NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23364, 2 December 1937, Page 22

NEWS IN BRIEF

“I was astonished to learn that about one-quarter of the boys. 41, could not swim,” remarked the aclngprincipal of the Masterton High School (Mr G. W. Morice) at last: week’s meeting of the Secondary Education Board. That number, he added, was now down, to 10 or 11. Only 13 girls at the High School were unable to swim. We make and repair metr' articles o£ every description, also set and sharpen lawn mowers, shears, saws, scissors, etc. —Dickinson’s, Ltd., 441 Princes street, Dunedin... Speaking of the desirability of obtaining more members for the Whangarei branch of the S.P.C.A. at-tho annual meeting last week, Mr F. A. Farmer, the president, said the idea may be prevalent that the S.P.C.A. was a small organisation.- “We are not ‘ small potatoes,’ ” he said, “ but. part of a huge society that has done—and. Indeed, is still doing—a tremendous amount of good work throughout tha world.”

In the report of the Camping Committee presented at last week’s meeting of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) it was stated that four electric points and one heating point had been installed at the Ashburton camp. This latter was because quite a number of parties took along irons to enable the womenfolk to keep their clothes neatly pressed. “ For aye the cheapest lawyer’s fee's * to pree the barrel.” Many a quarrel has no doubt been agreeably fixed up at Crossan’s “Waterloo,” CaTersham. - .:. “ Every time you cut the course the. mower blades move at a high speed for approximately 100 miles. You can’t get these machines to do the work without high maintenance and overhaul costs,” remarked Mr A. G. Mackay, at last week’s meeting of tho Seafield Golf Club, Christchurch, when the question of the cost of running the triplex mower during the year was under consideration.

When he completed shearing 312 Romney lambs in approximately nine hours one day last week, Mr “ Daddy ” Karaitiana, a well-known Dannevirke Maori, established what is said to be a record for the Matamau and. Tatoramoa districts. The lambs were shorn on the property of Mr G. France, Matamau. Mr Karaitiana worked from 5 a.m. until 5 p.m„ with the usual intervals for meals and “smoko,” so that his actual shearing time would be about nine hours. The home at Xmas time is so much cosier and brighter if that finishing touch is put on it with carpets, nigs, or curtains. * Gray’s supply the needs of the Milton householder for these goods... 1 People fishing off the Waiwera Bridge (Auckland) have caused disconnections to telephone calls as a result of catching their’ fishing lines on the overhead telegraph wires. This was the complaint of the Post and Telegraph Department when it asked the Waitemafa County Council to taka steps to prevent the nuisance. It was reported to the council, however, that the matter had been sent on to. ■'the Main Highways Board, whose concern it was declared to be. •

- The general attitude of some young men towards sport was discussed at a meeting in New Plymouth last week of the committee of the Amateur Athletic Club, in the course of which it was suggested that too much was made of the necessity for winning in games nowadays instead of the game itself, and too much value was attached-to trophies. A member reported that ;the first question of one person who was asked to join the Athletic Club was: “ What sort of trophies do they give? !* Special showing of new spring goods in all departments. Buy now while the selection is big and the price small. See windows and interior display. Your inspection invited at Mosgiel’s draper.—A. F Cheyne and Go./. Heavy losses have been suffered by farmers in the Opotiki County, Auckland, this season, among dairy herds, the chief troubles being bloating and milk fever. High-producing-cows appear to be the chief sufferers from, the complaints, and a number of very valuable animals have been lost.'.'The cold and changeable weather during the past fortnight has also resulted in numbers of newly-shorn sheep being lost. Conditions were very severe brie recent afternoon, when hail accompanied a thunderstorm and icy co£d wind caused losses where the animals were without shelter. ... ’ On vacant sections and odd pieces of land about the City (says the Wanganui Chronicle) the juveniles are often seen playing cricket under difficulties through lack of material. This obstacle is generally remedied" with home-made bats and the popular benzine tin “ wickets.” One team has encountered a difficulty that is by no means uncommon. Whenever a “sixer” is hit a dog in the vicinity outdistances the fieldsman and trots home with the ball, causing the team to spend a good deal of its time retrieving its lost property.

Grandism (3360): You may search a long time before discovering a man’s gift as genuinely welcome as a bottle of Grand House Whisky...

“ Palmerston North was not named correctly. It should have been called Warsaw—the city of Poles,” said a Christchurch visitor in the course of a recent interview. The visitor concerned was Mr L. A. Jardine, who takes a very active part in the progress and beautification of the southern, city. In Palmerston North, he said, one could go very little distance along the street without coming across either a telegraph pole or an . electric light pole. Mr Jardine contended that it would be a good thing if such, lines were put underground. His association, the Christchurch Burgesses’ Council, had such a scheme in view.

Every motorist and everyone who drives a car (there is a difference) should know the traffic regulations, but that ideal, has not been reached. So it is that the placing of scores of yellow and black signs in all the streets of the central Te Aro Flat area, with a block capital “P” on top and “NJ 5 .” in smaller capitals below, has resulted in more argument than traffic regulation observance (says the Evening Post), but it is purely elementary really. P stands for parking, and N.P. for no parking. Thus by a nice selection of letters and figures it is possible to indicate with uniform signs: Park-ing-No Parking, or Parking-20, 30, or any other' number of minutes, all ip. uniform style, but it is doubtful whether “P.-N.P.” carries as .much punch and conviction as plain; “No parking,” just as it is doubtful whether an “Ex-N-Ex” sign would be nearly as effective as a blunt and definite “Don’t Spit.” . Coffee Mills! We have imported a few small coffee grinders suitably .for household use.—A. Durie and Co„ coffee specialists. 32 Octagon. Dunedin...

Attention to the recent eases of sheep worrying by dogs was drawn by Mr A. E. Langdale-Hunt in a letter to .the Sumner Borough Council, which was considered at a meeting of the council last week (says the Press). Mr Lang-dale-Hunt, in his letter, said he had found it necessary to shoot four dogs, one, without a collar, belonging to one of the councillors. Cr C, E. Clay don said his dog had been shot, and he thought that the whole thing had been “ manoeuvred.” The council should, he said, obtain a signed declaration from Mr Langdale-Hunt that the dogs were shot among his sheep, and that neither he nor his employees enticed the dogs on to his property. If the council would not take this action, he would apply for this declaration through his solicitor. It was decided to write to Mr Langdale-Hunt deploring, what seemed to be needless slaughter of- dogs, and asking him to. refrain from similar action in the future unless the dogs were actually worrying the sheep. Cr Claydon said that he would have to go to the police and summon Mr Lang-dale-Hunt on a charge that he had shot the dog unjustifiably.

Have you tried Hitchon’s Pork Saveloys, Pork Sausages, oi Oxford Sausage (cooked)? If your grocer can’t supply, ring our Dunedin branch, 12-344. Milton phone 22...