NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22398, 20 October 1934, Page 28

NEWS IN BRIEF

,"It has been said that New Zealand is round the corner/' said Sir Alexander Roberts at the annual meeting of the Automobile Association (Wellington), “hut I am not certain as to what street we have turned into.” Consideration was given by the committee of the Wairarapa and East Coast A. and P. Society at a recent meeting to the question of tin hare racing. Mr John Harman, of Wangaehu, put forward a proposal that a meeting be held about November 24. A committee was set up to consider the proposal further. 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,.. A new epoch in the development ot Canterbury commenced recently with the beginning of the first irrigation scheme of the province at Redcliff (states the Timaru Herald). Men and material from the Waitaki dam are to be used ior the work, and the engineer in charge of the construction will be Mr J. 0. Liddell. The Government irrigation officer (Mr T. G. Beck) directed the preparation work. An example of the Parsee attitude to sin was given to the Christchurch Diocesan Synod the other evening by the Rev. H. F. Ault, who recently returned from missionary work in India. “ The Parsee has very little idea of em as the Christian understands it,” said Mr Ault. “He will award 90 strokes as punishment for murder but 200 strokes for giving bad food to a dog. Offences against ritual are most important to him. Too much care cannot be devoted to the most precious of all our senses—the sight. Consult our optician—Peter Dick, opticians and jewellers, 490 Moray place. Dunedin... The recent warm rains have encouraged the out-of-season growth of mushrooms (says the Taranaki Herald). Normally, mushrooms do not make their appearance until late February or early March. However, a few small ones have already been found in various parts of North' Taranaki. The record one comes from the farm of Mr D. Bishop, Hemvood road. It weighs a pound, and is eight inches in diameter. The restorative power of a cup ot hot coffee on an exhausted man is undeniable. Draw your supplies from the coffee specialists, A. Durie and Co., 32 Octagon, Dunedin... The secretary of a semi-academic body in Christchurch recently (says the Christchurch Press) circulated a notice of an address to be delivered on "Medical and Morality Plays.” Whether because it was considered safe to trust members’ intelligence or because it seemed best not to dash an interest accidentally heightened, no correction followed to substitute “ Mediaeval ” for “ Medical and.” With so much rain having fallen of late, promoting a rapid growth of grass, farmers were somewhat perturbed regarding the effects on sheep and lambs, but a representative of the Timaru Herald has been informed by several farmers that there had been very little scouring. Considering the weather that had been experienced, the sheep were in splendid condition.

"Pride comes before a fall” i» an old proverb, but it was never better inpifc trated than by a Greymouth youth on a recent evening. Apparently in an endeavour to prove that his roller-skating ability w?is more than the average, he travelled into town from the skating rink in a motor car with his skates on. 'and skated into a well-known confectionery shop and purchased some, chocolates. >AH went well, until he attempted to leave-the shop (states the Grey, River Argus). Then he lost his balance, with a most disconcerting result, as he flew headlong through a glass dopr, depositing the door, himself, and the . chocolates none .too gently on the footpath. In the mornings when he sent the glazier to repair the door, he no doubt reflected that the best place to skate is in a hall. • Grandism (2396): Sedna —Gold Medal food and Tonic Wine. Proprietors: Deans Logan and Co., Ltd., Belfast and London. To be taken only as a medicine. Bottle 8s 6d. Half 4s 6d... The great difference in the prices ;of potatoes in New Zealand and Australia was the subject of a\ cable message gent the other day (says the Christchurch Times) by Dr Guy Haskins to Sydney and Melbourne newspapers.' 'Dr Haskins is a'commercial grower of potatoes, and his message' was:. “Are your readers aware that Government certified potatoes are £1 per ton here—Famine prices in Australia?—Guy Haskins, Christchurch.” He pointed out that the price in Australia was £4 per 2001 b bag, and the price for a similar bag in New Zealand was 4s. A new service is to be introduced hy the Automobile Association (Wellington) for its members so that those whose cars break down will be able to get out of their difficulties more easily. At the annual meeting the. chairman of the committee, Mr E. A. Batt, said that .the association hoped to announce shortly the introduction of a “ get-you-home ” service for members. At present the service officers did not do repairs, to ears, out of consideration for tne trade, but it was propoaed to have a . list, of authorised garages with which one could get in touch and. be towed or otherwise got home free. Soon such & service would be in force all over New Zealand. Everything of the best at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princes street, Dunedin.— Chas. Hincbcliff, proprietor.., Under the will of the late Samuel Farquhar, who died at Styx on September 27, and of which the Public Trustee is executor and trustee, subject to certain trusts affecting the income arising in the estate (says the Christchurch Times), the Methodist Church Foreign Mission Fund is bequeathed the residue of the income and a legacy ,of £IOOO. . • ? Wireless, enthusiasts some weeks ago expressed , their gratification at the Ranfurly Shield coming to Hawke’s Bay (reports the Hawke’s.Bay Herald) by haying their wireless masts painted in. broad bands of black'and white, the Hawke’s Hay, colours. The Ranfurly Shield did not remain long here, but the black and white wireless masts have- so increased in number that in some parte of the town they have almost a monopoly. The effect at . night is rather striking, the white patches standing out clearly, but the black, of course, being invisible, giy* ing the masts the appearance of being spirals instead of straight-sided. -r. The acme of comfort in the home is assured when it is known that a bottle of Wullie Crossan’s (Waterloo) is in the cupboard. Be well advised and stock up.,;. ■ .- ■■ l '. : % . , , . , > Traps, sticks, poison, and terriers are the common cause of mortality in mice (says the Hawke’s Bay Herald), and if it were possibleito compile statistics very slight mention would Be made of mice killed by electripity. Fewer still would be the figures relating, to those killed by a radio set. A Napier radio dealer had a radio set brought to him recently, accompanied.by a, complaint that the instrument—a radio-gramophone combination — was emitting a number of queer sounds. When. the, chassis was removed the body of the dead mouse dropped out. The* animal must have been attracted by the warmth of the set, crept in, and; happened to come in contact with the ( high-tension leads, the flash-over causing a break in the insulation of an' adjoining wire.,

