LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 46, 6 February 1928, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

It is not often that on a document 180 stamps are to be seen (remarks the “Southland Times.’’ A lawyer the other day sent a deed up to Lumsden and mentioned that a 13s stamp required to bo affixed to it. To his surprise when the document came back 180 penny stamps were on it. Little else could bo seen. A ne. primary school for boys, at Oamaru, fo be known as St. Patrick’s was officially opened and blessed by Dr. Whyte, Bishop of Dunedin, before a large attendance, including the Mayor, Mr F. Crawshaw, who extended a welcome to Dr. Whyte. The new school is an adjunct to St. Kevin’s College, which was opened at the beginning of last year, and will bo carried on under the auspices of the Christian Brothers. Kaiwhaike Pa possesses a very valuable relic in the form of an enlarged photograph of the first attempt to set up a Maori Administration under the name of Te Kotahitanga (says the Wanganui “Herald.”) This is the only complete photographic record and is much availed of in the matter of obtaining copies of the photographs of tho members who constitu ted the Kotahitanga. Even Lake Taupo, with its vast expanse, is receding as the result of the prolonged drought. A visitor wh-> has been spending an extended holi day there put in a bench mark on one of the cliffs on a calm day, and a month later found that It was Zin above the surface. Tho lake is fed by a number of streams which have their source in the mountains of the mid island, and for a considerable time there has been no rain to melt, tho snow- on the high country. “There is not a great deal of enthusiasm about band music in Australia nowadays; not nearly the same interest that you work up here in New eZaland,’’ said Mr. E. Jackson, of Brisbane,, who arrived in Christchurch on Thursday. Mr. Jackson, who is to judge the New Zealand 1928 Band Contest, which opens in Christchurch on February 18, stated that some of the g-cent Australian contests had fallen, although the bands themselves had reached a very high standard. Mr. Jackson is himself a New Zealander, having been born in Oamaru, a town he intends to visit this week. Ratu Sailosi, a native Chief of Fiji, who is to lecture in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Hastings, to-night at 7.30, arrived by mail train this evening accompanied by Mr Cyril Palmer, inter pretcr. This well-known chief has been for twenty-five years a magis trate of Fiji, and is a man of . troiig personality. He is a fluent speaker and is most vivid and interesting with his illustrations, which he draws so aply from island life. The chair will be occupied by Pastor W. R. Scragg. President of the North N.Z. Conference of Seventh Day Aventists.

In view of the prominence given to croquet, owing to the visit of the English team, it may be interesting to know the hazy ideas existing regarding a game which even in Victoria! days was looked upon with a tolerant contempt. “I seo that you consider croquet is a combination of chess and billiards, Sir Francis,” said tho Mayor of Devonport, at’ the welcoming function to the English croquet champions. “I am glad to hear it so des cribed. In my ignorance I thought it combined tho virtues of hockey and kiek-stone tinny egg in the cap or houp-la and roll-down Still, if it is what you say I hope that you never strike a stalemate oi an unlucky cannon break. One thing is certain, you will never be 'rooked' in Devonport.”

The story of a misunderstanding is at present going the rounds of tho Dunedin Hospital medical staff (states the “Otago Daily Times.”). It appears that the short notices given by doctors who have decided to resign their positions have been a source of annoyance to the authorities. Recently a rather youthful house-surgeon appeared before tho superintendent and handed to him a written notice of resignation. While the superintendent scanned the document, the young man gazed out of the window with that far-a-way look centmonly associated with the victims of Cupid. “This is rather suddent, is it not?” remarked the Superintend ent, abruptly shattering the young doctor’s dreamy reflections. He blush ad and stammered for a moment and then blurted indignantly, “Not at all sir We’ve been engaged for six years.”

The difficulty attaching to tho export of stone fruit from the Poverty Bay district were evidenced by the experience of a local grower last week, says the Poverty Bay “Herald.” Thinking to fake advantage of the sailing of tho Kahika direct for Wellington he picked a ton of particularly fine nectarines. On communicating with tho shipping company,, however, ho found that ho could not get his fruit to the lighter in time it being necessary that cargo for shipment should be on the wharf practically 24 hours before fife sailing of tho vessels. As a result tho fruit is now being sold in Gisborne at a price that is a great deal lower than what would have been obtained in Welling ton, tho local public receiving the benefit of the grower’s oversight.

