LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 31 May 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The McCarten benefit concert will, it is estimated, realise £24 net, a very creditable result. Very many services were rendered gratuitously. Mention should have been made that Messrs Pratt and Co. kindly lent furnishings for the stage. Stratford Borough Council, after discussing Normanby Town Board's invitation to attend a conference of local bodies at Kapuni, decided to defer its decision. Some members feared that the representation of Stratford would be to the interests of the borough to route; and others held that it would be to the interests of the lands(?) to be represented to watch Stratford, interests. The following new .-books have been | received at the Public Library:—"The j Broad Highway" (by Jeffery Farroll), I "The Window at the White Cat" (W. G. Rinehart), "By a Broad Water of the West" (W. Surrey), "Whirlpools" (Sienkiewicz), "Max" (K. T. Thurston), "The Unknown Lady" (J. M. Forman), "The Princess Virginia" (C IN. and A. M. Williamson), "Maori History of Taranaki Coast" (S. Percy Smith), "The Dweller on the ThresI hold" (R. Hichens), "The Falling Star" (Oppenheim). One question which was propounded at Mr Massey's meeting in Waimate on Thursday evening gave the audience the opportunity of indulging in a good laugh. The poser for the Leader of the Opposition wasT Seeing that civil servants retire on superannuation at 65 years of age, are you in favor of members of Parliament being retired at the same age? After the laughter evoked had died down, Mr Massey replied that he could hardly answer the question in the affirmative. The proposed retiring age would leave him only ten years more of usefulness, and he felt that, all being well, there was more than that in him yet. The answer struck the temper of the meeting nicely, and was warmly applauded. An awkward mishap occurred at Bluff upon the trawler Nile during repairing operations to her boilers. The occurrence indicated the fact that engineers are apt to expand just as much when heated as the baser metals which they manipulate. An engineer had entered the boiler manhole to repair a bolt, but made his entry while the receptacle was warm, with the result that the heat soon acted upon him, making him expand. He was in consequence unable to get out at the conclusion of his work. He made a violent endeavor to wriggle out, but was unsuccessful, and he had to strip and be hosed with cold water before he was in a fit state to emerge at the aperture. A similar instance occurred a short time ago at the Ocean Beach freezing works, when a man expanded so much that he got stuck in the manhole, and had to remain in that awkward predicament for some considerable time. There seems to be a good deal of truth in the statement by a correspondent of j the Lyttelton Times that married couples with children are not wanted on farms m Canterbury, says a correspondent. Employers want married couples, but ■ they don't want children, the writer says, and that seems to be the real position. It is certain, states the proprietor of one registry office, that young children usually are not a good recommendation. The prejudice in this respect arises from the fact that "in most cases married couples have to live in the same house' as the farmers' families, and the presence of children is objected to. On large stations where separate cottages are provided for married couples, the prejudice is not so marked. It almost disappsars when the children have reached an age when they can work, because apparently they supply cheap labor in some cases. The husband is required to work, and if a cottage is supplied, it is immaterial to the employer whether the couple have , children or not. It usually happens, however,' that the wife is expected to do a good deal of housework,, such* as crocking for the employers family, or for shearers and farm hands in the .-eason, and in these circumstances it is felt tbat young children who need their -• miner's attention are an impediment. With the growth of motor traffic in this district, Mr J. Blake has found it necessary to increase his accommodation and appliances to cope with increasing business. He has just completed extensive additions to his garage in Regent street, and installed new machinery. The new pfsrit comprises casting machine for iron and brass, large lathe with all latest improvements and labor-saving devices and equipment necessary for dealing with motor car repairs of all kinds. A milling machine is shortly^to arrive which will enable his staff to undertake much work that has hitherto'gone to the larger centres. A compartment has been added in which a motorist may house his car, and by means of a private key take it away at any time of day or night. Mr Blake is agent for several well known cars, including the Daimler, Rover, Overland, and Hupmobile, and also for motor waggons, to one of which he has just completed somewhat intricate repairs. The jaew works are a decided acquisition i to tne town, and speak well for the en- i terprise of the proprietor. The body of the Bishop of Sodo, which was buried 17 years ago at Ceretto-San-nita, was Recently disinterred, and was found to be as well preserved and free from signs of decomposition as when it was placed in the coffin. The public flocked to the spot from miles round, and filed past the body as it. lay in the coffin, and many of the more emotional gave wayjp religious frenzy at the supposed miracle. The tomb was guarded by police to prevent the devotees carrying away fragments of the coffin or the bishop's shroud>as relics. W. W. Moller, general carrier, has extended his carrying business to the Opunake-Hawera road, and now has teams daily on that route. He is also agent for the New Zealand Express Company.

