LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 May 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the list of Julian Cup fixtures published yesterday in our “soccer” columns, through a transposition! it would appear that the match between Auroa. a!id Hawera on May 22 is to be played at Hawera. The match will bo played at Auroa.

The points prizes in connection with the Auroa Soccer Club’s euchre parties, which are to be commenced next Wednesday, May It), are to the Value of £1 10s each.

The annual conference of the South Taranaki, provincial district of the Farmers' "Union is to be held in Hawera to-morrow, commencing at 11 a.m. The place of meeting is the A. and P. Hall, Nelson Street, and proceedings will, be opened by the Mayor of Hawera. (Mr E. A. Pacey). According to the WePington Evening Post, the Minister of Mines said in an address at th e Thames that he thought oil "would be obtained in Taranaki, but many bores would have to be put down and much capital would be required, also sound engineering and expert advice.

At the. sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Mnuaia yesterday, before Mr R. AY. Tate, S.M., three boys were each fined 10s and costs for riding bicycles along the South road after dark without lights. The magistrate ■said the practice must- he stopped, for it was a'danger to the public and! to the boys themselves. In future similar charges would ,he more severely treated.

Through falling against a motor car and being knocked on to the hard macadam in the Square at Palmerston North last evening, a man named Frith, a tea canvasser, sustained, injuries from which lie succumbed in the hospital less than two hours later. Further particulars regarding the deceased are not yet available. —Press Association.

Walter George Rodder, aged GO, was charged at "Wellington yesterday with using his shop as a common gaming house. He pleaded guilty. The police said he stated he wag an agent for other bookmakers, also that the tak inga were sometimes £3O per day, hut probably over a period averaged £3O per week. Defendant- was fined £3O. —Press Association. There is no change in, the G-ten Afton coal strike situation. Both sides are standing firm, and the strikers evidently anticipated a. struggle of some length, as they have 1 appointed strike committees and have also decided to circulate a manifesto among the company’s shareholders, giving the men’s point of view. The conduct of the strikers is reported to be most exemplary, and shows very little evidence of bitterness. The ladies who organised the dance in aid of the City Football Club’s insurance fund arc very pleased to be able to. report that they have handed over the sum of £7 15s, the nett proceeds, to the committee. They wish to thank all who helped them in the arrangements, and to acknowledge the number of visitors present, who included some from New Plymouth. Inadvertently, when particulars were being secured, the name of Mr A. Burgess was omitted as one of the M. ’sC. A serious accident at Messrs Traill Bros, and Smithies’ mill at Waipango, near Riverton, yesterday, resulted in Charles Evans, a married man, aged GO years, having both legs broken through a tree falling on him. The injured man was brought to Riverton Hospital, but died on the way. \De-tail-s of the accident are meagre. The deceased leaves a. widow and three children.—Press Association. Messrs Rod Syme and J. R. i .McLennan, of Hawera, irtad« the first winter ascent of Mt. Egmont, from* the south side, on Sunday. An ascent from the north), side was made the .same day by a larger New Plymouth party. The recent high winds had packed and frozen the snow surface, and 1 the southern climbers found it necessary to cut steps, from, half-way up Fantham’s Peak. At 1 o’clock, at the summit, the thermometer, when placed in. the sunlight, registered eleven degrees of frost. During the Exhibition period, the number of "passengers who arrived at Dunedin by mail and express trains was 225,169. In addition seventeen specials from Christchurch 1 district brought thousands and 20,948 arrived by thirty specials from centres in the Dunedin district. The. grand total b.y. excursion and picnic trains in the local district was 40,704, the revenue .being £33,847. The grand total from the Invercargill district was 72,745 passengers. and the revenue £47,476. A Stratford resident had a peculiar experience at the Hawera races on Saturday (says the Post). While he was collecting his dividend after the last race, a stranger came up and gave him some tickets on the winner, asking him to collect the -a.mounts. The Stratford man did so, but when the operation was completed was unable to find any trace of his man. He still has the money, and is making an endeavour to find the owner. Fiji is shortly to have a new Government House. It is reported that plans are now completed, and that tenders are to he called in Fiia and Australia, no mention being made of New Zealand contractors having been invited to tender. The estimated cost is £25,000. AVihen completed the new building, it is said, will be the dominating landmark for vessels approaching the port of Siiva. The tender of Messrs J. B. McEwan and Co., for the supply of modern dairy factory machinery for the new factory at Opunakc lias been accepted by the Opunake Dairy Company. The machinery will include a latest model regenerator, specially adapted for aerating milk, throe-speed agitators, electric curd mill, sanitary presses and vats, a whey plant, of which a feature will bo the 1100 gallon churns and refrigerator. Although a steam plant is being, installed for use in case of emergencies, electric motors will supply the motive power.

