LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 July 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At Dunedin the shipping deadlock continues, all work on the wharves being suspended. No settlement is yet in sight. In the House of Commons, questioned in regard to the security pact, negotiations, Mr Austen Chamberlain (Secretary for Foreign. Affairs) said the Government would not commit, the Dominions without-'the consent of their Governments and, if they thought fit, of their Parliaments (says a London message). In a lawsuit over the collision of two motor-buses in Auckland it was stated (says an exchange) that the crank handle of one bus dented the petrol tank of the other, causing a seam to open ; then a schoolboy threw a lighted match on th e pool of benzine and ran away laughing, the sequel being that one bus was soon on fire.

At the Supreme Court at Christchurch the following prisoners were sentenced: Robert Abercrombie Brown, theft of moneys from his employer, three years’ hard labour ; Matilda Ewing, aged 41, married, theft of an overcoat, probation, provided she goes to a Salvation Army home; Eric James Richardson, d 16, burglary, three years in the Borstal Institute.—Press Assn.

The question of the erection of a campanile and carillon as the 'Wellington citizens war memorial wa s considered at a meeting of the committee held last evening. A representative attendance decided to proceed forthwith with tlie original proposal to erect a silent, symbolical memorial on the Parliamentary grounds site. The conditions regarding a competition for competitive. designs will be announced in the immediate future.

The indications point to a much larger area being sown in wheat in Otago than has been the case for the last few years. There has been a strong demand for seed wheat, and according to the way farmers are talking _ they consider that with a. fixed minimum price, for wheat they will h e safer in sowing this than oats. The wheatgrowing industry has also been affected to some extent by the drop in wool, on which farmers are not now inclined to bank as in the past season or two. A reminder is given of the grand Hibernian ball to be held in the Manaia Town Hall this evening. Following the lead given by recent successful functions at this popular, rendezvous, the organisers are making a big endeavour to eclipse tlie excellent standard set, and intending patrons may rest assured that in all appointments provision will be made to render the occasion delightful to all in attendance.

A Government electrical engineer and the Acclimatisation Society’s ranger relate the discovery of a magnificent moa skeleton at Waikaremoana. They were exploring a route for high tension wires last week, and came upon a ravine into which access could only be gained by ropes. In a dry cave which had been blocked by a huge boulder the explorers found _ a splendidly preserved skeleton, which when assembled will show the bird’s height to have been 12 feet 9 inches. The head alone has decayed..

A married woman named Isabella, Jane Mbyte, . aged 58, was found drowned in the river Leith early yesterdav morning, and-an inquest was accordingly opened in the afternoon (says a Dunedin Press Association message). Evidence showed that deceased suffered from insomnia, and had received treatment at the hospital. The coroner (Mr -T. R. Bartholomew. S.M.) said that he would require further evidence regarding the injury of deceased, and would require to hear the practitioner who was in charge of the case in the hos•tal. For that purpose the inquest wac; adjourned until Friday.

The Roman Catholics of Hawera will ce'obrate the jubilee of the founding ol their parish on Sunday next. The details of the functions m»v be found in •mr advertising page. The Archbishop of Wellington will preside and preach the jubilee sermon at 11 a.m. Archbishop O’Shea wil l preach in the evening. The Hibernians of Hawera and of parishes that originally were attached to Hawera will form a special bodyguard. An open invitation is given to d 1 Catholics in those various districts to attend. A special jubilee offering will be made for the proposed new church by all who have been enriched bv the ministrations of the church since it was estab'islied in South Taranaki.

The subject of free places was mentioned at the ordinary meeting of tlie Hawera Technical High School Board last night, following on the receipt of a circular from the Department that a fee was required in eases where the free place had not been taken at the time awarded. Members w’ere strongly of opinion that the course at the school should always be open and that they should have discretionary power to remit the fee proposed. The headmaster (Mr A. Gray) said that it would be a great help to the schools if ren securing proficiency and taking up a free place were made to finish tlie whole course. The opinion of members was strongly against any fee being charged.