Referring to the alleged aeoreo-ition £ f lan? S Hl aMatna *s^k a me£ ber of the Pahiatua Debating Society said he was given to understand that there were only about fifteen farms X the district that were not for sale. "There are some places where there are no children," Ays the senior inspector of the Shgo educa^onal circuit a,2 OSew ho in the past did not emil grate, but remained at home have grown up, and, confronted by the difficulty or subsistence, have never marTr' «o !m a radius of two mites there are 63 houses, or families, and in there are no children." 7wnfl °!j thf indents of the Hawke's way flood.? had its humorous side Dr Barcroft was summoned from Hastings to a patient at Okahu, but found fie could not cross a swollen torrent oppo! Mte the patient's house, so he shouted relatives* *°r°SS g&P tO the Patient's A petition is to be sent to Parliament ■ during the coming session by local veterans (says the Poverty Bay Herald) praying that some recognition be given those who were engaged in active service against the hostile Maoris during the early settlement days of the Dominion. It .is suggested that a special military pension of 10s. per week should be granted to all bona-fide veterans. Reference is made in the petition to the fact that nothing has been heard of the enquiries made by the Magistrate about a year ago. A singular incident is related in connection with the late Mr (J. Moberlev Bell, managing editor of the London limes. Un one occasion he was crossing a railway in Egypt when his foot was caught in the points, and it seemed impossible to extricate it. A train was approaching at the moment, and he had no time to unlace his boot, but with a mighty wrench he freed himself, tearing a Done from Jts place in the effort. It had to be removed by a surgeon, and .he bone was utilised by Mr Bell as the handle of a walking stick, which he was ever afterwards compelled to use. A protest against the use of protruding hatpins has been raised in Christchurch A tramway conductor told a Press reporter yesterday that ladies travelling on the Christchurch cars were frequently noticed to have unprotected hatpins protruding from their hats, and that the practice of using such pins was especially dangerous when there was an extra rush on the cars. The conductor said he noticed a young girl the other day with as many as three long pins sticking out of her hat. Even when girls were wearing small hats they apparently used the same long hatpins that they were accustomed to use to keep on the big hats that were so fashionable recently. The feasibility of establishing a tubercular dispensary as a branch of the outpatients' department of the Dunedin nospital, on similar lines to those in operation in several of the large centres at Home, is now receiving considaration. The object is to follow up those cases which leave the sanatorium, and to continue their treatment by means of tuberculin, and to give necessary advice, and also to detect early tuberculosis in other members of the patients families. The idea is to properly treat these incipient cases, more especially with regard to people who, owing to home ties, are unable to afford the time or money for sanatorium treatment. A petition in reference to the Rimutaka deviation has been prepared and approved by the Masterton Chamber of Commerce. The petition sets forth that according to reports of. responsible oifi-' cers of the Public Works Department, the sharp curves and steep grades be-, tween the Upper Hutt and Summit be reme«"-ed at a cost of between £3000,000 and £400,000; that the working expenses would be thereby diminished to the extent of £12 : C!.\J or £13,000 per annum; that since the leport of the officers of the Public Works Department was made in 1899 the takings from the stations between Pahiatua and Cross Creek have ac ually increased by 36 per cent, in IJ. years; that the longer the work is fostponed the greater will be its eventual cost; that if deviations were constructed the cost of haulage from Wellington to Napier would be less by the Wairarapa than by the Manawatu route;,that, in any case, the increase in traffic from Wellington to the West Coast and for the Main Trunk line may before long necessitate the transfer of the Hawke's Bay traffic from the Manawatu route. This week I have received from a friend who has been lecturing in the north a letter which throws interesting light upon the darkness which still prevails upon matters Australian (says the London correspondent of the Sydney Baily Telegraph.) Writing of his meeting, he says: "The Lord Mayor, a local butcher and farmer, was there in full form, wearing his chains of office. I went to see him beforehand. He told me he did not know anything about Australia, and apparently he knew as little of his duties as chairman. I endeavored to give him an idea of what he should do, and told him about the land settlement scheme. 