LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cedric Swallow, aged twenty-three years, who was trapped by flames when tlig Yarra Boat Club’s shed was burnt on Monday evening, died as a result of severe burns received, states a cable message from Melbourne. What is said to be the largest settlement for insurance ever made occurred in Sydney last October, when there was a huge fire in a large paper mills. The cheque handed over was no less than £223,800 12s, and a. replica of the cheque is held by Mr J• Dougherty, who is chairman of the company. He was in Taranaki with the Australian bowlers, and showed the replica to one of the Hawera bowlers who met him ,in New Plymouth.

Many matters of importance to local bodies in New Zealand will be discussed at the annual municipal conference to be held in Wanganui on March 6-and 7 next, when delegates from all parts of New Zealand will attend. On March 5, the -annual meeting of the Town Clerk’s Association will he held at Wanganui. The association is a comparatively new organisation. It first met last year at Nelson, where the municipal conference was also held. At 8.18 last evening, a five alarm was received from a Wilson Street box by the Hawera Hire Brigade. With its usual promptitude the brigade was on tli. e scene, a residence in Wilson Street, where it was found the outbreak was nothing more than a rubbish fire, the brigade’s services not being required. Tlie alarm was given by a passerby who evidently- thought th-e outbreak Was in the residence itself.

A little Maori lad from Pariroa Pa, between Kakaramea and Patea, died after a very brief illness on Sunday. He was a pupil of the Kakaramea School and a great favourite with the others. When, the news was received the teacher assembled his fellow scholars and made a 'wreath, and with it, they all attended the funeral. This act of thoughtful kindness was very cordially appreciated by the Maoris. The largest batch of letters yet sent by the organiser (Mr L. 0. Hooiker) of the Empire School Children’s Reciprocity Scheme, for furthering inter-Empire tiraide, wais despatched last week to a group -of schools iin B-olton, Lancashire. : There were 5000 sent and, through, the Government Publicity Office, arrangement's have been made to forward a collection of pamphlets on New Zealand to catch, school. Mr Hookes? hafea'lso communicated with th-ei editors of the papers circulating in that area asking for publicity on the Objects of the scheme.

The favourable season andi a natural increase from improved, dairying conditions _ has been responsible for a substantial increase in -production this season in the Wanganui district (states the “Chronicle.”) For the five months up to' December last the increase in shipments graded at Castleoliff was 13.83 per cent, over the same period of the previous- year, -and for the month ended to-day, cheese will show an increase of 2000 crates or about 20 per cent, more than. January of last year. The butter production has- also- held its own for the month. Figures from the Castlecliff stores are a good indication ofproduction in the Wanganui district, as the same factories- a.re shipping through Wanganui this year as last.