NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21386, 14 July 1931, Page 14

NEWS IN BRIEF

Another transtasman yacht race next season is assured. The schooner yacht Aorere has already forwarded to the Akarana Yacht Club, and -Sir E. Tambs, owner of the Norwegian yacht Teddy, holder of the Tranetasman Cup, has now expressed his intention of defending the trophy. The race is expected to take place in December or early in January. Stout and oysters are generally regarded as an ideal .combination, but it is said to be tantamount to attempted suicide to combine oysters with whisky. If that is so, then two Greymouth Chinese must be the possessors of unusual stomachs. It is reported that, one evening recently, they disposed of a bottle of whisky and four dozen oysters, but were carrying on business as usual next day. Following the practice in some countries on the Continent (says the New Zealand Railways Magazine) the Great Western Railway in England has labelled 25 per cent, of its passenger accommodation “ non smoking.” “ It is not only the male smoker who has nowadays to be considered,” says the magazine. “ There is also a large proportion of smokers among the fair sex, while many ,women not actually indulging in the habit themselves seem to love to journey in the more or less fragrant atmosphere of a smoking compartment,” The, hardware,- department at Gray s Big 1 Store is showing splendid values at their Sale now in progress... “We are a peculiar people. We buy in the cheapest market, and yet there is nothing we would like better than that the Old Country should stop buying foreign butter and use ours' exclusively. The birds are coming home to roost, and while we have been supporting the foreigner thousands of our workpeople have become unemployed,” said Mr F. M'Donald, speaking of the purchase of Swedish boxes, at the 1 Hikurangi DairyCompany meeting last week. Seventeen degrees of frost were registered in Invercargill last Thursday night, being two degrees more than was registered on June 30. This, in the opinion of Mr J. L. Lennie, weather recorder to the Government, is a record, Mr Lennie said he had experienced frosts .up to 15 degrees in intensity, but never above that figure before now. As the result of the severe frosts many householders had their water supply, cut off and burst pipes were plentiful. At Gore 20 degrees were registered. • , “All these political parties are professedly out to help the farmer,” observed one of the members of the North Taranaki branch of the Farmers’ Union at a meeting in / New Plymouth last week during a discussion oil the matter of the dumping duty on bran and pollard. “ Yes, ’ replied another member, ‘ but they help themselves first.” , Stetson Hats reduced from 52s ,6d tc 29s 6d (posted Is extra) is only one of the bargains at our Winter Sale. —The “Ascot, Gr Princes and Rattray streets. Dunedin... Another of the counterfeit Bank of New South Wales £1 notes, which were circulated in Auckland and provincial towns at the end of April, has been recovered. The note was tendered to a driver of a bus in Auckland last week, and the fact that it was spurious was not discovered until the money was handed in at the company’s office. The counterfeit note was not defaced, but it was considerably crumpled, and bore evidence of having been handled to an appreciable extent. Queensland, and especially Brisbane, has seen a considerable movement from town to land. It is roughly estimated that the Brisbane population has been lowered by 5000 in this way. Despairing of finding employment in offices, trades, and the secondary industries, lads have taken to stations and farms as learners. The pay is necessarily low because ot the reduced price of products, but there is board and lodging, and a healthy life, while parents are saved the cost of keeping their lads who are above school age. Thfere might be some excuse for contenting yourself with second best tyres if the wofld’s best were hard to get, or exorbitant in price; but India Super Tyres are obtainable here right at your hand.— Otago Farmers’, agents... “ If Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can only regard America as a. brother and not as cousin, then the future of the white race in the Pacific is assured, said Mr D. Wilson, of the Oregon University debating team, when bidding farewell on behalf of the team to Christchurch fnenas. “In the Pacific it is a matter of races, not of countries; ot colour, not of nationality.” “The little toea are not much use to anybody, and you are ’much better without them if they are any trouble, ’ said Dr E. D. Aubin, when giving evidence in the Supreme Court at Auckland, ihe witness was explaining why he had advised the plaintiff to have both his little toes amputated, and was answering the suggestion that other doctors had considered this unnecessary. The patient had been troubled with chronic corns. Despite the quiet times, one of the leading motor ear agents in Auckland has cause to look back on the past week with satisfaction (remarks the Herald). Between Monday and Friday afternoon he sold nearly £2OOO worth of used cars, receiving the full price in cash in nearly every instance. The prices ranged from about £IOO to over £460, according to the age, make, and condition of the cars. “During the fruit season in Nelson packers average ae much as a thousand cases a man, but in Canterbury, where we are, comparatively speaking, beginners, we can manage only between 300 and 400,” said Mr E. Freeman, president of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers Association, at a meeting last week, ihe association is arranging to have an expert give an address on packing to members. A somewhat unusual letter was received at the monthly meeting of the Southland County Council '‘recently. It was from the Waikaka Valley branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and expressed the thanks of the members ot the branch for the council's action m reducing the rates in the district. This is much appreciated by the farming community at the present time,” the letter concluded. . One more lively figure is disappearing from the London streets—the Italian organ-grinder. Mussolini has decided that he does not reflect credit on his native country, and he has tightened the emigration laws to discourage him and his redcoated monkey from going to England. The Sunday Times says: These Italians had the right temperament and we shall miss their tuneful music, but there is some comfort in knowing that it will shortly be heard in a country that needs it even more than ours. Someone in Soviet Russia has placed an order in London for six barrel-organs. What will happen, we wonder, when it is discovered that the chosen tunes are “Imperialist melodies interspersed with hymn tunes .

