LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 February 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

lii tiie final race for the Sanders Cup, sailed on Otago harbour yesterday afternoon, Betty (Canterbury) defeated Avalon (Auckland) by 41sec. Everyone has heard of “Dutch courage,” but a Buffalo (U.S.A.) prohibition worker puts the same meaning into other words. He says the stuff that is sold for whisky in Buffalo would make a rabbit spit in a bulldog’s eye. In the Supreme Court at Hamilton yesterday the jury returned a verdict of not guilty against Rosa May Cattenacli, who was charged with negligently driving a service car on the Roto-rue-*Opuke Road, when two Maoris were killed. The Press Association report states that a rider was added to the effect that licenses should not be granted to women to drive service cars. After hearing the views of a large number of persons interested in the supply of petrol in Taranaki and repre. sentatives of the big oil companies operating in New Zealand, a meeting of delegates from borough councils in Taranaki agreed at a conference held at Stratford yesterday to approve the principle of the installation of kerbside petrol pumps, subject to certain conditions, which are not to be made public until the borough councils in Taranaki have had an opportunity of considering them.—'News.

Investors in the defunct Wanganui Freezing Company’s new share issue have nailed their flag to the mast, and at a well-attended meeting yesterday decided on immediate action with the object of securing remission of their liability (says the Chronicle). At the meeting the tribulations and grievances of the new shareholders —of whom about 60 were present—were given another airing. The position is that the Bank of New Zealand holds security on these new shares, and has instructed the directors .to call up all the unpaid capital. The shareholders strongly resent the bank’s attitude, and one man suggested yesterday that all shareholders dealing with the Bank of New Zealand should close their accounts.

The old problem about a hen and a half laying an egg an a half in a day and a 'half bade fair to be, eclipsed in the Compensation Court (says the Marlborough Express), when a sheepfarmer said he estimated that certain country would carry half a ewe to the acre. Learned; counsel commented' that half a ewe to th© .acre was equivaont to an acre to half a ewe, and the Bench gravely nodded its agreement with this profundity of mat nematics. Counsel then went on to claim that half a ewe to the acre for 12 mcnths was equivalent to a ewe to the acre for six months, and his Honour observed that that would be a good iaea, as, according to counsel, the country would carry a ewe to the acre for six months and could be spelled for tiie remaining six months of the jear. Counsel revolved the problem for some time, ,but finally abandoned the subject with the weighty observance that in any case half a ewe to the acre was —well, half a ewe to the acre! Writing to the Waikato Times on the subject of “Mothers’ Darlings,’’ a correspondent says: ‘ ‘On visiting Hamilton a few days ago I was surprised to see the number of ‘mothers’ darlings’ there were in this town. I would be only too pleased to see some of these ‘towny gentlemen’ rising at 4 o’clock in- the morning and milking about 70 cows; but of course it would only spoil their darling wee bands if they were to do this. The poor dears, I do feel so sorry for them. It must be hard on them having to get up every morning and be at the beastly office by 9 o’clock. May I. ask if the dear ‘sissy gentlemen’ have maids to clean their finger nails while they are at the office. It must be a horrible feeling having fingers with a small stain of ink on them. I would again suggest that they do honest toil and earn an honest living. Thanking , you for your space and wishing ‘my ‘towny consins’ farewell, I close.”

The “Coates way" was indicated in an (amusing anecdote told by Mr J. N. Bullard at the civic reception to the Prime Minister at Gisborne the other evening. The- story related to a troopship in the days of the war, when Mr Bullard was, for a time, Major Coates’s batman. There were 20 brooms on board the ship, and Mr Bullard was their official comptroller. One, however. became missing, and “C. 8.” loomed dangerously near. Major Coates got to hear of it. and soon helped him out in an effective manner. “Let’s have ia look at those brooms, Bullard,” he said. “Humph! That one is done, throw it overboard. So is that. Now, how many have vou thrown over?” “Two,-sir.” “Are you sure? It must have been three.” “Yes, sir, it .was three.” Thus the missing broom' was accounted- for. “I think there is much to be said in our Prime Minister’s favour when lie could deal with trifles in such a manner,” concluded Mr Bullard.

The Melbourne’s special offerings for tiie last week of their Great Sale are attracting thrifty shoppers. Bargains like these find ready buyers: Pox’s fine serge suits, 89/6;i men’s natural singlets, 2/11; men’s white singlets, 2/3; men’s Bruce knitted socks, lOd pa.r; men’s Shirley Police braces, 2/13; men’s real fur felt hats, 19/6 —Afivt. The price of foot comfort is Progandra, 1/6. —Advt.

At the Magistrate’s Court in Nelson yesterday, Alfred John Pope, of Turakina Valley, was charged with forging a cheque drawn on the Union Bank of Australia by wording it- to appear to be drawn for £l4 instead of £4 and uttering the cheque. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the next sitting of the Supreme Court. Ban was granted in self £SO and one surety of £so.—Press Assn.

H.M.A.S. Sydney arrived at Dulledin yesterday afternoon and will stay till Sunday, then proceeding north to join the Delhi and the Adelaide. A Press Association message says that Commodore War die* and his ofriceis were welcomed by the Mayor, the chanman of the Harbour Board, tlie presidents of the R.S.A. and the Navy League and the exhibition company. A round of entertainments has been arranged. • - Henry Gerald Taylor, a barman employed in the private bar of the Bed House Hotel, New Plymouth, was yesterday fined £25 and 7s court costs on a charge <?f keeping the premises'iiamed as a common gaming house. On February 20 the place .was raided and betting material found under the counter, but counsel for defendant .said that Taylor was a new hand at the game, and it was not likely that h© would indulge further. An injunction restraining the Awatuna Co-op. Dairy Company, Ltd., from depositing whey and waste matter from the company’s cheese factory into the Taungatara stream was sought in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday before Mr Justice Reed by Georg© Thomas, farmer, residing adjacent to the Taungatara factory on the Eltham road, who further claimed £SOO as damages for the alleged pollution of the stream. As the result of th© discharge of the factory refuse into the river plaintiff contended that his stock had refused to drink the water, and in a dry season he had been compelled to cart supplies of water from the factory. Further evidence was given to show that the pollution was harmful to stock. For the defence it was contended that an analysed sample of the water did not reveal any serious pollution. The case is unfinished.