LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 1977, 19 November 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A man named Augustine Cosgrove, a Haumati resident, was fined £lO at Dannevirke on Thursday for striking his wife with his clenched fist. It was mentioned by Mr P. Fraser in Parliament the other day that a returned soldier, his wife and four children were all living in one room in a house at Wellington. At its next meeting the West End School Committee will discuss a proposal to buy school stationery in bulk at a reasonable price. It is hoped to get financial assistance from the Education Board in the event of the proposal being adopted. At the meeting of the newly-fonned West End Tennis Club held in Palmerston North last night, Mr C. H. Whitehead was elected patron and Mr A. O. Buchler president. It is hoped to commence play on December Ist, the club having been loaned the school courts for the season. An address will be given in Orient Hall by Mr Edward Nelson, lecturer of the International Bible Students’ Association, on the subject, "Spiritism —Demonism," on Sunday evening, at 7 o’clock. The Bible teaching on this will be clearly set forth. The relation of demonism to the world war will also be indicated. The public is invited to hear this interesting and instructive lecture. The total number of school children’s swimming certificates gained in New Zealand during the last season constitutes a record. The number issued was 2002, of which Wellington and Manawatu divided nearly half. .The Individual totals are as follow: Wellington 596, Manawatu 547, Hawke’s Bay 364, Wanganui 289, Auckland 273, South Auckland 235. Ofago 113, Canterbury 98 and South Canterbury 87. An old and highly esteemed colonist died on Tuesday in the person of Mrs Charlotte Zillah Pearce, aged 85 years, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs G. Laird, of Auckland. The late Mrs Pearce was born in Devon, and was married in Melbourne. She and her husband came across in the early days of the Otago gold rush. Mr Pearce started and owned the “Wakatipu Mail," and aftei'wards ran a newspaper for some years at Hokitika. From the West Coast he brought a printing plant to the Thames, where he established the first newspaper in that township, the predcccsspr of the present “Thames Star.” The Wanganui “Herald" says:— Detective-Sergeant Cameron walked quietly up to a showrpan at one of the tents on the Showgrounds on Thursday afternoon and-told him to wipe the grease paint off and put on his coat, as the police department proposed to give him a free .ride to Auckland to answer a charge of alleged theft. The showman evidently did not appreciate the little act of kindness on the part of the police officer, and remarked that it was most uncharitable. “There were hundreds of good spenders on the grounds, and the police might have left him till the show was over to catch some of their sugar.” For style and service good Jap silk blouses or jumpers are usually favourites. The C. M. Boss Co., Ltd., are showing several new lines, square or round necks, Magyar shape. 3 sleeves, finished hand embroidery and spokestitching. Prices 19/6, 21/-, 25/-.*

The annual meeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce is to bo held on Monday evening next at 8 o’clock. There are no signs in the Auckland commercial orchard area of flrebllght, which was much in evidence at this time last year; The members of the Wellington District Land Board will be paying a visit to Palmerston North on Wednesday next, when they will inspect the soldier settlements in the Manawatu. The dispute between the Palmerston North master butchers and employees was set down for hearing at the Courthouse yesterday, but the hearing has now been postponed till December sth. A meeting of the Manawatu SubProvincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union is to be held in Palmerston North this morning. The Provincial Executive of the Union will meet at Marton on Friday next. Inspector McKinnon told a “Times’’ representative yesterday that he had made enquiries concerning the Palmerston North public . morgue, and had considered that the conditions were entirely satisfactory. All flower-lovers are asked to make a note of the flower show to be held in All Saints’ School, Palmerston North, on November 26th. Schedules may be obtained at the local florists, and there are classes for adults and children, both floral and cookery. There have been three bankruptcies in the Palmerston North D.O.A.’s district so far this month. There was only one failure-, for the corresponding month of last year. It is interesting to note that, since the beginning of this year, 28 bankruptcies have occurred in this district, as against 8 for the whole of last year. The ladies of St. Paul’s Methodist Church are working energetically to ensure the success of the monster sale of work to be held in the Empire Hall on Wednesday and Thursday next in aid of the church funds. A large stock of plain and fancy work will be on sale, and among other attractions will be a meat stall and a jumble stall. The admission will be free, and it is hoped that a large measure of support will be forthcoming.

Palmerston North poultrymen, dealing through local egg ‘circles, were expecting an increased price this week, the Wellington marketing agents, having intimated this was likely. However, no change has taken place, suppliers of egg circles still receiving 1/6 "per dozen. There is, nevertheless, a hardening tendency. It is anticipated that local storekeepers will increase their retail price from 1/6 per dozen to 1/8 per dozen. Their -supply has been drawn mainly from the smaller poultrykeepers, whose hens are now beginning to go off. It will be noticed that the egg circles pay considerably more to the producers than the grocers do.

