NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20312, 21 January 1928, Page 24

NEWS IN BRIEF.

It was reported ,at a recent meeting of the Wanganui Rotary Club that there were 2712 clubs in 43 countries of the world and the estimated number of Rotarians at the end of last year was 132,000. The unusual sight of a motor car pulling a hayrake around a field in a New Plymouth suburban farmlet was presented the other day (says the Taranaki News). The farmer got through his work in about half the time it generally takes with the horse-drawn rake.

Stay at the Prince of Wales Hotel. Good accommodation; best brands of liquors. ’Phone 10-721.—C. Hinchcliff. proprietor...

“ What was the first intimation you got that anything had happened ” was the question put to a woman witness in the Wanganui Magistrate’s Couit recently (states the Herald). “When I woke up in hospital,” was '•witness’s dry rejoinder, to the amusement of those in the court house. “ The owner has just built a new home and has no room for her,” stated an auctioneer when offering a dairy cow at the Gore stock sale the other day (reports the Southland Times). “He might have built another room instead of turning the poor thing out,” suggested a sympathetic onlooker.

Barton and Trengrove want Pigs to supply the enormous demand for their famous sugar-cured Bacon. Highest price for cash.—Manse street, Dunedin... The sawmills on the West Coast are in several instances handicapped by .the dry weather, there being a lack of water for removing sawdust, and in one eases even an insufficiency for the boilers (states the Grey River Argus). The Bell Hill mill and a couple of W'estland mills have already closed down for the time being. “ I saw one local resident in the queue at the Opera House who owes me over £lO, and I can’t get a bean out of him,” remarked a Wanganui business man to a Herald reporter recently. Reporter to shopkeeper outside the, Wanganui Opera House the other evening: “Well, are you going in?” “No,” replied the shopkeeper, “but I am having a look in another direction to see whether there are any of my clients going in who have forgotten to settle their little accounts.”

Hats for Men, usually sold at 25s 6d and 29s 6d, have been all reduced to 17s fid for this week only. See our window and pick your hat. All Shapes, Shades, and Sizes. At the. “ Ascot,” corner Princes and Rattray streets... “ There is a fine field for snow sports open here in the winter time,” said 'Mr Go van, of the Te Anau Hotel, to a Southland Times representative this week. “ It is my intention to investigate the possibilities of Mount Luxmore for a ski-ing field. The place I have in mind is only about an hour’s climb from the lake, and if the field is as good as I think it is it should make an ideal spot for snow sports.”

“ I have heard a great deal said about the way in which Southland’s climate’ is maligned in the north,” said the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, when speaking at Winton recently, “ but personally,” he said, "no - remark which could be construed in this way .has ever been passed to me.” Grandism (305) —“Be a live wire and you won’t get stepped on.” The “ Grand ” is a live Hotel famed for excellent quality in Wines or Spirits at the right price...

A freak kitten born at a Wanganui hotel recently was worthy of more than usual notice, but its life was a brief one, the animal dying several hours -after birth _ (states the Chronicle) Although the kitten had only one head, this surmounted two distinct and fully developed bodies, there being two ■ breaibones, eight legs, and two tails. Other kittens in the litter were normal.

Uneasiness has been caused among amateur gardeners at Takapuna, particularly in the vicinity of Hauraki road, by the appearance of a large number of hedgehogs (says the New Zealand Herald). Opinion is divided whether they are likely to constitute a pest, many people believing that, as they , live largely on slugs and snails, they are likely to prove more beneficial than otherwise. Old cjrns banished by one touch of the magic “ Kornbane ”; Is 2d posted.— Waters' Pharmacy... A party of Thames travellers on the Omahu track this week found a kiwi’s nest containing two eggs guarded by the female kiwi. The bird was well developed, and responded to friendly advances. The presence of kiwis has not previously been noticed in the Omahu district, although the birds are reported to be multiplying in the hill country bordering the Thames coast. “Goods traffic is pretty dull at present with the exception of the lambs for the freezing works,” said a railway official to a Southland News reporter the other morning. “ The coal traffic has slackened down of course during the summer months.” he continued, “ and there is the usual lull which follows the holiday season. The freezing works are keeping us very busy, however, and have been since they started on January 9. Our rush with them commenced on January 7 and will continue until June.”

