LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A special meeting of the Manaia Town Board will be held on Friday evening, January 18, at eight o’clock, to decide on the statutory half-holiday for the year. Recently a railway porter at Auckland discovered the meanest woman in New Zealand (remarks the Auckland “Sun”). One morning he found a bag lying under a seat in the Limited after the passengers had left the train. He discovered that it contained £4OO, mostly fn sovereigns and half-sove-reigns, with a few American gold coins and a little silver. Also in the bag was a quantity of jewellery and a large quantity of expensive clothes. No one returned that day to claim the valuables, and they lay in the lost luggage office at the Auckland railway station for three days. Meanwhile a telegram was sent to an address in Palmerston North, evidently the address at which the owner of the bag had been staying. Some days later the owner of the bag arrived at the Auckland lost luggage office to claim her property. She calmly walked away with the valuables and has never even thanked the porter for finding them.

According to an officer at present visiting Napier, not the least of the effects of the change of Government has been its addition to the troubles of Departmental heads (states an exchange). From all over the country Government departments are receiving letters raising grievances which they imagined had been settled for all time. The change of Minisrtv has inspired many persons with unsubstantial claims to “give it a. go” in the hope oi obtaining something from a benevolent Government. Chief among the sufferers is the Pensions Department. Numerous applications, previously refused, have been renewed during the last few weeks. As might be expected, the new members are being asked to sponsor a good number of claims. Soihe of the applications are not without their amusing side. One Department lias received a letter from its Minister enclosing an application from “An Old i iberal.” who recently abandoned his attempt to convince the Minister’s predecessor that he was an “Old Reformer.”

Described by the police as a disgrace to the city, Mary and_ Isabella MeKegney, who- have 307 convictions between them, mostly for drunkenness, were at Christchurch yesterday sentenced to three months’ imprisonment o.n charges of drunkenness and obscene language. Marv has 202 convictions dating from 1900, and' Isabella 105, her record starting in 189-s.—Press Association. In the Gazette published at Wellington last night, amended regulations relating to the organisation, examination and inspection of public schools and the new syllabus of instruction aie published. The Dentists’ Register of New Zealand is published for general information. A number of Ministerial decisions under tho Customs Act aro also published. The appointment has been gazetted of Mr. Justice Herdman and Mr. Justice Ostler as an election court to hear the petition of John William McAulay, of Okai hau, fanner, against the return of Harold Montague Rusliworth as member of Parliament for the Bay <>t Islands constituency.

The Opuuake Surf Club has al_ ranged to hold a carnival on the afternoon of February 2, and a committee consisting of Messrs J. iN- Stephenson, M. and W. Smith will draw up the programme of events. The diamond .-jubilee of the Borough of Blenheim will be celebrated on March 6. It- is proposed to have a titting celebration of the event. Among the suggestion is a carnival week, commencing (with the racing meetings _ 00. the Marlborough Racing and Trotting Clubs.

Blackberry and foxglove are reported t>o be spreading at an alarming rate on the Bimutakas and are flowering profusely. Bata is also in bloom, but this makes a pleasant sight for the traveller who does the wearisome journey “over the hill.V Owing to fire developing on a goods train on December 24, some six bags of mail matter containing tilie December issue of the “Exporter’’ Were damaged. This mail matter was addressed to the postal districts of Wanganui and New Plymouth. As a result many readers of the “Exporter” in these territories may have missed the December number. The .publishers notary by advertisement in thisi issue that, on application to Box 1001, Wellington, the missing copy will be replaced as far as stocks will allow.

A motorist in ’Dunedin left his ear standing in King 'Street on Monday afternoon for a while. He returned later, and when he had driven for some distance he noticed a. woman gesticulating wildly on the road in front of him. Wondering what was wrong he pulled up, and then discovered that a little girl, aged between two and three years, had curled herself up and gone to sleep on the running board opposite to the one which he had used to step into the ear.

In the garden, the Marguerite daisy can be a very ornamental thing, and much prized, but it grows prolifieally and its spread in farm areas has caused considerable concern in some districts (says the Auckland “'Star’ ). In the Onewhero district, where the road winds towards Waikato Heads, the highway is bordered for miles with [Marguerite daisies. The floral effect is distinctly pleasing, but the tendency of the Marguerite is to scatter itself widely across the landscape, and come perilously near the noxious weed category.