'But/ he said, 'what will happen to the settlers when the next President is appointed?' Told him we had no President. 'Oh!' he.gasped, 'I thought Australia was a republic.' Was amazed when I told him that it was part of the British Empire, and that the King had a representative at the head of affairs in each State, and another at the head of the Commonwealth. It seemed to puzzle him a good deal." The French barque Max, well known in Australia, recently underwent a novel experience which, in the opinion of an American exchange, may asssit in the explanation of the marine Sres reported on the coast of California. It seems -that she arrived at Port Townsend a few weeks ago, and the Friday before reaching port the officers state "that between 9 and 11 o'clock on that night the barque was enveloped in •St Elmo's fire" while a little north of Eureka; that far to the southward they could see other vessels which glimmered like glow-worms in the distance, while again to the west another vessel affected by the strange phenomenon hove in sight. It is most unusual for the fire to appear in such a latitude, and the old mariners could scarcely believe their eyes. When the phantom fire made its first appearance tiny sparks as from electric bulbs broke out of the trucks of the mast, and hissing and spluttering, made, their way along the rigging and shrouds to the rails. All the crew was called to the deck to behold the strange illumination. Tongues of flame, now blue and again dazzling, leaped along the rails of the barque and outlined her hull and rigging in ghostly fire. Then lights began to dance upon the water, and as the Frenchmen looked across the sea they saw a will-o'-the-wisp at sport on. the deck and rigging of two other vessels to the south, while further out to sea a fourth fireship glowed through the dark. After two hours a thunderstorm drove away the sprites. It is a wonderful story—if true. Attention is drawn to an advertisement in another column relative to agencies of the Golden Bay Cement Vv orks, Ltd. The Company expects to be producing in about a month's time, and is able to turn out 1600 to 2000 tons of cement per month.

Mr Morns tJpton, advertising representative of the "W. E. Woods Great leppermint Cure Company, Ltd." was a visitor to Hawera to-day, after an absence of ten years on business connected with his firm. Since Mr Upton was last in Taranaki he has toured Australia, -Java, and South Africa. The Acclimatisation Society were con--sidering at their meeting on Tuesday night what encouragement should be .given to the destruction of shags and hawkes, and were on the verge of carrying a resolutiou in favor of purchasing the heads when it occurred to one gentleman that Stratford was paying for the leet and someone might be smart ■enough to sell the feet to the Stratford .Society and the heads to the Hawera -Society, thus doubling his returns. The form of the motion was hastily changed. Another member wanted to know wheth«er the secretary would be able to distinguish between shags' feet and ducks' ■^fee% otherwise he seemed to think there would be those who would find a means for reducing the cost of Sunday's dininer. Latest Australian files contain news -of the tragic death of a New Zealander. It appears that last week the body of a man named Arthur Simpson was found lying face downwards in an irrigation channel near Kerang (Victoria;. The police, on'searching the clothing, "found a letter apparently written by ■deceased giving directions ' regarding the disposal of his effects, and intimating that the body could be given to the •doctors for dissection if so desired, and stating that he "had been addicted to drink of late years, the reason for which might be apparent in a tumor •or some atrophy. Other papers indicated that deceased was a chemist by profession, and a recent arrival from Dunedin. We were a number of Australians discussing the cost and possibilities of seeing anything of the Coronation proces--sion, and fell into stories of other great London crowds in the past (writes the .Daily Telegraph). ' 'I hope it