LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 September 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ten harmonicas have been presented to the boys of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind by Mr Alfred Eady (states the New Zealand Herald). The gift has been made so that the boys may form a harmonica hand.

A shipload of apple cases is'now on the way to Nelson from Vancouver. The landed cost to the user will be one shilling a case, while the local production (says an exchange) costs one penny more.

An interesting remark is made by Mr. D. J. Goodwin, writing from Nottingham, on the subject of the lacemaking industry of that city. On a postcard of the city he says: ‘ ‘Left Nottingham yesterday, which is having a slump on account of America putting 33 per cent, on lace. New Zealand should admit British goods 30 per cent, cheaper than foreign.”

On a clear night the striking of the Hawera Post Office clock can he heard for some miles out in the country. Our Whareroa correspondent mentions that at the close of a function held in the local hall, just as those assembled were singing “Auld Lang Syne” preparatory to leaving, the town clock was heard distinctly striking the midV night hour. The striking of the clock is often heard when conditions are favourable at Ararata, seven miles awav.

One farmer in the Oamaru district has a Berkshire sow which has produced 45 young pigs in tho last two years (states the North Otago Times). “New Zealand is the only country in the world that has as much as 10 months in the year of a season for butter-fat production,” remarked Mr Milton Alpass at the annual meeting of the Konini Dairy Company (states the Wairarapa Age). The Government is to be urged by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to reduce railway rates on imported dutiable goods to the same rates as those charged on local goods. It wiis pointed out by Mr A. M. Bisley (president) at a meeting (states the Auckland Star) that country districts are at a disadvantage as against seaport towns, where imported goods are concerned, as seaports have no railway freight to pay on such goods.

Some of the men who went to the war did so in a spirit of adventure, but by far the greatest majority went from a stern sense of duty,” said MajorGeneral C. W. Melvill at the unveiling of Sanson’s war memorial (reports the Manawatu Standard). “In most cases they did so at great inconvenience and with substantial monetary loss,” he added.

At the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday, judgment for the plaintiff with costs against the defendant was given in each of the following undefended civil cases : W. F. Buist v. P. Rosewarne, £1 Is; Curtis and Spragg v. Hauparoa Whareaita. £l4 12s; same v. Rangi Marama, £l4 3s; B. R. Long v. A. Michfilanney, £2 15s; same v. R. M. Maekillop, £2 ss; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Co v. D. J Hughes, £2O 16s 3d; Bank of New Zealand v. D. J. Hughes. £143 19 s 8d; Long v. C. Maule, £2; same v. M. Heepa, £l6. “If I were asked what -was the most interesting place in the whole world, I should say the dentist’s chair,” stated Professor Adams, amid laughter, at Palmerston (says the Standard), when stressing the value of interest in teaching. “Every movement of the dentist is of interest to the occupant of the chair,” he added, amid renewed laughter. ‘.‘The people of California are great workers, ’ ’ said Mr G. D. Macfarlane, a Christchurch business man, when interviewed on his return from a visit to that State (states an exchange). ,“ Whether at work or at play they always go strong.” The wages in California were high, but the people worked hard for them. Women in some of the fruit-packing houses earned as much as four and five dollars a day, but this was by piece work, and they had to toil hard.

Guide Warbrick reports an extensive eruption in one corner of Frying Pan flat, 600 yards from Waimangu, states the Rotorua correspondent of the Auckland Star.. JThe ejecta is scattered for 500 yards over the round trip track. The face of a hill 150 feet high was blown outwards. The waters of Lake Rotomahana have been steadily rising eleven feet in the last two months. Lake Rotomahana is 160 feet above the level of Lake Tarawera. and has a depth of 600 feet. Thermal develooments are being keenly noted. Figures contained in the annual report of the Department of Labour show that the number of factories registered in the Dominion in 1923-24 was 15,009, an increase of 474 on the previous year. The number of factory workers was 97,731, or 5123 more than in 192223. On the West Coast of the South Island there was renewed activity in the timber trade, and a number of new sawmills were registered. «In other parts of New Zealand the betterment of international trade conditions was reflected, in many small factories commencing business.

