NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Waterworks Nursery. A total of 11,139 trees were delivered from the waterworks nursery to parks etc. under the New Plymouth Borough Council control this season. A Good Percentage. A Taranaki poultry farmer was boasting to a contemporary of his success this season in rearing chickens but his companion went one better. “Why, I got 115 chicks from 114 eggs,” he said, explaining that one was double-yolked. Frost Damages Potatoes.

Potato crops in the Pukengahu district, Central Taranaki, were severely cut by frost yesterday morning. The temperature in other districts was also very low but rain early in the morning prevented plants being frost-bitten. . Ship’s Departure Delayed.

The departure of the inter-colonial steamer Kaimiro from New Plymouth last night was delayed for about two ana a-half hours owing to the disappearance of one of the firemen. Efforts to find him were made for some time but the search was finally given up and a new man was taken on. The ship left for Auckland at 7.30 p.xn. Warnings of Illness.

The noise of traffic is at times distracting even to the normal healthy individual, but to sick people it often constitutes a definite obstacle in their progress, In an endeavour to lessen this nuisance the Automobile Association (Otago) has procured a quantity of flags which will be officially recognised as a sign of sickness. These flags may be obtained on application to the associa tion and erected on each side of a house where there is sickness. The flag, which is blue and bears the initials of the association, A.A.0., is a fairly conspicuous object which should easily be seen and appeal to motorists to reduce noise. Towels a Luxury.

An account of a farm where towels were a luxury, to be paid for at penny a time, was given by a speaker when the North Taranaki provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday discussed farm labour conditions with the Minister of Employment, the Hon. S. G. Smith. The speaker blamed farmers themselves for their failure to secure employees and said he knew of a case when a boy, after having tea with his employer’s family, had to sit in a cold whare before going to bed. What is more, he had to pay 3d for a bath and Id for the hire of a towel. “If there is going to be any more of that sort of thing,. I think we should go into committee,” said Mr. T. T. Murray, Stratford, and the executive afterwards discussed conditions in committee. A Gracious Action.

A good example of the work of the Victoria League was given at the conference of the league at Christchurch. One of the delegates from Gisborne, Mrs. G. A. Nicholls, said that recently a Japanese ship had been held up outside Gisborne for several days by bad weather. The crew, which numbered about 30, were at a loss in what way to fill in time. The Gisborne branch of the league, hearing of this, had made up a parcel containing illustrated magazines and other material for the amusement of the crew while the vessel remained at anchor. The captain of the vessel had later written a letter expressing the gratitude of the members of the crew, said Mrs. Nicholls. Tax on Travellers.

“One of our best advertising mediums is the conversation of New Zealanders who travel overseas, but the Government is blocking this means with heavy taxes,” said Mr. J. E. Strachan at a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League. He complained that the 5 per cent, tax on fares to oversea ports was an iniquitous one, particularly so when it was additional to the penalty suffered by New Zealanders through the exchange rate of 25 per cent. Mr. G. M. Hall made the further suggestion that publicity might be sent overseas by means of leaflets put inside letters. He said he had been impressed with the value of a speech made by Lord Bledisloe at Auckland as an advertising medium for New Zealand, and had obtained his permission to use it in leaflets. So far nothing had been done with the idea, but he thought it should be pushed forward. The executive agreed to have it put before Mr. L. J. Schmitt, general manager of the Tourist and Publicity Department.