LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1916, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On page one-today will bo found a report of the Young Helpers' Fete in Mrs Hall's grounds, reference to the work of women iv churches, and the names of the championship winners in the Otago A. and P. Show. On page four there arc commercial reports and war cables. An approach road which passes through. Section 35, Block XII, Waipn S.D. to the Bickerstaffe railway station, in Otamatea County, is declared by Ordor-in-G'ouncil to be a County road. The work of the Military Service Appeal Boards is not without its humorous side. At a recent meeting of the Wellington Appeal Board, for example, appeals were heard in respect of two families, in each of. which there were, ostensibly, only two sons. Skilful cross-examination on the part of the court, however, brought to light in one case four more brothers, and in the other case five more, none of whom had volunteered for active service. A particularly mean theft was perpetrated yesterday in connection with the garden fete held in the grounds of Mrs" Hall in Bank street, Whangarci. When the function had terminated it was found that a collection box placed at the entrance gate had been purloined, and there were naturally expressions of shocked indignation that anyone (unless quite irresponsible) could be so despicably paltry as to rob a charitable institution such as Dr. Barnardo's Homes A meeting of the agricultural seed merchants of Auckland was held on Wednesday to bid farewell to Mr J. H. Gunaon, who has retired from active connection with this department of trade. Mr Gunson was the recipient of a handsome piece of silver pl.ite. In making the presentation, the chairman 01 the meeting, Mr W. E. Lewisham, referred to the high esteem in which Mr Gunson was held by his competitors in business, and the general regret at the fact that he had severed his connection with the trade. Eulogistic remarks also were made by two of Mr Gunson's oldest commercial associates, Messrs E. Yates and G. Sinclair. Mr Gunson, in responding, stated that it was with regret that he withdrew from the business association of men whom it had been his pleasure to know for so many years. He wished every member of the trade prosperity in the future.

We are, often at a loss to know oj» what principle the press agents in London distribute their war information. Some of the cables appear to be compiled merely to advertise prominent men and newspapers, the idea of sending reliable news overseas being quite a secondary consideration. To-day we are. favoured (!) (says the Kltham "Argus") with a long extract from the Sunday "Observer, ,, the whole of which is mere "leather and prunella." Do we not all know that "if the Balkans were once mastered , ' the war would be more quickly ended? Why cable such bosh? If the editor of tho "Observer" is such a clever amateur soldier be should not spread his views broadcast for the enemy and everybody else to read. He should quietly interview Sir Douglas Haig and tell him how to end the war. Tint Sir Douglas might advise the journalist not to try and teach his grandmother how to suck eggs. All Local Storekeepers are authorised .to giv,., ;£■!<) guarantee with every Is package of No Rubbing Laundry Help to wash all clothes clo 1.1 without rubbing or injury.

An error occurs iv the report of the decision given in the anti-shouting case which appeared in our columns yesterday. The name of John Hicks, one of the parties to the alleged offfcr to treat, is given us the defendant, whereas it should be William Johnson. The text of the judgment, hovever, makes Hicks' position quite plain. Motor traffiie to the out-districts radiating from Whangarei is possible only under considerable difficulty Yesterday the Whangarei County engineer essayed a trip to Waipu and back per motor car, and found the road conditions the reverse of pleasant. Travelling was of a rough order, though considered safe if wheel chains were requisitioned. The time occupied i.i actual travel approximated 2Vi hours each way. AH but one of the Whangarei and district butchers and bakers who were notified to meet the Board of Trade put in an appearance at the Court house yesterday, and the sitting was not unusually long. Nothing has,.-been disclosed as to the nature of the inquiry, though it is supposed that the butchers would raise the points of abattoir fees and the very high cost of cattle as ne cossitating the raising of retail prices This morning the Board took the cvi demo of a Whangarei sawiniller in re spect of the objection to the export o white pine. Independent and reliable testimony to the progress of the North was given iii a vivid and realistic manner by the Rev. E. 0. Perry, home missioner, at a meeting in Wellington, He said towns of which the foundations had been laid but recently were growuig rapidly—so rapidly as to be almost unbelievable. He quoted one town in the Uokianga district where in five years the value of the section had risen from £o to £~0. The vast peninsula north of Auckland, he said, would one day be teeming with people. J: anybody thought that there were vast areas not worth settling upon they had a mistaken notion. The railway was

pushing on, serving an immense area of some of the richest land to be found in Xew Zealand. A recent cable to the American press stated that several hundred lnunitior workers in a London shop went on strike because a new foreman was no' formally introduced to them. The; were out for nearly two days, am 1 twenty-five of them were summoned be fore the military tribunal for leavin: work. One of the defendants told the court that in thirty years' experience he had never heard of a foreman beinp appointed without his being introduced. The manager of the works said it woul<' be impossible to introduce a new fore man to more than 4000 men. Th> court agreed that it would have beer much better if the men had been pro perly informed of the iu\w appointment and, to the accompaniment of loud cheers, dismissed the proceedings.

The last complete collection of agri cultural and pastoral statistics in N?v Zealand was made in connection with the 1911 population census, since when perticulars of certain principal crops only have been collected annually by post. Statistics for the 1015-16 season were collected by police officers acting as sub-enumerators, who made a holding-to-holding canvass throughout the Dominion. The following gazette I figures for eight northern counties shoe. (1) the area under grain and pulse crops, and (2) the area under green and root crops:—Maflgonui, .'il<3 and 133 acres; Whangaroa, 47 and 3.'!%; Bay of Islands, 1592% and 232111.; Hokianga. 240% and 571%; Whangarci, 278S and 3028%; Hobson, 1221% and 990: Otamatea, 1174 and 1568'/i; Kodney. 1221 and 20(58%.

At the Police Court in Auckland 0:1 Wednesday before Mr F V. S.M., Mrs -E. Stratford was charged with selling bread of a less weight than it was represented to be at the time of selling. It was stated that Inspector Shenton visited defendant's shop, and found six loaves out of seven under weight. Sub-Inspector MeIlveney said defendant purchased her bread from a baker. Bhc sold 21b loaves for 3%d each, whereas the baker in his own shop sold them at -id. Defendant said she sold bread as a sideline, making no prolit out of it. The bsker had said nothing about weight to her, and there was no understanding betwen them on the subject of weight He served 30 other shops, and no complaint had been made. The magistrate pointed out that everyone who sold bread was responsible for the weight being correct, whether they baked it or not. The case was one for a nominal fine. He did not suppose defendant was iv any way personally guilty Defendant was ordered to pay 10s and costs. ' >So far as known statistics go Whangarei has put up a rainfall record for the month of November. Mr L. Hanlon, observer, supplies the following measurements for eight years:— l'M\), 4 78 inches; 1910, tj.OO; I'M 1, 1.8:2: 1012, 1.44; 1913, o lo; 191-1, .(>:!; 19J."i, 2 CI: Jfltt, 8.09. .Particulars prior to J 9OO were lost among other documents in the fire which occurred at the home of Mr Robt. Mair, but there is no November fall within recollection which has exceeded that of last mouth. There is ■:i'so n probability of a yearly record being established for l'.lKi. The previous highest was 72.9], and up to date this year the total measurement is 72.12, so that only .SO is required for the remainder of this year (.'.>l days) to top the score Humid conditions prevailed last month, the wind being chie/ly from the north, and the temperature was in consequence somewhat over the average. The excessive rainfall has been disastrous to fruitgrowers in YVhangarei and district, the shedding of blossom having been very general and wholesale. There are practically no cherries, apricots, plums or pears, while the apple crop is light, the nectarine crop only about one-tenth, and peaches are scanty.