LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 29 October 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Farmers who make a practice of under-stocking rather than over-stock-ing their farms, report heavy losses among their breeding ewes their year, amounting (asvs the ‘ ‘ Marlborough Express”) in some cases from, 5 to 7 per cent. This is due to a mild winter, with an abundance of feed, the ewes not getting sufficient exercise and becoming toev fat, resulting in undermined constitutions at a time, when they are at their full profit.. The flow of dairy produce from. New Zealand to Canada, Honolulu and the East is increasing as the season advances. The 'Niagara, took 24,750 boxes of butter, "Compared with T6,8‘29 taken by the Aorangi on her last trip. The Niagara, from Auckland for Vancouver left a full ship so far as her refrigerated space, including the new insulated hold, was concerned, the balance of the perishable cargo comprising frozen meat ancl meat products. The. butter cargo alone represented a value approx! run tcly £IOO,OOO. Farmers throughout the _ Eastern District generally are complaining bitterly of the prolonged, spell of unseasonable weather, which ha,s materially affected lambing and is holding up the spring farm one rat ions, says the ‘‘Southland Time’s”), it is predicted in some quarters that the lambing percentages will not bear comparison with those for several years back, the losses experienced to date through the ravages of snow and flood affecting to a greater or lesser extent practically every .sheep farmer in the district. One’well-known farmer in the district stated that feed was at a. premium and that in some cases a critical stage bad been reached. What was wanted was a few days of bright sunshine and warmth to .stimulate the growth of grass.

On the lawn of a Herne Bay residence a young draughtsman and his younger brother have busied themselves in the latter stages of assembling a monoplane, the building of which has occupied about four months, says the Auckland “Herald.” Their ambitious efforts is the first of its kind in the Dominion to reach such an advanced stage, and the “Evo,” as it has been christened, will essay'its first flight at Ihumata- within a fortnight. Mr H. G. Dickie, the .sitting member and Reform Party candidate, for the Patea. electorate, will deliver an address to electors in the Winter Show buildings at Hawera this evening. The Mayor "(Mr E. A. Pacey) it to preside, and the address is to commence at 8 o’clock. Mr Dickie will reply to statements made on Friday evening at Hawera by Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P. for Wanganui.

The increasing values of land in Palmerston North, more particularly in its business area, is forcibly _ demonstrated by the fact 'that a section near the Chiba Street end of Rangitikei Street, with frontage of 32 feet, has been sold at a price of £lB7 10s a foot. For some time past excellent prices have been forthcoming for land in the business area in Palmerston North, and prices up to £2OO per foot have been realised far areas in the Square. In Rangitikei Street the values gradually decrease from £2OO per foot at the lower end till, at Featherston Street end, they are on a par with the average values for business sites. At. their shop day on Saturday, the laidios of the Hawera Croquet Club held three competitions, which were .won as follow: Pyjama, suit (sweets), Mr F. A. Pacey, 218 (correct 21G); slippers (bottle of staples), Mrs A. E. Wills and Mass Cunningham, both correct, 190, the latter eventually winning; cake (weight), presented by Mrs Hill of New Plymouth, Mrs J. Mculi (Manaia-j 41b Gloz, Mrs Caltehpole (.ivapouga) and Mrs Nixon (Hawera) each 41b 4oxi Eventually the cake went to Mrs Nixon. The ladies in charge of the effort ex- 1 pressed their .gratitude for the liberal support accorded them and the sum obtained, which will' be a very material help to the club's building fund. At a meeting held at the hall ol residents of the Otakeho district on Saturday, preliminary arrangements were made for the farewell social and presentation to Sir William and Lady Le Fleming. The function, which will be held on November 6, is being arranged to acknowledge the debt owed to Sir William for the long period of active and useful public service given by him, and to- indicate the popularity of the family all over the district. Mr. F. Wills was appointed [chairman, and Mr. Edwin Burke lion, secretary of the committee which will make arrangements for the evening’s programme.

During a recent visit to South Africa in the course of his world' tour by motor-car, Mr. G. W. Allsop, of Now Zealand, criticised the bad roads in .South Africa. ‘They were very' poor compared with those in New Zealand and Australia. “It has been recognised all over the world,” he remarked, “that good roads in these days of motoring mean prosperity for the country. Australia, while we were there, earmarked a million pounds to be spent on advertising to attract, tourists to the country, and they 'consider they will get . about £27,000,000 revenue from that expenditure. In New .South Wales alone they spend something like £250,000 every year on their roads. From Sydney you can radiate in any' direction for over . 100 miles over tarmacadam roads, and an approaching Melbourne we travelled into the city for over 200 miles cm a tar-macadam road. ’ ’