NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 16

NEWS IN BRIEF

A most unusual sparrow was seen at the Palmerston North Railway Station the other day. The bird had the distinctive markings of a sparrow but was % furnished with a long beak and a tail which was much longer than is usual. Except for the colour of the plumage the bird resembled a kingfisher, even to the size and shape of the body. Good grocery goes a long way towards health and comfort,. Good housekeepers in the Tokomairiro district always keep in touch with Gray’s Big Store for'their supplies... .. General market conditions (says the Wairarapa Times) were discussed in an address to the annual conference of the Royal Agricultural Society by Mr L. R. C. Macfarlane, of Culverdeu, who >cturned recently 'from a visit to Great Britain. He said that in the present , state of world standards of Jiving, New Zealanders could not reasonably expect very much more for their wool than at present. • “The credit for having trained more pilots than- any other club is something to feel pleased about, while there can be no: doubt whatever that our commercial flying also exceeds that of any other club in the Dominion,” said Sir Bruce ..Stewart in his presidential address to members of the Canterbury Aero Club at their, annual meeting in the Chamber of Commerce Hall. It was a record year in both departments of the club’s work. Sir Bruce Stewart added. Just, landed, latest designs in English Striking Clocks; prices from £3. Timepieces from 26s 0d. —Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians. 490 Moray place, Dunedin : Discovered-by the ranger to the -Palmerston North branch of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society in a mairaai on a lake before the.-break of day, an intend- s ing sportsman who, while armed with the all-important gun, was not the possessor of the all-iraportaht license, informed the official that he was merely looking for rabbits. “Waiting for them to come for; their morning swim, presumably,” laughingly remarked a member. .. ■ ■■ “ Japan to-day is building a great many ships, both warships and merchantmen. and in one of the yards I saw a large vessel being built for one of'the French shipping companies,” said Mr H. E. Grainger, in an address to Hastings Rotarians. “If Japan takes seriously to building ships, she will be a serious menace to the .British shipbuilding industry. She is determined to have a navy equal to those of Britain : and America, and she;makes no bones about it.” - , . ‘ ' ' Gfandism (2610): All our wines and spirits are sold on the money-baqk guarantee —the customer is the sole' judge.— Grand Hotel Home Supply Store.,. As one approached Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, one could not be but struck by the large plantations of Australian blue gums which obscured the view of the city buildings, said Mr C. H. Barton, a missionary in Ethiopia,; during the course of va lecture at New Plymouth. For years it was the custom" to move the capital town as the surround- i ing country became denuded of trees. This considerably disorganised the trading and in the year 1900 large quantities of gum trees were imported. To-day there were millions of them growing in Ethiopia. ■ Hot Coffee! Fresh andfragrant. Only real coffee contains the virtue and lifegiving energy of this natural breakfast beverage. Insist on getting the “ Bohrbon ” brand..., i Nearly 80 tons of goods engine, which jumped a set of points in the'Christchurch railway yard recently set a breakdown gang a difficult task in returning it to. the rails. The work took three hours and a-half, after oxy-acetylene burners, jacks, and two other engines had been brought into action. The engine, which was drawing a loaded goods train from Oxford, had just arrived at Christchurch, and had begun shunting operations. Negotiating points about two chains from the Colombo street crossing, and near Carlyle street, the front bogey fouled and the big engine ploughed along the permanent way for twice\its own length. Water bottles these cold nights are very comforting, but most men prefer a Crossan’s “ nightcap.” - The best brands stocked by Wullie Crossan, “ Waterloo ” Caversbam... A charge of using chains where unnecessary, so as to damage the road, was brought against Samuel Bertie Shergold, a motor truck driver, in the Pukekohe Magietrate’ei Court recently. The Main | Highways Board traffic inspector said defendant drove his truck off a clay road at Waimarino and on to the Great South road. He drove along for. some, distance with his chains on, causing unnecessary damage. The gross weight of the vehicle was five tons Bcwt. A fine of £2, with costs (£3 2s 3d), was imposed. “You should never swear at a cow; it upsets the animal,” members of the Stratford Jersey Breeders’ Club were gravely informed The speaker was Mr P. J. Petersen, Brixton, who was addressing the club on treatment of cows in preparation for C.O.R. testing. He stressed the necessity of treating the cow to be_ tested with care and gentleness and of, gaining its confidence. A highly-strung cow could as easily be upset by rough language or rough treatment as a child accustomed to parental care might be, he said. The advice amused the members, though they realised , the truth behind' it. , •• , V You cannot do good work with blunt tools. . We employ experts who sharpen and set" scissors of any size. Satisfaction fuaranteed. —Dickinson’s Limited, 245 ’rinces street... The view (states the Southland Times) that some prominent feature of the. Milford Sound road should be named after the late Mr John Cockburn, who, it was stated, had first envisaged the route, was again expressed at the executive meeting of the Southland League. The chairman (Mr W., Hinchey) said that perhaps the tunnel under the Homer Saddle might be called the “ Cockburn Tunnel.” Members agreed that it would be but fitting if Mr Cockburn’s pioneering efforts were perpetuated as suggested, and it was resolved, to communicate with tne Minister of Tourist Resorts. A painful injury was suffered by Mr H. W. Barraclough, of Opunake, when he was engaged in killing a beast at the yards. The animal had been penned in a small race alongside a platform on which Mr BarracloUgh was mounted with a pea/ rifle for the , purpose of killing the beast. The animal turned its head suddenly, knocking the cocked rifle from tha hands of Mr Barraclough, and as the weapon bit the concrete floor of the race it ex- , ploded, the bullet striking the middle 1 finger of Mr Barraclough’s right hand, continuing through the palm and out at the wrist. ~ .. ' Winter Sale now on. ; Oddments in all departments at gift prices.. See special window displays. Call early.—A. F. Cheyne and C 0... A somewhat unusual matter was mentioned at a. recent meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, when one of the rangers (Mr P. W. Willson) reported that the proprietor of tea rooms at the gummit of the Rimutaka road had been considerably inconvenienced by opossums invading the premises at night and causing damage to the furniture and fittings. It had been suggested to the authorities in Wellington that permission be granted for the animals to be destroyed during a season of one month. The chairman (Mr R. W. Priest) /remarked that the proprietor had tamed them to such an extent that the opossums would, answer his call, so he wondered why it was necessary to trap them. “ Sheep idealing is rampant all over the country,” declared Mr L. Maclean, of Hawke’s Bay, in moving, on behalf of the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Association, at the recent conference of the Royal Agricultural Society, that all cases of sheep stealing be an indictable offence. The following remit was carried:—“ln view of the increase in the crime of sheep stealing, and of . the great difficulty in detecting such offences, this conference resolves that the Minister of Justice he approached in order that the law may be amended so that all persons charged with theft of sheep shall be indicted and shall not be dealt with summarily in the Magistrate’s Court, as the maximum punishment provided for offences dealt with summarily—namely, six months’ hard labour or a fine of £2o—was an insufficient deterrent to wrongdoers." Keep on till rumour on the wing A broader flight hath taken. Keep on till Bruce and Clutha ring With praise for Hitehon’s bacon...