NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21988, 24 June 1933, Page 20

NEWS IN BRIEF

“ This ig a country of only a million and a-half people, yet you have 90 million unemployed,” said a delegate to the interprovincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, at Masterton, recently, soaring into the “ clouds of eloquence.” The laughter which greeted his remark brought him back to earth. Christchurch trams were involved in 32 public accidents last month (says the Sun). There were 14 collisions with motor cars, two with motor trucks, two with horses and carts, six with cyclists, and three with pedestrians. The remaining five accidents were mishaps to people alighting from cars in motion. While the frosts that have been experienced at Winton during the present week have been the most severe of the present winter, there are indications of an early spring (writes the Winton correspondent of the Southland Times). On the farm of Mr T. S. Smith, “Forty Trees,” near Winton,, a new season’s lamb has made it« appearance, and it is reported to be the first in the district. The newcomer is from a ewe running with a flock, and is bright and healthy. Proportional representation is a system of voting that appeals to many, but one who sees no merit in it is Miss M. A. Trent, president of the women’s branch of the Christchurch Citizens’ Association, Speaking at the annual meeting last week, she described the system as being cumbersome arid undesirable. Mr J. M'Combs, M.P., had said that the recent municipal elections in Christchurch, because of the number of candidates, would be held up to the world as an example in proportional representation practice. Miss Trent said she hoped that it would become a horrid example of What could be done by proportional representation.' , Your sight is the most precious of the senses; therefore you cannot afford to neglect it. Consult our registered opticians. Mr R. A. Bridgman, Mr P. N* Dick. Oculists’ prescriptions a specialty.. Peter Dick, jewellers, watchmakers, and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin; phone 13-308... Five plate-glass windows in the centre of Devon street, New Plymouth, have been damaged with a diamond or a glass cutter. The windows of five adjoining firms were scratched and there are signs of similar attempts on the windows on the other side of the.street. The scretchings are long and irregular, and in some cases the windows have been heavily scored. The police are making investigations and have taken several fingerprints. 'v • , '■ ' ' A. suggestion that soup kitchen should be established' in Christchurch met with an unfriendly reception at a meetinfrof the Metropolitan Relief Association, TThe disposal of 40 gallons of hot soup which had been offered by a city butchery was being .debated, when Mr J. W. Cramptori suggested that a‘ central soup kitchen might he established. There was general dissent. “You can say what you like,” said Mr Cramnton, "but they will come.” , 'This remark was greeted with cries of “No.” . .' Two exceedingly old wooden gardening tools of the Maori have recently been presented to the Alexander Museum, Wanganui, by Mr Fred Allen. They were used for grubbing up weeds, etc., and are called “timo.” The same type of tools ■were used by the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, in exactly the same way as the Maoris used them, according to old sketches depicted on stone buildings in Egypt. ' V “One statement I object to—a statement that has become a sheltering rock for much muddle and inefficiency—is that New Zealand is but a young country,” said Mrs W. H. Dixon during an address at the annual mothers and sons’ evening at the Boys’ Gordon Hall at Christchurch the other night. “New Zealand was a young country oiice,” Mrs Dixon continued. “ but it should .be expected now to be showing signs of an intelligence usually associated with adults.” Doctors prescribe “ the best ” every time. In an emergency don’t depend on neighbours. Order now from Wra Crcssan. Waterloo. Caversham... An example of the efficiency of New Zealand produce advertising methods jn Britain is the cover of a 2s book •of stamps, which has on it an attractive design advertising New Zealand lamb. The wording is; “Ask for New Zealand lamb; always delicious and tender; the beet in the world! ” The cover lias been sent by a friend to a New Plymouth resident. A Blenheim business man recently expressed the opinion that the substantial rise in the prices of rabbit skins presented a golden opportunity for the local unemployed to earn some money. Marl-' borough winter skins, be said, were now worth between 24d and 30d per pound, and six good bucks would yield about 2s. At that rate keen meen should be able to pick up quite a bit of cash. “With such prices offering,” he remarked, “ there seems to be no reason for young, active men to be knocking about town doing nothing.” One complaint about our butter in Britain is that in cold weather it is hard to spread, and housewives in the Dominion are finding the same fault at present. It has been stated that the Dairy Research Institute at Massey College had discovered how to increase the “ spreadability ” of our butter, and it would be well if a trial of this method on a fairly large scale were made by the factories that supply local consumers. This would give some guarantee_ as to whether it would ba worth extending the process to the portion of our output which conies on the market in the British winter. “The tragedy of our religious life is indifference,” said the Rev. R. Dudley at the Trinity Methodist Church (Wanganui) during a sermon entitled “What’s Wrong with Wanganui? ” “ Some people,” he continued, “would he more interested if the first nme of an art union were to come to Wanganui than in the dawn of the Milennium. They would shed more copious tears over a wintry public holiday than for a Sunday cold and tempestuous. We need to be dynamited out of our grooves and to feel again that thrill and enthusiasm which characterised our former Christian experience.” “The King is taking a tremendous amount of interest in Australia,” said Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, Governor of South Australia, on his return to Adelaide. “and he possesses a remarkable knowledge of everything having to do with South Australia. He has vivid reeolleetions of his visit to Adelaide, and asked after person, nrir j places ‘till fre=>h in his memory. He i« remarkably well informed on what is taking place in the Commonwealth. The Prince of Wales was very ksen to hear all that T could tell about Australia, and the Duke of York told me how greatly, he and the Duchess had enjoyed their visit. Both said they hoped to visit Australia again.”

