GENERAL NEWS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 November 1924, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

Palmerston North land agents report an .increase in the demand for sheep farms. This is attributed to the rise in the value of all sheep products—wool, fat lambs and breeding ewes, etc. One agent stated that after the wool sales, when farmers have had time to look round, a boom in sheep country is expected. Dairy farmers in South Wairarapa are delighted at the season’s prospects (says an exchange). . Grass was never more plentiful and cows never milked better. “If the prices only keep right,” remarked one dairyman, “many of us will see the long-looked-for turning in our affairs.” When his yacht sank in nearly three fathoms (about 18ft) of water at Scapa Bay, Orkney, Donald Robertson dived down to her repeatedly, removing her ballast bit by bit till she was cleared of it. The vessel then rose to the surface and was brought safely to shore. ‘When electricians were wiring the Foxton Courthouse recently they discovered in the rafters the butt of an ancient cheque hook and an account form hearing the date May 31, 1869. The account is one rendered to the builder, and is a charge for nails and hinges and 28 days’ labour at 8s per day. The document' has remained there apparently since the structure was erected. At a. ispecial meeting of the Dunedin Master Carriers’ Association, it was unanimously resolved that telegrams be simultaneously sent to the Prime Minister and to every local member of Parliament strongly protesting against the Public- Works Amendment Bill being rushed through before the carriers are given an opportunity of having their views on the subject laid in front of the Parliamentary Committee. Among other things the Bill in its present form provides for a charge of up to £75 un-j der the heading of “License Fees” on heavy traffic vehicles. In the opinion of the meeting this figure is excessive, in the extreme. A car, of which the driver lost control in Auckland the other day (reports the Star) was responsible for a lively scene in Renniera Road. Mr F. J. Clark, of Queen Street, Newmarket, was driving from Newmarket, arid was between St. Mark’s and Basset Roads, when the car took charge, scraped a tramway pole on the left, and dashed across to the right again, the. front portion going through a wooden fence. Fortunately the driver jumped clear. When all was over, the front wheels of the car .rested about 4ft below the footpath level, and considerable time and energy was taken before it was removed. The damage clone was mostly to. the lamps and running hoard. There is a- pronounced lull in respect of new contracts for building construction in Auckland. Applications for permits are almost exclusively confined to dwellings, and "even these are ! fewer on the monthly; average than has been experienced for a long time. The recent boom in commercial structures opsears definitely to be ever, and there ire no immediate signs of a revival of irisk enterprise. Money is reported to (8 tight, and there is little or no speculative building in hand or in light. The curtailment of State advances for house construction has had L marked effect in Auckland. Two New Zealand, residents have ieen awarded prizes in the competition nitiated by Mr Edward Filene, thi veil-known American business man, vho offered prizes to the value of 62000 to British subjects for the best issay in answer to the question: “How can peace and prosperity be restored in Great Britain and ir Europe through international co-opera-bion?” Mr Filene simultaneously offered prizes for the same amount foi similar competitions in France, Germany and Italy. The first prize £IOOO, was awarded to-' _Mr Boltor Waller, Bray, County Wicklow, Ire land. The following were awardee prizes of £25 eac-h: Mr Horace Bel shaw, 8.A., 19 Craigie Avenue Timaru; Brofessor J. B. Condliffe Christchurch. There were 4700 plan: submitted hv British citizens. When handling some bullocks las! Saturday 1 Mi; W. Sole, of New Ply mouth, had an unenviable expei’ienci and a narrow escape- from serious in jury. One of the animals charged hin and badly ripped his horse in the flank, but not seriously as to endanger its life. Mr Sole bad unloaded the beasts from a raihvay truck at Smart Road and was driving them to his oaddoc-k. He knew them to be a wild iot, and had just warned a pedestrian to take care of himself and get on a gate when one of the animals charged the gate, knocking the man off. It then turned its attention to Mr Sole, catching his horse in the flank with its sharp horns and inflicting a painful gash. Mr Sole says his dog. by working another bullock in between his horse and the infuriated animal, saved him from a further attack which, with the horse so badly injured, would have resulted in more serious consequences. As it- was he considers that he had a very lucky escape. The injured horse vas later attended to by Mr F. W. Sutton, stock inspector, and it is exoeete.d it will make a good recovery, ’b was only by inches that it escaped being disembowelled and gored to death. A commendable feat was performed by Mr G. Brown, a member of the crew of the 14-footer Kia Ora, after Heather capsized while competing in the Sanders Cup trial races at Alacanclrew’s Bay on Monday afternoon (says the Otago Times). Although the Kia Ora was not present owing to the rough nature of the weather, her c-rew journeyed to the bay, and Air. Brown was viewing the race from the largest of the launches following the boats. The heavy seas prevented the launches from effecting a quick rescue, each boat being pitched to leeward in every attempt made to approach within reaching distance of the four men clinging to the overturned Heather Eventually, however, Air. Brown dived overboard from the launch and swam with a. line through a heavy breaking sea to the distressed boat. This was made fast, and it enabled the men to haul themselves hand over hand to the launch