NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21325, 4 May 1931, Page 16

NEWS IN BRIEF

Following instructions from the Department of Education, the Canterbury College Board of Governors has reduced the salaries of the whole staff of Canterbury College, of the Public Library, and of the Wheat Research Institute by 10 per cent. “ It’s a question if Rugby is advancing in New Zealand as ie claimed/’ said Mr J. Prendeville at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby’ Union in Wellington last week. “It’s a fact that some of the unions have not increased the number of teams since 1925.”

Some of the leading advocates of the system of unimproved rating are candid enough to say that they do not mind if gardens are done away with or curtailed if it meant a saving of a few pounds a year in rates to the late owner. This would surely be poor consolation for the loss of such an asset as a garden... “ Governments of late have very largely outgrown their usefulness,” declared Miss L. V. Tabart, speaking at a meeting of women in Christchurch the other afternoon. “All we see is" parties squabbling and grabbing bits for themselves, as we have seen in the last few sessions. We women must assert ourselves or we will find New Zealand slipping from us.”

“Taxi fares ran into over £IOO when the British team was in Auckland,” said Mr S. S. Dean at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union the other day, when a question dealing with an item in the balance sheet Was asked him. “The committee had to take stern steps to see that it was stopped. In future tours I think this question should be given consideration.” For choice jewellery, wedding and birthday presents, latest in rings, watches, necklets, and silverware. If you wish to get your watches thoroughly repaired, and desire everything of the best, send to Peter Dick, jewellers, watchmakers, and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin... An excellent collection of New Zealand stamps was exhibited at a recent meeting of the Capetown Philatelic Society, South Africa. The collection included stamps of the islands of Aitutaki, Niue, Penryhn, and Rarotonga, which come under the administration of the Dominion Government, and are artistic in design, and all stamps issued by the New Zealand Governments from 1855 to the present day, the last issue being in 1929, when a Id scarlet stamp was placed befor the public, for the purpose of raising funds for the Anti-tuberculosis Fund.

Fresh stocks of Art Needlework, Embroidery Threads, and Wools, Instruction Books, and Rings are displayed at Gray’s Big Store, Milton... The action of the wind and sand for hundreds of years on a stone picked up at Kai Iwi beach recently has worn the stone in such a way as to give it the appearance of having been fashioned by Maori tools. The sides of the stone are perfectly flat, and its top has a razor-like edge. Only in a very few places in the world are stones worn in this way by wind and sand, and the west coast of the North Island is one of them. The sand dunes must also possess certain qualities. There -was a stoppage in proceedings at the Magistrate’s Court in Christchurch one day recently, when a woman, who had shown a great desire to speak, was’ given a chance of going into the witness box. The clerk, on preparing to swear the witness in, was taken aback because she refused to take the oath or make an affirmation. “If my word is not good enough, it does not matter,” she declared in an indignant tone. The magistrate heard what she had to say without 'insisting on any formality. Captain Walter A. Babb, aged 70, a retired master mariner, died at Bristol a few hours after his marriage to a bride of the same age at a registry office. He complained of not feeling well while he was helping his wife, formerly Mrs Amelia Foster, to prepare for some guests at their house in Brighton road, Redland, Bristol. He sank into a chair, looked up at his wife, and said: “Well, my dear, thank God I have you,” and died. Confetti was still strewn on the floor, and Captain Babb had been packing wedding cake to send to relatives just before he died. Captain Babb retired from the sea four years ago. His wife had been a nurse.

We are selling Penfold’s port wine at 4s per bottle, house whisky 11s, pints 6s;. cash with order. Prince of Wales Hotel. C. Hinchcliff, proprietor... Rather than see her son John become a Chicago gangster Mrs Mabel Murray, of Pittsburg denounced him to the police as a thief. The young man’s sweetheart, Miss Doris Bloom, aged 17, helped in his betx-ayal. “He is all I have in the world, but I would rather see him dead than a crook,” said Mrs Murray. His sweetheart had kept her lover indoors while the elder woman went to the telephone to fetch the police. “ I would do it again,” she said, “ I wasn’t going to see him turn thief.” James Murray and Doris were to be have been married at Christmas, but he lost his job and postponed the wedding. His mother suspected him of taking part in a number of local robberies, and when he announced he was going to Chicago with a couple of bad characters she decided it was time to put him under restraint. At the moment Jimmy’s fate is undecided, but from a cell in the local gaol he has announced that he has forgiven his mother and sweetheart for their drastic action.

