Local and General

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 154, 15 June 1920, Page 4

Local and General

The Misses McHardy, of “Te Apure,” Havelock North, have given another £lO towards the Havelock Fire Brigade Equipment Fund.

In another column the Commissioner of Pensions is inviting applications for a part-time medical officer for war pension examinations. Applications must be lodged with the Commissioner before the 30th. instant. Two brothers, Robert and John McCaige. when riding a motor cycle in the Hamilton district, in pillion fashion, crashed into a trap. One brother had his collar-bone broken, and the other received facial injuries. Both were removed to the hospital, where they are doing well.

In connection with the movement of ratepayers in the county, residing in the Ridge and Frimley block, who desire that that area be excluded from the county and included in the Borough of Hastings, Air. A. Blake Greene has received a letter from Air. J. Hislop, stating that he is in receipt of the petition, and adding; “I have to request you to be good enough to make a statutory declaration, or have one made bv some competent person, to the effect that the signatures to this petition are those of not less than onefourth of the persons who are ratepayers.” The signatures, total considerably more than the required number. By means of a multiplex telegraph system such as that which is shortly to he introduced - into New Zealand, it is possible for one who has had no special training in the Alorse alphabet tc send telegraph messages, the message being signalled by depressing keys similar to those of a typewriter. Eight messages may pass over one wire at the same time, and be automatically type-printed at the receiving station on the usual telegraph forms. In one system, at the completion of a message. the sending operator depresses a switch which automatically turns over the page at the receiving erd, leaving a fresh page exposed ready to receive the next message. A brief report was published last week regarding the young man Daniel J. Donovan, victim of the shooting accident at Putaruru some days ago, and who died in Waikato hospital. His cousin, Edwin Donovan, has now made a statement to the police that it was his gun which accidentally discharged and not the deceased’s gun. They had been standing on the road for a time, when, with the remark “There are no rabbits here,” he (Edwin) swung his gun on to his shoulder. It exploded unexpectedly, and his cousin received the full charge in his face. The hammer of the trigger must have caught in his pocket. Medical evidence showed that the cause of death was meningitis of the brain, due to gunshot injuries. The current programme at the Hastings Municipal Tneatre is a good and varied one. “The Wilderness Trail,” featuring Tom Mix, is a photoplay from the well-known book by Frank Williams. which portrays delightfully the life of the Canadian fur region. The scenery alone is well worth seeing—wild country of forests and deep snows. “Afen, Women and Money” is the unique title of Ethel Clayton’s Paramount picture, adapted from Cosmo Hamilton's celebrated story of the same name. The opening episode of “The Grey Seal” tingles with action and drama, and the next episode “The “Stolen Rubies” is eagerly looked forward to. Grand supports of interesting events fill the bill.

A reminder that money, like every thing else, is becoming dearer, was brought to the notice of the Lyttelton Harbour Board on Wednesday on a proposal from a special committee that the board should immediately take steps to borrow for harbour improvements in instalments as required the sum of £150,000 at 5J per cent, for 36J years, with a sinking fund of 1 per cent'. When the report was received the Chairman (Mr. H. B. Sorensen) said that oj per cent, was inadequate, the Tramway Board having found it necessary to give 51 per cent. It would be wiser to ask the Government for permission to pay 5| per cent, rather than go for a loan and court a failure. Mr. F. Horrell said that he would like to know whether the Tramway Board has permission to borrow beyond 5J per cent. “Oh yes,” said the Cnairman, “and we will get it.” The clause was passed with the rate of interest at 5i per cent. Regarding an account of the adventures in Hastings of three small boys from up country, which appeared in this paper last Wednesday, some bi the children’s relatives think that the narration was liable to convey the impression that the youngsters—the eldest of whom was only eleven and the youngest barely six years of age - deliberately planned a programme ot lawlessness, which they proposed to cswry hito effect. It is very difficult to imagine how any person could gather such an idea regarding what was after all, only the ebullition of animal spirits in three little boy-bairns, one of whom was scarcely more than a nursling. There was no suggestion at all that the children were, in any way, vicious, rather the reverse. because they were the ordinary, healthy type, out for a day’s “wagging from school” and filling in their time by imagining stirring incidents, as other striplings play at circus or as their fathers pretended at the daring exploits of “Dick Turpin.” The report, however, that one of the older lads escaped again on his way home, turns out to be incorrect. it is to be hoped that the episode will have the effect of direct, iug the attention of the Hawke's Bay Education Board to the necessity of establishing a school in this growing I district of Poukawa.

