GENERAL ITEMS.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1243, 16 May 1922, Page 7

GENERAL ITEMS.

A somewhat new experience in Carterton is that there are several empty houses (says a Wairarapa paper).

It is not surprising that some of our leading educational authorities are now advocating the post-primary system (says the Wanganui Herald). A sixth standard girl in one of the Wanganui primary schools was asked the other day to give the nationality of Mr Lloyd George. She promptly replied that "he is a Frenchman."

" This district is being strangled by the Rimutaka railway," said Mr J. C. Cooper at a deputation to the Hon. J. G. Coates (says the Wairarapa Age). " But you have one of the finest districts in New Zealand in the Wairarapa," interjected the Minister. " Yes," responded Mr Cooper, "it has advanced in spite of the railway, but its progress has been retarded."

A few days ago a man advertised in Chronicle for a married couple to manage a small farm. Up to noon the following day, in addition to innumerable counter inquiries, over 40 written applications for the position had been sent in, including a considerable number telegraphed from all parts of the dominion.

Since the reduction in the price of coal the mines at Kaitangata have been working full time. Where only six or seven shifts were worked in a fortnight prior to the fall in price, 11 days are now worked, and all the, men have been employed. 'The reduction in wages means a difference of from 8d per shift for lads of 14 years of age to Is lid per shift for shiftmen. A motor-car which is run entirely without a carburretor was an interesting exhibit in Wanganui. Air is conveyed direct by an inlet valve to the fuel tank at the back of the car. An automatic float stirs the liquid into motion, and a flexible pipe conveys the gaseous mixture direct to the engine. Under trials the car ran 30 miles to the gallon, and no difficulty was experienced. The patent rights are held by a New Zealand syndicate, which intends to exploit them in the United States.

" In my travels all over the world I have never seen anything to equal the scenery on the road between Opotiki and Motu," said Professor Goode to a Gisborne Times reporte the other day. "It is unique, and the obvious duty of the Government is to provide adequate protection for it. The winding road 'with its increasing bends, and the rugged nature of the bush-clad hills, provide one long vista of beauty." Professor Goode said that it appeared as if it would not be possible to put the railway through the country and expressed the opinion that the road should be widened and improved so that it would be less dangerous and more convenient to tourists..

Evidently the good old long-nosed Captain Cook pig is coming into favour in Wanganui (says the Herald). Of late consignments have been sent in to the ( mart for sale and have found no lack of buyers. Those who banqueted on a roast of the wild pig strain know of its distinctive flavour, as compared with some of the flabby whey-fed pigs'. There is evidently a market for the Captain Cook strain locally, and this should open up a prosperous avenue of revenue to Native settlers along the Wanganui River.

We learn from a reliable source (says the Manawatu Times) that either the organisers or prominent members of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association are circulating members of Parliament in connection with their prohibited proposal to link with wharf hands in an offensive alliance against their employers. This procedure is equally an offence against the regulations which sheltei them and give them security of tenure (during good behaviour). The Postmaster-General should give them notice to that effect, or bring them to book for this further breach.

In the Dunedin district one of the many romances of life insurance is known to the few immediately concerned, and may be mentioned as a hint to the many (observes the Star). A certain citizen, chancing to be in Auckland when the races for the first Sanders Cup were on, fourteen months ago, felt goaded by Aucklanders' taunts into backing the Heather to beat the Iron Duke, and when Mr Mc Culloch's dinghy won the Otago man found he had won £l5O. An insurance agent heard of the windfall, and suggested that as the winner had come by the money on a side line, as it were, and did not require it for ordinary purposes, he might as well invest it in a substantial policy. The argument prevailed, an insurance for !£SOOO was effected on what seemed to be a sound life, and the beneficiary died quite unexpectedly when only one premium had been paid.

A family in a southern town has

names which, taken separately, have nothing humorous about them; but, taken together, have a curious effect. The surname is Downe, and the family are 'Stan Downe, ißob (Downe,, Ben Downe, and Ida Downe.

(Money may be scarce, but there are still people with plenty to lose (says the Otago Daily Times). The other day a lady left in a tfamcar in Dunedin a hand bag containing £2OO and a hank book showing a credit balance of £75. The motorman, who saw that it was returned to its owner, was rewarded with her thanks.

A Manawatu flaxmill manager who recently visited Victoria found that New Zealand flax is being successfully grown and milled at a place called Emerald, about 35 mi'les from Melbourne. The mill was one of the most up-to-date single-stripper mills that had come under the visitor's notice during twenty years' experience in New Zealand.

" As soon as we reduce taxation we will have a corresponding reduction in unemployment, because the money that now goes into taxation will go into what we call the wages fund," said Mr M'assey at Feilding. He added that now the money market was easier county councils were raising loans generally, and there were indications that the winter unemployment would not be so severe as it was feared it might be.

The Free Lance says: " Among the many surprises at Ohakune are the shops. On one side is heavy bush, and on the other are large, up-to-date shops filled with the latest fashions. Ohakune boasts an excellent howling green,' two tennis courts, a cricket and footbal lground, and the inevitable picture theatre. The wicked folk in the district play all games and attend picture shows on Sunday. No New Zealander's life is complete until he has spent a week in Ohakune and its environs."

"We have had complaints about this young man from all over the neighbourhood, including Wellington," said Constable Holmes at the sitting of the Lower Hutt Court recently, when a young man named Meeton Brooks, 17 years of age, was charged with driving a motor-car in Bridge street, in a manner dangerous to the public. It v/as stated that the defendant drove his father's car and got about in a truly reckless manner, being careful enough to " slacken up" and creep gracefully past any officer of the law.

As a party of motorists were ascending the steep grade to the top of the range leading to Mangahao (states the Levin Chronicle) they passed a solitary traveller on foot with his helongings, making his way towards Shannon. Although the car flashed past, the man was recognised by an occupant of the car. " That man served with the machine-gunners in France for three years in a unit that was often associated with my own," he said. 'He has a good record, and it is a pity his services have not brought him a better reward than having to tramp the roads."

" I don't know how it is," said tihe Hon. J. G. Coates at Eketahuna on Thursday (states the Wairarapa Age, "but people seem to think that because £5,000,000 has been raised in London it is all going to be splashed about. It is nothing of the kind. I have strictly to limit our expenditure and get a decent result for the money."

His Honour Mr Justice Reed, in addressing the jury at the Wellington Supreme Court, laid stress on the infallibility of -finger-print evidence, regarded as conclusive proof where the 'finger prints were identified (says the Dominion). Not only were finger prints so identifiable, hut those of almost any part of the body. Palm prints were as unequivocally identifiable as finger prints. Glass was probably one of the best mediums for retaining finger prints, or any such polished surface, from which, 'by special methods, the prints were to be readily photographed.

.'Prices are still gradually on the down grade, a Gisborne draper stated to the Poverty Bay Herald. He estimated the fall in drapery at from 25 to 33 per cent, as compared with the peak post-war level. Unemployment, added to the general depression in financial matters, had retarded the recovery of business, and trade in his line was very slack. One thing was particularly noticeable, and that was that women, the chief support of the drapery trade, were doing their best to help the men folk by canny buying, and the general run of customers did not go in for -luxuries to anything like the old extent. They were ibecoming accustomed to having to live within reduced incomes, and even the more fortunate people, whom the slump conditions did not affect greatly, were buying carefully, and the shopmen had to arrange their stocks accordingly.