LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 January 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owe of the busiest members of the Auckland railway .station on Moncla;, was the porter employed in hiring out pillows for a. -shilling each. Pillows have become very popular with longdistance travellers since the system was introduced, and this was borne out on the night in question, isay.s the Herald, when every available one was sold some time before the departure of the last express. About 450 pillows were disposed o’f to passengers on the three expresses.

As a general rule the Eltharn tradesmen have increased their turnover this holiday season as compared with last a ear’s* holiday trading, says the Argus. One retailer* says that his turnover showed a considerable increase upon last year's holiday trade, and it w r as brought about by an increased number of purchasers. The goods disposed of were of a cheaper variety than last year, but the greater number of sales brought about increased returns.

The competition for the Taranaki open championship for gladioli and for the Bridget Cup, under the auspices of the Eltharn Methodist flower show, which was postponed from the summer show- on December 8. was judged yesterday. There were seven entries and 84. blooms were presented. The judge, Mr. C. H. P. Fitzgerald, made his awards as follows: Air. C. E. Rowe (Eltharn) 1, Brigden (Hawera) 2, Rev. \Y. W. Avery (Eltharn) 3. A collision between a Royal Blue motor-bus full of passengers bound for Brown’s Bay and a steam tram occurred on Lake Road, Takapuna, at about 10 o’clock yesterday, stated an Auckland message. Both vehicles were travelling in the same direction when one of the tyres of the bus burst, causing the driver to swerve across the road oyer the tram lines. The engine of the train crashed into the rear of the bus, a portion of which was smashed. Considering the force of the impact, it was surprising that the bus did not overturn. , One of the passengers, a boy, sustained a broken collar-bone, and two ladies suffered considerably from shock, but nobody w-as seriously injured. The driver (Hardaker) was thrown out, but regained his seat while the vehicle was still in motion.

Mr Bruce Levy, agrostologist to the Department of Agriculture, is convinced that he has discovered a natural enemy to the obnoxious blackberry. Writing in. the journal of the Department, lie declares that paspalum is of value not only for the control of bracken fern, hard fern, water-fern, manuka, tall fescue, etc., but also is most promising for the control of blackberry. Blackberry will not thrive with a. tight turf of grass about its crown, nor can it spread by layering in a close' turf such as paspalum can make. The writer feels certain that on the better-quality soils at least, or where top-dressing can be systematically carried out, the establishment of paspalum among any blackberry that may be there is one of the means by which this. troublesome secondary growth can he suppressed. In the West Australian Legislative Council, on a Loan Bill, Sir William Lath lain said that a,n act had beenpassed some time ago forbidding further expenditure on State trading concerns, yet an immense sum was asked for under the Bill. The State sawmills were now advertising corrugated iron and joinery for sale, and Parliament was asked to permit the Ministry to borrow - an additional £50,000 to help the sawmills carry on. An amount of £25,000 was sought for the State implement works, although that concern already had £78,750 worth of stock. Were it an ordinary business undertaking. the manager would be told to take the amount needed from the sale of stock. He suspected that value w-as fictitious. The State brick-works also desired to borrow £50,000, although it had very large stocks. He thought that such borrowing for State concerns was grossly immoral. “WhPe it is difficult to form sound impressions on a first visit to a district, I can say I was favourably impressed with the country, particu’arly in the Marlborough portion near Blenheim,” remarked the Hon. Iv. S. Mi Ilia ins, Minister of Public Works, when asked his views regarding the route of the South Island Main Trunk line, which he had traversed. The Minister considered that the hill country was carrying splendid feed for stock, but as he got down to the Clarence River he began to be impressed with the difficulty likely to be encountered by the railway engineers in their efforts, to find a good route to connect the existing lines. He mentioned that .surveys are still going on, with a. view to ultimately submitting to him a complete report on the position, with a close estimate of the cost. BUCKRELL’S,

LADIES’ OUTFITTERS, HAWERA. Ladies! Please note our Frocks and Costumes are delivered to us practically every w-eek throughout the season, ensuring you something fresh and new every time you come to tow-n. Wo are opening IrOURl r OUR Christmas Frock tomorrow. We invite all to inspect, wbe Note address: Buckrcll’s. Union St., tlier immediate buyers or otherwise. Hawera. MEN’S SHOES. Men’s black or brown walking shoes 25/-, 29/6; tennis shoes 4/6, 8/6; men’s Sunilav boots. 29/6: w-orking shooters, 19/6. * At the N.Z. Clothing Factory, Hawera.—A cl vt. "Where are you going my pretty maid?” "For ‘No-Rubbing Lanndry Help, ’ Sir,” she said. —Advt. Aching teeth no longer ache after Magic Nervine —i/6. —Advt.

Ancient Jerusalem, in which for twoscore centuries or more people found their way by inquiry, habit or instinct, will soon have an up-to-date streetnumbering system, now that the principal streets and roads have been miadeed.

