LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 January 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The weather for New Year’s day, though dull, was warm and fine. The town practically emptied itself into the country and to the beaches. Hundreds of cars went to Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa, Ruby Bay was popular with holidaymakers, Pelorus bridge drew many picnic parties, Snowden’s bush was the scene of Sunday School picnics while Wairoa Gorge and the numerous other suitable resorts in the district were well patronised.

This week a number of the Anchor Foundry staff made a presentation to Mr J. Tripney as a mark of their esteem during their association with him in his ten years as a workman at the foundry.

Postal packets containing matches often cause trouble for the officials of the Post Office (states “The Press”). It does not seem to be generally realised that the sending through the mails of any sort of matches, whether they are “safeties” or any other kind, is absolutely prohibited under the postal regulations. One postman received a nasty reminder of the fact that the regulations are not always observed when a small packet slipped from his hands as lie was delivering it last week, exploding and bursting into flames when it hit the ground. When the parcel was opened it was found to contain a box of some hundreds of fancy matches. -Had it ignited through receiving a blow while it was in a mail-bag, it might have caused considerable damage to other postal matter.

For the first time in its history, Gisborne will be the scene of the annual conference of the New Zealand branch of the British Aledical Association early year, commencing on 24th February and concluding on 28th February. It is expected that from 80 to 100 delegates will attend. The Gisborne division of the association is preparing for the event, which will be one of utmost importance to the town and district quite apai’t from the medical profession, very few of the doctor's in other parts of the Dominion, it is claimed, have any knowledge of Gisborne, and this it is felt will be a splendid opportunity for medical men and others in Gisborne to make a good impression oil men of the profession from other parts of the country. In addition to several prominent New Zealand doctors expected at the conference will be Professor Marshall Allan, Professor of Obstetrics at Alelbourne University. Dr. Bright Bannister, London, a prominent obstetrician, was to have provided two of the addresses, but us he is unable to come Professor Marshall Allan will fill his place.

There is an interesting story connected with a small branch of pohutukawa which was sent to the “New Zealand Herald” office last week by Mr George L,. Campbell, of Remuera. The extraordinary thing about the branch is that it has two thrushes’ nests attached to it directly opposite each other, so that the one faces up and the other down. How they came to be so constructed was observed by Mr Campbell, who states that the two thrushes concerned have built in the same pohutukawa tree in his garden for many years past. Tor three years in succession a pair of cuckoos have selected these thrushes to hatch out their eggs. This year the cuckoos arrived in November up to date and then Mr Campbell found the thrushes building their nest on a single straight branch. When it was completed it rolled under with the birds weight, so they set to work and built another on top,, the bottom one acting as a balance weight.' In due course the eggs were laid, and, in the absence of the thrushes, the female .cuckoo dropped in and laid her egg. Mr Campbell watched the nest daily, as lie wanted to catch the cuckoo before it grew too big and feed it by hand. Unfortunately, the cat had also found the nest and as soon as it touched the nest it- rolled over and tipped the young birds out. The noise made by the parc'ut birds brought people out from the house and the cat jumped down and ran off 'with the young cuckoo. The young thrushes were unhurt and Mr Campbell was able to save them. Last year the young cuckoo left the nest the very morning Mr Campbell was going to put it in a cage and it was too quick to be caught about the garden. Mr Campbell is anxious to know whether it is the parent birds that return each year to the same place to lay again of whether it is the last one hatched that cemes back. The birds arrive in his garden on 4th November each year. A special novelty dance will be held at the Velma Hall, Bridge street, tonight when the latest dance numbers will be featured by Basil Bird and his Embassy Dance Band.

A final reminder is given regarding the grand demonstration concert in the Theatre Royal this evening at 8 o’clock. This function will fittingly wind up a most encouraging and heartening day s festivities, wherein New Year Scottish sports have been successfully revived in Nelson as an annual feature, ihe lion. H Atmorc (Minister of ]i.c!ucation) lias been asked to distribute the trophies and prizes in connection with the day’s sports meeting.

