PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 4

PERSONAL

Sympathy with the relatives of Mr. R. H. Pigott was expressed at a meeting of the race committee of the Taranaki Hunt Club at New Plymouth last night. Mr. Winton Reay, who was editor of the North Otago Times (Oamaru) when it ceased publication at the end of last ■mouth, has been appointed editor of the Rangitikei Advocate (Marton). He takes up his new duties this week. Mr. E. J. Brock, formerly of the Union ißank, New Plymouth, and now of Dargaville, and Mrs. Brock are visiting New Plymouth, staying at the Grand Central.

The King and Queen on Tuesday left London for Sandringham, where they will stay for a few days before proceeding north for the annual visit to Balmoral, States a British Official Wireless message.

Viscount Chelmsford, former Viceroy of India, has been appointed chairman of a committee to investigate the acquisition of a permanent site for. the British Industries Fair, says a- British Wireless message.

The death has occurred of Mr. John Charles Fields, a famous mathematician who was head of the mathematical faculty at the University of Toronto. He was aged 70, the Press Association reports from Tronoto.

Acting Professor Raymond Firth, a Hew Zealander, will resign in December his lectureship on anthropology at Sydney University, he having accepted a similar appointment at the London School of Economics, London University, states a Sydney cable. The Minister for the Cook Islands (Sir Apirana Ngata) and the secretary of the department (Mr. 8. J. Smith) left Wellington yesterday by the Monowai on a visit to the Cook Group, the Press Association reports. Sir Apirana is making the trip in order to acquaint himself with conditiqns in the islands and to attend to certain administration matters.

Mr. A. H. Andrews, Okato, is one of four candidates for Rhodes Scholarships whose names have been submitted to the Professorial Board of Canterbury College, The members of the Students’ Association to-day will take a ballot to indicate their preferences for the candidates, and the Professorial Board may be guided to some extent by the result when it chooses two of the candidates to appear before the selection committee at Wellington. The death of Mr. John Blatchford, a Wairarapa pioneer, is announced. Mr. Blatchford, who was in his 89th year, was regarded throughout the Wairarapa as one of the most successful farmers and «tud breeders in the district. He was born in the parish of .St. Stephen’s, Cornwall, England, in 1843, and came out to New Zealand in 1864 by the sailing ship Oliver Laing, which at a later date was wrecked at Kaiwarra, Wellington. Mr. Blatchford first settled at Lower Hutt, but in 1867 he took up a section of bush land at Rangituuiau. This he brought into production, and farmed successfully until 23 years ago, when he took up his residence in Mast terton. Mr. Blatchford married in 1874, aiid is survived by his wife, three sons and three daughters. The death occurred At Dunedin on Tuesday of Mr. Alexander Kilgour, of St. Hilda, aged 93 years. On May 13 last Mr. KflgoUr And his Wife celebrated the seventieth anniversary of their wedding at East Taieri in 1862. Mr. Kilgour was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, and reached Dunedin in tho ship Sir Edward Paget in 1'856. He was a baker, having learned the trade from his father, and after his marriage, when he was 22 years of age, he followed thia occupation in various parts of Otago. In iB6O he had a business in the Arcade, Dunedin, and he sold it to tho late Mr. Richard Hudson, that being really tho commencement of the now flourishing firm of Cadbury, Fry ana Hudson. In 19d4 Mr. Kilgour, who was then in business at Alexandra, retired and went to live at St. Kilda. He is survived by his Widow and two daughters. The youngest son of a family of ten, Robert, was killed at Gallipoli. There are 31 grandchildren and ,40 greatgrandchildren.

The improvenient that had taken place in Taranaki farms during the past tew years owing to the introduction of more progressive farming methods was commented upon by several speakers at an Okato fuilotion last night. One remarked that it was particularly noticeable in some districts that the roadside fences had been straightened and that a great amount of clearing had been done generally. Some Of that, he thought, might possibly be due to the fact that Owing to the economic conditions the farmer was staying at home more than formerly. A freak sparrow, the lower part of its beak being about 2Jin in length and curved similar to a parrot’s beak, lives in the vicinity of Coyle Street, Sandringham, Auckland, where it has been observed for about twq years and is fed with crumbs by local residents The bird is fairly tame and can be approached to permit a clear observation of its (beak, the upper part of which is normal. The deformed beak is somewhat of a handicap to the bird when it is feeding because it cannot peck at food like other sparrows.

A North Shore dog which is often brought over on the ferry boat to get ■a feed of meat at the butcher’s, and then told to go home, usually, says the Auckland Star, does thia in leisiirely fashion. But one day last week he was noticed to be in a great hurry to catch the ferry boat back. TJie sagacity pf this was found out when the animal got off at Stanley Bay jetty, and, still at top speed, ran along the wharf and qcross the park, and then across the mangrove and mud. flat till it reached Victoria Park. It was a race to beat the tide, for he knew that in a brief space the tide would cover the whole area, and his joumey home would have been a i?}ile or two further roupd. He was anxious to get the short cut -home.

On account of the Maori Rugby match on Saturday the afternoon train, from New Plymouth for Hawera will leave at 5.15 p.m. instead of 4.35, and the Lep-perton-Waitara and Stratford-Tahora trains will also be delayed.

Farmers living inland, interested in providing their stock with firet-elas? low shelter, also giving their wire fence? permanency, should attend to the planting of suitable trees at epee. The best inland hedge is barberry (berberis vulgaris), and they should select two or threeryear trees that have been grown entirely in exposed conditions. Trees should be planted fairly deeply with manure, farmyard for preference. Both tops and roots should be trimmed before planting. Considering it costs only from Is 6d to 3s 3d per chain for trees according to their age, it seems imperative as a matter of economy, as well as shelter, tjiat all fepce lines should be planted. Messrs Duncan and Davies, Ltd., West own, New Plymouth, the well known nurserymen, make a speciality of farmers’ trees, the stock of barberry having been over a quarter of a million. Intending are advised to visit these nurseries (44 acres at Westown), and get advice as to the most suitable hedge or shelter tree for their own locality.