IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 25308, 11 June 1935, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY Opening of Parliament It is expected that the final session of the present Parliament will open on August 15. ♦ # * ♦ Alleged Libel. Yesterday Messrs Mitchel and Broughton issued a summons for alleged libel on behalf of Mr Frank Holloway claiming £5O damages from Mr A. S. Froggatt, president of the Southland Building Society. Th<; libel arises out of Mr Froggatt’s address, to shareholders at the annual meeting held on May 29. 4r * * ® High Percentage of Passes. That all the N.C.O.’s and practically all of the officers had passed their examinations was a statement made by Captain A. J. Moore, N.Z.S.C., at the annual reunion of the Ist Battalion, Southland Regiment, last evening. “Inthis respect the regiment holds the highest place in New Zealand over the last three years," he said. ♦ * * ♦ Kiwi Caught. While walking overland last week from Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound with the object of securing photographs and material for the specI ial publication advertising Southland’s ' attractions to be issued this year by the I Southland Times, Mr F. N. Robson saw I and captured a kiwi. The bird was kept ’in captivity long enough for photographs and motion pictures to be taken of it. Although there are a good many kiwis in this corner of Fiordland, they are rarely seen in daylight. * .* * ♦ Zig-zagging Cyclists. A desire that a warning should be issued against the practice of boys on cycles zig-zagging on the streets was expressed by Mr J. D. Gilmore at last evening’s meeting of the general committee of the Automobile Association (Southland). Mr Gilmore said . that zig-zagging on cycles was becoming a habit among boys and they were even doing it at night. They should be warned for their own sakes. “We have been at this sort of thing for a long time," stated the president (Mr D. J. Wesney). » ♦ * * Hard-earned Decoration. Speaking at the annual smoke concert of the Ist Battalion, Southland Regiment, last evening Mr W. R. Mabson commented on the fact that the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Col-onel E. F. Selby, had received the V.D. (Volunteer Decoration), given for 20 years’ service in military life. “That decoration takes a lot of earning and a lot of work for King and country,” said Mr Mabson. Later Lieut.-Col. Selby stated that the decoration had been changed to “E.D.” and had recently been granted to Major Stobo (O.C. of the Technical College cadet battalion). Amid applause he extended congratulations to Major Stobo. * * * * Small Defence Staff. “The New Zealand Permanent Army Service Corps consists of only about four hundred officers and men,” Captain A. J. Moore, N.Z.S.C., stated at the annual smoke concert of the Ist Battalion, Southland Regiment, last evening. “Thus it will be seen that there is only a small skeleton upon which to build in the event of mobilization being required by a national emergency. Along with other speakers he stressed the part which must be played by the territorials and the necessity of obtaining new recruits for the regiment. “Official notices seem to bring no response,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with the efficiency of the regiment; its'only weakness is its lack of numbers.” * * * * Snowballcrs and Motorists. Complaints were voiced by motorists yesterday at the action of children engaged in snowballing on Sunday throwing snowballs at motor cars. “There is a very real danger of windows being broken,” said one man, “because the youngsters squeeze the snowballs till they become like lumps of ice. Also, snowballs landing on the windshield obscure the driver’s view and this occurring while he is passing through a group of children might result in an accident. I know that young boys and girls know no better, but their parents could take some action.” It was reported that one motorist had been struck in the face by a snowball flying through his windshield, necessitating the insertion of several stitches.

Misleading Hair. The Rev. A. E. Waite (Mayor of Bluff) has a particularly fine crop of hair, but since early manhood it has been grey. Because of this he has at times been regarded as an elderly gentleman, when, as a matter of fact, he is merely in his early forties. At the local annual Returned Soldiers’ reunion on Saturday evening Mr Waite told a good story against himself bearing on his hair, a story which, the teller assured his hearers, had the merit of being true. When about to board a service car in a North Island town some years ago, Mr Waite found the driver singularly solicitous towards his prospective fare. “Don’t attempt to climb over the mailbags, sir,” the driver said, “I’ll open the other door for you.” “That’s all right,” Mr Waite replied, “I’m young and active.” The driver looked doubtfully at him and remarked that the passenger might be still fairly active, but he could hardly be classed as young. Pursuing the subject further. Mr Waite asked him to give an estimate of the speaker’s age. After consideration came the reply: “Fiftyfive.” “You are exactly twenty years out,” Mr Waite assured him. A long stare on the driver’s part showed the latter’s amazement. “Great Scot!” he ejaculated at last, “I knew you were getting on, but I’d no idea you would be seventy-five!”—Bluff correspondent. ♦ * ♦ ♦

The Ragwort Menace. The continued spread of ragwort has given cause for serious alarm in many districts, adding as it does another difficulty to the noxious weed problem with which the farmer has to contend (states the annual report of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand). It is satisfactory to record that the Government has at last recognized the seriousness of the danger in a practical .manner by subsidizing the importation of sodium chlorate to the extent of a penny a pound, with a view to stimulating a wider application of this commodity as a weed killer. In order to ensure that the subsidy should be passed on to the ultimate user a definite maximum selling price ex wharf was also fixed by the department. The subsidy has been in operation since October 1, and it is understood that the department is somewhat disappointed at the results to the present time, importations not having increased to the extent anticipated. In some measure this may be due to the fact that the assistance came too late to enable the fullest advantage being taken of it last season. The Executive feels that dairy companies might with advantage interest themselves in the matter to the extent of making bulk indent purchases on behalf of their suppliers to enable the latter to secure their requirements at the lowest possible cost.