LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1930, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A letter which was thrown overboard in a bottle from the Royal Mail liner Aorangi on February 23, 1930, wms found on the Ninety Mile Beach, North Auckland, near Ahipara Harbour, on October 7 by a resident of Te Hapua. The bottle was thrown overboard ■ when the Aorangi was two days out from Sydney on a voyage to Auckland.

In six months from April to September the members of the New Plymouth Public Library have read 67,250 books', as compared with 63,500 in the same period last year, showing an increase of 3750. These figures shed an intimate light on the part the library plays in the lives of the great majority of townspeople, and, just as much, on the work Mr. Allan Low and his assistants accomplish with such success.

A lady who left a purse containing £3l in notes in a Great South Road tramcar at Auckland had her lost property returned to her next day on calling at the Gaunt Street tram depot. She left the purse on the seat during the evening, and, being unable to remember which tramcar she was in, had little hope that she would recover the money. However, the purse was found by the conductor, who handed it intact to the left property officer.’ Next day the conductor received a reward of £3.

During the last two or three weeks there has been a much better inquiry for house property, according to a wellknown Auckland land agent, says the New-Zealand Herald. Ho considered it might also be taken as a good sign of the° times that tenants seemed to be paying their rents more regularly and included a smaller proportion of those who tried to escape liability. The present tendency of rents was down, and whenever a house changed tenants the newcomer always wanted to pay less than the previous tenant. The rents of high-class furnished hoiisese had come down very greatly and owners could not get for these anything like the. rents they had been able to obtain in the past. ,

The Presbyterian Churches throughout New Zealand are observing to-mor-row as a commemoration day for Robert Raikcs, the founder of the Sunday school movement. In 1780 Raikes, a printer and journalist in Gloucester, began what is called now a “ragged school.” From this humble and at the time much ridiculed experiment grew that movement which now includes 33,000,000 children.

• A number of members of the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society arrived outside the Workers’ Social Hall, New Plymouth, yesterday afternoon, where it wajZunderstood the annual meeting was' to be held. The doors were, not opened, and after thoroughly exploring the avenues of approach to the hall it was decided to adjourn to the secretary’s office, where the meeting was eventually held.

A reason given by one humorist for the absent-minded leaving of pushchairs in Christchurch trains was told >by Mr. Frank Thompson, general mana,<rer of the tramways, in an address. After stating the number of push-chairs left last year, he said that it was one man’s opinion that t'he push-chaiis weic needetl at the start of the trip, but not at the end of it, by which time the babies had grown up.

Top-dressing is yearly playing a greater part in the farming economy of Hawke’s Bay, states the Napier Telegraph. A trip around the province just now affords a wonderful illustration of this fact, for it is an easy matter to pick out the areas that have been topdressed. There can be no doubt of its ehicacy, and one has only to talk to the farmers who are putting it on their land to realise that they are well satisfied.

To have saved, years so as to have a “nest egg” when it was required and then, through bad times, to see the last ■penny drawn from the Savings Bank and have to apply for relief, has been ithc lot of many honest men during re-' cent months, says the Auckland Star. Many families have been undergoing isevere privations, hoping that when ■October came with more sunshine and ■longer days, perhaps they would get work or their old jobs back again. Many good citizens have this week had to apply for help for the first time in their lives.

Systematic poisoning and the operations of an army of trappers have decimated the rabbits in the South Island. In very few places now are they a real menace to landholders. lhe expeii* ,ence of one runholder, Mr. E. P. H. Buribury, owner of Glen Wye Station, is, .says the Christchurch Press, sufficient /to indicate how the pest.may .be effectively checked by energetic action. Four .years .ago the winter contribution of Glen Wye to the rabbitskin markets ■was no fewer than 75,000; this year only one trapper has been working on the station, and his total tally has been fewer than 5000.

A nice point arose during cross-exam-ination in the Supreme Court at Christchurch, when counsel for the defence iwas trying to ascertain -what was the experience of plaintiff as a builder. Plaintiff said he had served his apprenticeship as an architectural draughtsman. On being questioned further he ■said he had not been through a carpentering apprenticeship; he was a builder, mat a carpenter. Counsel doubted whether a man could be one without being the other.

Some amusement -was caused at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce when a remit wars considered, “That the time has arrived when the Government should eurtail the setting up of commissions.” The general opinion was that certain commissions were necessary, and it was resolved not to support the remit. There iwars a burst of laughter when the next remit was read: “That the Government be urged to appoint a commission of experts to go into' the whole question of the constitution and procedure of Parliament, etc.”

Owing to the severe winter and late ■spring, outdoor activities on the farms are a good deal later than usual. this season, states the Southland limes. Grain for crops is still going out to the farms and cultivation -work has not proceeded very far in some cases. It is generally maintained that wheat for autumn cropping should be in the ground by this time of the year, but it will be some time before all the icrops have been sown.. The weather during the present week has not assisted in any respect and the indications are that when a settled period is again experienced the farmers .will have a very ibusy tiinq. in completing their necessary seasonal work, as the time is rapidly approaching for the preparation of ground for the turnip crops.

A reduction of nearly 1000 in the number of employees of the Post and Telegraph Department since 1925 was quoted by Mr. G. McNamara, secretary to the department, in an address to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce as an indication that the charge of over-staff-ing in the Civil Service does not apply to the Post and Telegraph Department. Commercialisation of the department, the introduction of modern machinery and a general tightening-up had enabled the staff to be redjiced from 12,411 in 1925 to 11,505 in 1930, in spite of the new duties, such as motor registration and the collection of the unemployment tax. “We hope to be able to reduce the number still further, but can only do so slowly as methods are improved,” Mr. McNamara added.

A great selection of men’s working and fancy socks is qn sale at the .Melbourne. Colonial pure wool socks 1/- pair; Kaiapqi Socks 1/6 and 1/11; Mosgiel fine knit socks 1/11 pair; Petone worsted fine ribbed socks 2/6 pair; Fancy Socks in mercerised cotton 1/9, 1/11; Fancy-Art Silk Socks 2/6, 2/11, 3/11; Men’s cream sport Socks 2/11 and 3/6; black Cashmere and silk socks 1/9 to 4/11.*

Subscriptions to the Porirua Mental Hospital Radio Fund are being received at the New Plymouth office of this paper, lhe fund closes on the 31st of this month, and £4O(H) is required before that time, in order that radio equipment can be installed throughout the hospital. The fund is unique in that there will be no charges against it. Mr. L. O. Hooker of Hawera, who is Honorary Organiser, is paying all his own expenses, and every penny received will go towards the cost of the necessary radio equipment. The support of the general public is essential to the success of this very deserving appeal, and everyone is asked to contribute. We have just installed the latest hat renovating and reblocking plant. We can renovate all classes of mens felt hats, also rebind "them if necessary. We still do steam dyeing, and dry cleaning of ladies and gentlemen’s suits, costumes, dresses, etc. Save money by having your clothes renovated at J. K. Hawkins and Co., Corner Liardet and Devon Streets, New Plymouth. Telephone 685* - The Railway Department advertise in this issue particulars of train arrange ments and cheap excursion tickets' in connection with Waverlcy Races at Waverley Racecourse on Labour Day, also of general issue of holiday excursion tickets and train arrangements in connection, with picnics at Ngaere and sports and picnics at New Plymouth. It should be noted race passengers from New Plymouth, Mai tara, Inglewood and Stratford may travel to Waverley racecourse by the New Hy mouth-Wellington express.

Useful summer frabrics, printed, striped and plain, are advertised on page 19 of this issue by Messrs. Morey’s, Ltd. Write for patterns if you cannot call.*