NEWS ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16174, 10 July 1923, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

The revenue received from liquor for tho financial year ended March 31 was £1,438,877.

The building slump continues'in Dannevirke, only £390 worth of work being authorised in June.

Considerable mortality is reported among young cattle throughout _ the Matarnata district owing to tho continued wet weather.

Several largo station-holders in the Wa-irnrapa have severely culled the deer on their lands. During several months some thousands have been destroyed.

Unemployment appears to he fairly prevalent in Invercargill at the present time, and during) the last week or two the' number of applications for work received through the local Labor Deparlment lias increased.

By the death of Mr. Edward Marl it Dut'hio, which took place at his home

Janetield. Tokoniairiro, Otago lost one of the first-bom whites of Dunedin—the third in order of birth. I\lr. Duthie was born in November. 1847.

Writing to the Opotiki County Council last week respecting the proposed alteration of the boundary between lire Opotiki and Waikohu counties, the Department. of Internal Affairs stated that no application had been received from the latter county.'

There is not. now a great deal of wheat remaining in growers’ hands, and the bulk of if is stated to bo. under grade. Reports from Canterbury state that a considerable quantity of wheat from the flooded areas has commenced 1o sprout in the bags.

It is understood that the Maharahara copper mine has been taken over by an American syndicate, and that it will be re-opened in the near future (says Woodvillc Examiner). The track to the mine through the bush is at present being cleared and timber lor the galleries lias been taken forward.

A request was received by the Opotiki County Council last week from the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Gisborne, asking for the ejection of notices on cattle tick boundaries. The engineer said that such notices should be erected by the Stock Department. It was resolved to reply to that effect. Local farmers state that they have never seen such an abundant growth of grass at this time of the year (reports the Manaia Witness). The season being also fairly mild one, dairy_ cows should come in well and the coming season’s output of milk should bo better than ever.

“Too many young men are on the bank now-a-days, and not taking part in tho game,” declared Captain Duffy, chief physical instructor to the Y.M.C.A. at a luncheon at Wellington the other day. “Real health recreation means taking part- in a Saturday afternoon game, not merely in watching them.”

Representations have been made to tho Minister of Public Works respecting the erection of a bridge over the Motui river. The Minister has informed the Opotiki County Council that'investigations are being made by tho district engineer and further information is being obtained on the subject.

When it becomes known that tho Tost and Telegraph Department intended laying a telephone cable between Ashburton and Tinwald to replace tho present overhead wires (states the Ashburton Guardian), the local Returned Soldiers’ Association officials interested themselves in the way of getting returned soldiers in tho work gang. Tho result is that tho gang is comprised almost solely of returned men at tho time unemployed, and tho result of their work had so far fully justified their engagement.

“If we keep them playing it. will bo better for their health. A boy who plays football will keep in better trim than the fellow who goes to pictures on Saturday afternoon,” said the president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, Mr. S. F. Wilson, when he was asked if the school football competition should be kept going during the influenza epidemic. The hoys, he said, would go to the pictures if they did not play football, and if they opened their lungs in the fresh air they) would bo less liable (o infection (reports tho Press).

The 55 horse-power Merryweather motor chemical fire engine, known in the Dunedin fire service as “No. 2,” is now out of date. It will not bo seen in the street again as a shining engine rushing to an outbreak with its crew of seven or eight men. The machine, which was the first imported by (he Dunedin Fire Board, in January, 1909. has been relegated to a. corner in tho gymnasium at the rear of the. Central Station- in Cumberland street, where it will be dismantled by the brigade’s mechanics; orders to that effect having been issued by tho board.

A burglary took place on Wednesday night at tho premises of Laery, Beveridge, and Co., Allen and Wakefield streets, Wellington. The heavy' panel of the door had been split open by an axe or some such instrument, leaving an aperture large enough to permit a man to enter tho building. In the office it was found that the drawers had been ransacked, as though tho thieves were searching for cash, but the safe had hot been interfered with. On entering the store it was found that cases of tobacco, to the value of about £6O, and wines and spirits to the. value of £3O, had been stolen. FresK tracks on the wet road at a, point opposite- the door appeared to indicate that the thieves had used a. motor-car to remove tho plunder. This is the third time within twelve months that Messrs Laery, Beveridge arid Co. have been subjected In raids by burglars.

It is only recently that the English and American papers were ablaze with headlines over tho success of tho trnnsAtlantic wireless tests between English and American amateurs. Yet,while the amateurs of both these countries wore rushing into self-congratulatory print a band of four in Awarua were quietly recording performances besido which the trans-Atlantic tests are comparatively insignificant (states the Southland Times). The staff of tho Awarua wireless station have in their spare time erected a oueyalvo set, .and since the beginning of tin's year have been logging American amateurs, besides a. large number of stations in other parts of tho world. The amateur set is quito separate from the main plant, and consists merely of a two-coil circuit with one Auditron valve of the old type. The aerial is a twowire, one, 80ft long, with; an average height of 40ft. There is nothing elaborate or expensive about tho" set. It is just such a set asiany amateur might erect.in his back yard.

■ A somewhat delicate but important matter of; etiquette at funerals was brought before tho Dunedin Presbytery in a, leter from , Dr. M’Kibbin, Medical Officer of Health for Otago. Dr. M’Kibbin stated that a learned citizen had recently interviewed him and made a special point of the fact that ho was present at a.funeral and", had to. stand for a very long period in very cold weather with-,his . head exposed. . This gentleman, suggested that , during .influenza prevalence and cold weather care might -bo taken to limit tin's. exposure. Dr. M’Kibbin said 1 ho bad diffidence in approaching them on a matter of this sort, but) if there was anything they could -advise the clergy of.their denomination with regard to this'lu> would he glad. The* clerk iof tho Presbytery, the Rev. J. Kilkpatrick, said ho was sure thoy received the letter quito understanding tho importance of tho matter. It was a matter that ministers only could remedy. Tho Rev. W. Scorgic asked whether it was too long a sermon or hats being off that was complained of. Mr. Kilkpatrick said that both had to bo considered. He did not _ think it would bo any indication of irreverence to ask peoplo to keep their bats on. Members: It is done. Tho Rev. W. Trotter said that nobody there would plead guilty to tho charge made. Tho matter was closed (remarks the Otago Daily Times) with tho understanding that* the purpose of tho letter had boon served by tho attention of members of Presbytery having been drawn to it.

Cannibalism among trout is suspected by-the Acclimatisation Society’s curator at Ashburton, who considers that thousands of the fry in tho Domain ponds aro devoured by tho more vigorous speeiments. Moreover, meat feeding, which formerly brought tho fish to the surface in lively swarms, has latterly produced little response, and the meallias subsequently been found uneaten. Five hundred trout- will shortly he tagged and released for observation. A thousand tons of pig iron came from India to Dunedin by the Waitcmata, consigned to 6110 foundry that; specialises in ranges (says tho Star). Work in that lino is pretty brisk just now. The firm is casting every day of tho week, including Saturday; and other rangemakers in Dunedin aro also supplied with plenty of orders. This spurt in tho black "trade is to a certain degree general. Things aro decidedly more lively than they were three months ago.’