LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Speaking at Palmerston North, Mr. Edgar Stead, of Christchurch, mentioned that, in the last three years, 16.000 keas had been destroyed, the royalties thereon amounting to £4OOO. He, however, was of the opinion that, despite all efforts, the bird would survive unless assailed by a sudden epidemic such as had killed off the woodhen in some districts.

A Sunday school building. 46ft. long and 26ft. wide, with stained glass win dowß, was erected in one day by a working bee of Methodist enthusiasts at Moeroa on Saturday. Work was commenced by the volunteers at daylight, and they toiled until long after dark. When they ceased work the building was sufficiently advanced to enable it to be used for Sunday school on the following day. A gentleman who happens to own a house in Mt. Eden, Auckland, knowing that the second day’s racing of the Avondale meeting was being held, thought it advisable to get up a little earlier than usual and collect the rent. He called upon the tenant long before his usual hour, but it availed him nothing, as a note pinned on the back door read: “Gone to the races; will send the rent on Friday.”

The fair sex was at, a premium at the Supreme Court in Wellington one day last week. The first attack was made by Mr. Justice MacGregor. Counsel had asked a witness if his wife could drive a ear. Witness replied that she could not, as far as he knew. His Honour: ‘ Perhaps she thinks she knows how to drive n car, like many other women.” A few minutes later Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell was reading a letter, when His Honour asked the date of the letter. Mr. Treadwell: “Of course, it is not dated. It was written by a woman.” “Millers in many parts of the country, states the London Daily Chronicle, “report a continued increase in the demand for wholemeal flour, since Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, the distinguished surgeon, pointed out that the usi of white bread lowers resistance to disease and favours the onset of cancer. Sir Harry Baldwin, surgeondentist to the King, and president of the British Dentists’ Hospital, says: It. is eminently desirable that the great staple article of diet should be of wholesome and nutritious quality. The actual fact is that the bread and flour supplied to our people has been deprived of all its vitnmines and most of its proteins and valuable mineral salts. This is why we have so largely a C 3 population- Stop the pernicious extraction of the best parts of the wheat, and the vital statistics of the nation will go up with a bound! Hero is a promising field of activity for the Ministry of Health.”

The question of school holidays was discussed by the Hawke’s Bav Education Board when suggested dates for terms and vacat'ons Were received from the Education Department, Wellington. Dates were suggested so as to assist schools in any one district to synchronise their holidays. At the end of the first term a vacation of two weeks was suggested, to be followed by three weeks at the end of the second term, and six weeks during the Christmas period. “This is a very radical change,” stated Mr. W. L. Dunn, secretary, “and proposes to increase the term vacations, as far as we are concerned, from 9% weeks as at present to 11 weeks.” “T don’t think we ought to increase the holiday if we can avoid it,” remarked one member, and this view was endorsed by several members. The board decided to inform the department that while, approving of the principle of synchronising the school holidays, it was. nevertheless, nf opinion that the holidays proposed were excessive, Newton King, Ltd., wish to draw attention to their replace property guide in this issue.

The Nellie Bramley Company will play in New Plymouth for a five nights’ season, commencing on October 9, with a repertoire of high-class comedies that have won them unbounded success everywhere. Mr. William Russel], who is personally directing the tour, has many friends in this part of the world who will gladly welcome his talented little organisation. Miss Nellie Bramley, the brilliant star, is Mrs. Rutsell in private life.