The Ryeland is a breed of sheep scarcely known in this Dominion, but it evidently finds favour in at least one part of the Old Country, a six weeks old lamb bringing 100 guineas at Sevenoaks.

Th® parishioners of St. Matthews, Hastings, are reminded of the farewell social, which is to be given to the Rev. J. B. Brocklehurst, this evening, in St. Afatthew’s Hall. A large attendance is anticipated. At the Hastings Afagistrate’s Court to-morrow, Air. R. W. Dyer, S.M. will be occupied with the hearing of three minor police cases and two charges cf trespass on the racecourse. The civil list consists of six defended and 40 undefended cases.

Farmers state that the present season is the best experienced in Haw’ke’s Bay for many years. The re'cent rains have been wonderfully beneficial to pastures, and altogether'things are exceedingly promising for next summer.

A movement is on, foot among civil engineers by examination to promote a Bill for consideration next session of Parliament, with a view to ensuring that only properly qualified persons shall have the right to describe themselves as members of the profession. A man named James E. Corlis, with numerous aliases, appeared before Air. R. W. Dyer S.M., this morning on a charge of stealing a watch valued at £6. Accused pleaded guilty and sentence was deferred for a week pending inquiries.

No further developments have taken nlace in respect to the woman whoso body was found in the harbour some time ago, (savs the N. Z. Times.) The police are still engaged making inquiries. but so far have not been successful in locating the man with whom the woman was seen in the company of a short time prior to her body being discovered.

The Hawke’s Bay Land Board is hearing applicants to-dav at Napier, for six sections of land for soldier settlement at Porangahau. The block was given bv Air. Geo. Hunter, and is about 4(3DO* acres in extent. There are over 200 applicants for the six sections, and keen interest is being taken in the ballot, which will be held to-mor-row.

Recently an old man died in Auckland who had passed by- a year or two the allotted span of life of three score years and ten. His life had been a verj" full one, and he left many children and grandchildren to mourn his loss, but a very remarkable and almost unprecedented event at the funeral was that his father of over 90 years of age was one of his chief mourners.

A case in which a passenger who had been disappointed in not getting the berth he required was heard in the Christchurch Afagistrate’s Court yesterday, when Geo. Louis Ostler proceeded against the Union Company for £ll 8/9. Plaintiff was non-suited on the ground that the claim had been made beyond the time allowed by the Shipping and Seamen’s Abt under which the claim was made.

What the Wanganui “Chronicle” describes as the largest meeting of dairy farmers wjiich has ever come together in the district met Messrs. Ellison and Harkness on Friday, in order to enable them to outline the proposal that New Zealand buttermen should link up with the Co-operative Wholesale Society of England. At the conclusion of the addresses it was unanimously decided that this meeting endorses the scheme and •pledges itself to see it through. Judgment by default was given at the Napier Police Court this morning by Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M.* in the following undefended civil .cases: P. Wi remit v. Af. Hanara £B, costs £1 13/6; Te Afata Vineyards v. R. Gardiner £l2 2/6, costs £2 1/6, same'v. D. L. Beckham, costs 22/-; Brownette Bros. v. H. V. Hoadley 14/-, costs 5/-; C. Borissa.w v. B. Storkey £l3. costs £1 10/6; R. V. C. Harris v. Bob Renata £o 10/-, costs £2 1/6.

Among things noted by the craw of the “Times” aeroplane on its attempted flight down the length of Africa was a difficulty arising from the brilliant sunshine which makes it impossible accurately to judge one’s distance from the ground. “The climate of Central Africa,” adds a member of the expedition, “might be responsible for almost anything—it will cause petrol to evaporate so quickly that a supply calculated to last four hours is consumed in an eighth of that time.” Thursday, June 17 th., will be the day of Intercession for the Girls’ Friendly Society throughout the world. Services in Napier will be held as follows: At the Cathedral, Holy Communion will be celebrated at 7.15 a.m., and 11 a.m., and St. Augustine’s at 7 a.m. In the evening at 7.30 there will be held at the Cathedral the united festival service. the Rev. E. Rice being the preacher. The collection will be for the G.F.S. Lodge Extension Fund. All women and girls are invited.

According to the London “Times,” such an apparently trifling thing as an anthill 2 feet high wrought final disaster to the attempted aeroplane flight from Cairo to the Cape organised by that journal. When taking off from Tabora, a railway junction in “German” East Africa, one of the engines stopped running, the machine ran down hill at 60 miles an hour, struck the anthill, “hard as concrete,” and that was the end of the Vickers-Vimy-Ro’ls machine so far as its African flight was concerned.

