LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Old Boys Rugby team, winners of the Taranaki senior championship, are to be the guests of the Old Boys’ Association at a dinner at the New Plymouth Boys’ High School on Wednesday evening. The Fitzroy Seaside Park funds will be considerably augmented as the result of a mart which was held in Devon Street yesterday afternoon. The ladies in charge was Mesdames L. Chivers, H. S. Wagstaff, Loesch, Gillespie, and Martin and Miss Pullen. Of the produce handled at the Moturoa Freezing Works last year, 80 per cent, arrived by motor-lorry. The chairman (Mr. J. Brown) added that it looked as if that position would continue during the coming year, as at present there was no slackening in motor transport. The rain that fell yesterday morning caught many people who were in Waitara to see the ceremonies in connection with receiving the ashes of Sir Maui Pomare, and they scattered for shelter. There was a rush to shops for umbrellas, and a great sale resulted, more than one shop selling its whole stock. Camels do not supply camel hair. That information was gathered by members of the economics committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce during r visit to a brush factory. The hair came from .squirrels tails, it was explained, and the name was derived from Camel, the man who first dressed the hair for use.

The first number of “Community Planning,” the journal of the New Zealand Town Planning Institute, has been isused. Its contents, in addition to illustrated articles, include, messages from the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, and the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes. “Community Planning” is to be published quarterly, but it is hoped in time that it will appear at more frequent intervals.

A light car and a motor-lorry collided at the intersection of Gill and Currie Streets, New Plymouth, yesterday afternoon. The ear driven by Miss Simpson, Durham Road, Inglewood, had the righthand back wheel smashed, and the mudguard and running board damaged. Miss Shnpson was driving up Gill Street when her car was struck by a lorry owned by Mr. Roebuck, which was crossing Gill Street to the railway goods sheds. Little damage was done to the lorry.

Owing to the extremely high tide on Tuesday - evening motor-buses from Thames were unable to use the Pipiroa ferry, over the Piako River, and the many passengers who went to a dance in the Pipiroa Hall had to be carried pick-a-back to the ferry. One young woman refused an offer of assistance from a volunteer, saying she preferred to be carried by the ferryman. When half-way across the ferryman’s gum boots slipped, causing both to be thrown into the muddy water.

Keas have been very numerous in Lees Valley, and the settlers, says the Christchurch Press, have suffered very heavy losses through their attacks upon sheep, but their numbers now appear to bo decreasing. For a time the returned soldiers living in the settlement employed men to eamp in the neighbouring hills and shoot the birds, and they estimate that.from 600 to 700 have been destroyed in this manner in the last few years.

“The price of lamb in March, 1925, was T2i<l., to-day it is 8 l-Bd., a drop of roughly 25 per cent.,” said Mr. H. D. Aclaiid (chairman) at the annual meeting of the , Shcepowners’ Federation. “With money costs on a level fixed when wool was averaging 100 per cent, more than the prices realised last week, the time has arrived in the interests not only of sheepowners, tut of the Dominion as a whole, to reconsider the question of costs with a view to bringing them down to a level which .will allow r reasonable return.”

The desirability of exporting only the best meat was remarked on by Mr. H. D. Acland, speaking at the annual meeting of the Sheepowners’ Federation in Wellington. He said that some weeks ago the Meat Producers’ Board had been called on to deal with the question of allowing lightweight lambs of poor quality to be' shipped to England. It was contended that these were required to compete with low grade Australian and South American lamb in the North of England. Ho was strongly of opinion that nothing that was not prime quality should be allowed to leave New Zealand. In 1926-27 Australia had sent away a lot of inferior meat, and as a result theAustralian trade had suffered.

The new forest biological research station at the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, will contain what is probably the finest entomological library south of the equator. The transference of books to it is now in hand, and the research station is in practically full working order and ready to undertake the numerous investigations which fall within its province. An index of trees which act as hosts to various insect pests is in course of preparation, and the mycologieal laboratory is fully equipped for the study of the fungus diseases which attack exotic trees. Much more or less preliminary work has already been done, and a very thorough programme of research activity has been mapped out for the immediate future.

Of the 42 ships that loaded dairy produce from the Moturoa freezing stores last season, 33 loaded direct for the Home market. They took direct 277,828 boxes of butter, or 91 per cent, of the total butter shipped from the stores, and 190,612 crates of cheese, or over 90 per cent. This information was given by Mr. J. Brown, chairman of directors, at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Producers’ Freezing Works Company yesterday. The position regarding direct shipments, he added, was showing an improvement each year. This year already it was shaping very well; the mail boat lon', was coming to New Plymouth next month to load produce. The lonic was the largest boat from the viewpoint of tonnage to visit New Plymouth, and had the deepest draught, showing the confidence that the shipping companies had in the port. Spring fabrics for present wear are advertised by Messrs. Morey’s Ltd. on page •23 of this issue. Spring Tweeds, Wool Crepes and the new knitted fabrics are' now on view.* The Hustler’s are showing their first shipment of Ladies’ Spring Millinery, at prices to euit the most slender purse. Fur necklets and stoles are just what are required at this season and these we are offering also ...at .prices that appeal. The Hustlers, Drapers.* i A sale of work with a euchre party and dance in the evening will be held jn the Puniho schoolroom on September 8,