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Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1933, Page 6

Among the many strange and rare things to be seen at the New Plymouth Canary and Cage Bird Clubs’ show, one item in particular, “a working exhibit, excited considerable interest and admiration. This was a pair of British redpolls which, when they feel • thirsty, draw up water in a thimble on a chain, and when they require seed, drag a tiny cart up an incline by the same means. The birds, which are owned by Mr. R. Rae, have been trained by Mrs. Rae since last Friday only. It is fascinating to see one of them hop on to the little platform, seize the chain- in its beak, and having drawn the food within reach, hold the chain fast by one claw while its appetite .is being satisfied. A deputation from the relief workers’ section of the New Plymouth General Labourers’ Union will .visit Wellington to-day to wait on the Minister of Employment (the Hon. A. Hamilton) this afternoon to urge a greater allocation of relief funds to the New Plymouth district. The deputation will consist of Messrs. H. Lawrence (chairman), B. Thome (secretary) and W. Whelan (a member) of the executive of the New Plymouth organisation. The deputation will also place before the Minister claims for the consideration of the disabilities suffered under the no-compensation agreements, for more relief for single men in town and for payment in wet weather. The deputation will be driven to Wellington by Mr. R. J. Deare.

Discussing the Waipoua forest, Mr. A. Hansson, of the State Forest Department, Dargaville, stated in Auckland recently that its particular merit was its grandeur and -botanical associations. The forest, which covered about 42,000 acres, comprised 10,000 acres of kauri, the remainder being totara and other timber trees, with very little white pine. Other magnificent forests were the Black Forest in Germany, which was comprised mostly of spruce; the Communal outside Helsingfors, the capital of Finland, composed largely of Baltic pines, and the redwood forests of Canada. In reply to d question, he said the kauri, immense and magnificent as it was, must take second place amongst the world’s greatest trees. The Canadian redwood was the most magnificent of all.

Mr. H. D. Skinner, assistant curator of the Otago University Museum, wrote to the meeting of the University Council this week stating that some years ago the Macri Ethnological Research Board asked Miss Dora de Beer to undertake the translation of Kramer’s German work, “Die Samoa Inseln,” and important ethnological work, into two folio volumes. Miss de Beer consented, and, with the collaboration of her sister,-Miss Mary de Beer, B.Sc., the translation was completed. The Maori Ethnological Research Board paid a fee of £l5O for the translation, and this had now been handed over by Miss de Beer to be used in the purchase for the University Museum of picked ethnographic pieces. With her consent (wrote Mr. Skinner), it had been decided to expend the money on material from the Marquesas group. On the motion of the vice-chancellor (Mr. W. J. Morrell), it was decided to write and thank Miss de Beer for her very generous gift and to associate her sister with the motion of appreciation.

That Pitcairn Island can produce the most delicious oranges is admitted by those passengers calling at the island. It is most unusual, however, to have their products marketed in New Zealand. By the Tamaroa, which arrived at Auckland yesterday, was landed a small shipment of oranges for New Plymouth, the first to arrive in the town. These are consigned to Webster Bros., auctioneers, and will doubtless create some''interest. The Pitcairn orange Is said to be unsurpassed for quality.

Scanlan’s declaration that they have not an old coat in their store is a guaranteed fact and has a great bearing on the sensational offering of ladies’ winter coats which are being put on sale to-day in connection with the firm’s sale of “job” purchases. Many wonderful values in new season’s coats will be sold at 29/6 and 55/-. See windows,*