LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 12 November 1928, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

During the present month both the sun and moon will be eclipsed, the former partially and the latter totally, but it is only the eclipse of the moon which will bo visible in New Zealand. The lunar eclipse will take place on Tuesday, 2/th November, and if the night is clear the whole of the total phase will be visible. This will begin at 8.33 p.m. and will last until 9.29 p.m., the lunar orb thus 'being obscured for nearly an hour. To-day most of Europe was treated to the spectacle of a partial eclipse of the sun, the sun rising eclipsed in the north of England and Ireland, and setting eclipsed in India. No part of this eclipse will bo visible in this part of the world.

"You seem to forget that you are our servants," declared a Devouport ratepayer, when addressing the local Borough Council on a sectional grievance (reports the "Star"). Instantly the .Mayor was on his feet. "That remark must be withdrawn at once, or you will not be allowed to proceed." The ratepayer grumblingly complied, after which the Mayor explained the error in the offender's point of view. The council were the representatives of the people,.and the managers of the community's affairs. In these capacities they rendered the highest civic service to the borough. The mere fact that this service was freely and willingly rendered did not give any ratepayer or any group of ratepayers the right to insult members of a borougl council. The complainant then proceeded to state his grievance in less militant terms.

When Mr W. D. Harkness, secretary of the A. and P. Association, rose and reached his full stature to read the minutes at Saturday evening's meeting of the general committee of that body, a handsome but slow-striking clock (owned by the Richmond Fire Brigade) commenced to proclaim the hour of eight o'clock. No attempt was made to read the minutes while the hour was being struck, and it almost seemed that minutes elapsed before the secretary was able to proceed. How the Richmond Fire Brigade is associated with the matter is because the meetings of the committee are held in the ante-room of the brigade's fine new fire-proof brick building in Queen street.

As more and more is becoming known about the big fish to be found in Fijian waters the colony is becoming more attractive to deep-sea fishermen (states a correspondent writing from Suva under date of Ist November). There have been many recent reports of big fish having been caught not far from Suva. The most recent was the landing of a huge walu, weighing 1331 b, caught by Mr G. H. Lee when trolling from the cutter Dui Bana. He was using a No. 7 spinner in the vicinity of Mount Washington, Kadava, when he hooked the walu. Jumping into the dinghy, which was being towed astern, he commenced to haul it in. The skipper of the cutter, a Fijian, joined him. When the fish came alongside the boat the skipper made to catch it by the tail. ■Suddenly the fish struggled, and, lashing out with its tail, caught the Fijian acrcss the chest and threw him sprawling in tiie bottom of the boat. It was half an hour before the fish was played out. On board the cutter he was slung up and found to measure 6ft. 3in. Mi Lee placed his arms round it where its girth was greatest, and his finger tips would not meet by a foot. Monster sunfish have been seen frequently in the past few weeks, and swordfish, though not so plentiful as at Tahiti, are by mi means unknown. A big walu recently jumped right over a motor-launch with a cabin 4ft. high and landed in a fruit punt on the other side.

Mr J. B. Milligan, of Murchison; sent up eleven candidates for practical examination in pianoforte music on the Bth instant, and all these so far satisfied the examiner—Mr Russell Chester, examiner for the Royal Academy of Music—as to obtain a pass. This highly gratifying .•esult reflects credit alike on both teacher and pupils. iMr L. Parore, who was nominated as an Independent for the Northern Maori seat, has withdrawn until next election, owing to his services being required as an advocate to fight numerous native land cases.

There were no lack of applications for teacherships dealt' with by the Nelson Education Board to-day. "For one position 31 names wej'c considered, 29 and 22 were sent in for two other schools. w,hile for others the applications ranged from 14 down to 5.

Summer wan given another sot back by :x cold southerly wind which blew all day Sunday and finally brought a shower of rain with it shortly after dark. The sun shone for most of the clay but those who went picnicking found the temperature a little too low for the outing to be very enjoyable. Nevertheless favourite picnic spots—the Appleby bridge, the Gten, Cable Bay, and the Wangamoa Valley and Pelorua bridge reserve—were well patronised.