Constipation or intestinal sluggishness is no doubt a universal curse. But now you can obtain quick, genLle relief from Dr Don’s Laxative Granules, made from n physician’s prescription, 11011-hahit-forming and not-fat-producing, L 1 packet. Obtainable from R. W. Martin, Chemist*

Chronic constipation overcome by taking Lubrolax, a combination of Japanese seaweed and pure paraffin which encourages natural wave-like movements. —VV. A L. Nees, Ltd., Chemists.*

For greater Beauty and skin freshness use Godet Face Powder and Cream, exquisitely perfumed with Godet’s newest perfume— Forget-me-not,—W. McKay and Sons, Ltd.*

On New Year’s Eve there was a large crowd of merrymakers in town. The Regimental, Highland Pipe and Citizens' bands played in the streets. A large number of people assembled near the Post Office to “see the new year in.” Mr A. A. Paape of Dunedin has received a letter from a Dunedin resident who has just paid a- long visit to the United States, and writes in a rather 'gloomy strain of the present conditions ill that country. The States are not, as many people seem to imagine, a country flowing with milk and honey, and the visitor is only too pleased to be able to continue his journey to England. The letter stated that two of the leading hotels of Pittsburg had reduced their kitchen staffs by considerably more than half and the extent of unemployment was almost unbelievable. The “Red” element, too, was found to be present in considerable numbers, and it was almost a daily occurrence for “Red” parades to be dispersed by mounted police. The leading New York newspapers were giving much space to Mussolini's bellicose speeches, and the whole country was very unsettled.

“Askari” writes in the Christchurch “Times” : “When the wind comes from the nor’-west quarter, old Canterbury Mounted Rides men are stirred by memories of the summer they spent down in the Jordan Valley in 1918. In a temperature of 120 degrees in the shade, men from the Canterbury Plains, in sleeveless singlet, riding breeches, and several days’ growth of beard, looked nearly as respectable as the native population, who are the colour of burned toast and dress like a scarecrow. Butter poured out of the tin like oil, cakes of chocolate sent by kind friends from far. New Zealand, arrived in a sticky mass, or rather mess. The eternal stew in such an atmosphere was revolting. I well remember an ingenious man from Canterbury who had an irresistible desire for something baked. He dug a hole in the side of an earth bank, made an oven out of an empty benzine tin and turned out a really succulent apricot pie. I can see him now, mixing the dough, earning his pie by the sweat of bis brow, drops of it falling unheeded into the dish as he kneaded away in the open air—only there was no air to speak of, and the heat in his oven was less than that of the Valley. It was in the Valley that a green young man in the Medical Corps put a thermometer out in the sun, and was surprised when it went off like a cracker.” The December issue of the “Abstract of Statistics,” reviewing, conditions for November, says: The various business indexes for the month of November reflect in general a continuance of the conditions ruling during recent months. The volume of debits placed to individual accounts (excluding Government accounts) indicates a marked slackening in business activity as compared with November, 1929. On the other hand, the falling-off in deposits experienced during recent months has abated considerably, while there has been a stead.ying-up of the ratio of advances to deposits. Trade conditions during the month have been distinctly unfavourable. November usually records a high level of exports, but very little improvement was shown this year over October, and, compared with November of last year, a decided falling-off was experienced. With the exception of frozen meat, the primary products have all shown heavy decreases in value exported. The level of imports is also considerably below that attained in recent years. In spite of this, however, the visible balance of trade in favour of the Dominion for the eleven months ended November, 1930, is no less than £4,000,000 below that obtaining for a similar period of 1929, a condition of affairs which finds its reflection in the high ratio of. advances to deposits encountered in banking circles. The General Synod of the Church of England in New Zealand will be held in Christchurch early next month and will open in the ’Provincial Council Chambers on sth February. An evening service will be held in the Cathedral on 4th February. There are fashions in food, as there are ip clothes, sport, games, and everything else in this changing - life. The bullock roasted whole upon the turnspit, the blazing boar’s head, the luscious haunch of venison, washed down with copious draughts of sack or brimming bumpers of Malmsey wine, are articles of diet which we only read about in old Christmas tales. Perhaps the only dish that finds general acceptance at the Christmas dinner table throughout the British Empire is the richly-flavoured, fruit-laden and indigestible pudding, and even of that we baulk at taking the liberal helpings which our forefathers used to manage without turning a hair, and are content with a modest portion which scarcely covers a quarter of the space of the plate. Even the sucking pig which used to grace the colonial table so bravely is vanishing as a general item of the Christmas menu. A well-known Wellington provider in the pork and small-goods line remarked to the “Dominion” that he had not sold a sucking pig this Christmas. “I used to sell over five hundred sucking pigs every Christmas-time some twelve or fifteen years ago,” he said, “but somehow or other the public taste has changed, and there is little or no demand for them to-day. Perhaps it is because they are rather expensive now; but even that would not deter certain people from ordering them were they so inclined. No, it is the change in fashion. I had a look round town the day before Christmas, and only discovered two or three suckers exhibited. Why, in the, old days you would have seen the windows of certain shops dressed up with them a day or so before Christmas, but now the people go in moro generally for spring lamb, and perhaps a ham. Poultry is still in demand, but geese and turkeys are not consumed in such numbers as was the case when Wellington was half as big as it is to-day.” Economy measures are to be introduced into the training of cookery in manual training schools in the Hawke’s Bay district. Opinions expressed by members of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board at its last meeting were to the effect that the work was extravagant and that the cooking was not of the required type. “The cost of the work is absolutely ridiculous,” remarked the chairman (Mr G. A. Maddison). “The girls get tomatoes at Is 6d a pound and use them, and they also have to have bananas and other fruits. The accounts for the cost of this work indicate that very little is done in the way of teaching' the girls to cook a good, square meal. What they learn is all right for fastidious epicures. There seems to be no practical cooking taught.”