Big strides recently made in France by the Naturism cult promise success for a great international nature colony about to be established on the Riviera. Heliopolis, as the centre will be called, is planned to extend over a thousand acres in the sub-tropical highlands above the blue Mediterranean, where the climate is kindly for the greater part of the year. The prime movers in the scheme are brothers, Doctors Gaston and Andre Durville, the founders of Physiopolis, the nature city on the Seine, who have joined forces with M. Bastier du Vignaud, another pioneer of Naturism. Physiopolis is now a prosperous concern, where adherents live in tents or light structures. They publish a weekly newspaper, and a growing trade in the meagre requirements of the Naturists brings the paper advertisements to keep it going. Even in winter months it is rarely that Physiopolis does not gather about 100 adherents withjn its precints at week-ends. The reduction of clothing to a minimum or to nothing is their creed, but they also aim at propagating • new ideas on dieting. Alcohol is banned, and special menus are offered, based on the findings of the nature specialists.

The motion that the shooting season for 1932 should be a close one for swans and an open one for pukekq prompted a lively discussion at the annual meeting of license holders of the South Wairarapa Sub-committee of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, many members asserting that the season for shooting swans opened too early. It was eventually decided to recommend that the season for ducks open on May 1, and that pukeko be shot during the last fortnight in May and swans during the last fortnight in June. Owners of quarter-acre, or larger, sections would be well advised to ponder the question: “What will the Government revaluation of my property be? " before they decide how to vote on the proposal to institute rating on unimproved value in Dunedin... During the past five years the Wanganui tramway revenue has fallen approximately 40 per cent. This represents a loss of nearly £19,000. During the same period motor vehicles have increased in numbers by about 170 per cent. A very marked drop in tramway receipts during the past four months is attributed to the competition of cheap taxis in the city. There are now some six of these taxi firms established in Wanganui. All British! The coffees and chicory used in the “ Bourbon ” brand are all Empire products. Blended by A. Durie and Co., coffee specialists, 32 Octagon, Dunedin. "Bourbon” for breakfast!..

A number of the unemployed men in the Grey district have started prospecting for gold. Already promising results have been secured in some localities. The chairman of the Unemployment Committee in Greymouth (Mr J. W. Greenslade) states that his committee is applying to the Unemployment Board for financial assistance to enable these men to pursue their efforts, the result of which may be beneficial to the whole district.

Mr Orton Bradley, Charteris Bay, received a consignment of six wekas recently from the Acclimatisation Society (says the Christchurch Times). The birds are from Kairangoa, Chatham Islands. When released from their cages into a large run they appeared to be in good condition. Mr Bradley has been requested to keep the birds in captivity, but they may, eventually be released in the valley at the foot of Little Mount Herbert, where there is an abundance of native bush.

“ Overcoat Week ” at the Mosgiel Warehouse. Girls’, Boys, Ladies’, and Men’s Coats all at special prices for one week only. Call early while the range is at its best. —A. F. Cheyne and C 0... The finishing touches are being applied to the block of shops which have been built at the corner of Dickens and Dalton streets, Napier, by the syndicate of businessmen which ' recently purchased the section from the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-operative Association (eays the Telegraph), There are nine shops in the block, and it is understood that all. will be occupied within a few days. Another building nearing completion is that which stands opposite the Foresters’ Hall, lower down in Dickens street.

People who were in the vicinity of the Arcade, Invercargill, about 10.45 a.m. the other day were surprised to see a draught horse lying prostrate between the shafts of a dray on the Arcade right-of-way (says the Southland Times). Not a few bystanders thought the horse was breathing its last; but the mishap was not as serious as that. The animal had merely slipped on a banana peel. Two ; or three men soon had the harness off the horse, and it was hoisted to its feet none the worst for its experience. £3OOO wanted in 15 days. Big Slaughter Sale at The “ Ascot,” corner Princes and Rattray streets. All-wool Worsted Suit, £6 6s; now' 69s 6d. Sports Coats, now I9s 6d; Poplin Shirts, 10s 6d; now 6s lid, all sizes. Mail orders guaranteed...

