NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 37, 15 February 1929, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

NOTES FROM ALL PARTS. THE DOMINION; BAY BY DAY. HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE A Sweet Tooth. “The best way Ito advertise our country abroad is to advertise our go'iods,” said Mr ,W. J. Jordan, M.P. for M'anakjau, who returned tB Auckland by the Niagara after six months abroad. Mr Jordan told a story in illustration of the good impression by New Zealand produce. Dining at the Savoy Hole!, London, he w r as seated next to the Horae Secretary (Sir William Jbynson Hicks), whom he asked whether New Zealand honey found favour in Britain. “Speaking for myself,” replied the Home Secretary, “I hafe it every morning for my breakfast.”

IlestiMlon Made. That it is never too late to Jepent is evidently the belief of a woman who entered a Dunedin drap ery store recently and announced that she had an appointment with the manager. When he arrived an hour and a half later, he discovered that the woman was a total stranger. To his surprise she informed him that she had stolen some goods from the shop a year, ago, and that her conscience was so troubled that she was anxious to make restitution. Leaving with tire assurance that she was forgiven, she returned next day with the few shillings which the articles would normally have cost.

The Ragwort Moth, There was a scare at one time that Tyria .Jacobaea, which is the motifi that in time is to wipe ou)U ragwort' in the Dominion, at least so it 4s devoutly hoped, Would attack economic plants, but this idea, it has been conclusively proved, is erroneous. Exhaustive experiments show that in all cases the moths or larvae die when making a diet of any of the economic plants, and in the office of the Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, are test tubes containing the pickled remains, plant and all, of specimens of Tyria Jacohaea which thought that the potato plant would he good to feed upon, only to die of indigestion in the' attempt.

About Lodgings, , rr .- In view of the nature of the proceedings, Maintenance Day, or “Agony Day,’' as it is more oommjonly known, in the Magistrate’s Couijli is not usually expected to produce touches of humour for the delectation of tbpse- presen|t!, says the Wellington Post', but sometimes unconscious humour does creep into the cases, and such an incident greatly enjoyed by those preseat, occurred yesterday. A witness was being examined as to his reason for employing a housekeeper instead of (taking something less costly in tile way of lodgings. He replied that he had had tbi leave several boarding-houses on account of his drinking habits, and had therefore employed a housekeeper look after him. Counsel asked him if he still drunk. A reply in the negative caused counsel to ask if the witness had inquired for any more lodging since he had given up drinking. '“‘No,’’ came the startling reply, “I have been in gaol ever since.” Overseas Investments. New Zealand people, like those of the Homeland, are becoming great overseas investors,, stated a leading banker in Wellington. Large sums are being placed by dominion investors, and some of them are, in enterprises as far away as Britain and Canada, said this prominent, figure in the banking world. Curiously enough, though there is no precise information available on the point, large sums of Australian capital are also being invested in New Zealand, and this flow is said to balance the capital from New Zealand which is being made available for Australia. This, states the banker, is not the outcome of the higher protective tariff which guards Australian secondary industries nor; of the fact that banks and investors have a low ’opinion of New Zealand industrial ij:ocks, but is due solely t 0 the judgment of the individual. There is, to-day, it is declared, ample capiijtal available for New Zealand industries, but like everyone else (they must 1 pay for it according to the security which they offer. For a well-managed business there should be no difficulty in obtaining what money is necessary. “It is not at all a bad thing that the position should be as it is,” said the banker. “In spreading investments abroad our people are not putting their eggs in one basket and in pursuing a policy of cautious development of secondary industries they are following a ! wise course.”