Save your eyes. Consult Peter G. Dick, D.8.0.A., F. 1.0. (London), optometrist. Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians. 490 Moray place (opp. City Hotel)... An incident from the Dominion bowling championships is related by the Gnristchurch Sun as follows: The lead of cn opposing rink, well down the board on the Canterbury green, suggested laughingly that Professor Maxwell Walker (Ponsonby) leave the five lying shots against him. “ They look too pretty to spoil,” addedthe lead. The professor agreed. *‘ You’re on !” he said—and the five was registered against Ponsonby. This is the spirit that makes the game what it is. A member of St Andrew’s Scottish Society was observed by a Southland Times reporter recently standing on, one of the bridges across the Puni. He was leaning forward in such a strange attitude that the reporter approached and inquired if he was feeling unwell. “ It’s all richt,” was the Scot’s reply. “Ten years ago I dropped half-a-croon in the water from this bridge, and I was just wondering whether I might be able to get it back now the water’s so low. I'll likely never have such another chance.” The best mowers are the Johnston — one or two-horse. Any trial. Stocks on hand. Mosgiel Motor and Engineering Company, agents for T. and S. Morrin and .Fenwick... A driver of a gig who was charged with driving the vehicle on the wrong side of the road, got a little bit mixed in giving his evidence before Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M., at the Timaru Magistrate’s court the other day (states the Herald). He was explaining how a motorcycle was coming straight at his horse and for that reason he swerved to the crown of the road. “ Wouldn’t you swerve if you could see he was going to hit you fair in the chest, with your horse?” he asked Senior Sergeant Gibson. The court smiled. , , . , Low prices and high quality are an unusual combination, but this describes our leather suit and attache cases. Solid leather suit cases from 47s 6d; solid leather attache cases from 20s 6d.—Otago Farmers, Crawford street... A branch of the Salvation Army was to have been established in Dargaville this week (says the Northern Advocate), and the Whangarei Army Band intended visiting the western centre to assist in the opening meetings. .... ■ A word is being put in for the bicycle. In these days of the motor car it might be thought that the bicycle is in danger of being crushed out of existence. In France at any rate, the date of its extermination will be remote. There are, it is shown, still 8,000,000 bicycles in use, and they contribute nearly 150,000,000 fr (£1,200,000) in taxes to the Treasury. The French have from the beginning taken to the bicycle, and they refuse to relinquish this convenient and highly personal means of locomotion. Seals and sea lions are increasing so rapidly on the coast of California that the fishing industry is seriously menaced. In at least one American State an official hunter is employed to exterminate them. It costs £20,000 a year to run a firstclass pack of foxhounds. Hunting finds employment, directly and indirectly, for a large number of , people, including makers of clothing, saddlery, forage dealers, etc. At a church service held at Ryhope, England, on Armistice Sunday, a remarkable incident occurred. As the vicar was offering a prayer a white dove alighted on the memorial. After a moment it rose and circled the memorial twice or thrice, and again alighted, to remain there for the rest of the service, which was being listened to by 5000 people. Some are born good, and others make good.

Evidence of hard times in Christchurch is afforded by fhe fact that rates unpaid to the Heathcote County Council, -which from last Tuesday are subject to the iO per cent, penalty,, are larger than they have been at this period for years (says the Sun). The amount unpaid is in the vicinity of £IBOO. On Wednesday there was a rush of payments, £2416 being received from ratepayers. Exceptional value: Flannel Linders, the well-known Doctor Brand, in Shetland a n d navy, 6s 6d *ach; All-wool New Zealand Flannels—Shetland 6s lid, natural shade (unshrinkable) 8s lid, navy 9s 6d. posted anywhere for cash.—Kilroy and Sutherland. Ltd.. 192 Princes street, Dunedin.. .

Reports indicate that the fruit crop in the Auckland district has not suffered as badly from drought conditions as was at first feared (says the Star). With the local market eager to absorb a large portion of the crop and the export bookings well up' to the 1526 record, the season is regarded as a promising one. Export bookings from Auckland are:—First half of February, 600 cases; last half 815 cases; first half of March, 3900 cases to Britain- 1800 cases to South America; last half March, 8100 cases to Britain, 700 cases to South America; first half April, 3800 to Britain, 2000 to South America; last half April, 3400 to Britain, 300 to South Africa; first half . May, 2800 to Britain. This is in excess of last year’s exportations. For all your Medical Wants special attention given to country orders. “Conn’s Sell it for less.”—Conn’s Grand Pharmacy.. .

The firemen on a tramp steamer are usually credited with being past-masters in the art of luridly expressed English (says the Bluff correspondent of the Southland News). A rival, however, was discovered the other day in the public bar of one of the local hotels. Relating a story to some cronies, he so liberally embellished his yarn with expletives not to be found in Webster, that the barman had to admonish him with he remark: “ I say. Old man, go easy, here are some firemen round the corner listening with their mouths wide open.” A novel idea as to how much money could, be saved in hardware and furnishings was devised by a young Dunedin cohple.. They selected two well-known home-furnishing establishments, and decided that, comparing quality with price, they would' buy where the saving was biggest. The shillings thus. saved were recorded, and it is significant to note that they not only saved nearly £l9, buo bought mostly from the one shop—Laidlaw, and Gray’s, Ltd... While engaged in admission of destruction among the earwigs in his garden, Mr J. B. Cade, of Matson’s road, Papanui, captured an earwig of unusual hue (reports the Christchurch Sun). It is pearlwhite in colour and it has an unusually well-developed set of forceps. A Sun reporter submitted it to several entomologists for inspection. One man said that albinos among insects often occurred, but he bad never heard of a whit© earwig. Another man gave the information that earwigs often took on the colours of their environment. The earwig submitted was an albino. The -reporter was also informed that in the Botanic Gardens, earwigs of various hues had been encountered.

