LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2084, 27 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The .Methodist Centenary Fund now stands at £30,050. Seven females were arrested for drunkenness in Palmerston North last year. A pear weighing a pound and a quarter has been grown at Levin this season. The Manawatu Egg Circle is receiving 2/8 per dozen lor eggs sold in Wellington. Two pedigree Indian Rilnner ducks have been sent by an Auckland breeder to the University of .British Columbia, Vancouver. Thirty cases of infantile paralysis have been reported at the Auckianu oniee of the Department of Health since the beginning of the year. Fifteen prohibition orders were issued in Paimerston North last year, two of wlncn were against temaies.

Two orders were issued, in Masterton during tiie same period.

The second series of fortnightly dances to be conducted by the i'aimerston North Municipal Band was held on Saturday night. Excellent dunce music was supplied by the band and Mr ii. Paul, while Air E. Higgs was tiie M.(J. There was a large attendance of the public.

The sodden state of the croquet lawns on (Saturday would not permit of further play in the "Yankee" tournament which is being held under the auspices of the Manawatu Club. The tournament will, in all probability, be concluded on Wednesday next, providing the lawns are lit for play.

A return published in last week's "Gazette" shows that the total number of criminal cases dealt with in the Magistrate's Court at falmerston North during last year was 1242. Of these, 50 3 were the outcome of arrests made, and 73'J were charges on summonses. The number of prosecutions for drunnenness was 25U. Twenty-four persons were committed for sentence, and 1(J were committed for trial.

That an employee had been unduly familiar in referring to his employers at "Frank" and "Bob," was advanced during the defence of a claim for alleged wrongful dismissal made against an Auckland linn of bookbinders and printers. Referring to this incident the magistrate, Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., said: "There is not a great deal in that. The tone of the reference is the great tiling. Some shipmasters feel they have not got the conlidence of the men unless they are called 'the old man.' "

A somewhat alarming experience befell the postmaster at Butaruru, Mr H. I'earse, and his family, on Tuesday morning last, -about 7.30 o'clock. A heavy thunderstorm was passing over the town at the time, and lightning struck the kitchen chimney of the post oihee residence, travelling down to the register-grate in the room below and bursting through the grate with explosive violence. The chimney pot was wrecked, the grate was practically destroyed, the mantelpiece was shifted, and ornaments thereon were broken. Needless to say, the occupants of the house were considerably alarmed, but, fortunately, no one was hurt. The telephone wires were also fused in the post ollice itself.

Writing to a Midlands (England) paper concerning Anzac .Day, a member of the Australian and New Zealand Association reminds readers of the date selected for the pilgrimage to the graves %t Anssacs buried in the United Kingdom. He pointed out that 00,000 Australians and 17,000 New Zealanders died in the Great War for the sake of the Empire, and of those numbers 2500 rest on British soil. The following is a list of graves in certain localities: —Tettenhall, 1 Australian; Stafford, 1 Australian; Biiston, X Australian; Stourbridge, 13 Australians; Dusley, 1 Australian; Whitechurch, 1 Australian; Cannock Chase, 73 New Zealanders; Sedgley, 1 New Zealander. The writer appeals to any ex-member of the A.1.F., or anyone else, to show their appreciation of the supreme sacrifice by placing a few flowers on these graves.

Anions - tlio troubles of a popular M.P. that of the perennial baby show is not the least. This sentiment underlay the remarks of the Member for Palmerston on Saturday, when he said "There's not another man in Palmerston North who would tackle this job." If these mother's treasures had reached that stage where, "of all sweet rounds in earth or Heaven, is laughter of a child of seven," or, better still, the sweet smile of 17, His Worship would be in his own. Valhallah; but there again would his particular troubles arise, for he is so instinctively impartial, as becomes ar. ideal mayor, that every one would be awarded a first prize with honours. It must be admitted, however, that he boldly faced the mothers, and fondled the dear little pinktoed cherubs, as to the manner born. His judgments met with popular approval.

