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Southland Times, Issue 19501, 16 March 1925, Page 6

Poultry Notes, which were not published as usual on Saturday owing to lack of space, will be found on page 11 of this issue.

The Bluff Maoris are busy preparing for the mutton-birding season, and will be leaving for the islands this week.

“The present method of issuing motor licenses is a farce,” said Mr D. Dickie at Gore on Saturday. “I have just been speaking to a man who obtained four licenses for his family without any trouble whatever.”

It has been decided that the Stewart Island steamer service at Easter time will be augmented by the running of a trip on Good Friday and another on Easter Monday. This will not interfere with the ordinary Wednesday timetable which will be adhered to as usual.

A young man, 18 years of age, was arrested at Clinton on Saturday afternoon on charges of theft of two watches at Clinton, and also of the sum of £2 12/- from the City Hotel at Invercargill. He was brought before a local Justice soon after his arrest and was remanded to appear at Invercargill on Wednesday next, March 18.

At a farmers’ meeting at Gore on Saturday, Mr E. Bowmar said the County Council was appointing agents for the issue of drivers’ licenses to those in the country. Agents would be appointed for various districts, so that farmers could obtain their licenses with ease without having to apply to Invercargill.

Work in the Black Mount coal mine at Nightcaps is for the present held up owing to an explosion followed by an outbreak of fire on Wednesday. The explosion was due to gas in soft coal but little damage resulted although the flooding that was necessary for extinguishing the outbreak has meant considerable delay until the pits can be pumped dry. The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, accompanied by Mr Munro, M.P. for Dunedin North, addressed a large audience at the Drill Hall, Winton, on Saturday evening. The Mayor, Mr G. H. Broom, in introducing Mr Holland, commented on the fact that it was the first occasion that Winton had been honoured with a speaker representing the Labour Party. He felt sure that the people of Winton would consider it an honour to have the Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party to address the citizens of that township. Mr Holland dealt fully on the questions of the land policy and finance. At the conclusion of the address the speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

When the tax and draft on wool was mentioned at the bi-monthly meeting of the Gore Sub-Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union one member said that when he consigned wool to London he always received an extra return called “warehouse sweepings,” but he had never seen any such item in local sales. “Oh,” said another, “they do not sweep here.”

“It is almost impossible to estimate the value of the experience of the Plunket Society that is given so freely to young people,” said the Mayor of Hamilton (Mr J. R. Fow), when addressing a meeting of ratepayers on a recent evening. The speaker added that a strong plea should be made to make adequate provision for the accommodation of the Society in Hamilton East. Such a scheme was worthy of the strongest support of the ratepayers.

While fishing in the vicinity of Colac Bay recently a party of natives hauled up a fish about eighteen inches in length, which had three feet on either side. As the fish continued to walk about the boat the Maoris considered it was tapu, and instantly made for the shore, where the fish was cast overboard. Mr H. Spear secured the fish and sent it to the museum. It turned out to be a guarnard, and is plentiful in Australian waters and on the coast of the North Island, but seldom seen in the southern part of New Zealand.

It is said “What ye sow ye reap,” but the Wanganui City Council’s experiment of top-dressing the oval at Cook’s Gardens and sowing lawn grass seed, has been productive of a luxuriant crop of docks, wild plantain, ribbed grass, penny-royal, wild cress and Cape daisy. Such a menace has the Springbok visitor proved, that steps on a heroic scale have been adopted. The other day on the oval was witnessed the unusual spectacle of three of the Council’s workmen down on their knees in a pose resembling true Mohammedans at the hour of sunset, busy, a knife apiece, eradicating Cape daisy.

In connection with the system of home study that has been organised by the Education Department for the benefit of school children it is understood that unless the work set out in the syllabus is completed, the question of their advancement will be re-considered. A circular is to be issued giving details of the work and. how it is to be sent in to the teachers who are stationed at the schools, but it is worthy of note that children will not be allowed to deliver their work at the schools. It must be either delivered by an adult, or posted. In posting work, parents must pay the cost of postage. A syllabus of the work to be carried out will be published in the papers every week.

The Teachers’ Refresher Course concluded on Friday and all teachers will report at their schools this morning. The course has proved very satisfactory and it is thought that much benefit will be derived from the extra tuition that was given. Certified teachers will be employed from now on at the schools in attending to the correspondence course that has been arranged for the pupils, but the pupil teachers and probationers will continue their studies at the schools. Referring to the latter graded teachers, Mr D. A. Strachan, in conversation with a Times reporter, said that they will be expected by the Department to take advantage of the time available for study, to make the year a particularly good one in the way of advancement.

As a very large number of electors are evidently unaware of the clauses in connection with compulsory enrolment.” Mr P. de la Perrelle, M.P., has been in communication with Hon R. F. Bollard urging an extension of the period for a couple of months so as to obviate the infliction of fines. He has now received the following telegram from the Chief Electoral Officer: “While Legislative Amendment Act of last year provides that electors would require to be enrolled before the 6th inst. the roll is still open and will continue to be kept open for a short time longer. When it is decided to close the roll public notification will be given thereof. Every opportunity is being given electors to fulfil their obligations under compulsory enrolment.” Those who have not yet enrolled, should avail themselves, without delay, of the opportunity of doing so.