There has been an exceptional increase . in the heavy traffic motor fees as compared with the year ended March 31 last, although only nine months of the financial year have gone. Up to December 31 the amount exceeds £33,500, while the receipts for the year ended March 31, 1928, were £25,710 10s. There are hardly any outstanding fees, but ■the fees from new vehicles may bring in another £IQOO to £ISOO. In view of the difficulty created by the licenses expiring oh March 31 the ■Government altered the year for registrations to end on May 31, and the Wellington 'City 'Council has fallen into line by altering 'the year for heavy traffic licenses to end on May 31, which will make the current year one of fourteen months. 'With five months to go it is possible that the total will reach £35,000. At Ithc Haw era 1 Police Court this mowing, before Mr L. A. Bono, J.P., a> man named G. H. Blackwell was fined £1 for being 'drunk while in charge' of a horse yesterday afternoon. Sergeant Henry said that defendant when arrested by Constable Multan, was in a very intoxicated condition, and at the' South Rond subway he bad got off his 1 horse and .was holding up the traffic. The sergeant, in pressing for a subsitatntial penalty, submitted that defendant held a public position, which made: the offence more serious than that of the ordinary individual. Mr Bone, addressing defendant, said: “It is a serious position for you to' be in. I -would advise you in your own interest, to take out a prohibition order, but, of course, it is for you to say.’’ Defendant objected to an order being taken out. He was fined the amount mentioned, the default being fixed’ at seven days’ imprisonment.

Drastic alterations to tlio marching regulations for band contests were proposed by the South Island Brass Bands’ Association at a meeting held m Wanganui in connection with the forthcoming contest. These were negatived for the time being by the North Island Association, it being considered unfair to ask bands to comply with the proposals. It was stated Lliat the band entries were excellent. In the A grade there were 13, in the B grade 15, in the hymn test 24. Solo entries numbered 494. The selections are the same as fnose recently taken Sat the Crystal Palace, and are declared by conductors to be the finest sets for many years. _ They will be taken. in the open air. Advice has f been received from London that Mr. T. J. Bees, Wales, the adjudicator, accompanied by his wife, has sailed for New Zealand via Panama, and should reach Wellington by February LI, two weeks before the contest commences. Owing to the large number of inquiries for accommodation a. private accommodation bureau is to be established- on the same lines as the one in connection with the Dunedin Exhibition.

HUNTINGTON’S; ’Phone 2118. These arc su few of the remarkably low price goods we are now offering: Dime quality cotton boso-, assorted shades, 1/11 pair; coloured satin sheen. Princess lunderskirts., some out-sizes, all 5/11; lovely bungalow aprons, 2/11; ladies’ cotton vests, no sleeves, fancy tops, 1/9; pure linen.-tea ito-we'lling, 1/-y-aird. —Advt. BUCKRELL’S SPECIAL PRICES FOR CHRISTMAS. Striped Fuji Frocks,! with sleeves, 15/G; Tennis Frocks, 15/G; Pleated Skirts, 13/(5, 15/G; Silk Jumpers with sleeves, 15/G; Silk Scarves, 3/11, 4/11; two reliable Stocking linos, ordinary wear 4/11, tlio “Kayser” for a. mil stocking 13/11.—Ruckrel’s Hawcra. — Advt.

Between 2500 and 3000 New Zealand lambs were delivered to people in the Old Country this Christmas time as a result of orders given in New Zealand. The price is 31s a carcase, and evfcn divided among four families a latmb would provide a substantial dinner. The total number of lambs delivered! in England ■under this scheme, which has •been in existence four or five years, now exceeds 1 15,000. Limestone caves at Mansden, about eight miles from Greymouth, which some years ago was a popular resort, font owing to the difficulty of reaching them for want of a road, have been neglected, are becoming a popular attraction once again l . The patterned ceiling, -with its stalactites, unfortunately had its beauty marred by thoughtless visitors making their initials in candle smoke. Previous visitors not infrequently broke off stalactites, not realising their value in the cave.

Wellington lias now ten children's play areas, nearly all of which Have come into existence in the last two years. Riddiford Street was the first to be constructed, and the others - are Pirie Street, Crawford Green, Ivelburn, Anderson Park, Botanical Gardens, Prince of Wales Park. Island Bay, Basin Reserve, and Ngaio. It is proposed to provide two additional areas at Western Park and Khandallah, and funds have been raised towards a similar project at LyalL Bay. No other city in New Zealand is so well provided with children’s play areas, not even Auckland. —“Dominion.”

Fishing from the launch Otehei off Cape Brett on Tuesday morning, Sir Harry Lauder brought his first encounter with a New Zealand deep-sea game fish to a successful conclusion by capturing' a mako shark weighing approximately 2501 b. The fighting qualities of the mako were a revelation to Sir Harry, the strenuous and patient fight to land his prize occupying one and a half hours. The noted Scottish visitor and his party are much impressed with deep-sea angling, and consider the sporting camp on Irupuliupuka Island, where they are staying, to be one of the most ideal in their experience. The “Old Stone Jug’.’ on the Great North Road is an interesting link in early days of Auckland, and it is good to learn that it is to be preserved (states the “Star”). The building which has been unoccupied for many years, is to be utilised as a chemical, factory, and the new tenant intends to repair the building and renovate the interior. The ground floor will be used as a factory, and the walls are to be decorated with Maori paintings. The “Old Stone Jug”, was erected as an inn 71 years ago, and the building was used as an outpost during the -Maori Wars between 1860 and 1866. It was a wellknown rendezvous for the militia stationed at Point Chevalier, and such well-known soldiers as Major Von Tempsky, Lieut. Chevalier, Lieut. Me- ■ Donnell and Major Gundrey were ofteS? seen within its walls. ,