LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 April 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Corinthic will bring 320 assisted passengers to New Zealand. A fourteen-year-old boy residing at Ponsonby, Auckland, was found ha.-geu in an out-building at lus home yesterday. An inquest will be heid to-uav.— dress Assn,

Tthere is now on view at Messrs. Punser Bios, the handsome cup donated by Mr. J. it. Corrigan, M.P., for the winning owner of the Hawera Trotting Cup race on Saturday next

A London cable message states that Mr. W. G. A. Ormsby-Gore announced that Britain, the Commonwealth and Australia were ararngirig to spend twenty millions on migration spread iver seven years, advancing fares which nid been reduced to £l6'lo's. The Federation of British Indi.s.ries -elegraphed to Mr. Hertzog, South African Prime Minister, that the abolition of preference would be a dras.ic and unfortunate change of policy and urging reconsideration. People of these days are wont to complain of the price of flour, but it will lie interesting to them to know that a pioneer settler recalls the fact that in the early days of the West Coast he saw flour sold at 7s 6d for a pannikin. The. value of competitions, in the world of music was stressed by the Mayor (Mr L. A. Bone) when welcoming the Newcastle Band. He said it had an influence making for good work and high endeavour. At the annual meeting of the Oipunake library the following committee was elected : —Mrs. Burton, Mrs.WWat,t t, Miss Feaver and Messrs C. O..Edmonds G. Feaver, S. F'eaver and C. A. Smith. Mr. Edmonds was re-elected president. Miss W. Mourie was appointed secretary.

Whether or not the people of Stratford take general politics seriously, there is nob. a great deal of interest being displayed in the local l>ody elections that will take place on April 29th. The position of Councillor does not seem- to be very eagerly sought- after, and the majority of (he sitting Councillors state that they have not yet decided whether (hey will seek re-election or not. In fact, some of them state that they are reluctant to come out again, says the Post. The question whether a trainer can pledge an owner’s credit for the stab- . ling of a horse and the trainer’s'keep was discussed in the Magistrate’s Court, Ashburton, before Mr Mosley, , S.M., where A. Digby (Ashburton) proceeded against P. Stephens, of Hokitika, for £3 3s. After hearing a good deal of evidence, liis Worship reserved his decision.

The interest taken jn the visit of the Newcastle Band to South Africa by the Government on its mission of Empire, as it was .put by the speaker, was emphasised by the conductor of the band in replying to the welcome on Thursday. He said this feature was duly recognised by the authorities, and for that reason they arranged that the pupils of the schools be allowed to attend. In this way hundreds of young people were enabled to hear the band and so learn something of Australia.

About eight o’clock last night a fire occurred in :f private bar shed owned by A. E. Clarke, mail contractor and carrier, of Mauriceville, resulting in a light motor lorry being totally destroyed and a. heavy lorry parked beside the shed being partly damaged. A quantity of lubricants' and tools in the shed were also destroyed, states a Masterton Press Association message. The two trucks and the shed were covered with an insurance of. £BOO. but it is estimated that the loss exceeds the amount by £9OO.

At a meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce on Thursday evening ihe president (Mr Gordon Fraser) made some strong comments on the effects of what he called “government by regain, cion,” and urgqd that the time had come when the, business community of the Dominion should make strong protests against this practice, which he declared was throttling 'trade. The Chamber decided to circularise other chambers of commerce in the North Island, asking iheir support in a protest to the Government at the present system of restricting importation by regulations or Order-in-Council:, excessive Custom and dumping duties. The Mayor paid a tribute to the work of the Hawera Municipal Band at the civic welcome to' the Newcastle Band. He said Bandmaster Fox had worked wonders with them, and he looked to the time when the band would take its rightful place in the world of bandsmen. He emphasised the value of a band to any town, and said every community was the better for having such an organisation, together with opera and all the allied arts. The study of these arts raised the tone of the town and country, and was a distinct influence for good to the people. < t

The Lairdvale saldier settlers held a meeting yesterday and decided to forward the undermentioned protest to the Minister tor Lands (the Hon. A. D. McLeod) in connection with the-visit of members of the Dominion Revaluation Board to the district (says a Press Association message from Taumarunui): “You promised settlers in vour telegram of February 16 that they would ’>e notified when the board was visiting Taumarunui. This has not been omnlied with. The board came here yesterday unknown to anyone. Not iven the member for the district was notified of their intention to sit until they were actually in the borough. The board members were then in a desperate S’-rrv to get to Stratford, and never set foot on one soldier section. They drove past per motor-car. Is this inaction not a sheer mis-spending of monev and a grievous insult to old : er sett'ers, who ask only for a square deal?”