There has been a regular epidemic of fires in Wanganui during the past few weeks, an average of a call a day having been received at the city fire station during the past twenty days. In discussing the matter with Superintendent Williams, a Wanganui Chronicle reporter was informed that the brigade had. responded to nineteen calls since February 14—including one to the extensive Ridgway Street fire. Fifteen calls were to outbreaks in the city area, and four to the suburb of Castlecliff. Since the commencement of the brigade’s year in July, a total of seventy-nine calls had been answered, and, as matters were progressing, the year promised to be a record one so far as activities were concerned. Approximately, forty alarms had been given per medium of the automatic system, thirtyfive by telephone, and the remainder by messages. Three malicious false alarms had been given by irresponsible persons.

Inquiries as to the largest kauri tree known produced the following particulars. In 1915, Mr Carroll, of Kaipara, said that the largest sound kauri he knew was lift in diameter, with 56ft bole to the lowest branch, while the largest hollow tree was 22ft in diameter, with a 60ft bole. The greatest length of bole —that is, the length of trunk up to the first branch—is 120 ft. There is a record of a particularly large kauri near Auckland, which was purchased as a national monument by a former Governor, the late Lord Glasgow, but this was destroyed shortly after he left New Zealand. A kauri 15ft 4in in diameter, with 46ft bole, was recorded in the 1899 Dominion Year Book, while Mr James Trounson has stated that the largest kauri known to him was 17ft in diameter. The record big tree at Kairuru, north of Dargaville, was estimated by Sir David Hutchens to contain 213,000 ft of timber, the average diameter being 20ft, while at the base it was 22ft.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the Wallacetown Sale is being held To-day instead of Tuesday, owing to Tuesday being a holiday.—Advt.

Intending buyers are requested to note that the Auction Sale of farms at Mabel —advertised by Messrs Wm Todd & Co. will be held on next Saturday the 21st March, 1925.—Advt.

You can secure a choice Eiderdown Quilt at Thomson & Beattie’s at a very reasonable price—lt is a treat to see the way the new stock of these has opened up. A lovely range of patterns—Single Bed siae 39/6—Double Bed Sizes 49/6, 63/-, 67/6 to £9 10/-.—Advt.

Just landed direct from the makers a beautiful selection of English Electro-Plate and Silver goods suitable for wedding presents. Teapots, Teasets, Entre Dishes, Bread Boards, Serviette rings, Tea spoons, etc. Remember these are brought direct from the makers, and are sold at very reasonable price. Pay a visit. T. M. RANKIN, Jeweller, Tay Street.—Advt.

Insist on being supplied with “BIG TREE” MOTOR SPIRIT and get the best results from your engine. “Big Tree” gives instant “pick-up” and sustained power.’ ‘All garages. —Advt. Superior Beverage—Far-Famed Rava Tea. The most popular beverage in. Southland. The tea is choice, good liquor, nice flavour. Price only 2/10 per lb, reduced to 2/8 per lb in 51b and 101 b packets at BAXTER’S. (Advt.). WORRYING OVER REMOVING? Removing, no doubt, is a trouble, but you can minimise the bother by employing us. Our expert hands will take down, pack, move and deliver your things in the quickest way and in the best possible manner. You don’t have to worry over possible injuries if we do the work. The New Zealand Express Company, Limited. Offices in all chief towns.—(Advt.)

Some doubt still exists with regard to the applications for drivers’ licenses under the new regulations. At Gore on Saturday, Mr E. Bowmar said that the owner of a car must obtain his license from the local body in whose district the garage was situated. A driver who did not own the car must apply to the local body in whose district he resided.

The injuries which were sustained by a Chinaman named Sue Too, through the bursting of a pipe on a sluicing claim at the Nokomai goldfields last Friday afternoon, proved fatal a few hours later, the unfortunate man dying at about 6 p.m. The deceased was about 42 years of age. The scene of the accident was a good distance from the railway line and necessitated the coffin being transported inland by a pack horse.

The. Auckland telephone system was cut over to the automatic system, between midnight and one o’clock on Sunday morning. Some 8000 instruments are affected and there are still 700 people waiting for telephones, and 500 party lines which will be cut over in a few months. The change was effected without incident and the system is now in satisfactory working order, says an Auckland Press Association message.

Another victim of electrocution lost his life on Saturday, says a Palmerston North Press Association message, when Joseph Herman Hine, married, aged 33, was killed through contact with a high voltage main transmission electric line. Hine was an employee of the Manawatu—Aroua Power Board and Was engaged in repairing the line. He was noticed lying on the road by a woman who was passing and assistance was summoned, but Hine was then sinking, and he died on the way to the hospital. He was conscious when picked up, but offered no explanation of the accident, repeating, “My God I’m done.”

Many Southlanders are familiar with the story of the English touriSt who, on his way to Stewart Island confided to a fellow traveller that he would “probably stroll round the Island after tea and come home next day,” but now a new “howler” has been brought to light. A few days ago, a little party of enlightened Englishmen walked into the local Tourist Office and presented the astonished and amused officer with keepsakes in the form of four pairs of bran new Canadian webbing snowshoes such as are used by trappers in the frozen north. They explained that before coming out to New Zeaalnd they thought it a land of eternal ice and snow where

travel would be impossible without -the racquet-like encumbrances.