LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 12 March 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A series of comparatively mild earthquakes have been experienced in New Plymouth since the sharp shock of last week, says the “New,s.” On Saturday morning and yesterday morning several appreciable tremors occurred. The subscription list opened at the Eltliam County Council office in aid of the Hood-Moncrieff benefit fund has so far realised only £3 6s Bd. It was suggested by a member at the council meeting on Saturday that lists should be forwarded to dairy companies for distribution to their factories. Early on Sunday evening the inspector of police in Napier was advised by telephone from Porangahau that a vessel, believed in shipping circles to be the James Cosgrave, a trawler from Auckland, appeared to he in trouble about four miles off shore. The settlers lit a fire to indicate to the ship that she was seen, and the Kahika was expected to reach the vicinity about 11 o’clock and was instructed by wireless to keep a look-out. It was later reported that the distressed ship appeared to have moved off under her own steam in a southerly direction. It is assumed the vessel experienced engine trouble which was eventually righted without assistance. The Mayor of Nelson (Mr. W. J. Moffatt), when welcoming delegates to the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society's Conference at Nelson on Tuesday, said that quite recently he had come across a book dealing with medical prescriptions of the Middle Ages. Some qf them were very remarkable and alarming. One contained the following ingredients : “The body of one toad, the eyebrow of one rat, two sprigs of nightshade, the juice of a frog, half a bucket qf snow boiled down to half a pint, etc.” When the president of the Society, Mr. F. was speaking later in the evening, he referred to Mr. Moffatt’s speech, and said that it was very interesting to look back on some of the old lengthy prescriptions which were known to chemists as “shot-guns.” They contained something for everything. The theory of madicine men to-day, however, embraced everything in the animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms, and he could assure the Mayor that there was still plenty of useful drugs that had not been heard of in Nelson. Chemists were here to help the medical man provide the medicines he prescribed, and they felt that as dispensers, their work was of considerable importance to the community. The Pharmaceutical Society was actually formed in 1879. and next year they would be celebrating its jubilee. In 1879 the society had 108 members, while to-day there were 700. This was an indication that the demand for chemists was being met.

A most successful and enjoyable visit was paid by the Hawera Municipal Band to Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu reserve yesterday. The day was ideal for such a trip, and all thoroughly enjoyed the outing. During the afternoon large crowds came to listen to the playing of the band, and the caretaker on his own initiative took ui> a collection, which realised a satisfactory amount, At the monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council on Saturday, Councillor A. L. Campbell said he was certain that hospital levies next year would be much heavier than for last year.- The warning provoked the remarks: “We have a very big hurdle now,” and “It would lie disastrous with higher rates.” A Wellington Press Association message stated that it was origin-ally intended to have the professors of economics at each of the four university colleges as delegates to the National Industrial Conference, but Professor B. E. Murphy, professor of economics at Victoria College, has intimated that owing to thep ressure of work he will be unable to sit at the conference. No successor has yet been appointed. Proceeding to the army rifle meeting at. Trent ham a H-otchkiss gun team under Sergeant U. Wilkinson, of Hawera, and a Vickers gun team in charge of Corporal J. R. Johnson, of Hawera, both representing the Queen Alexandra’s Mounted 'Rifles Regiment left ■by the south express this morning. A detachment of seventeen from the northern portion of the district representing the Taranaki Infantry Regiment was also on the train.

Members of the Eltham County Council were agreeably surprised at last Saturday’s meeting to receive an increase of five shillings for travelling expenses as compared- with the previous month. The treasurer explained that the “rise” was the result of communicating with the audit inspector regarding his interpretation of “travelling expenses” a-s governed by the regulations. The inspector had agreed to the addition of “living expenses” at the rate of lOd per hour for six hours; this accounted for the increase.