The Northern Advocate WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1911. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 12 April 1911, Page 4

The Northern Advocate WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1911. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

_ o The "Northern Advocate" will not be published on Good Friday or Easter Monday. A man named James "Williamson was assaulted in Sydney-street, Wellington, on Monday night, and robbed of £44. It has been decided by the Welling-, ton centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union to accept the offer of the executive of the New Zealand Union to hold the next Dominion championship meeting at Auckland.

Notice is given by the Land and In-come-tax Department that all returns of land miist be furnished not later than May Ist. According to a report received in Auckland to-day, four Maoris have been drowned at Waikato Heads. Three of them were the daughters of Hore Thompson, an old Tuakau resident, and the other a boy aged 15. A slight outbreak of scarlatina was reported at the Hora Hora School this morning-—two children were, said to be affected. Mr J. Wilkinson, chairman of the School Committee, upon receipt of the report, immediately visited the school, and sent all the pupils home. As the holidays commence tomorrow, there are ten days in which the school will be thoroughly fumigated and cleansed and all traces of the epidemic removed. It was decided at the Railway Commission yesterday that evidence should be taken at Tangiteroria, Pakotai, Maungakaramea, Waikiekie and the (rap, after the completion of the itinerary, which has already been published, as far as Dargaville. The actual dates will be decided later and will to a great extent depend upon the weather. No evidence will be taken at any place south of MeCarroll's Gap. Owing to the increased demand for optometrical attention, Mr J. S. Woolley has found it necessary to add to his optical department a modern ophthalmometer to enable him to cope with the work. This instrument saves the patient much tedious testing with lenses, giving the degree and; meridian in which the eye is deficient in a few minutes. Those requiring attention to their eyes would do well to 1-ay him a visit. s Yesterday afternoon a man Had the misfortune to lose his balance in a ! dray which he was driving in Vine Street, and to land somewhat heavily on a hard and unsympathetic road. Dr. Gooo examined the sufferer, who was in a semi-dazed condition, and ordered him to be removed to his home, there being nothing much wrong with him, with the exception of a bit of a shaking. The removal was effected by means of a carrier's cart, the patient not having sufficiently recovered to walk the distance, which was short. In reply to the questions of several correspondents, it may be stated that, as provided by statute, polls taken on the half-holiday question must be held at the first election of either mayor or borough councillors after a petition complying with stated conditions has been presented. Such petitions must be sent in at a time not less than.one month nor more than three months before the elections referred to, and must be signed by at least one-tenth of the electors wohse names are on the roll at the time. All electors are entitled to view. A rather apt retort was heard in the train this morning. Some of the members of the Railway Commission, including the General Manager for Railways, were coming into town, and when the High School boys got off at Mair the subject of the behavior of lads on the train became one of general conversation.' Mr Ronayne told how the Nelson College boys "played up" in the carriages, slashed the cushions, and cut their names in every possible place. "We had to give theis the oldest carnages we could find." remarked the General Manager. "We have a few here you can have for the same purpose," said Mr A. McLeod, and everybody laughed. It is not often that an experienced chairman of a local body is constrained to suggest the advisability of hiring somebody to break the law. Yet (says the Timaru "Post") such was the h&lf-humorous suggestion ol Mr C. N. Orbell at the meeting of the Levels County Council on Wednesday in reference to the long-delayed duty of the Railway Department to fence in tho line between Washdyke anc , . Pieasant Point! "We should, perhaps," he said, "employ a man who does not worry about the disgrace of gaol, to drive sheep along that line continually, and take the consequences, until the Department is impressed with the advisability of fencing in the line." "Oh, it has been done before to-day ,"i the chairman added, in reply to the general voice-of protest, and'he- recounted a similar instance in Central Otago, which had forced the Department to effect the desired reform.' As has been anticipated, there is a shortage of stock in New Zealand this year, and during the course of an interview with an "Advocate" representative, Mr W. A. Parker, of the Whangarei Meat Supply Company, gave a few details in reference to the mat-, ter. There were a certain number of butchers and auctioneers in Auckland who for the last few months had cut the prices very considerably, to the detriment and loss of the majority of retailers. Recently the whole cf the Auckland butchers entered into a bond in which they guaranteed to raise the retail price of meat all round, which approximately will be Id per lb. As evidencing the scarcity of beef in this district, Mr Parker said that a local auctioneer had an order for 200 head, but , was unable to fulfil it. It was difficult to say when these conditions would subside, but for the coming winter Mr Parker anticipated meat to be very dear. Following are a few of the prices that will be observed by the Whangarei Meat Supply Company in future: — Beef, rump 9d, undercut lOd, sirloin 6d, prime ribs sd; veal, 5d and 6d; porlc 6d and 7d; mutton, legs 7d, loins 6d, chops Bd. i ...i —_________^——.

The funeral of the late Mr George Foden will leave the Cottage Home at 1 p.m. to-morrow for the Kaurihohore cemetery. Mr H. J. Bray has received a telegraphic mfftesage from Mr Wallnutt, of the Government Tourist Department, to the effect that a party of nine American tourists will reach Whangaiei on Friday, 21st inst, ana has been asked to provide necessary accommodation. Congratulations per telegram have been sent to the Municipal Brass Band secretary by Mr Curd, of Pukekohe, on the arrangements made for the.Puke- , kohe Band's visit. It should be noted by tho&e desirous of attending the Band Garden Party at the Kamo Sana- • torium grounds on Easter Monday, that the time for the train to leave Whangarei has bsen altered from 10.30 to 10 a.m. Messrs G. Marshall, A. G. Mackenzie, E. C. Purdlo, P. J. Mulhern, C. E. R. Mackesy, and D. Miller, were the witnesses who submitted evidence at the Royal Commission in connection with. the North Auckland Railway route, which resumed its sitting at the "Whangarei Courthouse this morning. The evidence was practically on the same linen as that submitted by previous witnesses. The Commission will journey to Russell and spend Good Friday there, and on Saturday will sit at Kawali await is the intention of the Government to build a reservoir at Waikaraka, at a point 1600 feet above the sea level and to lay a four inch pipe to Grahamtown, a distance 1 approximating two miles. The water supply originating from this source will be used for the railway engines and the shipping at the Grahamtown wharf. When the work has been done representations will be made to the Government to have a house to house supply, thus doing away with the tanks, which are relied on for water. An important discovery of a valuable deposit of hydraulic limestone was . made at Mt, Denby on the properties of Messrs Woolley and R. Hoey byMessrs T. P. Moody and H. R. Holman, yesterday. The deposit was found at a point a quarter of a mile north of the Old Mill, and the stone is also visible from the eastern side of the hill. As it is known that there are white limestone deposits on both properties which are at present leased to the Whangarei Coal Company, and that there is coal in .close proximity, a future industry may be looked forward to in the manufacture of cement in Whangarei. It was twenty minutes past the appointed hour before a quorum was forthcoming for the County Counci! meeting this morning. The Couuty Chairman and Cr. N. McKenzie were in their seats to time, and Or. Hilfotd came up a few minutes later, but went down again in search of more members and returned with Crs. Costall and McDonald, closely followed by Crs Morey and Kernohan. Cr. Gus McKay was last into his place. After the luncheon adjournment the came delay occurred, the chairman, and Crs. McKay and Kernohan being the only members in their seats at .1.15 o'clock, at which time it had been decided to recommence business. The chairman was compelled to leave his chair in an undignified manner a quarter of an hour later to hunt up the offending councillors, who did not arrive for another five minutes.