LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 January 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The number of subscribers on the Hawera telephone exchange increased by G 1 during the year just ended, and thereby necessitated the addition of an exchange board and another operator. The total number of subscribers now stands at 890.

A Hawera citizen, who prefers to remain anonymous, was, on New Year’s Eve, so impressed with the progress made by the Hawera Municipal Band that he there and then made a donation of £5 towards fhe band’s funds.

As an indication of the phenomenal growth in Ma.sterton this season, a local gardner claims , a record in having peas and beans showing through the ground five days after they were flan ted.—Age. A farmer at Springvale stated to a Wanganui Chronicle reporter recently that as the result of the recent inundaltdoiii his potato crop had. been ruined. On digging the tubers he found that quite half of them had rotted in the ground. It will be of interest to Hawera people to know that the officer in charge of the police during the New Year’s trouble with a crowd of larrikins in Christchurch was Inspector Till, who some years ago was Senior Sergeant at Hawera. The .reports show that lie handled the situation exceedingly well. The borough with the lowest population in the Dominion is Naseby (Otago), with only 200 inhabitants, according to the latest Official Year Book. Other boroughs with small populations are : Tapanui 290, Arrowtown, 325, Hampden 330 ! , Roxburgh 415, Boss 465, Kumara 490, Brunner 525, Wiaikouaiti 595, Cromwell 640, and Alexandra 705.

The atention of persons entitled to a vote at parliamentary elections is drawn to a public announcement appearing in this paper in. regard to compulsory registration of electors. By the Legislature Amendment Act, passed last session, an obligation is placed on every person qualified to be registered as an elector to enrol, whether his name js already on the roll or not. A furthere obligation is that every person, after he has become registered, is to notify change of residence.

Every garden, carefully cultivated, almost without exception produces some unusual feature which the owner might show his friends with no small amount of pride. According to the Star, a Feilding lady r interested _in horticulture is very proud of at’ least a hyTdrangea bush which she planted some ten years ago. The bush this season is 14 feet in height and loaded with flowers, the majority of which measure from 18 to 24 inches in diameter.

Within wireless range:—Auckland : Tofua. Aspen, Kaikorai, Makura, Bona, Norfolk, Trelyon, Trekieve. Tekoa, Sheaf mo unt. Port Curtis, Port Melbourne, Canadian Constructor. Wellington: Maori, Ma.ra.roa, Ngaio, Waliine, Maunganui, Waimate. West Nilus, Rimutaka, Baradine, Manuka, Port Hunter. Kumara. Kaituna, Pakeha, Pakioaki, Waiwera, Ruapehu, Tvmeric. Ruahine.

In this issue Harrops Ltd. announce very special bargains in the showroom, all millinery, frocks and costumes being offered at special bargain prices. This will prove an exceptional opportunity to secure new and fashionable goods much below usual prices.—Advt.

The number of motor cars, lorries, etc., imported into New Zealand last month was 1217, at a total cost of £287,276. Of the above number 204 were purchased from the United Kingdom -at a cost of £77,899. It is to be hoped that the local Swimming Club will be more fortunate with the weather for the carnival on Tuesday next. All who are present will be sure to receive a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment. Hawera to-day has the appearance of slowly and reluctantly getting back to work after a holiday. The decorations and the joyous crowds that thronged the streets recently have gone and the wheels of commerce have commenced on their sure and steady grind through the year 1925. Prospects for the future, however, are good, and at the outset there is a spirit of optimism abroad which is bound to promote progress in this community. A Master ton naturalist states that prior to the recent flood in Masterton, he observed snails, woodlice and earwigs climbing very high, an indication of heavy rain. In one instance (remarks the Age) snails were found securely sealed under the top leaves of a seven foot hedge.

Newspapers in the Hutch Past Indies report that strange creatures, half-man and half-animal, are being seen by the natives of the Poulu Island. Some authorities believe that they may be. the “missing link,’’ as they consider them be the lowest form of human life, while other® declare that they are not men,' hut a species of rare monkeys. An expedition has been sent to investigate.

