NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 19, 17 January 1929, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

NOTES FROM ALL PARTS. * THE DOMINION DAY BY DAY. HERS, THERE, AND EVERrWHEKB CHEAPER THAW TRAIN. An illustration of the extent to, which motor transport is supersede ing train travel for certain types of* journeys is Sgjveta. Jjy {tne example, of the Nelson fruitgrowers who have, just concluded a tour of the orcharding districts of Hawke's Bay. Arriving in .Wellington by boat, the tourists"there chartered a -charabanc and performed tlie whole cf the tour by bus. "It was cheaper and more convenient than going by train," one of them remarked to a pressman. Ald TO MOTORISTS. Driving at night has many terrors for the amateur even )the most expert often experience considerable difficulty in approaching i small bridges in the dark. To assist motorists on the .main highway between Wellington and Palmerston North : a suggestion • made by *he Wellington Association that- the smaller bridges Bhoutd) be painted white has been agreed to by the Hutt County Council and the work Will be placed' in hand as soon a s possible. A SEVERE LOSS. One instance will show the straits to which seme of the less fortunate farmers in North Otago bave been reduced "by the recent 'disastrous hail storm. T;. A farmel; tqgk. over the land_at_fcbe bejrinninM of the .season, investing the fgmp&ipf a 9 time. Cultivation and"sbwing were and Jhis prospects |f<Ar the coming Jiarvest were excellent.. For 'bis 70 acres of velvet wheat, which' wtis the admiration cf ibis neighbours, ha had been guaranteed! £IOOO, and to-day not one blade remains standing. 'There are many similar cases, and it is certain that unless there is some help forthcoming the number of farmers"who will Bo forced to relinquish] their bold-? ings will be no Bmall one. ROUGH fTRETCH OF ROAD. _ Motorists on the main North Road linking TaranaM with 1 Auckland have for a lons time complained of the Tovrhl nature of the section be- •■■ tween Mahoemri and! Pio Pio and on Monday a conference of representat. ?ves of Jfcibe tfaranaki Ch'amner cf Commerce, the N*"v Plymouth Tom. ist and Expansion League and the Tav ranaki Automobile Association considered trfe best means to adont in ' flirgiue; improvement. AfW discussion it was agreed to mate representations both to t*/e s HigihWays. Board and to the Waitomo County Council pointing out the present conation .of the highway and, jn the' cas« of tlie latter, inquiring if' the combined' fcrtjaTtisntkmsl could assist in any vav in making renresentatio<n«c tint wouW sssist in Having the read put into betto-r condition. A GLORY OF THE PAST. Mowed! W n, "buoy »ff Kaiwatfra. lies the old Mararoa, which years aeo, was the last weird in ' steamships New Zealand waters. Travellers bv train to the city front the Hutt stubuirbs have bteem moved by her presence to delve into their memories for recollections of the past. "I well remember'in 188£$, I think it was," said one, "paying a shilling with many others, who were interested to inspect the very latest BteajmsMp to come -to Wellington, one which was far in advance of any other vessel seen in these waters at that +,ime. r ' The train travellers also indulged in speculation as to the Mararoa,'s ultimate fate; whether she will rust and rot where she is, until placed in the hands of ship, breakers or jfcowed out "into deepV water and sunk. VISIT FROM A THRUSH..,, A Kingsland resident who is bachtng for a few days bad jurt settled flown to his solitary meal when there came an insistent knocking from the vicinity of the front door. Leaving his fried egg to cool, be went,to the verandah and) "•Queer," be /shought. "Perhaps 1 was mistaken," and returned to-the table'. Again came the knocking, and aaain be went to A third, interruption caused jbfm to make » careful search, when be found tibia* the cause of the disturbance! was a thrush, which wa R batting a. small mall on the iron roof. He was relieved to find: a simple explanation cf the mvsterious sounds, but bis feelings towards the bird of song W re not exactly tbose of a nature lover. The thrush was, promptly "shooed!" of . tbe premises.