LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 December 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Don. O. J. Hawken, Minister or Agriculture, will deliver a political address at Eltliam to-night at 8.30 o’clock.

The value of secondary education was touched on at the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board. “I think even one year of secondary education is of value to a child,” declared Mr J. Aitken.

Primary schools throughout Tamil aki closed for the Christmas vacation to-day. At the Hawera, distract schools there was no official ceremony, but aic flaweita. Father Christmas distributed toys among the infants. At Tawhiti lolly scrambles were given at the end of the day and at Turn turn children’s races were held. Air G. Garrett lias discovered on his farm some parasite, which seems to be killing ragwovb very quickly (writes our Qhangai correspondent). Me says that it works up the stem, severing leaves and buds on its way. He has notified the local officer of the Department ol Agriculture,- so no doubt something further will ibe beard and the result will be awaited with interest.

Quito a little drama, was enacted in Market Street .North, Blenheim, the other afternoon, when an iratelooking lady accosted one of a party of three girls and administered a heartily-slapped face, accompanied by the remark: “That will teach you to go out with my husband!” Virtue triumphant then retreated with an air of duty nobly done, while beauty in distress lied in tears. —“Express'.” Constable Johnston had an exciting experience in the Avenue while on duty, says a "Wanganui exchange. A drover successfully negotiated a mob of cattle over the town bridge, but, when they were some little distance along Taupe Quay a big Hereford bull broke loose from the mob with the dogs hot on hits trail. The drover called out to the constable to head the bull off, but no sooner had the bull sighted the uniform than he lowered his head and went straight for the man in blue. The latter, who is one of the most agile members of the force, quickly sidestepped and then broke record time along the Avenue. The official opening of the Mokau bridge will take place on December 17. The Prime Minister lias advised that he, in company with the Minister of Public Works, Hon. K. S. Williams, will probably leave Wellington for New Plymouth on Friday to carry out the function at Mokau the next day and leave ill time to connect witli the

a . light limited for Auckland. Various. local authorities, including the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, will participate in the ceremony. It is expected that all the Taranaki members of Parliament will be present. At Dower Mangorei school yesterday evening at the annual concert and prize-giving, a feature of the function was tiie prominence given to the farming work, in which that school has achieved marked success. Mr. Ridling, the Education Board’s agricultural instru tor, complimented the headmaster on the good work, and in the course of his remarks paid a tribute to the excellent organisation shown, and specially mentioned the remarkably f; ne display made by file South Taranaki schools at the champion shin meeting in Elfham.

Some t ine ago, as the outcome of a small wager, a student of tli,? Bnakura Farm of Instruction undertook to sleep all night on top of one of the steel towers erected to carry the e’ectric cabl?;• from Arapuni to Auckland. The incident is told in a letter written to a friend in Taranaki, the writer saying that he climbed to the top with a hammock, slung it, and turned in at 9 p.m. V workman hailed him at G a.m. next .morning and’ho was ordered down none the worse for his adventure in the air. The tower, it may he .added, is 100 ft. in height, and is the (highest on the tine crossing the farm on the way to Auckland. BTJCKRELL’S AND CHRISTMAS We have opened an attractive assortment of Ladies’ Handkerchiefs, suitable for presents, from 2/11 to 12/6 a box; also Gloves, Scarves, Handbags; best makes in Hosiery “Gold Star.” Kayser. Bonds true shape HENDERSON HATS; Frocks, Costumes, Coats. —Buckrell’s, Hawera, “The Quality House.”—Advt

Word has been received by Air G. H. Buckeridge from Air T. Reynolds that the machinery for manufacture of the vacuum cheese containers has been completed, and left Sydney on Thursday for New Zealand. It will be in Hawera shortly before Christmas, and will lie erected at the Winter Show Bui’di ngs at an early date. The young farmer Fleming, who was supposed to- have been drowned in the Batea river whilst white-baiting, bias been discovered in Auckland, states the “Pafea Press.” The discovery' was made through information given by Air A. Ford, assistant borough electrical engineer, who stated on his return from Iris annual holiday that he had given., a person resembling Air Fleming a lift in hiis car from Te Awanuitu to Auckland. Following up the clue search was made, with the result that the missing man was discovered in Auckland. The discovery was the outcome of a particu.lally smart piece of work on the part of an Auckland detective, who located the missing man within three hours of the time when he was .placed in possession of the facts regarding Air Fleming’s disappearance. The tin l'ertunate young man, it is stated, has been suffering from an entire lapse of memory.