LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17528, 17 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thirty-four years ago the cost of maintaining hospital patients wa§ considerably less in New Zealand than it is to-day. In 1894 the daily average cost of each patient in the Westport Hospital was 3/1. Greymouth’s average at that time was the lowest, 2/103. Other West Coast institutions showed the following rates: Reefton, 6/91; Hokitika. 4/8; Kumara, 5/llj; Charleston, 5/5; Ross, 4/11. The highest cost for the whole country was at Coromandel, £2/4/4. Many people have cursed the rain that fell during the holidays, cursed it bitterly and with deep feeling, but the State Forest Service has not worried. "Let it rain,” has been the cry of the service, for rain at this time of the year means protection against fire in the plantations, and a better "strike” in the very dry areas that have been taken over for planting. Rain has caused the plantations under cultivation to look exceedingly well, and has given the year’s woi-k a .splendid start.

A Gisborne resident, writing to a friend in Palmerston North, states that business during the past few weeks hag exceeded all expectations, cash receipts in the shops being greater than those for the similar period last year. "The wool cheques and high returns to the local dairy fames have no doubt been responsible for the large sums of money now being circulated in the district,” he concludes. A Kingsland resident who is baching for a few days had just settled down to his solitary meal when there came an insistent knocking from the vicinity of the front door. Leaving his fried eggs to cool, he went to the verandah, and found • nothing. "Queer,” he thought. "Perhaps I was mistaken,” and returned to the table. Again came the knocking, and again he went to the door. A third interruption caused him to make careful search, when he found that the cause of the disturbance wag a thrush, which was battering a snail shell on the iron roof. He was relieved to find such a simple explanation of the mysterious sounds, but his feelings toward the song bird were not exactly those of a nature lover. The thrush was promptly "shooed” off the premises. Some of the Australian bowlers taking part in the New Zealand tournament have gained some knowledge of Maori words, and, even though they are not too good with the pronunciation, they apparently find them very expressive, states the Wellington Post. During the progress of a game in the rinks championship at one of the city greens on Friday afternoon, an Australian skip sent down a good shot, and his effort was greeted by the members of his team with “kapai, kapai,” although it sounded something like "copy, copy.” Then a little later on the skip of the opposing team sent down a "beauty,’ upsetting all calculations which led the Australians to exclaim with a wealth of meaning "ka kina ka kina,” which means "no good.”

Paganelli was scratched at 2.15 p.m. yesterday for the Stewards’ Handicap at Takapuna, says a Press Association telegram. A Press Association telegram says there is no further news of the missing lads that search parties went after a day or two ago from Hokitika. All sorts of radiator mascots are to bo seen—some imposing, some daring, some merely vulgar—but what must be by far the most appropriate was noticed in Wanganui a few days ago—a small silver dummy on the radiator cap of a “baby” Austin. The London Tatler, in a caption to a picture showing Flight-Lieutenant Ulm rubbing noses with Guide Bella, says:—“Guido Bella is a well-known figure in Wellington, New Zealand.” Does this London journal mean to suggest that Bella is needed as guide in ‘the wilds of the capital city P Mr. N. W. Hastings, who is a farmer of Morrinsville, will give an address on the aims and objects of the New Zealand Farmers’ Pig Marketing Association at Matatoki on Saturday evening at 8.30 o’clock. The chair will bo taken by Mr. J. McCormick and an effort will be made to form a local branch of the Association.*

“Nothing could be finer than the behaviour of these men,” said Nurse Moore, who was an eye-witness of the Hot Springs tragedy, when speaking to a Press representative at Kawhia. “Mr. Dillicar was sitting apart from the others in a bathing pool with his little daughter. When the call came for help there was no hesitation—he rushed straight to the rescue just as young Hunter did. Theirs was a noble act of self-sacrifice for they gave their lives for others.” Much has been said and a good deal written of the beauties of the Punakaiki region, but its fame has manifestly gone now beyond New Zealand. The latest • evidence of the fact is the publication of a fine photograph of the unique rock formations (often called the “Pancakes”) of Punakaiki by the German popular science magazine Die Koralle. Beneath the picture appear the words: “Die Pfannkuchen —Felsen von Punakaiki sudlicli von Perpendicular Point an der Westkuste der sensei von Neusseland.” It is to be gleaned from the accompanying article that the special interest of the “Pancakes” for the Germans is geological, but the spectacular aspect cannot but have l a study appeal. The coincidence of the deaths of the late Mr. A. A. Thornton, for many years a. senior dairy produce grader, and the late Mr. Thomas H. Jenkins, of Eltham, occurring within a week or two, brought hack to Mr Richard Cock, of Vogel town, New Plymouth, memories of old-time dairying methods and business, states the Taranaki News. Before the late Mr. Chew Chong started his butter factory in Eltham, Mr Cock was a large buyer of butter, and one of his suppliers was the late Mr. Jenkins who used to take his output to Mr. Cock’s agents Messrs. Bates Bros , of Normanby. In those days Mr Thornton was a young buyer tor the southern firm of Candy, Steds and Co and as - such was well known to Mr! Cock, the acquaintance being maintained up to the date of Mi. Thornton’s death. To those who think there was little or no manufacture ot butter in pre-factorv days, it is a little surprising to hear Mr. Cock speak or filling orders for 1000 or 1500 kegs ot Taanaki butter. In those far-away claws, however, there were regular shipments to Auckland, Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay and the Vest Coast ot the South Island.