LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A resolution urging the Government to prohibit the export of veils for three years was carried by a dairy conference at Hawera yesterday. It was moved by Mr. J. R. Corrigan (Hawera), seconded by Mr. A. C. Johnstone (Joll) and carried without discussion. The importance of New Zealand as a dairying country is realised more fully when the proportion of cbws to the population is considered. “New Zealand,” said Mr. C. M. Hume in an address at Oakura, “is the only country in the? world with a cow population which ’ exceeds its human population.” All traffic between New Plymouth and Te Kuiti was able to proceed normally yesterday, the large slip on Boddy’s Hill between Mahoenui and Pio Pio having been sufficiently cleared to permit the passage of all vehicles. A considerable amount of work has still to be done before the locality of the slip will be altogether safe for traffic as there are several ledges of rock and projecting boulders which still constitute a menace.

The question what was to happen when the parents of a boy at school wanted him to play Association football when he was already playing Rugby was raised at last night’s meeting of the committee controlling Association in primary schools. The meeting decided that as if the boy were playing for a school fifteen his change-over would affect the School, the matter should be left entirely at the discretion of the head teacher.

That many localities up-river and other parts of the Wanganui district are suitable for fruit-growing is the opinion of Mr. J. W. Whelan, orchard instructor and inspector, who has been giying fruit-tree pruning demonstrations and lectures recently. There are great possibilities, he says, especially for stone and citrus fruits, but he finds that interest therein requires to be stimulated in this district, there being only two orchardists who grow fruit for export.

The opinion that the observation of Arbor Day, which falls to-day, had lost significance to a marked degree, in Taranaki at all events, was expressed by the headmaster of a New Plymouth primary school yesterday. The apathy with which the matter is regarded in comparison with the attitude ten years ago is noticeable at New Plymouth, where few, if any, of the schools- are holding any sort of special observance to-day. Certainly tire matter has been dealt with fully in the School Journal for the month, and m every case a brief explanation of the significance of the day is to be given. Several schools, too, have either been engaged recently in tree-planting or have no facilities for doing so.

On Saturday morning a bottle drive was undertaken by the various troops of Boy Scouts in Palmerston North. An early start was made, and by night over 75,000 bottles had been collected. If the bottles average fourpence a dozen the Mayor's relief fund will benefit to the extent of approximately £lOO.

An attempt to swerve to avoid a cog in the middle of the roadway resulted in a sedan car skidding and turning over on its side on Mangorei Road early yesterday. afternoon. The car was driven-by Mr. J.' Christie, New Plymouth, who suffered no injury. The car was not very badly damaged and had only to Be righted.

Pohutukawas are to be planted on the Barrett Street frontage of the New Plymouth Nurses’ Home, according to a., recommendation of the grounds committee adopted yesterday by the Taranaki Hospital Board. Kahikateas and red flowering gums are to be planted in the gully and at the back of the tennis court.

The contention that the Post and Telegraph Department had not passed on to the public the salary reduction imposed on the staff was made by Mr. C. Jackson (Wairarapa), at a meeting of the executive of the Farmers’ Union. A resolution was passed urging the P. and T. Department to give a rebate of 20 per cent, on rural mail delivery fees. He thought that the rebate was a suitable way in which the cut could be passed on.

About 100 tons of mauve-tinted stone from the Putaruru quarries, Waikato, have arrived upon the site of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, Mount Cook, Wellington, this stone will be used, after being machinedressed, to face the edifice in blocks ranging from 3cwt to 4 tons in weight. It is similar stone to that used to face the carillon tower, and appears to be very even in texture.