The chairman of the Campbell Street School Committee (Mr A. J. Mahon), in conversation with a “Times” reporter yesterday, stated the committee had received official intimation from the Minister for Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) that the Education Department had now agreed to allow the committee to instal chairs and tables in the new main school, providing the committee undertake to pay the difference in the cost between them and dual desks. The chairman stated that the committee had already agreed to pay the difference in the cost of the furniture, and they hoped to have the tables and chairs ready for the opening of the new school on February Ist next. In conclusion, Mr Mahon said that the thanks of the householders were due to the Mayor, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., for the valuable assistance he had rendered in regard to the matter of obtaining the furniture. ■

Beauty, we are told, Is merely skin deep. If there is any truth in this assertion, there is one boy in Palmerston North who is due, in the course of time, to be handsome, for he had the outer layer of cuticle removed from his face in a painful manner. A starling sought to build a nest in a resident’s copper chimney, and to this end carried a surprising amount of straw, feathers, etc., down the flue, completely blocking it. On observing the owner endeavouring to remove the obstacle, the youth in question, with the alacrity for which most boys are noted in assisting an>one but dad, offered his help. The clothes prop, proving futile, it was decided to burn the obstruction. After pouring about a quart of kerosene down the chimney, a lighted match was dropped down. Nothing happened. A second one was trifed. Consumed with' curiosity, the young hopeful poked his head down the aperture to learn if the kerosene Ignited. It did! and very suddenly, much to the detriment of his apeparance. He is his father’s only son, but when he wears his cap there is little of his hair apparent, and while he may not be changed in spirit, he certainly looks a different boy.

A well-known Palmerston resident had an information laid against him for leaving his car at night without the tail-light burning. On being approached in the matter, he pleaded exoneration owing to the car having stood immediately beneath a gas lamp, and he offered to drive his informant round the Square, when he could point out a dozen users of the road who were transgressing to a far greater extent, by riding and driving around corners on their wrong side. This is question which requires the attention oi the authorities, as a great number ot the accidents which happen could be avoided by an observance of the rule of the road. In one town in the North a "silent policeman” has been placed at the intersection of two busy thoroughfares, and it is considered a breach of the by-law to “take the corner” with this object on the left side of the driver or rider. In this instance the “watchful officer” consists of a circular concrete grating, sunk in the centre of both roads, protruding slightly above the surface in the form of a dome. Dotted round the periphery are red coloured lamps sufficiently deep to be secure from injury by wheel traffic. When these lamps are lighted at night they throw a red gleam, which can be seen some distance away.

This morning—children's hats, 5/11 each. Collinson and Cunningham’s, window S. Soiling starts at 10 o’clock. In crinoline and fancy straws, trimmed sweetly with ribbons. Good value at 5/11 for your choice.

Washing day no longer to be dreaded. The “0.K.” Washer converts drudgery into pleasure. Write for particulars about our great laboursaving devices for the home. Manson and Barr , Ltd., Hardware Merchants, Palmerston North.*

Kindly mention the •’TIMES” when corresponding with advertisers.

The official opening of the Northern Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club's season takes place on Saturday, November 26th.

Mr H. Bowen, secretary of the Manawatu Boxing Association, has been transferred to Napier. He has been succeeded by Mr C. Cronin. The National Progressive and Moderate Labour Party is advertising for an organiser, at a salary of £IOOO, per year, and travelling expenses paid, The Manawatu Gorge road has now a better surface than it has had for years, and with one or two of the sharper corners rounded off, is now very much safer to drive through. The late Mrs Brldon, whose death was recorded yesterday as having occurred in Masterton, whs the mother of Mrs W. W. Jones, of Ferguson Street, Palmerston North, and of Mrs F. Billing, of Feilding. The derailing of an engine at the Mangatainoka railway station during shunting operations on a side line, caused the delay of the goods train for about a couple of hours, and the express from Palmerston North was also late in arriving at Fahiatua that afternoon.

At the meeting of the Presbytery of Dunedin, held on Tuesday, it was decided to sustain a call received from the Ashburton Presbytery on behalf of the Hinds congregation, in favour of the Rev. R. McCully, of South Talerl. Mr McCully stated that he was prepared to accept the call. It is reported that the Postal Department intends to discontinue the daily mall from Feilding to Rangiwahia, tenders haying been called for a rural delivery from Klmbolton to Mangarimu. Under this arrangement correspondence posted in Feilding for, Rangiwahla will go via Mangaweka. “I am glad to hear you have commenced day engineering classes at tho school, and that they have already proved a success," remarked Mr J. H. Howell at the Palmerston North Technical School prize-giving last evening. “I am sure it will meet a great need in respect to your basic industries—l am not referring to* tho primary Industries, but in such a district as this engineering must be of fundamental importance."

A large hamper of homing pigeons arrived at the Palmerston North railway station yesterday, consigned to the secretary of the Mana'watu Homing Pigeon Association. These birds are the property of members of the Dunedin Homing Pigeon Club, and' were to be liberated at 4 a.m. to-day, weather permitting. The air-line to be covered is 550 miles. The local club consigned a hamper of birds to Timaru for liberation on Monday. It is not generally ‘ known that technical education was a living fact in Honolulu fourteen years before a system came into operation in New Zealand. This was mentioned by Mr’ J. H. Howell in the course of his address at the Palmerston North Technical School prize-giving last evening. As far .back as 1888, he said, when Honolulu was still under native, government, with a native queen, a technical school had been started by a native for training natives In trades and useful occupations. Visiting Honolulu at the time, the speaker had seen the school, which was fully equipped with the most up-to-date l workshops and appliances known at that time for carrying on different industries.

In speaking of night study .at the Technical School prize-giving in Palmerston North last evening, Mr J. H. Howell said the ordinary citizen did not understand how much grit and. determination was required by both pupils and teachers to settle downj after their day’s work to two hours' study. The question arose as to whether the community was not asking too much from a large proportion of the students —the younger students —to attend the schools after their day’s work. He thought it was. Hewas looking forward to the time when such facilities would be provided by. the education authorities that it would be no longer necessary for boys and girls wishing to continue their studies to work by day and go to school a* night. He hoped to see the timo when all ardent students would bo given the opportunity of attending day schools until their education was. past the secondary stage.