A breakdown of the petrol engine on the Mokau purit caused delay in transferring vehicles across the river on Tuesday, propulsion by man power being considerably slower than that by the use of the engine (says the Taranaki Herald). Yesterday the engine was again running.

Those interested in angling know that eels prey on trout. Apparently they are not particular as to what comes their way. Fishing recently in Here Creek, at Tiratu, Mr. R. S. Redward, of Palmerston North, who was on a visit to his brother, had the luck to catch an eel weighing 18£lb. Id was nice and plump, states the Dannevirke Evening News, and on being opened was found to contain, amongst other things, a weasel 13 inches in length!

A farmer from Karioi visiting Wanganui reports that a ,new Maori prophet in the district has commenced operations in opposition to Ratana. The first- gathering of his flock took place at Christmas time, when various matters for launching of the new creed were discussed. A number of R-atana’s followers in the Ohakune district- have promised to link up with the new prophet, who proposes to take a delegation. throughout the North Island. — Herald.

A giant telescope made in tjie middle of last century is to be scrapped, not because after 75 years there is a larger one to take its place, but because- it is too unweildy. It is the telescope with which Sir William Peek discovered Jupitor’s fifth moon. It was built for the Russian Government, but the Crimean War prevented its delivery. It was shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and then went into private, hands. It was Sir William Peck who- secured it for the Edinburgh Observatory, where it is now to give way to smaller and more convenient telescopes. Advice has been received from the Auckland Fruitgrowers’ Council that the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. 0. J. Hawken) will make a tour of the East Coast and North Auckland orchard® earlv this year. 'The recent tour which the Minister made of orchards in the Henderson and adjacent districts was a success in every way, and Auckland orchadists were able to bring directly under the notice of the Minister a number of matters of vital concern to the industry! The or char diets are particularly anxious that they should be included in the State scheme of rural finance, and the matter is regarded as one of Dominion importance. Poverty Bay dairymen -are now experiencing very satisfactory returns, and the output of the butter factories for 1-ast mont-n was expected to be slightly above the quantity produced for December of the previous year. It is rrom now onwards, observes an exchange, that the- most marked increases can be expected, for the herds are in good condition, and the pastures have seldom looked better. A record output for one day was established by the Kin- O-ra. factory la's! week, 180 boxes of butter, or 41 tons, being made on December 28 .-Auckland wireless enthusiasts were listening for a voice from Chicago on Monday evening, but no success was reported! The Chicago broadcasting -station, WMMB, -had arranged to send out a special programme for New Zealand listeners, in, the programme commencing: at 7.15 p.m., New Zealand time. At that -hour many powerful sets were turned-in to listen for Chicago. One receiver reported a faint voice, which he thought came from beyond New Zealand and Australia, and there were notes of music, but connection with Chicago could not be clearly established.—New Zealand Herald.

The harvest of lucerne in North Otago this season will constitute an easy record. In many cases two cuttings have already been made, and the growth is so prolific that four or five cuttings will be possible before the end of the autumn. The number of stands is every year increasing, and the problem of winter fodder has been successfully solved. It is now admitted that there are few parts of the district in which 'ucerne will not grow to advantage. The theory that it will only grow in proximity to a running stream has been exploded. and fine stands may now be seen, on the hillsides many feet above the water - level. It has been found that broadcasting is less laborious than sowing in drills, and the latter process is bring gradually superseded.

I^-e-f-er-en.ee "fco wliart lie termed 1 the inhuman method of use of the strap for any and every offence was made by Mr J. Caughev. retiring Director of Education, in replying to presentations from the Education Department in Wellington. Mr Caughev said he was entirely opposed to the! idea of corporal punishment. and mentioned school where this was abolished and which had accomplished a high degree of efficiency. He recalled a case where an iratei parent had approached the school teacher concerning a thrashing his bov had received. The teacher ask?d whether the. father had ever hit the hoy, to which the father replied: “No, never, except in self-defence.*’

Bishop West-Watson, preaching at the North Canterbury Choral Festival, made an interesting allusion to the possible influence of the broadcasting of high-class music on the standards of musical taste in parish churches. There are thousands of wireless receiving sets in operation in ‘England, and broadcasting stations all over the country, states the Church News. In New Zeaand similar conditions are rapidly coming to exist, and it is possible to hear good concerts from Australia and New Zealand almost every night in the week. “Wireless broadcasting of the best music,” said the Bishop, “is likely to raise the general standard of musical appreciation, and this will certainly lead to a demand for the best music in church sendees.” In England thousands of peop’e were able to listen-in nightly to the best of music from the great conceit halls, and ultimately the effect of this education of their taste will be to make church-goers more critical of what is offered in church. There was a strong movement in England amongst church musicians towards raising the standard of devotional music, aind the bias of that movement was towards simpheity and intelligibility.— Christchurch Press.

Start the New Year right by making the Melbourne your shopping centre. Quality and prices arc always right at this popular store, where the cash trading system is carried out in its entirety.' No booking, therefore no loading of prices to compensate for losses through bad debts. Melbourne values are consequently always the best obtainable.—Advt.

