LOCAL AND GENERAL

Northern Advocate, 7 April 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Train traffic over the Easter vacation has been heavy. The expresses both to and from Whangarei have been well filled. At the Whangarei Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr G. N. Morris, S.M., a, first-offending inebriate ■was convicted and fined £l. The coursing meeting which was to have been held at Oamaru yesterday had to be 'cancelled owing to some person liberating 30 captive hares. The only accident recorded in Auckland yesterday was that of a bather at Kawan Island. There were no casualty cases admitted to the Auckland Hospital.

Dr. H. F. Buckley, with scores of SO and 77, qualified for the Auckland Provincial Golf Handicap competition being played at Middlemore. Mr ,T. Glanvillo, the other Whangarei participant, failed to qualify.

The construction of the roadway linking Napier with the Breakwater is rapidly approaching completion. A large gang of men is employed ,pn the work. The big pile of debris at the foot of the Bluff has been penetrated.

At Hamilton yesterday, the Auckland Marist -Rugby team beat the Wellington representatives in the final for the Bpillano Cup by 11 points to 3. The cup is .for the best Marist Rugby team in the North Island.

“Easter has been noticeable for the very few motoring accidents in the North,” said the northern patrol of the Auckland Automobile Association, who stated this morning that he had travelled over 600 miles in the vacation period and the only mishap he observed was one car over a bank.

►Some interest has been created in Wellington, now that Rugby teams are counting heads, by the discovery that Cliff Porter, the c.x-All Black captain, had quietly left the city. A sporting paper in Wellington states that it is rumoured that Porter has left New Zealand and will settle in Vancouver.

Three turf basketball courts have been prepared and are now ready for use at Mander Park. The work was done by the Borough Council at the request of the Whangarei Basketball Association, which hitherto has not been in possession of a permanent home. The courts will be kept cut during the season, which opens shortly.

At nine o’clock this morning the official gauge at Nixon Street showed that .18 inch of, rain had fallen during the past 24 hours. The rainfall at Fourth Avenue, as recorded on Saturday morning, was 11 points. No rain occurred on Sunday, but this morning 22 points fell. Thus with the points recorded on Thursday, there has been a fall on the easterly aspect of Fourth Avenue of .81 inch. Although farmers remain unsatisfied, the rains have been sufficient to stimulate growth. A heavy downpour would have the effect of lowering earth temperature and checking the progress of autumn feed.

When delivering an address on politics in Christchurch recently, Mr. Norton Francis said: “Are we not as a people somewhat to blame for the mounting expenditure for Ministers of the Crown and their secretaries? We put up so many questions to them and we always demand their personal attendance. If anything goes wrong we must have the Minister down. We want a Minister to open a flower show, to lay a foundation stone, to look into this and to look into that. Now we are finding that the cost of these luxuries is more than we can afford to pay. I suggest, that we should all try to help ourselves and sec if we can’t get on without Government help and Ministers here and Ministers there.”

Before the war, one of the popular pastime for long winter evenings was ping-pong, but under the influence of more costly and less healthy amusements the game has lost much of its appeal. The indications are that “table tennis” is coming back into favour. Several .clubs flourish in Auckland, where annual competitions, handicap and championship, are arranged. Now a meeting attended by 20 enthusiasts has formed a ping-pong club at Ruawai, and gatherings will be held at the Oddfellows’ Hall every Wednesday evening. Perhaps the Whaangarei Badminton Club may provide a welllit table for ping-pong in its hall this season. It would be appreciated by players between sets of the more strenuous game.

