The Levin Daily Chronicle TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1933. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1933, Page 4

The Levin Daily Chronicle TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1933. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The latest suggestion in regard to the petrol tax, is that placards be placed on the pumps at garages stating: '“Remember your benzine tax is 10£d,” Another suggestion that a slogan be erected on pumps bearing the words: “Benzine Is 2d, tax Is.”

According to the Daily Mirror, a London resident was shown recently in Vienna a rifle used during the war and now preserved by the Austrian Government, into the muzzle of wiiich an enemy bullet entered at • the moment it was being fired. The bullets met in the middle of the barrel, which burst open at that point, and so exhibits them-interlocked.

“When times get bad there appears to be a tendency on the part of Governments and local bodies to dispense with, the services of the higher paid officials on the score of economy,»» said the retiring chairman of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, Mr S. Blackley, this week. “Such economy is mostly false economy, and in this country to-day we require the * best brains and the highest efficiency we can possibly acquire.”

It is against the regulations of the Education Department for a school teacher to take part in the annual election of school committees. At a meeting of the Auckland Education Board a letter was received from a householder, complaining that a teacher had taken an active part in the recent election. When questioned as to the part she had taken in the election, the young woman said that she had acted as she had 'because the householders had been “so alow.”

Insurances in connection- with the Riverside road residence of the late* Mr. P. H. Harper, S.M., which was completely destroyed recently, comprised £I6OO in the Liverpool, London and Globe Office on the-building, which was owned by the Sheridan estate; £7O in the same office on a billiard table and accessories; and £550 in the South British office on Mr. Harper's property, including personal effects. The cause of the outbreak is a complete mystery. Apparently the flames were first noticed by Mr. Charles Luker, who was returning home at 1.30 a.m. after being engaged on s.s. He promptly roused the neighbours, including Messrs G. A. Nicholls, T. P. Smale and Judge, but the flames had then so good a hold that it was impossible to save any of the contents. The alarm was given about the same time from the box in Graham Road, Haiti, and this led to the brigade first going across in that direction. —Gisborne Times. *

During February and March of this year the Wellington Acclimatisation Society liberated 600 pheasants, Palmerston North receiving 90, Levin 50, Pahiatua 50, Marton 40, Tokomaru 20, Akatarawa 15, Shannon 15 and Makerua 5.

The member for the Hutt, Mr Walter Nash, will give an address in the Century Hall on Friday next, commencing at '8 p.m. The Mayor, Mr P. W. Goldsmith, will preside. Mr Nash’s qualities as a speaker are well known and he will speak on the Labour Party’s new policies, “Land Policy” and “Banking 'Currency and Credit.”

Sunday was the 93rd anniversary of British Sovereignty over New Zealand. It was on May 21, 1840, that Hobson issued two proclamations of sovereignty, the first announcing the sovereignty of Her Majesty Queen Victoria over the Northern Island by virtue of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the second announcing her sovereignty over all three islands.

Close upon 1,000,000 brown trout fry and 150,000 rainbow trout fry were liberated by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society during the year ended March 31 last, also .8000 brown trout yearlings and 10,000 rainbow yearlings. Palmerston North received 90,000 brown fry and 2000 yearlings; 80,000 brown fry were distributed to Pahiatua, 70,000 to Levin, to Waikanae, 30,000' to Akatarawa and 25,000 to Tokomaru. .

This happened on the day on which Mr J. S. Neville, town clerk of Christchurch, completed 32 years’ service with the municipality: “No madam, I am sorry, but I cannot stop roosters crowing,” “(But you’re' the town clerk, aren’t you?” “Yes, but ” “Well, these roosters are keeping us awake.” With soothing remarks born of long years of tactful handling of all sorts and conditions of people, Mr Neville put ddwn the receiver and •siged. gently. “People .seem to think,” he remarked, “that a town clerk can even stop roosters crowing.”

There will be at least one person who has cause to regret that a theft ’took place at the Morven'railway station and post office, for as soon as word of the burglary reached the Oamaru police the Waitaki River bridge was closed for the examination of motor traffic proceeding southwards from the scene of the robbery (says an exchange). Constable Berry, of Glenavy, to whom had been delegated the duty of examining cars, was struck with the familiarity of the number attached to one car, which was supposed to be used by a man wanted by the police for maintenance for the last three years and a-half. After verification the motorist was arrested, and, under the warrant against him, was sent to prison for six months.' '

The master of the auxiliary cutter Vonu reports an extraordinary happening while the little vessel lay at anchor at Yatia Point, while en route from the Yasawas to Levuka (says a Suva •report). At 3 a.m., a waterspout struck the craft. The whirlwind was upon the cutter before anyone on board guessed that danger threatened. At once there was a scene of intense confusion. The Vonu at the time had a full cargo of copra and trochas shell, 'but in spite of being so deeply laden tehe was faily lifted out of the water, Dr, nearly so, And canted over to an ‘pngle of 60 degrees. Everything that svas not lashed down went overboard (and was lost. The forward rigging 'was stripped, and, as the master remarked, “it was a wonder that the mast was left in her.”. He said they were all very lucky to be alive.

“I was amazed, on landing in Wellington, to discover that a married man could get 27s 6d per week on relief work,” remarked Mr W. Dunlop, .a visitor from Australia, to a Dunedin reporter. In Victoria, Mr Dunlop explained, a married man was entitled to 20 hours’ work in three weeks, and for this he received 275, which worked out at the rate of 9s per week, Should he take casual work he was not allowed to earn morh than £i a week, otherwise he ceased to remain on the unemployment roll, so that he was really precluded from learning more than £1 9s weekly. In the winter time a married man was allowed about a quarter of a cord of firewood a month, and in the event of his being evicted for non-payment of rent, the Sustenance Department was compelled to find a shelter for him; notwithstanding .this, the lot of the man on relief work was a sorry one, and the great mass of the unemployed were simply drifting on a “Dead Sea” of hopelessness, never expecting to get back into their everyday employment.

The whole of the stock of hoys’ overcoats at Cameron Bros, will be offered at half price for this week. This offer, coming at a time when overcoats are most needed, will be appreciated by keen shoppers.*