Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6274, 30 December 1921, Page 4

Local and General.

The itaheuo left Sydney at 5 p.m. yesterday for New Zealand An Auckland T.A-. message states that Philip Sol-o mail, missing- since Thursday, has been located at Warkvorth. His mind is blank in regard to. his wanderings. An Ohaupo farmer,. named [Robert Hutton Hart, came to Auckland on .December 22. He left his motor-cycle in a city garage, and has not since been heard of.—P.A.

Tenders for the supply of about £IOO,OOO worth of plant for Mangahao electric works have been accepted, all being by British firms. This comprises the bulk of the powerhouse plant, and does not cover all the machinery required. Among the tenderers were American and Swedish firms.—P.A.

As an indication of what may be expected of "Cannonball'’ Percy Coleman at Monday’s motor-cycle' race Meeting at the Park, it niay be mentioned that at the Opotiki motor raceg. in the East Coast Handicap, he covered 15 miles in 14min 58 l-ssec. This may be regarded as a very meritorious performance, as the course was somewhat bumpy and very greasy.

A summer conference of Presbyterian Bible Class students is being held at Nelson. The total registrations number Gil. The students are camping iu various schools, taking their meals in tho drill hall. The mornings are devoted to business and study, and the afternoons to sight-seeing and recreation. The delegates were accorded a civic welcome on Wednesday. —Press Assn. The Christmas statistics for the four days, December 21-24, inclusive, at the Gisborne post office, are as follows:—Number ul ! mail and parcel hampers, 1275 (last year 1251); st amp sales, £S6G (last year £549 10s); number of telegrams, including bureau messages, forwarded, 4055 (4940); telegrams received, 4952 (5305); transmitted, 2419 (2913). a

The opinion that Maori school children should receive more .tuition in handiwork and vocational subjects, in preference to the academical subjects now so largely taught, was given much prominence at the conference of the Native School Teachers’ Association in Auckland. A resolution was passed, urging upon the Education Department the necessity for an early revision of the Native school syllabus, insisting that in such revision the paramount requirements of the Maori people should be the first considera-tion.-kP.A. Kodaks at the price you are prepared to pay.—A. W. J. Mann, Mann, Photo. Chemist.***

Present indications are *»" breezes, with weather lair nt _ The barometer shows little m A stranger dropped into » store at Taranaki recently,'ami asked how ho found the times. P » “Brisk; I have just put on thioe hands.” It was subsequently leajnt that the stranger's occupation was t of a- debt collector!

The Gisborne City Band wdl conclude their carolling season to-m ’ when the Band will take up , tion in the streets during the atm noon and evening m aid of test funds.

A public meeting of primary due os will be held in the Fannoxb Union rooms at 2 pan. to-jnoirow discuss the Government's meat P° proposal and to elect two 1 !1 “ . delegates for a conference to be hcl at Wellington on January 10 111 nection with the Government scheme. A determined attempt was made at about midnight one day last week burn down a block of buildings in the main street at Ohakune. The mcench ary bv means of cotton waste and oil, ignited the side of an unoccupied shop. A child sleeping in an adjoining buiixl ing heard flames crackling, and O avo the alarm. Prompt measures >' el taken to extinguish the fire.

The Railway Department is responsible for a novelty in colour which strikes the eye, says the Otago Da l Times. After many tfears ot d. green railway carnages a group of dark red cars in the Dunedin railway yaici is sufficiently interesting to attract notice. The official explanations change is that the ’ new colour wiu withstand the elements better (than the old.

That man is a million years old; that his nursery was Africa, no 'Asia; that he began as a pigmy, ev " olved from an ape; that the ice age was comparatively modern, roughly 15,000 years ago; that we are now ; at the wannest period of the earth s 'existence. These are some of the rather heterodox opinions put roitn by Dr. A. Churchward in a book called, “The Origin and Evolution ot the Human Race.”

