LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 119, 4 May 1934, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Twenty-one transport service applications was the business handled by the No. 4 Transport Licensing Authority, which met at Napier yesterday. Fifteen of these were for renewal of continuous passenger service licences. Mr R. F. Gambrill presided, and had associated with him Messrs J. G. Cliff McCulloch and O. Matthews. The financial membership of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association at March 32 was 21,640. In the four main centres the membership is as follows:—Auckland, 2489; Wellington, 952; Christchurch, 2206; Dunedin, 2242. The membership ,in Gisborne and South Canterbury also exceeds Wellington’s. It should be pointed out for the purpose of comparison that the annual subscriptions vary. In Auckland it is ss, Wellington 10s, Christchurch 10s, and Dunedin 15s. A man’s reason for wanting time to pay a fine raised a laugh in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court. The charge was one of drnkenness, and the defendant asked time to pay because he was married yesterday. “ Perhaps we should give him a chance, under the circumstances,” said the Sub-Inspector, and the Magistrate allowed the man a week in which to pay the fine. The next defendant for drunkenness was called and fined. ‘‘l was the best man at the wedding,” he said, and he also was allowed a week in which to pay. Some months ago the Napier Borough Council made an application to the British Admiralty that the bell of H.M.S. Veronica be presented, to Napier as a souvenir. No reply from the Admiralty has so far been received. The sloop Veronica, which has been consigned to the scrap heap after years of service in New Zealand waters, was at the port of Napier during the 1931 earthquake, and the personnel of the vessel rendered valuable service to the town. It is because of this that the Borough Council desire to have the bell as a souvenir. One of the factors contributing to the success of the social evening with which the Napier Sub-Centre of the Red Cross Society celebrated the opening of their new headquarters at Willard Hall was the items given by some of Napier’s foremost artists, Madame Mercer, Miss Bowman, Miss Valerie Lewis and Mr Gordon Madigan. Madame Mercer sang two solos, “That’s Al!’ and ‘,‘The Little Silver Ring,” and with Miss Bowman, two duets, “April is a Lady” and “O. Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast.” Mrs L. J. Pirie acted as accompanist. Mr Madigan sang “The Lass of Richmond Hill,” “Old Barty,” and “Obstir.ation.” Miss Lewis gave two splendid musical monologues, “The Roads” and ‘Soliloquy of the Fire,” Mrs P. G. Lewis accompanying. Mr Madigan, 100, gave a musical monologu«,

New Zealand mails which left Auckland on April 3 per the Niagara, via Vancouver, arrived in London on Wednesday. On the application of the solicitor to the Public Trust Office, the Supreme Court constituted the Public Trustee administrator of the estate of Frederick Woodham, formerly of Port Ahuriri, barman, but late of Taradale, labourer. From the sale of sheep and lambs given by farmers of the district the funds ot the Bayites Club have benefited to the extent of £8 10/2. Further sheep have been promised by other farmers and these will be sold at next week’s sale. Dunedin ■ business people generally concur with the Christchurch view (see page 7) that the Melbourne-Bluff service is being reinaugurated a month too late, and it is pointed out that some of the most attractive features of the centenary celebrations will take place before the first boat leaves. —Press Assn. It is expected that Dr. Guy Schofield, the Parliamentary librarian, who is so well-known by his weekly addresses on world affairs from 2YA, will visit Hastings and Napier next week. The purpose of the doctor’s visit is to inaugurate a study group on Pacific relations. A public meeting is being arranged for Hastings for Thursday evening next. Further particulars will be notified later. At the last meeting of the Hawke’s Bay County Council the classification of highways was under cbnsideration, and a deputation representing carriers’ interests waited on the council. Finally it was resolved that the engineer should report further on the strength of the bridges on the various highways so that the classification could be prepared according to the load the bridges would carry. The engineer’s report is now ready and will be considered at the next meeting of the council Owing to the appointment of Messrs T. G. Baker, F. C. Cray and G. A. McLean as contributing schools’ representatives on the Napier Intermediate School Committee, they have withdrawn their candidacy for election aa parents’ representatives. The ballot paper for Monday evening next is now as follows: —Messrs G. H. Cooke, C. N. Hallett, H. Marchant, G. B. Menzies, A. H. Robinson, T. Rowe J Thorp, and J. S. Tonkin. To these nominees six seats .are available. The Legion of Frontiersmen’s club room was the acene of an impromptu gathering of members and friends last evening, when Trooper Talbot, of A Squadron, Auckland, was entertained and farewelled on the eve of his departure for his home after being attached to H Squadron, Hastings, for some months. Trooper Talbot was thanked for his assistance to the local squadron by members of both. Hastings and Napier troops, and was asked to convey greetings and good wishes to A Squadron, Auckland, on his return. The usual mid-week old-time dance and card tourney wag held in the Trades Hall on Wednesday evening. Mrs. Hearn’s Premier Orchestra supplied excellent music for the dancing, and supper extras were played by Mr. W. Sorenson. The Monte Carlo waltz was won by Mrs. McMahon and Mr. H. Hearn, with Mrs. Colman (Taranaki) and Mr. P. Park second. The popular “Premier” musical waltz was also won by Mrs. Colman and Mr. P. Parks. In the card room the results were as follow:—Ladies, Mrs. Nesbitt and Mrs. Foulds (tie) 1); gentlemen, Mr. Burke 1, Mr. Houston 2 The Hawke’s Bay Wrestling Association has been in communication with the Dominion Union, Wellington, with a view to arranging their opening contest of the season. As only five wrestlers from overseas have arrived in New Zealand as yet, and with other associations clamouring for matches, the arranging of a contest is a matter of some difficulty, but, although finality has not yet been reached, it is quite probable that wrestling enthusiasts will have the pleasure of seeing Dr. F. Meyers and Mischot, the Frenchman, in action on the night of Wednesday, May 16th. With three tomatoes weighing approximately 4ilbs., readers can imagine the size of the fruit that has been grown by Mr. Hurst, of Avenue road west, Hastings. Mr. Hurst showed some specimens to the “Tribune,” which looked more like small pumpkins than tomatoes. These tomatoes are not freaks, but are grown from seed which was imported from Australia. Not only the fruit but the plants as well are larger than the ordinary plant and grow two to three times the height that is usually attained. Mr. Hurst stated that the tomatoes were tasty and full of flesh, being quite as good as the ordinary tomato. "I have lost all faith in the Auckland City Council since this milk business,” remarked the Mayor of Mount Eden, Mr. T. McNab, when the Mount Eden Borough Council was discussing the proposed regulation of taxi fares. "The City Council was paid £250 to bring up that bill, and our people are suffering under it. Our relief workers are trying to live without milk, and we had a case in the borough last week of a child that died,' whose mother was trying to bring it up on tinned milk.” The prizes given by His Excellency the Governor-General for high quality in wheat exhibited at the Christchurch Show, in November, were last year limited to wheats grown in Canterbury. A considerable number of inquiries from people growing wheat in other provinces have been received as to the conditions of the competitions, and His Excellency has therefore agreed to a modification of the conditions of entry so as to allow wheats grown in any part of New Zealand to compete. It is at this time of the year that samples of wheat are most easily secured, and full particulars of the competition may be obtained from the secretary, A. and P Aasocjgtion, Christchurch