AROUND THE DOMINION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 222, 18 April 1933, Page 8

AROUND THE DOMINION

Ten Thousand Consumers The number of consumers in ihe Wangiinui-Riuigitikei Electric. Power Board's area is now 10,013 as a result of an increase of 18 in the total last month. Over half thai number are resident in the city of Wanganui, the total being 0505, while 919 are in the Wanganui County district.

Preserving Crayfish ' •■■'lining factory will shortly be established at Akaroa for preserving crayfish in tins, states the Christchurch Press. A suitable property has been acquired by Irvine and Stevensons St. George Company, Ltd., Dunedin. It is claimed that a new market for the product has been found in England. About five years ago the company operated a factory at Wainiii for one season, but as there was difficulty in finding a market for the product, the factory was closed. More than 20 years ago four factories were operating in or near Akaroa. Our Butter in Scotland An encouraging response has been obtained by the Te Awamutu Cooperative Dairy Company in its efforts to promote the sales of its butter in Scotland, which has hitherto been regarded as a stronghold of the Danish article. Some 18 months ago, following the establishment of regular

monthly shipments to the West Coast Hi' Great Britain, the company made a special "drive" on the Scottish market. A leading GlasgoAV wholesale firm of 70 years' standing, was appointed sole agent in Scotland for the company. In each box shipped was enclosed a card bearing a map showing the direct route taken from Auckland to Glasgow, and giving the date of packing the butter and particulars of New Zealand's climate. Replies showed that the average length of time from the packing of the butter in the factory until its display on the storekeepers' counter was four months and 23 days.

Assistance for Pitcairn Islander When the motor-liner Rangitata, which arrived at Wellington from London, was en route to New Zealand, she received a call to render assistance to a Pitcairn Islander who had been injured. Pitcairn Island is an occasional port of call for ships in the New Zealand service, but "t is seldom that the Rangitata calls there, and sha would not have done so hut for the receipt of the appeal. The ship's surgeon, Dr. F. E. Graham-Bissoll, and the fourth officer went ashore, and attention was given to a man who had been involved in an accident and had suffered concussion. The man was getting better when the doctor arrived. Dr. Graham-Bissell states that there is no medical man resident on Pitcairn Island, and if there were he did not know how he would make a living, as the inhabitants are so healthy.

Dual Taxation A Bluff resident has a grievance which is apparently well founded. Last year, finding it. impossible to procure sufficient employment at the port to support his wife and family, he signed on a Home-going vessel for the round trip. Upon being paid-off he was subjected to the deduction of Is Sd in the £ of his wages which deduction amounted in round figures to the sum of £2 10s. He has since had to pay the New Zealand unemployment levy for three months, together with fines amounting to 3s Gd and this for the period whilst he was out of the Dominion. It appears to be an anomaly It is understood that legal interpretation of the Act is being sought for by the person concerned.

i Reclaimed Land At a meeting of the Cawthron Trust Board, Mr. J. Corder, chairman of the Waiinca County Council, referred to an inspection he had made of SO acres of Pakihi land at Onakaka, recently reclaimed by Mr. F. G. Gibbs in co-operation with the Cawthron Institute. Mr. Corder stated he had been astounded to find such unpromising land had been brought into excellent condition for dairying in so short a time. Mr. K. J. Holyoake, M.P., said he visited Mr. Gibb's farm and had found it almost impossible to believe that what now appeared to be a good farm land had, until a year ago, had been in the useless condition of the surrounding property. Heartless Hoax An ancient and most annoying hoax was practised last week by somebody, who informed eight medical men by telephone that a certain resident in Birdwood Avenue was seriously ill, and asked for an immediate visit,' states the Press. They found, of course, that they had not been called in and were not. needed. One of them had been so impressed by the message as to leave an operation case; another did not wait to put on his hat before dashing off in his motor-car. Two undertakers were also sent, on fruitless errands, and a florist delivered two wreaths. The resident Of Birdwood Avenue concerned has only recently recovered from a nervous breakdown.

Fossicking the Molyneux River The experience of large numbers of unskilled amateur fossickers on the Molyneux River, between Alexandra and Roxburgh, last winter has directed attention to this stretch of the river as a source of income during the coming season, and in Dunedin at the preset time there are several parties and individuals making arrangements to take up their posts on the river banks in time for the closing of the gates of the Kawarau dam, which is expected to take place late in May or at the beginning of June. The demand for old huts, stone caves and other makeshift accommodation in the vicinity of the river is very keen, and it is reported that the general standard of equipment of these seasonal miners will, as a result Of what was learnt last winter, be very much higher this year. It is understood that the mining population on the Molyneux River this season will not be purely masculine, as some unemployed women, notwithstanding the fact that, so far there has been no subsidy forthcoming, are likely to be among the fossickers.

A New Glider Seven months' careful planning and patient labour have brought Mr. W. B. Owen, a ChristchUrch chemist, within a few days of completing a delicate task and also of realising an ambition —the construction of a glider, states the Christchurch Times. His "ship" in its nearly completed state may be seen on the floor of a garage in Gloucester Street and has lately attracted much attention from passers-by. The glider, which is of the biplane type, incorporates many, new constructional features. Mr. Owen set himself the task of securing the greatest degree of stability and, as the glider grows nearer completion, he is becoming confident of success. His "ship" has a closed fuselage and is designed on lines much more elaborate than those of any other glider at present in New Zealand. After thoroughlv testing the machine to satisfy himself that it will behave properly. Mr. Owen says that he may make an attempt on the glider flying record. ■

Vicar and Vestry There was a surprising development at a meeting ot ! the vestry of St. Andrew's Anglican Church at Cambridge when the vestry decided unanimously to resign in a body as a protest against the attitude of the vicar, the Rev. G. Gordon Bell, in allegedly wrongfully retaining the financial records of the church following the recent resignation of the treasurer, Mr. H. D. Dallimore, owing to differences with the vicar over financial procedure. Relations between the vicar and some of the officers of the church have not been harmonious over the past 12 months and, in fact, havci been most strained at times. Stormy vestry meetings have been held, and recently a parishioners' meeting, at which much feeling was displayed, was held in the parish hall. When the treasurer, Mr. Dallimore, recently resigned, he handed over the records to the vicar, and according to members of the vestry, the latter has since refused to hand them over to the church Avardcns until they have been certified to by a qualified auditor. It will be recalled, says the New Zealand Herald, that recently the vicar issued a statement that he proposed changing the financial system of paying his stipend, in that he proposed to dispense with a regularly paid stipend from the vestry and depend entirely upon a fund subscribed f voluntarily bv the parishioners. At i the vestry meeting on Friday night : information was received from the chancellor of the diocese that such procedure is contrary to the statutes of the church. It was also stated at (1,0 meeting that the vicar nad complained to the bishop tint the vestry had broken the statutes by not paying his stipend. The vestry pointed out that owing to the treasurer's resignation one month's portion of the stipend had not been paid. In view of the books being legally the property of the church wardens, and in view of the attitude of the vicar m retaining them, the vestry considered j it had no option but to rCiign. j