LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual report of .the New Zealand Eefrigerating company, Limited,. Christchurch, shows the balance available for appropriation as £76,260 18s Id, with which tire .directors' recommend a dividend should .be paid of 5 per cent., absorbing £31,815 10s, and a balance carried forward amounting to £44,445 8s Id.

llev. JET. J. Fletcher,. of Normanby, relates a curious coincidence experienced while camping at New Year near Tongaporutu. He found a motor-cyclist in trouble, and while talking to him another cyclist came along, who turned out to be the former owner of the motor-cycle which was the cause of the present trouble, and he was able to give the much-desired assistance. There have been complaints lately from Wellington motorists who, not having the good fortune to own a garage, park their cars for the night in private right-of-ways, of the depredation of what they describe as “the new sneak thief,” says the “Post.” In the past car equipment —spanners, jacks, pumps, etc. —have disappeared from motor cars, but gear of this kind is now left- untouched—petrol is the aim of the motor thief. With, an up-to-date syphon it is easy to pump the petrol out of a car tank. A tribute has been paid by Captain George Buckley, the well-known conductor of Queen Alexandra Band (Wanganui) to the band march “Taranaki,” composed by Mr. Joseph Higham, of Hawera. Mr Buckley said his band had played it at Stratford, New Plymouth, and Wanganui, and in each case it had been received with great appreciation. He complimented Mr. Higham on the excellence of the' march and suggested that it would be very suitable for a contest performance. The Mayor of Dunedin, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, states' that the unemployment problem is causing him great concern. The 'City Council is unable at present to. do very much more than it has accomplished, and the outlook is not bright. Regarding the £2QOO grant from the Government, the council draws up a schedule of work, .the Public Works department approves the schedule, and the labour office selects the men for employment. These are all married men | and receive 14s per day. About 50 men are engaged in relief works now being carried out. Mr G. H. Lightfoot, officer in charge of the Labour office, states that 164 married and 146 single men are om the waiting list, a. total of 310. This represents an increase, of 35 on the figures of Monday of last week. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health;, is an advocate of the local control of the hospitals of New- Zealand. In replying to the welcome accorded 'him in Palmerston North yesterday, he expressed himself against centralisation. A community, he thought, should be very jealous of local control as the form of administration. He believed that local government played a more important part in promoting the welfare amid happiness of a community than general government. The Health Department properly administered could by way of co-operation accomplish a great deal of good. That was his chief conception of the department.

Much appreciation was expressed by Mr. J. W. J. Harding, after a tour north, of the camp sites in Hamilton and at Epsom, Auckland. He was emphatic in his approval of the concrete road from Auckland to Henderson, but said the road thence to Helensvilie arid Pakatoi, though a good metalled surface, needed more attention and was not adapted to motor traffic. Much of the road further north towards Maungaturoto had suffered from tourA n g } motorists being obliged to use chains, which had tut up the surface badly. These occurrences made Mr. Harding realise the excellence, of the 1 aranaki roads, which were the subject of favourable comment by motorists all along the route. Mr. 'Harding said that while, generally, tourists were fairly considerate, there were a comparatively few who by “scorching,” even at corners, were a danger to the road users.

The prospects for the Wellington fruit trade would appear to- be improving, judging by the prices paid., by the Hindus for the stands for their fruit stalls in the Gity streets (says the “Dominion”). The total paid for 13 stands, for the January-March quarter was £522 17s 6d, which is £lll 15s more than for the same quarter last year. Only in three cases were theprices lower than last year, but in others the figure was ‘ doubled and trebled. The bidding was very keen, some rivalry was. exhibited during the progress of the auction. There were over 30 Hindus present at the beginning, but the higher prices seared one or two, who walked out of the Concert Chamber, muttering: “Too much money.” However, few of them appeared to be short of funds, since more

than one, going up to the table to. pay for his stall, produced a great roll of notes from his. pocket, some being as big as £SO. A few minutes later the

£522 netted was deposited in the City Treasury. HUNTINGTON’S; ’phone 2118. Another batch of remarkably lo.w priced lines from .the men is depart -

‘meuit: Woollen soeks, 1/- ami 1/3 per pair; cotton singlets and underpants, 2/6, 3/6; black Italian shirts, 6/11; bard-wear trousers, 7/6, 9/6. —Advt.

A HEALTHY TASTE. There is a healthy taste about Pulmonas. You know they are antiseptic, you know they will reach that irritating spot in the throat or chest. You

feel they can clear your air tubes and combat that cold. And you’re right. Pulmonas are invaluable for coughs, colds, bronchitis, etc. 1/6 aud 2/6 from all cbomists.—Advt,

On Sunday evening a collision occurred at the corner of Bridge and Railway Streets, Eltham, between a light delivery truck and a van. No one was hurt, but the vehicles were somewhat badly damaged.

