NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22889, 25 May 1936, Page 18

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Taranaki Producers' Freezing Company, Ltd., has decided to expend £35,000 to increase its works at Moturoa. The additions include a four-storey building for cold storage purposes. S'&me blooms of wattle were brought into the Southland Times Office last Friday. These golden flowers, which were groivu at Awarua, are of remarkably early growth, as the wattle does not usually flower until late in August at the earliest. Grandisin (2887): Service at the Grand Hotel means courtesy and quick delivery and our full guarantee of quality—all these you get at the Home Supply Store... The whaling season started well for the Tory Channel whalers last week, when two good whales were caught in Cook Strait. The first catch this year is about a fortnight earlier than was the case last season, when the look-out was kept for some weeks before any whales /were sighted. For the first time in New Zealand radio-telephony is being' used to direct the operations of the whalechasers.

"I always regret that witnesses will not use the expressions ' off side' and ' near side' when referring to vehicles," said. Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court, Wellington, last week, during the hearing of a claim for damages arising out of a motor accident. "It would be much plainer," his Honor added, " but, unfortunately, it'seems to be a .lost art." "It went out with carriages, I'm afraid, sir," counsel replied. May Bargains at the Mosgiel Drapery Warehouse. See the new season's Goods in the Showroom, all at Special Prices this month. Watch windows for Specials. Your inspection invited.—A. F. Cheyne and Co.,.Mosgiel... lit anybody in the Hataitai district should happen to be searching for a missing magpie (says the Wellington Dominion of Friday), he or she will be interested to know that the bird was seen yesterday morning in Courtenay place, taking a tram ride. The magpie perched upon the tram as it was leaving Hataitai, and remained there throughout the journey to Wellington city. Bright-eyed aud unruffled, the magpie passed through "Courtenay place, sitting as calmly as a hen on its perch. An escape from serious injury and extensive damage to property was the good fortune of a Gisborne man last week when cranking his car. He was unaware that it was in gear, although it moved forward as he turned the handle, and when the engine fired he barely had time to leap aside. The car continued on down the slope, and, just missing another car, crashed into a veranda post outside a shop. The post was'split about four feet from the base, but at the impact the car engine stalled. " Bourbon" Coffee. Users of this favourite brand of breakfast coffee will be pleased to hear the price is reduced 2d per lb; all, grocers—Durie's, specialists, 32. Octagon, Dunedin...

At Whangarei last week a local farmer wag: convicted and ordered to pay costs (£1 14s) on a charge that "in the absence of an agreement in writing to the contrary he failed to pay wages at intervals of not more than one week." ' The magistrate, Mr G. N. Morris, said he.had not realised the seriousness of the position regarding breaches of the Act dealing with wages, and there was no doubt that farmers must, come into line and keep within the provision of the Act. " Criticism of the public service is probably keenest among public servants themselves," said Mr S. T. Barnett at the meeting of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration, over which he presided the other evening. "We do resent, however, the petty and ill-informed criticism to which we are occasionally subjected. Fortunately, nowadays the Government is giving the people something else to think about."

The Government intends taking over all transport, but Wullie Crossan of the Waterloo can forward assorted hampers with the quickest despatch... ; ; "From careful observations and experience of anglers of many years' standing, it would appear that it is now established, without doubt, that so long as the outlet from Lake Ellesmere remains open, then so long does the fishing in the Rakaia remain poor,*' states the apnual report of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. The report adds that this proves the vast importance of the supply of fish in the lake, for almost immediately the outlet closes the fishing improves in the Rakaia. I'

Lack of knowledge of military matters among the general public sometimes leads to amusing incidents. On the arrival of Major-general Sir William Sinclair-Bur-gesa on his charger to take the salute from the mounted rifles at New Plymouth, a woman was overheard .explaining that he was a quarter-master. "You can tell that," she said, "from the letters 'Q.M.' on the cloth on his horse." She must have been rather puzzled later to find that every member of the regiment had "Q.M." on his horse cloth. She had apparently noticed only two of the four letters, " Q.A.M.R.," standing for Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles.

■Ashpans (black, brass or copper fronts) made to fit your grate. Also, log box linings, etc., made to order. —Dickinson's, Ltd., sheet metal workers, 245 Princes street... .

"Two well-known sheep runs may be closed to trampers unless those who cross these runs take greater care with fires, fences and gates," said Mr F. W. Vosseler, for many years president of the Tararua Tramping Club, at the annual meeting of the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand in Wellington. Lack of care with gates, Mr Vosseler said, was one of the greatest sources of friction between trampers and runholders. The meeting recommended that material on "The Etiquette of Tramping," prepared by a sub-committee, of which Mr Vosseler was chairman, and relating to firearms, fences and gates, hospitality, fires, and many other matters, should be printed with the newly-devised distress-signals, in a special booklet. Delegates expressed the hope that every new member joining a tramping club would be provided with a copy of this booklet. An instance of the difficulties sometimes encountered by doctors in isolated districts was given in the report of Dr W. A. Anderson, medical superintendent of the Lake County Hospital, in his report to the Southland Hospital Hoard at its meeting last week. On April 27, the report stated, the doctor had two patients for which he required assistance, and he had sent for Dr L. C. M'Nickle, medical superintendent of the Southland Hospital. "He set out. but fog at Parawa forced him to turn back," Dr Anderson's report continued. "As a result I sent one case down to Invercargill for operation and, single-handed, operated on the other case myself. The patient is now making good progress." A new treatment for lung trouble is being stocked at Gray's Big Store, Milton. This is Besta St. Bernard Oil, made from Mutton Birds...

The opinion that native birds are still increasing is expressed in the annual report of the Native Birds Committee of tho North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. During the last year the council paid for 58 little owls' heads and 1114 pairs of harrier hawks' feet, and it is stated that many more had been destroyed by sportsmen. The Australian magpie is said to be taking a fairly heavy toll of birds, especially the skylark. The kingfisher is said to be increasing, and to be seen comparatively near to the city, and native pigeons, tuis, and bell-birds to be still plentiful in places. The fact that only four members of the firm of Atkinsons, the English perfumers, who? have been established for about 150 years, knew the secret formulas for preparing its perfumes was mentioned in an interview in Auckland last week by Mr B 0. Ellison, sales manager in Australia. Mr Ellison added that from the woman's point of view there was an affinity between perfumery and culinary arte, in that the fascination lay partly in keeping the recipes secret. The "ingredients" used in perfumery manufacture came from various parts of the world. Bulgaria was the home of attar of roses, and his firm produced its eau de Cologne from pure neroli oil, from orange buds of its own groves in Tunis. For many years this oil had previously been obtained from plantations in Italy. Oh for the best, the very best, Oh for Hitchon's bacon; Give me the thing that stands the test, No matter where it's taken...