Owing to the indisposition of Mr Ricketts, conductor of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band, and to the fact that since the War Offices has insisted on the band returning to Britain by the Remuera, Captain, Anderson, officer commanding, requires the remaining time in Wellington to finalise his arrangements (states a Dunedin Press Association message). The exhibition authorities ha,re therefore had reluctantly to concel the concerts arranged for Wanganui to-day and Masterton on Wednesday. Instead the band will remain in Wellington and give two extra concerts there on these dates. The authorities express keen regret that they have been forced to abandon th original tour, and thus unwillingly deprive any town in New Zealand of the chance of hearing the Exhibition. Band.

To-night in the Te Roti Hall a hall will he held under the auspices of the Hall Committee. Music will he provided by Mrs Bennett, the floor will be in good order, and a dainty supper served.

A private cable message from Sydney reports that Archbishop Redwood, who lias been suffering from congestion of the lungs and is an inmate of Lewisham hospital, Sydney, is much improved, 'states' a Pi-ess Association message from Wellington. In order to as far as possible secure uniformity of ideals amongst, judges, the New ‘Zealand Friesian Association will hold a conference of official judges at Palmerston North on June 17. This will be a continuation of that held) at the Royal Show in Christchurch last year.

An accident, fortunately unattended with much damage, happened yesterday afternoon to Mr. S. F. Corry, of Hawera., when driving in his oar between Mokoia. and Hawera. Just after lie had crossed the Tongahoe bridge he passed a car and apparently, in pulling off ito the left, he got too far .and struck the fence, with the result that bis left mudguard was crushed and some damage done to the radiator and firjont axle. The car was able, however, to be driven into Hawera later.

As a result of the heavy flood in the Patea river on Thursday last, the dam at the Stratford hydro-electric works burst, causing damage estimated at nearly £3OO. At last, evening’s meeting of the Stratford Borough Council the electrical engineer outlined the damage and the estimated cost of repairs at £2BO. In view of the fact that the engineer pointed out a. peculiar position arising from probable supplies from other stations in the district, the question of renewing the plant permanently was left to the Electric Light Committee to bring forward' a recommendation.

“We had a remarkable instance of the dryness of Hawke’s Bay when, we were coming tln-ough in the car,’’ said a visitor from Feilding in a; statement at Napier last Wednesday. He said that at Bunnythorpe he and liis party passed through a mob of 2500 sheep being driven from the parched areas of Hawke’s Bay to. the greener fields, and newer pastures of the Wanganui district. The mob, which had been, on the road for several days, were very tliin, the speaker said, but for sheep coming the distance in the time they had; he considered them the most lively sheep he had ever seen. ‘‘lt shows,” he said, “how dry it must- be there for sheep to be driven right across the island for fresh grass.”—Exchange. In opening the conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute at W r ellington the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) paid a, tribute to the splendid work of the teachers, and said that the desire of the Government was to provide every possible opportunity to every child, to advance its future. He announced that as the result of the recent Commission an Education Bill containing certain mens, ures affecting education was being drafted and would be submitted to Parliament for consideration. Before this was done, however, those interested would have an opportunity of considering and expressing their opinion on it. He spoke of the necessity of education to the children in the backblocks, and stressed the value of agricultural education. He said he hoped the agricultural college would he available next year.