NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22717, 1 November 1935, Page 18

NEWS IN BRIEF

As a sequel to poisoning 164 opossums instead of trapping them, Alex Somers, farm labourer, appeared in the Taihapa Magistrate's Court and was fined £2 and . costs. The skins were confiscated, in view of which the ranger did not press for a heavy penalty.. ...;■' That queer little animal with the spiny back, the hedgehog, is getting plentiful in parts of suburban Auckland (reports the Auckland Star). They live in a hedge of a rock wall,' roam contentedly through gardens, and are supposed to. render good service by keeping down the grubs. On the other hand, a fowl run seems to offeC some attractions to '.'them, and for the hedgehog a new-laid egg is regarded as a delicacy. -Attempts to convert them into family pets have not been too successful, as the small animals have no hoiniift instinct, and wander where their fancy takes them. - For successful baking the housewife must have the best quality in the ingredients. Milton people can get the right goods at Gray's Big Store... < Police inquiries in connection with the recent desecration of 78 graves at the Te Aroha cemetery, resulted in the re- ■ sponsibility for the damage,being creditel to two very small children. It is not expected that any charge Tjill be laid, as the infants are too young to be dealt with, even by the Children's Court. Candidates for Parliament get aske.l some peculiar questions, not so much at their meetings as in''private. It is reported that one aspirant for the.Wanau . seat was calmly requested by a country elector the other day .to supply the ''necessary" to set the petitioner up in business. A mere matter of £6OO was involved. Even if the man-had been a good mark. £6OO is rather much for one vote! ; ' Gome arid! see .our ;6UOw to-mgtit VVB- - open till 9 o'clock Friday uiguts Scoullar and Chisholm. Limited... -.■-:' The unusual sight of a defendant plac- , ing'his bat on his head, when he entered the witness box, despite warning sigua's from the police and his own counsel, was witnessed in the Magistrate's Court; Grey*; mouth (reports the Grey Star). Those familiar with the rules of the court expected- immediate retribution for what was apparently a case of contempt. The explanation was forthcoming when. de-. fendant stated that he was a Jew. and desired to take the oath in the. Jewish manner, with his head covered. One ot the court Bibles was opened in; such a manner as to separate the Jewish portions, comprising the Old Testament, and the oath was taken on them., ; A child with.adistinct eye to business, but at the same time anxious to comply v/ith the law, inquired from the city police recen'tly (state-the New Zealand Herald) if it was necessary ..to have «t licence to collect " pennies for the,guy. Ou being told that there Was mo..such ' i equireirient; he was apparently satisfied, and presumably commenced collecting iu anticipation of November 5. Grandism (2715)': .Would yoii '.send to your friend a sincerei message .of Christmas goodwill? Then shop at'the■•Grand Home Supply Store..; - : " - A statement that during tbe ; last 28 weeks no fewer - than 90. deaths anions Maoris had occurred between Marton and Otaki was made the other night by. Mr R. W. Bothamley, Democrat .candidate for Otaki in an address in the Taita Public Hall (reports the Wairarapa Daily Times). ,In referring to the national health scheme embodied in the Democrat policy, Mr Bothamley said: "You all;recall the findings, of the. Royal . that investigated the administration or Native affairs. May I now ask in authority to do something for our Maori friends, who from what I have told you to-night are in need." ' - : . .'■ A story of one of the nifiny unusual - lequests to officers of the Atombbile As? sociation (Auckland) was told at a. meeting of the council of the association the other evening. An . agitated motorist telephoned. the office of the association, recently to announce that his. car wag stuck in a soft patch and -to.:'ask if he could avail himself of the V* Get. You Home" .service. "Where are you? asked the officer. ."■ I'm. home,"• came the reply, "but my car is stuck in a; soft patch in the idrive.". l Spring Cleaning Specials from the Mosgiel Warehouse. White and Biscuit Curtain Nets, from Is 3d yard, t Fancy Coloured Nets, 25.6 d yard. Silk Nets, from Is lid yard. 27-inch Runner, 6s 6d and 8s 6d yard. Hearthrugs, 5s lid up. Electrolux for hire, 5s full day.—A F. Cheyne and C 0... One of the best of New Zealand a many veronicas is Hulkeana, which cornea originally from Marlborough and has won fame in England. In few places in the world (says the Dominion) can such a mass of Hulkeana-be seen as alongside the wooden part of Parliament Buildings, tnat side of the wooden buildine(once Government House) which rims roughly parallel with Molesworth street: Here; between the path and the 1 wall, all the space; 13 Hulkeana except for the intrusion of a, rather out-of-place geranium. Coaxed by the warm rains, Hulkeana is breaking into flower. In a day or two it will be a nia&j of bloom, perhaps a, record aggregation of a distinctive species of which aew Zealand may be proud. The lilac novels are borne in profusion, and the plant w sometimes called New Zealand 'lilac; : ' Best quality regulation dust drum* ob, tainable at Dickinson's, Ltd., tinsmiths and sheetmetal workers, 245 Princes street, Dunedin.... . -, ~' . The remarks by Mr -A. E. Heifoid, Government inspector of fisheries, about the commercial value of eel skins for tanning were commented upon by a Kaikoura resident, who displayed to a Marlborough Express representative a piece of conger eel skin which he had prepared. The sample .was about 2ft long and lOin wide, and the under side was white, the outside of the skin being a light blue. The skin was exceedingly strong and durable, and the opinion was expressed that the skins properly treated would be suitable for the manufacture of wonen's light shoes, purses and similar articles. Thj deep-sea conger eel, which grows to u great size, is plentiful in Kaikoura water.-;, and the skin would make a good-sized pelt. The fish are caught during the summer off the rocks by persons fishing for butter fish. ,- ' , : /.: '- ' ... ■" Kenya coffee, a good medium; Mysore, a better body and richer, flarour; and Blue Mountain Jamaica, the world '.e best, all obtainable from " Durie's," coffee specialists, 32 Octagon, Dunedin... •What he described as a deplorable lack of organisation for the disembarking of travellers and their baggage (states the Christchurch Press) was noticed at Vancouver by Colonel G. J. Smith, who returned to Christchurch after a trip to Great Britain. "The officials came on board at 10.30 and it was 2.30 in the morning before the arrangements were complete," said Colonel Smith. "The shipping company would do well to try to brine about a better organisation, or the route will become very unpopular. I heard many passengers say that they would not go that way again." The coming election will be a mixed one. But note: It is notified that all parties are welcome to discuss matters at the Waterloo, Caversham... "It has recently come to the notice of the Southland Acclimatisation Society that persons have been keeping this in captivity. This is a breach of the Animals Protection Act, and renders them liable to prosecution," said Mr James Robertson, president of the society, in an interview. "So far as can be learned tuis cannot get their proper natural food unless thev are free, and it invariably happens that they pine away and die. This year tuis have become particularly numerous in and around Invercargill, and. they are easily captured. People who catch them probably have no idea of being cruel, and do not realise that these attractive birds car.not Ifre caged." If yon think you ,are going to get 6t in six weeks or two months you have another think coming," remarked Mr G. Warehain. the veteran athlete, who is the official coach of the Marlborough Amateur Athletic Club, when addressing the members at the annual meeting. "And that applies to sprinters, distance men. cyclists—all of you, in fact. If you want to get reallv fit and seasoned it will take you more like 16 weeks-to do it. When you feel you are well and Tiding or running at top form it isi an. easy matter to hold your form by training gently and judiciously. You will only lose form if you keep plugging into your training." I'm longing for the dear old home, For mother my heart is achin', But I long more still to see her fill < My plate with Hitchon's bacon...