Quality, Quality, Quality, Quality, Quality, Quality—all the time.—Barton and Trengrove, Manse street... The younger the grass the better the hay, is a, maxim little known in Auckland farms, although it is fairly commonly recognised that if the growth is allowed to stand until the seed falls the soluble cellulose, sugar, and other elements become indigestible and woody, when they have been allowed to cure through the autumn. Till recent years it was a common practice fr Auckland farmers to. build large stacks, but of late the pressing of hay has beocmo popular, and the well-thatched stack of symmetrical appearance has not been prominent upon the provincial landscape (states an exchange). There are still farmers who believe in the old-time type of stack, and with them, pressed hay is not popular. Forty-sixth annual summer sale a huge success. A few of this week's specials;* Ladies’ Tailored Coats and Coat Frocks, 39s fid each; ladies’ straws and rcady-tte wears, from 3s lid up. A call will be to our mutual benefit.—A. F. Cheyne and C 0...

A party of school teachers went on a. pig-hunting expedition during the Christmas holidays, taking with them as guide, a gentleman who was more renowned for his practical knowledge than for his education (states the Southland -Times). The pig dog which was with the party had the misfortune to jjtet a _ rip in the stomach from a pig. The guide called the seat of the accident by a name which means the same- thing, but has a most unpleasant sound, and was remonstrated with by the school teachers who said, “ You shouldn’t use that word. You should say abdomen. ’ A few days later the guide was describing the trip to some friends and, mindful of the correction said, “And the dog got a rip in the—bondomen!” , it „ You’ll have no corns if you use Korubane”; Is 2d posted.—Waters’ Phara macy... A Bluff woman who possesses a fine cat went away for a holiday and. before doing so put the cat, which had never been away from home before, in a bag and took it down to Greenhills by train to lea-ve it with a friend (states the Southland Times). A day or two afterwards the cat was missing and for three days no trace of it was found, until neighbours of the cat’s owners at Bluff were amazed to see pussy strolling round the back garden of its former home, a little thinner, it is true, but perfectly ■ happy. Now, how did that cat find'its way along the six miles from Greenhills and pick its old home in Bluff, when it had never been: away before? Chic bathing dresses, made of pure wool by New Zealand' mills. Bright, bo d colours; could distinguish you a mile away; 8s fid. Also British-made Troaville colours and shapes, pure wool, from 16» fid.—At T. Ross’s, 130 Princes street. Advt. “ i suppose you will dak© your own bed, Mrs V 1 A housemaid at a seaside boarding house thus spoke to one of the boarders (reports the Wanganui Herald). “Me make the bed. Never. What do you take me for. • I didn’t come here to mate beds,” replied the boarder. ‘ No, I suppose not,” replied the housemaid. “Of course you have a maid at home to do that.” To which the boarder retorted indignantly that she had no maid at home. Later the boarder was heard discoursing with another woman boarder about “the cheek of them housemaids, expecting me to make my own bed, but th® offended one was not beard to make any statement concerning her remaining m her room all the morning, and hindering the housemaid from carrying out her duties. Just landed, ex Somerset, a full supply of dgw season’s Blue Mountain Jamaica. The finest Coffee grown on earth. —A. Durie and Co., coffee specialists, 32 Octagon. Dunedin... , , ~ Strenuous efforts are being made b- the Wellington police and the city traffic officers to round up the gangs of young men who speed through the city and suburbs on noisy motor cycles at night and during the holidays (states the Post). ‘‘They are a real source of annoyance.” said Senior bergeant D. Scott in the Magistrate’s Court the other afternoon when a youthful motor cyclist admitted riding on the wrong side of the road. “In their idle moments they do Wellington like a mob of sheep. They are a danger to everyone. Constables have followed them at various times but they switch off their lights and speed up. So numerous have they become on Thorndon quay and in Oriental bn - that special men have been put on to watch for them. 1 ’ . „ For best Radio reception, the King model receiving set stands supreme. Complete installations of 5-valve sets from £35. Gray’s, Ltd., Milton... “ How do you manage such a crowd .' was the question that came from a railway carriage window, followed immediately by a woman’s arm with an orange dor a little boy who was passing along the platform. “ Oh, they are no trouble to me. 'said the mother of seven, who was leaving Auckland in the best of spirits to return to her home in the blackblocks (says the Star) The oldest of the seven was stUI of an age to qualify for half-fare and the,ranged down to the chubby-faced baby girl nestling in mother’s arms. One helps the other, vou know, and they don t bother me much,''’ she added “ Sure hone <f them are spoilt.” So they all settled dow u in a “eat towards the front of the train, the young lads in the highest of glee at the prospect, of going back to their whare in the bush. Olive is a dear wee girl. She’s nearly two years old; She’ll soon be eating Hitchon s Ham; At least, so I’ve been t01d...