LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4008, 4 February 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“There is still the Forbes-Coates-Hamilton „ combination,” said Mr J. Thorn, M.P., in the course of a speech at Thames. “Forbes and Coates are still on deck and are big influences in the National movement,” he added.

Educationists in New Plymouth generally agree that swimming should play one of the most prominent parts in the amended schedule of school work during February, so that on hot days the pupils will not be subjected to the strain of concentrated mental effort.

At the Clifton (Taranaki) Rowing Club’s jubilee reunion the other night, Mr H. T. Clare recalled that in the ’eighties a. Waitara whaleboat crew pulled the 13 miles to 'New Plymouth, won the whole programme there, and then pulled back the 13 miles to Waitara, where, after having a rub down, the crew were as “fresh as daisies.”

He would make no apology for the work that was being done on State highways, as those highways carried 80 per cent, of the rural traffic of the Dominion and it was necessary that they should be brought up to a standard to enable them to carry it with safety said Mr M. H. Wynyard, acting-chairman of the Main Highways Board replying to criticism by members of the Egmont County Council on Monday that too much money was being lavished on the State highways.

“There is a feeling against New Zealand in Holland and Denmark, and even in Great Britain, for selling butter so cheaply in London,” said Mr E. Bruce Levy, Director of the Grasslands Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, in the course of an address to the Palmerston North Rotary Club. “The general depression in price in Denmark, however,” he added, “is held to be due to the diminished purchasing power of Europe and to self-suffi-ciency plans adopted by certain countries, and there is no question that these are contributory causes.”

That there should be no rebate on petrol used in motor trucks which covered most of their mileage on farms is causing farmers some concern. If a truck is not registered there is no necessity fbr benzine used in it to be taxed, but if it is used with plates affixed it is taxed. At a meeting of the Taranaki Farmers’ Union a member said that he had recently used a truck for the spreading of 300 acres cf manure on his farm, using petrol at full rates. Mr L. Hammond said that the matter had been before the Minister, but he had said that if farmers were able to their benzine for work on farms at reduced prices the system would be liable to fraud. It was suggested at the meeting that a rebate for an acre, or ton sewn, for manure, could be made.

To overcome this difficulty and to catch offenders “red-handed” plain clothes constables, strangers to the districts, often took up temporary residence and obtained employment in town to carry out investigations.

The members of the Roto-o-rangi Women’s Institute are preparing for a gala day at the school on Saturday, when many interesting amusements and competitions will be held. The proceeds are in aid of the hall funds.

A claim that th? number of employable men on sustenance in New Zealand at presen’, was only 4000, and that a considerable percentage of these were classified as unfit for anything but light work, was made last night by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, at Ashburton. The Minister said he did not suppose that at any time in the history of New Zealand had there been so small a number.

Mr Rudall Hayward and staff, in journeying to Aotearoa on Wednesday afternoon, entertained fears that the delicate sound machines and cameras which are so sensitive to jars may have been thrown out of gear. After checking over when unloadinghad been completed Messrs Hayward and Braxendaile were relieved to find everything was in good order.

Advice that the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, had stated in a reply to a deputation that the Government’s policy in regard to nationalisation of transport was not to make all commercial services the property of the State but simply to coordinate those services, was contained in a letter received by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce at yesterday’s meeting from the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce.

In filming the picture “Rewi’s Last Stand,” a new film emulsion Agfa R, will be used to ensure perfect moonlight photography for important scenes. This will be the first occasion in Australia or New Zealand production that this new product has been used. It has been specially imported from the notable German firm for Frontier Film Ltd’s enterprise.

Mr A. J. McGovern’s four-year-old mare Stretto (trained at Ellerslie by Mr R. S. Bagby) won the Flying Handican six furlongs, at the Taranaki Jockey Club’s meeting at New Plymouth yesterday, carrying topweight of 9.7 and winning very convincingly. Mr A . Rowan’s gelding Cheval de Vollee put up a good effort in the Taranaki Cup, but had to put un with second place to Sergia. Both Te Awamutu owned horses are engaged on Saturday, when Stretto, despite her maximum penalty, is expected to be warm favourite in the Taranaki Stakes.

A set of remarkable circumstances marked an episode which occurred at Paraparaumu, near Wellington, on Saturday afternoon. A lorry was towing a farm tractor across the railway line adjacent to the station at the time when the Aucklnd express was passing through. The lorry had got across the rails and the tractor was about to follow when the train shot between the two vehicles, severing the tow-rope like a knife. Nothing else happened, but it would be hard to say who was more amazed, the engine crew or the man on the tractor, or those who witnessed the happening.

An assertion that there are many people living in the King Country who object to the restrictions prohibiting the sale of liquor in the area was made by Mr T. H. Gillies, the Crown Solicitor, during a trial of a Taumarunui man, against whom “slygrog” selling was alleged, in the Supreme Court, Hamilton, yesterday. According to Mr Gillies, the fact that people object to the restrictions made them unwilling to give evidence against suspected sellers of liquor. The police task in detecting such sales, although they knew they were frequently made, was a difficult one.

On arriving at Aotearoa on Wednesday Mr Rudall Hayward, producer of the film “Rewi’s Last Stand,” expressed satisfaction with progress made in the erection of the Orakau stockade, and the necessary incidentals. He said he was particularly pleased with the work of the Maori workers who are co-operating with keen enthusiasm. Messrs J. G. Gifford and W. J. North, of Te Awamutu, accompanied Mr Hayward and party on Wednesday afternoon to the scene of location and are doing valiant work as representatives of Frontier Films, Ltd.

Wool has fallen from its place as the “golden fleece” of New Zealand, and growers are receiving much less for their clip this season. As a result of the decline in prices and in the quantity sold, the amount realised from the first six sales of the current season up to the end of last year is over £1,500,000 less than was received from the corresponding auctions in 1936, and is also slightly less than the similar cheque in 1935. If the present level of values is maintained for the remainder of the season, the present wool-selling period will close with a total return to the grower of only about 8,000,000 against £14,903 257 last season. In 1935-36 the clip realised £9,840,427.

Six settlers from Waitomo Valley Road waited on the Otorohanga County Council at its meeting on Tuesday to ask that work on the road be started as soon as possible. They asked also that the work of clearing the Waitomo stream of willows be proceeded with, and offered £lOO towards this work. The Council decided to write to the Public Works De partment, pointing out that only four or five miles of the stream were in the Otorohanga county, and the esti mate of £13,000 for clearing it should be half that sum. Settlers were unable to assist and also, as the road was the shortest route to the Waitomo Caves from the north, it was a tourist route. In response to the request of a further deputation, the council decided to ask the department to include the Orahiri stream in the Waipa watershed for willow clearing.

“ I will not set the new against the old.”—Shakespeare. All those who have experimented with cough remedies will echo these sentiments of the immortal bard. Since Baxter’s Lung Preserver achieved first place by merit many generations ago there has been nothing to touch this remarkable remededy for coughs and colds. Take care—take “ Baxter’s.”