GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19372, 22 December 1932, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

“The Timaru Herald” will not be published on Monday next. A topical question in the Sutherlands district just now is as to who owns the oldest hen. A farmer there has a Rhode Island Red hen, which he claims is twelve years old. The hen is still laying, and recently - hatched out six chicks. It cost the Levels County Council fourpence to receive Christmas greetings from two kindred local bodies, as the senders of the good wishes had forgotten to stamp the envelopes. It was suggested that the clerk should exhibit similar forgetfulness when sending out reciprocal greetings, but the clerk stated that ' the Council’s greetings had already gone out. A new industry, eel canning, is to be introduced in the Wairarapa shortly. The principals of an Auckland firm have been in the Featherston district making arrangements with Maoris for catching eels, and it is intended to establish a factory early in the New Year. The company has a fiveyear contract to export 150 cans a week. Although not considered a delicacy bj’ the average New Zealander, eel is greatly relished abroad, particularly on the Continent. One of the advantage claimed for silage as against hay is that it can be made whenever the grass is ready, regardless of weather, and this fact has been demonstrated on many farms during the past week in this district (says a northern paper). Farmers making silage have been able to carry on regardless of the climatic conditions, but there has been sufficient rain at intervals during the past week to cause grass cut for hay to be still lying out in the paddocks. Lyttelton watersiders have received a Christmas box in the form of back pay amounting to between £SOO and £6OO. Since last August they have been working on a flat rate of 1/11 per hour, but as the result of negotiations the employers conceded the men an extra penny an hour, and in making this payment retrospective to August paid out the amount in one sum yesterday. The payments in individual ca:es ranged from 2/3 to 35/-. The decision of the employers affects the whole of the New Zealand waterfront. The. Christchurch firm of W. Williamson, Ltd., has secured the contract for the buiiding of a new reinforced concrete bridge over the Molyneux River at Balelutha, on the Main South Road, at a cost of about £40,000. The work will start immediately after the New Year, and it is anticipated that it will take 18 months to complete. The skilled labour for the work, and much of the unskilled labour as well, will be taken down to Balelutha from Christchurch, while the balance of the unskilled workmen required will be found in the Balelutha district. It is only during the past few days that the Christmas trade has set in in earnest in Timaru. Yesterday was observed as the statutory half holiday for the week, but during the morning, the town presented a busy appearance. On inquiry, a “Herald” representative was informed that as has been the case for many years, people appear to be leaving their shopping until the last minute, and it was anticipated that to-morrow and Saturday the staffs of most of the shops would be kept exceptionally busy. Very few shopkeepers expected to do the trade that was done last year, but most of them consider that the returns should be quite satisfactory. It would seem from the trend that Christmas trade has so far taken in Timaru this week that most of the gifts this year will consist of utility articles, and fair business appears to be passing in clothing, handbags, handkerchiefs, and so on. Books are being particularly keenly sought after, and it would seem that people are looking for goods of lasting quality and serviceability. There has been a fairly good demand for toys, and it is a noteworthy fact that articles of British manufacture are finding appeal. One shopkeeper stated yesterday that the British toys on offer compared very favourably ill quality and price with German and Japanese, but there did not appear to be the same variety. However, there was a big improvement in the range as compared with twelve months ago, and this augured well for the future. “Please, please,” said a customer of ours to a friend of hers, “stop using the depression as an excuse for throwing Christmas into the ash-tin. This year of ail years, people with jobs or money in the bank should be spreading happiness instead of adding to the wailing. Don’t tell your friends you can’t afford Christmas, when there are so many pleasant, inexpensive things at. England. Mcßae’s just waiting to reveal themselves as the ideal gift. Had you thought of sporting goods, of camping requisites, of cutlery, glassware, China, brassware, of toilet sets, hair brushes, of pewter teapots, vases—but just wait till you see them—at England, Mcßae’s, of course.” ....