LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 7, 19 December 1932, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

A dance will be held in the Sherenden Hall to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock.

The lona Old Girls ’ Association offers a scholarship for a day pupil tenable for two years, commencing at the first term, 1933. Candidates must have passed proficiency, and be 13 years old or under on December 31, 1932. Applications, accompanied by proficiency marks and a recommendation from the present head teacher, should reach the headmistress, lona College, ' Havelock North, on or before January 2nd, 1933.

The attention of nurserymen and fruitgrowers is drawn to an advertisement appearing in another column Inviting all interested to witness a demonstration of the Howard Rotary Hoe at Mr. Baumgart’s orchard, St. George’s road, to-morrow afternoon at 2.30 o’clock. This implement is claimed to be the very latest and. most economical method of cultivating orchard and similar land, and should create a great deal of interest.

Conclusive proof that the Hastings Citizens’ Band is popular at Havelock North was forthcoming yesterday morning, when the band made its customary visit to the village to play Xmas carols. All parts of the township were visited, and that the music was fully appreciated was evidenced by the fact that approximately £2O was contributed to the band as the result of the collection. The band will make its usual tour throughout Hastings next Sunday (Xmas Day).

The Napier Orpnans staged a very humorous burlesque in Hastings on Saturday night when Professor Whoop and his mystery troupe, together with the Melody Boys, entertained quite a large gathering to an evening of fun and laughter. Professor "Whoop demonstrated numerous tricks and illusions, including the decapitating of one of his comrades who, however, strange to say did not appear to be very much the worse for his experience when seen a few minutes later. Patrons also saw the wonderful feat of a woman being sawn in half, a truly marvellous piece of work. Professor Lou P. Mutt was no mean exponent of the art of ventriloquism and his performance was well worth hearing The Melody Boys with their banjos and mandolines •Isq entertained in pleasing style.

The Napier Society of Arts and Crafts are to be loaned the Napier Harbour Board’s topographical survey map for their exhibition, to be held next month.

The earnings of the wharfage and harbour master’s departments at the Port of Napier during November totalled £4,418, being a decrease of £412 on the amount collected last year.

The Napier Harbour Board to-day decided to mark with a lighted buoy a shallow patch east of the Breakwater so as to assist the navigation of overseas vessels.

The attention of readers is drawn to the Railway Department’s advertisement appearing in this issue relative to extra express and Christmas Eve night passenger trains running between Napier and Palmerston North during the forthcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.

On a charge of assaulting Louis Spiro, at the Napier Drill Hall on December 12 last, John McKelliget, theatrical producer, of Napier, appeared in the Napier Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr A. M. Mowlem, S.M., who entered a conviction and imposed a fine of £l, with costs.

The Port of Napier experienced a quieter month during November than was the case for the same month in 1931, as the following returns will show, the figures for last year being shown in parentheses:—Registered tonnage of shipping 45,681 (45,843); general cargo (imported) 5841 tons (4815), (exported) 1721 tons (1612); wool, skin, flax, etc., 4920 bales (3907); mutton, 12,490 carcases (33,777); lamb, 62,305 careases (173,171).

The Local Government Loans Board at its last meeting dealt with 33 applications for loans totalling £965,185. Loans amounting to £947,100 were sanctioned, including £906,225 for renewals and £40,875 new loans. The balance, £18,085, of the amount submitted to the meeting was either declined or referred back to the local authorities concerned for further consideration. The diversion of unexpended loan moneys, totalling £17,928, was also sanctioned.

Special arrangements have been made in most cases for the payment of pensions this month before the due date. All New Zealand pensions, including the old age, widows’ and sundry payments, usually available on the 23rd of each month, and the family allowances, payable on the 25th of each month, will be paid on December 21. Of the Imperial pensions, those paid in advance will not be available until due dates, towards the end of the month, but others will be paid on December 21. Australian war pensions, which are paid in advance, will! not be available until the due date, January 1.

There was the usual good attendance at the old-time dance and card tournament held in the Trades Hall on Saturday night, and an enjoyable time was spent by all. Mrs. Hearne’s orchestra was,.again in good form, and Mr. A. Butcher was M.C. The Monte Carlo waltz was won by Mr. and Mrs. Ludfleldt, with Mrs. Jones and Mr. McCarthy second. The winners of the spot waltz were Miss Williams and Mr. McKenzie, Miss Bishop and Mr. Lomas, Mrs. Symonds and Mr. Anderson, and Mrs. Robertson and Mrs. Bellerby. In the card room, Mosdames Smith, Charles and Laredo tied for first. The gentlemen’s section resulted in a tie between Messrs. Garvey, Pearce and T. O’Neill. The points prizes were won by Mrs. Cameron and Mr. R. Chilton.

Saturday night was one of the busiest nights that Hastings has known for some time, and the streets and the' shops were unusually crowded. Everywhere there were little knots of people, obviously in most instances consisting of families, choosing their Christmas gifts, and examining windows and counter displays. Several shopkeepers report that business was quite brisk, and rather better than they had felt justified in expecting. Presents of the useful type, rather than the merely decorative and ornamental, were most in demand, and it seemed likely, said one retailer, that there would be little difference between this year’s trade and last year’s so far as quantity is concerned. Most people, however, were being rather less generous in their expenditure than in former years, but there was no lessening in the wish to give Christmas gifts.