LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 2 August 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day both dredges of the Whangarei Harbour Board are being prepared for the official inspection, to, take place on Monday. It is anticipated that the big dredge will be out of commission for at least eight days.

During his visit to Whangarei r.ixt week Mr J. Barr, chief librarian of Auckland, will meet the Deputy Mayor and members of the Library Committee. Mr Barr will inspect the library and discuss important projects with the committee. It is reported that in different areas quite a lot of out-of-season shooting was in evidence yesterday, and under those circumstances the Whangarei Acclimatisation Society is considering thy advisability of appointing a ranger, though the shooting season closed on Thursday, the present ranger's term of office having expired.

At a well attended meeting last night the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band decided to give a series of Sunday afternoon concerts, at intervals of three weeks (until warmer weather prevails). The concerts will be given alternately in the Whangarei School grounds and at the town wharf, and the first has been fixed for Sunday, August 10. A resolution was passed at a meeting of the Whangarei Acclimatisation Society, held last evening, to the effect that the secretary communicate with the Minister of Internal Affairs suggesting that private lands be declared game sanctuaries on request of owners, and that Pukenui Forest an.l certain other lands be strictly declared sanctuaries. Mr W. A. Given gave his lecture m weeds in the Whangarei County Chambers last evening, the . audience being large, and those present finding the speaker's remarks very interesting. He referred particularly to many weeds found about Whangarei, explaining their habits and effects, and showing specimens of thorn, while he also illustrated some of his points by means of drawings by a young school pupil, Master Reynolds. The practical value of the lecture was especially marked, and the audience expressed hearty appreciation of it. *

Last evening at Onera'hi a meeting of ratepayers took place, with Mr J. E. Holmes in the chair. Matters in connection with the general expenditure and riding affairs generally were fully discussed. After Cr. L. Johnson, member of- the Whangarei County Council for the Manaia riding, had fully explained certain important, points concerning riding affairs and satisfactorily answered many questions, a vote of confidence in him as t'he member for the riding was passed, the meeting closing with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

At the end of the sixteenth week of the Auckland Poultry-keepers Association's egg-laying contests, a Black Orpington owned by Mr W. A. Griffiths, of Otaika Road, leads in the single bird championship with 89 eggs as against 84 by the runner-up. Mr Griffiths has two teams of t'hree each in the Black Orpington teams contest, in which there are 47 entries, and he holds eighth and nineteenth positions. Mr J. M. Steedman, of Whangarei, is sixth and Mr A. S. Harden, also of Whangarei, is fourteenth. Amongst C 3 teams of White Leghorns, Mr N. Dickey is in 21st position and Mr 0. V. Stringer in 30th place.

The dog parade to be held next Thursday by the Whangarei Kennel Club promises to be well worth visiting. Some 80 dogs have been entered in 36 different classes. However, in order to give anyone who has not already done so an opportunity still to compete, it has been decided to take entries up till the night of Monday. After that it will be impossible to receive further entries, as the class numbers must, be made up and space allotted. Competitors are to have their dogs at the Winter Show Building at noon, as the judges wish to commence their work early. At night a judging competition for amateurs will be conducted, which it is hoped will be well patronised.

Messrs Thomson, Bagley and Co. report that at their initial mart sale held at Hikurangi yesterday-, there was a great attendance of buyers and the various lots of produce, drapery, poultry and furniture submitted met with a ready sale at good prices. 7

Wool Specials.—All Shades, 4Jd per skein. Cycle Wool, now B*d skein, all shades. Sports' Scapa Wool, 1/3 2oz. skein. Oamaru Wool, lees 10%. Piece Flannel 1/11 yd.—Dobson's Drapery. 6

Judging ri«';ti thf number of caTS which left f<.r i •;, .-:i\ ill.' this morning, the attendaii'-c m , visit->rs froin Whanmirei at tK- il:rv<!i?:- Shield contest at Aoroa this afternoon will be a record for any event that has taken place in the western centre. Mr J. Barr, Auckland eity librarian, is to visit Whangarci next week in order to give a lecture on Robert Burns. The Y.M.C.A. is making arrangements for the visit, and the lecture will be given in the Y.M.C.A. Hall on Wednesday night, together with concert items illustrative of the poet's works. Mr Burr is a noted student, of Burns, and has won a reputation as a lecturer on a subject that should appeal to very many people in Whangarei.

At a meeting of the Whangarei Acclimatisation Society last evening a remit recommending that a gun license be issued instead of a game license was adopted to be sent to the Acclimatisation Societies' Association, together with a further request that an alteration be made in the term of the shoot-' ing season. It was also decided to communicate with the Hobson and Bay of Islands Societies suggesting cooperation in regard to seasons' for shooting.