LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 22, 9 January 1911, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

i The Hutuma settlers are becoming anxious on account of the continued dry weather. M ithin the past few years one of the Christchurch laundries has developed a-large business with residents in some of the North Island centres. It has customers in Auckland, Wellington, -'apier and Gisborne who send regularly packages of soiled linen to be laundered. Most of the have provided small wooden boxes in which clothing may be transmitted through the post without injury.

In to-day’s issue will be found the programme for the above sports, which are to be held on Cornwall Park on Wednesday, March Ist. In the running events there are some very good prizes offered and should attract a large number of runners from all parts. For the syclist there are the I, 1, and 2 mile, and the lap dash races. Amongst the various field events is the squad drill for teams of five boys from any school in Hawke’s Bay. Given fine weather the club should have an exceptionally good meeting.

John Morrison, a respectably attired young man, appeared before His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. A. Miller) at the Hastings Police Court this morning, chaiged with being unlawfully found on the premises of John Flynn on 7th January, with intent to commit a crime. Detective Butler applied for a remand till Saturday, 14th January, which was granted. A charge of drunkenness was withdrawn by leave of the Court.

The funeral of Arthur Percival, who died as the result of injuries received by being thrown from a horse, took place yesterday at Hastings yesterday afternoon, and was very largely attended. Some fifty boys from the Hastings Catholic schools marched on either side of the hearse as a tribute of respect to their late schoolmate. Rev. Father Keogh conducted a short service at the Catholic Church anc| the burial service at the graveride.

The following is the programme arranged for the Hawke’s Bay Swimming Centre Sports, to be held on 19th inst.:—Maiden race handicap. 33|ydsexhibition of fancy diving; 100 yards championship of Hawke’s Bay ; 33 1-3 yards dash ; musical lifebuoys, novelty event; exhibition of acrobatic diving by Messrs. Darling and Ashworth; ribbon dive; teams race (4 men aside); water polo banner match, Kia Ora v. Napier.

The Canterbury Land Board has granted th issue of leases for coalmining operations at Broken River in 'the joint nan.vs of William Joseph CToudesley. Peter Graham, and the beneficiaries of the will of Marv Graham. The area subject to the lease comprises about 1000 acres near the route of the Midland Railway. Tests have been made of the coal prospects, and have revealed a deposit which it is believed will Drove the best deposit in Canterbury.

St range things happen at inquests (remarks the Collingwood “Argus”). A year or two ago at a local enquiry into a death we noticed no fewer than three consecutive witnesses and two of the jurymen sign their names “with a cross”—a striking commentary on the efficiency of our modern education system. At last week’s inquest into the drowning of the man Lee in the Aorere river, another object lesson was provided in the shaps ■ of several witnesses who had to testify—one after the other—that owing to their inability to swim they . were compelled to stand helpless ; within 15 feet of a drowning man ■ unable to assist a fellow creature in i his last extremity : and the police j said the number of such witnesses f who could be called as being prej sent at the catastrophe could have i been increased. Surely the absolute * necessity of making the art of swimi minx a compulsory subject in the j curriculum of our public schools | was never more amply demonstrated.

The building trade still continues brisk in Waipukurau.

In speaking on his motion regarding the handling of frozen produce in London, Mr. Lane said that there was not much “soft soap” about it. The chairman, Mr. A. Masters, remarked that Mr. Lane was not in (he habit of using “soft soap.”

A letter* was read at the meeting of the Hastings Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Satur day night, from Rev. D. C. Bates, stating that the Meteorological Office hoped to publish a map of the Dominion showing the annual and monthly rainfalls for the whole, country.

A Maori's description of a per | son’s appearance is as a rule cone ’ a « and to the point. At the Niim’s Hastings, on Saturday’ a fine of native manhood strode up to doorkeeper and said, “My wife in herd 4 You know her ? She’s got big puku !”

The ruddy prominence of the nasal organ of a traveller on the main trunk express last week prompted a fellow-traveller to take an undue interest in the cause Oi the vivid colouring, and he remarked, well within the hearing of the whole carriage: “What makes your nose so red ?” His own face assumed a beet-root colour when the other replied: “Oh! I expect it’s blushing at your impertinence !”

i’he preliminary work done by the Taranaki Petroleum Company and other companies has advanced to such a stage as to establish beyond any reasonable doiibt that there is great wealth underlying the district—how widely has yet to be proved—only waiting for capital and skill to bring it to the surface. The history of other oil fields encourages the sanguine hope that we are I on the eve of such activity and prosperity as was never dreamt of in the past. ,

I What might have easily resulted in a double drowning fatality occurred at Moturoa last -week. A lad named Harold Cooper was bathing with a number of others at the end of the wharf under the breakwater when he was struck by a wave, and being on the edge of the “cut” made by the dredge was soon out of his depth. Although surrounded by hundreds of people few realised his serious position, and it was not until he had sunk twice, screaming for help each time, i that Fireman Hastings fram thej Rarawa pluckily dived off the wharf, in his clothes and held the boy up.: He soon tired, however, and it was fortunate that a boat was handy - and took both on board.

People frequently use the fixpression that water is “hard.” Washerwomen especially grumble about the “hardness” of the Hawke’s Bay water, but until the following paragraph appeared in our morning contemporary we had no idea of the genuine adamantine condition of the aqua pura in the locality. The “Herald” says:-— Yesterday afternoon Mr. W. Annan, of the Railway Hotel, was swimming a horse in the Tutaekuri river near the first bridge on the Taradale road, when the horse shied and threw him. Mr. Annan, besides being severely shaken, received a cut on one knee , which necessitated several stitches being put in, and which will probably keep him inactive for a few days.

The fashionable women in America are seized with strange crazes. They’ve had all manner of animals as pets ; now they have taken to carrying gaily dressed dolls about with, them to '.their parties and at homes. It’s said the fashion of doll carrying first started in Paris, and now it’s likely to sweep New York like a tornado. Here in the Dominion our women folk are rational beings, who take interest in their homes, and know the running of a kitchen to the last pot and pan. Talking of Kitchen ware, Mr F. L Bone has an attractive replace ad-vertisement-in to-day’s issue dealing with hollow ware and enamel ware. Folks in search of good household ironmongery would do well to call on Mr. Bone.

The Hon. G. J. Smith, M.L.C., not improbably will be a candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives at the general election this year. The constituency most likely to receive his attention is Avon, at present represented by Mr. G. W. Russell. The election has not begun to attract any ker< interest in Christchurch. All tht sitting members for the Christchurch district at present intend to be candidates. Mr. Ell, in Christchurch South, will be opposed b\ a Labour man, but he holds tjae seat very firmly. In Christchurch North Mr. T. E. Taylor probably will meet Mr. J. D. Hall, a loeay lawyer, and a son of the late Sir John Hall. Mr. Hall would stand as an Indepen dent, but his tendencies would b< towards the Opposition.

No fish were caught at the Grange during the last week-end, owing to the mouth of the river being practically closed up. Late in the evening a number of campers got to work with shovels and there is now a fairly good outltt and some fish should be caught during the week. During part of the morning and the whole of yesterday afternoon thick clouds of smoke came from the other side of the Bay, and hung over Napier. So far as can be ascertained a big bush fire seems to have been in progress between Pohui and Tutira, Another bush fire is raging on the Kidnappers Ranges, and thick'clouds of smoke fan be seen rising high into the air.