LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Eltham Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Air R. W. Tate, S.M., judgment for plaintiff by default was delivered' in the following undefended civil cases: Newton King, Limited, v. J. Romano, £9 14s 6d; Kaponga Town Board v. Bert Rvan. costs Only; F. Turkirigton v. W. 15. Alinhinnick, £3 19s; C. A. Belcher v. Conrad Hitchcock, £4 5s 3d; Eltham Borough Council v. Douglas Clement, £24 11s 2d; E. H. Thomas v. Ernest • Lane; £2O. A few days ago reference was made in the “Star” to a tour by a party of students, in an old and somewhat, decrepit motor ear. One of the paTty now writes to us: “The chariot arrived with colours flying at Wellington' on Friday and is now having a. well-earned rest at the igairage.”

To tour South Africa, in the wake of the All Blacks was the fate of a letter which was posted in Auckland last July and which reached the person to whom it was addressed four days ago.. It was set “q/o Thos. Cook and Son", to Durban, but by the time it reached that city the New Zealand team had gone. The letter followed by way of Kapstad, Kroonstad, and other South African centres, finally to be sent back to New Zealand. Considering that the' address gave no obvious indication that the addressee was a member of the football party its safe, if belated arrival reflects credit qn the postal authorities of both countries.

There is much speculation in Auckland as to who will contest the Mayoralty next Afay. A number of names have been mentioned as likely candidates (reports the “Star"), but it will be some time before definite 'announcements are made in certain directions.. Mr. W. H. Murray is the only person so far to state that he intends to contest the position. He lias been prominent in connection with what is known as the “Alurray charges," of which much was heard last year. The engine and two trucks of a goods train proceeding to Lyttelton yesterday afternon were derailed at the entrance to the tunnel derailing switch, which is supposed to operate only when a train is in the tunnel or when the points at the station are closed. The engine and two trucks were more or less damaged, but the driver and fireman escaped injury.

A New Plymouth chemist is. quietly laughing up his sleeve, according to a story told the “Taranaki Herald," and if it is true a. few sneak thieves must be feeling rather crestfallen. Like other chemists, he has a weighing machine just inside his door, on which numerous people test their poundage. Handy to the weighing machine is a pile of cigarettes, which have been steadily disappearing. The owner regards this with amusement rather than concern, since the cigarettes are merely imitations.

Some idea of the extent qf the maize industry in South Africa may be gathered from the fact, reported in a Cape paper of November 27, that from the beginning of the year o.ver 4,500,000 bags of maize had been sent to Europe, New Zealand, Mauritius and Japan. In addition large quantities are consumed in the country, mealie flour being the staple diet of the natives.

It is* usual, says the “Wanganui Chronicle", at. this time of the year for merchants to air their views on education and its uses in modern business life, the reason for the outburst being the fact that recruits fresh from school are in the process of being “broken in" to office work. One new member of an office, staff was the other day requested to take a message over the telephone, the wording of the message being: “Tell your manager that the ewes will be railed to-morrow morning." To his surprise the manager found a message with the sheep described as “yews."

A fine old fig tree on the property of Mrs James iScott at Mahurangi Heads is becoming famous among visitors to those parts for the enormous size of its fruit. Although it is yet early in the season for figs, the tree has produced some record fruit. Five figs picked at random weighed altogether 21b 2oz, the largest tipping the scale at 9oz. Unfortunately the opossums are quite as fond of the fruit as are human beings, and they frequently raid .the tree, eating all the ripe fruit and destroying much of the .unripe. Two traps set under the tree have collected a number of ’possums, and also the family kitten, which, however, is now convalescent and progressing favourably. Something .of oi feat in flying, so far a.s Canterbury is concerned, was performed on Sunday last, when Mr Ken Hall, of Hororata, flying a Moth plane, made a safe landing at Mr George Murray’s Braemar station, Mackenzie Country, abornt 20 miles' from the Mt. ' Cook Hermitage (says the Timaru “Herald”). Mr Hail set out from Hororata in the afternoon and reached Braemar at about 4.30, after flying for one and three-quarter hours. A perfect landing was made, while the take-off, half an hour later, was also very successful, the return journey being made via GlemmorC' and Godley Peaks stations. Mr Hall experienced rather trying • conditions owing to, the heavy clouds over Fairlie, and was obliged to. fly at an altitude of 9000 feet. The flight is unique in .that the landing at I Braemar is the most successful to. date as far as proximity to Mt. Cook is concerned. The country in general in the vicinity of Mt. Cook is not suited to. aeroplane landings. Many people, have cursed the irain that fell during the holidays, cuirsecl it bitterly and with deep feeling, but the State Forest. Service has not worried. “Let it rain” lias been the cry in the rerv.ko, for rain at th'iy time of the year mea-ius protection against lire in the plantations, and a better “strike” in the very dry areas that have been: taken over lor pjantng. Rain has. caused the plantations under eultiva-1 tion. to. look exceedingly well, and lias given the year’s work a splendid start. 1

Saturday was resolvcid upon as- the day for the -ha. If-holiday in the Patea County, after the matter had been discussed at the monthly meeting Of the Council yesterday. The chairman remarked that Saturday was all right for the -country, but no good for the towns

