LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 April 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The southbound mail train this morning was a very heavy one, comprising two engines, ten passenger coaches, two vans, and three horse trucks. The official opening of the Manaia District High School will be held on Wednesday, Isth April, at 2 p.m. Among those present at the seven-a-side R.ugby tournament at Kaponga on Saturday were Messrs O. J. ' Hawken and R. Masters members of Parliament. Mr. S. S. Dean, manager of the 1924 All Black team, was also in attendance, and in conversation with tiie president of the Sports Club (Mr D. P. E. Malone) expressed himself as being very well pleased with the exhibition presented, and thought that the play, considering the adverse weather conditions, was of a remarkably good standard.

The Postmaster-General (Hon. J. G. Coates), questioned as to what was tne position of the Dominion with regard to the Empire wireless scheme, said that communications on the subject were passing between the New Zeaiand and the British Governments. Ne.v Zealand could not make any definite move till it knew what the British Government was going to do. The position was involved, because, while !the Dominion did not favour the beam ! system, yet in the long run, if it had ito fall in with the Imperial scheme, jit must follow the lead set my Britlain, that is assuming Britain goes in ifor the beam system. I Shortly after 7 o’clock last evening the Kaponga volunteer fire brigade was called to the residence of Mr. J. Bailie, on the Manaia Road, and within three minutes of the sounding of the alarm the hose reel, in charge of DeputySuperintendent J. Tyack, with several j brigade members in attendance, was oa the scene. It was found that a | chimney above an open fireplace had caught fire, and for a fire of its nature was ' burning with unusual fierceness, thle flamfts and sparks- shooting for several feet above the chimney top The hearth fire had previously been drawn by Mr. Bailie, but the blaze in the chimney gave no -signs of abatement. The brigadesmen ran a lead of hose into the room, and a stream of water played up the chimney promptly extinguished the flames. The brigade members are to be commended on the speed with which they answered the call and the prompt action taken, as the fire might have had very serious consequences had it not been quenched before it had penetrated any possible weak spots in the masonry of the chimney.