GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18353, 26 August 1929, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

A part yof fifty-seven people passed through Timaru on Saturday, en route to the Hermitage, where they will join in the winter sports.

Work has commenced c.i the covering of the culvert across the lawns on Caroline Bay. This is part of the work that is being carried out under the Caroline Bay loan.

Members of the Timaru Boys’ High School first fifteen left for Christchurch on Saturday to participate in the South Island Secondary Schools’ tournament. At the Timaru Magistrate’s Court on Saturday morning, before Mr C. R. Orr-Waiker. S.M.. a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined 10/-, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Prior to the wet spell -that was experienced during the latter portion of last week, a number of South Canterbury farmers had commenced drilling for their spring sowing of wheat. When the weather clears, the work will, no doubt, be pushed ahead.

Two hundred and thirteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-two sacks of wheat, 106,144 sacks of flour, and 67,728 sacks of pollard and bran, were shipped from the port of Timaru for the twelve months ended 31st. July, 1929.

Despite *the inspection carried out and the notices served, the waste of water at Invercargill is estimated at 14,000 gallons an hour, which is equivalent to a loss of £2OOO a year. As warnings had not proved sufficient proceedings would have to be taken against offending occupiers.

The death occurred in Oamaru on Friday of Mr J. A. Forbes, who was well known for his activities on behalf of the Animal Welfare movement, which he originated. The late Mr Forbes, who was 75 years of age. was for a long period in business in Gore, but removed to Oamaru some years ago for health reasons.

All the rivers and streams in Canterbury were swollen on Saturday as a result of the heavy rains in the inland districts, but there was no real danger of flood damage. The greatest possibility of trouble seemed to be at the Temuka bridge, which has a very pronounced sag in the middle, and which was subjected to a fair amount of strain by the rising stream.

On Saturday evening, the Rev. C. W. Duncumb gave an interesting and instructive talk to the Live Y’ers’ Club of the Y.M.C.A. The subject was “Sport and Religion." He pointed out the way in which religion affected "true sport.” and the spirit in which both should be taken. On behalf of the Club, Mr Tank thanked i I speaker for his very interesting talk.

A most enjoyable break-up social was held by the evening classes of the Timaru Technical College on Friday night, when about a hundred students and teachers gathered in the new portion of the building. A dance programme had been arranged, and this included a large number of novelty dances. A spot waltz was won by Mary Stevens and Tom Morrison.

Relief expresses were run both north and south on Saturday, in addition to the ordinary trains, to cope with the additional traffic caused by the commencement of the school holidays. The express for the south conveyed the West Coast Soccer team to Dunedin, and one carriage was reserved for the use of Timaru Savage Club members who left to attend a ..orero in Dunedin.

Although there was no rain in Timaru and in the coastal area on Saturday afternoon, the weather continued to be unfavourable in parts of the back country. Heavy showers, with some hail, were experienced in the Geraldine district and north of the Rangitata, and a piercing wind caused considerable anxiety to farmers whose flocks are lambing. In many parts, cultivated paddocks are in a condition resembling porridge, and turnip-feed-ing of sheep is impossible.

Fraser Park on Saturday afternoon was in a deplorable condition, owing to heavy rain which fell early in the week, and again on Friday night and Saturday morning. Before the Beri Cup match had oeen long in progress, it was extremely difficult to distinguish the Star players from the Temuka players. At one stage play had to be suspended while one player, vrith the assistance of the referee’s handkerchief, removed the mud from his eyes. Later in the game, one of the Temuka players was an “all black” from head to foot, and his captain sent him off the field to wash his face. He discovered a pool of water on the side line, however, and proceeded to divest himself of some of the superfluous turf in full view of the spectators.

Mr W. A. Irons, chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, during an address to farmers at Carterton, stated that the reduction secured by the Dairy Board on marine insurance and cold storage was considerable, and another rebate of 5 per cent, on freights for the current year has been secured. This made a total reduction of l-16d per lb on cheese and butter. The Board's levy on cheese is l-16d in the £l, and on butter l-32d. The total saving in cost to factories since the inception of the Board had been £300,000 per annum. The reduction in marine freights alone compared with the rates paid by factories before the inception of the Board more than paid the factories’ levy to the Board.

