LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 March 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A fire at Tweed Heads destroyed four shops. The damage is estimated at £30,000 (says a mesage from Sydney). At the Supreme Court at Gisborne yesterday, before Judge Alpers, William Archiei "Middleditch, on a charge of breaking and entering and receiving, was acquitted. —Press Assn. A Gisborne Press Association telegram states that a large quantity of machinery and material has been landed at Tuparoa for the first rig to be set up by Taranaki Oldfields, Ltd., at Ruatoria, enabling a start to be made with the erection of the drilling plant.

At Dunedin, Robert Thomas Gilchrist was sentenced to seven, days’ imprisonment for being drunk in charge of a motor car. The evidence showed that he had enused a traffic blockage during reliability trials on Saturday.—Press Assn.

The engine-driver of a train which left Auckland at 6.30 o’clock on Sunday evening, when between Penrose and Southdown, felt a bump. He pulled up and walked' back and found the mangled remains of a big man dressed in a dark grey suit. The body, which was conveyed to Otahuhu, has since' been identified as that of W. H. Seed, yard foreman for Messrs R. anjl W. Hellaby at Westfield. One of Canterbury’s foremost business men said last week: “When at the end of my first year I saw on my balance-sheet: Sales £6OOO, cost of advertising £4900, I considered advertising an unproductive expense. When, however, at the end of the second year advertising expenses still stood at £4900, and sales went to oveT £IO,OOO, I changed my tune. I’m still advertising. It pays.”

Napier added to the list of railway crossing accidents late yesterday afternoon, when a train leaving Napier at 4.35 struck a motor-car at Woodcock’s crossing, a short distance outside the borough boundary. The car was badly damaged, but the driver, William Robinson, of Clive, escaped with minor abrasions (says a Press Association message). The crossing is a very dangerous one, but it only recently came into use to any extent when all the traffic on the ” main Napier-Hastings Road was diverted over it whilst the main road was being put down in concrete. Houses right on the crossing completlev obscure the view.

“There are some houses in Auckland with Maori names that would make their owners blush if they knew the meaning of them. We should exercise great care and find out what the name means before we put a Maori designation on any of our streets in the borough,” said Mr J. Hislop, when a change of street names at Devonport was being considered at the Borough Council meeting last week. It had been proposed to change the name of a .street to Ngataringa Avenue, but owing to the doubt in the council’s mind as to its meaning and the difficulty young children would have in pronouncing the name, it was resolved to defer the adoption of the change until a less difficult name was suggested. A party of fishermen landed a make shark off Kapiti Island on Sundiay morning (says a Wellington Press Association message). The capture was made in an unusual way. The party was fishing for selinapper when a mako took the bait, but instead of rushing out to sea it dashed towards the shore in shallow water. Another member of the party rushed out with a sheath knife and wounded the shark suffieient-

ly to take the fight out of it. A rope was then fastened to the shark and 1 it was pulled ashore. It measured 10’ Gin and had a girth of 4ft 9in. It weighed 4951b5. As far as is kpown this is, the first mako captured round the Wellington coast.

Motorists themselves have resolved

to take action against those of their number who indiscriminately strew the roads they traverse with discarded empty benzine tins. The North Island Motor Union decided at its conference last week, to draw the .attention of all motor associations to the disfigurement of the main and rural roads by the number of empty benzine tins left on the roadsidte, and to ask the associations to request tlieir member® to desist from the practice, as otherwise legislation might be brought in making it an offence. The oil companies are to be asked l to attach a tag to each tin urging that it should be disposed of in an out-of-the-way place where it would not be unsightly, and making suggestions as to the danger of throwing aside tins still containing a small quantity of benzine. “Anyway, the benzine tin question will settle itself soon,” remarked one speaker, referring to the change-over from the tin to the bulk system of supply. “No,” corrected another delegate, “the oil people are making more tins now than were ever made before. *

Police-Sergeant J. Henry returned to Hawera on Saturday evening, from a month’s holiday in the South Island, and ' at the Dunedin Exhibition. In the course of a conversation with a Star reporter, Sergeant Henry said he was extremely impressed 1 with the orderliness and arrangement erf the Exhibition. Having visited the Dunedin Exhibition of 1889-90 and the Auckland and Christchurch Exhibitions, he was able to appreciate the extent of the present display, which far exceed?d anything ever attempted' in New Zealand before. Whi’e tlm Taranaki, Wellington, Rangitikei and Wanganui courts did not appear to quite reach the high, standard of the Southland court, the exhibits staged by the Canadian Government, the New Zealand Post and Telegraph and Railway Departments. especially the latter, were excellent. The education exhibit of technical school work was of telling effect, proving the good work being doiie by these schools throughout the Dominion. Sergeant Henry said that the conf.ro l of the large crowds which frequented the Exhibition was a revelation of good management. Ample parking nlace was provided for cars outside the .arounds. In commenting on the excellence of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band, he remarked that everv evening some two or three thousand, people gathered around the rotunda, coming to the Exhibition noparentlv for the express purpose of hearing the concerts.

A good response has met the invitation for players to join the auxiliary band now being formed in conjunction with the Municipal Band. All available instruments have been allocated, and these will he issued at the bandroom to-morrow night at 6.30 o’clock. Owing to the original date fixed, by the local Methodist Choir for its production of the cantata, “Olivet to Calvary,” clashing with the effort to be given pn behalf of the Anglican Church, it has now being, decided to give the cantata on Tuesday, March 30. Arrangements for the dance to be held at Riverlea on Friday are well in hand, and a large- attendance is anticipated, as the dances there are always well patronised. Special attention is being given to the floor, and an excellent- supper will be provided. The music will be -supplied by Boulton’s orchestra, which is sufficient in itself to ensure a most nleaisurable dance. Good M’s.C. have been appointed, and. visitors are assured of a good time. Mr. A. G. Robertson, of Okaiawa, last night heard through his wireless set the description of an exciting boxing contest from Sydney. The fight, which went the full twenty rounds, was between Tibbetts and Baker, and so clear was the reception that listeners-in oould hear the blows struck by the Combatants. The announcer also gave a rather amusing description of the spectators, from the parson in the front seat and the ladies to the people at the back of the hall.

At the meeting of the Citizens ’ Committee of the Municipal Band held last night, the conductor (Lieut. Fox) presented his report of the past month’s activities. During February there bad been twelve band parades (seven public performances and five rehearsals). He mentioned that the Racing Club had congratulated the band on its playing and that the American athletes had sent, through Mr. Marter, a special word of thanks for the hand’s rendition of the American national anthem at the recent athletic meeting. He also reported that the new instruments had been opened up in almost perfect condition, also that he would have the auxiliary band going this week. Business of a routine nature was transacted by the committee. A motoring accident which might easily have been attended with much more serious consequences happened on Sunday on Mount Messenger, when a collision occurred between a service car coming south -and Mr C. Freyberg’s car. Mr Frevberg, accompanied by Mrs Frey berg' and child, were on the way to Te Kuiti, and it was when approaching a bend on the mountain road that the collision occurred. Though Mr Freyberg’s car was badly knocked about, it was lucky that none of the occupants- were seriously hurt, Mrs Freyberg alone sustaining a blow on the‘head. Mrs Freyberg subsequently went on to Auckland, while Mr Freyberg returned to Hawera.