LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 1 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The chairman of a Wellington financial company, speaking at the annual meeting of shareholders on Friday, said that in Wellington they were passing through a period of depression, when speculation was practically dead. Six years ago, when Mr Frank Huirchens left the District High School to go to the Royal Academy, he promised the headmaster and the pupils that when lie returned his first concert would be at the school. On Wednesday afternoon he will fulfil his promise, and he will give a free matinee to the scholars at 2.30 p.m. in the Central Hall. Frank wiil.be pleased to see his former classmates present.

In the month of July there were registered at" Hawera post office 18 births, 6 deaths, and 10 marriages.

The local in yesterday's issue referring to the closing down of the bowling season should have read "Gisborne bowling season, etc."

Instructors from all parts of the Wellington military district will attend the officers' camp at Palmerston North, commencing on Saturday week, when there will be a gathering of about 250 of all ranks. The course to be undertaken will be such as will enable regular arid noncommissioned officers to take in hand the new recruits to be posted at the end of August.

Several farmers, when discussing the weather in North Canterbury art the end of last week, expressed the opinion that the heavy, continuous frosts, together with the copious rainfall of late, will have a very beneficial effect on the soil. One farmer remarked that he had noted that after a severe frosty season, the sweetening influence to the soil was so marked that the land invariably produced good crops for several seasons, and the insect pests were considerably reduced.

At the annual meeting of the Waver-ley-Waitotara Racing Club the following officers were elected: President, Mr W. Wilson; vice-presidents, Messrs O. Symes and W. Brewer; judge, Mr R. H. Aldworth; handicapper, Mr G. Morse (re-elected);, starter, Mr R. H. Skipworth; clerk of scales, Mr W. Macfarlane; clerk of course, Mr D. Noake; assistant clerk of scales, Mr G. F. Bremer; timekeeper, Mr Jas. Dalton; hon. treasurer, Mr R. C. Esse; chairman of committee, Mr Oscar Symes.

By exercising a little ingenuity, two wharf laborers in Timaru, have, when out of work, been able to make a few shillings by sparrow-catching. Along the harbor front, sparrows and linnets swarm in great numbers, making depredations on grain-laden trucks and picking up the loose grain on the wharves. Considering this and the fact that 9d per dozen is given for sparrow heads, the two men have set a larse trap baited with tempting grain, and a pull of the string nets the birds, sometimes a dozen or more at a time.

In a country like New Zealand,: where a few weeks' scarcity of rain is referred to as "a droujghfc," it may be of interest to quote from the Rcfekhampton (Queensland) trade returns for the past 25 years to show the effect of a real shortage of rainfall. In 1886 the value of the exports amounted to £837,096, and last year reached £3,481,743. In 1895 the total value exported was £2,664,----273, but in 1902, the year of the drought it dropped to £1^337,874, while in 1906, when the effects of the drought were over, it rose again to £2,035,258.

An instance of the importance of wireless telegraphy in commercial matters is afforded by the use to which the Corinthic proposes to put her apparatus on her return run Home. The Corinthic will sail finally from Wellington on August 10 for London, via Monte Video, Teneriffe, and Plymouth. The London wool sales close on September 18, but the Corinthic, by means of her wireless telegraphy, will be able to report her whereabouts on September 17, and all her wool will thus be included in the catalogue to be submitted at the sale.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday granted leave to the New Zealand Insurance Company to alter its memorandum of association so as to enable it to enlarge the scope of its business. The proposed additions will enable it to do all kinds of trust and agency business, and all kinds of guarantee business; also to establish or assist any institution for the benefit of its employees. It was affirmed that the company had plenty of capital to work its business, and the proposed additional business, and that its assets were far more, than sufficient to pay all its debts and to make good the wnole of its paidup capital.

A few weeks ago tlie Hawera police were investigating the sudden disappearance of one Daniel Condon, a porter employed at the Auckland District Hospital, it being understood that the man had come "to this district. No trace of the missing man could be found, and the police referred the matter to Stratford, where it is understood he had some relatives. For two weeks prior to his sudden departure Condon had been suffering from influenza, and had been a patient in one of the wards. The day after his disappearance the hospital grounds were searched, without avail, and the police were notified. Since then all further inquiries have failed to bring to light any explanation of the mysterious affair.

Macklam's Stock.—See announcement in this issue.

A euchre party and dance will be held at Matapu to-night. An enjoyable evening is promised patrons.

"An appreciation of celebacy and virginal chastity," a 54-page pamphlet by the Very Rev P. J. Power may bo purchased at all booksellers.

R. G. Blennerhassett, Te Awamutu, has for sale 650 acres of good sheep country.

Mr and Mrs Fennell insert a notice of thanks. A fat stock buyer is wanted by an Australasian firm.