English Dress Tweeds in serviceable qualities for maids' Skirts or Frocks showing an excellent range at the Store for Value. Designs principally fancy checks and stripes, width 40/4Gin. Prices 5/11 and 6/11 per yard.—The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., for better Dress Fabric*

"Am 72 and never expected to get cured, but yours is a sure cure." Booklet free to sufferers. Dominion Rheumatic Cure Pty., Hellaby's Bldgs., Auckland.*

John Henry Excell, farmer, of Aorangi, was adjudicated bankrupt on Saturday last.

Beaver board for ceilings is now being quoted at 32/- per 100 ft by some Wanganui firms. A few days ago the price was 40/-. The annual conference of the Wellington District of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association will commence in Palmerston North on May 14th.

The Meat Export Control Board will hold a meeting at Wellington this week to deal with the difficulty over the deduction of the export levy on sales at the yards.

At the Supreme Court at Masterton on Saturday, Eric Malcolm Bicl and Percy Martin Carmichael were sentenced to five years each in connection with the Paekakariki burglary.

John Wilson, wharf labourer, a married man with six children, was crushed between two railway trucks at the Glasgow wharf at Wellington on Saturday morning, and died soon after admission to the hospital.

The ballot amongst the Post and Telegraph officers on the question of affiliation with the Alliance of Labour, is now being taken. The poll is expected to be a heavy one. The result will not be known for some time.

At a meeting held on Saturday the Kairanga County Council decided to make application to the State Advances Office for loans totalling £IO,OOO for the metalling and asphalting the main roads, in pursuance of its roading policy.

A young woman named Eva Simes died at the Wellington Hospital under circumstances that are being in. vestigated by the police. It is understood that the deceased belongs to Canterbury, but came to Wellington recently from the Wanganui district.

At the Supreme Court at Hamilton on Thursday, several applications by mortgagees under the Mortgages Extension Act, 1919, for leave to sell were dealt with by Mr. Justice String, er. Practically all the applications were granted, subject to varying conditions in favour of the mortgagors.

In commemoration of the memory of that great footballer, the late David Gallagher, captain of the famous "All Blacks," the Auckland Rugby Union proposes to ask the delegates' sanction to provide a cup, to be known as "The Gallagher Memorial Challenge Cup," for competition among senior clubs.

The Native pigeon is the largest of its species in the world- It is not more than ten years since the Maoris made regular raids into the mountains in the Manawatu district, and secured tens of thousands without detection. A few white men arc, apparently, still so privileged, but in lesser degrees, and with more secrecy.

A deputation of Kairanga settlers, consisting of Messrs P. J. Small, D. Collis, B. Thompson, L. Wall, and A. Matheson waited upon the Acting Minister of Internal Affairs at Wellington on Friday, and objected to their properties being included in the Manawatu-Oroua river district. The Minister promised to send an officer of his department to the district to report.

A Napier merchant tells us that while blasting a particularly solid block of marine shell lime, 30ft below the surface at Bluff Hill last week, the perfectly preserved body of a frog was found in an airtight cavity. The discovery is interesting, as it will decide the question of whether frogs were indigenous to New Zealand. The specimen was handed to Mr. Hill, a local naturalist. A Palmerston North tradesman who is interested in the building trade told a "Manawatu Times" representative on Saturday that the reduction of 2/- per hundred feet in the price of timber at the Main Trunk mills would not represent more than £l2 or £ls in the cost of a building. It was, he said, hardly worth mentioning, and would be offset by the increased loyalties demanded by the Government. A most successful produce stall was held in the Palmerston North square on Saturday, by the St. Vincent do Paul Society. The stall was conducted by an energetic band of ladies, Who were kept busy throughout the day supplying the requirements of the numerous customers. The object of holding the stall was to raise funds for the poor of all denominations. As a result of the ladies' splendid effort a good amount was raised, for this excellent purpose. The Prime Minister stated that the matter of removing the embargo altogether on the importation of German goods into New Zealand is at present under the consideration of Cabinet, but there are very serious difficulties in the way on account of the depreciated currency in Germany. To allow German goods to come into this country at present, with the state of the currency in that country, would be an exceedingly serious matter for

many of the secondary industries in the Dominion.