In a reference to the Toads' in various parts of the. Dominion, when being discussed at the Pa;tea -County Council meeting yesterday, Cr Belton said that a great deal of trouble had been. experienced -by tourists over the- Wai-ma-rino Plains during the wet weather Which had prevailed. The roads in p-laees were very bad. and tourists had' been stuck all might in the mud. During the storm on the West Ooast last week, Mr. A. Dyers, a farmer at Rotokohu, near Reef ton, had fifteen cattle knocked down by lightning, nine being killed outright. The loss is the more severe as the milking season is at its height just now. By next April it is expected that goods trains will be running over the Aucldand-Westfield deviation, although the line will not be taken over officially by the Railways Department for some time after that. Trains will be run to relieve congestion on the present main line.

The need of an organised body to look after the interests of retailers in Stratford has been: stressed since the holidays. One matter which has brought up the question is that shops were shut on the Saturday evening in Christmas week. The- Stratford "Post” suggests that the subject of Easter holidays and -of generally improving thei shopping facilities in Stratford by concerted action on the part of retailers and in other ways of making the- town more attractive would make useful work for such an association.

Quite a number of unemployed workers are looking forward to an opportunity for employment on the railway construction works in and near the Bullet- Gorge this year (says the “Grey River Argus”). It is stated there is a likelihood of work being carried out at the Murchison end of the line from Nelson, while Reefton representations are to be made in favour of work being also carried- on at the Inangahua Junction end of the route of the line to Westport-. Should there he activity at three points of construction simultaneously, the completion of the whole undertaking ought soon tp reach a stage where a sprint would be advisable to effect it. For the purpose of re-broadcasting the transmissions of New Zealand and overseas stations, IYA has for some time- been conducting investigations with a view-to erecting a receiving station in a locality where reception is good. iSueh a site has been found at the Orakei Defence Reserve, and the Broadcasting 'Company has been granted permission by the Defence Department to complete the necessary station. When necessary negotiations are finalised the company will erect the necessary aerial and install short and longwave receiving sets. A relay line will connect the receiving statios with IYA studio, when the re-broadcasts of what is received at ‘Orakei will be carried out.

The first stud sk-cep -sole by West Coast stud breeders .was held at Fei-ld-ing yesterday. There were a large number oif entries. Romneys were- sold today. The best price, 305 guineas, was paid 'by Mr R. Tanner (Longburn) fox a rdm bred by A. B. Wheeler (Hunterville). The same ve-n-dor sold on-e at 130 guineas' to Mr D. G. Furlong (Feild-i-ng). On behalf o-f the E. Short estate, rams went at 300 and 200 guineas. Mr E. E, Shoi-t paid 250 guineas- for a ram offered 'by Mr G. E. Allen-, and Mr W Rowland (Ro-ngotea) secured 160 guineas fox a Romney. Mr A. F. Car (New South Wales) paid 160 guineas for one of Mr Short’s rams. There was n-o sale for stud ewes.

Miss- Lily Copplestone, of Ashburton, who Avill make aln attempt to swim Cook Strait- on January 19, is steadily fitting herself for the. big job she has on hand. In a letter to Air P. Coira, North Island representative of the New Zealand Savimining Association, Aliss- Copplestone states that she has been putting in the week-ends training in Lyttelton -harbour, and recently swam across that harbour from Diamond Head to Corsair Bay. If 'conditions arc favourable on January 19, Aliss Copplestone- wi'll set out on her -long swim from Cape Koaniaru, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, at 2.30 o’clock that morning. Lnemployment in tlie teaching profession always exists at this time of the year, although the position is not as bad as it Avas last year. A new system lias come into force, by which students put in a year’s probation work -before going to tlie Training College, and another year as probationers after the two years’ course. Beiore, students spent- two years as probationary assistants, and were fully qualified after their course at the Training College. Students ivlio left the college last a ear, therefore, do probationary Avork this year. Under the new system it is anticipated that young teachers will be better trained and will ha-A'e less difficulty in obtaining positions. The earthquake reported recently as having been felt in Westport showed, Avhen the reports were examined, a marked similarity to the 'One which affected Wellington early in December, the origin of each probably being in a deep sea area off Cook Strait. Westport’s shake was felt quite severely at t-hci FareAveJl Spit lighthouse, where instruments Avere displaced and glass was

broken. Seismological records from other .parts' of the globe have shown a falling-off recently in numbers, the frequency of long-distance shakes' so marked in the earlier .part of December not having been maintained. Representatives of various local bodies recently requested the district engineer, Mr G. W. Albertson, to obtain a grant sufficient to metal the Wa ngxinui River Road from Toma .ire >to tlie houseboat. Apparently the Highways Board realises the importance of this main highway a® an outlet for the settlers along the river, and also for the convenience of tourists who desire to view the beauty spots of the upper reaches of the river. A contract has been let to Messrs J. K. Powell and H. D. Nairn by the Public Works Department for the metalling of nine milc-s of the road from the Terrtairc Bridge tq > the Kokok omu landing. The con.tralct is to be completed within 12 weeks.