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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17231, 10 April 1930, Page 4

Gold in Australia is worth £5 5s per cent, more than the ruling rate. This is due to the adverse exchange rate.

Equipment for the automatic alarm system which will bo installed in all of the 23 subsidiary drainago stations at. Christchurch is to bo obtained.

The season for opossums in the Waiapu Acclimatisation Society's district will open about the middle of June, and conclude on July 31, if' was stated at the annual meeting of that body. There is a proposal to import opossums to strengthen the present colonies, and permission is to be sought to establish colonies on Government reserves in the district. One of a mob of four horses jumped on a motor-car driven by Air. E. Wilton, of Gladstone road, when be was returning homo from Maslerton oil ,Sunday night, Mrs. Wilton, who was in the front scat with her husband, was severely cut about the face by Hying glass from the windscreen, and the car was badly damaged. A child in the back seat, sleeping, was uninjured, and Mr. Wilton also escaped injury. While playing in the first Rugby practice match of the season at the High School ground yesterday, William Porteous, 16, suffered a compound fracture of the forearm, and was removed to Cook Hospital. The youth was approaching the opposition goal-line with a view to scoring when lie was tackled from behind. He fell heavily, and a subsequent examination showed that both hones in his forearm had been broken. Ilis condition this morning was reported to be satisfactory.

The annual meeting of the PovertyBay Fruitgrowers’ Association was held on Tuesday evening, Mr. F. Kirk presiding over a good attendance. The following officers were elected : President. Mr. F. Kirk; vice-president, Mr. W. M. Hall: secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. C. Hardy; advisory committee, Messrs. Kirk, Brodie, G. H. McTndoe and Hardy; delegate lo provincial conference, and to Dominion conference in June, Mr. J. C. Hardy. It was decided in future to hold evening meetings instead of afternoon gatherings.

The difficulty of price fixing in local sales oil apples was instanced during a discussion at the annual meeting of the Poverty Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association. At a previous meeting a wholesale price for first grade apples was decided upon, it being agreed that export rejects, nr second grade fruit, be destroyed, in order to induce a. better price for the first grade apples. It was found, however, that in all cases the price agreed on had not always been adhered to, and this gave rise to some discussion at the annual meeting, when it was also slated that second grade apples had been sold despite the earlier decision. The discussion was dropped without any further decision being reached.

A report 'that lie had soon young trout in the Awatere River was made to the Waiapu Acclimatisation Society at its annual meeting by Air. Athol Kemp, who expressed satisfaction at tin evidence of natural increase in the river. No money had been spent on this river for some time, be stated, and the young trout lie bad seen could not have been introduced recently. Move should be done by the society to foster the fishing, he remarked, for if the rivers were stocked with rainbow trout it would give sportsmen a summer fishing season as well as a winter shooting season, thus increasing the attractions of the coast and enlarging the privileges of license-holders.

“T bad an interesting conversation with an old Maori woman at Jerusalem, in the upper Wanganui river district,” said ATr. O. W. Baker, of Wanganui, recently. "She said that most of the voting Maori girls who were living in town deriving a. good education, and so forth, were really becoming ashamed of their older Maori customs. She thought blie Afaoris should remain Maoris and the pakeha, pakcha.’ It was her opinion that education was all right, but it made (bom ashamed of being Afaoris. She bad lived in Wanganui and owned property in the suburbs. She preferred to be at Jerusalem, however, out in a canoe spearing eels. She also stated that the Maoris-were gradually adopting the English way of pronouncing Maori words.”

There are only a few really good dates for public or semi-public balls during the winter season, and the selection of June 3 by the committee of the A. and P. Association for the ball in aid of the showground equipment fund lias been followed by discussions with the High School Old Students' Association, which for the past four years lias held its annual ball on that date. Recognising the likelihood of financial disaster for at least one organisation, if both proceeded with their arrangements, the executive of the A. and I*. Association approached that of the Old Students’ Association, and received an undertaking to the effect that the ex-students would relinquish the date for this year, in recognition of the special nature of the A. and P. function. The occasion of the British team’s visit to Gisborne has been selected by the Old Students’ Association as an alternative date for their ball.

Flying the Ilawke’s Bay and Fast Const Aero Club’s Spartan ’plane, Captain T. W. White, accompanied by Mr. Newman as a passenger, arrived from Hastings shortly before 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon. The machine experienced a line trip as far as Nuhnkn, but from there on to Gisborne the flight was made through rain. This afternoon Captain White purposed giving a display of aerobatics from the Maluiraka racecourse, and it was hoped that Flying Officer Olsen would arrive with the club’s Moth ’plane in time to take part in the exhibition. It was necessary for the Moth to he reconstructed, and a gang of mechanics worked till last night on the machine in the hope of having the work completed in time to allow of it being down to Gisborne to-day. Captain White gave further instruct ion to some of the Gisborne candidates for dying tickets this morning, and, weather permitting, passenger flights will be given this afternoon and to-morrow. Captain White and Flying Ollieer Olsen intend leaving Gisborne to-morrow afternoon for Auckland to attend the pageant I here if the M'otli machine arrives here, but in the event of the repairs not being completed in time Captain White will return to Hastings and await their completion, while Flying Ollieer Olsen will take the Spartan to Auckland. The 'Hastings visitors will attend the Aero Club ball, which is to be held in To Poho-o-Bawiri Ilall, at the Kaiti pa, this evening.

