LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume L, 26 August 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'Hw> Haw-era Borough Council decided lash evening) to open subscription lists at the' Borough Chambers and the “Star” office for the Lance V. Gibson memorial fund, the appeal to be sponsored by the Mayor and councillors.

The Bark Croquet Club wrote to the Hawera Borough Council last night forwarding a donation of £lO and asking permission to use a further portion of the park grounds on occasions when the present croquet green was overcrowded. The donation was accepted with thanks and the necessary permission granted. Lady Stonehaven was the first woman to cross the 3ft 6in gap between the arms of the Harbour Bridge, 400 feet above the waters of Sydney Harbour. Accompanied by the GovernorGeneral (Lord Stonehaven), she was hauled up by a creeper crane m one of the cages used, by the workmen late the other afternoon. Lord and Lady Stonehaven then walked across the narrow plankway, -which is now; protected by handrails. Their Excellencies wasted no time, but descended immediately after their exploit. “It is astounding that at a farmers meeting I hear the most gloomy views. Somebody always gets up and says the bottom is going to fall out of everything. Then you wonder why the banks and lending institutions don’t finance you,” said Mr J. Snell, Deputy Commissioner of the Rural Credits Department, to a meeting of Wanganui farmers. His remarks were prompted by a farmer present wanting .to know what would happen to the Rtural Credit Board if it lent money to five farmers and all five were failures.

A large crowd attended the Druids’ euchre party, held at the Foresters’ Hall, Hawera, on Thursday night last. The games were evenly contested and several ladies and gentlemen had to play off for prizes. Bro. Grant, in thanking all present for their generous support, said that another euchre would be held shortly and that the prizes would) be of a very valuable nature. The prize winners for the evening were: Mrs Phipps, Mrs Chadwick, Miss Jackson, Mrs H. Wren (Tokaora), Mr Canning, Mr Hickman, Mr V. Warner, Mr Williamson. New Zealand has the third greatest number of telephones per head in the world. The annual report of the Post and Telegraph Department, which was presented to Parliament on Thursday, states: The official figures for world telephone development (compiled on January 1, 1929) show that in the matter of telephone density the United States of America, continues to lead the world, with 16.3 telephones j>er 109 of population; Canada is second with 13.7 telephones; while New Zealand is third with 10.2 telephones. It must be many years since the total volume of water in Canterbury rivers was so small as it is at present. The Rakaia is lower than it has been for years and the Rangitata can he crossed in places on foot. Several of the smaller rivers are dry. The rains of a couple of weeks ago were absorbed by the dry ground and only temporarily caused a rise in the rivers. Unless there, is more snow or heavy rains before spring the rivers will be unusually low in summer.

Only seven applications for extraordinary water supply services on the night service system came, before a special meeting ol' the Hawera Borough Council last night and were granted. The applicants were Messrs M. Thrush, J. Sheehan, A. Brown, S. C. Tonks, F. S. and C. Lovell, F. C. Bone and R. L. Pease. The council decided at its last ordinary meeting that a. maximum of 20 services would he granted, and applications in excess J of that, number were anticipated. A. Taranaki farmer who was a visitor to Wanganui. on Sunday told a good story against, himself. It appears, that in company with a youth he was travelling from. Meromc-ro to Alton, when they espied what, appeared to t-liem to be two opossums. The ear was hurriedly brought- to a stop and chase given to tne animals. Both sought cover in a culvert and: preparations' -were made to smoke them out. -All went well and the smoke began to have its desired! effect. 'One animal rushed out and get. away, but this only made the pursuer, 8 more determined to gain fit) per cent, of what to them would be a valuable prize. A head appeared from the culvert and a stone was raised for its deadly purpose. 'But alas! The head was that, of a Persian cat and not an opossum. Behind time before, espying the animals, the delay cost another valuable quarter of an hour. The following is an extract from the annual report of the Ruapehu Ski •Club.—‘“Only those persons who assisted in the actual transport of mar torials, the preparing of the foundation site, and the building of the new Alpine Hut on Fantham’s Peak, Mt. Egmont, realise the magnitude of the task which has been attempted and successfully completed in time for the official opening on Easter Saturday, April 20, 1930 (Messrs R. C. Murray and R- Synie represented the club on this occasion). Situated at an altitude of 6300 ft., the hut offers shelter, sleeping accommodation for ten persons, cooking facilities, emergency rations, and first aid equipment to climbers. It is very pleasing to note that the hut lias been officially named the “Syine Hut,” in recognition of the valuable assistance rendered to the south committee of the Egmont National Park Board by Mr. Symc and the members of the Mt. Egmont Alpine Club.” Wartime memories are lading into the past ana there may not, be. many! New Zealanders who can recall the thrilling adventure which befell the steamer Tahiti in the English Channel one, foggy morning in January, 1917. The tale is told by Mr J. B. Reade, now a Ponsonby resident, but at that time a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and one of those on board the Tahiti when she was steaming from Newport, South 'Wales, to Plymouth, in order to embark troops for Mesopotamia. The Ship was armed with a single 18-pounder gun, mounted astern, as a weapon of offence or defence against submarines. Not far away were two l ramp steamers, one of which .mounted a “pom-pom.” Suddenly the staccato outburst of the quick-firer some distance ahead announced the a|ppea ranee of a submarine, but title fog was too thick for the men on the Tahiti to see what was going on. Fortunately the log lifted a moment later nnd! the enemy could be clearly seen. The Tahiti’s first, shot- fell short, but the second, ranged by Chief Officer Piowman. scored a direct hit. and the U-boat went to the bottom. Mr Reade recalls that on this voyage, the Tahiti was commanded l»v Captain E. G. R. Evans formerly of the iFScnt.t Antarctic oxnedition HUNTINGTON’S; ’Phone 2118. Our spring coats and costumes arc the very newest designs and colourings, and have been advantageously bought. Small advance shipment of the newest summer fabrics have also come, to hand and are creating a lively interest. The new printed rayons arc extremely captivating.—Advt.