The fortnightly meeting of the Loval Nelson Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F., will be held to-morrow evening at 7.30 o'clock. Heavy Art Silk Coats, 57/6, 69/6, 79/6, 89'6.—Trathen's for Value.*

"A yard of clay"—and contentment ! A ' well-known New Zealander just returned from a trip Home (he motored all over England) says the happiest man he met on his travel's was a Devonshire yokel in a smock-frock who was seated on a rustic bench outside a country inn with his back against a tree and "a yard of clay" in his mouth. "He looked a perfect picture of contentment." Wonderful is the power of the weed ! It halves our sorrows and doubles our joys. Tts enemies say hard things about it," but so long as its quality is good and it's as free from nicotine as possible it does more good than harm. Unfortunately mos{ of the imported brands contain so much nicotine that they do more harm than good. It's otherwise with our New Zealand tobaccos. They are almost free from nicotine, and so may be smoked with absolute impunity. They are quite remarkable, too, for flavour and fragrance. The favourite brands are "Riverhead Gold" mild, "Navy Cut" (Bulldog;! medium, and "Crl Pint' No. 10" (Bulls* end) full streugtl .* Beautiful Frocks at Trathen's in r>,v-,m Silk 90/6, ,70/6. 49/6 to 89/6* Crepe de Chine Frocks are lightlv ,„•;,.! al TYathen's, 49/6. 69/6, 89/6 to 1.50/-. Smartest new styles.* "Do your shopping to-morrow, closing Wednesday afternoon. At Trathen's.*

A hardy perennial at A. and P. Society meetings is what to do with the unfinancial member. Committeemen are always anxious to help the man who has mot witli lean years, hut it is generally found that the subscription has not been withhold for that reason. Carelessness appears to be the main cause of tbo trouble and the committee feels it must act fairly to the member who pays up. What happens now is that after two years in arrears, no show tickets are sent. In urging caution in regard to the treatment of unfinancial members, the secretary (Mr W. D. liarkness) speaking at a meeting of the general committee at Richmond on Saturday evening, stated that not infrequently a member owing several years' subscription would call at the oflice and pay up. Considerable discussion ensued on a request by a member four years in arrears to be allowed,to become financial again on payment of the past and present years' subscription. Some members thought it wise to accept the offer, others contended that .an important principle was at stake and the money owing should be paid. it was pointed out that probably for two years tickets had not been sent out and it was decided to ask the member in question to pay up iu full, he to have refunded the money he had paid for admissions to the show.

In the days of Seddon, said Mr Robertson, Reform candidate for Buller on Friday, money was provided principally for mining development, but recent experience showed that much benefit would accrue from the Coast if more attention were devoted to farming. Mr Robertson was sure, too, that a great future awaited the pakihis land. Useful experiments were being conducted at Cawthron Institute, and from there and further Government efforts ho hoped to see the pakihis become a great asset both to the West Coast and to the Dominion.

Two handsome cups appeared on the table at the meeting of the A. and P. Society's general committee at Richmond on Saturday evening These were the Manson Cup for best fat lambs, presented : by the president (Mr Geo 1 . Manson) and the Smallbono Cup for the best Jersey cow. Mr Manson said Mr Smallbone had won outright the cup previously presented to the Association by him, and now with his characteristic generosity and interest in the Association he was presenting another cup. (Applause). Both cups are valuable additions to the Association's competitia* attractions.

The Washbourn memorial gates at Richmond .Park are to be unveiled on Saturday afternoon next. Members oi the A. and P. Association were formally notified in a letter from the Memorial Committee read at Saturday evening's meeting of the Association. The President (Mr G. Manson) said he was sure all who could would be present. All knew the great amount of work the late Dr. Washbourn had done for the Association and realised what he would have done in the future had he lived.

Over 100 schools in the Nelson Education district will be used as polling booths on Wednesday. The secretary of the Board stated at to-day's meeting that as only 38 schools in the district .•/ere not required, it had been decided .o close all the schools on election day. he action of the secretary was approved.

The native shrubs presented to the A. and P. Association some time ago to beautify the showgrounds are growing apace. Two members of the general committee of the Association, Messrs Smallbone and Hunt, have made it their business to keep the plots free from weeds, and the committee on Saturday evening accorded them a vote of thanks for their efforts.

