LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 October 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Government guarantee for the export of fruit from the Dominion during the 1924-25 season is 300,000 cases. Customs officials at Auckland yesterday found secreted under the flooring of a wardrobe, in a ealoon cabin on the steamer Maheno opium valued at £llO. The owner of the drug has not been traced. The Women’s National Reserve invite people to contribute eggs for the Residential Nursery in Wellington. This is an annual appeal, and on former occasions has been well responded to. We are asked to state that eggs may be left at the Library or the Rest Room during the next seven days. Judgment for .the plaintiffs, with costs against the defendant, was given •at the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday in each of the following undefended civil cases: Para Rubber Co. v. B. Waldren, £o 19s 6d; E. Norman v. H. G. Hall, £101; Gyde and Barringer v. S. E. Brown, 16s 6d. In the judgment summons cases of A. H. Shaw v. J. Brew, and C. M. Cold well v. P. M. Glenie, defendant in the first case was ordered to pay the amount of the judgment debt, £ll 16 s 6d, in default 13 clays’ imprisonment, and in the second case a similar order was made directing defendant to pay the judgment debt of £l3 14s Bd, in default 1.5 clays’ imprisonment. The concluding meeting of Mr L Piper’s mission was held on Wednesday mght in the Hawera Methodist Inhere was a good attendance, and Mr Piper sang several of his best pieces and choruses, some of them bv special request. The Rev. R. B. GpL nell, who has been associated with Mr 1 iper during the mission, made a final appeal for loyalty to Christ and the church Appreciation of the willing work of the missioners was expressed iv the Rev. W. J. Oxbrow and) the «rcmt steward . on behalf of the church and it is believed that the taithtul song and ministrv has made a lasting impression which will hear trait The missioners thanked the speakers for the kind recognition of L r + } V ° r £’ a V d tlle me «ting dosed with, the Doxology. A gentleman who was in the habit of returning home lnte at night invariably told his wife the time was 12 O’clock, hut this eventuallv did not satisfy her. Lying awake ' one night awaiting her good man’s return she received the usual answer to her customary question. She then said she was suffering from a severe headache, and as the ticking of the clock was a disturbing factor she asked him to stop the mechanism. Asking her husband again the following morning what time lie had returned home, and receiving the usual reply, she gently led him to the tell-tale timepiece, which pointed to 3 o’clock, the hour at which he had stopped the clock for her. He now thinks the trickery of a woman is too clever for a mere man. BUCKRELL'S, HAWERA.

Just opener!: Ladies’ dust coats, in crash 29/6 pure linen 32/6, Shantung silk 70/-; nothing more suitable for motoring during the summer. Beautiful undervests. 2/6 and 3/6;. pure wool undervests, o/6, 7/6, large sizes. New hosiery, costumes and frocks.—Advt.

Fir© blight is reported to have made its appearance amongst fruit trees in the Kai Iwi district, and it is desirable that growers should keep a strict watch for indications of its spreading. If they locate any disease of a doubtful nature they are requested to send specimens of it to the orchard instructor of the local branch of the Agricultural Department. .A lady bather at Prussia Core, Cornwall, lost her watch from her wrist, hut in too deep water for her to recover it. Walking along the beach six days later with his dog, a visitor was surprised to see the animal dash out or the water with the watch.

Canon Hay. Aitkin, aged vicar of Norwich Cathedral, in London, has delivered 22,000 sermons. He began ©reaching at the age of 17, and is now S 3. John Wesley preached 27,000 sermons.

A new air service is to be operated between London and Stockholm. It is proposed to operate three airshios, capable of carrying 25 passengers each, dal s will leave both capitals “As you know, the Prince of Wale® is here in the United States, and we have gone wild over him,” writes a resident of Newport (U.S.A.) to a Hamiltonian. “Really, I never saw a more charming fellow. He paid Newport a visit last week, and I am sure will never stop talking about him. He has won America with his democratic \va.ys, and his smile is simply devastate dig! We call him ‘A .Prince c-P a Prince, and I think no better tribute could be paid by Americans.”

A return has been prepared by instruction of the Minister of Lands (the Hon. A. D. M’Leod) giving information with regard to abandoned farms. Lhe return shows that in 1904 the Crown tenants under various tenures was under 20,000, while for the year 1923-24 the total was 28,604. The forfeitures exceeded 1* per cent, of the selectors only in one year during that period ; that was in the vear succeeding the slump period of 1908. In 1909-10, there were 346 forfeitures out of a total of 22,300 settlers. Since 1915 the forfeitures exceeded 1 per cent, in only one instance,’ and that was m the slump year 1921-22, when 307 settlers forfeited oufc of a total of 27,960. “I am informed,” states the Minister, “that practically 80 per cent, of the forfeited areas are reselected within on© year of forfeiture.” The Manaia W.C.T.U. held its monthly meeting on the 21st in the Methodist Church. In the absence, owing to illness, of the president, the chair was taken by the vice-president, Miss Patterson. It was decided to offer essay prizes to the local school, the subject to be chosen by the headmaster. A report was given of the essays and five minute speeches that had won the prizes offered by the union to the Young People’s Club. Arrangements were made for a visit by the. organiser, and for sending contributions to the Willard Home. Discussion took place on Maori work and on increasing membership. The Rev. Mr Smith gave an address on “Corporate Control,” characterising it as another red herring, and advised during the questions and discussion that followed.

A sample of a new substance called coorongite, which is considered to be a petroleum product, was shown to a representative of the Auckland Star oh Tuesday. Only two discoveries of this substance have so far been recorded. At the end of 1865 it suddenly made its appearance on the surface of the ground east of Salt Lake, Coorong district, South Australia. Ib wag not seen again till 1920. On each Occasion the appearance of this substance followed a period of exceptionally heavy rainfall. After the waters had subsided, large quantities of coorongite were discovered. It is in sheets about three-quarters of an inch in thickness, corrugated on the top like an alligator skin. The sheets are flexible and can be rolled up tightly. It bums with a bright flame and has a faint oily smell. Treated with solvents, coorongite gives a free mineral oil. The opinion has been given by an expert that the presence of coorongite on a large scale is evidence that oil exists in the region where it was found. , Within wireless range:—Auckland— Indianola, Kaitoke, Maheno, Mahsud, Niagara. Pareora, Sierra, Sonoma, Te.fua, Trellissick, Turakina, Waiotapu Kaiwar.ra, Tremeadow. Chatham Islands —Port Chalmers, City of Dunedin, Rotorua . Wellington—Maori, Mararoa ’ Ngaio, Karori, Port Caroline, Maheno. Moeraki, Maungariui, Manuka, Arahura, Masula, Kai tuna. Karroo., Karamea, Canadian Britisher, Wingatui, Wanaka, Coolana, Tutanekai, Waihora, Arawa.