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Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1932, Page 4

Fire damaged a fine hedge on Mrs. Dingle’s property at the corner of Morley and Vivian Streets, New Plymouth, at 12.30 o’clock this morning. Brigadesmen attended with the small engine and extinguished the fire. The hedge is opposite one that has several times been afire in recent months.

In times of depression overpayment in any shape or form is seldom made. At a meeting of the Southland Rugby Union, however, the committee was faced with the unique position of having to refund £1 Is to the Southland Technical College Club, this amount representing fees overpaid for the current season’s dues.

Feathered game must now be so scarce in parts of Fiordland that weasels have had to become fishers, says the Southland Times. At any rate a Southland party prospecting in the Big Bay district were very interested one evening to observe a weasel come down to the edge of the beach, enter a pool and emerge with a fish in its mouth. "Drop it,” shouted one of the party, and so astounded was the weasel at hearing a human voice that it dropped the fish and fled. Its capture was found to be a rock cod.

One of the least known and most remote of the West Coast Sounds is Big Bay, says the Southland Times. Yet traces of civilisation find their way to these lonely spots. A Southland prospecting party picked up on the beach there *an intact electric light bulb. It may have come from the cabin of a passing ship, or it may have drifted round from some more populated shore, but it certainly gave the prospectors a momentary longing for a cosy bed and electric light in place of hard bunks and an orchestra of mosquitoes.

■The fact that the Railway Department is now out for busines was demonstrated in connection with the two days’ race meeting at Te Kuiti, says the Auckland Star’s correspondent. Horses were transported by rail direct to the racecourse at Te Kumi. Hitherto they were forced to travel by road, a distance of two and a-half miles, on a risky route congested, with motor traffic. The innovation was much appreciated by visiting horse owners, and there was an increase in the number of horses carried by rail on the second d/iy. The reduction in the passenger fares to sevenpence return, as against one shilling charged hitherto, diverted much busines. from motor traffic to rail.

In order to meet the present financial depression the management committee of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union has decided to 'reduce the charges for admission to club football matches fiom Is at the gate and 6d at the stand, women being free at the gate, to 6d at the gate and 6d at the stand for everybody at both places. It was pointed out during the discussion which preceded the decision that it was the object of the union to meet the position during the present financial stringency, but when the times changed the union would revert to the old charges.

Twelve intending passengers by the Limited express from Auckland for Wellington on Tuesday night could not be accommodated because 16 members of Parliament wished to go to Wellington by that train. Those who were compelled to stay behind complained, says the Star, of the treatment, and suggested that in future the Parliamentarians should go by the 3 p.m. express, which should suit them just as well. . They pointed out that members of Parliament travelled free and occupied sleeping berths, for which ordinary travellers’ money was refused. If the railways were being run to secure revenue the people who wished to pay for accommodation should be given preference over the privileged section of the community.

Although the residents of some countries, such as New Zealand, have to be educated into saying their native birds from destruetion, the Government of Peru has taken matters into its own hands, and ordered that all birds are to be protected. An officer of the steamer .Celtic Monarch, which arrived at Wellington on Sunday from Callao, the port of Peru, said that millions of birds were to be seen there. The Government, in protecting the birds, said that each bird was worth 75 cents to the country. Guano is exported from Callao, and birds were useful in forming it.

Pinus insignis timber treated with creosote is being experimented with by Mr. W. B. Fussell, Waiongona, as fencing posts. So far the posts have been in use only a year so it is too early to say whether the experiment will be successful. The posts are showing no signs of deterioration, and if the treatment is successful in extending their time of usefulness for a number of years the question of cheap fencing posts for farmers will be largely solved. With the approach of winter quite a number of trampers with bag and bagare to be seen on the various country roads, states a Winton writer. In the majority of cases these men in their search for employment have met with no success. District farmers state that they have frequently been called on by men in search of work and have also remarked that practically all these unfortunate trampers have gone away quietly after hearing the usual answer, “No work today.” A good square meal is greatly appreciated by these men and in practically all genuine cases they are willing to do a little work in return.

The Inglewood Co-operative Bacon Company notify by change of advertisement that as from April 18 they are not receiving pigs from Non-Shareholders in the Company.

Thrift is the password for every housewife to-day. When shopping you always try to make the pound go further, but what is the advantage if you do not get genuine value for your money. So it is well to bear in mind where you can get the best value. McGruer’s are noted for, their better value. See our advertisement.*

The Returned Soldiers’ Association was granted permission by the Waitara Borough Council last night to hold a door to door collection in Waitara on Poppy Day, April 22, and to use a stall for the sale of produce.