The annual report of the Elthain Fire Brigade stated that the brigade was in a slightly better position financially than at the end of the previous rear. Five fire,- were reported during he year, four being slight, involving no insurance claims, the fifth causing damage to the extent of about £4OO. Tiie efficiency of the brigade had improved through better facilities being provided. Attendances at brigade musters during the year had been good, and out of 35 parades the general averse attendance had been about 30. The competition for the challenge shield between Stratford and Eltham had resumed in a win for Stratford. The brigade had suffered the loss of Fireman W. Hart, who was accidentally killed. A benefit fund of £29 5s was hi hand, and it was hoped to raise another £7O for the widow and family. be funds for the entertainment of the Taranaki Fire Brigades’ Conference delegates reached £4O, but about £3OO wou’d be required altogether. Notice is given in our advertisement' columns that St. Mary’s Annual Spring. Flower Show will be held in the Winter Show Buildings on September 9 and 10. A euchre party nnd dance in aid of the Boy Scout movement will he held in the Scout Hall. Albion street, on Wednesday, July 22. The music will be supplied by the Serenaders’ Orchestra. THAT’S A GOOD IDEA— One of your own, and possibly you don’t think much of it; but, another man may to-morrow —and make a fortune out of it. Find out its hidden possibilities by taking the advice and protection we offer you. Henry Hughes Ltd. (Directors: W. E. Hughes and T. J. Hunter, Regd. Patent Attorneys), 157 Featherston Street, Weii lington, — 3

At 6.45 p.m. yesterday residents ot Xaponga were alarmed by a short peal ‘f the town firebell, and fire-fighters bewail to assemble with characteristic alacrity. The hastv arrival of a meshowever, to inform the_ bellringer that the services of the brigade were not required caused the discordant echoes to terminate abruptly. It was subsequent .y ascertained that a lighted candle left in a bedroom in a, boardinghouse in the centre of the tow n had mtod the window curtains, but t'ortunatelv the blaze was discovered in its incipient stage and a pail of water served to quench it before serious dam•e was ejected. At a meeting of the University Council at Dunedin yesterday, gifts of £IOOO from the Invercargill Savings Bank and £750 from the Dunedin Savings Bank were received with thanks. The- trustees of the estate of Lizzie Rathbone wrote asking that the council accept £3OOO under certain conditions, which were referred to the Finance Committee. Gifts of £IOOO from the widow of H. A. Massey and £IOO from the estate of a Wellington cancer victim for use in cancer research were accepted. These will carry a £ for £ subsidy. Dr. Hercus, Professor of Bacteriology, suggested that both these gifts he pooled and that £SOO should be allocated from the combined fund for the payment of a research scholar for one year. The Medical and Finance Committees were instructed to report on the recommendations.

The conditions of the contract between the Government and the broadcasting syndicate for a regular and efficient broadcasting service throughout the Dominion were announced yesterday by Sir James Parr. He said he was satisfied that the Government iiad secured a good contract. There were stringent powers of control, and f the company failed in any essentia] ;o adhere to the agreement the Government- had the power to terminate the bargain. The agreement is between the Government and Mr Wm. Goodie'low, of Hamilton, and Mr A. R. Harris, of Christchurch, as trustees for the Broadcasting Company. They undertake to erect radio telephone stations at Auckland and Christchurch within six months, and when they are ill operation must, if requested, erect stations at Wellington and Dunedin. At the end of five years, if the agreement is not renewed the Crown will purchase he plant. ,

Under the auspices of the W.E.A., Mr. P. O’Dea, M.A., LL.B., will deliver a lecture in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Manaufe to-morrow (Thursday), at 8 p.m., taking a>s his subject “The Universe : Its structure and our place in it.” Mr. O’Dea, who Ls a member of the British Astronomical Association and also of the New Zealand Astronomical Association, will show a number of beautiful lantern slides front the Mt. Wilson and Lick observatories (U.S.A.), loaned for the occasion by Mr. J. T. Ward, director of the Wianiganui Observatory. The elides will include pictures of the moon, of the lunar mountains. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. The lecturer also hopes to show slides depicting the prominences on the sun and the huge hydrogen flames which have been known to leap half a million miles from its surface. Pictures illustrating the theories of Laplace, also of Chamberlain and Moulton (the planetesimia-l theory) as to the formation of the solar and sidereal systems will also be shown. The giant spiral nebulae so far away that light travelling 186,000 miles a second takes two million years t-o reach us should he of special in- . terest, as the hypothesis that our own stellar system with the encircling Milky Way is a similar spiral nebula aow holds sway. Visitors are invited. Mr. A. G. Bennett will preside.