LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16624, 21 October 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The indications are for freshening easterly winds, strong to gale at times. Expect dull weather with much mist and fog. in parts. Bain probable. The barometer has a falling tendency. Seas rough, tides high. Barometer 30.26, thermometer 66.

It will interest pear-growers to learn that the first consignment of parasites of the pear-midge arrived in New Zealand on August 25tli. These insects were secured in Europe through the agency of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, London, acting under a quest from the Department of Agriculture. The attempt to rear these parasites and ultimately establish them in tbs pear-midge infested area of the Dominion is being carried out by the Biological Laboratory, Wellington.

Signor Sarti,. one of the Sistine soloists, remarked one day last week that New Zealand was a. beautiful country and the people were very friendly. The climate, he added, was very much like that of Italy. In 25 years’ time, Signor Sarti prophesied the Dominion would he a big nation. Australia, he pointed out, adopted the centralisation scheme and built large cities, to the detriment of the' country in general. New Zealand, however, appeared to be a very solid country.

From a small meeting of five, the Nelson llock Garden Society has grown, till now it has a membership of 194, spread all over the Dominion (writes a correspondent of the Wellington Evening Post). The rock garden is becoming a blaze of colour, and is of great interest to visitors to the city. Over 700 different plants are established, and great assistance has been given to members, as over 3000 plants have been distributed. The Society has on order from England about 1250 plants, arriving in December, .and this will certainly be a record for the Dominion.

“It is well known that the producer’s life to-day is not worth living,” said Mi-. S. Vickers, when the members of the North Taranaki branch of the Farmers’ Union were discussing the strike. Dir. Vickers advocated the formation of a permanent committee representing the farmers, which could work in -with commercial interests in fighting against strike and hold-up movements organised hv Labour trade unions, and also the drawing up of a permanent register of labour available in cases of emergency. A resolution embodying these suggestions was carried unanimously.

“I can’t help thinking what a great benefit the National Park will be to the people of New Zealand when they realise what a really beautiful place it is,” said the Mayor of Wellington, who has just returned to the city after a visit to the Park. Mr. Norwood said the Board of Control was exerting its best endeavours to increase the comfort of visitors to this great national playground. Further accommodation, he said, was being provided almost immediately, and it was hoped that a hostel worthy of tlie National Park would he provided at no distant date. “It may be that private enterprise will have ah opportunity'of providing such an establishment,” he added.

In addition to the other evils it brought in its wake, the maritime strike has caused a serious disorganisation of the Dominion’s immigration arrangements for the next few months. Advice has been received locally (says the Waikato Times) that on account of the shipping trouble there-will he probably fewer than 600 berths available for Government assisted migrants prepared to leave the Old Country for New Zealand during November and December, instead oi the 1900 berths for which provision had previously been made. It is estimated that the dislocation brought about hy the seamen’s breach of agreement will he responsible for the congestion of about 4000 immigrants at Home.