NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12039, 17 January 1925, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

“The Hospital Board beats the band,” remarked a councillor at a meeting of the Raglan County .Council, during a discussion on what was considered the extravagance of the Waikato Hospital Board in dealing with ratepayers’ money. There is reason to helieve that the demand for the new season’s New Zealand and Australian apples in England will bo keener on account of the lighter crop in the United States, from which large, quantities are shipped to the English markets. While presenting a report to the nurserymen’s conference last night one member 6poke of the practice or a fellow nurseryman when selling plants, of, making a charge of 6d for the box and 6d for soil. He had never been able to charge for soil, and. it was a new thing to .him.

In order to take every precaution against an outbreak of infantile paralysis, . the Takapuna council, acting on the recommendation of the sanitary inspector. have decided to hold a “clean up” week. Cleanliness of houses and properties is now recognised as a powerful factor in, the prevention of the disease.

In’ his report to the’ Hutt River Board the foreman (Mr F. Kershaw) drew attention, to the careless 'use, of fire by parties of bathers in the Hutt river. Two fires had taken place in the last week in the hoard’s . protective works. The foreman stated that there was great danger in the summer, when the grass and debris were very dry.

.Considerable anxiety is being - felt about Mr Percy William Copeland, wno is reported missing from his home at Kamo for the past eight days. _ Mr Cqpeland is the proprietor of a picture plant at Kamo, and gave no indication of . anr intention to absent himself from the "district. - The matter, has been placed in the hands of the police, but so far- their investigations have not furnished any clue as to-Copeland’s whereabouts. .<

' “Speaking .generally, the prospect appears to be that unless anything we don’t know of has occurred, the price of flour in Australia to-day will justify the millers in giving us 7s a bushel for our wheat,” said the chairman of the North Canterbury Farmers’ Union (Mr J. D. Hall), when the question of negotiating with poultry men for the 6ale of wheat .was discussed. It wan decided that the agriculture committee should bo authorised to. circularise the branches and .begin negotiations with the poultrymen. ’

. A book on fungus diseases of fruit trees in New Zealand will be . valuable to all interested in horticultural pursuits, commercial or otherwise Such a book has been written by Mr E. H. Cunningham, of the biological division of the Horticultural and from the information gathered jt will bo the only book of its kind in the world, Mr Cunningham, has been studying fungus diseases over a number of years, and the information contained in the book is regarded as of inestimable value. ’ .

Two elderly men, Welijng and John Smith, aged S 3 years and SI years respectively, who stated they came from Wellington, wete charged at the Auckland Polios Court with being idljs and disorderly persons, and yvrthonv visible means of support. Henry Welling had a heaVy growth of beard when he appeared in tne dock. He add’Smith had both been foand by the police on the' Freffman’s Bay reclamation, -sleeping undsr x a toi-toi bush, and had converted "the spot into a temporary domicile .which had apparently been their, sleeping ‘quarters for some time. « ;

The question of restoratiofi 'of ~ the gold standard in England, was .mentioned to Sir George Elliot, chairman of directors ofihenßank’qf NeiV who returned this vyeek a visit to Sir George leaid . pre-eminent bankers in Britain had said-that a return to the gold stdndard -would be made i as soon as the poudd reached parity with - the dollar. This, of course, it’ had almost‘done’. It faad to-be remembered, that the carnage of gold 1 Would be a costly procedure and transport would be at the rate, of 1J per cent. , The .prooeeds fropa the’last “Peppy Day” appeal in', ■ totalling' £56, were .cent bythe.Auckland Returned -Soldiers’ Association' to .Marshal 1 Fooh, for. assistance to; French war' widows and orphapa. >A letter hasjust been " reoeijred ' from Marshal Fochi tendering his thanks. Without speaking'of .the gratitude of those .who; assisted, .he said the association's action would certainly go to the hearts,’ of those...did -French' veterans, who, .would never forget the good bond of; comradeship which hound them always to the .brave' Anzacs. ’

. An, ideal way of .spending the holidays has been adopted by a Hamilton family (says an exchange). They set out in a -large caravan drawn by two •venerable whitp horses, en route for Te Aroha ajnd Wauhi beach, where they en-. tend to' spend? some-. time. The main vehicle is a large wagon, with adjust-; able hoods, <>f the motor-car; type, and many patent for the disposal of gear, which permits the interior beingturned into a oosy room for use in the day time and evenings. All the meals, are oopked by the wayside, and a! “trailer” fa small wagon) carries water: and stores. ; ;

