LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1930, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Snow fell heavily at North Mount Eo-mont yesterday afternoon and evening. It ‘lay thickly around the hostel and the old house and extended at least a mile down the track.

A |laori from up-river remarked to a Wanganui Herald reporter that he wished he had started milking cows some years ago. He had now been milking for two seasons and had increased his herd, and if all went well he would have them all paid for this coming season. “The difference between a politician and a public servant is that, after 35 years’ service, a politician is no nearer superannuation,” humorously remarked the Minister of Native Affairs (Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata), in opening the annual conference of the New Zealand Public Service Association.

Two large albums of mounted weeds and painted reproductions have been presented to the Taranaki Education Board by Mrs. Whittaker and the pupils of the Kainiiro school, where she was formerly head teacher. They are classified and described, and. in passing a vote of appreciation yesterday members of the board expressed the opinion that they formed a very valuable collection. During the past 10 years the output of the Brooklands Dairy Company has trebled, having increased from 80 tons to 240 tons per annum. As the company has practically the same number of suppliers, an indication is given of the up-to-date methods adopted by the farmers. Mr. G. Goodwin, the chairman, is of opinion that there is still room for much greater production in the district.

"Consolidation of small schools will never go through unless the department makes it compulsory,” ’said Dr. W. M. Thomson, at the Taranaki Education Board meeting yesterday, when reference was made to the report of the education commission just released. “It will not come within the next quarter of a century,” said Mr. P. White. He considered Parliament would not agree to make consolidation compulsory. On the advice of Mr. T. Horton, the Western Park Board, New Plymouth, is about to plant pohutukawa trees along the foot of the clay bank above the oval, by the bowling green corner. The trees are to come from the nurseries in Pukekura Park. They will be trimmed so that they will grow up the face of the bank without encroaching materially on the space between the bank and the oval.

A Wellington boot salesman bad a sad experience recently. A young woman bought a pair of shoes, paid for them, asked for toe-caps and heels to be put on, and stated that she would send for them on the morrow. True enough, someone did call for them, but it was not the woman who had paid for them, but another woman who had overheard the whole of ike transaction and profited by it. Successes in fox terrier classes at the Auckland show were credited to Mrs. G. Lawson, Frankley Road. In the female classes Frankley Nobility was first in three classes, New Zealand bred, colonial bred and open, scoring two points £pr the challenge. Meriden Masher in classes was first for colonial MHjhßen and stud dogs, also first in gained two points for the MMMHM|fctaher was second and DigHHHHBkg Terrier stakes -(all were nine entries:

"Advertisement is cheap—though some people think it so expensive—if done properly, and it undoubtedly brings results,” said Mr. A. M. Niblock last evening while delivering a lecture in New Plymouth on "salesmanship.” He was impressing on his listeners the value of a magnetic personality and the manner in which it advertised the person fortunate enough to possess it, "You can buy a lot of things cheaper in Palmerston North than you can in Wanganui,” Councillor H. G. Birch remarked at the Waitotara County Council meeting. Councillor W. Morrison: Query, query? I have heard a lot of people say that you can buy things cheaper in Wanganui than you can in Palmerston. It cuts both ways. Councillor E. Parsons: It is like a man looking over the fence at his neighbour’s grass.

"I do not remember having had eases like this here before,” said the magistrate when seven men were brought before the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday on charges arising out of the failure to close a billiard room at 10.30 in the evening. "The law states that no one is allowed on billiard room premises after 10.30 without an excuse which' the Court can believe. Whether the Court believes it or not depends on the capacity of the Court to swallow the story.”

An amusing tale was recounted by Mr. A. M. Niblock during a lecture in New Plymouth last night. He said he had often heard men say that they were the head of the house. One day he heard one man say he was the head when his wife was present, and she turned to him and said sweetly, "Oh, yes, John dear, but I am the neck.” When quietness had been restored Mr. Niblock caused another outburst of laughter by saying, “Well, isn’t it true. Don’t they turn our heads?”

Dairy farmers when considering the prices ruling for butterfat at present were inclined to be somewhat pessimistic, remarked Mr. R. Pepperell, secretary to the company, in acknowledging a vote of thanks at the annual meeting of the Oxford Dairy Company yesterday. There was, however., no need for pessimism, and he advised farmers-when comparing prices not to compare them with the inflated prices ruling during the war, but with the prices ruling in the normal times prior to the war. He well remembered the first balance-sheet he had made, over 30 years ago, when the average pay-out was 6d. per lb. of butterfat, with a bonus of a farthing. Dairy farmers then thought they were “made.” Of course, he admitted, expenses had increased considerably since then. After giving the experiment of penny fares on city sections a trial since August last the Christchurch Tramway Board decided to abandon it, and no penny fares were issued after June 22. A report submitted to the latest meeting of the board showed that in respect of the twopenny section the decrease in passengers in 32 weeks was 68,956, and in revenue £1946. “This experiment affords another illustration,” the report stated, “of the fallacious argument that a reduction in fares must of necessity produce greater revenue because of the greater number of people induced to travel.” Experience had shown, a member of the board remarked, that penny sections could not pay. No other tramway system in the Southern Hemisphere had such competition from bicycles, which must be more numerous in Christchurch than in any city of similar size in the world.