Mr C. H. Poole, ex-M.P. for Auckland, is at present engaged lecturing in the United States for the Chautauqua. His usual subject is “New Zealand,” though at times he deals with “What we think of you Americans.” Mr Poole is billed as “one of the greatest men appearing in Chautauqua, with a message that every patriotic American should hear, a great orator and a great man, who places before his hearers a wealth of information.” It is estimated that already Mr Poole has spoken to two millions of people in the United States, really advertising New Zealand and its wonders at no cost to this country. Mr Poole is referred to as coming from the “most progressive country, politically speaking, on the earth.” The Timaru Scottish Societv had another large attendance at t. Ir weekly dance on Saturday night. The second series of the waltzing competition took place. Eighteen couples entered, and the six best couples chosen were:—Miss Risell and Mr Jameson, Mrs Stewart and Mr Paul, Miss Johnstone and Mr Newman. Miss Dore and Mr Stewart, Miss Sanders and Mr Ansell, Mrs A. and Mr G. Simpson. Two large silver cups were given for first prize, and twa miniature cups for second prize. A wheel dance was run. and over two hundred people took part in it, the lucky winners being Mrs Griffiths and Mr Simpson, who received prizes. Extras were played by Misfc Davidson and Miss Boys, and supper was provided by the ladies’ committee. A new idea of interest to both amateur and market gardeners is now being pla red on the local market. This new idea is “Hot-Kaps.” "Hot-Kaps” are specially treated and shaped parchment coverings for plants. If you wish any | particular plants to mature early, just • place “Hot-Kaps” over them. “Hot- j Kaps” will stimulate the growth, and | protect the plant from frosts or storms. ! Try a few of them—the result will surprise you. England. Mcßae’s are the South Canterbury distributors and can ofi'er “Hot-Kaps*’ at. 10 - per hundred. | or in smaller lots at 1/6 per dozen Just try them

Visiting and Timaru delegates left by motor for Dunedin yesterday morning, to take part in the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, to be held to-day and to-morrow. Bandmaster W. Hawkey (Timaru) was invited to conduct the Invercargill Salvation Army Band's week-end meeting. He was met by the band at the I station. It has been computed that Palmerston North s inhabitants smoke 210.000 cigarettes per week, or eleven millions j a year. It is estimated that the cost of these is £790 per week, and this does not take into account the tobacco consumed by pipe smokers.

A Press telegram from Wellington states that birthday greetings from 2YA one evening led to the radio inspector interviewing Bert Leslie Nott, who had failed to renew his license for six months, and who had also changed his address. He did not appear to defend the charge, and was fined £lO.

A wireless message from Apia reports that their taxes having been paid and passports granted. High Chiefs Tuamaleali’ifano and Faumuina sailed yesterday by the Tofua for Auckland, in respect to the proceedings in connection with the libel actioia Nelson v. “The New Zealand Herald."

The South Canterbury ladies’ representative hockey team will leave Timaru to-day for Gisborne, where they will take part in the New Zealand ladies’ annual tournament. Tne championship is at present held by Canterbury.

Whaling operations in the Ross Sea are expected to commence at an early date this year, and the factory ships of the fleet, the C. A. Larsen and Ine Sir James Clark Ross, are already o:i the voyage from Norway to New Zealand. The whaling fleet will commence operations outside the ice barrier.

Last week's rain, fc'lowing on heavy falls in June and July, has thoroughly saturated the ground throughout South Canterbury, but even more rain appears to have been experienced in parts of Ashburton County and further north. Sheets of surface water are visible in many parts, and depressions in the roads were filled by fairly deep streams during the week-end. The tarsealed road in Geraldine County is showing marked effects of the continued wet weather.

Friday night's storm, w’hich was marked by smart showers on the plains, brought a heavy fall of snow on the high country, and the nearer ranges as well were thickly coated. The Two Thumb range and the Hunter's Kill were white on Saturday, and even lower hills carried a fair amount of snow. Four Peaks and adjacent hills behind Geraldine were covered to the foot, and all round the fall was particularly heavy for such a late period of the season.