LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 30 August 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The vital statistics for Hawera. for the month of August just ending, together with those of the corresponding period of last year in parentheses, are as follows: Births 21 (21), deaths 11 (9), marriages 3 £7). The Waverley Bublic School, having completed its fiftieth year, the old scholars are celebrating the event with a re-union social and dance on September 5. As an indication of the extent to which cooking by electricity is being adopted in Southland, one of the Power Board’s canvassers reported the other day tliat out of thirty-one farmers canvassed by him twenty-seven had agreed to purchase electric ranges. —Southland Times.

‘‘Smoke?” asked counsel at the Palmerston North Court. “Only some' times,” answered the judgment debtor under examination. “Drink?” Witness (relates the Times) replied that he draiiK tea a lot. “That’s not very expensive,” .remarked the Bench. “I drink water when I can’t get tea,” added witness, amid a general smile.

“Are you married?” asked counsel of a. judgment debtor at the Palmerston North Court. Witness, a corpulent gentleman with great simplicity of nature judging by appearances, just smiled benignly (states the Times). “I should judge by your smile that you are very married,’’ continued counsel. “Eight "children,” beamed witness.

An Auckland’er lost and recovered a gold watch under unusual circumstances the other day (states the Star). He took the watch from his pocket- while standing over a grating in Shortland Street. The timepiece slipped from his fingers, and, to his dismay, went down the: grating into the mire. The services of a labourer were enlisted, and, after much unsuccessful dipping into the slush in the drain, the watch was recovered.

To listen-in at a football match — especially the barrackers —gives one at times some very interesting phrases (remarks the Auckland Star), and when the match happens to be a Soccer one and the side-liners are “Homies,” then you get quite the correct thing. Players are advised to do this and that, and are called all kinds of names. On Saturday in Hamilton, during the progress of a Chatham Cup match, the coalminers from Pukemiro got a new name. Excitement ran high, Pukemiro was not doing well, when a voice with a North of England twist yelled out, “Now you underground c-ockies, get a move on.”

In an interesting news budget written by Mr H. H. Do Costa from Honolulu to a friend in Gisborne, lie states: The trains or ‘street ears’ are a great boon to Honolulu. You pan travel nine miles for five cents, which equals 2Ad in our money. If you ask an American what time the next train starts he looks a.t you. Tliev are owned by a private company. There is no doubt Honolulu is a wonderful country. We have been on some of the finest drives you could imagine. The Waikiki beach is glorious to bathe In. People stay in for hours at a time, the water being quite warm. All the boats leaving for America are full months ahead, and it is almost impossible to get a passage ‘to the mainland,’ as-they call it.

Tlie first lad to leave the Masterton Methodist Orphanage to earn his living in the world is named Winston Churchill. He has been apprenticed to the building trade. A South Wyndham farmer mentioned the otiier day that he had recently noticed kaka-s in the bush adjacent to his bolding. At one time this native bird was commonly seen in his bush, but these were the first he had seen during the past ten years. A young married woman, who proceeded against her husband for a separation order in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch, told his Worship that her husband’s people had given her baby, who was 11 months old, ,beer to drink, it was such fun,” she concluded. Thf parties had been married about eighteen months.

Why cannot an aeroplane explore Mt. Everest? Lt.-Col. Pottinger explained the reason to the Millions Club at Sydney. “It is, of course, quite possible for an aeroplane to ascend to 29,000 feet,” he declared. “But the trouble is that even if it flew over Mt. Everest, it might have to land on the surrounding Tibetan plateau, and the air there is so rarefied that it would never be able to rise again.” “New Zealand is the. first place in which I have seen white tiles used for cheesemaking vats,” stated Mr. A. H. Waddy, who is at id resent on a visit to Palmerston North from England, and who has travelled extensively in many parts of the world in the interests of his firm (states the Manawatu Daily Times). “But it is quite certain that their use has become so popular in this direction with the development of the dairy industry here that it will be adopted in other parts with great success.”

It was stated by an Ashburton labour agent that a number of gorsegrubbing contracts in that district could not be let simply because the majority of applicants for the jobs demanded that they he found in food, which the country housewives, the hardest-worked women in the Dominion, simply could not agree to on account of inability to secui-e domestic help. It was practically impossible (says an to get girls to go into service in the country, despite the fact that the wages offering were almost as high as those to teamsters. Speaking regarding the dried milk and dairying industry at Matamata, Mr. P. J. Nathan said that in the East, Japan in particular, the authorities had come to the conclusion that to compete with the Western world they would have to raise the average stature of their people. They had issued an edict that every child at school must receive one cup of milk per day, and the only way they could do this was by using the dried milk product. He advocated a delegation to the East to further the interests of New Zealand.

