NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23527, 16 June 1938, Page 20

NEWS IN BRIEF

"If the Government is defeated tit the election, it will be because it hap given the country legislation ahead of the people,” said the Minister of Mines (Mr P. C. Webb) during an address in Hamilton recently. “However/’ he added, “ I am confident that the Government will go back with a substan-tially-increased majority.” The welcome given at Crossan s Waterloo Hotel, Caversham, to all visitors offers sufficient inducement to return again and again... Bull fighting is not common in New Zealand, but the passengers in a Ministerial car travelling north from Gisborne last week had a full view of a contest between no fewer than four animals. Two Shorthorn bulls were fighting savagely in a paddock near the road, and as the car passed two more bulls ran up to join in the fray. The Defence Department has decided to give a billiards table each to the Royal New Zealand Air Force stations at Wigram and Hobsonville, according to the Minister for Defence (Mr F. Jones), who passed through Christchurch recently on his return to Wellington. The tables will be used for the recreation of the men at the stations.

The grocery department at Gray's Big Store, Milton, is, as usual, replete with good winter stocks. This firm spares no pains to have good quality goods at keen prices... A resolution urging, as a matter of immediate and vital importance, that the Government be asked to set up a Royal Commission of experts or similar non-party body to make a long-range survey and to formulate schemes regarding both the encouragement of larger families and the adoption of migration on a substantial scale, was adopted at the meeting of the Wellington 22 Club, following an address by the chairman of the Dominion Settlement Association. Mr A. Leigh Hun ;. High praise for New Zealand’s a.ir services was given by Mr Gordon Allard, a Los Angeles visitor, in an interview in Christchurch. Mr Allard flew from Wellington, and although he said the trip was bumpy, and made in about the worst air conditions he had known in flying anywhere, the pilot had been exceptionally skilful, saved the passengers as much discomfort as he could, and landed the airliner at Wigram exactly on time. Special showing of Autumn Goods. Call and see our attractive window and interior displays.—A. F. Cheyne and Co., the Mosgiel warehouse... A plea for disuse of the term “ domestic servant” in favour of the title of “ helper ” was made by Mrs N. Macintosh, immediate past-president of the Southland Women’s Division of the Farmers’>Union, when speaking at the farmers' dinner in Invercargill last week. She said that if the term “domestic ” were dropped, the status of helping in. the home, which wa* woman’s natural sphere, would im*. mediately be raised to something near its rightful level. A resident of New Plymouth who had a kitten about five months old decided that he would not keep it, and it was given away to the family milkman, who lives about six miles distant. The kitten was taken away, and at lunch time, about a fortnight later, to the astonishment of father and mother, and to the great delight of the children, pussy walked into the house as unconcerned as if it had just strolled in from the garden. Grandism (3522): Warms you and keeps you warm. Old London Doc..i Rum (Jamaica). Sold in five sizes of bottles, 12s, 6s 6d. 5s 6d, 3s, and 25... Amateur drama clubs in Australia are popular with the public, according to Mr J. R. Lester, who has returned to Christchurch after judging at the competitions festival in Bendigo, Victoria. There were more than 500 amateur drama clubs in and round Melbourne, Mr Lester said. Many professional actors living in Australia lent their services to these clubs, and the result was that the plays produced by the clubs attained a high standard, of technique, A peculiar accident happened on (he Castlecliff golf links at Wanganui when a player was struck on the top of the head by a ball driven from 200 yards behind. The ball just grazed the lop of the head, parting a thick crop of hair neatly, and coming to rest about 30 yards further on. The player who was struck went down like a log. nut fortunately was only temporarily stunned, and was on his feet again almost immediately and able to continue play. Ex Doric Star, the first of our new season’s “Jamaica”—the world’s finest coffee. Only from A. Dufie and Co., coffee specialists 32 Octagon. Dunedin.

Mr P. W. Maddock, of Wellington, who is vifeiting Hamilton, told a Waikato Times representative that when in Hollywood recently he met Miss May Beatty, formerly prominent on the stage in New Zealand. Mr Maddock said that when vistiing the studios he saw Miss Beatty standing at the side of a set. Going over, he greeted her in Maori, and soon they were deep in conversation about New Zealand. Miss Beatty is kept busy in small parts in the films, and also lias a profitable business in interior decoration. 1 An exhaustive search by the We.lington Technical College for wood of the now extremely rare New Zealand native puriri tree was nearing an unsuccessful end when it was learned that 64-year-old puriri piles, sound as the day they were sunk 15 feet underground. had been unearthed with' the demolition of the old National Bank of New Zealand building at New Plymouth. The college’s search was actuated (says the Taranaki Herald) by a need for puriri wood for inlaying special exhibits of cabinet work to be displayed at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in 1940.

Have you seen our " three-in-one-bins, for sugar, flour, and bread? Painted to suit the colour scheme of your kitchen or pantry. Moderately priced.—Dickinson's. Ltd.. 441 Princes street, Dunedin...

A life-like model of a .water spaniel which reposes near the entrance of the Wanganui ’Museum has misled visitors on various occasions, and instances are known where people have stooped to pat the dog. The model, which is cleverly wrought in wood, was brought to this country many years ago from Switzerland by the late Mr A. D. Willis, who later presented it to the museum. A story is told, the veracity of which cannot be vouched for, of a dog which was ” tooled ”by the model. The canine came through the entrance, paused, espied what it thought was the other member of its kind, and made toward it with wagging tail and friendly mien. “ I must draw your attention to the changed tone of the letters.” remarked Mr G. Wheeler, chairman, at a meeting of the Aranui Burgesses’ Association. when two letters were received from the Heathcote County Council. “They have almost an apologetic tone, so different from whai we have been accustomed . to. Aparently the election of a member of this association as a councillor has made some difference.” Several of the members endorsed the remarks of the chairman (says the Christchurch Press), staling that they, too, had noted the changed tone.

While boring for fresh water to provide a supply for the Rotokawa Native School on Te Ngae road, about five miles from Rotorua, a well borer and iwaler diviner. Mr A. G. Thompson, struck hot thermal water at a depth of approximately 53 feet. The water had a temperature of 123 degrees, and is believed to have valuable curative pronerties. as it is in the neighbourhood of a thermal spring, of which the curative value has been known for a number of years. At the time the boring operations were being carried out the Minister of Education (Mr I ' > . Fraser) was visiting Rotorua, and he vis Hen the scene of operations. If hubby rings up in the evening And says he is dining down Town, Just tell him you've Hitchpn's prime bacon. He'll be home before it is brown.. .