Around Auckland there is a growing movement for intensive cultivation, which has continued almost unchecked during the past 12 months (eays the Star). An owner at Mangere has just built 500 feet of glasshouses, and another has a scheme for a glasshouse 200 feet long. There is also activity in the Avondale district. The trend here is similar'to that near Nelson and Christchurch. ~lt is said that over £500,000 is now invested in. glasshouse property in New Zealand, and Auckland probably represents 25, per-, cent, of the total. Nelson and Canterbury have a larger proportion than the other centres, but at Whangarei there is a grower who has glasshouses covering an acre, and frames over a further quarter of an acre.

T. Ross.—Stock of new season's Gloves, Hosiery, Corsets, Ladies’ and Children’s Vests, Cardigans, and Umbrellas for next two weeks will be sold at 20 per cent, reduction on present low prices, or onefifth off all purchases of 2s 6d or over.— T. Ross, 130 Princes street.. .

That British goods are of an exceedingly high quality is the opinion of a Wiuton business man (says the Southland Times). - A lady’s bicycle of British make had been brought into a shop for repairs and on being taken to pieces a clipping of a newspaper'was found in one 'of the bars. The newspaper in question was the Birmingham Daily Mail, the issue being.of Friday, August 11, 1905. This goes to show that the cycle frame was constructed about 1905, and after 26 years of wear and tear it was found to be in need of repair. Also on the clipping was an advertisement calling for a boy to do certain duties, sixpence a week being offered as the wage. Shop at Barton's. —Cooked ham, sliced. Is 8d; whole cooked hams. Is 6d; halfhams, cooked, Is 7d; smoked hams, Is Id; bacon, large rolls, B}d per lb; bacon, light rolls, 9|d; bacon, half-rolls, IQd; rashers, 9d to Is. Easter brought its usual crop of marriages this year, but a surprising feature was that nearly twice _as many as last year were celebrated in the registrar’s office (says the Christchurch Times). The exact figures for the month of April were 30, and for last year 18. The number of marriages solemnised during the month dropped by 42 —107 compared with 149. One explanation may be that Easter fell at a later date last year. The births remained about the same—l 99 this year and 192 last year—and the same applies to the deaths—93 and 98 respectively. The figures for the four months JanuaryApril, with last year’s in parentheses, are:—Births 814 (811), deaths 363 (399), marriages 389 (397), and marriages in the registrar’s office 82 (79). The move to introduce rating on unimproved value into Dunedin has bred the slogan, “ Death to Gardens,” and there is more truth in this than in most slogans. To compel the owner of a decent-sized section to subdivide in order to escape increased rating means that he must sacrifice garden and playground... A number of Maori relics was found in the sand dunes near Waverley recently by Messrs T. W. Downes and G. Shepherd, and have since been deposited in the Alexander Museum (says the Wanganui Herald). They include several Maori stone sinkers, a toki (adze), a number of fine carving tools, and two kumera gods. The sinkers are round and''about the same size as an orange. The kumera gods were used by the Maoris to frighten evil spirits away from the vegetable patch. The discovery of the relics was due to Mrs Naomi Johnston, on whose property they were found. The locality was once used as an old Maori fishing camp. Men’s working shirts, sizes 14} to 17, striped “ Tiger Twist ” or plain grey “Oliver Twist,” 7s lid. Khaki Veldt, 8s 6d. Posted anywhere for cash.— Kilroy and Sutherland, Ltd., 192 Princes street. Dunedin... Grandism (1319): Concern advertises the perfect bridge lamp —must be light enough to see by and too heavy to throw. —Grand Hotel Home Supply Store...

Alongside the Southdown Freezing Works there is an example of the way in which the beautifying movement is spreading in Auckland (says the Star). The planted area is on the site of the chimney stack that was dismantled a year or so ago. It is one result of the activities of the Great South Road Highway Beautifying Council, which has the sympathy and co-operation of the commercial firms and the local bodies south of Auckland. The object of the council is to obliterate unsightly buildings and to convert waste spaces into gardens along the main highway. It is said that wherever an Englishman goes he plants his garden, and there are increasing signs of his presence in the Dominion. This has been noticeable in Christchurch and other centres, as well as in Auckland. Tired, weary, and forsaken, He plodded home for tea. He wanted Hitchon’s lovely bacon, The only food that would agree...