WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17409, 21 July 1928, Page 5

WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

REFLECTIONS BY "CAMEO." " Perhaps many people reading the items of news sent by the Press Association in the "Star's" columns headed "Counties' Conference" have passed,, it by as dry stuff. * Perhaps some of it is, but the annual conference of delegates serves a very useful purpose in bringing the representatives of the Dominion local bodies together to discuss problems common to all* arid to exchange ideas. It must not be forgotten that the attendance of delegates in many cases involve very considerable sacrifices for which they receive scant thanks.

Time and education accomplish wonders. It is noteworthy that there was hardly a dissentient voice on the operations of the .Main Highways. Wiien it is remembered the howl that went up at the proposal the difference is very marked. The benefits of thescheme are now marked witdi corresponding gain to the counties.

"Women, it is generally admitted, talked suffrage across. Now women in Washington are talking peace. Shrug your shouklers, if you will. But it's a strange and mighty and terrible force—women's talk.'*—Marguerite Mooers Marshall, in the New York Evening World.

Petrol prices are down, •iisui' nee is down. Tyres are down. Car pnees are down. And roads are up and down

He stood at the top of Arthur's Pass and gazed into the depths of # Otira Gorge. The West Coaster said: "You've got nothing like that in Canterbury! What do you think of it?" "Ah," said the Christchnrch man, "what a wonderful place to throw useel razor blades!"

They were talking about Mr. Heeney's coming argument with Mr. Tunney, and it was said that win, lose, 'or draw, the New Zealander would land about £30.000. "Now," asked one, "what sort of a thrashing would you take for £30.000?" An<d the other said that if, at the 4snd of twelve months, lie could justfsit up and take a little milk he wouldn't, complain. r .

It is itlie fashion to note centenaries || of all kinds, and a reader, sends along - to a contemporary a book from which | it appears that it is a hundred years v ago this year since the first roses were planted in New Zealand. In 1824 Mr.;. George Clarke came out to New Zealand as a missionary at the Bay of Island's and occupied the house built |j bv Mr. Kemp in 1819. which is to-day \. the oldest house in New Zealand. Mr. ...> Clarke's son, the late Rev. George m Clarke, who was for many years Chan- ' cellor of the University of Tasmania,, < records in a little book published him in 1903 the planting of some roses v by his father. In 182 S a sister was >; born and. died in infancy. George : Clarke, junr.. being 'then five years • old. "An incident associated with Tier g death." he wrote, "made a lasting impression on me. . .' My father had : * a box of plants from Sydney, among' . | them some precious cabbage roses,' the /■ first I suppose that were ever grown 1 in New .- . Mr f "+>o" care- ■■■■•" fully planted and tended them' until | the Tmds Ivpjran to form. T rpmomher •' his taking me by the hand, ripnine off a half-open bud, and then «ou>- walking V: into the study and putting the flower :'• in the dead baby's ha ml. T oppnnt, sure, but 1 think that was the first of 1 our sweet Fnodish roses that -ever : bloomed in New Zealand."

An accident in a busy street always ;; anneals to the public mind. As a bus was crossing a bridge n .Mnovi horse- " man was the cause of a temporary • hold-up of traffic, the animal refusing./ to venture past the bus. A motor-' .■." car mine lin behind mid the way of ••; retreat was" hlockod. The rider d)S- ; ; i mounted and the horse became. quiet and allowed itself to he led «&»* the. bus without incident. "What fi rotten y end." rein.irked a girl from the bus. \ "T was 2ettin<r nuito thrilled. Wouldn't . it bo InvWlv for mi accident to han-"'| nen o'»_Has the fair sex become. "- hardened? * ■• Foot and mouth disease —A B-anfurly Shield argument. » * ,*■"'■'* The Peace Pact as I see it provides that if anyone goes to war he loses the benefit of the pact. The benefit of the pact is that it keeps you at peace; so if yon go to war you're not at peace, which is the long way of saying ; that when you're at war you're at. wax. General Obregon once said he owed' his success to his having made fewer ~ mistakes than the general on the other side and to his having profited more , by theirs and his.—He apparently must ,; have made one fatal mistake. * * * * , ~ifi The only thing more annoying to the Germans than that Italian Fascisti should go planting flags on the North Pole is that Bussian Bolsheviki should .^ rescue them. * -.. • • » • Yankee land has apparently sot Jealous of Sydney in the matter of bridges . and all the song about the new. one over Port Jackson. The "biggest. .. ever" is to. span the Narrows between ': Brooklvn and Staten Island.' As a ' suspension bridge it will be some 4500 feet long. Sydney's new feature will be 1650~ > feet! Now Auckland is to \ I have a harbour bridge.—Can it beat the Yanks? g Tbp 'bief thin? in the minds of all ~ prchardists at present is—" Let us -,* •snray." './■'■ - * * * f.BitJl A lady spectator at the boat this | morning said she greatly admired the .;;'. Thames t n, " ,ir > }»«y»nii«A tho\- <;opm<vl to'■"•; o-o ji"-n-t- wit l ' fho-fiyed dote'-ntii-ntion to win or lose. . ''" ~e+v>iinmpr v -\n vpr-cnf] - +«VI n rennyter Hin+ be ootdd «» t yi , is"'>f l ' with +he naked eye through n glass ?