LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 9 January 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The output of the Whangarei Dairy Factory is still decreasing, the decline commencing three weeks ago, Tho output last week was seven and a half tons. Dairy farmers would welcome an abundance of rain.

Dr. Mcllraith is now in Whangarei for about a week. He is engaged on a work for the Government entitled "The Course of Prices in New Zealand." Dr. Mcllraith is a Fellow of th e Economic Society, and is an authority on such subjects. A book was written by Dr. Mcllraith as above in 1910 and the Government Board of Trade has expressed a wish for an up-to-date edition.

In the promotion of all sports it is a general axiom that the work entailed falls heaviest on the "willing horse," and this has been exemplified this year, in connection with the recent regatta in the amount of energy which has characterised the efforts of th e harbourmaster, Mr A. Drever, towards assuring success of the event. Mr Drever's enthusiam, and its practical results in work done, was fully appreciated by the other members of the executive, and last evening a very cordial vote of thanks was accorded Mr Drever by his colleagues.

At the meeting, of the Regatta Association last evening the following members were present: — Messrs W. N. Jack (in the chair), Lowe, Weir, Spratt, J. Mason, Sowry, McKenzie, Alexander, F. Nash f Drever, Abbott and Murray. An estimate of the financial results of the- recent regatta was submitted by the treasurer, Mr W. N. Jack, and it disclosed a satisfactory position. There is a considerable sum owing to the club from various sources and an effort will be made to collect it without delay, in order that a complete balance-sheet may be submitted to the next meeting of th e committee.

There are about twenty applications for workers' homes in connection with the Borough Council's scheme, and it is evident that the applicants are keen for the work to be expedited. A party of three applicants are proposing to build houses on a similar plan, thereby cutting the expense by more than 20 per cent. Considering that only £10 Us necessary as the initial sum, the whole scheme should be very popular. There is one condition imposed—the buildings must be in the borough. The town clerk is very busy explaining details to intending applicants, and assisting in the preparation of the formal applications. The matter will very shortly come before the Borough Council,

That the personal element in farming is a most valuable one, is made, very clear by the following fact, vouched for by an old Whangarei resident. In th e course of his travels he met two strawberry growers having sections of similiar conditions and in close proximity. One had 20,000 plants and the other 10,000. The first grower was presumed to work th e whole itime on his plantation, while the other was away working several days in the week, and thus spent considerably less time on his own garden. Yet notwithstanding the latter's growth was by far the better in appearance and yield, and the first mentioned marvelled at the result.

Provision has been made in the of the Whangarei Harbour Regatta Association, for the appropriation of the protest fee of 10s if, upon investigation, the eauso of protest be considered trivial. There is, however, no likelihood of the association retaining the fees in connection with the protests which were considered by the committee last evening, as the problems arising from them were so knotty that after hearing evidence and considerable debate by the eighteen members present, it was resolved to defer discussion for a fortnight, to enable the secretaries to gather written evidence from all sources. Mr Jurakoyich, owner of the "Marsden," gave evidence concerning the auxiliary yacht race, and his contention was that the winning boat, the Kuku, had not followed the correct course, and also had not filled her sails, but

had raced direct from point to point under engine power. In connection with the protest of the owner of the Ngahau, concerning the "Speed-

w.TiV win i:i tlv !:r:n yach' race, on Ur' grounds Uiat the latter did not round the Eva buoy, below Parua Bay .entrance, it was decided to obtain further written evidence be.