LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 March 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

With a view to furthering the objects of the Manaja Municipal Band a meet, ing of ladies has “been called for 7.30 p.m, on Wednesday, in the band room. At the Auckland Police Court, A. H. Chew was fined £SO for having opium in his possession, and Ah Hop £5 for smoking opium. A Sydney message reports that the wholesale price of butter has been increased by 4s 8d to 149 s 4cl per cwt.

A new scale of fares and concession tickets has been adopted by the Aucliland City Council for the tramways .o take effect from April 6.' The present cash fares of twopence, threepence, and fourpence for first, second and third sections remain in force, but the iourth, fifth and sixth section cash fares are all reduced to fourpence, irrespective of the distance. The concession tickets have also been reduced.

The seventy-seventh anniversary of the province of Otago was Celebrated yesterday in beautiful weather. The celebration took the form of a reunion of early settlers in the Early Settlers’ Hall in the afternoon, at which appropriate addresses were delivered, and in the evening a big social function was held. The day was observed as a holiday in the city, and the seaside resorts were extensively patronised.

The Manaia Hibernian Sports Committee have decided to postpone their annual sports meeting, which it was intended should be held on April 4th. They have decided, however, to hold a seven-a-side football tournament on April 18th,, and with a view to arranging the catering for this fixture they have decided to call a meeting of ladies for Tuesday night.

When subdivision of the Moumahaki Experimental Farm was agreed upon, the local branch of the- Returned Soldiers’ Association requested the Minister for Lands to give preference to returned men when offering the- sections for selection, says the Wanganui Chronicle. The Hon. A. D. McLeod las replied, pointing out that on the general question of preference to so’diers, all Crown land would in the future lie open for general selection in accordance with the provisions of Section 113 of the Lands Act, 1924, in which soldiers would have equal preference with others. The Minister further added that he felt sure the association would recognise that at this stage repatriation had not the same significance as formerly, and that a large number of men who were ineligible for service with the expeditionary forces should now be given equal opportunity to secure Crown land.

The usual monthly meeting of the W.C.T.U. will be held in the Methodist Bible Class room next Thursday afternoon, 26th inst. ' ' EASTER OVERCOATS. New overcoats for the holidays. Our new goods are opened; we have men’s tweed, rainproof, waterproof and oilskin overcoats at all prices; also fur lined and leather overcoats. We have also the new boys’ reefer and tweed overcoats, girls ’ black waterproofs, boys’ oilskins and sou’-westers. These goods are specially selected for the Hnwera branch. Call and secure your new overcoat at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Hawera.—Advt.

On a charge of not having his trust account audited a hue of £IOO, with costs £l3 13s, was imposed on Henry Edward Elliott,, solicitor, of Opotiki, at the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland yesterday (states a Press Association message). Security for appeal was fixed at £2O.

It is not often that champagne is used as r. fire-extinguislier, but such was the case at a wedding reception at Masterton. A guest dropped a lighted match through slats in the verandah, and dry leaves beneath began to burn. With presence of mind, • but obvious sorrow, another guest poured cliampagne through the slats, and prevented the spreading of the fire. in a race against time Wil.iam Wrig ley, junior, the chewing gum magnate, chartered an airplane at feanta Catalina Island, California, states a message from Vancouver, to convey a bond to:1,750,000 dollars to Chicago in connection with an aiipeal in litigation now before the court. The ’plane tfansfei:i the bond at Salt Lake to the United States mail service, ’plane, which rea.h----d Chicago at 8.30 next morning, on y find that the bond had been placed bv local attorneys earlier. ,

A We.lington Press Association message from Wellington reports that Sir Heaton Rhodes stated that his constituents at Ellersmere are pressing him to stand for election, but he denies a statement published that the Jteiorm Party had urged him to reconsider his decision on the ground that be would have a better chance of .holding the seat than any other candidate representing the Reform Party. “I have not yet discussed the matter with the Reform Party,” he added. If he did remain in politics it would' be on the understanding that he would not accept Cabinet rank. He declined to say whether he would be a candidate or not. •‘I hope the younger generation may have the grit of the pioneers,” said Mr R. Donovan at Bombay, Auckland. '"There was no labour bureau intlieiir day, and no one to pay the fares of men going to jobs. \York was scarce and money scarcer in the early days of the Bombay settlement, and it was no uncommon thing for a man who had business to do in Auckland to walk to the city one night and walk back the following night.’’ “Yes,” said another man, who was born soon after the settlement began, “there were many things we did not have. We had no luxuries and no sickness that I can remember. We had m. motor-ears and no mortgages, either.” While conversing with a deputation of workers on the Tutira section of the East Coast railway in the Esk Valley yesterday the Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. G. Coates) said: “Generally speaking, the men employed on our works have stuck to us splendidly in a manner not known before in the history of this country. We are getting from them ah increased number of miles of work each year and increased efficiency. “Th&y are giving us good service all over _ the country.” Mr Coates added: “We are how getting the results. They are taking care of the department’s" property, and their behaviour in camps is satisfactory and exemplary. I think the public recognise what they are doing, and' we are prepared to do something for them.”