The Union Steamship Company advise that the Kohika was expected to load at Dunedin fn-ijny for Napier and district. At the wool sates in Dunedin on Tuesday and Wednesday about 27.30 U bales were disposed of by the broking firms, and the cheques, which will aggegate approximately £700,000, will bo paid on February 15. The train from Auckland due at Frankton at 6-40 o'clock to-day arrived at 9.45 o’clock owing to a truck loaded with benzine jumping the rails at Whangamarono (Press Association.) At Waimarama yesterday a young lady ventured a little too far out. with the result that the undertow was too much for her to fight against. Help was soon forthcoming, however, and the young swimmer was helped to land none the worse for her experience. The hßilway Department at Christchurch was informed to-day that the warning bel” have been tampered with at several suburban crossings, so as to -stop them from sounding, thus making the crossings very dangerous for motorists.—Press Assn. Preparation of the tablets to be in norporated in the momeorial gates at the Gisborne High School is under weigh. A final effort is being made to check the list of names of ex-pupils of the school who lost their lives in the Great War. Twelve extra electric light globes have been erected oft standards and distributed at various points through the shrubberies in Victoria Square, the effect of which will be to increase the brilliancy of the grounds considerably and to add to the enjoyment of the public assembled there at out-of-door concerts and similar gatherings in the evenings. These lights will be ready by to-morrow night. Lye Gee Long, aged 65, who pleaded guilty at Palmerston North to a charge of being found in possession of opium suitable for smoking, was fined £5O and costs. The accused had been previously convicted and fined for having permitted opiumsmoking on his premises Press Association. Failure to eradicate hawthorn on a property within Palmerston North, a fireblight area, cost Catherine Wilson £2 and costs at the Magistrate's Court, an orchard inspector for the department stating the defendant was only one out of 160 owners who had not complied satisfactorily with notices sent out.—Press Association. Waimarama is becoming a veg ixipular seaside resort for Hastings people, and each week-end sees increased numbers journeying by car to spend a few hours on the lovely sands-. Yesterday was an ideal day for an outing, and the resort was patronised by a large number. The road from Hastings to Waimarama is in good order practically all the way. •

A special meeting of the Napier Harbour Board will be held in Napier at, the Borough Council Chambers tomorrow night, when consideration wili be given to the report ol the Commission which sat recently enquiring into the affairs of the Napier Harbour. Consideration will also be given to a commentary by Messrs, nclmes and Sons, consulting engineers to the Board, on the Commission’s repopt.

The matron of the Hawke’s Bay Childrens Home acknowledges with grateful thanks the following gifts to the 1 lonic; Cakes, sandwiches, etc., Messis Blythes Ltd.. Majestic; fruit, Mrs Stoplord Misses Coujxsr, Mrs Ewan. Miss Bowman. Mrs Franklin, Mrs Thompson, Mrs Herrick. Mrs Patullo, Betty Bob, Jack. Roddy; vegetables, Mrs Howard, Mrs B. Chambers, Mrs Herrick; clothing, Mrs Hardy Gibson, Miss Smith, Boys’ High School, “A Friend”; papers. Mrs Bisson, Miss Large. Mrs Craig.

One of the most disturbing features of the landscape at the present time in the opinion of many farmers, is the prevalence of blue borage, which is more in evidence this season than ever before (says the Marlborough “Express.”) This plant appears to be spreading at a dangerous rate, and its blue flowers have painted whole paddocks, roadsides, and riverbeds. A leading pastoralist remarked that he was becoming deeply concerned over the spread of borage as it certainly was not wanted on fhe low country at any rate. In the high country where stock often had no option but to eat it, it was regarded as a use ful fodder plant; but on the lower levels it could not bo eaten off except by hopelessly overstocking.

The popularity of the Sunday Excursion trains from Dannevirke to Napier is evidenced by the heavy patronage accorded the two excursions run recently. On Sunday 12th instant a similar excursion will be provided, the train to leave Dannevirke at 8.45 a.m., and depart from Napier on tho return journey at 5.30 p.m. For full particulars see handbills or inquire at stations.