LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16713, 20 April 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

NEWS FROM NEAR AND FAR Most of the business at yesterday's meeting of the Tramway Board was contained in the report of the Works and Traffic Committee, which was adopted without discussion. The meeting occupied only nine minutes. “In some parts of Poverty Bay you are going down in sheep-carrying capacity, but in so doing you are losing more f rom the good country than the poorer country,” said Mr Cockayne, during iii.s address to farmers at Gisborne. In explanation ho added that in many cases the grassing of the better class country was not as good as it might be, but the more liberal use of cocksfoot and reduction in the amount of Italian rye would considerably improve the position. Further evidence of the high reputation which New Zealand butter has gained in other countries through the rapid extension of its overseas markets, is contained in a letter from a lady resident of St John’s, Newfoundland, to a friend in Auckland- “ Just imagine/’ she writes, *’ we have been using New Zealand butter at our table all the winter. It is delicious, and we all enjoy it very much. It is sold here at 43 cents a pound. This is the first time we have ever had it here, and everyone speaks very highly of it.” Red poppies have so linked themselves with memories of battlefield and grave that ox-soldiers of Britain, America, Australia and New Zealand have adopted the little flower as a symbol by which to recall memories of their dead comrades. To-morrow will be observed in Christchurch as Poppy Day. The flowers which will lx? sold, have been made in the devastated regions of Northern France, and a portion of the proceeds will go to defray the cost of manufacture. The remainder will he devoted to’the Returned Soldiers’ Association to securing work for over lOno returned New Zealand soldiers, tnua providing food and clothing for their dependents. The Kanieri power plant, which lights Hokitika, also works the Rimu dredge (explains a West Coast contemporary). Dredge and town draw upon the power plant in the ratio of about three to one. On. rare occasions at Hokitika the electric lights waver. Then the exclamation is heard on all sides; “’Hello!'the dredge has struck a big boulder.” The surmise is quite correct. When for a minute the strain on the dredge becomes tremendous it draws on more than its share of the power, with the result, that for a small space, the town (which, by the wav, saves between £20.000 and £30,000 in capital expenditure by this arrangement) must go short. The rat menace has been responsible for many scares among the fair sex at Greymouth, who are living in dread of encountering a terrible rat oi a mouse. The latest sensation occurred at an hotel (relates the Greymouth “ Star ”). It was the usual weekly washing day, and the copper, which had previously been, filled with clothes was got going bright and early. A\' ith her sleeves rolled up and a* businesslike look about her, one of the daughters of the house commenced the task of taking the boiled, clothes out of the copper. Suddenly a shriek was heard, and those that rushed to the rescue found that the young lady had received an awful shock. A mouse had been in the copper, and, unable to get out, had been boiled with the clothes, and his corpse was discovered when the copper was being emptied. It is understood that the lady of the wash-tub passed an uneasy night, having several visions, but is progressing favourably. An incident in connection with tourist travelling in backblocks where no metal is on the roads occurred quite recently in the Waitomo electorate, states an exchange. Owing to the extremely bad meteorological conditions prevailing, the “ agony of mud ” was worst on Taumatire (the road between Awakino and Mahoenui) than in the worst days in September in winter. A party of young lady school teachers, five in number, with a male chauffeur, from Taranaki, made a visit to Waitomo Caves. On the return journey their motor, as well as two others, got buried in the mud. The road man called on to extricate the ladies from the awkward position related to the member for Waitomo in graphic terms what he saw, which, briefly, was that four young ladies with thin boots, and stockings off, and skirts tucked up, attempting to shove the motor out of the mud. Their attempt was useless, and relief came when a stronger motor pushed them out, the result being to the rescuer a broken pinion, while the occupants had to remain out all night in their .motor. iSo serious has the position become in the iron and steel industry, owing to the high cost of production, that many manufacturers have been compelled to close down. Reference to the crisis was made at the annual meeting of tho Metal Trades Bmployers * Association (says a Sydney paper). Tt was pointed out that the conditions imposed by the. Federal Court had been the cause ol a falling off in industry and a material increase in the numbers of the unemployed. The abolition of the Federal Arbitration Court- was advocated. and a demand was made for a simplification of arbitration methods. Mr John Heine, junr. (president of the association), said that the employers generally would welcome* any system that would work smoothly, and would he for tho benefit of employers and employees. “ While we admit,” he said, “ there is* a necessity for some court of arbitration to ensure a reasonable standard of wages and acceptable conditions, wo object very strongly t-o such an institution being used to bludgeon industry into such a. position that we find it in many cases impossible to carry on.” I Different people view the hare necessities of life from opposite stand- \ points (comments the “ Mataura En- )• Jo most, food and clothes are a first consideration, but there are other characters abroad. A man was arrested at Gore last week on a charge of drunkenness, sentenced to forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, and later discharged. As he was penniless the sergeant of police handed him 3s bd as a personal donation to the needv so that he might secure a meal if he did not strike work immediately. 'lho released imbiber expressed his intention of going to the country and settlmg down attain to iiard toil. Ho booked a passage to the nearest watering place ” and alighted. The sergeant, m plain clothes, also happened to be aboard the train, and ultimately they found themselves in the tame hotel. The receiver of charity walked straight to the bar, and ordered a long beer with the air of a millionaire. Enter, the sergeant. *" So this is where you hay© got to?” ‘ Yes - hut I didn’t expect to see vou here,” came the reply. A thirsty I inn left the premises later without h.is long beer, imt with a greater respect for the long arm of the law. A photograph to send each of your friends is the best way to solve tho gift problem Let Steffano Webb take it. Petersen’s Buildings, High Street, Telephone 1991). ISI3