At the Stratford Magistrate's Court on Wednesday a witness who was called (a taxi driver of good repute, who nrobably had never been insiae a courthouse before) wheeled briskly into court and confidently took his place in the dock, from which the accused had shortly before been removed and accomodated with a chair in the court. From this vantage point the witness surveyed the scene with equanimity until he realised from the laughter which filled the court, and in which the Bench joined, that he was not altogether on the cori'ect stand, so blushingly releasing his brake he proceeded to “park” in the witness box in good order.—Post. An estimate hv Mr. C. E. Skitrop, the engineer in charge ef the Opunake County road reconstruction scheme, for reconstructing and tar-sealing the Main South Road between the Namu bridge and Allison Street and Layard Street and the Waiau bridge was recently given as £2079 14s 4d. The estimated cost of top-dressing the present tarred portion between Layard and Allison streets was given as £163 9s. The whole cost (says the Opunake Times) is not large and should be met out of revenue if an arrangement can be made with Mr. Skitrop to' have the -work paid for in instalments. The Government subsidy would, of course, reduce the bill considerably. With new valuations next year the revenue will be greatly increased, and then there is something over £SOO due from the county in connection with the recent severance.

A party of visitors was being shown through the penitentiary by the warden. As they approached ‘a gang of trusties -at work in the yard, one of the party recognised an old acquaintanee, a negro from his home town. W hv, Jim, I didn’t know you were here, ’ said he. ‘‘What are you doing m the penitentiary?” “Well, Suh ” said Jim. “I had some words’with a nigger down on de C. and O. docksand m de ruckus, I leaned a crow-bar up aginst him. An’, don’t you know dat nigger took an’ laid down an’ dmd.-”’ “That’s too bad,” said his tnend. *1 suppose you were charged w ] th murder. Did they out you in for a life sentence?” “No, Suh,” said Jim not no life sentence, ins’ fum nt-w on.”

■Recently a young couple of Palmerston jNiorth passed in the street a man carrying a bundle of carpets, curtains, and like furnishings, over his shoulder l 1 urnishing like us,” they remarked and passed on. Upon arrival at the i ?n. tbeir destination (relates the local Times), they inquired for the purchases they had made and left there previously. Then it was discovered that their purchases— carpets, curtains and like furnishings—had been stolen from the back of the shop. Immediately the young couple were out in the -street and seeking the man with the bundle, but he had made good his escape. The burglary, which took place at about / u.m., was done when the shop was brightly lighted and two assistants were in the front portion. Ihe bundle was valued at £3O. A local gentleman who hails from the land of the heather tells a good story of a Scotsman who- settled in the hackhlocks of New Zealand (says the Wanganui Chronicle). A store was the only sign of habitation within nines of the place where the Scot settled, so shortly after his arrival in the locality he strolled down to the establishment to make the acquaintanceof the proprietor. Before entering the shop, however, a sign “goods exchanged for produce.” caught his eye He delayed his visit to the shop and returned home, where he secured an egg, which he subsequently exchanged for a box of matches. The proprietor welcomed the Highlander with open arms, and offered him a drink of Old Scotch, which was not refused. Mack helped himself liberally to the contents ■ iT\ ie hottle, and wisely remarked: Do ye know, mon, I always take an egg with ma whiskv.” The'proprietor obligingly produced the egg fo T which lie had traded the matches, and broke it into- the Scot’s glass. Mack surveyed the mixture, and of a sudden exclaimed excitedly; “Look. man. that egg I gave ye has a double- yolk. That is nnother box o’ matches ye owe me!” OTTTKED’S. Last few days of Outred’s Sale. Coat frocks from 35/6. splendid value; velour coats from 49/6, latest styles; Burberry coats, half price; marvellous reductions in all millinery; woollen jumpers from 7/11.— Advt.

