NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22329, 1 August 1934, Page 14

NEWS IN BRIEF

.Ragwort as it grows in the Waikato caused a Wanganui visitor much surprise when he was m the northern ueiguuourhood recently. He said that, when approaching a. paddock on one occasion he was inwardly complimenting' the farmer on an excellent crop-of . rape. Closer examination, however, led him; to discover that the crop was not of rape, but of ragwort! Why burn your fingers with broken pot or kettle lids? Bring the size—we can supply,—Dickinson’s, Ltd., 245 Princes street... ' ,

Another of the radio-sonde balloons sent up from Kelburn to explore the secrets of the stratosphere has been found hear Te Kuiti. This was one which .only ascended a mile or two before failing on its mission, and makes the third which has been recovered. The finder; reports that when discovered it was' fully, inflated, but this can hardly be quite correct, as it would not have descended in this condition. ,

Good progress has been made with the work of improving the skeleton .collection at the, Wanganui Public Museum, states the curator (Mr G. Shepherd) in the museum’s annual report. Several large specimens are in course of preparation. Two were obtained by collection during the past year,' and comprised a beaked whale from the Hawera, beach and -a dusky dopihin from the beach near Wanganui. Grandism (2327): Southard’s London Dry Gin is crystal pure, triple distilled from the choicest materials, and delicately flavoured. Sold in five sizes of bottles... “ The trade’s dead.” In that short sentence one of Palmerston North’s leading tobacconists summed up the position . in regard to the sale of cigarette papers in the city. He told a Wellington Dominion representative that, so far as his business was concerned, the sale of cigarette papers had dropped by about 73 per cent, since the prices'were increased. Cigarette tobacco, Ue added, was not selling well and packets of cigarettes were not selling too well cither. He hoped that when the . retail - price of , “ tailor mades ” was brought dowp the sales would increase considerably. There is no doubt that good pickles,sauces, and soups are great ■ appetisers. There are none better than the well-known and popular “Stella ” products. This firm also manufactures Cream of Tomato Soup. Try them... The quality of butter and cheese had improved all over the Dominion, and with increasing competition it Was more than ever essential to watch quality, said the chairman of.the Omata Co-operative Dairy Company (Mr Guy -Bell) at .the annua! meeting recently. It should be made tho first aim of factories. “We like to compare the returns of one factory. ..with another.” proceeded Mr Bell, “but. -we should be prouder to compare the quality of one’s factory’s- produce -with that of * another.", ; : ' >. .

During his address to the jury, in tJia Supreme Court at Palmerston North, the other day, one of the counsel paid a glowing tribute to tbe counsel opposing him. He urged the jury not to, be led away by, the blandishments of the . latter who, he said, bad won a wide reputation' in many a doughty legal battle with subtle argument, and honeyed phrases. Opposing counsel, in replying, informed the jury that . they need fear no honeyed phrases from him, but could confine tneir ; attention to the evidence.

.Grays, Milton, are making special, deductions in price for high-grade strile and overcoats held in stock. Men who need' a good article should inspect, these... An example of official exactitude was cited at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board.. The chairman, Mr J. J. Kingston.'nibhtipucd that it'had been necessary to submit for •• audit a statement, of accounts and" balance-sheet, of the Mount. Albert Fire Beard, although the board. , had never functioned. The only entries ~on the document were:: — i* Receipts, nil; expenditure, nil;, assets, nil; liabilities, nil.”; It was returned /duly signed by the local audit inspector -and the auditor-general, with a note that a charge of 9s was payable for the Certification, ; ■ . ’ -■ - - ■ • - ■ , A young pupil of the Hastings High School has solved the problem (says the Poverty Bay Herald) of ‘‘ what to do with our boys ” by taking the matter into his own hands so .far as, his own career is concerned, and becoming a builder or wireless sets. He is Ronald Maddock, and ia apparently no mere dabbler at bis work, for among the machines.that he ha s built is a 12;Valve set ‘which he made for a professional man in Hastings, and which has given remarkably good results. ■ Last weelt or Winter Sate. Further, reductions on balance of all winter goods. See special window displays. New .goods -at less than sale prices; . Call F, Cheyne and C 0... .... Mr D. M’Gregor, at..a meeting of the Wanganui Farmers’, Union, said that Lord Bledisloe had addressed the- Dominion Conference of farmers and given them some sound advice, incidentally, the Governor-General emphasised the necessity •of importing*hew blood■'‘into the Dominion to improve their stock and the necessity for developing cex-tain othef industries. On-the following morning Uie ■ conference voted against lifting the embargo to allow' the importation of fresh blood. He did not know - whaf the' Governor-General would ; think about this decision. No doubt he-would be very disappointed. Everything ot the best at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princes street, Dunedin.— Chas.' Hinchciiff, proprietor... /, V Reporting to a nieefug of the committee of the South Canterbury branch' of the Society for the Prevention' of cruelty .to Animals, the inspector (Mr G. Gliddon) said that he was still being called on to dear with dogs which hao been run. oyer by motor care, and which had been left on the roadside in a maimed condition. It was very hard, he said, to understand the 1 callous action of these motorists, and every effort was being made to' secure the opportunity of 1 ventilating such case*, in the proper quarter. ; ■■ ■ . Coffee for breakfast, fresh and fragrant! Ask your grocer for the, “ Bourbon ” brand. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by “ Durie’s,” coffee specialists,: 32 Octagon, Dunedin... > Much interest was taken at Lyttelton, the other day in a fish captured by one, of the trawlers. The fish was caught in deep water off Banks Peninsula and measured two feet long and .was grey in colour .with a rat-like mouth, containing four, teeth. The specimen, . which was sent to the museum, was recognised aS a Rough Shark, a fish that is said to be very rare in These waters. It is the intention of* the museum authorities to take a cast of- it.- •• -■

A party including about lO membeig of the Captain Cook Memorial Committee recently visited Ship Cove to investigate reports that erosion was endangering, the stability of the monument . there. At tho same time consideration was given to a scheme for improving the ,memorial by suitable additions in its height • ami general proportions (states the. Marlborough Express). Necessary data for. future plans were collected and arrangements were authorised for. protective works to be carried out to, ensure that; further erosion due to the stream chang-’-ing its course would be averted. ' -Why back a horse both ways? ..The front always comes in first. Try a hip and a tip from Win. Crosean, Waterloo, Caversham...

An apparatus for detecting and measuring earthquakes, known as a MilneJagger seismograph* is now located at the office of the Public Works Department, Greymouth (says the Grey River Argus), and is in charge of the. Public Works draughtsmen. It was sent to Greymouth from the Dominion Observatory iat Wellington, and has (been,, certified as accurate and satisfactorily( installed by Dr Adams, . Government. Meteorologist, who visited' Greymouth some months ago. The record of any ■’ earthquake is made on a smoked disc , which rotates on an ordinary clock, and shows as a wa\-e instead of. the normal regular line made by the.-pointer.' The smoked disc takes three days to run out,and is then soaked in shellac and methylated spirits, which preparation makes the record permanent. The. instrument, which records the exact time of the disturbance. is not particularly sensitive.

but on the Rossi-Forrel scale, by which earthquakes are measured in intensity from 1 to .10, it will record all movements more intense than-two. .

To say that bacon’s all the same Seems silly and absurd. When well you know that Hitchon’a name Is now a household word..; ’