LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 July 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A message from Melbourne states the Commonwealth Bank has reduced the rate of interest on overdrafts to 61 per cent, as from July 1. A man named Charles' Poulgrin, 60 years of age, a farmer residing fourteen miles from Te Karaka (Poverty Bay), who had been missing from his home since Sunday, was found dead in a river yesterday afternoon.

The Taranaki branch of the Chartered Civil Engineers will meet in Opunake on the" 17th. It is the intention of the engineers to inspect the Opwnake-Tc Roti railway works, Opunake power works, harbour works and the county main road works, s

The staging for the Opunake harbour construction works is now past the half-way mark, the heavy seas lately have thrown some majestic force and weight on the mole, but it has stood the test. —Times.

At a baby competition, organised by the National Baby Week Council, several Australian babies won prizes. in class two. age twelve to twenty-four months, Willimina Bates (Christchurch), Dorothy Freston and Thomas North (Hawke’s Bay) were awarded certificates of merit.

The English public school-boys who are coming out tinder;, the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce scheme of immigration are due in Auckland, according to present advices, on Sunday, and should reach New Plymouth on Tuesday or Wednesday evening of next week.

The disappearance of Mr. Walter Peters, of Raimi ro, was reported during the week-end, and so far there is no clue to his whereabouts. The missing man is a son of Mr. Harry Petersi and a well-known farmer of the Raimiro district. Mr. Peters left home on Thursday and went to New Plymouth, but disappeared. The missing man is married with a large family, and is 50 years o-f age. On Friday night, in the Qkaiawa Town Hal 1 , a children’s plain and fancy dress ball will be held in connection with St. Aidan’s. when a brilliant function is expected. Prizes will be offered for the -best original and fancy costumes in several classes. After 10 o’clock the adults will take the floor. Arrangements and decorations are proceeding apace under a very efficient committee, which will no doubt bring the function up to a very high standa rd.

A Christchurch message states that Airs Jemima Pine, aged 41, residing at Upper Riccarton, died, in hospital yesterday under an anaesthetic whileSjieing operated upon for a tumour at tho back of the head. Harold S. Handisides, aged 20, residing in Worcester Street, died in hospital yesterday after he had been operated upon. He was taken to the institution on Sunday suffering from injuries to the head as the result of a. motor cycle accident.

At t-lie Cook (Gisborne) Hospital yesterday afternoon a married woman named Airs Hyde, aged about 42 years, had just commenced to take an anaesthetic for the purpose of a medical examination when she suddenly collapsed. Three doctors were in attendance, but all efforts at resuscitation failed.

A severe 'blow has been dealt the dairying industry on the Rangitaiki Plains by the disastrous floods which came suddenly down the river from the high country and swept over farm after farm, leaving behind a trail of silt which has quite obliterated . all feed (says the Auckland Star). Stock suffered severely, and in spite of the fact that the Government has arranged to feed the cattle by sending them away up to the bush country of Manawahae which lies behind Matata, up towards Rotoma, the milking herds must receive a bad check, the results of which will be felt during the coming season, which generally starts in August. One of the statements made by a delicate young’ married woman in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch yesterday was that when her first baby lay dead in its coffin her husband came home drunk, ill-treated her and chased her with a knife, threatening to kill her and put her in the coffin also. Her counsel said the man had had the unique experience of having been charged with drunkenness on the day his child was to be buried, and he characterised it as the worst case he had had to handle in his legal career. The magistrate granted a separation. The Stratford correspondent of the Taranaki Herald, relative to Mr S. Turner’s account of the appearance of “Spectre of the Brocken” on South Eg' moot recently, writes: “I recal] a strange phenomenon in ice-crystals seen one day c.n the rock s of the crater. Upon a southern face had been sculptured, or rather modelled in altorelievo, by the frost artist, collaborating probably with the wind, in closeset orderly ranks, a large, number of perfect reproductions, in hard frozen snow or ice, of white rosebuds, the .size of a bantam’s egg. Has any mountain enthusiast seen the like? I am afraid few of our mountain ■"limbers are in the way of being nature observers. They climb for the fun of the thing.” The Manaia Returned Soldiers’ annual. ball on Thursday night points towards being one of the most successful functions held in Manaia. The engagement of Newberry’s professional orchestra, a splendid floor and an excellent supper will all combine in ensuring a very enjoyable evening. Members of the local Miniature Rifle Club are reminded that the range will be open on Friday night next as advertised, It is hoped there will be a full muster-for the final selection of teams.

“The s ugar market is tending downwards a s regards prices,” stated a. gentleman who is in touch with the market, speaking to a Dominion reporter in Wellington. “The reason for this,” he added, “is increased world production. In Europe during the past year the production of sugar beet has increased by five to seven million tous, and cane sugar likewise has considerably increased in quantity all over the world although not to the same extent as the beet variety. The estimated production of sugar this year —beet and cane —will be a little over twenty-two millions tons. That is a world estimate and represents an increase of about three million tons over last year’s output. The downward trend in prices will be reflected in the benefit that the consumer will receive from the big world production in the maintenance of reasonable price*. for all commodities of which sugar forms a large proportion.”

At the Hawera Magistrate’s Court to-day judgment for the plaintiff, with costs against the defendant, was given in each of the following undefended civil cases :—Hallensteiu Bros. v. Ruby Pascoe, £2 12s 2d; E. R. Hone v. E. C. Lovedav, £sl 8s 6d; YV. J. Milne v. ,T. H. Hamilton, £2 ’2s 6d; Jane Campbell v. George Whiting, £2 2s; B. R. Long v. James Burke, £’4 10s; Burgess, Fraser and Co., Ltd., v. W. McLintock, £9 9g 3d; A. T. Main v. C Hanson, £1 12s 6d; Hallenstein Bros, v. N. E. Chadwick, £3 9s 6d; Harrops, Ltd., v. Olive Chalder, £1 5s 6d. Orders were made in the following judgment summons cases: —W. J. Milne v. J. H. Hamilton, £8 2s 6d, in default 9 days’ imprisonment; H. B. Burdekin, as receiver for the debenture-holders of the General Transport Co., v A. Robertson. £7 3s, in default 8 days’ imprisonment • Farmers’ Co-op. Society v. R. Lett, £lO ss, in default 12 days’ imprisonment; H. R. Kemp v. Taunton. £ls 12s 2d, Tyi default 17 days’ imprisonment ; W. Hawkins v. W. Tamatniki, £3 7 S lid, in default 4 days’ imprisonment; S. Jenkin v. S. J. O’Keefe, £4O 18s 6d, in default 43 days’ imprisonment; J. McLeod v. /Cake Wallace, £3 3s, in default 4 days’ imprisonment.