LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 December 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the month of November 2.39 inches of rain was recorded at the Ha. wren Post Office. Rain fell on 14 days, the heaviest being .42in on November 14.

Referring to the approaching appointment of the High Commissioner, the Auckland Herald, after discussing the necessary qualifications required for that position, remarked that outside of Parliament there were sever rl men who had proved their possession of the special abilities required, and the paper included in this category Sir .Tames Gunson and Sir Arthur Myers.

That- geese are profitable birds on a farm where there is a fair supply of water available, is evidenced from the fact that one farmer, in the Manawatu district, nets at least £SO each year from the sale of young birds at Christmas time, says 'a Palmerston paper. Geese need no attention if allowed freedom and live mostly on grass. The theory that they spoil the pasture for stock is said to be without foundation.

Readers are reminded of the grand dance to be held in the Auroa Hall tomorrow (Wednesday) evening under the auspices of the Kaponga Croquet Club. The appointments will be in accord with the usual good style for which the club’s activities in similar functions are noted. Boulton’s orchestra will supply the music, the first essential to pleasurable dancing, and as the floor is known to be one of the best in the district, intending patrons may look forward to a thoroughly enjoyable time. Particulars are advertised on page one. The Minister for Education, Sir James Parr, a few days ■ ago paid a visit of inspection to the children’s health camp at Turakina. He expressed himself delighted with what is being done under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Gunn for ill-nourished children. Speaking at a luncheon at Wanganui later on, he said the camp was one of the finest things he ha I seen for years, the children reaping great benefit. He believed the Education Department and the Health Department would recognise the fact and assist those moving in the interests of ill-nourished children.

The comments of the president of the Arbitration Court, Mr. Justice Frazer, at Wellington on Friday, in criticising the action of the Labour Department in bringing "a purely technical and very trivial case” before the Court was the subject of a reply issued by the department. The department states that apparently there had been some misunderstanding as to its purpose in bringing the case before the Court. The proceedings were instituted with the object of seeking- an interpretation on a question under an award and not for the purpose of obtaining a penalty. The matter was considered by the union as one of importance to its members.

Attention is direc-ted to the advertisement of the Hawera Miniature Rifle Club appearing in this iisuse. The committee has worked hard to make a success of the function advertised and trusts there will he a good muster of all those interested in the .sport IMPORTANT TO SHEEP FARMERS!

Cooper’s Quick-Acting” Powder Dip has, as its name implies, immediate effect upon parasites. Not only kills ticks and lice, but destroys the eggs, thus preventing re-infection. Is lasting in its effects. Mixes easily. Is economical in use, the cost of one thousand gallons of wash being ninety shillings. tu.,th,s

Vital statistics .for the month of November in the Hawera district, with the figures for the corresponding month of last year given in parentheses, were as follows:—Births, 16 (20); deaths, 9 (7); marriages, 5 (5). Concerning a report from Greymouth that Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labour Party), owing to ill-health, contemplated retirement, leaving a vacancy for Mr O’Brien, Mr Savage, of Auckland, said he had heard nothing about it. He would be surprised if it were true; if it were lie (Mr Savage) would have expected to have heard something.—Press Association. Housed from sleep by a passer-by shortly after 2 o ’clock yesterday morning. J. H. Forward escaped in his night attire from his burning shop and dwelling in Stanmore Road, Christchurch. The place was virtually gutted. The cause of the tire has not been exDlained.

At the monthly meeting of the Patea branch of the Plnnket Society on Thursday last a cheque for £25 (is was received from Mr. P. O’Dea, solicitor, Hawera, as a donation to the funds for the branch. The gift was gratefully acknowledged. The donation is the outcome of a recent civil claim which was settled out of court, and concerning which an apology was published in the Star. —Own Correspondent.

On Saturday last some 200 children, accompanied by the teachers of the Wanganui East School, visited Waverley for the purpose of having a picnic day. The weather was fair and altogether a very enjoyable day was spent by the youngsters, who indulged in games and fun to their hearts content. Friendly contests in cricket, swimming, rounders and athletics were arranged between the visitors and the local girls and hoys.—Own Corespondent.

