NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23514, 31 May 1938, Page 20

NEWS IN BRIEF

An announcement that h<s had agreed to make the Urewera bush country an historic and scenic reserve was made by the Minister of Lands (Mr F. Langstone), when discussing drainage matters with the Rangitaiki ratepayers’ committee in Whakatane. Members of a Rugby League football team marched on to the field at Western Park, New Plymouth, and were about to kick off when one of the players. found that they had one man too many. No one was sure of who was the fourteenth man until a roll call enlightened them. Grandism (3508): It’s better to tell the truth and run than lie and get caught in the act. If we were satisfied we would never reach the hilltops.—Grand Hotel... Gratification was expressed by Hospital Board members at a recent meeting in Napier when a letter from Mr W. H. Nikera, a Maori who had been a patient in the Hastings Memorial Hospital, was read expressing ,the appreciation of treatment received there. Mr Nikera warmly praised all the staff and all who were responsible for the management of the institution. The board decided to reply thanking the writer for his letter.

Although the police are still vigorously pursuing their inquiries, there have been no fresh developments in connection with the hit-and-run motorist who knocked down and injured a cyclist, Mr Frederick McKelvey, on, the Carterton road recently (says the Wairarapa Times-Age). A broken headlamp found at the scene of .the accident is believed to be a clue that will ultimately lead to the arrest of the person responsible. The injured man is still in the Masterton Hospital, but is making satisfactory progress. _ Before deciding on your Fur Fabric Coat see the selections at Gray's Big Store, Milton. Smartest styles at popular prices .. The aerial ropeway which it is proposed to construct above the Fran/, Josef Glacier at Waiho will give the engineers one of the most spectacular construction jobs ever undertaken in New Zealand (states the Christchurch Press). The survey of the route has not yet been completed, and the definite decision to build the ropeway depends on the outcome of that survey. But already tentative plans are being discussed for the provision of this new alpine facility, which will take tourists, mountaineers, skiers and their equipment up to the magnifleest snowfields that feed the Franz Josef Glacier,

•‘Perhaps Mr Bellringer can stagger Mr Toovey with some figures.” said Mr R. G. May after Mr T. R. Toovey had addressed the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last week on the trade of the Port of London. Mr C, E. Bellringer, chairman of the New Plymouth Harbour Board, was equal to the occasion. “There are 8,000,000 people in London and 70,000 in the whole of Taranaki,” he retorted quickly, “ How's that? ” .

Winter Colds will soon, be prevalent. See that you have a supply of rum in the home. Crossan, of the Waterloo, Caversham, keeps the best. . “ I wholeheartedly disapprove of carping criticism directed against farmers who buy new cars,” said the Minister of Mines (Mr P. C. Webb) at Hawera on the occasion of the opening of the South Taranaki Winter Show. "Why should not they have up-to-date and comfortable cars? They are isolated, many are a long way from a doctor and the conveniences of a town and the dairy farms of the country form its most important industry, I hope the day will soon come when every farm house is connected with electricity and there is a metal road to every home." At Hawera. he said, there was more than one car registration for each house in the borough. Turnbull’s Sample Room, Middlemarch, Tues., 31st; Wed., June 1. Special showing of new winter goods A. F. Cheyne and Co., the Mosgiel Warehouse. . . The screechings of a parrot which kept up a running fire of penetrating pravtle became a disturbing element to the proceedings of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth one afternoon last week. Counsel intimated that . the “noise outside the court” was preventing the jury from hearing what was being said. The judge suggested appropriate action, and an official lett the court to make the request. From subsequent events it appeared impossible to quieten the bird, but he was moved to a place where his patter became less penetrative. “ Some of the fruit I have seen being carried by these hawkers is appalling;” said Mr B. G. Goodwin, orchard instructor of the Department of Agriculture, recently to a meeting of fruitgrowers at Papanui, near Christchurch. "That is the sort of thing that will ruin your industry, and unless the growers take steps to stop the selling of that rubbish, you cannot expect the Government to go on helping the industry.” A means of checlcing the practice which he was recommending to the department was the selling of all apples with the grade-stamped cases, he added, but the most effective action could come from the growers themselves.

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At the meeting of Hastings retailers last week, various speakers pointed out that with the change of the halfholiday from Thursday to Saturday the suburban shops, which were in the habit of selling groceries, tobacco and other goods “any time, any day.'’ would greatly increase their out-of-hours business to the detriment of the retailers who were compelled to observe the regulation shopping hours. One or two such shops would not make any difference, it was stated, but 40 or 50 made the matter serious. It was unanimously decided to make representations to the proper authorities to tighten up the law regarding afterhour trading in Hastings. The destruction caused to native bush in the Wellington Acclimatisation district by the gale of February, 1936, has not helped the native pigeon, according to a ranger, Mr T. Andrews, Palmerston North, observations by whom are included in the annual re§ort of the Wellington Acclimatisation ociety. The pigeons' natural enemy, he says, is the small sparrow hawk, and this small bird may sometimes be seen high up on a bush-clad hill, perched on a dead tree, waiting for an unwary bird to come within striking distance. Its speed is amazing. Places where, as a result of the gale of 1936, steep spurs have been completely denuded of all growth for hundreds of yards, make an ideal hunting ground for the hawk, which will take up a position in an open space, and a passing pigeon has very little chance. Best quality regulation Dust Bins, strongly made from Galv. iron: obtainable at Dickinson’s. Ltd.. 441 Princes street. Dunedin.

Reviewing the 1937-38 fishing season, the annual report of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society states that prognostications of better stocked streams than in the previous season seem to have been justified, inasmuch as many more than the usual number of heavy fish have been taken this year. Most of the licenceholder.s have done exceptionally well. Anglers in the Manawatu district fared much better than last season, the Manawatu River in particular being more responsive and providing many more days’ fishing than last season, when it was in continual spate. The Rangitikei River, according to advice from residents in its vicinity, fished remarkably well, and most of the rivers in the Homwhenua district fished fairly well. "It may be said,” the report adds, “that all our rivers and streams have fished well, and, in contrast with last season, angling this year has been excellent. In summing up, the 1937-38 season has proved as good as the 1936-37 .season was bad.” We used to take in boarders, Rooms furnished bright and gay. But we had no Hitchon’s bacon. So our boarders went away...