LOCAL AND GENERAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1219, 3 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Te Kuiti enjoyed perfect weather for to-day's holiday. Many left on motor and buggy excursions, but the majority left by train for the Hamilton show. Large numbers of Taumarunui people were on the train, bound for Hamilton. The ten o'clock train was slightly delayed this morning because a bullock fell down on the floor of a cattle truck. Thi's caused a commotion among the other cattle, and the railway authorities turned on the water supply in the hope of causing the animal to rise. The manoeuvre did not succeed and the train resumed its journey. Travellers by the South train yesterday morning spoke of the thickness of the fog at Taumarunui, which extended to the tunnel. 1 hey expressed appreciation of the fine weather Te Kuiti was able to show. A passenger by train from Taumarunui to Waimarino one day last week reports that snow fell durins* the journey. It was distinctly noticeable at Kakahi, seven miles south of Taumarunui, and at Waimarino, but it could not settle owing to the wet state of the ground.

A social, taking the form of a " kitchen evening," was tendered to Miss Hacket and Mr G. Goodey by the young people of St. Andrew's Church, on Monday evening, in the Church hall. Numerous games and competitions were indulged in, and songs were tastefully rendered by Mrs Cowan. A very enjoyable evening was spent, the success of which being due in no small measure to the efforts of the Misses Lineham and Vercoe. A dainty supper was handed round, and the proceedings concluded with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."

The Saturday half-holiday is due to commence next Saturday, but as to-day is a holiday, the shops remain open on Saturday till 5.30 p.m The late night will in future be Friday night and succeeding Friday nights, when the shops will close at 9 p.m.

Messrs. Barraud & Abraham, Ltd., in conjunction with Abraham & Williams, Ltd., will sell by public auction to-morrow at the Te Kuiti saleyards, a leasehold property of 961 acres situate at Otorohanga and recently the property of Geo. Fred. Bulfin, deceased. A good deal of the land is ploughable, and will grow good turnips, and as it must be sold it offers a good opportunity for investment.

Messrs J. Nicholls and Sons, the old established grocers and merchants of Rora Street, are advertising on page 2of this issue. They stock " Khalif " and "Plume" brands of benzine, and also cartridges loaded with Nobel's Empire smokeless powder at 7s 6d a box. 7 hey wish also to draw the attention of horse owners to the fact that they stock Marton chaff and feed oats, of one quality only—the best.

As an indication of the seriousness of the drought in Marlborough, it is related that at a recent Blenheim stock sale the owner of a line of ewes, having failed to find a purchaser, offered to give the animals to anyone who would take them away. But there were still no offers, and the discontented owner was compelled to clear them from the yards himself. The value of this class of sheep last year was about £1 a head.

The following trustees for the Aria Public Cemetery have been appointed. —Edward Tolme, Thomas Ward, Patrick David Smyth, Alfred James Keighley, Stevens Riddle, Edward John Graham, William Sangster, John O'Sullivan and James Collins.

The following has been declared a county road: All that portion of the Marakopa River to Mahoeuui Road, in the Awakino County, commencing at its junction with Haku Road, and proceeding thence generally in a southerly direction, adjoining and passing through Section 12, Block VI, and Sections 4 and 3. Block X, Maungamangero Survey District, and terminating at the boundary between the said Section 3 and Puketiti No. I Block; being a distance of 2 miles 61 chains more or less.

A naval petty officer's hairbreadth escapes from death during the war are surely without parallel. He was taken ill with typhoid at Malta, so ill, in fact, that he was pronounced to be dead, and placed in the mortuary awaiting burial. His father received news of his death. But by a bit of luck one of the sisters of the hospital thought she noticed an eyelid of the "corpse" flicker, and he was taken back to the hospital, where, after 15 days, he recovered. On his way«home to England his ship was torpedoed in the Channel. Rescued from the water, he served on another ship, which ;was torpedoed in the North Sea. Finally, his ship was mined in the North Sea, and after nearly an hour in the water he was rescued ngain. He is now invalided from the service, but is extraordinarily fit and well.

The sport of wild goose shooting is to be fostered by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. The chairman of the council of the society (Mr C. A. Whitney) announced at the last meeting of the council that he had presented a flock of geese to the society with the object of having them placed on the swamps at Rotorangi, near Cambridge, to breed. Geese reared away from the haunts of man became very wild, and provided excellent shooting. He expressed the opinion that there were several localities in the society's district where geese could be bred to advantage in a wild state. Several speakers endorsed the chairman's remarks, and it was decided to endeavour to arrange for geese to be reared in the Kaipara district.