See Special Holiday Bargains all this week. Everything* New, no old stock, at Special Prices this week only. See windows. Call early.—The Mosgiel Warehouse, A. F. Cheyne and C 0... Several stone adzes of ancient Maori construction were turned up recently by workmen on the Pelorus bridge reserve (says the Marlborough Express) when obtaining some soil for top-dressing. From time to time Maori curios, including some , articles of the valued greenstone, have been found on various parts of the reserves. The old Maori name for the locality is Titi Raukawa, and there are fragmentary traditions of a big fight or massacre that took place in preEuropean times, when it was occupied by the Ngaitara tribe, who were forerunners to the Ngatikuia, the tribe that held it when Te Rauparaha invaded the district.; The relies Were found' about a foot under the top soil, and are interesting mementoes of the early Maori occupation of the Pelorus. The continuous flow of eatables, in and out again, at the Grocery Department of Gray’s Big Store indicates that they are meeting the exacting demands of the kitchen... . ' . . .

One Mataura garden has yielded rather strange results during the past fortnight (says the Mataura Ensign). While preparing the ground for seasonal requirements, Mr George Jar dine, of Kana street, unearthed a . curious coin of , doubtful origin and antiquity. The characters are not familiar to many who have viewed them, but it is generally surmised that they are either Arabic or Egyptian. The other day Mr Jardine discovered an earwig, and the fact that it - possessed unusual features saved it from. the, Tate meted out to insects of the species referred to. Its body was completely covered with what to a casual glance seems a minute variety of aphid, or plant louse, of a brownish colour. When it was exhibited to Mr D. L. Poppelwell he expressed the opinion that the earwig was .probably attacked by a, parasite. Speaking of American children in an address' on the United States in Timaru, the Rev. E. Llewellyn Williams said that the child should be allowed to be himself, and not a mere copy of his, elders, with a result that the child was allowed a great deal of freedom.. This became license, but on the whole it did result in developing a very self-reliant individual, who started life without too many inferiority complexes that made one timid and bashful. The American child was at least three years older in many ways than the children brought up where discipline and authority were the guiding principles in education. He could, of course, be a bit of a nuisance, but there was something very challenging about his precociousness. A little boy of 10 was once stroking his mother’s silk dress when he asked her, “ Where did this come from; mother?” the reply being, “From the worm, dear." “You mean papa,” came from the youthful inquirer.

Spring weather is bringing the grass up. Make work a pleasure by having your lawn mower and shears sharpened by an expert. We call and deliver. —* Dickinson’s, Limited. 245 Princes street. Discovered on the farm of Mr H. Bannister, in the Kairanga, and thought possibly to be fragments of a fallen meteorite (says the Manawatu Standard), several pieces of stone obviously contain*, ing iron were recently brought into Palmerston 1 North for examination. Under a powerful microscope, Mr S. Jickell, formerly borough engineer, has been able to determine that they are definitely not pieces of leonides, because of their irregular surface. He pointed out that even though they might have protuberances meteors were always worn smooth on the surface by their passage at terrific speed towards the earth. The opinion he advanced is that the substance is ironstone of a similar nature to the natural mat discovered three feet under the ground level during early draining operations on the playing field of the Boys’ High School. It was of volanic origin. It was recalled by Mr Jickcll that in 1908 residents in the vicinity of Rangitikei street, just over Featherston street, had an alarming experience when a meteorite did fall. It heralded its approach with a terrifying roar, and struck the edge of the roadway just off the footpath, making a hole like a small shell crater, and breaking the water main. This occurred in the morning- , There’s a firm down in Milton, Well known as Hitchon Brothers; Whose goods upon the market Are prized above all others...