Inquiries are still being made regarding the piece of aeroplane canvas found at°Gladstone, near Greymouth. A search of the locality by the police is in progress. When the inquiries are completed, the fabric will' be sent to Christchurch for further investigation. ' . “New Zealand, for its population, has ' the largest mileage of all-weather roads in the world,” said Mr M. H. Wynyard, motorists’ representative on , the Main Highways Board, at a meeting of the Onehunga-Manukau Chamber of Commerce last week. He said the boards policy was to link up unmetalled stretches of road first, and then to improve existing roads. The recently opened connection to the north had joined several unmetalled portions, and practically no an terial roads existed which could not be traversed in wet weather. Grandism (1380). —When quality wine or spirits can be bought for less than the Grand Hotel will be able _to sell them—famed for quality and service... " _ , “ I have just returned (writes, a Melbourne man to the Ashburton Mail) from a ■ wheat-growing district of New' South Wales where a farmer has sold his: wheat at Is a bushel, delivered at the local railway station. The' farmer had to pay' for the bags, costing him 9d each, or 3d a bushel. These bags, of course, are given in. So all that the farmer got for ‘ bis • wheat was 9d a bushel, or 2s: 3d a-bag. Another farmer was offered lljd a bushel. But he carted his wheat back to his farm.:. Only three years ago the price at the same railway station was 4s 6d a bushel, or six times my friend’s ninepence.” Men’s working shirts sizes 14i 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... ■ , ; .. : '

An epidemic of kite-flying has broken out in the community (says the Nelson Mail). Youngsters can be seen every- : where busily engaged; in this harmless occupation. The origin of this epidemic can be traced to a certain shop, whoseadvertisement is boldly emblazoned on the front of each kite. Not only are the juvenile members of the community-sub-ject to this .craze, but a number of grownups can be seen entering enthusiastically into the fun. No doubt, recollections of boyhood days are being brought,to light, and the present generation is securing the benefits of father’s practical ence, so necessary to the art of efficient kite-flying. " The most surprised men in Sydney at the present time are the 90, dole inspectors who were appointed about three weeks ago, and whose qualifications were sharply criticised in the Legislative Assembly , (writes the Grey River Argus correspondent). Many envied them their good fortune. It was thought by the disappointed that, the dole inspectors weie appointed for life, for it is considered that the dole disease will not easily be eradicated but may become chronic. TJje inspectors had just “ settled down to their luck ” when they received curt missives intimating that it must end, and that they are not needed. This is one of the peculi arities of a system Of government so erratic that 'it prompts .suggestions .of mental irregularity., ' - ■ All British! .The coffees and chicory used in the “ Bourbon ” brand are all Empire products. Blended by A, Dune and Co., coffee specialists, 32. Octagon, Dunedin. “ BoufbOn ” for breakfast... . ■