Over two and a half million postal notes were issued in New Zealand last year, and approximately the same number were paid; the commission thereon produced a revenue of £18.196 11s lid. There was an increase in business in % British postal notes. During the year 115,498 orders were sold, of a value of £66,937. After negotiations with the Electric Light Co. the Retailers’ Association has come to an agreement with regard to community lighting, and we understand that the way is now clear for a contract to he drawn up and for the canvassers to obtain the necessary signatures of shopkeepers desiring to come in under the scheme.

A public lecture on <‘Tlie Wonders of Celestial Photography,” illustrated by one of the finest sets of lantern slides in New Zealand, will be given by the Rev. O. Blundell, of New Plymouth, in the Town Hall, Eltharn, on Monday next, September 1. Proceeds are in aid of the Eitham Presbyterian Church funds.

Quietly and steadily all over the world, women are advancing towards equality of control in public life. Spain, the most backward country in Europe, is now granting women the right to take their place as citizens. The Government, has taken in hand the reorganisation of the municipalities, says The Times, and'a new Bill has been drafted and 'will shortly receive the Royal Assent. The measure is very comprehensive, and introduces several drastic reforms. Municipalities will be permitted to draw up their own constitutions suited to local requirements; in the elections the system of proportional representation will be introduced. The Mayor will be elected by the councillors, and in no case can he be dismissed by the central Government at Madrid. Women will receive the vote for municipal elections, and will also be eligible as candidates. This is a great advance, and is the first step taken by legislation in thjs country in the direction of the political emancipation of women. Their obtainment of the vote in Parliamentary elections should now follow as a matter of course.

A number of n.c.o.’s in the Senior Cadet force in Taranaki left by the mail train this morning to attend a week’s camp at Trentham. Those from Area 8b (South Taranaki) were nine n.c.o.’s from No. 15 Company (Hawera'), four from No. 101 Company (Hawera Technical High School), 12 from No. 112 Company (Stratford Technical High School), and one from No. 98 Company (Eitham). Those from Area 8a (North Taranaki) were two officers and nine n.c.o.’s from No. 89 Company (New Plymouth Technical College), one officer and one n.c.o. from No.. 92 Company (Waitara), three n.c.o.’s from No. 93 Company (Inglewood), and three n.c.o.’s from No. 90 Company (New Plvmouth). Conducting Officer Sergeant-Major M. Rowe was in charge. Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works, made a statement to the effect that it is anticipated that water will be turned into the Mangahao tunnels by Monday, or possibly Tuesday of next week, and and this will enable a run to be made with the machinery, but owing to the necessity of slowly drying out the electrical machinery, it would not be possible to safely generate current for some considerable time, and after that period a considerable amount of adjustment was sure to be required before the Government would be in a position to engage to satisfactorily and continuously supply current. The Government proposed to fix a date for the formal opening after the middle of October, when it would be in a position to supply power to the Horowhenua Power Board.

Mr. Singleton stated at a meeting of South Island daily farmers recently that if a factory used a pasteuriser and a good starter his experience during the war was that the cheese would keep very much longer. Continuing, he said there was no compulsion about putting in a pasteuriser. If the- milk was. clean and good he did not know whether he would not prefer cheese made from a non-pasteuriser than a pasteuriser. His department had been very pleased to see the attitude taken up by the South Island factories in connection with cream grading and the payment of a differential price. Mr. Singleton went on to say that his department was out- to do all it could to assist the industry. They had officers at each of the ports throughout the South Island, and his department had now recommended the appointment of a butter instructor for the South Island. This recommendation had received the approval of the- department.

A boy named Henry Davis, aged 16 an ex-mmate of the Weraroa Training barm was charged at the Magistrate’s Court, Eltham, with absconding from Ins employer, Mr. Foy, a farmer on Hastings' Hoad, Matapu. Constable Townsend said the bov cleared out on the night of the 26th. He slept out all night, and during the next day went to a cottage in the vicinitv, used by Messrs Wright and Anglese'y, cooked himself a meal of sausages, and took two tins of tobacco. The following night the boy called at Mrs. Taylor s, who kept him, and informed the nolice. Davis, the constable stated, had been committed to Weraroa from Christchurch in 1920, on a charge of breaking and entering and theft. He had communicated with the juvenile probation offer at Wanganui, who recommended that the boy should be recommitted to Weraroa'. Davis, said the constable, had been licensed out and was still under the control of the Weraroa authorities until the term of his license was up. The hoy was a good worker, and energetic. 'He asked that the bov he recommitted to Weraroa. and the Bench decided to adopt this course.—Argus.