LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVII, Issue LXVII, 16 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A London message says that the cables to the United States are partially interrupted.

Senior Cadets failing to attend parade on Tuesday, 20th inst., at 7.30 p.m., will render themselves liable to prosecution under the Defence Act.

A misprint occurred in the report or the Acclimatisation Society's annual meeting m Wednesday's issue. It was *^\ AdrJ& a! th& Societ J tad made a gift t! 10 '000,^ to the Wanganui Society. Ihff word Wanganui should have been Waimarino. •

_A huge bonfire, about 100 ft high by 50ft wide, is to be lit on Mount Eden alongside the trig station, during the peace celebrations. The Mayor of Mount Eden, Mr C. Hudson, reported to the Borough Council that £100 had been allocated for the fire. The borough engineer, who is in charge of the arrangements, stated that as such a vast quantity of material would be required, he proposed clearing gorse from reserves and using it for the bonfire.

Speaking in Wellington of coal recently brought from America, the Hon. A. M. Myers said: "This American coal, although somewhat small, possesses excellent burning qualities, and mixed with the hard, lumpy coal an excellent mixture is made available for supplying to householders. Retailers have been asked, therefore, to endeavor to supply their customers with a limited quantity of each kind of coal with this end in view, but, of course, householders have the right to order small quantities of the different kinds separately should they desire to do so."

A i strong prejudice on the part of Auckianders against using anything but ti-tree for firewood is deplored -by several dealers. "We simply can't get them to take anything else," said one 'and yet there are plentiful supplies of other wood close at hand. Acacia, macroca"i-pa, and pine all burn well, although more quickly than ti-tree but only yesterday I had to turn down a large offer. There is plenty of this other wood round about Auckland, and many a man with a clump of pine or wattle on his property would be only too -willing to cut it down and sell it, if people (Would only buy. It would greatly help to conserve the supply of firewood if the public could be brought to realise that ti-tree is not the only wood m Auckland that will make a good fire.

In urging that all railwaymen should be allowed at least one clear day's holiday (in addition to Sundays) each year, for the purpose of holding a picnic, the N.Z. Loco. Engineers' Journal states: ''If the railways ceased to run for one day in the year, we feel sure that no hardship would be inflicted upon anybody. Almost every concern worthy of a name shuts down for one day in the year, upon which employees are free to enjoy a holiday with their fellow workers and their wives and children. We feel sure that if a vote of the people of New Zealand was taken they would be unanimously in favor of their employees being given a day in the year upon which to hold a picnic beside the Sabbath day now being used for same, and it would also show conclusively that, although the railways are State owned, they are not State controlled, and that the percentage of profit at the end of the year is not of more concern to the controllers than it would be if the railways were privately owned."

Som c of Gillett's wonderful value in white twill sheeting —Single bed 2s lid, double bed 3s 6d, 4s lld ; 5s lid, 6 9 lid; special linen finish fine twill sheeting, 80-inch 5s lid, worth to-day 7s lid; great value in pure wool Petone blankets, double bed 46s 6d; cot blan'kots 13s fid and 18s 6d pair; warm and cheap double bed kapoc quilts 28s 6d, 35s 6d; pure down quilts (double size) 55.3, 655, 79s 9d; cot down quilts 8s lid up; special unbeaten value in U.B. towels, Is 3d, Is 6d, Is 9d, 2s, 2s 3d, 2 S 6d, 2s lid. Casement curtaining, 50-inch plain cream, Is 6d, Is 9d; cream canvas borderefl casement, S& 6d. Post paid.— Advt.

In order to make the Roll of Honor of AH ®ainis\ Church Eltham, as nearly complete as possible, the^icar, the Rev. R. H. Hobday, asks any person who knowß of a member of the Church in the Eltham district killed in the war or died of sickness to communicate with him.

An effort will be made by the Normanby school children to provide funds to purchase trees and shrubs for their new school grounds. T&& children and people of Normanby have so consistently and generously helped all patriotic undertakings in Hawera that it is hoped there will be; a good response to the effort they are making at the Red Cross shop to-morrow (Saturday). The Mayor has given consent, and Mrs Lovelf is taking an interest in the children. The assistance of anyone wiio can help them will be most heartily welcome. Cakes, produce, and shrubs will b e gladly received.

The meeting of the peace celebration committtees, convened for last evening was adjourned until a later date owing to the meagre attendance. There were only eight persons present, including two ladies, and after waiting for half an hour it was deemed advisable to postpone the meeting.. The Mayor (Mr E. Dixon) regretted the indifference shown by the members of the committee; perhaps it was, he said, that people thought that peace would not Be proclaimed for some time to come. Whether peace be announced to-day or three months' hence they should be in readiness for the occasion, it was decided to circularise the membore for another meeting, which "wili probably be called for next week.