There may be a fractional part of 1/6 between yourself and restless, painracked nights —when you are in the throes of toothache; 1/6 is all that relief costs. It is Barraclough’s Magie Nervine. A few drops on cotton wool, applied to the bad tooth kills the nerve and stops pain. At all chemists. 309

A piquant relish is Sharland’s Table Yinegar. Pure, economical, and free from mineral acids. Bott ! e an'd draught. 1

A water-softening plant recently jinstalled in the Christchurch Hospital has effected a great saving in the amount of soap used. The plant was in use in November, -and the following comparison is made: -September, cost of soap used in. laundry, £36 17s 4d; November, cost of £l9 6s 7d.

The enterprise -shown by a. Wanganui motoring firm in hiring out cars for holiday use has met with great results. So great has been the demand for the hired vehicle that the firm now has a waiting list- which will keep the cars in service fully engaged during the next week at least. While the Muriel Star Dramatic Company were playing at Marton in the Town Hall last night, the dressing rooms were ransacked and a- small -sum stolen. Entrance had been gained by means of a stairwav at the rear of the hall.

What is claimed a-s a record has been established by the Rev. A. W. ’Wellington, of West Hindniarsh Methodist Church, Adelaide, who recently officiated at his thousandth marriage. He refused to take the usual marriage fees from the new.ly-married couple. Lastweek Mr Wellington celebrated his golden wedding.

Mr. J. It. Corrigan, a member of the Dairy Control Board, to-kl a representative of the Hawera. Star this morning that in the course of the past year the board had shipped 75,000 boxes of butter to North America. This included consignments to Vancouver, Montreal, and New York. The price was equivalent to 172 s f-o.b. London. Shipments were made direct from New Zealand. £ Despite delays that have been experienced owing to- boisterous weather and floods, splendid progress- is being -made with tne construction of the -bridge across the Mok-a-u river, which -links the Taranaki and Auckland provinces, and removes the final bugbear to traffic on the Main North Road, the much maligned. out-of-date ferry. "Work has been in progress since May. 1925. and it- is expected the bridge will be ready for traffic within six months. Somewhat later than usual, the early blossoms on the two large pohutukawa trees in the Hawera Courthouse grounds are just beginning to appear, but from the indications given by the large number of buds, it is expected that shortly both will be a blaze of colour. When in full bloom, which is usually about Christmas, the trees are much admired. A young tree in the Tower Ground is also showing a pro fusion of blossom.

Is there any use hinting at an honorarium for the directors?” asked Mr. IV. Ritchie, amid laughter, at the annual meeting of the Wanganui Meat Freezing Co. Air. Beckett said the Bank of New Zealand, which controlled the company’s affairs, had stipulated that no honorarium be paid., TJlie chairman, Mr. E. A. Campbell, said the bank would not even allow travelling expenses, and Mr. Beckett, who came in from Marton. had to pay his own fare. It was no wonder that there were no fresh nominations for directors.

What is the precis© difference between a plain Mister and an Esquire? asks the English Daily Chronicle. 'This delicate question is receiving much attention from the staff of a. big London business house. In a circular letter to all members of the firm, half are -addressed as Mr. and -Half as Esq. The plain Misters are now wondering what they have to be to become Esquires. The difference -seem-s to be much the sanie as that between an officer and a private -soldier, as defined by the Punch sergeant-: “Officers ’a-ve their teef extracted, privates ’-av© ’em pulled -aht. ’’- The sixth annual conference of the New Zealand Retail Booksellers’ Association opened at Auckland yesterday, the president, Mr. H. C. South, presiding. In his opening speech he remarked that New Zealand had the highest per capita average of book readers in the world. In the last 15 years the books imported into the Dominion had increased in value two and a half times, and the- population increase during the same period had been one and a half times. He dealt with the efforts of the association to keep a check on prurient and sex-spiced novels, and said the out and out sex novel wa-s disappearing to give place to the healthier tone which was coming into novel literature.

It has been made clear from the inquiries of Mr. Douglas, headmaster of the Boys’ Central School, Nelson, that the abolition of homework did not result in any increased attendance of the children at moving pictures, or any greater recourse to playing in the streets. They have more time for reading, indulgence in hobbies, inusic practice, field and home games. TVhile the collecting of cigarette cards and stamps appears to be in greatest favour, it is interesting to speculate upon the possible future of the lad whose hobby is ‘ ‘collecting caterpillars,” of the prospects of the boy who accumulates “museum specimens,” of those who indicate “beetles,” “insects,” “stones,” and “minerals.” Quite a number collect the mineral specimens in which the district is so rich. Many learn music, and the most favoured instruments are piano, flute, violin, cornet, and drum. Chief recreations at night are reading, music, wireless, gramophone, ping-pong, cards and games with mechanical toys. There is nearly always a final read before bedtime, which in most cases is about 8 to 8.30 p.m.