known as the Marble Bar, Manners street, has just been effected by McDonald and Co., land agents, of McDonald’s Buildings, Willis street. The property has a frontage of 50 feet to Manners street by an approximate depth of 130 feet.

Friday last was the twelfth' anniversary of Captain R. F. Scott’s arrival at the South Pole. The expedition met its final disaster about March 29th, 1912, when Captain Seot-t, Dr E. A. Wilson, and Lieutenant Bowers perished from starvation and cold in a blizzard, when they were within eleven miles of a base at One Ton Camp.

The Petone Convent will resume lessons in music and singing on Tuesday, February sth. Entries are made for pupils who are desirous of entering for the Trinity College and Royal Academy examination. The Rev. Mother will be in attendance at the Convent to interview intending pupila before January 26th, and any day after February 4th.

“No one is more convinced than I am of the necessity of placing early matured stock on the London market,” said Sir Walter Buohanan at a meeting of the Wairarapa A. and P. Society at Carterton, “hut it is impossible for us to emulate the Argentine, where 19-moiiths-old’ steers, when slaughtered, avera'ge just under 7001hs in weight.”

In these high-speed days it is interesting to recall that when the locomotive was young, as the flying machine now is, “scientists” said it might be possible for a railroad train to maintain a speed as high as 20 miles an hour, but it would be difficult, and that great speed would kill the passengers if it were kept up too long.—“ Aeronautical Digest.”

Two arrests were made by Detective McHugh on board the Maheno shortly before the vessel left Auckland for Sydney. One man was found stowed awav in the firemen’s quarters, between the bunke and the ship’s side. . A fireman belonging to the vessel was also arrested on a charge of stealing a suit of clothes from another fireman on board.

Some wattle trees in the Nelson reserves are badly infected with blight, and the Mayor (Mr Lock) produced a sample of the disease at the council meeting recently. The engineer said the blight was spreading to the rose trees.—lt was resolved that the Cawthron Institute be notified, and that the committee inspect the affected trees.

A poll will be taken of the ratepayers of the borough of Hamilton on Thursday on the question of raising a loan of £2500 for the purchase and equipment of the Masonic Hall at Hamilton East as a museum. The Citizens’ Association, which has been very active in the matter, has secured an option over the building, and is anxious that it should he preserved for public use.

It was mentioned by* Sir Walter Buchanan at *a meeting of the Wairarapa A. and P. Society that while the Wai rarapa district was suffering the effects of a drought the other extreme was being experienced in* the West of Scotland. A letter just received by him from Scotland showed that between July and December three successive days of fine weather had not been experienced-

Speaking at a meeting of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society, the secretary (Mr L. H. Smart) said he did not wish to dictate to the Masterton people, but it was his opinion that if a WairarapaWellington winter show was held at Wellington, it would prove to the mutual benefit of all concerned. He always felt that Wairarapa shows did not receive the AVellington patronage they were entitled to, and ho saw a remedy in the inter-mixing of people at a combined winter show at Wellington. Several deaths caused by blood-poi-soning have boon reported during the pafft week, and it has been suggested that in at least two cases infection has been duo to the bite of a mosquito or other insect (says the “New Zealand Herald”). Investigation, however, has elicited the information from the doctors concerned that in both cases the skin eruptions leading to the poisoning became virulent from a local condition. It could not ho suggested that infection came from venomous inseote, but was caused by well-known microorganisms.

The twelfth session of the School of Massage and Physio-Therapy of the Dunedin Hospital begins qn Thursday, March 13th, 1924. The anatomy and physiology classes are held at the Otago University, and the massage, medical electricity, and remedial exercises classes are taken at the Dunedin,Hoslital. The teaching staff of the school ins been strengthened by the appointment of Miss I. S. Lookie, as supervising masseuse. Miss Lockie holds the higher certificate qf teacher of massage and medical gymnastics' of the Chartered School of Massage and Medical Gymnastics, London.

It is understood' that the conference between the engineers of the city corporation and of the Lands and Survey Department, to discuss schemes for put ting a.ll end to the sand drift nuisanoe kt Lyall Bay, will probably be held this week. Several meetings of resi* dents of the area affected by the nuisanoe have been held recently, and a scheme differing considerably from that proposed by the corporation engineers has been put forward with tho general support of those residents This scheme is being investigated by tho city engineer’s department, and will be discussed' at the conference.

A most peculiar accident happened to one of the New Zealand Co-op. Dairying Company’s electric trucks. It was on the road between AVaitoa and vVailiou, and had commenced the ascent of a hill when a bolt in * connection with the steering-rod came adrift. Without warning the truck turned at right angles to the road and was precipitated into the nearby swamp, where it stood up on end. Fortunately the driver, a man named McLeod, had the presence of mind to jump, landing in the swamp up to tho waist. He pulled himself out unhurt. Meanwhile the track sank into the soft mud past its electrio battery box.

A good soaking rain commenced to fall in Masterton on Sunday evening, and continued steadily until after midnight. . The trawler Venture has been purchased by a small syndicate, and will operate in the waters in a portion of the Bay of Plenty. It is intended to make Tauranga the base of operations. The postal department advises that from Wednesday, 23rd instant, the clearance of all pillar-boxes and letter receiving boxes in Wellington city and suburbs will commence at 11 p.m. instead of midnight as formerly.

A fact which strikes a traveller from Christchurch to Dunedin is the number of camps pitched along the entire route and near the railway. It has been stated that there are now more campers in evdence than has been the case for many years.

Reoent heavy rains have been beneficial to many crops round about this district (states the “Waikato Times”). In several instances seed which was lying on the surface was washed in, and is now coming away well. Much growth is in evidence on newly-cut hay paddocks, and it is anticipated that in some cases another crop will be gained.

Atlantic salmon are very plentiful at Lake Te Anau, Otago, five well-condi-tioned fish being caught in a brief period by two Canterbury fishermen recently (says the “North Otago Times”). Many northern anglers have been attracted to Te Anau lately. At To Anau one can get every kind of sport imaginable—the fishing for Atlantic salmon and the pig-shooting make it an ideal holiday place.

One of the most remarkable facts developed by the trial trip of the U.S N. airship Shenandoah was its low fuel consumption. On its return trip from Chicago to Lakehurst, with its six big motors running, the ship used only 654 gallons of gasoline. That is less than a gallon per mile. Many a small yacht burns more. The record is almost incredible, when one remembers that this dirigible is almost as big as the Leviathan >

The Makirini Scholarship, the “blue ribbon” of the native school year, has been won by Walton Davis, a pupil of St. Stephen’s, Parnell. Auckland. Other pupils of St. Stephen’s were also third and fourth in the competition. The Buller Scholarship, which is only junior to the Makarini in the sense of having been more recently established, was carried off by Henry Atatu, also of St. Stephen’s School, while another pupil of the same school was second on the list.