A “war on dogs” lias been commenced by the Palmerston North Borough Council—that is a war on the homeless strays that wander the streets, do „ harm to the farmers’ flocks, endanger traffic in the borough, and generally create a nuisance (states the Manawatu Daily Times). The council recently decided, on the recommendation of the Works Committee, that additional inducement be offered the registrar in the matter of the collection of stray dogs, and that she be remunerated to the extent of 5s per head for stray and ownerless dogs destroyed, proof to be established by the production of the tails.

The story of a bull in a china shop is time-honoured, but it is not often that such incidents occur in real life. On a recent afternoon, however (relates the Daily Times) a resident of Columbia road, Masterton, had a rather exciting experience with one of the bovine family. A drover was taking some cattle along the road, when a Hereford bullock became excited, rushed through a vacant section, and jumped a fence. The animal made straight for the residence, and entered the back door. The surprise of the lady of the ( house can be easily imagined when she went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea, and found the room occupied by a long-horned bullock, frothing at the mouth with excitement. The lady immediately summoned her husband, who handled the bullock carefully and got it to leave quietly. The drover and the occupants of the house consider themselves lucky that no damage was done.

Police reports on drinking by women and upstairs bars were presented at a meeting of the Dunedin Licensing Committee a few days ago. “As regards women drinking in hotels/ ’ one of the reports ran, “the sergeants report that none of the hotels have rooms set apart for the exclusive use of women. Some have small sitting-rooms near the bar, and owing to their being semi-private, these are used by women for drinking purposes. Women also frequent what is termed the bottle department, and are supplied witli liquor. Drinking among women is on the increase, and noticeably amongst comparatively young women.” The chairman said the' committee thought that no part of premises should be set apart specially for drinking by women, and hoped that licensees would take all steps to discourage women from going into hotels for the purpose of drinking. In regard to upstairs bars, the chairman said the committee was pleased to -note that with one exception licensees had fallen in with the desires of the committee that these should he done away with. An attractive grocery proposition is advertised on page 1 by W. H. and A. McGarry, Eltham. . A first-rate concert will be given by leading artists from Hawera in the Town Hall, Normanby, next Monday night, at 8 o’clock, in connection with the Methodist Church Anniversary. Refreshments will be supplied at the close. Guard your ideas. There are many people only too willing to “pick your brains. ’ ’ If you have an idea for an invention, come and discuss it with us right away and get it protected against "pirates,” who would rob you of your reward. —Henry Hughes Ltd. (Directors: W. E. Hughes and J. T. Hunter), Regd. Patent Attorneys, 157 Featherston St., Wellington. —3

A fine specimen of a centipede, fully eight inches long, was taken to the Waikato, Times office the other day. The insect, which is of a size rareiy seen, in New Zealand, was found in some dead timber. The insect has a formidable pair of fangs, with which it can inflict a serious bite.

“It seems to me that if the by-laws were attacked it would be found to be unreasonable,” said Mr Wyvern Wilson in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch the other day, referring to the regulations as to leaving cars unattended. The magistrate said that a car might' be left in the charge of an incompetent person, in which case it would be just as gi’eat an obstruction as if there was nobody in charge. He thought the regulation referred back to the old days when a per§am could not leave a horse vehicle unattended; that was to prevent a runaway, but there was no danger • of this with a car. He thought the proper course for the police to take in future would be to proceed under the statute for leaving a vehicle in a highway without reasonable excuse (reports the Star). It would not be a reasonable excuse if people left their car .while slumping in Cashel street for two hours, but if a person had been taken to the hospital and a relative had driven up and stayed for half an hour the ipase would be different. It was a matter of reasonableness, and that was the only way t*> test anything.