HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12646, 2 June 1919, Page 4

HERE AND THERE.

A curious reason was given at Cln» 1 ukokoho S.M. Court for the non-at-. tendance of Native children at school. J lie Auckland Education Board truant officer fair S. Small) said the parents! kept tho cnildren away from school in order to “pay tho Government out for forcing tho Maoris to go to tho war.” Hie ease constituted (says a contemporary) a Native application of the Baying, 11 bile one’s nose to spite one's face.” “ Tho Now Zealand, farmer made tlio finest infantry soldier in the world.” This opinion, brought back hy a New Zealand doctor, was related at a, farmers’ banquet. “They lacked the dash of the Australians, but they had a tenacity peculiar to themselves. During tlie years they wore in France they never lost a yard of trench, a record no one else could claim.” “ It is very easy to start a riot hr interfering with a, constable, and the man who starts a riot is going to get it iciy hot, was the advice tendered hy Mr ]'. "V. Fraser, S.M., in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court to an offender charged with obstructing the police. County’s financial year ■ 1918-19, just ended, has been ono of tlie most unsatisfactory experiences in the county from a road construction standpoint. During practically ten months of the year an abnormal rainfall obtained, and, owing to scarcity of labour, tho greatest difficulty was experienced in keeping even the main road lines open for traffic. There is a curious commentary on the psychology of two widely dissimilar peoples in the uso that has been made of tho Lusitania medal, struck before the liner was torpedoed, and issued immediately after the newg of the dastardly deed reached Berlin. On That occasion the “ Koluische Volkzeithng ” . said: “With joyful pride wo contemplate this latest deed of our nary.’’’ Now that their “glorious navy” is growing weeds in English waters, and the Germans are supplicating for mercy from the victors, the Lusitania medal is being struck in England for sale throughout the world, all profits being devoted to St Dunstan’s Blinded Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Hostel. Circulars showing facsimiles of each side of tho medal and giving full particulars in connection therewith have been forwarded to the Education Board for distribution throughout tho schools. The hoard has decided) that it is hardly the kind of thing to benefit school children in any way, and it serves to perpetuate that which maybe bettor forgotten by the school child of to-day. Something like a coal famine prevails at Thames. Tire town has a population' of between six and seven thousand, and the number of bouses is estimated' at over 1500, yet during the month of April only seventy-seven tons of coal/ * available for household purposes reached Thames, or an average' for each house (including hotels and other large consumers) for all cooking and heating of '4lb daily. At present, andi' for- some time past, it ; has been practically impossible for the great majority of residents to obtain coni, and s : nce wood is in rihort supply, the outlook for the cold weather is most uny promising. One of the most wonderful plants is “The Leaf of Life.” found in Japan.' / You simply cannot kill this plant. If a leaf is cut in half, _it will still thrive without light or moisture. Pressed between a hook, it has beep known to throw out new roots and leaves through the cover. War marriages do not appear to hav 0 particularly happy results, judging by tlio number of cases for maintenance that are heard before the Magistrate’s Court each week (remarks an. exchange). Recently a weeping bride of eight months’ duration sought a separation with maintenance from her husband. The applicant complained that her husband had brought her out to the Dominion to live with his people in a small house under unhappy conditions, and eventually she went to tho Salvation Array to seek a refuge. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she said she would have been happier in England and did not think the law ought to allow a man to bring a girl t 16,000 miles unless ho could provide a homo for her. Air Frazer, S.AL, said the law waa all right, but young couples should make more allowance for each other and determine to pull together. Tlie differences between tho plaintiff and defendant were not serious, and he hoped they would overlook each other’s shortcomings and come together. again. Air P. J. O’Regan, who appeared for the defendant in another maintenance case, said: “This is another of those unfortunate cases arising out of the war.’* He had heard , that the war had an effect on moT men’s temperaments and it was kuwn that they were more irritable upon returning to the Dominion. By regulation under the War Regulations Act, which was gazetted recently (says the Alelbourne "Argus”), the rise, without permission, of the following terms in connection with fany trade, business, calling or profession, is prohibited “ Repatriation,” “Aussie,” “Returned Soldier,” and “Returned Sailor.” Firewood cutting is proving profitable occupation to experienced axemen .just now (says a North Maud exchange). One Levin cutter averages about £1 per day, whilst one day last week, m a good run of timber, his earnings reached 355. A proposal to establish laud banks was rejected by tlie Farmers’. Union Conference during its session in the city. The proposal ran;—-“In view of the necessity tor increased production the Government be urged to establish land, banks wherever. close settlement exists in order to assist small farmers to bring their holdings intoa higher state of cultivation.” A few days ago Air 18. Aliddlebrook, of Wa.ilii, reported having seen an object in the water between Bowcntown and Tauraiifpa which he believed to a floating mine. A party of sportsmen who were subsequently shooting in the vicinity report having heard a terrific explosion just off the coast, which suggests that Air Aliddlebrook was probably right in his conclusion. A story, which if not true Is at least “ben trovata” (well found), as Spaniards say is told of the latest voyage of the Atannka from Sydney to Wellington (says the “ New Zealand Times. ) Tho captain, it is stated, got wind, ns she left the wharf, of a stop-work meeting being held by the crew to. decide , whether they should sail or not, and he at once got the engineers.to put the engines full steam ahead, with the result that when the meeting was over and the men came on deck to announce their decision, they were informed that they were beyond the three-mile limit, and that to strike there would be tantamount to mutiny on the high seas. That ended the matter. Reports from Bathurst (New South Wales) state that the tobacco growing industry in the district has been established on a sound commercial basis. There is now a number of white men in tho business, and they have shown that tobacco growing is not an industry exclusively for Chinese. An interesting, experiment was carried out this season, on tho State Irrigation Farm area. An acre of white barley was put in, this variety being a stranger to the district, and the results have been so encouraging that tho manager of the farm contemplates plainting a larger area of the same variety next year. It .is anticipated that .the small plot will give a gross return'of £l9O an acre, or a net profit of £l3O. One Chinese grower in the district has had a remarkable yield . ibis year. Ho lias picked sixteen tons from as many acres, and expects to get from Is to Is 3d per lb. For Bronchial Coughs, take WiMxis’ Brest Reppmnirj Cure.