NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 20

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Sneak thieves removed small sums of money from jugs and billies left for milk outside a number of baches at Murray's Bay, Auckland, recently. In several cases residents found in "the morning , that their billies, as well/as the money, were missing. '•" > Probably the happiest of the. several hundred birds at the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Cat Club's Show last week were the four or five budgerigars which managed to escape from their cages. Small boys'had no chance of catching them, but, experienced owners, who trapped them under hats, gradually gathered in all the wanderers. • . ">' '

It makes no difference what day you go to Crossan's " Waterloo" for the quality is aye the same, the best procurable. ..

A Hokianga, Auckland, farmer of many years' experience claims , that the sowing of basic slag as a top-dress-ing is having a detrimental effect on his flock of turkeys, many having died on areas where the slag has been applied. He advances the theory that it is possible the slag, is accountable for the deaths of a large number of pheasants. ... - Those were spacious days, ■in the reign of Queen Victoria—so books tell us. Britain was on the gold standard then and coinage was of full weight and value and hot merely a token. Even pennies were substantial. Several- penies bearing the dates of 1853 and 1854 have been dug Up in their gardens by Mr Birss,, of. Otatara, and Mr j. McKenzie, of Bank street, Invercargill. and; by their size and weight,, pockets must have been extra strong when they were minted. A halfpenny of 1884 is nearly the same size as a present day penny. Special showing of all new Autumn and Winter Goods in the showroom: Children's, Maids' and Ladies' Knitted Goods. Winter Frocks, Hats and Coats. Call early while the selection is here. Many goods we will be unable to replace.—Mosgiel's Drapers, A. F. Cheyne and C 0... : Marriages have shown a steady- decline in Napier over the past three months. • Last month there were only 18 celebrations, while, in April there were 21 and in March, during" which the Easter period fell, there were 32. In May last there were only 16 licences issued. Deaths and births have shown •5 small increase over the same period last year. In May of this year there were 17 deaths and. 38 births compared with 14 and 36. for the same month last year. .'

" Surely there, must be some way of closing the gap between consumers' and producers' prices, so that both may have a decent standard of living," said the president (Mr I. L. M. Coop), in his address' to the Farmers' Union conference in Christchurch last week. Sheepfarmers, he continued, were selling ewe mutton at Id to 2d a lb. yet the retail nrice was 6d to Bd. Wool was sold this season at 6d to Is a lb; but if the consumer had a loom and wanted to buy wool ready for weaving he had to pay 8s a lb. There is a very fine selection of tweed overcoats; for" men of all ages, at Gray's, of Milton. Latest styles and colours are being shown... " Though the night air at Napier one night' last week was undoubtedly bitter, it did not daunt the skaters on the Marine parade rink, who. were present in force and had a very—successful evening. Skaters ate apparently a hardly breed, for many of.-the girls were stockingless and wore the short skirt that the fashion ,of their sport demands, yet they did not seem cold. It was certainly chilly, however, for the watchers on the .Parade footpath. :■ Ex "Taranaki;" , A full supply.of our new season's Blue Mountain' Jamaica—the world's finest coffee!' Only obtainable from A. Durie and C 0.,: coffee specialists. .32 Octagoni'. Duhedin,... , Masterton women have. set an example to many me,n in national defence, almost 50 having joined a local organisation for V.A.D. service. The organisation originated in the women's welfare league, but now it is separate and the volunteers, who are receiving the co-operation or the St. John Anir bulance Society, offer their services to the country in the event of any national emergency. Most of the members are young women, though" there are married women within the ranks.,;

The traffic problems of Johannesburg were referred to by Mr H. A. Robertson, who has returned to ; Auckland after an extended visit to South Africa. The town portion of Johannesburg, Mr Robertson said,; was built in small blocks, and had far too many and narrow streets. The result was that traffic became very congested, £nd this had necessitated the L installation of "robots" at many The traffic congestion was accentuated by reason of the f&ct that there were few suburban shopping centres such as existed in Auckland, arid practically; all shopping was done with the use of cars. Parking was restricted to a few minutes in certain streets. \ ; .

Graridism (3838): High as .the Alps in quality Grand Hotel Wines. Largest bottlers in the Dominion We are direct importers.,.. Road crossings opposite the Whangarei and Whau Valley Schools are to be controlled by schoolboy prefects before and after lessons and at lunch time. Teachers are co-operating with Mr H. K. Ford, Whangarei A.A. patrol officer, in introducing the system, whereby certain senior ooys are selected for this special duty. With red arm bands and flags the boys will marshall the younger children at the, crossings and give the all-clear signal when traffic is out of range. An English movement in favour of primrose yellow "blackboards," on which writing is done in blue chalk, is mentioned in National Education, the organ of the New Zealand Educational Institute. The writer, Mr H, J. Thornton, secretary of the Nelson Education Board, wrote that he brought several of the boards from England last year and distributed them to teachers, but in almost all cases the opinions given were unfavourable. He has since learned that the English experiment -is being gradually abandoned, and his own view is that the dark green composition boards used in New Zealand with white chalk are difficult to in> prove upon. ' . ~.;: ' .„

The new regulation dust bin, strongly constructed from galvanised iron; large size 7s. smaller 6s. delivered city and Ltd., 441 Princes street. Phone 10-096... The . often-condemned chain letter, promising good fortune to the recipient who " passes the buck," ;and threatening the reverse if he breaks the chain, has made one ot its periodical appearances in Auckland. One such letter has been forwarded by ah indignant New Zealand Herald reader, who writes: " Enclosed came to me this morning and ■ riles me beyond Words. To think that there are still people silly enough to believe in and carry on such peurile piffle makes one weep. It is seldom I boil over, but this is hot the first round robin sent to me..and I wonder if you could draw attention to such stupidity by ridiculing it." How much . thoughtful employers have changed their attitude towards military training was realised at King Edward Barracks recently, with the receipt of a very welcome donation. The employer of one. of the men of; the 3rd Composite Company Army Service Corps, wrote to the officer commanding the unit (Captain E. J. Stock), regretting that he could not give the man leave to attend camp; as he was at the moment indispensable. Such notes 'are commonly received at King Edward Barracks after notices of camps have been sent out. In the past they have been usually frigid, often terse, but this one was accompanied by a donation of £1 Is towards the funds of the unit, sufficient proof' of the employer's sincerity.' It has made army history. .

Have you tried Hitchon's pork sausages, pork saveloys or Oxford sausage (cooked)? If your grocer can't supply, ring our Dunedin branch H 2-344). Milton (22)...