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Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 67, 18 February 1932, Page 6

Numerous cases of petty thieving are reported to have occurred in Palmerston North. The Wanganui Education Board was informed yesterday that thefts had taken place from the premises of both the Palmerston North Central School and the manual training centre in Campbell Street. Recently a similar theft took place at the Sportsground kiosk. The imposing of the 10 per cent, penalty on overdue rates was discussed at a meeting of the Kiwitea County Council yesterday afternoon, and a decision was reached to take no action at present. It was thought by the council that the economic conditions prevailing were sufficient to prove a hardship to the ratepayers without the addition of extra penalties.

The statement that the Cuba Street School site constituted a potential fire monace to neighbouring houses was made by Mr M. IT. Oram at the meeting of the Wanganui Education Board last evening. “There is so much long, dry grass that a spark from a, near-by engine would soon start a big blaze, and the site should be cleaned up, he added. It was decided that the architect be instructed to carry out this suggestion. Delegates attending the annual convention of the New Zealand Master Bakers’ and Pastrycooks’ Association, in Palmerston Nortli spent an enjoyable time yesterday afternoon in an,inspection of Massey College and in a visit to the Tiritea reserve. At Massey College the authorities were thanked on the call of Mr J. 8. Jenkinson. The ladies were the guests of the Manawatu Bakers’ Association at the Regent Theatre in the evening. On the previous day a visit had been paid to Mr R. Tanner’s gardens and fernery at Karere. This afternoon the delegates and their wives were to make a motor trip through the Manawatu Gorge to Ballance Bridge, where afternoon tea would be served.

Figures presented to the Otago Education Board yesterday showed that last year the attendance of pupils reached 93.88 per cent., a record for the district, if not for New Zealand.

In order to avoid the ten per cent, penalty, the Wellington City rates office has been hard pressed since the beginning of the month in coping with the rush of money. Since February 1, over £105,000 in rates has been paid, whereof £75,000 has been received during the last three days. When the jubilee celebrations of the Woolston School opened a few . days ago the school bell was rung by Mr James Overend, who is one of the oldest ex-pupils. He is 77 years or age, and has sent seven children to the school. Mr .Overend has 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Union Company’s steamer Wairuna, which was held up at Auckland because of a dispute between the company and the crew over tire rate ot exchange between New Zealand and the United States, sailed last evening for Napier after a settlement of the dispute had been reached. A Press Association message from Wellington states that a reduction is announced in the wholesale price of petrol, first and second of Id a gallon as from to-day. Mr F. Ross, secretary of the Wellington Motor Traders’ Association, said last night that the question of a reduction had not been considered by retailers, but it would be in the course of a day or two.

Mr Aitcliison, assistant Public Works Department engineer, waited on the Kiwitea County Council yesterday afternoon in regard to the establishment of camps for single men in the Kiwitea district. The proposal was fully outlined, but after a discussion the council decided that, as it was unable to offer any extensive work at the present time, no action be taken.

The total rateable value of the City of: Auckland, according to the valuation completed early this year by the city valuer, is £2,738,355. or £9912 lower than the total rateable value last year after adjustments had been made by the Assessment Court as the result of objections by ratepayers. Last year 988 objections were received to the valuations and this year it is expected there will be fit least 1200. A narrow escape from serious injury was experienced by Mr James Barrett and his wife and daughter, aged 8, whose car came into collision with' a fully-laden quartz train belonging to the Waini Gold Mining Company at a road intersection m Waihi. The car sw r erved to avoid the train, but was caught and was carried about 25yds. Nobody was injured and the car was but little damaged.

There are two Maoris in South Taranaki reputed to be over 100 years of ago. One is a man living at the well-known Paeroa Pa, near Patea, and he is stated to be 104 years of age, while the other is a woman who lives at Manutahi, and who will take part in the procession during tire Jubilee celebrations at Hawera next week. She is 102 years of age. The ill-health of the man will not permit him to visit Hawera. A well known district farmer, when in conversation with a “Standard” representative, stated, that he had been farming his present property for 32 years and had never known so dry a season. While he had experienced dry periods in February and March, the present sustained spell was exceptional in that it had set in so early as December. As a result, some dairy suppliers had experienced a decline of from 30 to 40 per cent, in their milk returns.

Tho discovery that some of his pupils had tampered with the school barometer in order to produce a high reading and gain a half-holiday on account of the heat was made by the teacher of a. suburban school last week (says the Auckland Herald). In their over-eagerness, the children breathed too much on the barometer, making the reading so high that the teacher became suspicious. His inquiries revoaled that children had gained an unwarranted half-holiday a few days previously by similar means. Subsidies on voluntary contributions for school work have been suspended for the time being by the Department of Education. Tlie Wanganui Board was advised of this yesterday in a circular. Mr J. K. Hornblow said that there was a danger that such a move of the department’s part would kill the “goose that laid the golden egg,” in that it w.ould kill efforts of school committees to improve school environs and so forth. Mr M. H. Oram said the suspension was only temporary. It would last until the department had more money. “We are at the mercy of our drivers in charges of this description,” remarked the representative of city firm of contractors in the Otahuhu Magistrate’s Court, when both the driver and the firm were charged with permitting a heavy motor lorry to travel at a speed in excess of the regulations. The local traffic inspector said the timed speed of the lorry was 83 miles an hour, while the scheduled speed for that type of lorry was 19.2 miles an hour. Remarking that it was a serious matter in wear and tear on the roads, the magistrate fined each defendant £1 and 10s costs.

The item, “Astronomical dial, £1 16s 2d,” in the accounts for payment at the Horowhenua, Power Board meeting on Tuesday, provoked an inquiry from the Mayor (Mr C. Blenkhorn) as to the nature of the article. The reply by the engineer (Mr J. A. Smith) revealed an interesting and ingenious system of seasonal regulators used in conjunction with the timeswitches that turn on the current for the street lamps in the district. The astronomical dial works by a crank movement and obviates individual adjustment of the electrically wound time-switches as the seasons change. At this period of the year it is causing the lights to be switched on a little earlier each_ ancl will continue to do so till mid-winter, when it will reverse this action and bring the lights on progressively later till midsummer.

A correspondent writes to the Auckland Star:—“The recent Maori election recalls to memory that of 1887, when the late Sir James Carroll wpa the Eastern Maori seat. Happening to be in Napier, I was enrolled by the late Captain Preece, R.M., as a deputy-returning officer, and, after being sworn in along with a native associate, was dispatched to Waimarama sheep station to take the poll. I opened the polling booth in the woolshed next morning. The first to enter was the local Maori chief, who calmly seated himself on a bench. When I called him up to vote, he said, “Taihoa.” Knowing he was not in favour of Sir James Carroll (“Timi Kara”) I was quite prepared for trouble.' I told him that only one voter was allowed in the booth at a time, and that he must wait outside. Of course, I knew that his idea in being present was to influence the others. He still stood on his dignity when I spoke to him, so I took a sporting chance by placing my watch on the table and informing him that, if after five minutes he refused to quit, I would be forced to ride into Napier and report him to ‘Te Pirihi,’ namely, Captain Preece, R.M. That ‘put the wind up him,’ for I added , that he would probably be fined £IOOO for upsetting the election: He simply bolted, not waiting to vote.”-