LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1933, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Thomas Wingrove, who was severely scalded at the Waitara freezing works on Tuesday, was reported to be progressing satisfactorily at the New Plymouth hospital yesterday.

The following tenders, the lowest in each case, were accepted by the New Plymouth Harbour Board yesterday: Briscoe, Mills and Co. Ltd, Wellington, for pipes; New Plymouth Sash and Door Company Ltd., for timber; Hutchinson,Wilson Ltd., Wellington, for flags.

“The owner would like possession immediately,” said a solicitor in the Magistrate’s Court at New Plymouth yesterday. “Although not living in the flat herself, the tenant has the place locked up and he can’t get in.” An order for immediate possession was made and judgment given for arrears of rent.

Probably owing to the fact that there had been no civil sitting since December 1, there were no fewer than 154 debt cases called in the Magistrate’s Court at New Plymouth yesterday. This was the most there had been for a very long time.

The contractors are making good progress with the deviation work on the Taumarunui-Matiere road, reports the Matiere correspondent of the News. When this work is completed a bad portion of the main highway will be avoided and the road will be much improved for ‘through traffic.

“Now you are talking law—previously you were talking reason," said Mr. W. B. Matheson to the president, Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., at the Dominion executive meeting of the Farmers’ Union. “You can’t have both together,” Mr. Matheson said, smiling. “What!” said Mr. Polson. “You can’t have both law and reason together? Is that it?” Mr. Matheson said nothing. He went on smiling. Gisborne will be represented at the London January wool sales with a substantial offering. It is believed that approximately 10,000 bales shipped from Gisborne and the east coast towards the close of the year will be available for inclusion, in addition to other wool that may have been left over from previous sales.

Messrs. J. Curtayne and N. E. Margan, Matiere, had a narrow escape when a lorry owned and driven by the latter skidded on a wet clay siding and crashed over a 50ft. bank into the river. Both driver and passenger managed to jump clear just as the heavy lorry left the road. The lorry and its cargo of wool turned over several times and came to rest in the river. The lorry was. extensively damaged.

A recent meeting at Niho Niho discussed the time-table for the StratforaTaumarunui trains and decided that if the present time-table was adhered to and if possible a train was run for the convenience of children attending the Ohura' District High School, arrangements would be satisfactory fo r a fl« matter will be discussed further at a meeting at the end of the month, at which officers of the Railway Department and members of the Stratford and Taumarunui Chambers of Commerce will be present. Arrangements were put in hand for the entertainment of these visitors.

• Spdaking at the dinner given by the visiting Victorian farmers to representatives of Taranaki farming interests, one of the Victorian ladies remarked last night that she would not mind having some New Zealand Stilton cheese sent to Victoria and sending in return sorne good Victorian apples. It was the ladies privilege to criticise the “eats,” as the Americans had it, because if the ladies did not look after the “eats,” where would the men be?, she asked.

The Victorian farmer visitors' were greatly struck with the beauties of the glow-worm cave at Waitomo, some of them stating that the trip was worth while to see that sight alone. They had nothing to approach that in Victoria, though in the Buchan district they considered they had caves that for stalactites, stalagmites and colour effects would excel those of Waitomo. Wives of the Victorian farmers who visited New Plymouth yesterday were greatly surprised at the low prices ruling in the Auckland shops for products of the farm as compared with those at Melbourne. At Auckland butter was marked in the shops at BJd. a lb., cheese at 6d. a lb. and bacon at 10d., as compared with butter Is. 4d. (it had been Is. 6d. a fortnight previous), cheese Is. and bacon Is. Id. to Is. 3d. at Melbourne.

Reference had just been made to Sir Otto Niemeyer and his place in the banking world by Dr. G. Smith (Hokianga) in the course of an address at New Plymouth last night on the Douglas social credits scheme. It was obvious that Dr. Smith did not like Sir Otto’s advice. A large proportion of the audience was composed of women, and there was a sudden flutter and sigh when a mouse ran quietly up the avenue between two rows of seats and trotted along the front of the stage, seeking an exit. “Don’t kill little Otto,” said Dr. Smith, peering down from the stage. So no one moved, and “little Otto” found refuge in a roll of matting.

The new cup which Mr. P. J. Flannagan has donated for the Taranaki open water long distance swimming championship has been received from England. The cup, of solid silver, is a magnificent example of the silversmith’s art. It stands on a large polished wood plinth and is almost two feet in height. The cup is of high value, and is at present on view in a Devon Street window. The original Flannagan Cup, it is understood, will be retained by the donor, Mr. P. J. Flannagan, as a memento of past races for the trophy. The names of previous race winners will be inscribed on the new cup. The course for the Flannagan Cup race is one of two miles from Kawaroa park to the .East End beach. This year’s race will be held on the afternoon of Saturday, February 18. When the Wellington-Napier express was approaching Shannon on Wednesday morning one of the large springs in the undergear of the locomotive became loose and dropped on to the lines. It bounced considerably, causing serious damage to the undergear of the first four cars on the train. The spring remained between the rails and it is stated that if it had worked across them a serious derailment would have occurred. The train was soon stopped and an inspection of the damaged carriages was made. It was found that the engine and carriages were not in a fit condition for the journey, but the train was taken on to Shannon. There the passengers in the damaged carriage were transferred to the two remaining carriages, which, with the van, were coupled to the New Plymouth express.

The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board draws attention in the advertising columns to the fact that now is the time to order presents of prime New Zealand lamb for delivery at Home at Easter time. Under this well-known scheme anyone can have a single carcase of lamb delivered at any time to any address in the United Kingdom for the sum of 23s delivered.

Advice has been received that the Rotorua High School lias again won the Weekly Press Challenge Shield for rifle shooting, with an average score of 92.1. This is the third time in succession that the school has met with success.

