In the Dominion

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 10

In the Dominion

Travis aud Trask, junr., two of the three men arrested at Te Kuiti for allegedly stealing a car, appeared at Auckland on Tuesday afternoon in connection with the motor bandit case at Alt Eden on Friday night. DEATH AMONGST PETS. A number of cats and dogs haxe come to an untimely end during the last few days in th G vicinity of Jutland Road, Takapuna. Domestic pets, both, cats and dogs, have died showing symptoms of poisoning. One of the victims was a setter valued by its owner at £2O. NO HOLIDAY FOR HIM. On e person who played a prominent part in the recent Stratfora jubilee procession has not too pleasant a recollection of that pageant, judging from a sidelight in a case at the lngle° wood Court a few days agu. Asked by cross-examining counsel whether he had had a holiday during the Stratford jubilee, the plaintiff in a wages claim said that he had driven bullocks 19 miles to Stratford and 19 miles back without having any “tucker”—if that could be called a holiday. “In fact,” he added reminiscently, “I was never even asked if I had a mouth.” TRIALS OF ARTISTS. Humdrous references to the trials and disappointments of artists were made by ms Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral (Sir Charles Feigusson) at the opening of the New Zealand Academy ; Exhibition at Wellington. His Excellency said he supposed that sometimes just as a golfer smashed his best driver and wondered why he ever took up the game, so artists felt inclined to throw the palette and brushes across the room. “1 believe it is so,” h e said, “because 1 live in close association with two struggling artists.” (Laughter.) Later, Ills Excellency mentioned criticism, and said that sometimes there was worse than criticism: when there was no criticism or complaint at all. ‘‘When 1 saw a young artist reading this evening’s paper with downeast face I thought ‘the craze for fame is in us one and all, better be damned than mentioned at all, ” he said amidst merriment. FORMER MAORI CHIEF. As a memorial to a loyal Maori chieftain, Kapereiere Meihana, of the Ngati-Pukeko tribe, a statue has been prepared by W. Parkinson and Company, Ltd., under instructions from the Wairariki District Land Board, Rotorua, and is to be erected by the Government and relatives of the late chieftain at Whakatane. Meihana, who was born in 1860 and died in 1926, was, with his father a staunch supporter of the Government during the insurrections on the East Coast. “He was a loyal supporter of the soveignty of Great Britain and was mourned at his death by both Maoris and pakehas for his lovable qualities and uprightness of character.” Such is the inscription engraved on the pedestal on which stands a life-size statue of the dead chief. It is a fine piece of sculpture, the dignified old figure being clothed in a chieftain’s cloak and clasping in one hand a mere, the symbol of chiefly rank. The statue will be removed from Auckland and erected in Whakatane, 1 over Meihana’s grave, in the near future. 1 PRAISE FROM AFAR. ( • “This is a communication all the way 1 from Paris, gentlemen,” said the i Mayor of Devonport, Auckland, when J an item on the order paper was called. - The letter was an impassioned plea ; from a resident of the borough now - touring the Continent, that the Devon- 1 port Borough Council should, in his ab- j sence, do its best to clear the surplus growth of weeds from Rata road, a tiny blind street thirteen thousand miles away from the Grand Hotel du Pavilion, close to the Champs Elysee. The correspondent, after referring to Paris las “his most beautiful city with its glorious boulevards,” said that he will be “very glad’’ to get back to delightful Devonport,” and plaintively informed the council tha‘ “many friends abroad intend visiti-.g me when I return, so please do not let me be ashamed of Rata road when 1 return, after the glowing accounts I have given of our country’s beauties and of Devonport in particular.” ' The letter was sympathetically received, and for the sake of Devonport’s fair fame in France something is to be done to reduce the crop of weeds. AUCKLAND BANKRUPTCIES.

There have been .114 bankruptcies in Auckland during the nine months of the present year, a figure which is considerably lower than those for the < orresponding periods of 1926 and 1927. The difference in the totals is surpris;no-. ] aß f y e a r coming first with .162, whilst there were 133 in 1926. The monthly figures have also varied to a marked degree, as witness five in January, 1926, and 29 in June last year. During the month just ended there were 14 cases, which is the same total as that for August, and one less than September, 1927. INDISPUTABLE RECORD.

