LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 September 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The letter sixty years old which we published on Tuesday was. sent in by Mrs T.*Cleaver, not Mrs G. Cleaver. The Rarawa will not sail for Onehunga to-morrow night, but will remain in port until Saturday night in order to take north the Auckland representative team ; and supporters.

The attendance at the Eltham school has reached a record, the present roll number being ;412, and hiso ' a - record attendance for’ one day, the number being. 394 only 4 per cent, being absent.

The Waverley Town Board has decided to tar-seal the main street 18 feet wide. In the opinion of the Retailers’ Association this does not go far enough, and at a meeting ’held recently at-which the whole matter was fully discussed, it was resolved that the board be requested to tar-seal the road over its full width, the money required to be raised by special loan. The ‘ Council of Victoria College has received through. Sir James G. Wilson a donation of £1056 for.the purpose of establishing annual scholarships to be known as Farmers Union Scholarships, at the new agricultural college which it is hoped will shortly be established. The several donors, who wish to remain anonymous, realise the need for agricultural education in this country, and have made this handsome gift with the hope of aiding and encouraging young men to avail themselves of the instruction which will be offered.

“At aur next / monthly meeting, said the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr. F. Horrell), “I am hoping to set out for the board’s consideration a scheme of life insurance for our employees, somewhat on the lines of the Wellington Harbour Board and the Christchurch Gas Company, but with some improvements. Our secretary, Mr. Williams, and myself have been actively engaged during the past month in preparing the scheme, and, when completed, copies will be sent to members for their consideration. with a hope that it will meet with the hoard’s approval.”— Lyttelton Times. An important piece of business in connection with the Exhibition was settled in Dunedin this week, states The Post’s Dunedin correspondent.' Mr. E. J. Gravestock, who introduced Charles Hackett and many other notabilities to New Zealand, made final arrangements with the directors whereby he is appointed special commissioner to proceed to London and endeavour to secure one of the crack military bands, or, in the alternative, a leading symphony orchestra. Mr. Gravestock also hopes to arrange for a visit to New Zealand, and particularly to the Exhibition, of notable concert artists, and if during his peregrinations he comes across anything in the musical line that he thinks would be an attraction, he is to advise the directors.

In telling petitioner in a divorce action brought before him at Hamilton, on the grounds of a mutual separation for the statutory period of three years, that he would have to provide for his children, Mr. Justice Stringer said he had had before him more than one case of a mail separating from his wife for* more or less frivolous reasons, then later getting a divorce, leaving his wife and perhaps two or three children, getting married again, and having more children, and then stating that he had no longer the ability to maintain the first wife and family. His Honor said he was going to do his best to prevent this kind of thing occurring again. A man had no right to get married a second time whilst leaving his first wife and family unprovided for, especially where the divorce arose from a separation by It is of a northern New Zealand township that the following story is told: —The ceremony was over, and the bride, with her gentle husband, had not long sat down to the genial board. Suddenly she was “yanked’ to her feet, while her “master and disposer” stated his case: “Have to be off now, friends; you see, we’ve forty miles to go to our farm, and sixty cows to milk when we get there, and as the missus here hasn’t done any milking before, it’ll take a bit of time to get her into the way of it.” This » ie ki m l o? anecdote that should be told those romantic migrants (feminine) who come out with the idea that because women arescarce in the backblocks they won’t be worked too hard. It is-because they won’t be worked too hard that they are scarce in the backblocks

Years ago the price of plug tobacco to the New Zealand storekeeper was Is 3kl per. pound in bond, with a. duty of 3s 6d (says the Auckland Star’s Dunedin correspondent). To-day the same tobacco is sold to- the storekeeper at 4s 8d Jt is arguable, therefore, that although the cost of producing the leaf has advanced and wages and ither charges are increased, tohaccom a king companies should be satisfied with the conditions at present existing, and if Mr. Massey's proposal to lower taxes on tobacco by £IOO 000 is carried, some part- at least- of the concession ought to be for the benefit of the men who smoke. The probability is that Mr. Massey, before formulating his proposal, came to .some understanding with the companies for a reduction to consumers. It is inconceivable- that makers, already in a strong position, should he made a oresent of the ,£IOO,OOO.

WORKING SHIRTS. Our men's and boys’ -shirts are faithfully made and the best of cut. Our factory prides itself it can make shirts. Our working shirts at 7/6, both in dark and medium shades, wear well; we have the all-wool shirts for men; boys’ school shirts and white tennis shirts; boy’s Canoe collar shirts in flannel or cotton. Call and buy your next shirt at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Hawera.—Adv.t,

During the Avar all German missionaries in India were’interned and afterwards repatriated. The strictest, precautions to prevent their return have since been taken. Noav, however, the Government of India, has apparently rescinded the decision at the request of the South India United Chinch Mission, and is permitting three German missionaries, including a. lady, for purely religious work. They are expected to arrive in September. In a town not far distant from Wanganui, two newsboys got into a heated argument over some matter or other, and decided to settle the little dispute with the gloves in a local gymnasium. They stripped off their coats, donned the mits. and at the sound of the gong sprang from their corners like tigers find commenced to “paste” each other as professionals would With a big stake in sight. Eventually a crowd wandered on to’the scene of the titanic struggle, and two noisy supporters of the aspirants for pugilistic honours hit upon the brilliant idea of taking up a collection. The exhibition proved so profitable that the young fellows have decided to . stage a series of similar bouts:—Chronicle. Near the end of June urns the 245th aniiwersary of the battle of Bothu-ell Brig, when the Covenanters ivere defeated by the Duke of Monmouth and Claverhouse. It is an event the memory of which remains evergreen in Scotland, and the usual commemoration service took place in the course of the afternoon.

