LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 6 September 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A native in the witness box at the last sitting of tiie Magistrate's Court in Ohakune said hi* boy was too weak ' to work. "But," said the native, "he plenty strong for the football." While illustrating the value of the dramatic pause in speaking, Mr Harrison Allen, adjudicator of the Wellington elocution section, saM that the great actor George Titheradge had spent almost half his artistic life in cultivating the much desired pause. Mr Allen had always tried to make this man his model. Binny Hamilton Somervail, aged 66, who- lived with his son at Smart Road, was found dead in bed by his son yesterday morning, and, at an inquest held at New Plymouth yesterday after-' noon, a verdict was returned by the coroner (Mr. A. M. Mowlem) that death was caused by valvular disease of the heart. The council of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce has sent a telegram to the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Public Works, expressing gratification at his decision to devote £5000 towards the widening and metalling of the Tangarakau Gorge Road, and congratulating him upon taking "such a forward and important step/ The Stratford j Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday night, also expressed their appreciation, and hoped that the work would speedily proceed to completion. Of two applicants recommended for a teaehership in a country school in the j Nelson district one is a married woman j who was formerly in the service of the Education Board. At a meeting of the 1 board last "week the chairman (Mr. F. W. Smith) .«aid he objected on principle to any married woman being appointed while she had a husband who should maintain her, and thus shutting out younger teachers. > He had a great regard for the applicant's capabilities as a teacher, but there was principle involved. It was resolved that the ap- ! pointment be given to the other applii cant. I A hairdresser in Balclutha whose ser- , vices were much in request for shaving male victims of the 'flu, confined to J their beds, asked a local medico what i best to do in order to avoid infection. j "Well," replied the medical man, all you can do is to keep smoking, keep smoking." The barber followed this instruction religiously (states the Free i Press), and when he shaved at patient i i the patient's own home, kept indus- . triously smoking cigarette's. So far it 1 has proved a "good tip," and he has 1 come through unscathed. J A rather remarkable coincidence occurred in one of the Dunedin PresbyI terian churches last Sunday (states an exchange). The pulpit in the morning and: evening was occupied by two different preachers, and for a lesson each chose the same chapter (I Corinthians, Ist chapter). Then for the text to preach from, each selected the 18th verse of the clrapter. Those who attended each service heard the subject treated from two totally different standpoints. Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice) is notably lacking in ostentation, and is not at all averse to using the ordinary everyday street cars. Prior to the in- , stallation of the electrical trams in ( Wellington Sir Robert sat one day in a crowded horse car, cheek by jowl with the proletariat, but more particularly i by a large labourer, who incinerated i tobacco with grsat skill. A well-known Wellington business man, finding Jie had inadvertently come out without money, explained to the conductor his position, saying he would pay next day. The labourer with the pipe turned to Sir Robert and said, "There y are, mate! If it had a bin the likes o' me or you he'd have called the police!'l In th© course of an address at the annual meeting of the Auckland Employers' Association the president, Mr Albert Spencer (reports the Star), said ib was extremely disappointing that under the new scale the income tax is to be 5s 10d in the £. He considered it was too high for the industries of the Dominion to struggle under. The increase in the rate of taxation of debentures to a maximum of 4s 6d would, he considered, do away with preferential treatment as compared with incomes derived from mortgages and other sources, and, it was hoped, would cause money to flow into channels where it was badly needed, such as farm mortgages, where capital was urgently wanted to maintain agricultural and pastoral production.