The close season for opossums appears to have resulted in a large increase in the number of these animals, for two trappers who . were met in the'Manakau Gorge at the wek-end stated that they had taken 180 skins in the first week, using 90 traps. The country being trapped is a ten-thousand-acre block of rough bush, and calls for extremely arduous work on the part of the trappers, for whom, it was stated, there was little in it, owing to the high cost of outfitting and the. royalties on skins. "If defendant was with the cows they cannot be held to be. ‘wandering at large,’” remarked Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., in the Otahuhu Magistrate’s Court when a Papatoetoe resident, was prosecuted by the Manukau (bounty Council for having 12 cows on the road. The ranger said the cows were grazing on the roadside with defendant in attendance. Defendant said this was correct," but he had the animals under supervision. On the magistrate’s advice the ■ information was withdrawn. The recent decision of the Taranaki Hospital Board to grow its own vegetables caused members of the farm committee. to, visit the Hawera Hospital, where. aIT vegetables used in that board's institutions are grown. The visitors were met by members of the Hawera board and were given every facility for investigation. A report received by the Taranaki board yesterday stated that the Hawera board produced all vegetables, poultry and eggs ,on the hospital property and bacon was produced on the farm. The value of the vegetables grown cn approximately 4J acres last year was £255, calculated on market rates. To obviate the danger of damage being done to the wireless installation at the New Plymouth Hospital by the high frequency of the X-ray apparatus a contrivance has been installed with the permission of Dr. H. B. Leatham and on the advice of the borough electrical engineer (Mr. W. H. Huggett) and Messrs. Lightband and Wann. This is a special electrical cut-out operating between the X-ray apparatus and the wireless, the effect being that when the X-ray is turned on the wireless is immediately cut oft. 'Die installation has been working satisfactorily.

The fact that he began milking lus cows at midnight in order to begin distribution at 3 a.m. was mentioned by a farmer who attended a conference; in Auckland to discuss the price of milk, with the acting-Minister. of .Industries and Commerce, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe. Another man said he was “a bit on the lazy side” and did not rise until 3.30 a.m. The question was later, raised whether uniformity in starting hours could be imposed on roundsmen. The Minister said there were means of dealing with the position when more than one man was involved in a business, but he thought .it would be difficult to con-, trol the position in its relation to unaided vendors.

Even such an august journal, as the London Daily Mirror sometimes goes astray, remarks’, the Marlborough Express. A clipping from that paper brought to the Express office contained the imposing spectacle of three .welve span bullock teams, hitched to huge waggons, piled high with wool hales, traversing a picturesque mountain track. Attached is the following inscription: “Bullock teams drawing wool to market along .the winding roads at Marl* borough, New Zealand.” The issue was of quite recent date, and as bullock teams are a thing of the long ago as far as Marlborough is concerned, it would seem that the photograph must be disowned. Possibly Maryborough, Queensland, is the correct setting.

Although it is quite two years since the idea of a new pictorial set of postage stamps for New Zealand was mooted, and nearly that length of time since the designs were selected from among the entries sent in for the competition, it will be some months yet probably before the new stamps are ready to issue. The reason of the apparent long delay is accounted for by the fact, that the greatest care is being taken to have the stamps as well printed as possible. The printing is being done in London. Tnere will be 14 stamps in the new set, and these will range from a halfpenny to three shillings in value. The designs arc as follow: id, fantail in clematis; Id, kiwi; lid, Maori girl cooking in hot pool; 2d, Maori whare; 2jd, Mount Look, with local lilies; 3d, head of Maori girl; 4d, Mitre Peak; sd, swordfish; ud, reaping; Bd, tuatara; 9d, Maori design; Is, droving; 2s, landing of Captain Cook -t Poverty Bay; and 3s, Mount Egmont.

A keen nose, a sharp eye, and a tender mouth are generally regarded as the most important points in a gun dog, and Mr. Fred Truscott’s brown, curly-coated retriever Don, which won the Canterbury Working Gun Dog Clubs field trial at Cashmere on Saturday, certainly had these three attributes developed to a remarkable degree, states the Christchurch Times. In the trial the dogs Were required to find birds which had previously been concealed in heavy cover of fern, and when Don was sent out he speedily nosed out his game, but then went one better, for when the bird was released he caught it before it ecu take to its wings and retrieved it, not only still alive, but without a sm a le feather ruffled. He was given a second run, and as he repeated his P re performance ,he was sent ou a . _ time, when, to the astonishment or the spectators, he once again caught ththird bird before it could y# 7 , fouth attempt Don was not allow-Jto