The Southland sawmiller.fi : object to Sir Francis Bell's statement that the

price of timber had advanced beyond all reason, reports a Press Association > message from- Invercargill. They; declare that the advance since the war has been 40 per cent, but the productive charges also have greatly, increased. Few of the mills made any profits during the war, and half, of tlienv t bad suffered, considerable losses. If the Minister prohibits the export and regulates the prices the industry will be faced with ruin, and half the mills in Southland will have to close down. The millers declare that they have made plans for years ahead, and if the new regulations are suddenly imposed without careful investigation as to their effects the millers will be involved in heavy losses. They urge that if the industry is to be treated from a national viewpoint it should be entirely nationalised, and not bound by the new regula^ tions, which will drive the weaker to the wall. They ask for a commission of enquiry to take evidence in all pai-ts of the Dominion.

At. Eltham great complaints are being made of the shortage of coal, and Mr Wilkinson. M.P., has been in communication with-the Minister of Munitions on the subject. Mr Myers has in the end replied: "I communicated with the Waikato mines with a view to increasing coal supplies for Eltham, and have now 'been advised b - my representative in Auckland that the Taupiri Company has promised to use every en,deavor to increase supplies for Eltham. At the same time, having consideration for the requirements of essential industries, cannot promise any further assistance in the meantime. I regret that at present it is impossible to supply you with more definite information." Lest there should be any misunderstanding, we may add that the shortage is equally inconvenient at Hawera, and has been for months pa^t. The Ga« Company, we understand, in common with similar undertakings in other parts of New Zealand, has been carryins; on with very great difficulty. 'Not only is coal dear and difficult to get, but the quality of a large proportion of that obtainable shows great deterioration on that formerly supplied by the mines. At the mayoral installation'at DevOnport the remark was made by some of those sitting around the tables at *he social function held afterwards how full the evening, had been of coincidences. It was'pointed out that (the Auckland Star records) 35 years ago the new Mayor (Mr King) had commenced his colonial career on a large sheep farm just outside Patea. It was on this farm that a Patea boy, about 16 years of age, who afterwards greatly distinguished himself for bravery in the J3o e r •war, and won one of Queen yictoria r6 scarves, taught the raw young Englishman how to drive one of the old-fash-ioned reaping machines. Sitting at the Mayor's right hand was Mr W. Handlev who for 18 years was a public man in Devonport, and was for eight years iMayor. Shortly after his arrival in the North Island, about 38 years ago, he, too, was a resident of Patea, and even in those early days, was look- / ed upon as a man who would make his

mark in the public life of the Dominion, being full of energy and a very hard worker. Mr W. K. Howitt, who was acting-Mayor, for three months during the influenza epidemic period, during the Mayor's absence was 40 years ago a second standard iad attending the Patea public school.

I The positions occupied by Otago teachers in the graded list for New Zeai land which has just been reissued, will come as a surprise to educationists and others in this province. In the first 16 names in grades 1, 4, and 5 (no names are included in grades 2 and 3) not one Otago teacher is included. Of the 16 teachers at the head of the list seven belong to Canterbury, three to Wellington, three to Nelson, two -to Auckland, and one to Southland. In grade No. 1 two Otago names are included; in grade 4,- five names; and in grade No. 5 nine names; or 16 in all. The teachers in each grade, it may be mentioned, are consfidered to be equal in merit. In grade No. 6 there are four names, and' here the first two Otago tachers are in- j eluded —Messrs W. McElrea and J. H. Moir. One of the Otago Daily Times' reporters asked a responsible officer of the-Otago Education Board if he could give any reason for the placings in the grading scheme a« worked out by Mr Caughley, and adopted by the Education Department. He replied as follows:—"It !is absolutely preposterous to say that we have not in Otago teachers equivalent in professional ability to the majority of those placed in the first 16 of the graded schedule. Why they are not placed higher is quite beyond my com pt-eh ension.'' Look out for Candy and Kirk's replace advertisement in another column of this paper.—Advt. "Necessity makes incnes of miles— mole hills of mountains." —Stanus. 'Way over in Sydney a lady tried to get Baxter's Lung Preserver —bufc, failing, wrote as follows: "I am enclosing £2 for some Baxter's Lung Preserver. One bottle did me such a lot of good in N.Z. that I want more." And it will do you good, too. Just now, when the barometer is so restless, you should have a large 2s 6d bottle handy. Chemists and stores. — Advt. THERE'S MONEY IN A GOOD IDEA! Perhaps you have an idea that will fulfil a vital need. Don't wait until someone else gets the idea—patent IE now, and so get the fruits of the in- ' vention for yourself. Henry Hughes, | Ltd., will tell you how to go about it! i Write or call. 157 Featherston Street, : Wellington.—Advt. j