The chairman of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., Ltd., in his annual report says there has been an extraordinary demand for sugar during the past six months, and 2,000 more tons have been delivered by their works than they have ever disposed of before in the same period. Apparently every other person complains of short supplies ; has the neighbour in each case twice as much 1 in his storeroom as is needed for his ordinary consumption? A certain quantity used in making jam for export which we cannot estimate; in other respects it seems open to doubt whether there has been any change in the habits of the people that would result in the daily use of a largely increased quantity of sugar. “A Heart in Pawn,” now being screened at Everybody’s Theatre, Hastings, features the favourite tragedian of the silent drama, Sessue Hayakawa. He has a strong part in the role of Toyama, an ambitious Japanese youth who aspires to go to America to study, but has no hope of obtaining funds on account of the drunken habits of his father. The climax is tragic and provides Sessue Hayakawa with a magnificent opportunitv for the display of his great talent. “The Man Who Turned White” stars H. B. Warner, the eminent English actor, with beautiful Barbara Castleton playing opposite. There are lavish settings and gorgeous costumes in this production. Exclusive supports and Everybody’s Orchestra make up a delightful programme. At the weekly meeting of the Napier Fellowship, held in Scinde Hall on Sunday evening Mr. S. J. Elston gave an adilress entitled, “An Evening with the Poets.” He pointed out, however, how impossible it was to do justice to such a great subject in about 30 minutes, and accordingly he dealt mainly with Longfellow. He drew attention to the puritv of thought in all Longfellow’s poems, his hatred of War, injustice and oppression; his tenderness towards children, love of freedom and confidence in the divine and spiritual. The lecturer’s illustrations from the poet’s works were happily chosen,. and seemed to be appreciated by his audience. In the discussion which followed members quoted representative poems from John Oxenham and Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Mrs. Hodge and Mr. Walter Ling delighted the meeting with their songs which were warmly applauded. Members attended well and were reinforced by about fifty of the general public.

A meeting of those interested in the Hastings South Island re-union dance, which was inaugurated with so much success last year, was held, last night when it was decided to held the gathering this year, some time in September. The St. (Leonard’s Bowling and Croquet Club announce another of their popular card parties and dances, which will be held in the Hastings Oddfellows’ Hall next Tuesday evening, commencing at 8 o’clock. The Mayor of Napier has received advice that_ General Birdwood will arrive in Napier on the evening of 29th inst., a day later than previously arranged and will leave again the following morning.

There is every indication of fine weather for the Napier Park Racing dub’s winter meeting, which is to be held on Friday and Saturday next. There are excellent fields for all events and as most of the horses engaged are top-notchers, the meeting should prove extremely interesting.

Messrs. Hoadley, Son and Stewart, Ltd., under instructions from Sir Andrew Russell, offered for sale in the Hastings Assembly Hall this afternoon, lour business sites (33ft. frontage 90ft. deep) in Heretaunga street (next to Phillips and Wright’s premises.) No sale tvas effected.

Since the visit of so New Zealanders to the Holy Land during the war there has been a marked revival of interest in the Anglo-Israel question, and steps are being taken in New Zealand to form branches of the British-Israel World Federation, the object of which is to bind in one federation all the different societies in the world.

Among some Cornish papers received by Air. J. Bluett, of Hastings, the following interesting paragraph appears: dL’revoiie slay—On Easter Monday, Mr. Smith, baker. Lower Bore street, picked up a- bottle which had been washed up by the tide, containing a piece of paper upon which was written the fol- - lowing: “S.S. Kigoma, 4/6/19. Five IT days out from ‘Blighty.’ New Zea-' land troops on homeward journey via Panama Canal. Joyous weather. All is well.—Q.M.S. H. B. Latham, N.Z.R.8., No. 1 Marine Parade, Napier, N.Z.” At the Napier PoHce Court yesterday; Albert Jane was charged that he did, on June 7th.. at Napier, steal £5, the property of the New Zealand Government. Mr. Rogers appeared fot , accused and intimated that the chargs would be defended. Detective Sergeant Butler asked for a remand for a week in ’view of the Supreme Court session commencing to-day, and the remand was granted. It is alleged that accused, after paying a £5 fine at the Court House in connection with oiit of season duck shooting, took the money back from the counter.