At a recent inquest in London concerning the death of a man who expired suddenly while smoking his evening pipe the medical evidence went to show that deceased had a diseased heart, and had been a heavy smoker for years. And when it came out that his favourite brand of tobacco was found on analysis to be ‘‘full of nicotine” the coroner remarked: ‘‘Cause and effect.” Thousands of smokers have gone under owing to the same'thing. The American tobaccos are all ‘‘full of nicotine” and to smoke them habitually is to run a foolish risk. Here in New Zealand smokers are not exposed to that risk—unless they deliberately court it. Our New Zealand tobaccos are practically free from nicotine. The toasting does it—yes, and it gives them their wonderful flavour and delicious bouquet, too! You can smoke these brands as freely as you please. They are innocuous. There are only four sorts: Riverhead Gold. Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3, and Cut Plu~ No. 10. Are they being imitated? Why, of course ! So look out !*

A man appeared before Mr T. E. Maunsell S.M. at the Magistrate’s Court this morning charged with attempted suicide. Senior-Sergeant W. J. Butler explained that it was not a serious attempt. The man had been drinking and was very despondent on account of his separation from his wife. He was convicted and discharged on an assurance being given that he would not make any other attempts on. his own life.

An Ashburton farmer who was on a holiday visit to Wanganui this week, remarked to a “Herald” representative that in passing Ratana Pa he, naturally living in a grain-growing area, was attracted to the sight of the waving ears of corn. He had always understood that the North Island was unsuitable for wheat growing. He pulled up his car and entered the fields of Ratana and was favourably impressed with the good quality of the wheat. The Ashburtonite said he was rather surprised that more farmers in the North did not grow wheat, seeing that the ground was admirably suitable. It was explained to the southern visitor that a great deal of grain was grown in Wanga/nii district during the early days and flour mills also operated. However, taking all things into consideration the climatic conditions were usually not so good as in Canterbury, although during the last three seasons Ratana had experienced ideal harvesting conditions and the yields both in wheat and oats were heavy.

The Loyal Howard Lodge will hold their usual fortnightly old time dance iu the Oddfellows Hall to-morrow Saturday evening.