LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 3 January 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Pursuing his determination to bring the Eltham County roads into conformity with the highways regulations, the county engineer (Mr E. Muggeridge) this morning started his full staff on the work of widening Boylan Road from the county boundary northward.

A Wanganui telegram reports that W. Ward, H. Spurdle and J. Hogg sustained injuries on Wednesday night when their car fell over the Wa’ngaehu Hill. The driver attempted to pass a lorry and ran off the road through a fence. All the men are in the Wanganui Hospital.

The New Zealand croquet test for the selection of six players to represent New Zealand in Australia was concluded at Palmerston North yesterday, when the team was announced as follows: A. G. F. Ross (Christchurch), Archdeacon Creed Meredith (Wanganui), Mesdames Cole (Auckland), E. A. Smith (Christchurch), B. Watkins (Hastings) and B. Tiffen (Napier).

That, the present chess championship being played in Wanganui is the hardest fought tourney in New Zealand for the past 20 years is the opinion of Mr W. Toomatli, of Welington, secretary of the New Zealand Chess Association, lie also states that, due to the presence of the Australian champions, the standard of play is the highest ever witnessed in the Dominion.

The two Australian champion swimmers, N. Ityan and O. Griffiths, are experiencing a very strenuous tour. During the last. 35 days they have visited nearly every town of 'note in the length and breadth of New Zealand. They arrived in Wanganui at lunch time on Wednesday, after a direct trip from Temuka, and ore working their way hack to Auckland where a special contest, has been arranged to take place in the Ml. Eden bath between Ryan and Bridson, the present New Zealand 22u yards champion and record holder.

A brief though optimistic reference to the country’s finances was made by flit 1 Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) in the course of a New Year’s message broadcast from his Hcretaunga residence last, night by station 2YA Wellington. “T am pleas, ed to say,” Sir Joseph stated, “that the finances of tne country have kept ii|> well, and it fills one with hope that ni the end of the year wo will have a credit balance irrospeeti ve of the unusual and heavy expenditure that lias occurred on account of .the earthquake and unemployment, both of which have been assisted largely from loan moneys.”

EUCKRELL’S. We are. offering a varied assortment of suitable gifts for New Year: Boxed Handkerchiefs, from 1/11 to 15/6, Handbags from G/ll; Silk Hosiery, 4/11; Kayser Hosiery, 9/11, 12/11; Silk Coats, various colours, 63/-; Black Silk Coats l , extra sizes, 6 and 8 guineas.— Buckrell’s, Union St., Hawcra; ’phone 2235.

During the month of December a rainfall of 4.47 inches in 18 days was registered in flaw era, with a maximum fall of 95 points on December 18. In the corresponding month of 1928 the fall was 4.55 inches on 14 days, the maximum being 125 points on the 9th. The total rainfall for the past year was 47.85 inches on 167 days, as compared with 42.53 inches on 163 days during 1928. Customs revenue collected at Wellington last year totalled well ovei £d,(M),OOO, and showed an increase ol £467,347 compared with that tor 192 b. The revenue for December was £26/,659, compared with £229,062 tor December, 1928. Each quarter- ot 1929 showed an increase of well over £IOO,OOO in the net customs revenue collected compared with the corresponding periods of last year. Unusual circumstances surround the discovery last evening of a man lying unconscious on the pavement in the Square (says a telegram from Palmerston North). Shortly after 9 o’clock constables on the beat were called to the man’s assistance. He was obviously seriously ill and was removed to tlie police station. A doctor was summoned and a stomach pump used_to ■counteract the effects of poison. The man is stated to have refused to give his name, and all his personal papers had been destroyed. It is ascertained that he came from Auckland on New Year’s Eve. He is apparently about 32 years of age. He was sent to hospital.

) There has been no development (says an Auckland telegram) regarding the mysterious disappearance of J. L. Davies, who left his home in Edendale on Tuesday afternoon and whose coat and liat were found on the foreshore of the harbour on Wednesday morning. Further search was carried put by the police, hut- no trace of Davies was found. The condition of Mbs Cubitt, who was found unconscious near the man’s clothes, with which was her coat, showed a slight improvement to-day and she was semiconscious.

Two young man are in a critical condition as the result of a motor accident on the Riverton Road. Invercargill, yesterday afternoon. James Gibson, aged 19, and Edward Bishop, aged 18. were on a motor cycle, which collided with a. motor car at the corner of Waianiwa Road and the Riverton Road. The motor cyclists were thrown heavily. Gibson received fractures of the left leg, thigh and Tibs. Bishop had his left arm and left thigh fractured. Both were admitted' to hospital. Their condition is critical. John Fitzgerald, a single man, aged 28, who was a schoolmaster at Inangahua, while on a holiday visit to his uncle. Mr P. Fitzgerald, of ODotiki, was drowned in the Wnioeka River. Deceased l with two children went for a row on the river. The boat struck a snag and capsized. The children swam ashore, hut deceased failed to come up. An alarm was given and the body was recovered, but artificial respiration proved' fruitless.