The Rev. L. H. Hunt, at the Mount Eden Presbyterian Church on Sunday, said it was being stated that the General Assembly did not altogether regard dancing with disfavour provided it was kept within bounds. That was not so. Revelations during the discussion went to show the incalculable harm being wrought to the welfare of girls and young women by the present conduct of many dances and socials (says a Press Association message from Auckland). Damages to the amount of £1250 were awarded by the jury in the Supreme Court at Christchurch yesterday afternoon against the Ashburton County Council in a case in which Robert Stoddart, farmer, of Willowhy, claimed from the Ashburton County Council the sum of £2OOO damages in respect of the death of his wife, Elizabeth May Gladstone Stoddart, who was killed on the Main South road just over the southern end of the Ashburton traffic bridge on the evening of August 18, when a gig which she was driving collided with a temporary fence erected by the County Council.—Press Association. Referring to the appointment of Mr. C. P. Skcrrett to the Chief Justiceship, Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, said, when interviewed last evening by the Westport correspondent of the Grey River Argus, that the appointment would call forth an emphatic protest from the whole of the Labour movement. He hoped the day would come when the appointment of "a political partisan to such a position would cease. It was certain that a better method of making these appointments would have to be found. Mr. Skcrrett \s association with and domination of the so-calied Welfare League (which had no real existence so far as membership was concerned' and the bitter class prejudice expressed in matter for which that fictitious League was responsible, said Mr. Holland, ought certainly to have constituted a bar to Mr. Skcrrett’s appointment to the Chief Justiceship. Interesting; comment on the success of the new dairying enterprise in the Ruatorea district was made by Kir. T. Henry, Government produce" grader, upon liis return to Gisborne from a trip to the coast. Speaking of the Maori dairymen, Mr. Henry said that up to the present they had "proved exceptionally keen, and many of the farms were a revelation in the way of cleanliness. Cream grading was enforced at the factory, but very little dirty and inferior cream was received. Several of the Maoris were employing sharemilkers, and there was evidence that many new men would be commencing dairying next year. The factory at present is manufacturing 2J tons of btitter a week. Provided the feed remained plentiful, the factory during the season should make over 50 tons of butter.

A start isi to be made before the end of the year with the‘main highway deviations on to the Te Kuiti-Taumaru-mii Road which branches off from tlie Te Kuiti-New Plymouth Road at the eight-mile (states the King Country Chronicle). The first deviation is the formation of the Kura Kura Road, starting at the foot of the Ammatai Hill, to cut. out the present detour via Aratore. It will carry the road' straight on and will cover about two miles. The second piece of road to be formed is three miles to fill the gap on the upper Ohura RoadJ from Tangitu to Tapuwahine. At present the motorist has to branch off at Tangitu and go round by way of Waimiha on the route of the railway line to Ongarue. On this few miles of the road there are no less than eight railway level crossings, Mr Keller stated that) the deviations; would shorten the road from about 60 miles to 53. Except for a few unimportant gaps in the Rangitikei County, the work now to be undertaken on the Te Kuiti-Taumarunui Road would give a direct metalled highway from Auckland to Wellington, the Public Works engineer informed the Chronicle. At the same time portions of the route required considerable improvement.

There were three bankruptcies recorded at the office of the Deputy Official Assignee at Hawera (Mr R. S„ Sage) during the month of November. There was one petition filed in Novembei, 1924.

The annual conference of the sanitary inspectors of the WanganuiTaranaki Centre of the New Zealand Sanitary Inspectors’ Association took place gr. New Plymouth on Friday afternoon. Those present included Mr. F. G. Coleman, of Hawera. Remits of a domestic nature, to be forwarded to the annual conference to he held at Dunedin in February next, were framed and discussed. Lectures were given by Mr. F. S. Hodson, bacteriologist to the New Plymouth Hospital, and Dr. W. B. Mercer, district medical officer. A motor drive to the North Egmont Mountain House formed part of Saturday ’s programme.

Alfred Manus, who was literally roasted, and walked into Gundagai. Hospital for treatment, died last week. He showed remarkable pluck, and when the doctor pronounced his case as hopeless, lie said: “It’s all right, doc.; have you a fag?” Jo e Hennessy, riding along the Sydney-Melbourne road, 12 miles from Gundagai, came across this roasted man. Every stitch of Ins clothes had been burned off him. All the skin was off his back and most of the front of his body, and half his whiskers were gone. Manus left a wife and family at Melbourne, and was tramping home to them. It is supposed that he went to sleep whilst smoking, and the lighted tobacco set fire to his clothes.

By way of impressing upon the sightseer at a glance the agricultural and pastoral productivity of the districts serving the Port of Wellington, a working model is being made for the Dunedin Exhibition (Wellington Provincial Court), in which the Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, Palmerston North, Wanganui, and Taranaki districts are thrown up in a. relief upon an otherwise flat map of the Dominion. Trains serving the main centres of distribution (marked by white lights) are represented by moving blue lines of light, and as the centre of each district is reached a panel is illuminated containing statistics of the population, number of cattle and sheep, and other interesting facts relating to that particular port. Another panel records progressively the figures for the provinces and ultimately the whole area. Some people in Auckland still remember that there was a war with Germany in .1914, and therefore prefer to buy British manufactured goods (states the Auckland Star). One lady, who has cause to remember the war, tries hard not to buy German-made goods. Recently she took hack an article which, when she got home she found marked “Made in Germany.” Her next purchase was branded “Swedish steel,” but when she opened the parcel she found on the imp of the package the mark, “Made in Germany.” That lot was also returned, but if she wants to buy a doll for a Christmas gift she will find plenty in Auckland that were made in Germany.

A defended divorce action was finished in the Supreme Court at Hamilton yesterday before Mr. Justice Herdman and a jury of twelve. The petitioner was Albert Edward Vare, and the respondent Edith Vare. They formerly had a music store together, while the co-respondent, John Fisher, was formerly a land agent in the town. Petitioner claimed £SOO damages from the co-respondent. The jury found that adultery had been committed and granted the petitioner £275 damages. A decree nisi was granted, and costs were granted petitioner on the higher scale, including costs which the petitioner has to pay for the respondent. The damages were ordered to be paid into court within thirty days.—P.A.