NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20645, 18 February 1929, Page 14

NEWS IN BRIEF.

“I am not a pessimist. I would rather die an optimist and chance being unable to get past St. Peter at the Gate and being kicked down the hill,” said the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) at the opening of the electrified Lyttelton tunnel the other-day .{reports the Press). Mention was made the other evening by the chairman of the Wanganui Band Contest Executive, Mr F. Symes, that he had not seen the medals and other trophies in connection with the forthcoming band contest displayed in the shop windows (reports the Chronicle). “Why, they. are in the windows next to your business!” remarked the secretary. “That shows you how well I attend to business.”' replied Mr Symes, amid laughter. The constant demand for the “ Bourbon ” brand of coffee and chicory shows appreciation of a genuine article, ' Bourbon ’’ is produced by coffee specialists, and i,s obtainable from allgrocers... .Over half a century ago the late Mr Charles Davy, a well-known farmer” in Turakina, had the misfortune to lose a gold seal or signet, highly prized as a family treasure, handed down from <■' a previous generation of the Davy iamily, (says the Napier Daily Telegraph). A few days ago Mr -Fred Davy, of Gouville, a son of the late Mr. Charles Daw, was informed that the seal had been found on the property formerly occupied by the Davy family at Turakina, and was awaiting identification and the claim for owner- . ship. If you have not already purchased Gold Leaf Tea. .write ■ now for free 'sample. Box 163, Dunedin... There is little indication that parking in Willis street, Wellington, is limited to 10 minutes (says the Dominion). The City'Council’s stencilled notices about the town are too inconspicuous and the jurisdiction of the white arrows is much too vague. If the curbing could be coloured, say, red, green, black and white to indicate different times of parking avail- ■ able, there would be far fewer breaches. It would, too, undoubtedly make for a brighter Wellington., 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 interesting' overseas lady spoke to Maoris for. the first time during a trip on the Wanganui River a few days ago (reports the Hetald). . The camera, clicked freely, and the film, was all but used up. “There’s a nice.snap for you,” said ope of the party, but the visitor was so fascinated by the Maoris that she refused to take the photo, saying; “That’s only a white man! ” ■ Doctor Flannels, Navy or Shetland, 6s lid. Twist Shirts, 5s 6d. Extra Heavyweight, Ss Od; sizes 14i to 17. Posted anywhere for cash.—Kilroy and Sutherland, Ltd., 192 Princes street, Dunedin.. . Jerseys are becoming increasingly popular among dairy farmers in Australia, according to Mr G. T. Chirnside, formerly owner of an 82,000 acres station in Victoria, who arrived from, Sydney by the Marama the other day (reports the New Zealand Herald)! Mr Chirnside now has a farm of 640 acres at Lillydale, Victoria, and he ' stated •it was being put down ,in English grasses, the seed of which was grown in New Zealand. The fact that Palmerston North is the main centre of distribution for-an immediately surrounding district whose produce is valued- at £3,000,000 per annum was cited at the Chamber of Commerce meeting recently,, as an important factor in,, its commercial prosperity (says the Manawatu Standard). It; was stated that the valpe indicated represented 6 or 7 per cent.-of the Dominion’s total production.

Waters* “ Vi-Oatta,” the secret of many lovely complexions; 2s, 6d posted.— Waters' Pharmacy,., Absence of finger-print evidence was commented upon ,by counsel, for the defence in. a burglary case concluded in the Supreme , Court at Auckland recently (states the Ngw Zealand Herald), ’Mr Justice Blair, told the jury it was not every burglar who Was’foolish enough to leave his finger-prints; “ A criminal does not usually leave his visiting-car, so to speak, to show, that he has called,” observed his Honor, “and if he knows his business he takes'care that he does not.” So the mere fact that no finger-prints had been found was immaterial. ..Shop by post from Gray’s Big Store. Milton. Ladies heavy .weight, silk to the garter hem, hose, in flesh,.nude, sombrero a real 3s lid value; post free for 2s lid pair...

