LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1736, 11 February 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Australian Workers’ Union convention has resolved that no member of the Masonic institution will be eligible to hold an official position in the union.

The State trawling industry in Now South Wales showed a profit of £BOOO for the half-year ended 31st December, against a loss of £68,000 during the previous half-year under the old management.

A cable message says: Mr Alfred Edwards, superintendent of the Sydney traffic police, who has returned from a world’s tour, regards motor ’buses as a distinct improvement on trams for traffic purposes, and public convenience.

The great respect in which the late Maarice Hickey and his family are held was demonstrated at his funeral yesterday when the townspeople and borough employees attended in large numbers at the graveside. The funeral cortege included about forty motor cars. Father McManus conducted an imp.-essive service.

“West Coaster” writes to the editor: Re your copy of “Christchurch Sun’s” remarks respecting “white coal.” Is it in the interests of the people of New Zealand that such remarks should be made and copied? If it had not been for “laughing” at the hardships of the miners and labouring classes prior to Mr Seddon taking charge, I am confident we should not be in our present condition. We cannot afford to laugh at one another, and in many instances it has led to “blows.”

The “Mercantile Gazette” notifies the registration of the Boa Proprietary Co., Ltd. Registered as a private company February 4, 1921. Office: 20 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North. Capital, £3OOO, in 600 shares of £5 each. Subscribers — Wellington: J. C. Tonks 50, A. Salt 10 P. J- Kinneburga 10; Palmerston North: W. H. Hankins 20, E. F. Pasley 40, E. L. Broad 20, R. A. Bagnall 10 V G. Neill 5. A. Martin 10, W. H. Wood 5. A. M. Williams 40. T. Griggs 10, T. H. Hollow 20. G. Greer 20, J. P. Bennett. 10, C. H. Whitehead 10, A W. Whitehead 5, M. Morrison 50, 4 B. Tucker 10. W. R. Hopcroft 5, M. Drayton 20, S. W. Rapley 20, M. Drayton 200. Objects: To acquire a recipe for liniment and trade name thereof, chemists, herbalists, chemical manufacturers.

All children’s half-socks arc less the double discount of 2d in every shilling for cash this week-end in Collin;ilid Cunninghame’s. Children’s three- quarter socks to size 5 also carry the same double discount. This is a 'genuine money saving proposition ‘sliiiat '.’ill be welcomed by motiicr**’.'

A body supposed to be that of one of the Omaka disaster was found on ■*he beach at Eastbourne yesterday. It boro no clothing beyond a singlet. Identification will be difficult. A Wellington Press Association message states that an amending Order in Council which has been issued fixes the maximum price of corn sacks at 1/10 (in the case of 48 inch sacks) and 1/9. In the Police Court at New Plymouth yesterday William Patrick Neary described as a labourer belonging to Auckland, was lined £2O, in default two months’ imprisonment, for playing two-up in the mail train on December 22.

Messrs G. H. Bennett and Co. have presented the Manawatu Cricket Association with a autograph bat to be presented to the Manawatu player making the highest number of runs in both innings against the Australians on the 15(th and 16th (next Tuesday and Wednesday). The weekly consignment of eggs to Wellington on Wednesday from Devin was 440 dozen. This is practically the end of the laying season, and there is a big decrease in the output as compared with five or six months ago. A week’s consignment at the beginning of October last was 3200 dozen, and these figures were easily exceeded during the two succeeding months. —“Chronicle.”

When discussing the tightness of the money market at the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce meeting, Mr A. Robinson remarked that all the banks would advance to a farmer on a bale of wool was £5. A local business man, in conversation - with a “Herald” reporter to-day, stated that ho could go one better than that. Recently his account of ready cash happened to be rather low at the bank and they returned his cheque becafise it was sixpence short of the required amount. He added that he had put thousands of pounds through the same institution.

On Tuesday evening a small party of Mastertonians, bent on a “joy ride” expedition, appropriated a wellknown settler’s motor car, and set off for Martinborough. Within a mile of the township, the car overturned, pinning the occupants underneath. It was necessary to summon medical assistance from Martinborough. One young lady was somewhat severely knocked about, so much so that she was unable to return to Mastcrton next day with the other •members of the party. Another received a nasty gash on the face. The car was severely knocked about, one expert assessing the damage at approximately £2oo.—“Age.”

