LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 3 September 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An Indication of the drought being experienced in Hawke’s Bay is .contained ini the fact that during the twelve .months preceding* August, 31 the rainfall registered in Napier totalled only 15.66 iches, whereas the .average over a number of years is over 35 inelies. Back from* the coast, the.re has been more' rain than; in, Napier, but • everywhere the fall registered has .been much less than, the average. At the ordinary meeting of the .Hawera. Municipal Band Committee . lost night, appreciation was expressed* of the thoughtful action of the Competitions Committee of the Male Choir in deciding to donate half the proceeds of the demonstration, concert to the fund for the expenses of the band/, in going to the Dominion Contest early next year. The members were enthusiastic "in their realisation of the good fellowship shown by a, kindred institution . * A whirlwind, of some considerable dimensions was noticed on Sunday afternoon by residents near the railway line (writes the: Auckland Star’s Te Awamutu correspondent). The disturbance. seemed to start, on Taylor’s Flat, half a mile north of the railway station, and it. swept across towards College. Street with a roaring sound that, alarmed people in -the" locality. So far -as could be judged,, no harm was done. These atmospheric, disturbances* are usually regarded as the forerunner of a spell*of fine weather, which, would •be greatly appreciated by the farming community. A heavy copper medal, the six©, of a five shilling piece, but almost 'twice as thick, bearing in relief on* one .side a reproduction of H-.S.M. Foudroyant, once Lord .Nelson’s flagship, and .on the other a bust of the great sailor himself, was- brought into the, Star Office yesterday afternoon by Mr T. A. Garratt, whose ;son found! it about the grounds of their home. The medal is not an antique, but the fine workmanship and the fact that it is struck from copper from the Foudroyant gives it a value. The old! flagship, launchedl in' 1798, 1 was wrecked at Blackpool, on the Lancashire-coast,, in 1897. and some enterprising English jeweller struck the medals* as souvenirs, douihtless profiting by the hero-worship of* the public of that day. It is a minor coincidence that the Foudroyant figures in the cable news to-day as one of the three great relics of British naval history. Mr. Frederick Hillas, a, well-known and highly-respected Pori, settler, aged 52, expired suddenly' after alighting from his ear at Ngaturi (Pa.hiat.ua) yesterday. Ho was accompanied by his wife. They were proceeding to Paliiatuh, en route to Masterton. A -short time previously Mr Hillas bad attempted to pass .another car , in front- of him on Ngaturi Hill and hiis oar is reported to* have run into a bank, though no serious damage occurred. .Subsequently Mr Hillas, when near Ngaturi School, turned! his ear off the road on to the flat. He. alighted, stood up for a little while and then fell down. He was thought to have fainted, and medical aid was summoned, but he was found, to- be dead. Deceased, leaves a family of three. An inquest was formally opened this afternoon, and was adjourned. Ideas for improvements in common existing devices as much as idea# for new inventions! have unlimited possibilities for the inventor. Get our ad*our advice and protection. —Henry Hughes Ltd. (Directors: W. E. Hughes and J. T. Hunter, Regd. Patent Attorneys), 157 Featherston St., Welling-ton.-—Advt. PYJAMA SUITS. ! Our new pyjama suits are great value. The strong flannelette, for men, 9/6; the light weight cotton, at 8/11,. give good wear. We have the heavy warm weights, 15/ : , 29/6, 35/-; Roslyn woven sleeping suits, 39/6, are very comfortable for the wearer, so see us about your next pyjamas, at the N.Z. Clothing Factory; Hawera. —Advt.