The difficulties of settlers in the Orangimea district were strikingly illustrated • when the Patea County Council granted a settler permission to fence in a small holding paddock at the end of his cable _ across the Waitotara River. Half a dozen settlers_ in the neighbourhood are on the opposite side of.the river from the road, which can be reached by a long, precipitous and tortuous track. Accordingly they have cables strung across the river with cages suspended from them. These are handed backwards and forwards . with human freight, cream cans, etc. Naturally only small instalments of stock can be taken across in this way, perhaps, two or three at a time; hence the need ffor the holding paddock. Made with cold water and milk in equal parts and “only just” brought to/ the boil, “ Bourbon for breakfast ’’ is a food in itself. Full instructions in every tin.., ’ . ■ i Sheep farming in a small way for strictly utilitarian purposes is carried out in Canterbury by the Waimakariri River Trust. A total of 451 sheep is now graz- : nig on the trust’s property. They are kept entirely for grazing purposes, and the chairman (Mr J. H. Blackwell), at a recent meeting, expressed his appreciation of the fact that it had been possible to increase the numbers of sheep from 308 since April, 1932, without any ‘ loss to the trust. The engineer, Mr H. W. Harris, said that wise buying and selling bad been carried out by the man in charge of the flock. . ’ Buyers should note that Gray’s Winter Sale of Drapery, Boots, aud, Hardware starts this week at The Big Store. Mil- ■ ion... When discussing children's clothing before the Canterbury School Committees’ Association last week, Dr Ada Paterson, director of the Division of School Hygiene, said that in Central Otago she had come across a child encased in the following astounding mass of clothing when convalescent after pneumonia:—One tweed overcoat, one tweed vest, two jerseys, a flannel shirt, a flannelette shirt, a knitted shirt, and a red flannel chest protector, ~ topped off with a large abdominal belt packed with cotton wool back and front! The- result was that the child was continually gasping instead of being allowed to breathe, with the .greatest ease. . ' - ■ ■ The late Dr A. K. Newman’s wellknown collection of Maori artcrafts has been purchased by Dr A. H. E. Wall and Mrs Wall, of Wanganui, and presented to the Alexander Museum, Wanganui, as a memorial to their late son John, who tragically..met. his death on’Mount Ruapehu last month. The collection is one of the most valuable among the private collections in the Dominion, and was started by Dr Newman some 40 years ago. Many of the priceless specimens, are described in the papers, read before the New Zealand Institute, and recorded in the transactions of that society. The collection is to be kept intact, and housed in special easing and dedicated to the memory of a beloved son, who was himself something of a collector. It will be known as the “John Barnicoat Wall Memorial Collection.” - ■'■'./. . " Grandism (1985): The finest, mildest, and most fragrant rum—Old London Dock (No. 1) frojn sunny Jamaica,' Bottles 12s, also ss, 3s, and'2s... Interesting facts . regarding the progress of dairying in the Thames Valley district during the; last 30 years were given by Mr W. E. Hale at a gathering at Ngatea last week. He said that when a factory was first started at Paeroa the producipn of butter-fat was about 200 : tons a year. To-day there were operating in’the area eight butter factories, eleven cheese factories, and Two dried milk factories, with- an output last year, of 17,000 tong of butter, 7500, tong of cheese, and a large quantify of dried milk. , _ , ’ Diphtheria is a disease that is entirely preventable,” said Dr Mary Champtaloup in an address to members of the North Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Education Institute in New Plymouth. The' doctor stated that more was known about the cause of diphtheria than of any other disease, and although it was preventable, yet is still cropped up every now and again. She then outlined a scheme for the prevention of the disease in the community by means of the inoculation of children, and sought the co-operation of teachers and the public generally in the scheme. ■ " . •’ .