A defendant in a case before the Timaru Magistrate’s Court the other day Was asked if he desired to ask the traffic inspector any questions (says the Hera’d). Defendant questioned' the inspector for a minute or so, and then directed his attention to the magistrate (Mr G. R. OrrWalker). The magistrate professed ignorance concerning one or two questions and eventually said: “’You had better come up her, and I’ll- go down where - you are. You are cross-examining me. not the-inspector.” • The defendant realised his mistake and apologised. Buy your Guihess’s English stout whoie' sale at 12 s 6d 'per dozen pints at Hotel Cai.ton. Box 106. Phone 11-716... The- best Corselette to curb inclination to a stout figure is our new Pink Uaderbelt Corselette with elastic insets, sizes 32 to 42 (bust measure); strong contille, four suspenders, beautifully finished.—T. Ross. 130 Princes street... . The ’ Government' has come to a decision in connection, with another phase of State trading, which has been the subject of criticism (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times). The Nurserymen’s Association has for some years been, complaining that the State Forestry Department has sold trees to farmers at a price, much below the cost at which private growers can produce them. They have urged that competition, if permitted at all, should be on fair lines. Cabinet has accepted the recommendation of Mr W. B. Taverner, commissioner of State forests, which, it is understood, null give satisfaction to the nurserymen’s trade. The Government realises that afforestation is so important an asset to the Dominion that every encouragement must be given to those who have opportunities for planting trees, which should be made available at reasonable prices, therefore it is understood that the Forestry Department will continue to provide supplies Where wanted and, to encourage afforestation, but the undesirable features of its former trading methods will be changed. It is understood that as a result of negotiations between the department and the Nurserymen’s Association, an agreement has been effected on the question of a price list for trees, which will be effective for the coming planting season. These prices will enable nurserymen to undertake business on more satisfactory lines than in past years, and removes their objection that State plantations are selling trees at under cost of production. It is expected that after one season’s experience of the new arrangement it'will be subject to revision.

Bathing caps, great variety from .fld, at Waters’ Pharmacy. 20 Princes street.. . The famous three “R’s” have been followed by a fourth in Chicago schools, where a course of rouging has: been added to the curriculum with the approval of the Board of Education. Miss Nellie Ryan, who added the course in the. North Side contimiation schools, explained: '‘Since girls simply will make up we have decided to try. to initiate them into the correct artistic application of cosmetics.” Twelve Welsh miners have been trained as London waiters

" Do you ask for costs J" inquired Mr T. B. M'Neil, S.M., of Mr Razengarb al the Upper Hutt Court the other morn* iuK. when s a case, was adjourned owing to, the absence of a witness through illness (reports the Dominion). “Oh, no, not personallyreplied counsel; "I had to come up here in any case! *’ . The crews of the oyster boats at Bluff are now making the last adjustments and rigging the last 1 of the • gear in preparation for the opening of the oyster season on March 1 (reports the Southland Times). All the vessels have been either on the slip or in dock for survey and overhaul, and will all be ready for an early start on the opening day. -The reliability of Barton’s sugar-cured Hams and Bacon and Pork Small Goods is universally acknowledged.—Manse street and all Branches...

“With manure at 12si 6d and day at 15s a load I am convinced that growing vegetables is not profitable,” says a resident of the sandy area of Lyall Bay, Wellington. “Being methodical I keep an account of my outlay. My return from the garden so far this season is three cabbages, which I reckon -have cost me 2s 6d each, and a few tomatoes not yet harvested, which will cost in the vicinity of Is each. I am not growing vegetables next year; - I intend to join a bowling club.”

Conn’s Footrot Cure, a certain cure for footrot in sheep and cattle; price, 5s 6d. 10s 6d, and 25s per bottle.—From Conn’s Pharmacy, Ltd., High street, Dunedin..’.

“ Early, birds ” were unfavourably mentioned at a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council the other, night, .when the question of replacing the building inspector, the late Mr L. Dodds, was discussed (reports the Auckland Star). Mr J. H. .Langley asked that, if the position was advertised, a condition forbidding the canvassing of councillors should be inserted. He stated that before the late inspector had been buried he had already been approached by three applicants. Mr Uttihg, the clerk, also complained that his staff were being pestered by intend) ji;. applicants. - • • The warm summer rains of the last few days have brought the grass away in good style. Next it will need cutting. Perhaps you dread the task because your old machine is so hard to push. Or else it doesn’t cut smoothly. Call in and sec the newest types of precision bearing machines at Laidlaw and Gray’s. The prices will delight you... -- .Many motorists in Wellington are complaining.about the actions of boys on push bicycles (states the Dominion). Tin-’ have a dangerous habit of darting past motor cars on their wrong side. Sometimes 'a driver is pulling into the kerb and suddenly one of these cyclists da>-ls between his car , and. the footpath. It means that the driver has to pull out equally as suddenly, and has to run the risk of a collision with a passing car. Sometimes the cyclists are, careless enough to stop between the kerb, and a car .just as the latter is stopping. One .of, these days a ’ cyclist will receive a lesson f hi.own seeking. ’ ' House Whisky. 10s , 6d; Pints, 5s 6d; Wines, from 3s; Martin Jenue Brandy, 9s 6d.—At Prince of Wales H0te1..,. .

