LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume 2, Issue 134, 25 March 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the cities motor traffic i.s more easily handled by the police than the old horse drawn vehicles. Baron Haehiroyemon Mitsui, on behalf of the Mitsui family, of Tokyo, lias given CdOOO to Birmingham University. Fish preserved by the freezing process for as long as 14 days may he m a better state for consumption than much of the fish ordinarily sold r..» fresh. An eight-foot statue of the Prince of Wales is being presented to Bombay by his Highness Prince Aga Khan to commemorate the Prince’s visit there.

Some very odd reasons have been given from time to time for granting a school half-holiday, hut one of the oddest instances surely happened near Rotorua, where one of the neighbouring schools was closed on the occasion of the recent Rotorua race meeting.

Mr A. G. Bignoll, in conversation with the Wanganui Herald, stated that just before he reached Australia excellent rains had fallen and the pastures had responded very rapidly, and the country was looking purlieu. larly well. He could not, however, state that the same air of prosperity prevailed as wa.s the case on his previous visit.

Names like Pigburn, Hogburn, and Bweburn do not appeal to Sir Maui Pom a re. At Waipiata (Otago) he expressed regret that the district was losing its meaning of Waipiata — “wag” the water and “ninta,” shin, ing. He trusted that hope would always burn bright and shining for those who came to the- Waipiata Sanatorium, and that they would drink of the living waters. A peculiar coincidence was later disclosed in regard to the name Orangapaj, the proper nameof the place. Sir Maui said that it was even more appropriate than the name “Waipiata,” for it meant “restoration to perfect health.”

The Tahiti has arrived at San Francisco. Of all railway occupations those of the shunter and guard are the most .dangerous.. A great storm at Gibraltar recently left a. layer of hailstones two feet deep in the street. The most dangerous corners on the mad between Pohangina and Utmvai are being improved and straightened . i Roth the up and the down Irish mail trains were held up at t/olwvn Ray recently while eight men chased a cow for two miles along the line. Mr W. Williams, of Rurgess Hill, after missing a train for London, said: “1 shall go home and have .some toast.” Then lie. fell dead on the platform. A combined meeting of the Head

Teachers’ Association and Wanganui School Committees’ Association decided that Wanganui school children should he taken to Wellington to see the Biitisli squadron. Members of the boilding Borough Council and officers ol the Charm* - * of Commerce are to-day visiting the Mangaliao hydro-electric works, at the invitation ol the ManawatuOroua Rower Board. The chain prayer, which started in America has now reached Wellington. but so far as one individual is concerned it will not ho copied and passed on to nine more persons. “It’s A— idiocy,” he said as lie handed it to a reporter. The discovery of a further asset in a bankruptcy recorded in 1898 has enabled the Official Assignee tn Wellington to declare a further dividend —the fourth—to the creditors. 'I lie bankrupt was many years ago discharged, arid the creditors have naturally written the accounts on tlieir (looks. "While the athletic sports wore in progress in Wellington on Saturday Mr H. S. Alpe, the well known long distance walker, completed on the ground a walk iroin Retone to Wellington, having done the distance from post office to post oHiee, seven miles, in lhr. 20min., heating Ins own previous record by lOrnin. A pretty incident w** recently witnessed in Wairoa, H.B. While the. storm was at its height a Maori hoy was observed struggling through the rain carrying a white girl, almost hi.s own size, in his arms. He had evidently overtaken the girl on her way home, and, wrapping her in Ins oilskin, was plodding on determinedly while the rain and wind blocked his progress.

This howling story was told by.Mr D. Pastier at the St. CTair-Caver-sham social: The thirds were taking an uncommonly long time to measure for shot, whilst all the others were anxious to get through with the game, as rain had commenced to fall, whereupon one of the impatient loaders intervened by picking up the kitty and saying: “You can go on with the measuring—it’ll save time if 1 throw it up.” The facts are quite right.

“I have noticed (hat the people oi New Zealand are a healthier looking lot than those in the United States, said Dr. J. Miller, of America, during the course of a lecture at Dunedin, “and there are apparently nor so many cosmetics used here as the. are in the States.” The speaker ated that the New Zealand Plunk system would get a world-wide reputation, and though the Dominion had not a monopoly of the system, it was handled best in New Zealand. The first boat to /arrive hack at Bluff from the mutton bird islands brought good news to those who have yet to sail for the aiiirna l catch (says the Southland Times). The report stated that the birds were plentiful and in excellent condition, the dry season being to their liking. The Maoris expect to reap a good harvest this year, and those who have not already sailed are making extensive preparations. The Despatch sailed for the islands on Wednesday, and the last party will leave Bluff tonight or early to-morrow morning. The first bird should reach the market within a month.