NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Up to the present 1098 dogs have been registered in the Taranaki County. The inspector reported at yesterday s meeting of the council that there were approximately 100 dogs still unregistered.

The Taranaki County Council has received advice from the Department of Internal Affairs that no legislation was enacted last season authorising the remission of the 10 per cent, penalty on overdue rates.

To obviate a special journey from Mount Egmont in the afternoon, Lord and Lady Bledisloe wifi make their informal visit to the agricultural show at New Plymouth at 10 a.m. to-morrow instead of at 2 p.m. as previously arranged.

The Taranaki Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals has received from London a letter notifying that the secretary of the Royal Society has resigned and that Captain Fergus MacCunn has been appointed in his stead. The legislation before the British Parliament includes a Bill introduced by Lord Buckmaster. The effect of his Bill is absolutely to prevent the sale of British wild birds. Other birds are protected only during the close season. At the weekly luncheon of the New Plymouth Rotary Club yesterday appreciative references were made by the district governor (Rotarian T. C. List) and the president (Rotarian R. H. Quilliam) to the wonderful work done by the ladies in connection with the various social functions associated with the Rotary conference last week. It was decided to mark the club’s gratitude and appreciation by inviting the ladies to next Monday’s luncheon.

Appreciation of the manner in which Mr. A. Smith has looked after the soldiers’ memorial at Okato was expressed yesterday by members of the Taranaki County Council, who had inspected the memorial in connection with an application for fencing material to protect the site from damage by stock. The council unanimously decided to forward the necessary concrete posts and wire to enable the work to be done.

After cycling from Waverley, Mr. J. F. Egglestone, Porirua, arrived at the Dawson Falls Hostel at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday evening. Mr. Egglestone had left Wellington on Thursday morning and thus had taken only three days to cycle from there, a distance of about 250 miles. He appeared to be in the pink of condition. He intends doing a round trip, via Te Awamutu and Napier, to Wellington. He spent Sunday at Dawson Falls, climbing to Fantham’s Peak. He is not trying to make any records, having 28 days to complete the tour. He left yesterday morning on his way north. A total of nine notifiable diseases, making a total of 16 for the year, was recorded by the medical officer, Dr. M. Champtaloup, in the Taranaki health district in February. Cases reported were scarlet fever 3 (a decrease of one over the corresponding month of 1933), diphtheria 2 (5), pulmonary tuberculosis 2 (1), acute poliomyletis 1 (1) and puerperal fever 1 (an increase of one). Compared with the previous month of this year there was an increase of one case of scarlet fever, two in diphtheria and a decrease of one in pulmonary tuberculosis, while the number in poliomyletis and puerperal fever was the same. Since the beginning of the year five cases of scarlet fever, three of diphtheria, five of pulmonary tuberculosis, one of poliomyletis and two of puerperal fever were reported.

From times immemorial the retailing of a story having fish as its subject has been received with a certain amount of unbelief. A tale, fantastic as it may appear, is vouched for by three local fishermen who spent the week-end at the Pomahaka River, Otago. One of the men was followed up and down the river bank by a large grey tomcat for about an hour, and when the violent tuggings of the line denoted that a fish was on the end of it the animal became very excited. As soon as the fish was pulled out of the water the cat, to the fisherman’s amazement, jumped in and snatched it off the line. Had the vision of his two companions not corroborated him, the fisherman would not have been able to believe his own eyes,

A magnificent offering of purebred sows and boars of all ages is advertised by Newton King, Ltd. for the sale at the New Plymouth showgrounds on the second morning of the show (Thursday), Only exhibits will be offered.

The fluency with which a small boy spoke when presenting a basket of fruit to the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, at the Albany show on Saturday impressed both his Excellency and visitors. “If you were a little older you would be a serious rival to Mr. Coates and Mr. Harris,” Lord Bledisloe said, amid laughter, in returning thanks for gift “This has probably been to our members the most trying of the years of the depression,” said Mr. W. H. Gummer, of Auckland, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Architects in Wellington. “The amount of building work done, notwithstanding the welcome palliative of the Government building subsidy, is still almost negligible,” he said. “What is your opinion of the position in which the licensing trade has been placed as the result of the depression?” asked Mr. J. Humphries of a witness, a hotel furnisher, in the Supreme Court at Napier. “The trade has fallen back very considerably, not only in Napier, but throughout the Dominion,” was the reply. Asked what percentage would represent the drop in trade, witness said that he would place it at approximately 50 per cent.

