LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 7 February 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. C. Vaughan, of Huinga, Toko, met with a painful accident in an unusual manner on Saturday last. He went out into his paddock and placed some blasting powder on a log while making preparations for its use. Hardly had lie done so than it exploded, burning his face and neck severely. Mr. Vaughan was removed to a private hospital in Stratford, where-he is reported. to be progressing favourably.

“Do hotels observe this half-holi-day?” asked a member at a recent meeting of the County Council during the discussion on the half-holiday question (states “Timaru Herald”). On receiving a reply in the negative, the councillor remarked: “It doesn’t matter, anyway. They’re open when they’ro closed.” When is a motor-car travelling at a moderate speed? During the hearing of a case in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington a witness supplied an original and rather amusing answer. Senior-Sergeant D. Scott was anxious to receive an answer to the question, which he put to the witness twice. The witness thought for a moment. “Well, sir,” he said, “a motor-car is travelling at a moderate speed when you can dodge it. ’ ’

The Eltham Horticultural Society’s summer show will he held in the Eltham Town Hall to-morrow. Notwithstanding the dry season some good exhibits are assured. Entries have been received from Taranaki growers and from as far as Palmerston North. The Waimate Plains Seaside Committee is holding its second gala day at the Kaupokonui Beach to-morrow. Swimming competitions, canoe races, children’s races and novelties have been arranged. Hot water is to be provided free. The Manaia Band will be in attendance.

Society reformers sometimes complain that the “sacred rights of property” receive more attention than human Tights. Apparently that is so sometimes. In Dunedin the old post office building is being demolished and a notice has been posted up warning motorists against parking their cars in the vicinity on account of the danger of the wall collapsing. But there is no warning to pedestrians who use the footpath immediately. -below the wall. The recent good performances of New Zealand cricketers in the Old Country and Australia are in striking contrast to the scores put up during the visit of the Australians to the Dominion just 50 years ago. In the match against the Australian team, 22 Hawke’s Bay players compiled’ 49 (Rees 18). Australia replied with 57 for five wickets (C. - Bannerman 24, Spofforth not out 16).

For years, says “Mercutio” in the “Auckland Herald,” people have been asking when he were going to have one of the good old-fashioned summers, when it was nice and warm, when the week-ends were not invariably wet, and when one could confidently leave home in the morning without overcoat or umbrella, and not risk having to take a taxi back in the evening to avoid a drenching. Well, we have got one now, and see how pleased everyone is about it.

While bathing in the surf at Napier the other afternoon one of a. party of picnickers who had come from Dannevirke to spend the day by thp- seaside, a girl about 15 yearn of age, had the misfortune to be severely stung on the neck by a. jellyfish (reports the ‘‘Telegraph.”) Her first intimation that anything was wrong was when . she felt something soft and clammy clinging to her neck. The jellyfish then began to sting, whereupon the girl seized .it with her hand and tore it away, and in doing so her hand suffered from stings. The girl, who was in extreme pain, was conveyed'to the baths and Dr. Waterworth was summoned. The effect of the stings was to raise the skin in 'arge white lumps all Tound the throat. After an injection, however, the pain eased and the girl was able to undertake the return journey to Danneivirke.

Mr Kcnrick, S.M., who on retiring from the bench recently was entertained 'b.k many legal friends at Rotorua, recounted .to them some of the more interesting of his experiences. He was stationed, he said, in the South Island when he was first appointed a magistrate; and would not readily forget his first court at Murchison in 1905, when the plaintiff in a certain case suddenly concluded the business by blowing himself up with dynamite, also injuring a large number of other people and doing a lot of damage. Before the next court was held an anonymous letter -was received saying that, at the next sitting, the police sergeant would bo blown up. Precautions were taken by importing a number of detectives for the occasion, which, apparently, had 1 a good effect, as nothing happened.

At present there are so many references to the fact that £1 is more than holding its own with the “almighty 7 ’ dollar that it iS of interest to recall the fact that it was just 90 yeaTS ago that Washington Irving coined the phrase. In a tale called ‘ ‘ The Creole Village, ” the writer mentions ‘‘the almighty dollar, chat great object of universal devotion throughout our land.” The author uses the term again in the same story, and adds this footnote: — ‘ ‘ The phrase, used for the first time in this sketch, .has since passed into current circulation, and by some has been questioned as savouring of irreverence. The author, .therefore, owes it to his orthodoxy to declare that no irreverence was intended even to the dollar itself, which he is aware is daily becoming more and more an object of worship. ”

A wonderful hosiery offering at. the Melbourne Ltd.’s Great Summer Sale is the pure thread silk hose. A lovely stocking, full fashioned, reinforced heels and toes, in light blonde, sparkle, pomery, grain, French nude, champagne; regular price 10/6, sale price 7/13. And another remarkable offering is the art silk hose, reduced from 5/6 to 3/11. In newest range of all fashionable shades. —Advt.