- May • Bargains a huge success. No matter what your wants you spend and save by calling on us. Call early. The k Mosgiel • Warehouse.—A. F._ Cheyne and C0...' ■ .•/ ' ■ An epidemic of'wholesale poisoning of dogs and cats in South Invercargill recently hag left the bereft ' owners of poisoned animals .'with a feeling of itidignation at the inhuman cruelty of some misguided person. Animals have been found ’dying in , agony, leaving their owners .no option-but to destroy Them. It has been discovered (says‘the Southland Times) that pieces of meat thrown to the animals have contained, pieces /Of glass ground to minute particles, vybich soon bring .on terrible pain to the unfortunate beasts. Valuable dogs- and cats have been'Most to their 'owners in this ivay, including working dogs, which are- their owners'means ofTivelihood. ) More than one infuriated animal' ’lover. has threatened to take the law into his own hands should he discover the miscreant.-, Gan you do good work with blunt tools? We employ experts to set and sharpen your saw, scissors, shears, knives, mower,, etc.; satisfaction’ guaranteed.—Dickinson’s, Limited, 245 Princes street, Dunedin.s. . '■■ /’ _*’ A , , - Following the traditions of his forefathers, Captain A. G. Baggett, master of the Foxton, which ran aground on. the shifting sands of the Waimakariri River recently, spends a consideraible' amount .of his spare time constructing models of ships. In his cabin he has a fine sailing vessel practically finished. The hull, he explained to a representative of the Press, is made from a totara post which was in the Foxton River for 40 years, and all the wooden fittings, are of mahogany —many of them from ' the woodwork of the Rauoo, once a speedy clipper, but now a coal hulk at Lyttelton. The foremast is a piece of timber from the Kotiti, and the whole vessel is built to scale. Underneath the model is a solid block of wood from which Captain Baggett intends to build another miniature. All hie models can be sailed. Nothing but praise from consumers of. our famous sugar-cured from BJd lb.—Barton’s, Manse street.. . “I do not think a better all-weathers costume could be devised for bush. and ranges than the uniform my old. friend Captain Gilbert Mair used to wear on his fighting expeditions in the Urewera Country and other war-troubled regions m the Hauhau war days,” writes “ Tangiwai ” in the New Zealand Railways Magazine. This costume “ consisted of knickerbockers and thick woollen stockings, a light shawl belted round the waist,■ woollen shirt, and uniform jacket. The shawl, worn kiltwise, was a protection in pressing through thick bush and a comfort at. night, with the blanket. Many pakeh a bush-fighters, surveyors, and others adopted the Maori and Highland kilt fashion, but Mair found by long apd hard experience that his additions to the costume made it a perfect dress'for all purposes of marching and fighting in a wild land.” All-wool Roslyn worsted suits reduced to 49s 6d are one of the gifts at the “Ascot” sale. * Sox 6d a pair and shirts 5s lid, working trousers 9s lid are wonderful bargains. Postage paid anywhere. Ascot, corner Princes and Rattray streets... . V While the Mayor of Lyttelton, Mr W. T. Lester, and members of the Borough Council were inspecting Corsair Bay on a recent afternoon they were astonished to see a woman clad in bathing costume emerge from one of the dressing sheds , and enter the water. The siin had gone from that side of the bay at the time, and already the evening’s frost was beginning to make itself felt, so that the spectators did an involuntary shiver as the bather dived under and commenced swimming about. ' After 10 or 15 minutes she left the water, but entered again at the request of a photographer. . The bather was a Lyttelton resident, Mrs E. M. Scollar, and she bathes regularly three or four times a week. If anything, she stated, she prefers bathing in the winter to the summer, as she is sure of having the beach to herself. Mrs Scollar was formerly well known to passengers in the little steamer Wakatu, oP which she was stewardess for many years), A big black nigger. to himself has said: If I this job do take on I’ll need to eat a bit more bread - And lots more Hitchon’s Bacon...