A police-court case that recalled the old music-hall song of “the butcher who calls round to collect his account with a dog and a doublebarrelled gun,” was recently heard in Auckland. Only, in >this case, the dog was owned not by the creditor but by the debtor. The plaintiff is a milk vendor and ho called at the house of the defendant to leave an account for milk supplied. In attempting to do this he was bailed up by the dog, who, as Bret Harte would put it, “went for him there and then.” In other words the dog bit the milkman, who subsequently claimed £46/10/7 by way of damages, one item being “damaged trousers, 75/-.” Judgment went for plaintiff, for £2B odd, with costs. Every dog, we are told, has his day, and this dog has had his, for he has been destroyed, and the only trace he has left behind is on the calf of the milkman’s leg. ,

A sea-faring man who was indiscreet enough l to become inebriated and expose himself to the eye of the law or\ the Palmerston North railway station, explained to Mr M. S TSliott, J.P., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday that inadvertence was the cause of his lapse. . He was on his way to Auckland to join. a boat, and offered to leave without further excursion into forbidden realms. Being a first-offender, he was convicted and discharged. Herbert Hartle, an old man, was Charged that on February 9 he stole sundry articles of haberdashery comprising one pair of trousers, two singlets, one pair of socks, and four handkerchiefs, of a total value of £4, the property of Michael John Hall. Senior-Sergeant Fraser asked for a remand. “I only took the pair of pants. I didn’t take anything else,’ volunteered accused just before vacating the dock.

In a recent book, “Terrorism and Communism: A contribution to the Natural History- of Revolution,” Karl Kautsky, a well-known international Socialist, points out the impending danger of paralysing industry in the vain hope of rearing a better State on the ruins. The way of the future will be much as the way of the past—a steady upward and onward march towards the more perfect State. The intelligent citizen does not welcome the prospect of a new tyranny, even though the tryant-in-chief be a Lenin or a Trotsky. British society will be content to use the groat democratic powers of self-government which it possesses, and extend them for the use and service of mankind. If in the fullness of time great changes are destined to come it were far better that they should toe ushered in by reasoned co-operation than to the - accompaniment of a Communistic revolution.

The Empire Auctioneering and Land Agency Co. report as follows: Th« enquiry for house property in Palmerston still remains good and a considerable number of houses have been sold during the past fortnight. There are quite a number of prospective buyers about who are ready to pay down sums ranging from £250 to £3OO on properties the value of which range from £BSO to £IOSO, always provided the houses arc in anything like fair condition and order. Houses of four to five rooms with conveniences are most sought after. There is quite a number of vacant houses in different parts of the town at present, but in nearly every case they arc being held for sale, the owners being disinclined to rent owing to the difficulty of re-obtaining possession once a tenant is in occupancy. We receive daily enquiries for vacant shops and offices, but it is practically impossible to secure anything in this line, every building in the town being fully occupied. Clearing sales have not been so numerous since the New Year, but at any sales that have been conducted, the prices obtained were fairly good. These Sports Suits arc great value at 95/. The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., are offering this line in Donegal, Scotch and Irish Tweeds as a special sale line this week. Were £6 C/ to £7 15/; 25 only, all sizes.* Let your old False Teeth help to buy you a new summer hat. —Pearllne Queen Street. Auckland.*

The New Zealand seamen have accepted the shipowners’ offer of a bonus of 10/ per month. A fine showing' of Gladioli blooms is being exhibited by Mrs Imrie, the Art Florist. Mr A. J. Shailcr, nurseryman of Scandia Street, being the grower.*

A serious accident was narrowly averted at the intersection of Cuba and Rangitikei Streets yesterday afternoon. A car driven by a lady and a bicycle ridden by a boy collided. The bicycle was smashed and the car missed a lamp-post by a few inches.

Sheep-farmers are reminded that the Public Trustee is calling for tenders for two sheep-stations, one situated near Maraekakaho and the other at Kumeroa. Both places arc good, hilly sheep country veil subdivided and watered. As tenders close on 14th inst., early enquiry should be made.*

A Fcilding bowler, in speaking to us of the new green at Bulls, remarked that its position is quite unique, being situated on the extreme edge of a cliff over 100 feet high, and overlooking the beautiful delta of the Rangitikei River. No other bowling green in New Zealand is so situated. The green is watered by an electric motor.

Friends and neighbours of the late Catherine Bruce Jones, of Taonui Street, who died recently in her ninety-eighth year, are placing over her grave a tablet, bearing in her own broad Scottish tongue, the reply she once gave to a question as to how she managed to live on the old age pension of £3 per month: ‘Nane but the puir ken wha guid the puir are tae’ the puir.”

The results of the motor races at Tauherenikau yesterday were: —No. 1: H. Maugham 1, Cribb 2, Saunders 3. No. 2: Coleman 1, Sweeney 2, Jones 3. No. 3: Jones 1, Morrison 2. No. 4: Mangham 1, Coleman 2, Moller 3. No. 5: Mangham 1, Sweeney 2, Coleman 3. No. 6: Mangham 1, Holier 2, H. Mangham 3. No. 7: Jones 1, Coleman 2, H. Mangham 3. No. 8; Holier 1, D’Oro 2, Crawley 3. The Government have purchased Mr Jorgensen’s house in Grey Street as a residence for the postmaster, who pays interest' upon its cpst. This policy with regard to all Civil Servants who are liable to removal should have been followed for • the past fifty years. By this time it would have gone far towards settling the housing problem. Under present conditions, however, it cannot well be carried into effect.