The penalty of having their driving licenses suspended for a period was imposed by Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., on two motorists who were convicted in the Papakura Police Court for dangerous driving on the Great South Road. In both cases their speeds were stated as having been in excess of 60 miles an hour.

The action of the Dairy Produce Board in preventing second-grade and whey butter reaching the British market was commented upon by Mr. Runnerstrum, governing-director of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company. He expressed the view that it was one of the best and most progessive steps taken by the board since its inauguration.

Teaching appointments authorised by the Auckland Education Board at its first meeting for 1933 reached the extremely large total of 45, including six headmasterships. The unusual number was accounted for by the necessity for completing staffing preparations for the opening of the first term of the primary school year.

On May 12 Commodore F. Burges Watson will transfer his flag from H.M.S. Diomede to H.M.S. Dunedin, which will then become once more flagship of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The Diomede, which will probably be commanded by Captain M. J. C. de Meric, will reduce to a special complement and will commence ner short refit at the Devonport Naval Base. Most of her officers and Imperial ratings will leave for England by the Rangitata. The Diomede is expected to recommission about August 3.

A striking example of boyish wit was mentioned in Wellington by Mr. J. S. McGowen, who is in charge of thq Boys’ Band of the Young Australia League. During a visit of a party of American boys to Australia last year, Mr. McGowen said, one of the visitors was asked to- speak on “Unity. giving his views on the subject tire lad added that unity was something that one banana said to its mates: * Once we, get away from the bunch, boys, we 11 get skinned.”

The recent easterly gales at Mercury Bay resulted in the washing up on Buffalo beach of millions of horse mussels. Near the new wharf at Whitianga they were particularly plentiful, and hundreds of gulls, both of the tern and the blackbacked variety, were busy picking out the choicest. Usually after a blow there are plenty of eating mussels, but on this occasion these were conspicuous by their absence.

The sea elephant which made its home in the Heathcote River at Woolston for some time and was a great attraction for visitors to the district now seems, to have disappeared out to sea, as nothing has been seen of it for several weeks, says the Christchurch Times. Since Christmas residents of the district have kept a look-out in the hope of seeing the sea elephant in the river or the drain which runs through Monica Park, but they have not met with any success, and the conclusion reached is that it made its escape to the sea last month. The sale is reported of the Union Co.’s passenger steamer Moeraki to Mr. H. C. Sleigh, Sydney, who intends to commission her for trade in the East. She is announced to load a cargo of flour and general produce at Sydney for Hongkong early next month. Built at Dumbarton in 1902, the Moeraki was formerly engaged, with the Manuka, in the intercolonial service. At the outbreak of war she took the New Zealand force to Samoa. Later, she was engaged in the Sydney-Fiji passenger service, but lack of business caused her to be withdrawn at the end of September, 1930, and she has since been laid up at Sydney.

In reply to a question at the meeting of the New Zealand University Senate the Vice-Chancellor, Professor T. A. Hunter, said there had been a fallingoff in fees during the past year, but not in examination receipts. He held that the University should not pay for scholarships out of revenue but out of accumulated funds. Mr. F. A. de la Mare said the University was very much beholden to professor T. A. Hunter, ViceChancellor, and to Mr. H. F. von Haast, honorary treasurer, for what they had done in assisting the Senate to maintain the university in a sound financial position. The widespread interest displayed in New Zealand in the cricket test series between Australia and England w as shown at a sitting of the Conciliation Council at Wellington on Tuesday, when more feeling entered into an argmnent over the pros and cons of leg-theory bowling by express bowlers than was displayed in the most contentious clauses of the proposals debated in the plasterers’ dispute. Both sides of the table entered keenly into the controversy, which arose as business was about to be resumed for the afternoon. Employer argued hotly against employer and employee against employee. A simple remedy for the grass grub pest which has caused great damage to pastures was advocated by Mr. R. A. o. Browne at a meeting of the Momnsville branch of the Fanners’ Union. He said he wondered why the Department of Agriculture had not endeavoured to introduce or re-establish the native bat, an insect-eating creature, in affected districts. He recalled that when he was a boy bats were common in many parts iof New Zealand. They flew at night when insects were on the wing, ana .were the natural enemy of th ® ms ® th^ t produced the grass grub, _ The bats appeared to have died out in some loca - ities. By introducing bats the department would merely be restoring the balance of Nature. '

A strong plea for the preservation of the mission station on “The Elms property, on the northern portion of tne town peninsula, Tauranga, was made y Mr. G. F. C. Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General, during a visit to, Tauranga. “You have at your door, said Mr. Campbell, “one of the most beautiful historical spots in the Dominion, the mission station at ‘The Elms,’ which was established about a century ago by Arcndeacon Brown. This spot appears to me to stand in the same relative position to the settlement of this district as does the Waitangi estate, recently purchased and presented to the nation by Lord an Lady Bledisloe, to the settlement of the Dominion.”

Several Hamilton fishermen were patiently waiting for schnapper to take their bait in Cox’s Bay, Raglan, during the week-end, when the lack of bites inspired one to suggest that a more favoured spot about a mile nearer the mam wharf should be sought. Two of e party, well known in Hamilton, commenced a brisk stroke with the oars in the direction of their destination, progress was slow, and after half an houi of hard pulling their destination was still a long way off. At last, after more t an an hour of hard rowing, the objec ive was reached, and weary voices ca e for the anchor to be cast overboard.. was nowhere to be seen, and a hurried search disclosed the fact that it was still attached to the boat, but had not been raised from the seabed when party left their first stopping place, and throughout the long journey had been dragging along the bottom or the ar* hour. The remarks of the pair who' had wielded the oars may best be le the imagination.