■ Motion pieturp shows' are not usually associated with meetings Of municipal bodies, : but. the ‘ Gisborne Borough Council was entertained in this manner for over half an hour at its meeting the othci evening. The demonstration. was ■ staged by a representative' of an English firm which manufactures water -meters of all types, and a film 1 depicting every stage of the manufacture of the meters was shown to the councillors. The council apparently enjoyed the novelty of the occasion, and the film was followed with close attention (says the Poverty Bay Herald). Pigs, Pigs, Pigs.—We are cash buyers of both Pork and Bacon Pigs, any quantity. Highest ruling price given.—Bar-tons,-Manse street...

“ I find generally that people pay dearly for electric current,” said Mr E. E. Sharp, of London, a prominent authority on electricityl, at the Wellington Rotary Club’s luncheon (reports the .Dominion). “In England, electricity costs Id per unit for. domestic supplies whether for lighting or power. In fact, this might be considered a standard rate, although,:in some places, it is as low as Jd and id per unit; Despite, the fact that the charge is made for service, whether you are using the electricity or not, it, is, a very cheap ;rate, especially when one considers that almost the entire production is done by steam plants and not by water power.” S.S.S. Drill Overalls have been■ reduced in price. Combinations now 18s 9d, Bib Overalls Ils 9d, Plain Overalls 10s, Jackets 10s 6d; posted anywhere; cash with order.—Procurable. only at “Ascot,” Princes and Rattray street corner... . “Are we becoming a race of mollycoddles? ” was a question asked by Mr H, T. Merritt, in his annual presidential-ad-dress to the Auckland Chamber- of Commerce, when referring to the large increase in the number of persons employed in State departments, which, he said, was largely due to an increasing demand of the Public upon the-State for social .seryices. “The State is expected to provide economic utilities that could properly be done by organised capitalistic exploration, and also act as a huge pawnbroker for people to build their homes at less than > market price, and to find capital to provide free school' books. Dentists, doctors, lawyers, and others' generally act as Father Christmas all the year round,” he said.

- Ladies and Girls coats, dresses, and hats at half price met less this week. Watch .windows. Bargains • for all. Fortyseventh annual summer sale, in full swing. A. F. Cheyne and Co., the Mosgicl warehouse.. .

.■They were keen fishermen, both of them, and they set off early in the morning, wallring round past Sumner, to get a long day’s sport (states the Christchurch Sun). Full of'hope, they threw their lines out, baited, with such cunning that they thought no fish could help being tempted by them. The hours went by, but no fish came. Even at lunch time the two keen fishers had not had a' bite, so far as fish were concerned! The afternoon was no better. At 4 o’clock their; disgust reached a . higher level than their keenness, and they set off home. They had not walked far along the Sumner-Christchurch road when a lorry overtook them, and the driver hailed them, offering a lift. They took it gladly, but as the lorry moved along they began •to sniff. Then they asked the driver .what his load was. “ Thirty hundredweight of fish,” he said, adding that the lorry following Kim had the same load. The two fishermen will fish no more!

Grandism (639): Phrases one -, never hears' in Aberdeen—" Keep the change! ” “ It’s my turn.” “I’ll nay the round;” “ Is. this , your call?” “Hein yourself." Familiar phrases at the Grand Hotel... The present method of issuing tickets for fares on . the trams, and also the system of ticket inspection will soon be in .need of an overhaul (says the Dominion) . At peak-load hours relieving conductors have to be put on, when the cars are taxed to their utmost'capacity. When, the inspector jumps on he has a task getting through. The other day an. inspector going through a car wa!s considerably delayed.through some passengers folding up. the. tickets to the dimensions of something like a pill. He expressed the view that some revision of the system was desirable, and.said changes had been made in Sydney in order to meet the situation. When the “twonennv tube" Was opened in London from the Bank to Shepherds Bush, there was only one fare of 2d for any distance, and this remained in vogue until the tubes were considerably lengthened, and one fare for any distance could not be operated profitably.

Many and varied are the stories told at the expense of domestics, blit the following was the unusiial experience of an Ashburton resident (says the Guardian). A maid had been engaged and' arrived at her employer's bouse in the evening. The latter had finished breakfast before the'inaid appeared with the excuse..“Oh, I ? m sorry, I must haVe-slept in." .Her 'em-' ployer overlooked the breach, thinking that- perhaps the first night .in strange surroundings was -the reason. Before going out in the morning her. employer left instructions regarding preparations, for the ihid-dav.meal, but on returning shortiv after half-past 12 discovered, the maid curled up on the Chesterfield' reading a magazine. A glance into the kitchen showed the breakfist dishes , still 1 unwashed. and the dinner uncooked. When anproached the maid lumped up. glanced at the clock, and exclaimed: r ‘ Goodness, I had no idea that the . time had flown so quickly." ■ 1 Hitchon’s bacon down at Milton - In those lovely dales. For some plates return —,/ Second helping, never fails...