Members of Parliament are ivorrying Ministers about discovering a remedy for' the' blackberry pest, and urging that a big rewatd be offered for an effectri*e destructor. Meanwhile, says the Eltham Argus,: some practical Tarariaki~ Wke. a remedy'' of their own. They drive a remedy of their OAA’n. They drive a number of pigs into an enclosure, of limited size where blackberries are groiving; the pigs do the rest. They appear to find sustenance in blackberry roots and dig quite deep for them. The interesting subject of the number of currants in a bun caused a brief discussion in the Supreme Court at Auckland last week, when a bakery case was being heard by Mr. Justice Reed, states the New Zealand Herald. His Honour: It’s usually about three. Counsel: I understand it is compulsory to have at least one currant in one bun. It is not in the bakers’, award, is it? Witness: No, it is not in the bakers’ avyard.

When some doubt was raised in the Supreme Court at Hamilton the other day as to whether an aged native could speak English or not, the native having stated that he could not, Mr. H. T. Gillies, acting fori the Crown (relates the Waikato Times) asked witness if he would join him in a beer at the hotel on the conclusion of the case. The old man’s eyes suddenly lit up,, and a broad, surprised grip overspread his features, to the great amusement of the Court, and which led his Honor to remark that there seemed,to be a gleam. of understanding on the old man’s face. (Renewed laughter.) When the witness was later asked his , name by an interpreter, he replied in English “George Martin.” His Honor: It sounds quite Anglo-Saxon. (Laughter.) Condensing in tabloid form informed criticism of New Zealand’s display at Wembley, it can be successfully claimed that: (1) Our wool exhibit is the best at Wembley; (2) our meat exhibit is the best that has been displayed in any country; (3) butter and cheese equal to any display at Wembley or elsewhere; (4) apples quite showy and attractive; (5) honey good ; (6) timber and kauri gum very effective; (7) flax quite impressive; (8) furs and skins Avell displayed; (9) woollen rugs the best in the world; (10) reception room (with New Zealand furniture and sporting trophies) the most attractive at the exhibition; (11) the cinema theatre the largest and best at Wembley; (12) at least a score of other lines, such as cereals, fish, school exhibits and various secondary industries are satisfactorily displayed. The thoi-oughness of the ivay in ivhicli things are done in New Zealand is commented upon in sarcastic vein by a contributor to the Croydon Advertiser (England). He states that a friend ha s just had an official communication from the General Post Office at Wellington which says : —“A packet insufficiently prepaid, containing Avedding cake, addressed to you, has been detained here, as the international postage regulations forbid the transmission by sample post of 'packets containing wedding cake. As'the name and address of the sender is not obtainable here, the packet cannot be returned or the deficient postage required collected. If you will remit to this office the deficient postage required either by postage stamps or by money-order the packet will be fonvarded to you by letter post, or. if you prefer, it will be returned to the sender free of charge if you will furnish the address.”

. “The Parliament of New Zealand is a very much better institution than many people are prone to admit,” said the Prime Minister, during the course of an address in the Wairarapa.. “It was not expected that there would be a great deal of legislative business done last session, as parties were getting the strength of each other. I cannot say that we did not waste some time, hAit Ave did useful work for the country. I don’t say that Parliament will agree with, me as a body, but a majoritv does,” he added, amid laughter. “But there is no question about the value of the Avork that Avas done. They lightened the burden of taxation on the shoulders of the people, and they did magnificent AA-ork in settling the problem connected with the condition of the soldier settlers on the land. From the information that comes before me regularly, I predict that about 85 per cent, of the soldier settlers will pull through, despite the severe times many of them have had. (Hear, hear). Were- it not for them, the Dominion would not have been able to establish the record setup last year in the export of our dairy produce. Every member of the Legislature,” said Mr. Masm conclusion, “has an earnest desire to see the people contented and happy Perhaps they look at the Aveltare of the country from different viewpoints, but the whole Parliament whether its members belong to Liberal, Labour or Reform Parties, aims at setting the Dominion on the road- to prosperity aud. I am glad to be able to acknowledge it.” :Hear. bear.) Several tons of London morning newspapers for Brighton, which Avere on a special neAvspaper train from London Bridge, were destroyed by fire at Brighton recently, states the' London Evening News. The fire was confined to the van containing the Brighton supplies.

“He has a slow ride, so we can let him off,” said a member of the Levels County Council in reply to another member, who stated that it was not fair that a motorist should be taxed £2 a year under the new Vehicles Bill, when a man who drove a horse and cart, which did just as much damage to the roads, got off Scot free. A third member (reports the Timaru Post) reminded his colleague that it was the motorist who demanded the good roads.