When the county council clerks met in conference in Wellington last week, it was debated whether they should have their photograph taken or not. Some were for the proposal and some were’ against, but the matter was clinched when one delegate said that if the photograph was taken they would havp an indisputable evidence to show their councils that they had attended the conference and not gone on a holiday elsewhere. Thereupon a time was fixed for “looking pleasant.’’ SOME GOOD IN AN ILL WIND. No longer is a free view available from Ladies’ Mile when races are on at Ellerslie, Auckland, as a high fence has been erected, the reason given being that a gathering of spectators at that point had a bad effect on timid horses. Some of the residents in the locality have bemoaned the fact that a lovely panoramic view from their homes of Maungakiekie hat b_en obliterated, but have found solace in the fact that now thev have an excellent barricade to the prevailing zephyrs which visit that part of suburban Auckland. Sheltered by the fence, they now garden with a new zest, and successfully grow frail things that flourished not when the cold west, wind swept by with : monotonous frequency. HUMOROUS INTERLUDE 'there was a humorous interlude at the prohibition meeting in the Town Hall, Auckland, when Mr Tom Bloodworth admitted that in his boy 1 od he was altogether innocent, of the offence of poaching. Tie was born in an English county noted for its sporting squires, and was brought up to obe.v

the injunction: “Bless the squire and his relations, and keep us in our proper stations.” He had vivid recollections of the sanctity of the squire’s pheasants which were most carefully looked after in order to provide sport for the guests at house parties and at the age of eight he was employed as a beater. Like many another country lad he did not altogether respect the sanctity of the game, and on one or two occasions the pheasants met a humbler fate than that which was ordained for them. He hoped the confession was made at too late a late to bring retribution on his head. (Laughter.) FISHING SEASON OPENS. The fishing season opened at Taumarunui in fine weather. The recent rain had the effect of discolouring the water in the rivers, but in spite of this most of the anglers had good sport. The fish taken were on the small side, but were in good condition. HAMILTON’S VITAL STATISTICS. The vital statistics for Hamilton for September show a marked decrease in marriages compared with September of last year. The figures for September 1928, are as follows, those for the corresponding period last year being given in parentheses: —Births, 46 (45); deaths 20 (24); marriages, 11 (21). SEA HORSE CAPTURED.

A sea horse, or, to give it its scientific name, “Hippocampus,” w r as on exhibition at a Thames fish shop recently. The creature belongs to the Lofho branchii, of pine fish tribe, and has a head resembling that of a horse, while the body has a prehensile tail, which is devoid of caudal fins. With this tail it attaches itself to seaweed or driftwood, and is thus carried for long distances. Although they are fairly common fish found off the south coast of England, this is the first time any of the family has been seen at the Thames. A fine specimen was captured by an Auckland fisherman.

AUCKLAND EXHIBITION MOOTED. “A comprehensive exhibition should be a success if held about 1931,” said Mr G. Finn, chairman of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association, in commenting upon a proposal by Mr J. S. Fletcher for the utilisation of the Hobson Bay area as an exhibition site. Mr Finn aded that the scheme for reclaiming Hobson Bay and erecting permanent exhibition buildigs was a big one, but it would have to be faced sooner or later. Many thought the Dunedin Exhibition was ahead of time, but it proved a success, end the Dunedin people showed they had a happy knack of handling an exhibition project. There was no reason why Auckland, with more than twice the population, should not have an equal success, Mr Fletcher’s proposal was referred to a joint committee of the Manufacturers’ Association and the A. and P. Association. DRAINAGE OF LAKE.

The prospect of draining Lake Waiatarua, perhaps better known as Lake St. John, Auckland, is expected to throw considerable light on the fish that inhabit the waters. In the old days the Maoris regarded the lake as a happy hunting ground for tuna, anid; many large eels were caught there. At various times, carp au/.l cat-fish were intidu.'uced aud there has been evidence that the latter, which are more ornamental than useful, flourished well up to the time when the level of the lake as reduced ten feet by a tun nelling scheme to free the neighboui ing lan«d of swamp water. At present Waiatarua is a lake in name only. It is really a large, shallow pond, with a maximum depth in the middle of but a few feet. Translated, Waiatarua means “water of reflecting shadows.” When the Maoris first knew the lake, there was bush ou the surrounding slopes and the well-known fresh water mussels or kurakura were gathered on the shores. Store houses stood on posts in the crystal waters and food was kept there safe from the attacks of pests that inhabited the bush. MAORI MEETING PLACE.

A scheme to provide an appropriate venue for Maori tribal gatherings at Gisborne is now under the consideration of the Maori Lands Board. Some months ago the Gisborne Harbour Board took native land on Kaiti for harbour works dovelopment, paying the owners £lO,OOO compensation. Out of these funds the Boand has purchased an area of seven acres at the bottom of Kaiti Hill, situated at the corner of Ranfurly Road and the hill road, four acres of which are fiat, the balance being hilly. At present the authorities are undertaking the levcb ling of the property and fencing and it is probable that the land will bo cropped for this year. The plans for the lay out of the property as a meeting ground for tribes for huis at which the Ngationeonc tribe, who formerly owned the Kaiti land taken for the harbour will act as hosts, have not yet been drafted. It is understood, however, that a number of buildings will be erected on the site, including a model meeting house and a church In any case the pa buildings will not be started until late next year, and the inauguration ceremony is to take placo about Christmas. 1930.