Present weather indications are for variable winds with moderate to strong easterlies prevailing northwards of Kawhia and the East Cape and north-easterlies to the south, with easterlies elsewhere. The weather will be fair to cloudy generally, but scattered showers are likely in the northern and southernmost districts and along the eastern coast. The barometer has a rising tendency. Local farmers who have cleared their land of rushes are finding it difficult to obtain suitable material with which to thatch their hay stacks, and are carting it from a distance. In the early days the raupo or native bulrush, flat stemmed, light, • and eight feet long, was the sole covering for stacks and. houses alike. To gather this, and the downy seed pods, which were baked in a camp oven to form a bed equal to feathers, formed a domestic industry.

Infantile paralysis has made its appearance in Wanganui. During the past six weeks nine cases have occurred in Wanganui (inclusive of Gonville and Castlecliff), and three have been reported from outside places. On Tuesday one death occurred at the'Wanganui Hospital. Yesterday four fresh cases were reported in the borough. A number of the cases are under treatment at the Hospital, and a ward has had to be cleared to make room' for patients.

Mr J. P. Dickson, solicitor, was again before Mr Poynton, S.M., at Auckland yesterday charged with contempt of court arising out of comment made as to. the Magistrate s conduct of a case. Mr Dickson still maintained that he had committed no offence and that the Court had no jurisdiction tp deal with the matter. The Magistrate said he would not place a black mark on a young man s career by flining or imprisoning him. It would be sufficient to state that his conduct {(Wards "the Court was conduct unbecoming to a gentleman and unworthv i'ojf. a member of the legal ®i!his censure was made solely with 1 the, object of vindicating the authority ,of .the Court

Mr H. E. Holland, M.P.. has (states a Preste Association message from Westport) received the following telegram fron\ the Prime Minister: “In reply to your telegram, the cable message' from the Prime Minister of England is secret and confidential. In all probability I shall get permission to publish it later," but until such permission is obtained the message must be regarded as not for publication. Mr Holland deprecates the reply, stating that what is shown to certain pressmen every member of Parliament is entitled to know, and. over and above either pressmen or Parliamentarians, the people had a right to know the reason for the urgent invitation and to what they were likel> to be pledged.

Two young men were arrested on Wednesday night at the rear of George Powlds, Ltd., outfitters, in Manners Street, Wellington. The nightwatchman, when passing, heard unusual sounds, and secured the assistance of two constables. A search revealed two men concealed behind cases. They came out in response to the invitation, and explained that they were looking for a place to doss in. It is understood a couple oi chisels were found, also a that the door showed marks, but as it was bolted inside it had not yielded to the attempts at forcing. A few weeks iigo over £IOO worth of goods were stolen from Fowlds’. There have also been other similar losses from neighbouiing business premises.

A fine tribute to the virtues of Fairy Wonder Dry Soap is paid by a New Plymouth lady in an unsolicited letter to the proprietor. Inter alia she says the snowy whiteness of her household wash is the envy of her neighbours, and that she has already persuaded five New Plymouth friends to use it, and also three others in Palmerston North. All have expressed themselves as delighted with "Fairy Wonder,” and would not dream of using any other washing compound. All grocers stock it. It pays to insure. Consult Insurance Office of Australia (The 1.0. A.). Claims settled quickly. District agent, D. R. Smillle.*

A “Gazette" published last night prohibits any person from dealing in wheat without a permit from the Government controller. All deals hitherto made are automatically rc-> voked.

The Technical School classes resume on Monday, 21st inst., and it will be noted that besides the usual classes, there have been placed on the curriculum this year two new courses of instruction, viz., day engineering and a course in home-keep-ing, nursing and the care and treatment of infants. For the engineering classes the Technical School Board has secured the services of Mr Newman, late instructor in engineering of the Southland Technical College, and a full course in practical engineering will be undertaken, including English, arithmetic, mathematics, drawing, geometry, machine con* struction, mechanics, science and workshop practice. Holders of VI, Proficiency and Endorsed Competency Certificates arc entitled to free places. The housekeeping, nursing and can* and treatment of infants’ course is in the capable hands of Sister Maclean, District Nurse.

The remarkable achievement of a collie dog came under the notice Of the public the other day. Mr Edwin Appleton, of Herbert, recently sold his farm. He had a collie dog named "Scottie,” aged twelve years—one that he had raised from a pup. Ho dispatched “Scottie" by rail to Christchurch, in the meantime going on to Dunedin to transact some business there. Two days after the arrival or the collie at New Brigham, it disappeared. Mr Appleton was much concerned about the loss of his favourite dog, and after visiting the North Island he returned to Herbert on the off chance that it might have turned up. When he arrived at the farm the dog was there to greet him, and it’s joy was unbounded. From inquiries it would seem that "Scottie’’ took ninety-four days to get back from New Brighton to Herbert —p, distance of over 200 miles. He had to go right into the city of Christchurch to get on to the main south road, and it was necessary for him to swim four rivers and numerous creeks to return. The dog had never been north of Herbert previously. It shows the wonderful instinct of this breed.