GENERAL NEWS

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3575, 5 April 1927, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS

Forty-four head of stock wore impounded during March, fees received totalling £3 Is Gd.

Stratford changed over to the automatic telephone exchange on Saturday night. The exchange is of all-British manufacture.

Mr. Authur Bennett’s Mayoral election committco will meet at the committee _ room, Broadway, to-night, April Bth, at 7.30 o'clock.

'‘New Zealand Plant Life” is Major Sundlo's subject at the Lunch Club to-day. This topic is having its birthday in the community and will be of special interest.

Runners and cyclists are reminded that entries for the Calcndonian Sports on the Show Grounds on Easter Monday close with the Secretary, Mr. W. McKenzie, tomorrow.

It was reported at the Board meeting yesterday that plans for the Maternity Homo were almost completed and the Nurses’ Home would be finished in about two month’s time.

The Abattoir return for March shows tho following stock slaughtered’ Cows. SGS; heifers. 40; bullocks, 61* calves, 84: sheep, 1G13; lambs, 49G‘ pigs, 378. Stock condemned: Cows, 14: sheep, 7; pigs 4. Fees received. £375 17s.

An epidemic of distemper is carrying off scores of dogs in the Pohangina Valley. The fact that tho owners havo just paid for their registration is of minor importance. Many valuable dogs havo died —one owner lost four out of five, and much difficulty is experienced in mustering on the hill country.

“Is Man Himself Improving” is tho subject of to-nlghVs W.E.A. lecture. The lecturer will discuss the vital question of whether in view of man’s amazing progress in the control of Nature and material civilisation there has'been a parallel advance in man himself. Tho lecture is free an(l tho public are invited.

Stubbornness on the part of a, Wellington man, J. Whitelaw, in refusing to vacate a reserved seat on a train between Timaru and Dunedin, though another was availabl cost him a fine of 40s and expenses £4 11s, because of his intimation that he would not plead gufl'y, which necessitated bringing railway officals from a long distance. .

At yesterday’s meeting of the Nursing Guild the dstrict nurse (Miss E. 6. Alexander), in her monthly report made an urgent appeal fbr clothing. “I am much in need of a fresh supply of clean old linen for dressings. Children’s and men's clothing is also much wanted. Bedding, blankets and comforts for old people would also be acceptable,” she said.

A Wellington message states that owing to the failure of the auxiliary engines when in the vicinity., of the Karori Rock' light at 8.20 on Sunday night the Tamahine, bound from Picton to Wellington, was suddenly plunged into total darkness. The speed had to be reduced, and owing to the south-east swell the conditions were none too comfortable fpr the passengers. Temporary lights were hoisted and hand steering brought into commission, the vessel proceeding under reduced speed and arriving at 1.20 a.m. /

‘‘ls it a fact that tho Municipal ’buses we.ro running with old number plates aft»r April 1 ?” asked Cr. M. A. Eliott, at the Borough Council meeting last evening. ‘T also understand that the police have taken a note of the fact. Tho Council should set an example to other motorists.” As neither the Traffic Manager nor the chairman of the Transit Committee were present (Cr. Hodgens had retired a short while before) no answer could be given to the query. “Perhaps we will get an answer in Court,” commented Cr. Eliott. That the report of the Commission, set up to enquire into tho proposed scheme of the Manawatu-Oroua Rivei Board has not been allowed to die a natural death was indicated at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu Drainage Board yesterday when Trustee A. Guy moved that the Board appoint representatives to attend a protest meeting to bo called by the Manawatu County Council on April . 21. ‘‘Ton passed a resolution protesting against tho findings,’ ’he urged as one member voiced an opinion that “it would do no good.” Trustees P. X Small, R-. Tanner and A. Guy will act on behalf of tho Board.

Mushrooms in Southland do not appear to have been quite so plentiful this season as in former years but it would seem that what has been lacking in numbers has been compensated for in size. A wonderful specimen of the fungus was sent into the “Times” office by Miss Sheiffelbein, of Makarewa. A diameter of fifteen inches giving a circumference of 47 inches, with a thickness of over two inches at its densest ’point, were the chief measurements, whilst the stem was correspondingly massive. Nino inches in length, it was fully seven inches in girth, while the total height of the mushroom was 12 inches. Though the mushroom was a iittle too rank to tempt as a delicacy, it was nevertheless in a state of excellent preservation, and excessive growth had not interfered with the healthiness of the flesh.

It is estimated that 10,000 new licenses for wireless sets have Been granted in Auckland. A meeting .of the Manawatu Savage Club Council was held last evening, and it was decided to hold the annual meeting of the Club on Saturday, May 7th. The meeting will bo followed by a korero. Daring the month of March the estates of the following deceased persons in tho Palirierston North District were accepted for administration by the, Public Trustee:—Frederick William Bismarck, Annie Blair Brown, John Edward Frizzell, Reginald George Shaw, Edward Sowerby. “I am not going to make you a present of 50 guineas,” said Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court last week, when counsel, Mr Gould, asked for a solicitor’s fee of £ll/- in each of a number of prosecutions of companies for failing to take out licenses. Twenty-one cases out of fifty were dealt with, and the’ magistrate allowed counsel 10/6 for each case. The Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, said yesterday that New Zealand would be represented at tho International Economic Conference opening on May 4 at Geneva by Sir George Elliott and Doctor Hight. Tho Conference has has been set up for the purpose of general discussion on the difficulties preventing the revival of general prosperity and for the best way of surmounting them. The agenda covers commerce, industry and agriculture.— Press Association. “Wo favour the Taupo scheme,” said a witness toefor e the Water Commission last week. “Of course, you know there is no such scheme in being,” said Mr Johnstone, who appeared for the Auckland City Council. “If you want water why not come to the city for it” ? Witness' considered the question for some moments. “Well, our people do not like it that much,” ho replied, amid laughter. “We call it soup,” he added as an afterthought. A reminder Is given in our advertising columns of a meeting of the West End Tennis Club to be held in the West End School to-night.