4.1. <J¥ar^ 6r of a century ago most of the schools of New Zealand observed a holiday once a year for the purpose of planting trees. Somebody had conceived the vague idea that the country would be grateful in the future for any trees that might be planted now (states the W airarapa Age). There was not much enthusiasm behind the movement and very little understanding; for at that time there appeared to be ample bush each year, whether they were able to mill it or not, aJid whether they could use the. land or not. It was a mad, stupid policy. Now everybody wren sense understands the vital necessity of replacing as speedily and as systematically as possible the bush that has been destroyed. Yet Arbor Day has fallen quite into abeyance. Lansdowne was one of the few schools that observed it this year in the manner intended, by planting a few new trees for the benefit of The late Mr George Fisher, the brilliant ex-printer, who was a Wellington • h •so many years > was thorough m all Jus methods, even to inventing a system of shorthand of his own and keeping enormous scrapbooks of newspaper clippings. With his newspaper clippings be could always confound the politics of his opponents. His son Mr F. M. B. Fisher, politician and tennis player, related that on an occasion two men called at Mr lasher's house hoping to obtain his interest in a matter then before Parliament, which, properly worked, would be to their advantage. Mr Fisher did not quite understand until one of the men put a small bag of sovereigns on the mantelpiece. Mr Fisher went to the door and called "Dnhn! Bill!" (his sons) They came. rtl want to show you boys." he said, "how to treat a person who tries to bribe you." Mr Fisher was a powerful man, and the way down his front steps was short for his visitors. The angry M.P. threw both men and money into the street Incidentally Mr Fisher's popularity was such that he addressed no meetings at his last successful election, the expenses of which totalled Is 9d. An official intimation of the poll to be taken under the provisions of the Dairy Produce Export Control Act appears in our advertising -columns today. Dairy suppliers should take immediate steps" in order to ensure the inclusion of their names in the rolls which are to b.e prepared. The Melbourne Limited have opened up new stocks of men's fine lis2e thread white singlets at 3/6, and fine natural brushed cotton singlets at 3/11. Both these lines are' a repeat of last yearns importations and are exceptionally fine value and give excellent wear.—Advt. Newcomers to Hawera are cordially nvited to join, the "Nc~Rubbing'> Laundry Help Club. (Full particulars fiom your grocer).—Advt.

A Maori judgment debtor in the OJisJcnne Court told counsel that lie hac? no money. When asked "Who paid your fare here?" he replied (pointing to his legs) "Te wai tvai!"

Thus tke Sydney correspondent of the Press: The metropolitan area, of this State continues to grow in population at the evepense of the country. The one is figm/atively; chocking with people; the oth«r is crying out for them and finding it impossible to hold.many of the youths meant for bucolic Jife, but lured away by the amenities aftd tinsel of the city. The population of the metropolitan ar«a now holds a million. In the suburbs alone are 845,930 people. The population of Greater Sydney, which includes Parraniatta, is 2,100 T 000.

She was a nice girl. She came to New Zealand to find a husband, and the fact was mentioned disparagingly against her in the Wellington Supreme Court, where it was suggested she was an "adventuress." Thereupon her counsel retorted: "Surely it is not expected that every one of the two- million surplus women in England to-day are coing to remain home, sit by the fire, and hecome old maids. This woman is a cultured English lady, formerly a school teacher. Naturally the logical common-sense desire of every woman is ultimately to marry.'' That was her purpose in coming to New Zealand, concluded counsel.

A case in connection with a famous Maori war canoe—the second largest in: the Dominion—was before his Honor Mr. Justice Hosking at the Wanganui Supreme Court on Wednesday. The plaintiffs in the action were J£ma Hipango Rongonui, Wi Pauro Te Atakinaari, Ngamoko Kingi, Ngaieta Taumata, and Reremai, of Wanganui, and the defendnts the Wanganui Guarantee Discount, and Loan Co., Ltd, Hekenui Whakarahi, of Wanganui, and the Registrar of the Supreme Court at Wanganui. The nlaintiffs in the statement of claim alleged that the canoe was the property of the plaintiffs and certain other members of the Ngataruru tribe. The defendant', it was alleged, wrongfully took possession of the canoe and converted it to his own use on May 11, 1920. When the court resumed after the luncheon adjournment Mr. Treadwell announced' that counsel had conferred and had agreed upon a settlement. The canoe with sideboards was to be handed to the plaintiffs on behalf of the Ngataruru j tribe, plaintiffs promising, after conj suiting the tribe, to place the canoe in . the museum.—Chronicle.