The conference of the Native School Teachers' Association concluded at Auckland yesterday. The conference expressed sympathy with the work of Ratana m combating tohungaism among the Maoris. It was resolved to hold the next annual meeting in cou ' nection with a summer school and camp to be arranged for January, 1923. ft was also decided to-' make arrangements for lectures on agriculture and special subjects dealing with Native school teaching in addition, to the refresher course of physical instruction. The new arrangement will be in lieu of the usual conference. The summer school and camp will be in the nature of a refresher course. —P.A. “With reference to the serious delays which have occurred in the discharge of refrigerated produce from steamers in the Port of London,” stated the Prime Minister to a N.Z. Times representative, .“the High Commissioner, with whom the Government has been in close communication on the question, now advises that matters are improving. and that the Port of London Authority anticipates that at the end of the month the situation will be approaching normal. The High Commissioner states that during the month of September 11 out of 19 meat steamers were unable to commence unloading owing to the lack of storage accommodation in London for ' cargoes, whereas' at present only one steamer out of eleven is unable to discharge for that reason.”

The respective merits of dried milk or cocoa as hot beverages for school children at the mid-day recess were the subject of comment by the Auckland Education Board, upon receipt from the Rotorua TV omen’s Club of a recommendation for the distribution of hot drinks throughout the board’s schools. The writers spoke of the benefits which mediTcal officers attributed to hot drinks for children and suggested that a cooking matron, and the older girls, serve the drinks to all children unable to go home for lunch, and that a sum of lid per week be levied on all children so supplied. The chairman, Mr E. C. Banks, said he had heard medical men extol t-lie benefits i of dried milk mixed with hot water, and on his suggestion it was agreed to obtain a medical opinion on the matter.®

Owing to the unpleasant weather yesterday morning no attempt was made to make passenger flights with the Avro aeroplane. During the day the machine was taken to the Vacuum Oil Company’s yard, and the engine thoroughly overhauled. The propeller has been re-fitted, and other minor matters attended to. Further work has still to be done, but it is anticipated that the machine will be ready for the air by midday to-day, and providing the weather is favorable, it is hoped to make a laTge number of flights during the week-end. The repeated warnings which have been given regarding the danger of people tampering with the machine, appear to have been cf little avail, as yesterday morning it was ascertained that someone had been walking over the starboard wing, and caused damage to the extent of about £ls. •It is considered improbable, from the nature of the damage, that it was caused by children. It is difficult to imagine that adults do not realise the stupidity of interfering with the machine. From Monday next amusement lovers will in accordance with the latest edict by the Government, pay more for their pleasure, as the new amusement tax comes into force at the beginning of the year. The effect in regard to picture theatres will be that the patron who lays back in the luxurious Is 6d seat will pay two pence for that privilege, an increase of one penny on the previous tax. In conversation with a Times representative yesterday. Mr N. Handncks, manager of Everybody’s Theatre, said the tax had been placed by the Government on amusement goers, not on the picture proprietors. The proprietors, as was well known, received no percentage of that tax, which was paid into the Government direct. There would be no increased charge in the Gd. 9d, or Is Id seats. The tax commenced with one penny on the shilling seat and increased by a sliding scale. The impost was as follows:—Under one shilling, free; is, id ; Is Gd, 2d; 2s, 2d; 2s Gd, 3d : 3s, 3d • 3s Gd, 4d; 4s, sd ; ss. Gd; and Gs. 7d’. and so on. The usual Gs seat in a theatre' would, on and after Monday, cost Gs 7d. Some slight confusion might arise in the minds of the public at first, he thought, but matters would soon settle down to normal.

Don’t hesitate to use Nazol freely, especially by constant inhalation, it protects the month, nose, and throat from infection. Good for Coughs, Colds, Sore Throats, etc. *,* " 4

A sudden chill may give you cold chilis. Remember! If you take a chill don’t wait until you are laid up, but use Nazol freely right away. Thousands know its value.*** 2

A fine assortment of all kinds of useful and dainty wares, suitable for ’Xmas or New Year gifts, are now being displayed by Messrs C. Rosie and Co. These goods were bought at a big discount, and are to be sold at prices as low as ever they were in pre-war days. Do your ’Xmas shopping early and avoid the rush and* crush later oft.**?

Sheepfarmers ! Economise by buying Murton’s Dip, best and cheapest One drum makes 1000 gallons of dipping solution and costs £2 16s 3d. We guarantee that we are using the same quantities and qualities of chernieals as before tho war. Support looal industry.***