LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

During the month of April three bankruptcies were filed in the New Plymouth district, the same number as in April last year. Judges at the New Plymouth PoultryChib’s show in June will be: Mr. Guthrie, Wellington (pigeons), Mr. W. Hall (fancy poultry and ducks), Mr. A. Lister (utility poultry). For the purpose of giving facilities for women to become acquainted with the principles of government, and particularly local government, a class has been formed by the Christchurch branch of the Workers’ Educational Association. The class is open to all women interested in citizenship. A copy of the proposed constitution of the New Zealand Aero Club has been received by the New Plymouth Aero Club from the Marlborough Club. A meeting of delegates from all the aero clubs in the Dominion is to be held at Wellington on May 31 for the purpose of adopting a constitution for the New Zealand club.

Advice has been received by the New Plymouth Aero Club from Wing-Com-mander Grant Dalton (Director of Air Services) that the engagement of Fly-ing-Officer lan Keith as pilot-instruct-or to the club has been approved. WingCommander Grant-Dalton also stated that he intended to visit New Plymouth and inspect the aerodrome some time in May. A New Plymouth jeweller recently suffered los sthrough a bold piece of petty • thieving. While his back was turned a supposed customer quietly abstracted a clock from the counter and had disappeared with it out of the door before the jeweller realised his loss. Mange on the hides of dogs, which is so difficult to eradicate, was cured by an Oakura farmer. He made a mixture of black gunpowder and lard and applied it to the affected parts. It had the desired effect, the hair growing again after a time. One result of the application of the “restorer” had its humorous side, the hair of the fox terrier, hitherto white, becoming black in patches.

An Urenui farmer lost one of his dogs through disease, the symptoms of which somewhat resembled distemper. The dog grew tired and lazy, and then its hindquarters became paralysed. The owner said he had known of similar cases, the epidemic, as it were, recurring spasmodically over a number of years. Electricity, generated by a benzine engine plant, will in future light the Uruti Hall. The plant is being installed at the order of the hall committee, and is expected to be ready for use by the end of the week.

At the back of an Uruti farm lies some heavy to'tara country. The owner, speaking of the trees in the area t said timber from one would suffice almost to build an entire house. It is his intention later to put a road through the rough country behind and make use of the trees.

A spirit fellowship, known to Rotary the world over, is evident at the Wanganui Club’s weekly luncheon, says the Chronicle. This week the speaker said that he hoped, when ]\e had delivered his address, he would be exempt from a further : call for a long time; at least a year. “For ever,” remarked a member, amid laughter. The new motor road through the Urewera now makes Wairoa and Rotorua only 154 miles apart. The distance from Wairoa to Lake House is 42 miles; Lake House to Houpuruahine 14 miles, and Hopuruahine to Rotorua 98 miles. In this total distance, says the Wairoa Star, half of the road passes through dense bush, exclusive of miles of Government forest plantations fro<m Murupara to within a few miles of Rotorua.

There are some human wonders in Tikitiki—the Banks children and “Old Steve” (writes the Tikitiki correspondent of the Poverty Bay Herald). The children live up the Maraehara Valley, a distance of 10 miles from Tikitiki, and thus to attend school they traverse daily 20 miles. Needless to say, they often arrive late. Old Tiwana Mauheni some years ago became totally blind, but still rides about unaided, and often unguided. When he rides towards Rangitukia he knows the different routes and where to turn, whether to the store or to the school, or go straight on towards the sea. When he has a case at the Native Land Court he attends the court daily, and he does this on horseback. The road from Rangitukia to East Cape is very rough and dangerous, .yet' Tiwana. has ridden to East Cape, but on this occasion he folloiyed a companion. It was about 35 years ago that the first and only team of axemen and sawyers was sent to represent Southland and, indirectly, New Zealand, at the important annual axemen’s championship in Tasmania. Although since then some of the Dominion’s foremost exponents of this particular sport have attended the meetings, they were presernt on their own behalf, and not as recognised representatives. There is now on foot a movement to raise funds to send a representative team of Southland axemen and sawyers to the championship earnivafi which takes place in Tasmania in November next.

The maize market as it affects Gisborne continues stagnant (states a local paper). It is thought there may be a small inquiry for Poverty Bay maize about the end of the month to provide for supplies until the arrival of Java grain. With the 'rapid progress Poverty Bay maize has made during the past few months there should be some fine crops this year. Some have done so well that their yield should be distinctly above the average, and this coming after such a bad period in the spring and early summer is particularly gratifying. It is maintained that a number will average out up to 100 bushels to the aere, but it is also pointed out that there is larger variation in the crops than usual.

The weather was very hot at Riversdale last Thursday, says the Southland Times, and many of the district farmers were quite content to sit upon the railings of the stock yards and bask in the sunlight, evincing little or no interest in t'he sale of stud rams. This became very apparent as pen after pen of the rams were turned out and subsequently put back, either no bids having been made or the offers forthcoming not being acceptable to the vendor. The climax came when a pen was turned out and the rams, after a quick look about them, returned quickly to their enclosure before anyone could drive them back again for inspection by tlie farmers: “Even the sheep are disgusted/’ commented the perspiring auctioneer, amidst laughter.