will not be like the boat race last week," said an A^tralian girl; "I went up to Hammer-, rsnnth Bridge, and all I saw of the boatrace was the flying machines overhead. I •did hot even get a glimpse of the water, but the flying men were great." "You were lucky," said another. "At the King's funeral last year I got up in the middle of the night and stood five hours and saw a few horses' ears, and a glimpse ■or two of some stupid old State carri--ages. ■ No more processions for me." "Horses' ears and carriages!" exclaimed a third Gumleaf of limited height; "that was something indeed. I went down to "the Mansion House and tried to hear •something of the proclamation of King "George, and I saw a whip lash waving. Perhaps it was a royal whip lask; still, it was not compensation for an hour's jostling." And so the stories Tan on. 'There was a litile man who had laid out isoine £5 on the last Derby, and saw a few jockeys' caps flying in a detached Tsind of way along the^ horizon of an unTbroken mass of black silk hats. That was his first and last Derby. Of the millions who will go to the Coronation not one in twenty will catch more than a peep ■of the procession, and it is Soubtful if •one in a thousand will see either the Kimg or the Queen. It has always been the «ame since London grew so. large. But still the populace turns out hopefully. • Horses are now scarce and dear in all parts of Eastern Canada. A decent -driving horse brings from 176d01. to .200d01..,. and anything with any claim to speed can hardly be had under •400dol. Ontario's horses are almost all being sent west of Winnipeg. Prince Edward . Island is still raising large numbers, but the increased demand •elsewhere prevents the Island from being the handy market it was ten years -ago for the supply of the maritime provinces; consequently, an agent of a large iiorse firm is now travelling through Russia and Austria in search of horses for importation to Nova Scotia. Small things often cause great sensa- . tions, says the Melbourne Argus. Ormites, which are closely allied to tlhe itch mite of Europe, recently made tmeir way into a city warehouse, and the began to complain of irritant blisters which appeared on their bodies. How they occurred was for some time unknown. When the mites had increased to millions their presence was-dis-oovered. They had crept into all crevices, on shelves and chairs. Their or-, •dinary menu, was paste and scraps of food, but as a special luxury they tasted human blood, and their sting is said to have lasted for two weeks, and caused blisters as large, as mosquito bites, which ■disfigured the countenances of the female employees. It was bad enough to •endure the pain, but when there was dis- . zfigurement with it the girls demanded the ejection of the mites. The alternative was that they would go on strike. How to get the mites out was more than the employers knew. They went to the Entomologist (Mr C. French, jun.). He had seen swarms of "these mites on two previous occasions in Melbourne, and advised the administration of hydrocyanic gas. Thus the pest was put an end to, and the threatened •strike is off. Mr French says that the mites come from poultry, and it is thought that they were carried to the warehouse by somebody who kept fowls. Residents of Camberwell are at the present time suffering from another pest of the genus psocus, or booklice. The insect gets into dust-boxes and sheds, and ■eventually finds its way into houses, when it makes chiefly for such foods as jam, butter and cheese. When the insect invades the human being it gives a 'ittle nip, but there is no after effect. The application of benzol or benzine, •says Mr French, will quickly destroy it. The little Breton port of Groix (France) was thrown into a state of .great excitement recently by the return •of a fishing boat, the. Narval, which had for long been considered lost, with its crew of nine men. The Narval left Le " Croisic last September to fish for sardines, off the coast of Morocco. No more was heard of ft, and the crew were considered to be dead. A mausoleum was put up to their memory, masses were said for the dead, and the *'widows" put ■on weeds. Some of them were still in Tnotirning when the Narval, after sevetf months' absence, appeared in the port, with all the crew safe and sound. They nad been detained on account of the poor fishing and difficulties with native fishermen, but finally the "dead" men sailed home with 30,000 sardines, and a good catch of other fish.