LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 2 May 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The shooting season opens to-day. The total rainfall for April was 2.86 inches. There were fourteen days with rain, the maximum fall being on the 9th- (.58in.).

There is said to be a good prospect of a fall in the price of sugar in New Zealand in the month of July (says the Wellington Times). i No trace of Captain Stearne, who was lavt in the wreck of the Turanga at Mokau, ha<s> been found vp v to yesterday, according to the latest advice received by the New Plymouth police. j "Have we power to compel natives to clear noxious weeds on their properties?" asked a member of the Waipa County Council. The assistant engineer said he, had ,made several attempts to induce Maoris to keep their sections clean, but they held that it was the pakeha's duty to clear the weeds, as they introduced them into the country. (Laughter.) A considerable number of Maoris have been encamped on the. shores of Lake Wairarapa, near Turanganuj, of late, for the purpose of obtaining their annual supplies of eels. Owing to the lake being closed for such a length of time the catch was an exceptionally satisfactory one. Natives were present from all parts of the district, as well as several parties from the King Country. The total of 131 bott'.es or whisky, which was seized by the police some time ago while it was being transported from Waitara to Awakino. and which resulted in the prosecution of the man found in possession of the liquor. Was offered by auction .at Webster's mart, New Plymouth, on Saturday, this being the method of disposal ordered by the magistrate. The wnfeky wa^sold in five lots of 20 bottles and one of 31 bottles, and the nrice realitscd ranged from 9s 6d to 10= 3d per bottle, the total return being about £65. —News.

For the period ending March 31, 1921, the cost or maintenance for the Hawera Hospital, exclusive of canital charges, was £8020. This amount, divided by the number of patients and days, gives the average cost for each patient as 12s 3d per day. The Board only charged to pat'.ents a total maintenance of £5725. There were 1300 pafents' days, and this works out at -8s lOd per day for each patient.

A potato called the f'Burbank" is now said to be grown 'almost exclusively in America, but, strangely enough, does not appear to be known very well in this.country. It is said to possess very good quality, and also "to have conquered the earth." Burbank himself, the raiser of this remarkable production, estimates that sufficient of it has N already been grown to pave a street 200 feet wide at the equator, and last year no less than 14,000*,000 bushels of this variety were produced.

The moose is by far the most plentiful of Canada's big game animals. Throughout the Dominion it is estimated that from 1000 to 1500 moose are killed annually, but the moose is by no means following the* trail of the buffalo to extinction. The game are protected,, and are hunted under certain restrictions that are rigidly enforced, so that there is no fear of their extinction.

1 'I, don't know how the Empire would get along without Scotchmen," said the Rev. M. M. D. Sutherland, in the course of a sermon at St. Andrew's, Christchurch, on the occasion of a church parade of members of the Caledonian and Scottish Societies, with their pipers. Mr Sutherland said that he knew of no country that had produced, so many good and great men as Scotland in proportion to population. It was often said that Scotchmen were brought up on oatmeal and the Shorter Catechism, and it was a cpmbination that represented plain living and high thinking. He believed*'that Scotchmen or those of Scottish descent in New Zealand ,in pursuit of such ideals, should read Burns' "Cottars Saturday Night" once a week. Speaking for a moment of the part taken by Scotchmen in the affairs of the Empire, he remarked that at thef Peace Conference of Britain's six. representatives only one (Lord Milner) was an Englishman, and he was born in Germany; one was a Welshman (Lloyd George), one was a Scotch-Canadian (Bonar Law), and the other three were Scotchmen. —Exchange.,

Sir Harry Lander is having erected near the head of Loch Eck—adjacent to his estate of Glengranie—a handsome memorial to his only son, Captain John C. Lander, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who was killed in action in December, 1916. This memorial will stand 17 feet high, and will have a bronze tablet suitably inscribed, together with a bust of the late Captain Lauder. The design of the memorial is the work of Mr S. T. Vallance, brother of Lady Lauder.

The Hawera Amateur Athletic Club held a very successful social and dance in St. Mary's Hall on Friday last. The club was very fortunate in having the assistance of an energetic ladies' committee, consisting, of Misses M. Owen, D. Bryant, E. Nicholson, Lambeth,, and Mrs. C. S. Mahoney. The supper arrangements were entirely in the hands of this committee, which served supper to the dancers expeditiously. The orchestral music by Messrs Fennell, Loveday, Taylor, and McLaughlan was all that could be desired. The duties of M.C.'s were capably performed by Messrs R. P. Morrissey, G. Foden, 'L. Marter, and C. S. Mahoney. Excellent musical items were rendered by Messrs Val. Jones, Hale, Bassett, and Mahoney. The extras were played by Miss Good and Messrs Gray and Foden. Durina; the early part of the evening Mr. H. B. Burdekin, president of the club, presented the prizes won by club members during the season. The president's challenge cup was won and received by Mr. E. Scott, of Kapuni. So favourable has been the comment of many of those present that the committee are likely to consider the holding of another dance at a later date. !

Notice is given of a fine lecture to be given by Mr. W. W. Johnston, of Melbourne, in the Grand Theatre tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 7 o'clock Mr. Johnston has the reputation of being an excellent speaker. It is anticipated there will be a large audience.

The Melbourne's sensational price reduction sale is proving tremendously successful. The bargains in all departments are being eagerly snapped up, proving the existence of a ready demand for regular every-day wanted goods when reasonably priced. The sale will run for three weeks only. — Advt. BnrraHough's Nervine stops Toothache— IV6. •