GENERAL NEWS

Patea Mail, Volume XLIII, 1 August 1919, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS

A fowl-house and run arc advertised for sale in this issue.

A thoroughly practical man requires about 60 or 70 cows to milk by machine. An owner is required for a brass wheel cap found on the Whcnuakura hill.

The Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward arc due to arrive in Auckland on Monday next.

In connection with the proposed beekeeping class wc shall bo pleased to place a column per week of our space at the disposal of promoters of the class for “Bcc Notes’’ should the class bo formed.

Everyone who has scon “The Better ’Ole,” the special feature to bo screened at the Town Hall to-morrow, speaks most appreciatively of it. The picture is full of incident, and is most interesting from start to finish. There will,’' no doubt, be a very large attendance.

Yesterday being the last day -when passengers on the railway were allowed to travel without a permit, the trains were naturally crowded, a largo number of womenfolk being in evidence. In the morning train, for example, nearly every scat in a first-class smoking carriage was occupied by one of the gentler sex.

Major Ilinc, Stratford's fighting M.P., has adopted a rather novel course in connection with political addresses, inasmuch as ho has consented to deliver an address not only on current politics but on his experiences on the Palestine front as well. Major Ilinc should bo assured of a bumper house and his address should well be worth going a long way to hear. The Stratford electors, in view of his services to the Empire during the war, might do worse than pay him the compliment of an unopposed return.

All those interested in bcc-kccping are invited to communicate with Mr. H. Parsons who, in another column, intimates that he is at present arranging for the formation of a class

to learn tho rudiments of this most promising and interesting business. To enable a satisfactory class to be formed it will bo necessary to have at least five pupils who will be instructed by a thoroughly capable teacher who has been arranged for. As bee-keeping under proper management is a most lucrative side lino for fanners and others, there should be no difficulty in getting a strong class ■ together. All

interested should communicate with Mr Parsons without delay.

The Hon T. M, Wilford states that Cabinet has approved his suggestion that the time has arrived when an engineer should be appointed by the Marine Department to attend wholly to marine matters and have the supervision of money spent on harbour constructing works. Gisborne is contemplating the expenditure of £1,000,000 on harbour works, and Auckland another £1,000,000 ; while the Wairon people arc suggesting a big expenditure at Waikokopu, and there arc many river questions, such as that of Waikato and others, to bo dealt with. In the Minister’s opinion this made it necessary that the department should have an engineer of its own to do nothing else but marine work.

When men of scientific mind get on to a popular belief they usually dismember it. At the Otago Institute meeting, Professor Waters set one of these beliefs on its feet. The topic of the moment was Australian ants. The professor said that when he lived in Australia his quarters were invaded by ants. Having heard that these ants would not cross a chalk lino he drew a such line nn the table, and the ants stopped at it and tried to march around it. Ho and his mates thereupon chalked circles round the legs of the tucker cupboard, and other articles of furniture, and the experiment succeeded. He did not know the explanation but could vouch for the fact that the ants would not cross the chalk.

An interesting incident, which indicates what an important part motor transport on land is likely to play in commerce when conditions arc normal, was mentioned by Major Chappie to a Times’ representative. A member of the British House of Commons had (old Major Chappie that a railway company which demanded £6 for the transport of a boiler from London to his factory in Essex, and was unable to do it for a fortnight, found after two days that its prospective client had been able to transport the boiler to the place required for £3. This member had expressed the opinion that motor traction was going to be a very formidable competitor with the railways. This experience suggested said Major Chappcllc, that much New Zealand country might bo opened up by good roads, in districts where railways could not bo immediately laid.