NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3890, 2 October 1928, Page 32

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Owing to health reasons, the Nelson (N.Z.) Alpine and Rock Garden Society is losing the services of Mr A. Wilkinson, the prime mover in its formation (says an exchange). Mr Wilkinson states that the work entailed in answering correspondence is enormous, and the movement has outgrown his ability to cope with it. Since June 1 he has written and despatched 1778 letters and 630 parcels to every part of New Zealand, as well as overseas. During the last three months the society has sent to members 10,060 packets of seeds and about 25,000 plants. ? Recently the Palmerston North Borough Council decided that no footpaths fronting shops were to be swept after 8.30 in the morning—this following upon numerous complaints regarding nuisance caused by the dust raised (says an exchange. The inspectors have recently been seeking out offenders, with the result that three of them appeared before the court last week. The borough solicitor did not press for heavy penalties, stating that the cases were brought as a warning to others. A fine of ss, with 10s costs in each case, was imposed. “ The reformation of the sixteenth century wasn’t the first, and I hope it will not be the last,” declared Canon H. K. Archdall, headmaster of King’s College, speaking at St. Peter’s Cathedral on a recent Sunday (reports the Waikato Times). The preacher told the congrgation that there was a big reformation in the church in 1100 A.D., but the efforts of the reformers were misdirected. The Anglican Church had not originated “because Henry V!II was a nasty man and took another wife.” It had been in existence in Saxon times.

_ “ The people of Christchurch are getting artificially cured bacon from the North Island that is no good to them,” said Mr J. D. Hall at a meeting of the Canterbury Executive of the Farmers’ Union. “If we could be assured of a market there would be more bacon produced locally. I think the Dairy Committee should consider the question of asking the Government why the rectriction on the amount of boric acid used as a preservative was lifted. The old method of curing, which takes about three ■weeks, is the best.” The suggestion was adopted. “ I consider that this is one of the most stupid methods with which I have ever come in contact. It is simply an effort to avoid mileage, is seldom successful, and causes endless trouble to the court officials,” remarked Mr A. M. Mowlem, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate’s Court the other morning, in reference to the system of serving debtors by registered mail (says the Napier Daily Telegraph). “Who is going to expect a Maori debtor to collect a registered letter, knowing that there are 99 out of 100 chances of it containing a summons.” continued the magistrate. “ He might do it once, sir,” suggested Mr Lusk, amidst laughter. An Eltham resident reports being the witness of a remarkable acrobatic feat on a recent night on the part of a motor cyclist ■who was doing anything in speed up to 40 miles an hour on Mountain road south (says the Taranaki Herald). The cyclist passed a car with brilliant lights, and as he rushed into the darkness outside the beam the machine skidded, struck the edge of the tar-seal, hopped and hopped once again, and then the rider turned a complete somersault bn to the road, the cycle immediately landing on top of him. * It is a wonder he did not break his neck,” said the eye-witness. “ Oh, it was quite thrilling.” The cyclist picked himself up and, though stoutly asserting that he was all right, it was noticeable that he was nursing his left shoulder and arm. The handle bars of the cycle" were bent, and miner damage was done to the machine. Sorrier and less “peppy,” the rider wended his way back to town, wheeling his machine to the nearest garage. A Southland Times- reporter was summoned to a house in Gala street, Invercargill, the other morning to see a quaint visitor having a meal on the lawn. The animal was obviously of the hedgehog family, but differed considerably from other hedgehogs the reporter had seen. In the first place his legs were consider-

ably longer, with the result that instead of his body appearing to touch the ground as he walked, he could stride Tike a thoroughbred. His ears and snout resembled those of a rat and his feet were not unlike, a rodent’s. Usually when a hedgehog is touched by a human hand or ioot it curls up, but this one had no objection to being stroked or kicked gently. Furthermore, is stood on the lawn in broad daylight calmly gnawing at a bone much as would a dog. When a piece of raw meat was thrown; to it the bone was deserted in favour of the more easily devoured food. The officers of the Antinous, recently berthed at Bluff, are still laughing over an experience of one of their number who went ashore with a friend to purchase some fruit (reports the Southland limes).. The chief actor in the little comedy is a Scotsman, and he it was who went to make the purchase. He left hie friend and breasted the counter of a fruit shop. A minute or two later he joined his comrade, who noticed that he was not burdened with the usual paper bag. Inquiries elicited the answer: “Oh. I thought I would rather change my mind than chr.. a pound.” Death is placing its merciless hand on a fine belt of pines that fringes the first •ong arm of the Manukau in the vicinity of Otahihu (reports the Auckland Star). The unmistakable brown tinge is becoming every season more apparent, and those who have an admiration for this noble and useful tree view with regret the work of some unseen destructive agency. ? ithough the majestic slender trunks still wave -racefully in the teeth of western gales, and the winds make music in the slender leaves, which brought delight to the ancient poets, more soft and continuous than in trees of richer foliage, the doom of the pine belt brings a sigh of disappointment at the fact that Otahuhu is. becoming an industrialised area. The pine is a tree of social habits, and thrives on wind-swept mountain slopes, where the pure air is free from harmful fumes. Mr M. Cohen, who with Dr P. Buck represented the Dominion at the recent sesquicentennial celebrations of the landing of Captain Cook at Hawaii, gave an interesting account of the ceremonies at a meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board tlie other evening (relates the Evening Post). He would never, he said, forget the thrill he felt on landing at the spot where the famous British navigator lost his life. The ceremony, which was attended by 3000 people, was of a most impressive character. Allusion was also made to the development of Pearl Harbour, which was now one of the finest naval bases in the world. Mr Cohen gave a description of the wonderful growth of the sugar and pineapple industries of Hawaii, and made special mention of the value of research work in connection with the cultivation of the pineapple plant and the preparation of the fruit for export.