LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19816, 21 February 1936, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New York Call Money. —Call money was quoted yesterday at I per cent. Air Mall Late. —The incoming British air mail, which was due in Sydney today, will not arrive there until Monday. Rotary Conference. —Over 100 delegates and their wives will attend the New Zealand Rotary District Conference, which will open at Auckland next Tuesday. Bushman Injured. —While crosscutting yesterday James Howard, a bushman of Pukemiro, aged 34, married, employed by Mr W. Heighton, had the top of his Anger severed. The accident' occurred when a wedge slipped. He was admitted to the Waikato Hospital. Trunk Telephone Calls. —The British Postmaster-General, Major G. C. TTyon, yesterday foreshadowed reductions in the spring of the telephone charges for trunk calls. It is proposed to make half-a-crown the maximum charge for a daytime call of three minutes to any part of the mainland of Britain. Shipping Sold or Sorapped.—Details of the numbers of ships broken up and sold to foreign buyers in 1935 were given in a written answer to a question in the British House of Commons by the President of the 'Board of Trade, Mr Walter Runciman. The figures were:—One hundred and seventy-eight steamships of a total of. 245,185 tons were broken up and 159 of 611,779 tons were sold to foreigners; 15 motor-ships of 7504 Itons were broken up and 23 of 60,000 tons were sold to foreigners; 64 sailing' ships were broken up and nine sold to foreigners. World’s Most Ancient Order. —“St. John is the most ancient order in the world, dating back to the crusades of 1099. The cross which is the insignia of the brigade was designed in 847 the first ever fashioned,” stated Colonel J. L. Sleeman, Chief Commissioner for the St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas, speaking at a reception in Hamilton yesterday. Colonel Sleeman explained that 800 years ago the Order sustained a hospital in Jerusalem for treating pilgrims, and eight centuries later this hospital was still functioning, specialising in the treatment of eye troubles. “Amen, Brother.” —A letter received by the Christchurch Drainage Board at its last meeting from the Riccarton Borough Council drew a humorous comment from one of the members. The letter acknowledged the board's decision to accept £750 in settlement of outstanding rates and to issue instructions toJts solicitors to withdraw the writ issued against the council. The secretary, after reading the letter, remarked that the matter had been dealt with recently by the board. “This is where you say ‘Amen,’ brother,” said Mr H. G. Livingstone, giving Mr J. S. Barnett a vigorous slap on the hack. (Hearty Laughter.) Flock House Progress. —A successful year, particularly In reference to the Flock House station, near Bulls, Is reviewed in the annual report of the trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund. The policy of development of the station had been carried on, and a comparison of the stock-carrying capacity of the land in 1924-25 and 1934-35 disclosed that the number of breeding ewes had increased by 127 per cent,, of grown sheep shorn by 125 per cent, of run cattle by 41 per cent and of dairy cattle by 69 per cent. Butterfat production had increased 164 per cent and wool production 130 per cent, while good results had been obtained from the lucerne areas on the light sandy land, which was evidently most suitable for lucerne production. Apt Flying Pupil. —To the Manawatu Aero Club falls the distinction of having trained a pupil to fly solo in a single day. As far as is known this has not been achieved in the Dominion before and is probably a unique performance for Australia and New Zealand. The task of giving instruction was in the hands of Flying-Officer G. M. Firth, instructor- to the Manawatu Aero Club, formerly of Auckland, and the pupil was Putt Mossman, the speedway champion. A start was made at daybreak in the club's Moth machine,* four hours being devoted, to successive flights of. from 20 minutes to half an hour. During the course of these Mossman learned the rudiments of flying. Then a spell was called for about, three hours and Mossman again went dual, making six perfect landings in succession. He then went solo and made a good landing, but was unfortunate in touching a fence with a wingllp while taxi-ing in, causing minor damage.

New Guinea Goto Shares. —New Guinea gold shares sold in London yesterday at 3s 9d. Mails from London. —Mails which left Wellington by the Makura via San Francisco arrived in London on Wednesday. Currenoy In London. —Fine gold in London yesterday was quoted at £7 0s Id an ounce (£7 Is lid on Wednesday), the dollar at 4.98 7-8 (4.98 1116), and the franc at 74 11-16 (74|). Unconsolous Humour.— “ Is your daughter showing any signs of marrying yet? " Mr Justice Callan asked an elderly female witness in the Supreme Court, Hamilton, this afternoon. A gust of laughter swept the Court when the witness replied: “Not that I know of.” Interesting Ceremony. —An interesting ceremony occurred at Kaikohe yesterday, when for the first time in the history of North Auckland, the Presbytery held a session and inducted and ordained the Rev. N. G. Hall as minister of Kaikohe, which has been raised to the status of a church extension charge. The change of status reflects the growth of settlement in North Auckland. Ragwort.—Provided the liberation of the ragwort seed fly proves successful in the Waikato district, and there is every reason to believe that it will, then a great problem which has caused concern for many years past will have been largely overcome,” writes a contributor to the Dominion. “ To be effective the insects must be liberated in the very near future as the yellow daisy-like flower of the ragwort will soon become less in evidence as the process of seeding takes place. The research workers concerned are to be congratulated on the work they are doing in promoting a war on this troublesome noxious weed.”