The savings voti will expect by visiting and buying at Harrop’s Sale are really worth while. Note these bargains for men: Men’s Tweed and Worsted Suits in light and dark colours, usual price up to £7/7/-, now 39/6 to 79/6; Men’s Ties in Silk and Knitted styles, usual price up to 4/6, now 1/6, 2/6; Men’s Pure Fur Felt Hats in Fawn and Grey, usual price 25/6, now 19/6. —Harr op’s Ltd. —Advt.

The gang of burglars known as “the borers,” who have been operating in, Christchurch for some time, are apparently lying low, no burglaries having been committed by them since Christmas. It is the opinion of the police that they have been scared by the publicity given to their operations. Taking a firm stand against the importation of luxuries, and consequent expenditure of money outside Russia, Soviet officials have raised customs duties so high that Russians must pay £2O retail for a bottle of imported eau de Cologne, £lO for soz of ordinary perfume, £2 each for lipsticks, and £5 for a box of face powder. It is reported that an Oamaru resident who followed a somewhat humble occupation, and who has been sought .or several years by a firm of solicitors, has been advised that he has become heir to a fortune of several thousands of pounds through the death of a relative (says tlie “Mail”). He has been the recipient of many congratulations. Of a total of 171,285 motor vehicles registered in New Zealand, 106,350 are in the North Island and 64,935 in the South Island. In the first-mentioned island, on December 31, there were 69,310’cai\s, 17,262 commercial vehicles, and 19,778 motor cycles, while in the South Island there were 42,331 cars, 7789 commercial vehicles, and 14,815 motor cycles.

The three-year-old daughter of the Mayor of Eltham (Mr I. J. Bridgcr) was knocked down by a motor car in the main street of Eltham yesterday afternoon and received several severe bruises, but no bones wore broken. After being examined by Dr Crawford she was able to be conveyed home. The driver of the car, Mr S. Tiplady, was driving very slowly at the time. An instance of the vagaries of the weather was witnessed- on Sunday by a number of travellers returning home via the Boylan Road, Eltham, north of which there was no sign of rain. Between this place and Normanby there was ample evidence of a heavy •downpour having occurred that afternoon. As Normanby was approached it was noticed that only a slight rainfall had taken place, and as Hawera was reached there was hardly a trace of rain on the roads.

When steps were being taken to form a company by those interested in the Zeala process for securing albumen from whey and utilising it by adding it to cheese, it was deliberated whether district companies should be formed or a general company, ana the latter course was taken. It is understood that steps are now about to be taken which will allow of the formation of district companies, preparatory to dealing with further, developments of the process of extracting solids from tlie by-products of milk.

A fire was started on Sunday morning, about half a mile from Tuatapere township, for the purpose of clearing the bush (states an Invercargill message). It got out of control later in the day owing to a strong north-west wind that was blowing. The fire spread rapidly, soon reaching an old sawmill. The mill was burned to the ground, and four cottages in the vicinity also caught fire and were reduced to cinders. Residents at the edge of the bush had an anxious time in the afternoon, but fortunately the wind 1 changed and the flames were carried past their houses. No further damage is reported. A combined meeting of committees representing the Hawera, Tawhiti, Ararata and Technical Schools was held last evening at the Hawera School to discuss matters in connection with th? combined schools picnic at Moturoa Beach. A letter or apology was 'received from (the Turuturu Committee, whose delegates could not attend. A sub-committee was formed to further discuss matters in connection with the outing, and at a meeting to be held ' to-morrow (AVednesday) the date would be fixed, as it was considered. advisable to hare the picnic coincide with the visit of H.M.S. Dunedin at New Plymouth. It is understood the Education Board will meet to-night to consider the granting of a general holiday for schools in Taranaki on the best available date for visiting the warship. An adopted sou who does not mind doing a little light housework, but-, who, apparently, has a rooted objection to any form of permanent employment, appeared before the Dunedin City Police Court on Saturday and pleaded not guilty to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that he had no visible lawful means of support. In evidence it was stated that the defendant, Robert Hall Rogers, who lived with his adopted parents (aged 72 and 74 years respectively), had done no work for 10 years, with the exception of a few months in 1925. He had been ■told to leave and find work, but had consistently refused to do so. The defendant pointed opt that he was in the habit of cooking the meals and sweeping out the house; but this, ’his adopted father asserted, amounted to very little, as there were only - himself and his wife in the house, and the latter, who was- an invalid, ate next to nothing. “Do you think,” inquired the Magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew), “that it is a fair thing to sponge on these old people as you are doing?” “I sometimes do a little journalism, and am willing to work,” the defendant began. “You’ll have to,” sharply interjected Mr Bartholomew, as he convicted the accused and ordered Mm to come up for sentence when called upon. “You will also leave the house at once.”