One episode regarding the earthquake on February o last has just come to the knowledge of a Wairoa correspondent, says the “Napier Telegraph.” It occurred at Kia Kia, a small run at the back of Stratholm, abutting at one point on the Cricklewood road. ■ The owners, two sons of Mr No rniau McKinnon, were out mustering cattle, and had collected at one point a mob of 17 head, including a valuable bull recently purchased from Hawke’s Bay south. One of the animals broke away and while the young men were getting it back to the mob a huge landslide occurred —the biggest, in the Wailuia district—and buried the lot. The loss, of course was considerable, and greatly damped the spirit of these young pastoralists. . The first of a series of Old Thyme Dances under the auspices of the Christ j Church Vestry will be held in the [Parochial Hall Tonight. 907 Only address of J. W. Dobson, wellknown Piano Tuner:—l Banff Street, Phone 192. When you have searched everywhere, and unable to find just the kind and style of Coat or Costume you want, call and let us make it for you. —Geo. Hendy, High-class Ladies-’ Tailor, Corner Bank and Vino Street,

Slaughtering will reopen after the Easter break at the Moerewa works tomorrow. The Northern Patrol of the Auckland Automobile Association is making an inspection today of the reading conditions in Dome Valley and district. Both primary and secondary schools reopen tomorrow after the Easter holidays. A large number of boarders of the Whangarei High School returned today.

The annual meeting of the Whangarei Sheep Dog Trial Club will be held at Mr D. J. Finlayson’s paddocks, Kamo, t>n April 15 and IG. All net profits will go towards the Earthquake Fund.

Messrs. Joseph Nathan and Co. have received the following cable from their London principals, dated London, April G:—Butter, Ills per cwt., with more inquiries; New Zealand cheese, white and coloured, 51s to 54s per cwt.

Fumes lurking in a benzine tin exploded when Mr. L. Flower, of Waimateuui, was cleaning the receptacle last week. Mr. Flower was burnt about the head and face and was taken to Kaikohe for attention by Dr. Smith.

The output of the Springhead Dairy Company last month was .12 tons 18cwt Iqr 121bs against 12 tons lewt Iqr 1 Bibs for March 1930. For the present season to date the make had been 151 tons 4cwt Iqr 3.1 bs compared with 125 tons 7cwt Iqr 231bs for the corresponding period last season.

Mushrooms have been a rare delicacy this season. The humid rains of the past few days, however, have lured some from their hiding places in Whangarci paddocks, and one young lady rising before the other members of the family this morning, secured three specimens of her favourite breakfast savoury growing on the lawn.

A Chinese giving evidence in a Liverpool Court concluded with the Chinese oath: ‘/If I do not speak the truth, may my soul be dashed into a thousand pieces, even as this saucer.” Simultaneously he threw the saucer to the floor, but it rebounded intact. Two further attempts failed. Then the witness knelt and hammered it on the floor till he succeeded in reducing it to chips.

Tidings that the North now possesses all-weather access have travelled abroad, as was shown during the Easter period, when record numbers used the roads. A “Northern Advocate/’ reporter conversed with two motorists who returned from Auckland yesterday. One came through at mid-day and the other arriyed here as dusk was falling. Both commented upon the steady stream of traffic travelling southwards. “From Devonport to Warkworth a car passed us every few chains,” said one, “It was almost like a procession.” The influx of visitors resulted in some new car models being seen in Whangarei. These ranged from a luxuriously appointed eight-seater limousine to extremely light runabouts, and even a couple of racing cars.

To keep faith with the' people of Whangarei, Flying-Officer Owen, who flew from Engand to Australia, arrived by train this afternoon to deliver a lecture at the Chamber <of Commerce rooms tonight. It will be remembered that Mr Owen was to have been here last week, but, at the last minute, was prevented from' fulfilling his engagement owing to a mishap in the Hokianga district. The lecture this evening will commence at 8 o’clock. Mr Owen goes south tomorrow. 912

The first of a series of Old Thyme Dances under the auspices of the Christ Church Vestry will be held in the Parochial Hall Tonight. 907 For Quality and Value, Henry Wilson’s Drapery Store stands Supreme. — Horrockses Stout Pillow Cases, 1/5 pair; 54in. Guaranteed Sheeting, 1/64; 72in,, 2/2; 80in., 2/44 .yard; 40in, Circular Pillow Casing, 1/44; 40in. Pillow Cotton, 94d; Linen Tea Towellings from 74d to 1/6 yard; Coloured Towels, 27 x 54, 3/6 pair; New Curtain Nets from 114 d yard; Ladies’ Cardigans from 9/11 to 27/6, and Smart Tweed Coats from 39/6 to 95/-.