A Canterbury farmer had a startling surprise recently while engaged in threshing his wheat crop. The man working on a dray forking to the feeder noticed what he considered an unusually heavy sheaf, and instead of passing it on to the man on the mill, he threw it on the ground. On examining it afterwards, he found, to his amazement, concealed in the sheaf a large piece of iron carefully wrapped up in straw. Had he not noticed the peculiar nature of the sheaf the threshing machine would probably have been wrecked.

The Waikite geyser at Whakarewarewa was particularly active on Saturday, throwing up boiling water and steam to a height of about 30 feet every six minutes. This continued from early in the morning until 4.30 p.m., when the geyser became more quiescent. At present Waikite is the largest of the active geysers at Whakarewarewa and has played almost daily for the past two years. During this time the famous Pohutu geyser has been quiet. It is considered that Waikite has taken the pressure from Pohutu. The formation of a pink terrace is still going on near the Pohutu geyser. The formation is on a rock surface, over which silica-laden boiling water flows to the lower levels.

“The works of Dickens are very popular in Russia, and among the youth of the Soviet such favourites of the youngsters of English-speaking countries as Tom Sawyer and Robinson Crusoe are read with avidity,” declared Mr. George Ashton in an address on education in Russia given at Christchurch. He said that all literature that contained elements contrary to the principles of the Soviet was shut out, but as stolen grapes were always the sweetest he fully expected that Russian youth would find the means of exploring the great masterpieces of English literature, whether they were banned or not “No man should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman.” In these words Dr. Walter Williams, president of the World’s Press Congress, in an address to Christchurch newspaper men, summed up the necessity for honesty in the profession of journalism. Dr. Williams added that he had known men in the United States who had risked their reputation and their job by lying through the columns of their paper, and that he had lived to see most of them begging for their bread in the city streets. Every journalist must recognise the demand for complete personal integrity—without it success was impossible. New Zealand women cricketers may take part in Test matches in Australia toward the end of the year, states the Christchurch Press. The Australian Women’s Cricket Council has invited New Zealand and England to send teams, and in’ Christchurch, at least, it appears the suggestion will find favour. Miss A. Scott, chairwoman of the Canterbury Girls’ Cricket Association, is definitely in favour of the proposal. She explained that not long ago advice was received of the likelihood of an invitation from Australia, but at that time it was thought that cricket was not yet advanced sufficiently among women in New Zealand to warrant acceptance. The recent New Zealand girls’ cricket ■ tournament at Wanganui, however, had changed Miss Scott’s views on the matter, and she felt now that a New Zealand team might do well in Australia. Each centre in the Dominion would, of course, need to subscribe its share toward the expenses of the team.

During his visit to Russia last year Mr. George Ashton saw very few children on the streets of the cities. In an address at Christchurch orj education in Russia he told his audience that there was a marked tendency to organise the leisure of the children. They were provided with what were known as “houses of artistic education,” . where they could indulge in many kinds of hobbies, attend pictures, or read in large and well-appointed libraries. There were also in the international sections comprehensive exhibitions of work by children from other countries. “When the London County Council finds it necessary to close streets to traffic during certain hours because they are the only playgrounds available to children, it seems that something on these lines might be done in other parts of the world,” said Mr. Ashton.

Canary fanciers report a serious epidemic among their feathered pets, affecting young birds particularly (says the Auckland Star). In its first stages, the victims are apparently stricken with a severe itching complaint, and are continually rubbing themselves against the bars of the cage and the perches. Close examination of the feathers shows no sign of external parasites, and dusting with insect powders or spraying with diluted kerosene is of no avail. As the complaint progresses, the feathers fall off the head and neck, and the eyes partially close, giving the bird a dilapidated appearance. The ordinary bird medicines do not stay the disease, and although the birds’ appetites remain good, the disease usually has a fatal result. Several aviaries have lost some of their most promising young birds. Immediate isolation should be resorted to if any sign of the complaint appears. Fanciers meantime are at a loss to diagnose the disease or to recommend a cure.

The Taranaki County Council will be represented by its acting-chairman, Cr. S. Vickers, at the conference which is to be held at Mokau to-morrow to meet the Commissioner of Transport for the purpose of protesting against the restriction of the motor services passing through the district. Cr. Vickers said at the council meeting yesterday that the council could not object to the basic principle of control of transport, though there was no doubt that it introduced certain anomalies in some districts. Cr. W. Thomas strongly opposed the transport regulations, which were not made in the interests of the country ratepayer. The latter had raised loans to make by-roads which he was still maintaining, while he was also contributing 25 per cent, of the cost of maintaining the highways. Yet he was not allowed to use the roads for the cartage of his produce. At the same time the townsman with his motor-car could use the roads as often as he wished. The dairy farmer would find when he called tenders for the cartage of his produce next season that the regulations had not been framed in his interest, as with the elimination of competition increased prices for cartage would have to be paid.