The giant anteater, which arrived by the Teko# at Auckland from London in an ailing condition wad examined by Dr. W- O. Ring, veterinary surgeon, who takes an optimistic' view of its eh&noes of recovery. In spite of its bulkiness, the animal, is. of. a species de-J licately constituted for the rigours of a long ocean voyage, and the oter-indul-genpe of reclining habits while on board has -induced' innumerable “bed sauce.” Thebe are. being medically treated, .and. now that -the animal has been liberated in its open-air, spacious home at the Zorn it is expected a speedy recovery will be effected.

“We' opened the Gorge road at Christmas to .oblige travellers, and this .is what .we get for it,” said ’the chairman at a meeting of the wa-tu Gorge. Board oF Control, when the theft' of three hurricane lamps during the month was reported. “I do not think any motor-car drivers would take them,”, remarked one member. Another expressed doubts." All spoke strong!]! on this mean pilfering, and the placi ing in danger of the lives of the public, that resulted. “If this kind of thing continues, we shall havo to consider the matter of closing the gorge again at night,” remarked the chairman.

For a small expenditure, about fifty pounds, you can get a lovely borne built to order with all latest conveniences in Wellington in a fashionable suburb; either four rooms and kitchenette or five' rooms and kitchenette, and your payments # will average lees per week than paying rent ; and - this expenditure will also include a goodly sum off the price of the house per annum; Leslie Jones, 101, Willis street, is the agent for the builder.—Advt. ■

George Phillips, the leper, patient, who escaped from Quail Island on Wednesday last week, is still at large, and despite exhaustive inquiries by the police, no information has been gained as to his whereabouts.

Mr A. B. Piddington, K. 0., of Sydney, will lecture to-night in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute social hall, Featherston street, under the auspices of the Workers’ Educational Association, on “How to Make the Living Wage a Living Reality.” While bathing in the Waipa river, near Whataiwhata, on a reoent afternoon, William Blacky aged 15, son of Mr W. Black, carrier, of Frankton, went beyond his depth and sank before the horrified eyes of two smaller lads. The latter ran for help, hut by the time assistance was obtained there .was no trace of young Black. No less than 100 tons of rubbish were disposed of as . the result of a special collection of household refuse carried out in the Mount Albert borough during the seven days preceding Christmas. The refuse thrown out by householders sometimes assumed extraordinary proportions, and was of surprising variety, including in some cases quantities of surplus furniture and household effects.

Vandals have beep at work on the tree plantations of the Hutt River Board. Recently the caretaker discovered, that fifty lawsonians and twenty-five Californian redwood trees hadbeen stolen. The matter has. been placed in the hands of the police, and a reward offered for the apprehension of the offenders.. The- redwood , trees, which are being experimented with by the hoard, were doing very well at .the time of their removal.

- It is probable that the change-over m Auckland, from the manual telephone system to .the automatic will take place either on -Sunday, February Ist or a week later. This will be the largest, change-over ever attempted in New Zealand,. Six exchanges; will then operate with* the automatic .system, namely: Wellesley street (main exi change), Mptint Eden, Ponsonby, Re- - Devofiport, ana Takapuna. The Qnebunga exchange was switched over last-month. . '

; “There is a .farmer in the Raglan district spending.£2oo a year in clearing the land of-- .foxglove,” remarked a councillor at ?'*Raglan Gounty Council meeting during a discussion on the noxious weed menace. ‘Complaint had been received that a- certain- ratepayer was alloyring'“winged thistle,” a statutory noxious weed, to flonrish. on his land to the detriment -of Adjoining pro-, parties. It ;was resolved te' refer the complaint'te the ’ Department of Agriculture. ,

Many public-spirited landowners In Hamilton - have . given the Borough Council pieces of land at road. junctions for the purpose.-ofteasing street comers, .-.This has . already. had the effect pf making),a big improvement „ the appearance: of the town and has considerahly .minimised danger to traffic. The’Mayor (Mr Few); at a meeting of the council said teat,, except in: a few individual, cassf, owners had been exceedingly generous, and the - thanks of the oonnwjjind community wen due .to .them. ; .