NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1935, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Blown Against Barb Wire. When blown against a barb wire fence during a recent gale at Oakura, Mr. J. West was severely injured about the face, the lobe of one ear being almost severed. Mr. West is being treated in the New Plymouth hospital. “Apologising to the Stumps.” “I can assure you its no joke to go wandering over the paddocks in the dark, falling over stumps and apologising because you think its cows you have fallen over. It’s certainly time daylight saving was cut out,” remarked Mr. J. B. Carr, Okau, at a meeting of the branch of the Farmers’ Union there yesterday, when moving a remit urging that daylight saving cease on the last Sunday in March. Appreciation of Services. Members of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Monday night recorded a special vote of appreciation, to Messrs. F. T. Bellringer, S. G. Smith, T. P. Anderson and the Hon. James McLeod for the trouble they had taken in representing the council’s opinion, regarding the air trunk services position to the Transport Co-ordination Board at Wellington. “Failing those representations,” said one member of the council, “I am certain the true position would not have been put forward. It is only fitting that the council should record its appreciation.” Municipal Conference. That the business of the municipal conference at Christchurch recently was rushed through by the Mayor of Christchurch in order that representatives to the conference might be entertained was denied by the Mayor of Stratford, Mr. J. W. McMillan, at Monday night’s meeting of the council. Some delegates, he said, went to the conference with a desire to speak on every matter, though many of tire subjects raised had been considered and adopted by previous conferences. There was no reason why the business should not be put through in a day and a night. After the conference delegates were taken on a tour of Lyttelton harbour and given tea at one of the bays. He had nothing but admiration for the way the conference was conducted and the delegates entertained. *

New Plymouth School Grounds. The marked contrast between the school grounds in Australia and New Zealand was commented on at Westown last night by Mr. V. C. Davies, who has just returned from a visit to Victoria and New South Wales. He particularly took notice of several of the school grounds in districts outside the cities over there and had not seen one that for appearance could approach the Westown schoolground. In fact, he considered that the comparison in favour of the New Zealand grounds was wonderful. Launches for New Plymouth. Two Auckland fishing launches, the Elsie and the Rodney, have been bought by New Plymouth buyers. Both launches were taken to Onehunga by motor-truck and refloated on the Manukau Harbour. They were anchored at the Manukau Heads waiting for favourable weather to enable them to proceed to the west coast fishing grounds in the vicinity New Plymouth. Death of Maori Chief. The death occurred at Gordonton on Saturday of Tohi Kuri, a chieftain of the Waikato tribe, at the age of 87 years. Tohi Kuri, who was a relative of Tawhaio, was closely identified with the “King” movement and was one of its principal advocates. For many years he lived at Tamaki. Tohi Kuri is survived by a son, Honi Tohi Kuri, and a number of grandchildren and great-grand-children. A tangi is being held at Gordonton. Too Many Cows! “There are too many cows and second grade animals slaughtered at the borough abattoirs for local consumption,” complained Cr. T. P. Anderson at the New Plymouth Borough Council meeting on Monday night. “The meat would stand no chance of export and I think it a shame that meat of such quality should be forced on local consumers,” he added. “Surely something can be done about it?” The council, however, decided that it could not do anything about it. It was pointed out that all meat was certified fit for’ consumption and an unsympathetic councillor remarked that, personally, he could not tell the difference between cow meat and any other. New Food Ships. It is reported from Britain that the Shaw, Savill and Albion. Line is contemplating ordering another refrigerated cargo motor-ship for the trade between England and Australia and New Zealand. Another report states that the Blue Star Line intends to order a seventh new meat-carrying ship for the Emprie food service, also three fruit freighters. Three refrigerated cargo vessels are at present under construction for Blue Star at the Belfast yards of Harland and Wolff. This company has already had three ships built for it in the past year, one of them, the New Zealand Star, which was launched by wireless from the Dominion by Lord Bledisloe, now being in New Zealand waters. Rotarians’ Joke.

Stopping to a sharp command of “Hands up,” Mr. Paul Harris, of Chicago, founder of Rotary International, found his way by motor-car blocked by a group of men armed with revolvers and shotguns near Bridgewater, Tasmania, recently. Mr. Harris was being driven from Hobart to Launceston by Mr. H. H. Cummins, and he was accompanied by his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Angus Mitchell, Melbourne. Mr. Harris was forced to surrender his Rotary badge, but the “bandits”—who were members of the Hobart Rotary Club—were not seeking loot. Instead, they gave Mr. and Mrs. Harris a small gift on behalf of the Hobart Rotary Club. The practical joke was inspired by a statement by Mr. Harris that during the 40 years he had lived in Chicago he had never seen a hold-up. S Listeners Vary.

"What is the number of that record?” inquired a Christchurch listener over the telephone one evening recently. "Would you sell it?” The announcer at 3YA replied that he did not know about that. It was not usual to sell records. “Well, J? am willing to pay any price to get that record in order to have the pleasure of smashing it,” replied the now irate listener. This was one of the stories told by Mr. A. L. Curry, chief announcer at 3YA, during an interview recently.' Mr. Curry added that the most extraordinary diversity of opinion is often expressed by listeners about the same item. One will telephone the studio and demand that the singer should be poisoned and the record lost for ever, and the next moment will come a ring from another enthusiast who wishes to congratulate the studio on the excellent performance.

Aeroplane in Darkness. Overtaken by darkness near Napier on Sunday evening a Moth aeroplane from Wellington was guided to safety by a spotlight on a car directed by several members of the Napier Aero Club. The occupants of the aeroplane were Messrs. A. F. Castles and S. Barry, Wellington, who, after having been delayed by head winds and stormy weather, were unable to locate the landing ground at Hastings, owing to darkness.' The# flew oh to Napier and circled the aerodrome for nearly 15 minutes before a small searchlight/ focussed by members of a club working bee helped them to make a landing. The hazard was heightened by the presence of many power lines and several rough patches on the ground. Prison Population. The oft-expressed opinion that crime increases in most countries during times of industrial depression does not apply to New Zealand, as is shown by. comparative figures quoted by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe. In giving the population of the Dominion s prisons for the past four years, Mr. Cobbe showed that there had been a decline in the daily average number of prisoners m custody as follows: 1931, 1634; 1932, 1669; 1933, 1542; 1934, 1360. The Minister also said that during the past six months there had been a decided decline in the number of commitals to prisons and to the Borstal institutions. The number was still steadily decreasing, and the number in custody on the last Saturday in March of this year was 1217, compared with 1439 at the same time in 1934, 1580 in 1933 and 1645 in 1932. . £250 For Two Stamps. A pair of used penny stamps of the earliest New Zealand issue have been sold by Mr. A. Brodie, Auckland, to a prominent runholder in South Canterbury, Mr. J. W. Grant, for £250. < The stamps are splendid specimens, being very lightly cancelled, and were in the collection formed by Mrs. J. Kenderdine, Auckland, until about two years ago, when they were obtained by Mr. Brodie. The stamps, which are popularly known as “full-face Queens,” are fine examples of design and printing, being engraved from a portrait of Queen Victoria in her State . robes, by A. E. Chalon, R.A., in 1838. The first Issue of the stamps was printed by the well-known London firm of Perkins. Bacon and Company, and were of three values —one penny, twopence and one shilling. They were shipped from London in September, 1854, and were placed on sale in the colony in the following July.

An auction sale of three farm properties to be sold on behalf of an Estate, is advertised in the auction columns by Messrs. Newton King Ltd. Buyers in search of a good farming proposition would be well advised to attend this sale.*