LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 18 December 1911, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Floral Pete, Thursday, December 21st in Kensington Park.

Tom Burrows, the noted endurance clubrswinger, put up a new record of 72 hours 5 minutes on Saturday, at Napier.

A movement is on foot among the Auckland letter carriers to dispense With the compulsory wearing of fjstripes for good conduct, to which Tkie wearers take strong exception.

The Northern Wairoa Dairy Company manufactured during November 13'2,3461bs of butter, an increase of 20 per cent on the corresponding month of last year. On Wednesday next the company will pay out £5439 for butter fat received during last month.

Entries for all yacht, launch and rowing races for the Grahamtown Regatta close to-morrow. A meeting of the committee will be held in the "Advocate" office this evening, ■when some important business in connection with the regatta will be dealt with.

On Friday evening the Hikurangi (Children's Guild held a v.cry successful concert in the Hikurangi hall, TVhich was packed. , Songs in concert, solos, instrumental items, recitations, dialogues, dumbell, wand and hoop drills by the members were contributie'd, and comprised .a programme which was well appreciated by everyone.

Building operations are being conIducted with unprecedented activity at Grahamtown. There are five residences in various stages of construction in central 'positions, in the township. Messrs W. and P. Pulman, S. Mason, P. Mclnerney, and J. Culbert are the owners of the houses, which, when completed will considerably add to the importance of Gra"hamtown.

Mr T. H. Steadman's annual excursion for the, children attending the Hora Hora and Whangarei public schools will take place on Wednesday. The s.s. 'Coromandelv.will leave the Town Wharf in the morning for Urquhart's Bay, returning in the .evening. In conjunction, with this .excursion Mr D. Allwood's launch Parua will leave the Town Wharf at .8 a.m., and will thus afford the opportunity to. many to make the trip, which the limited accommodation on the steamer would otherwise make impracticable. ;

Entries: for the grand Floral Fete and Fair to be held at Kensington Park on Thursday, have been numerous, and as they do not close until "Wednesday, there is every prospect of the fete bejing the most successful function of its kind held in WhaHgarei. It only requires a continuation of the enthusiasm being shown by the intending competitors,- and a fine day for that end to be assured. This is the first occasion upon which the importance of the function has compelled the promoters to hold it in Kensington Park and the result should bear out their wisdom in taking such a progressive step. i

To-morrow, which is general election day for the three Maori seats still to be filled, the native electors in certain districts of New Zealand will have their first opportunity of voting at licensing' polls. Preparations have been made by the Department of Native Affairs, in conjunction with the Electoral Department, for the taking of polls under Section 46 of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910. These polls will not affect the number of licensed houses, as the question to "be submitted is simply whether liquor ■shall be supplied to natives within the district or not. For this purpose the bare majority principle is adopted and if prohibition is carried the effect will be that on the expiry of one month from the declaration of the result of the poll, any person who, within the district, supplies liquor to a native will be liable on conviction to a fine of £100.

The "'•■ choir of the Presbyterian Church is anxious to further reduce the debt upon the organ, and the conductor, Mr Hermann Lange, has arranged for another organ recital to be given in the Church by Mr Albert Dobson on Wednesday night. Mr Dobson not only ranks as one of the leading - organists in New Zealand, but when a boy in England his profes-

sional services were in demand, and the recital to be given on "Wednesday, evening will be equal to any given in the larger cities. A very fine programme has been prepared. There

be solos and vocal items by the of the choir, and Master Joe 'Dotison will play a cornet solo. Even though the choir works hard to pay off the organ debt and the recitals given attract such large audiences, the result so far has been in a financial Sense very discouraging. No charge is made for admission, and such being the case many people give the very smallest coin to the collection, and it takes many threepenny pieces to make up one pound. Therefore it is "hoped that the collection on Wednesday evening will be a record one.