LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6568, 20 September 1948, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Eggs for Overseas Orders from overseas for special hatching eggs from the Massey Agricultural College poultry farm have increased this year. The orders to date this season have been valued at over £l5O. Eggs have been sent to most Australian States, to Singapore (where 12 chicks were hatched from 15 eggs) and to Fiji, where 350 eggs constituted the one order. Large Attendance

There was a large attendance of dancers present at the dance held in the Town Hall on Saturday night under the auspices of the Basketball Association. Excellent music was supplied by the Hawaiian Serenaders- A feature of a happily spent night was a demonstration waltz, skilfully and gracefully executed by Miss Hazel Agnew and partner, of Hamilton.

Intriguing Picture Several residents of Te Awamutu who journeyed to Mount Maunganui yesterday were not favoured with fine weather for the major portion of the trip. However, they were rewarded by a somewhat unusual sight, for in traversing the Kaimais they saw the clouds scudding in one direction, with heavy misty rain travelling in the opposite direction, and the resultant meeting of the two made an intriguing picture.

Percentage Mark-ups Allowed The percentage mark-ups allowed by the Price Tribunal in accordance with an official statement made last month on hardware, crockery, and glassware, are set out in a price order published in the Gazette. The order covers a very wide range of articles, including builders’ hardware, tools and engineering requisites, as well as crockery and glassware. It also covers the wholesale and retail percentages of profit allowable on the articles mentioned.

Largest Native Moth Two specimens of the largest native moth in New Zealand, the Charagia Viriscens (ghost moth) have recently been captured in Hamilton. The latest one to be caught, flew into the business premises of Mr R. Hill, Victoria being then the prey of a cat before it was rescued bv Mr Hill’s son. With its body more than two inches in length and its; wing span exactly double its length, the moth was identified b" the Department of Agriculture, Hamilton. The caterpillar is a wood borer and its holes are commonly seen in puriri and other trees, such as wineberry and oak in the North Island. The ghost moth in the North Island is rarely seen unless it flies into light or fires and is recognised by its greenish colour.

Blow for Philatelists When Mr Nash altered the exchange rate he reduced the value of most stamp collections held in the Dominion. Previously iNew Zealand philatelists had to pay more, than British collectors for new stamps issued outside this country, and most stamps bought within the Dominion also cost more than in Britain. Now prices are already easing. A complete set of Silver Jubilees recently sold at auction in New Zealand for £7O. As similar sets are on offer wholesale in London at £35, it can be readily appreciated that price adjustments the wrong way for New Zealand stamp investors are inevitable. One effect of the new rate will be to make it cheaper for Dominion uhilatelists to buy used New Zealand stamps in Australia. Subsidies for Domains “County ratepayers are paying for roads primarily, and we cannot make donations from funds for domain improvements,” said Mr C. Bruce, at the Matamata County Council meeting last week when application for a donation was received from the Tirau Domain Board for planned improvements. He said he had noticed some local bodies were declining appeals for donations, some of which bodies the county council had assisted with donations. It was stated the Physical Welfare Department was subsidising locally-raised expenditure on new work. In one centre it was computed that 80 per cent of those taking part in various sports were resident in the county surrounding the borough referred to, and therefore there was at least some justification for asking for a contribution. The council deferred decision until next month’s meeting.

Importance of Railways “The experience of the war and the extensive railway developments taking place overseas emphasise the part that our railways must play in the future economic and social development of the Dominion, and I cannot over-emnhasise their significance as the basis of our present transportation system,” said the Minister of Railways (Mr R. Semple) in the Railways Statement). This is borne out by the year’s statistics of 26,000,000 passenger journeys and 9,500,000 tons of goods carried. These transportation figures, together with the level of fares and freights, show the important part that railway transportation plays in the cost structure of the country, apart from the social service provided. It is essential, then, to pay full regard to the railways as a stabilised factor in New Zealand's economy.

Empire Scientific Liaison New Zealand was now taking part in the activities of British Commonwealth scientific officers in London, and Dr E. Marsden, New Zealand’s scientific adviser in the United Kingdom, had moved into rooms in the officers’ headquarters at Africa House, London, said the Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr T. H. McCombs. “This is one of the measures to aid co-operation in the civil aspects of science within the Commonwealth,” said the Minister. “For several years, some of the Commonwealth countries have maintained scientific offices in London, and under the new scheme these, together with those about to be established, will have their headquarters in Africa House. The New Zealand office will continue to operate as in the past, retaining complete independence of action, but will have the convenience of occupying offices in the same building as the other Dominions. This will make for complete co-operation between the various scientific liaison staffs.”