Summer time begins at Home on April 13. The drought continues, despite a couple of promises of rain, and the countryside is nutmeg brown. Prospects of winter feed are steadily becoming worse.—Dannevirke correspondent. When Ernest Woolright, of Castleclilf, was returning from his work in the wool stores lie and his mate met a mob of bullocks, one of which charged the man. Woolright had an ankle broken. Military camps, for the time being at all events, came to an end in the Dominion this week, when the rear-guard of the artillery batteries who have been cleaning up the Waipukurau racecourse, after nearly three months’ training there, finished their work.

There are npw almost 300 men engaged on the constructional work of the South Island Main Trunk line, and more will be placed on the southern end shortly. In all 22S men are forming the line at the Wharanui end, and the southern link is being formed by 71.

The first landing by aeroplane on the new aviation ground on the Whakarewarowa, .Rotorua, was made by Major Oowper on Friday. Every effort is being made to have a working surface, on the ground by Easter, when a fleet of aircraft is expected to arrive.

A pleasant Incident, occurred at the opening of the season at tin' municipal golf links at Wellington on Saturday during the playing of the ling competition, when the Governor-General, Lord Dledisloe, attended by Major Bathurst, paid an unexpected visit to the links and mingled with the player,s.

A flight, in an airplane from the Murrumbidgee district,to Adelaide convinced Mr. Harvey Turner, of Auckland. of the value of air services. .It lessened the expected time of his journey by a day. Passages on the Sydney-Brisbano air services were booked weeks ahead, Mr. Turner said. The journey took only four or four and a half hours.

Speaking on the native land question at Taumarunui, the Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, said it had been decided to settle two blocks in the King Country —one at Waimiha and the other at Mahoouui. The land would 'be worked by men selected from the owners, and, a,s the country was healthy, lie was sure the natives would make a success of it. Conditions in the steel trade at Sheffield are much better, according to Mr. J. A. M,cWilliam, of Sheffield, who has arrived at Auckland. He said that England was now doing a bin export business in airplane engines and the Sheffield steel works were now concentrating largely on the steel required for this work. Mr. McWilliam also reported that the shipbuilding firms on the Clyde had increased their' operations during the past few months. Although the unemployment figures had increased, he thought conditions generally were better. Wellington’s only motor camp site —at Karori Park —came in for severe criticism, when members of the executive ot the Wellington Automobile Club discussed a letter from an Auckland motorist condemning both the site and its position. “1 think it is a disgrace that the only camp to which we can invito motorists is in the state that Karori is in, as compared with other local bodies’ camps,” was tiie comment of one of the members. After discussion, it was decided to write to the city council drawing attention to the matter, and to ask eacli member of the executive to suggest, a new and more convenient site.

“Parliament never has, and I venture to say never will, make a married man responsible for the maintenance o! his wife’s parents or relatives,” remarked Mr. R. 11. Wedde, counsel for a married lady against whom an application was made in the Napier Police Court for the maintenance of her mother. Mr. Wedde contended that to make such an order would be to saddle a married man with the responsibility of his wife’s relatives. Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., pointed out. that in the ease before the court one son-in-law had taken that responsibility for over a year. “I would rather that the matter be looked at from the point of view of common decency rather than that of common law,” the magistrate said.

There was a time when the jurisdiction of tbo East Coast Acclimatisation Society extended right through tin coastal district as far as East Cape, but part of this area has been for some years under the control of the Waiapu Society. There are some license-holders of the East Coast society who still regard themselves as entitled to shoot or fisli throughout the coastal area, however, according to an allegation made at the annual meeting of the Waiapu Society: When challenged by members of t lie latter body, they produce licenses issued in Gisborne, and protest innocence regarding any boundaries ns between the two societies’ districts. In future the Waiapu licensing body proposes to take drastic action against any person found shooting or fishing without the proper license for the district, and a reward for information leading lithe conviction of poachers is on offer. Mistaken identity gave Mr. A. E. Smith, a well-known Christchurch motorist, an insight into human nature. Crossing the Atlantic, lie wirelessed for rooms at a big Now York hotel, and on arrival was given a wonderful reception, and was shown (by the proprietor him self) into a princely suite. A minute 01 two after a bellboy arrived with bundles of letters. “Your mail, sir,’’ he said, with an air of serving royalty. Un looking over the first letter or two, Mr. Smith discovered! that lie had been taken for another Smith, who happened to bo on the same steamer —Mr. A 1 Smith, the Governor, whose initials were the same as the New Zealander. When Mr. Smith explained tho Smith he really was, the change in tho manner of the proprietor was as good as a play, changing from servility to aloofness, almost scorn, with a rapidity that would make a movie actor’s fortune. In addition to having tho same initials as the famous Smith, the New Zealander was strikingly like him.—Auckland Star.

