GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 19 September 1925, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Over 3000 cows have been inoculated against mammitis in the .Wairarapa this season.

“They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” said the Magistrate at Invercargill. “Yes,” replied the witness sei’iously, “and the Waikawa road is very bad with potj&oles.”-

Two members of the crew of the Hororata who should have proceeded to Paparua gaol and did not do so, were fined £5 or an additional fourteen days gaol, for assaulting 'an assistant steward, a lad on tne boat, when ho refused them blankets.

A small variety of ant, one of the six species introduced into New Zealand from Australia, has become a distinct nuisance in some districts of Auckland city. They make spasmodic raids upon the pantry and occasionalyy spoil jam and sugar. Hold, mutton also attracts them.

The Rangitikei district is the largest wheat-growing centre in the North Island. During the season 1923-24 there was a total of 9800 acres of gram and pulse crops in the Rangitikei county, as compared with 5000 acres in the Hawke’s Bay county. The Rangitikei county also had the biggest area ot oats under cultivation.

The Blackball Coal Company has made the initial move in an eaideavour to solve the housing problem in Blackball (says the Grey “Star”). The company has signified its intention to provide material to householders .desirous of improving their properties, and needless to say the offer is being taken advantage of by many Blackball residents.

Councillor Hodgens promised ‘ the Palmerston N. Borough Council something more interesting than the ordinary abattoirs return at their last meeting, reports the “Times.” “I 6hali have a list ol butchers probably for next meeting of the council,” he remarked, “and we shall then know who is killing the poor old cow,”

On Thursday about 6 p.m., a motor car owned by Mr J. Gale suddenly took fire while it was standing in King Street, Temuka. Mr T. E. Shiels, who was in the vicinity, quickly procured a patent fire extinguisher, and successfully killed the blaze. But for his prompt action more serious consequences may have resulted.

The Alinister of Internal Affairs (Hon. It. F. Bollard) has informed the North Island Motor Union that it has been decided to continue the system ot annual number plates for another year, but that the Government is making further investigations abroad. Tenders are to be called for one, three, and five-year supplies alternatively.

“People can’t plant' forests unless they can get cheap trees,” said Mr L. Alaclntosh Ellis, Director of, Forestry, to thei Auckland Chamber of Commerce The speaker, proceeded to state that as tho result of the adoption of up-to-date methods his department had reduced the cost of planting from £7 5s an acre to £2, and could supply nursery stock at prices that a few years ago would have been deemed incredible.

Speaking at the opening of the new post office at Eastbourne, Sir James Parr, Postmaster-General, announced that a system of credit notes would be introduced at an early date to meet the convenience of people travelling, , especially holiday makers. Depositors would thus bo able, before starting a journey, to provide themselves with a form of remittance payable to themselves at any branch of the Post Office Savings Bank in the Dominion. The system would, lie hoped, be operating before the next Christmas holidays.

Reference to the bright prospects of the fanning industry in the coming season was made by Air J. Linklater, ALP., when opening the ltongotea Horticultural Show. In congratulating farmers on tho outlook, lie said that the prospects for the coming season were as good as he had known them for a number of years past, n 00l naturally, coukl not bo expected to fetch tlie wonderful prices of last year, and if the fanners got half those values they would be doing quite well, and the recent sales in America struck a hopeful vein in this direction. Butter prices were good, and regarded .on the whole, tho outlook was pleasing indeed.

For some time past the question of holding competitions in Temuka has been under consideration by a number of enthusiasts, with the result that it. lias been deckled that these be held on two evenings during the last week in October, in the Palish Hall. Owing to the lateness of the season, is has been thought advisable, for tins year only, to eater only lor children under 16 years. Another condition imposed is that the competitors are to bo resident within tho Temuka Beam Riding and Temuka Borough. I tie proposal is already receiving substantial and enthusiastic support trom a large section of the community.

Many of the shops in lnnaiu P l '" sent an unusually smart appcaian just now, this, no doubt, being t ue - Shopping Week. Only about two 1> a cent of the shop-keepers have fa. ■ d to link up with the. committee in tne venture lutt the remainder aio a. 1 ' paring for the event. Many <)t t > Stafford Street windows have been aitistically and prettily dressed, aiKt present .striking appearance. »e\--ral buildings are already donum- thou carnival regalia, in the way o iu. trical decorations, which, when u) plctcd and illuminated, should give tho town a trulv carnival atmosphere.

A voung female leopard arrived'last week from India for the Auckland Zoo, has escaped from her don, but it is not yet known whether she is lying concealed m the grounds or lias managed to get out of the Zoo enclosure. The animal was not seen in the den yesterday afternoon when the attendant visited it to teed nei and her mate, but little notice was taken of her non-appearance then, as it was thought she was keeping out of sight. This morning, however, it was discovered that she had disappeared from the den, and a. search of the grounds was immediately organised, but without any success.

J. W. Fenton, Mayor of Kaitangita, has been selected as the Labour candidate to contest the Clutha seat.

The recent flood has been the .means of closing the Kakahu Road, Temuka, against vehicular traffio, there being in the vicinity of Mr G. Weston’s property an impassable wash-out, seven feet wide by seven feet deep. A bridge may eventually have to be built at this spot, as the river threatens sometime to cross t(ie road and make one necessary.

At the Farm School held in Waimate a few weeks ago the lecturer on wooi was Air J. G. Cook, who at the time expressed his intention of awarding prizes for the best essays submitted by Waimate High School boys who attended the course. Air Cook has made his award as follows: Donald Samways 1, Wm. Paul and Ivan Samuels (equal) 2. He expressed his pleasure at the general good work done by the boys, an added satisfaction being that ht> himself is an old boy of the school.

Air J. B. Stewart, secretary of the Geraldine Business Men’s Association, has written to the Railway Department, bringing under notice the dangerous railway crossing at Orari, pointing Out that tho view-of the line is obscured from the south, and requesting that a “wig-wag” signal be erected to obviate accidents. Permission is also being applied for from the Geraldine County Council, the South Canterbury Automobile Association, and the Highway Board, for leave to erect the following notice board at Winchester: . “Christchurch and Geraldine, via Main' Highway.’!