LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 July 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A verdict o' accidental death, caused by a fractured neck, no blame being attachable to anyone, was the verdict returned at . the inquest at Stratford yesterday into the circumstances ' surrounding the death of William Henrv Schneider, aged 20 years. Deceased, while driving a motor-car, failed to negotiate the sharp turn on the Kahouri bridge, East Road, Stratford, on Wednesday morning

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Wellington, Mr D. C. Bates said a story had gone the rounds —but it was not true—that a student once asked Miss Bates, his daughter, a question about the weather. Not beiug able to give the information, the retort came, “But your father is the weather prophet.”’ “Yes,” his daughter was said to have replied, “but we don’t, go by father—we go by mother’s corns.” (Laughter). Scarlatina is more prevalent in the Canterbury health district at. .present than it has been for this period for a number of years. Commenting on the outbreak, Dr. T. F. Telford, Medical Officer of Health, remarked that the absence of any large outbreak for throe or four years meant that a iarger proportion of children than usual had been accumulated without the resistant powers developed by having emerged from the disease.

In order that it shall not clash with Miss Maida Hooker’s pianoforte recital on Tuesday next, the Hawera Operatic Society has arranged that next week’s practice will he held on Monday at the Winter Show building. It is reported (says the Chronicle) that the Patea and Taihape freezing works ha.ve closed down, while the Imlay works are working short time. The Castlecliff works are killing a certain amount of stock for export, and the abattoirs, as usual, are working full swing.

The shooting season will close on July 31. On the whole (says the Vi anganui Chronicle), sportsmen in the district have had rather a. lean time, leathered game, with the exception of ducks at the opening of the season, being scarce. Haires have provided best •‘bags,” and have been plentiful. Pheasants appear to be getting more scarce as time goes on, although as the .result of re-stocking and the liberation of new blood, the next few seasons should show an improvement. The annual meeting of the Waverley Racing Club yesterday was very weil attended, the president (Mr. F. Wilson) being at the helm. The outgoing officers were re-elected, Messrs C. R. Honeyfield and D. Lupton being added to the judicial committee. The matter of the appointment of the judge for the season was held over. It was stated that the forthcoming season would see the fiftieth jubilee of the club, and the allocation of stake money was deferred. Mr. F. Wilson intimated his intention to present a £IOO gold cup for the winner of the Jubilee Cup.

Mr Moore, architect to the Education Board, scored rather neatly off the Tawhiti School Committee yesterday. Members admitted to board members who had come to visit the school that they had not expected compliance with a request that had been made for assistance in carrying out concrete work, and. in making this request had in view help in another direction. “We will know in future,’’ jiaid Mr Moore, “when the Tawhiti Committee asks for anything from the board that they don’t mean all they say.” This caused 1 some amusement, but the board members and officials seemed to appreciate the frankness of the committee, and showed as much consideration as prudence.and a regard to its general noliey would permit.

As a result of the economies practised by the Government three or four years ago that winged parasite, the shag, was given a hope of an extended lease of life by being relieved of the price placed upon his head because of his depredations in the fresh water fisheries of the Dominion. Marksmen made a profitable living by making war upon the gourmand birds, and their numbers were thus kept dow r n, but since the Department of Internal Affairs suspended the payment of “head” money they have increased considerably, and large numbers of shags are said to infest the principal fishing grounds-of the North Island. The Department has now seen fit to restore payment of the fee of Is 6d for every head returned from the laupo and Rotorua district, where the destruction of trout is particulary rife, and it is l likely that steps will also be taken to destroy whole colonies of shags in places where they are in the habit of congregating. In waiting of the uses of the mascot a correspondent, of the London Daily telegraph says: During the war the mascot came into its own, and it has been regarded with a considerable degree of favour ever since. The black cat “Felix,” “Pip, Squeak, and Wilned, ’ and now “Bronzo,” are among the legendary characters that have kept adults amused of fecent years. An increasing number of motor-cars —and particulary cars which are driven hv women —have a mascot attached to the hood as a charm against accidents. One of the latest fashion in drawing-room cushions consists of a. plain silk cover from a corner of which there iumps out at you a woolly “Felix the Cat.” Quito a . lot of women have been seen this winter with a small mascot pinned to then, furs, and its uses extend to shopwindow dor-oration, while it also appears on nursery walls and china. It is quite a beneficent little fashion, for it provides a numljer of disabled ex-Servioe m6n with an occupation.

The Department of Industi •ies and Commerce informed a Dominion reporter that information is being received by every mail to the effect that New Zealand’s exhibit at Wembley Exhibition in some respects surpasses that of other Dominions, and whilst the natural wonders of New Zealand could have been shown on a more wonderful scale, the actual, resources arc admirably arranged. An Auckland gentleman, writing to the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey), stated that his sister wrote firom England in June last in most uncomplimentary terms of the display, but her later correspondence was full of praise for the New Zealand court, in which she considered the displays of fruit and dairy produce were unsurpassed. Mr IV . H. Nicholson, secretary to the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation, recently received a letter from a prominent Canterbury sheepowner, in which the exhibit of primary products was referred to as an outstanding credit to the Dominion. A final reminder is given of the footballers’ annual hall to he held in the YYhareroa Hall to-night (Friday). McDonald’s oi'chestra and a first-class floor and supper should enable dancers to spend a very enjoyable evening. A reminder is given of the annual prize-giving function of the Manala branch of the Farmers’ Union, which takes place this evening. An interesting evening will be spent, and it is hoped that there will be a large attendance.