“There is a new class of poor- these days,” said Mrs Dexter,- when speaking to a Wanganui Chronicle reporter recently. “ They have only . become poor recently and owing to no fault of their own.” Mrs Dexter pointed, out that m the cases where the “ new poor”, were met with the husband was usually a hardworking man and the family had had 'just sufficient to live bn and very little to save. Now, when the harder times had arrived, they found themselves often without employment, with the result that they had little or nothing to fall back on. Yet these people were the last to make an appeal for help, and, as a rule, they were averse to making their wants known. , . ’ . ,A hearty laugh- was raised at tbo monthly meeting , of the Timaru A. and P. Association recently,by Mr B. E. ,H. Tripp, who has just returned from attend- J ing the Empire Wool Conference in Australia. He said that he had inspected some South African wool, which was exceptionally short, and had asked thq reason for it. He had been told that -in South Africa the storekeeper would come along for payment of an account and the farmer would round up some sheep, shear them, and pay the account with the wool. A few months later the sheep would be shorn again,—(Laughter.) Mr H. B. S Johnston; “ That is not unknown in this country. The Maoris in the North Island have done that.” Mr M. O’Connor: “ The cookies here will have to do that, too,’ (Laughter.) . . . , " . Ladies’ Winceyette Nightdresses, from 7s 6d; Winceyette' Pyjamas, from 8s lln; all richly embroidered: Southall s Sanitary Towels, Is lid; MenCx Towels, 2s 3d: Sanitary Belts, Is 6d;’ Sanitary Knickers, 3s 6d; Plain and Sills' Stripe Fleecy Bloomers, from 2s 6d; all at 20 per cent, discount. —T. Ross, 130 Princes i When the Duke of Somerset died a few weeks ago a retainer of the family received considerable public attention. The gardener at the family seat of Mardeii Bradley is a man of astonishing vitality, having known the passing of no ■ fewer than sis Dukes of Somerset.' He is now well over 90 years of age, and hale and hearty enough to continue in office as the Sunday school superintendent of a local Nonconformist chapel. He was a gardener to the eleventh duke, who died in 1855. and he has remained in the service of the family long enough to serve the sixteenth duke till his death a few. weeks ago. When 1 the fifteenth duke was on hia deathbed in 1923, he sent, not for a clergyman, but for his devout old gardener, to come and read passages of the Scriptures appropriate.ito the occasion. Annual Winter Sale in full swing. Bigger selections and bigger values than ever. See windows.- # , Call and look round: no one asked to buy.—The Mcsgiel Warehouse. A. F. Cheyne and C 0... The Marquis Merry de Val, who was Spanish Ambassador in London for 20 years, paid the English language a high compliment, when he said that it had become a universal language because of its inherent qualities. It was not 1 the political or commercial importance of the British Empire, he contended, that caused English to be spoken all over the world. It was the fact that English was uniquely fitted to express the feelings of modern civilisation. Apparently, the critics generally are in agreement on the quality of the language. One defect, however, prevents it from being a perfect Universal language, and that is its utterly illogical spelling. If English were written even approximately as it is spoken, it would meet all requirements. • . They say a man’s best friend is his dog, but a well-known Westport resident put a good one across both his own dog and another member of the canine species the other day (says the Westport Times). The last-mentioned animal had evidently been keeping a close watch on butcher shops. It managed during a slack moment to steal away with a fair-sized sirloin of beef, which it proceeded to carry home along Brougham street. A cyclist pulled up, and, giving it a solid kick in the ribs, robbed it of the stolen goods, with the remark to a spectator that his own dog would like the beef more than the robber would. Rumour' has i -..it that the family had roast beef for their meals for a week, so evidently both dogs had none. 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, BJd peh lb; bacon, light rolls, 9Jd; bacon, half-rolls. lOd; rashers. The national dishes of Nety Zealand and the United States were happily blended in the menu of the luncheon which Mr W. F. Boyle, the American Consul, ■ gave at Auckland recently to a representative assembly of citizens. " American' fruit cocktail ” was followed by toherda soup, American chicken pie, New Zealand lamb. American corn patties, New Zealand mashed potatoes, American asparagus. The sweet course contained a choice of New Zealand passion fruit, American lemon meringue pie and apricot cream, and it was followed by New Zealand cheese and biscuits. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” wag sung by Mr Len Barnes, and Mr , Kurosawa, a Japanese student at the Auckland University College, played “The Star-Spangled Banner..’ Mr Boyle tactfully explained that on nc- - count of sundry high notes in the lastnamed piece of music he would not ask the guests to sing it. '■ Some Hitchon’s bacon on a plate, ■ And an egg just nicely fried, • What more could you, want for breakf&st? 1 *. Why! That’s the housewife’s pride...