At the Ohakune Police Court last week, before Mr. R, M. Watson, S.M., Martin Coffey was charged with bookmaking and with running a gaminghouse at Ohakune Junction. Sergeant. Joyce, for tho Crown, said that through information received a plain-clothes policeman was sent to Ohakune, and on March 17 a raid was made and a quantity of day cards and scraps of paper, on which were written the names of nine horses wore found. When asked, defendant said he was going to wire them away to a bookmaker. When arrested ho had £35 in his possession. Ills Worship said on the charge of bookmaking there was a conflict of evidence. Hefendant denied having bets with tho constable. Tho search disclosed £3B in cash and a cheque for £6. Tt was also shown that the takings in tho shop for the week were small. It was very clear that defendant had been acting as bookmaker’s agent. He would he convicted and fined £4O, and costs £1 9s. The charge of keeping a common gaming-house was dismissed. Hefendant was allowed 14 days to pay. Surety foi leave to appeal was fixed at £ls 15s.— star.

A small direct shipment of fruit ,from Hawke's Bay to Rotterdam was made through the port of Napier yesterday, 150 cases being laded on to the Middlesex in the roadstead. The fruit was loaded and placed in the cool store on board ship within 24 hours of being picked. A proposal to remove the present wharf at Foxton to a site nearer the Heads, known as Rush Flat, was discussed at a meeting of the Foxton Harbor Board at Palmerston North, and it was decided to request the Government to make available immediately details of a report which is being drawn up. At present New Zealanders were spending £2,000,000 more outside the Dominion than the outside overseas people were spending in New Zealand, said a witness in the Arbitration Court at Wellington. In Switzerland they received from tourists £7,000,000 to £8,000,000 per annum, which paid most of the rates and taxes, and stopped a large amount, of unemployment. W e had as good a country in New Zealand as they had, and more varied, and the largo community of private hotels in New Zealand should have every latitude as to hours of starting and stopping. “If a hoy peels potatoes in the back yard, under the present definition of kitchen work he must be classed as a kitchen hand, and all the cooks’ wages increased accordingly,” said Mr. S. E. Wright in stating the case for the employers in tlie tearooms and hotel workers’ dispute at Wellington. “Under a recent decision of this court, if a pantrvmaid washes up meat plates from the dining room she must be classed as a kitchen hand, and again the cooks’ wages must he increased because of the increased kitchen staff. The mistress, il on occasions she lends a helping hand in the kitchen, has just the same effect of increasing the cooks’ wages. Thus we find that in such cases the relieving of cooks of work, automatically increases their wages, which, to say the least of it, is an anomaly.” ' The political situation in Christchurch City Council is becoming complicated as a result of the decision of the Labor Party on the council to go into opposition and surrender its chairmanships of committee. In Citizens’ Association circles if is believed there is a definite feeling that the chairmanships should not he accepted by Citizens’ representatives except in the dase of the works committee, at present presided over by Cr. F. R. Cooke. On the other hand, it seems almost certain that Labor will refuse to carry on the chairmanships, so that there is a condition of stalemate. Piquancy is added to the situation by the fact that some of the Citizens’ AssoiciaHon representatives may bo away from Christchurch during the next three or four weeks, and Cr. Elizabeth McCombs is at present in Lewisham Hospital.

“They will take a good time to settle down,” said the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Defence, to a Wanganui reporter recently, when discussing Samoa. Mr. Cobbe added, however, that propaganda from Auckland had not aided in the settlement of differences. “The Mau is the organisation that has caused all the trouble and unrest there,” he continued. “The Administrators have been trying for nearly three years to have a conference. Chiefly through the help of the missionaries I managed to get them in in about a week. Some 20 wanted men whom, they have been trying to arrest for a long time gave themselves up voluntarily. The members have returned to their villages and matters have settled down. Although there may be occasional slight disturbances, I think there will not he in the future any serious outbreak. I believe conditions in Samoa will improve greatly before, long. The' climate is not too severe there. The country is very fertile, and the trading in cocoa and copra is capable of very great expansion. With improved shipping facilities and the cessation of the activities of the Mau and, possibly, hotter understanding of the psychology of the Samoans the future of the territory should lie very bright and full.”