A car driven by an Auckland motorist skidded and ran -off the road just North of Stratford on Sunday. The three occupants were badly shaken and bruised and were taken to hospital, while the car was seriously damaged. Having pleaded guilty to breaking Ins prohibition order at Tariki on cember 27, Antony Lukashefski (Hawera) was fined £1 (costs 10s) at the ►Stratford Court yesterday. At a meeting of the Meiis Dairy Company yesterday a protest was earned against the enforcement of the regulations in regard to standardised cheese at such short notice and in the middle of the season. It was decided that a copy of the resolution should he sent to the Minister of Agriculture and the Federation of Factories in South Taranaki. Carrying a full shipment of provisions and equipment for the Antarctic expedition, the ship Eleanor Boliing left Otago harbour yesterday on her second voyage to the Bay of Whales. The vessel is carrying sufficient supplies to keep the 40 men of the expedition now on the barrier for 15. months. The carriage of such a large quantity is necessary, as- the vessel may be prevented by the ice closing in from making a third trip south. She is also carrying three aeroplanes and a large quantity of petrol and oil.

Greatly impressed with the progress that has been made by the prisons authorities in -breaking in pumice land at the Hautu prison farm. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P.. and Mr. R. Semple, M.P. who have returned after a motor four through the middle portion of the North Island, in the course of an interview at Wellington yesterday, expressed their conviction that the development of that class of country would provide a suitable avenue of employment for those out of _ work, while at the same time, increasing productivity and encouraging land settlement. The danger of cattle breaking through a bad bit of fence -on Burke’s Hill and getting bogged was stressed by 'Cr. Gifford at Saturday’s meeting of the Eltham County Council. A farmer who had had the experience of having two cows bogged in this way and when released charging all and sundry, inquired if the council took any re-i sponsibility in such a case. Cr. Gifford assured "th e man that the council accepted no responsibility for this nor could the owner of the property be forced to make good the defect in the fence.

A sly dig at the Normanby Town Board was made by a councillor at Eltham County meeting on Saturday when the clerk announced that that board required no less than forty-six of the Highway Board’s road signs. He said -it was well known No'rmanby licensed the grazing of cows in the streets and he suggested the inscription should be made to read: “Look out for the eow. ’ ’

■ 4 A narrow escape from drowning was \ experienced on Sunday by Mr J. W. Major, of the Eltham ‘'Argus,” in the Patca River near Toko. 'He was standing on the bank and by accident slipped into the deep water. His brother Elliott and Mr Hi A. ißoswell, of Eltham, went to hfs assistance and all were in danger because the young felt low could not swim. They- got clear and by means of a long- branch helped him to safety after a strenuous struggle. Mr -Major was unconscious and medical attention was needed before he recovered 'sufficiently to be ) taken to a hospital in Stratford. He is now recovering satisfactorily. Appreciation of the arrangements made for the Boy Scout Jamboree at Stratford and of the assistance given by the people of the district for , the convenience of the boys was expressed by Commissioner Hector Christie, of Wanganui, who was in charge of the camp. He said before leaving Stratford that the site had been admirably adapted to the purpose, the discipline of the boys had been excellent and highly praised by the adjutant, an old army officer, and that the generous donations of the people of the town and their presence at many of the “campfires” had contributed in no small degree to the success achieved. Sincere thanks for much kindness were also expressed by the Scoutmaster in charge of the scouts from Fiji. A sale of interest to farmers of the district will be hold on Friday, February 15, by Newton King, Ltd., at McGarry’s rooms, Eltham, when, on behalf of the Registrar of the 'Supreme Court, they will offer two blocks of land at Onion a, 5.93 acres and 1272 acres. The ■land is situated about 25 miles from El- .

tham: and is approached by tarscaled and metalled roads. In addition there will be offered cattle—bullocks, cows and heifers—and horses and sheep. Particulars may 100 secured from the auctioneers, the Registrar or from the solicitors, Messrs Nicholson and Bennett, New Plymouth. For the convenience of patrons attending the Wanganui Jockey Club’s race meetings, a change house is to-be erected immediately. The building is to be 17 feet square, and will be divided into six cubicles, five of which will have change windows, while the other will constitute- the bank. The erection of this building, which will cost about £2OO, is expected greatly to facilitate the handling of money at the meetings. The structure is to be erected on the corner of the lawn between the totalisator and the main stand.

“lye have the finest hospital system in the world,” remarked the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, when replying to the welcome accorded him yesterday by the Palmerston North Hospital Board. “I have had the opportunity,” he said, “of investigating hospital conditions and administration overseas, and have had

conversation with hospital experts from -different parts of the world. Many older countries than ours would like

our assured system o.f finance. It would be very foolish to have our system spoilt, by disagreement, and as l'ar ns I am concerned party politics in the Health Department shall be absolutely barred. My decisions will be in the in-

terests of the people as a whole.” That he was intensely interested in maternity hospital work and intended to make a careful study of the Palm-

erston North institution was mentioned by the Minister of Health when in Palmerston North yesterday. In some parts of New Zealand mothers were not having the same consideration

from hospital boards as in other parts, and that state of things- should be remedied. It was an extremely important matter and he would be privileged to observe what Palmerston North was doing. The mortality rate in New Zealand was not correctly appreciated, and it was said that the position was grossly exaggerated. He hoped thatwas so-, but in any case comparison of figures from other countries were not

worth much. New Zealand had a -long way to go, however, before it could be

complacent about its maternal death rate, and he wanted to see the Posi-

tion better than it was