The guard for the early morning suburban train had not arrived, so the authorities of a Hawke’s Bay railway station requisitioned a young porter to* carry out the duties of the missing official' (says the Napier Telegraph). But the sensitive porter was embarrassed by a stiff growth of heard, so rather than face the fair passengers under such circumstances lie rushed away to shave. And that was why the train was 10 minutes late in starting, while the guard’s face was as the visage of a babe, smooth and shiny. One of those coincidences which attract attention occurred at Ellerslie, and had a direct interest both for the Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergussofi (says the Auckland Herald). For many years past photographs of all the distinguished men who have filled the position of Governor or Gov-erno'r-General have been hung, in the order of their term of office, on the Walls of the stewards’ luncheon room. When Sir Charles sat down he found that facing him on the wall was the Shotograph of his father, the late Sir ames Fergusson. To carry the coincidence a stage further, Lady Fergusson likewise found that immediately facing her was the photograph of her father, the late Earl of Glasgow. The unprecedented tourist traffic has provided some amusing incidents at Taupo, states a correspondent. Numbers of visitors have had to seek sleeping accommodation in the police cells, and in the historic courthouse dating to Maori War days. Others have slept in sheds and in motor cars under the pine trees. At Atiamuri, after all the accommodation" was taken u,p, 19 visitors bivouacked in cowsheds. Seven _ hundred visitors stayed at Wairakei in six days. The motor service companies all report record traffic. What must he regarded as the height of superstition %vas attained by a visiting howler playing a tournament final at the Maaterton bowling green (says the Age). After delivering his bowls he sat down on a seat on the bank, and happened to occupy the 6pace allotted to a piece of chewing gum, which, being exhausted of its aromatic flavour, had been given a rest by an opposing player. Sooner than remove the morsel from his nether garments .and perhaps with it his luck, the ardent No. 3 competed, and won the game, with it clinging to him. \ Travellers by train to Whangarei say that they have never seen the country looking so well there. All along the line the farms were looking splen-lid, and the grass seen on some of the dairy farms was equal, and in some cares excelled, anything to be seen m the Waikato or Taranaki. The (good reason winch the country was enjoying was reflected in the stock which were seen browsing .-lazily bv the line side, and in the crops which were being harvested.

Windhoek, a small town in SouthWest Africa, ■ claims the only natural hot-water service. Windhoek possesses a hot-water mineral spring, and by means of pipes, the spring is to be connected with the water supply, making it for the inhabitants to take a hot bath at any time. One of the Government officials of Windhoek is Mr. Prosper St. Jean Baptiste de la Raine Borland, a. New Zealand soldier who went to Africa in 1899 with New Zealand, troops, and who has been there ever since.

At Batana, a Wanganui city counqillor who tips the beam at over 21 stone, jocularly remarked that he supposed he was the heaviest man on the ground. It was not long before a native was brought along; who could claim 22 .stone as his weight. . The latter was quite modest about it, and said that there were at least six Maoris in the camp whose weights ranged from 25 stone upwards. When the men’s ,haka, party stripped to the huff it was noticeable that the physique was extraordinary. If at any time /they form a tug-of-war team they will take a lot of shifting.

Speaking with regard to the presentday tendency of putting boys into professions rather than trades. Sir Christopher Parr, at Gisborne, said that the real cause was ifche attitude of the minds of parents towards trades. “Foi instance,” he said, “if a. boy is an engineer and comes homes black and grijny, it is quite all right, as he is Tn a profession. On the other hand, if the same boy were following the profession of a. blacksmith. and came home in the same condition, he would be losing caste in the social scale.” Sir Christonher said the very best brains of the country were needed in trades and in the country, as well as in profession's.

BUCKjEtE-LL r 3, HAWEEA. Ladies requiring something really up to modern requirements in frocks, costumes and ladies’ wear generally will find an exceedingly nice selection at Buckrell’s, Hawera. There is also a wide range of handkerchiefs, singly or in boxes, suitable for inexpensive Christmas gifts.—Advt. BATHING COSTUMES. H.B. for bathing costumes. Boys’ cotton costumes, 2/3, 2/6; boys’ V ’s, 1/6, 2/-; boys’ club all-wool costumes, 10/6; men’s one-piece cotton bathing costumes, 4/6; bathing V’s, 2/-, 2/6; men’s club wool costumes, 11/6; men’s wool surfing costumes, 12/6; ladies’ two-piece Petoue costumes, 16/6; bath towels, 2/-, 2/6. Buy your bathing togs at the New Zealand Clothing. Factory, Hawera. —Advt. Love lightens labour. So does <fTanol,” the liquid polish. Fine for furniture, floors and leather goods.—Advt.