NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11785, 22 March 1924, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

In a recent tour of the north, s.n Oamaru resident found many South Islanders who were apparently prosperous. They liked the commercial spirit that animated the north, but when it came to comparisons, they said, “Give us the south for solidity.”

According to a letter which a “Southland News” correspondent re ceived from New York, the American Treasury shows a surplus of billions of dollars on the year. The United States is so wealthy that it has decided to abolish the amusement tax, while all other taxation has been considerably reduced.

It is stated that when the Hawke’s Bay flood was at its height in the Esk Valley a piano taken out from Napier for use at the artillery camp was washed away (says the Napier “Telegraph”). The instrument has since been located, but whether or not it will be of any further use remains for expert opinion to decide.

New Zealand will observe the following bank holidays at Ehstertido this year:—April 18th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, and 25th. From Good Friday tho banks will close for four days, but will open on. Easter Tuesday, owing to tire number of holidays that week f close on the Wednesday, open on the Thursday, and close again on the Friday for Anzao Day.

Tlie following is an extract from a letter received by a Wanganui boy from a youth in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.A.: —“I knew that New Zealand was on the map, but wasn’t sure of its position until I looked up my atlas. Are the newspapers written in English?” As an answer to this question, the Wanganui lad promptly folded up a Saturday’s “Herald” and mailed it in time to catch the next ’Frisco boat.

Unless the enormous losses caused by fires are prevented, the accessible forest supplies of Canada can only last another thirty years at the outside, according to O. Sweezey, consulting engineer for banking and lumbering interests, who gave evidence before tbe Royal Commission on Pulpwood at Montreal last month. Mr Sweezey claimed that 90 per cent, of the forests of Canada went up in smoke as compared with 10 per cent, destroyed by the axe.

Since the flood in the Esk Valley tho artillerymen who volunteered to go to the rescue and recover the camp equipment, guns, etc., haye had a busy and strenuous time, but it is reported that their efforts have met With considerable success, and it is not anticipated the loss will be of any considerable amount (says the Napier “Telegraph”). All the guns were recovered, and are in the artillery barracks in Napier. They are in fair order, but are very dirty. They will he sent to Wellington to the workshops for overhaul.

It was, we Edward II who forbade the playing of football because of “the evil that might occur through so many people hustling together’ (says the Dunedin “Star”). Nowadays it is quite all right if they “hustle together” on the green sward, but when they kick a bail about a public highway and do damage to business premises tbe police have to step in. Four boys, each about fourteen yeais of age, employees in a nearby factory, were before Mr Bartholomew, S.M., in the Juvenile Court at Dunedin for the offence and were punished.

That the vendor of a motor-car as well as the purchaser is directly responsible for the cancellation and re gistration of the number when the car concerned changes hands is a fact not generally known as was evidenced in the Invercargill Magistrate’s Court, when several motorists appeared to answer charges of having failed to givo notice of a change of ownership. John Crooks pleaded guilty to such a charge and was fined Is and cost 17s, while Thos. Bird, who disposed of the car to the person concerned, was fined 10b and costs.

The growth of the rotarian movement in America and other countries of tbe world was mentioned by Mr C. H. Poole when speaking to memb.rs of the Wanganui Rotary Club (says tho “Wanganui Chronicle”). In every place he had gone there had been a gathering of this sort, and he praised the movement as making for the betterment of social relations. It was surprising, he added, how well the Dominion was spoken of in the United States of America, where the hand of friendship and welcome was extended to ham everywhere he went to speak to the people about New Zealand.

“With all deference, I must say that business firms are getting their due for advancing money to people like bankrupt,” stated a creditor at a meeting in a bankrupt estate. Bankrupt’s solicitor added that with all due respect, creditors were getting what was due to them. So long as business firmß pushed people to accept credit they should be prepared to share the consequences. It was a most undesirable state of affairs, for when the person got into trouble the creditors were down on him “These are the stern facts which we see about us every day.”

Trench mouth, or Vincent’s disease, is rather prevalent in Auckland, as it is throughout New Zealand (states the “New Zealand Herald”). Fortunately, it has not assumed tho proportions of an epidemic, being much less common than in the first year or two after the World War. Medical authorities and dental and throat specialists, however, point out that, while there is no reason whatever for undue public alarm, the incidence of the disease is sufficient to command close attention and the general exercise of simple precautions against possible infection. The disease, now best known as trench mouth, is a disagreeable malady, and may become very dangerous if neglected. It is caused by a particularly virulent micro-organism whose ravages in the mouth of its victims are distressing.

We get our umbrellas from the East, where they were used in the ancient empires of Nineveh, Persia, and Egypt. The very title “satrap,” of ancient Persian provincial governors meant, “umbrella fellow.” The Eastern umbrella was properly a sunshade, for it was against the roasting rays of tile sun that it protected. In the Imperial days of Greece and Rome only women carried umbrellas in times of pence, but in times of war they were served out to Roman troop 9 to assist them in avoiding sun-dazzle in battle. Jonas Hanway, the traveller, ,who died in 1876, was the first man to carry ail umbrella in London —and the guttersnipes used to follow him about and pelt him with mud and cabbage stalks. He was apparently so busy keeping off Missiles that he had little opportunity to keep off mere rain. For many years umbrellas were looked upon as freakish affectation, and men would not carry them. The first umbrella had clumsy long handles and ribs of cane on whalebone, and were covered with oiled silk or cotton. The steel rib was not invented until 1852,

Mr Marcus Peters, a well known resident of Bulawayo. Rhodesia, is a lucky man. He has received communication from Texas, U.S.A.. that he has fallen heir to over £1,500,000 left by an uncle of his named Fisher. Mr Peters states that he has never seen Uncle Fisher, but knows of tho relationship.

The Christchurch Board has written asking for the support of the Palmerston Fire Board to the proposal for a fire hoards’ conference, to be held in Wellington. It was decided to support the proposal, and Mt S. S. Dean, one of the Wellington members, was appointed l to act as the board’s representative at the oonferenoe. It was decided to send to the conference a remit that fire boards be allowed to set aside from year to year an amount for procuring sites or plant.

A visitor to Westport, who is known as the Governor-General's double, owing to his striking likeness to the Vice-Regal representative, caused' a flatter by walking into an hotel, lining up nt the bar where a number of men were gathered and calling for drinks for all hands (relates the Greymouth “Star”). They regarded “His Excellency” as a great sport, especially when he called on them to join with him in having another glass, a pleasure they felt they could not deny themselves. It was not until later on that the bar gatherers realised the little joke that had been played on them.