The quarterly meeting of the Public Service Superannuation Board was held last week, Mr J. W. Macdonald presiding. Thirty-eight contributors, retired by reason of age or length of service, were granted allowances of a total of £BOBS per annum. In two cases the allowance already granted was continued unconditionally, one application was declined, and consideration of one application was postponed. Twenty-four widows and six children were granted the statutory allowances amounting to £9OO pei annum.

Official figures showing totalisator betting for the two months ended with September show a decline of £57,203, . . 0 n mere were two more racing days in. the recent period compared with 192/. ivoftimeiits lor the two months ended September, 1928, totalled £622,716, but me totalisator patrons got in dividends J-J93,17v" less than this sum, the deductions being made up thus: Government u\ on investments, £15,568. Tax on dividends, £28,027. Racing Clubs' deduction, 7A per cent,, £46,(04. Unpaid fractions retained 'by clubs, £2878. The State in addition profited from us tax on stakes, which produced £2593.

The first accident in any way serious at a chilUren's gala occurred at the Botanical Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Allan Syder, aged 11, of Foxhill tumbled down the hillside for a considerable distance aud was picked up unconscious on one of the paths. Dr. Stoney Johnson attended the boy and ordered him to the Public Hospital. He was found to be suffering from severe concussion.

"I wish I had a rifle; I should like to have a pop at them!" exclaimed the Prime .Minister, when on the northern slopes of Mount Egmont recently (states the "New Zealand Herald"). He was coming down the new Waiwakaiho ridge track, and every now and then goats could be seen, even up to the 4000 ft. level, quietlv feeding on the herbage and young trees in the open spaces. They were about 1000 yards distant, and formed good targets in the clear atmo sphere even at that distance. The ranger, Mr R. W. Larsen, told Mr C'oates of the great damage that was, being done to the forest and fern life on the reserves by the goats, which were multiplying at a" great rate. Six years ago, he* said, a herd of 600 had got into the reserve, and from a rough calculation he estimated that tliev had increased to between 13,000 and 15,000 in that period. Besides that, hundreds of other goats had got into the reserve from neighbouring farms, and were gradually working their way all round the mountain.

While fully appreciating an offer of a prize for the best school lunch in the show competitions members of the A. and P. Association committee on Saturdav evening feared that if they accepted, especially at this the eleventh hour, they might lie setting out on unnavigable waters. The fears expressed seemed hardly justified seeing that members are already responsible for competitions ranging from draught horses and Hereford* to the best babies bibs and bonnets (with the president, vice-president, etc., as adjudicators in the event of disagreement among the contestants). However, it was soon explained that the Plunket Society would take charge of the competition and members' minds were much relieved. It was decided to thank the donor of the prize (Mrs C. Y. Fell) and to make the necessary arrangements for the competition. Doubtless as a result of the contest much attention will be directed to the important but often ill"onsidered matter of the child's school lunch—much to the benefit of many Tildren.

*•• —M '-n'-n warehousemen's offering at temptine urines, 8/11, 12/11, 15/6, 19/6 to 39/6. TraU'en's.*

Special purchase. Check Fuji Frocks 19/6 and 22/6. —Trathen's for Value.*

The Dim mountain track was well patronised yesterday and a number of ladies were up there during the day. The cold southerly wind blowing made the climb more comfortable than is usual at this time of the year.

Tn . connection with the Presidential election, "Pussyfoot" Johnson has cabled to the New Zealand Alliance: —"Hoover wins 40 States, and has six- millions majority."

'•There's no time like the early morning." This is the opinion of the president of the A. and P. Association (Mr Geo. Manson) as expressed on Saturday evening when advising members to be on the showgrounds "bright and early" (as his predecessor in office has put" it). Members of the general committee come from all parts of the district—some considerable distances — and ik.l a few will be 'Taking time by the forelock" at daybreak on show days. The Fire Brigade received a call aboin 20 minutes past, one o'clock this after noon. A barge-board on the building occupied by Merrick's Modern Steam Laundry had caught file probably from a spark out of a chimney. The flame was easily put out and the damage clone was nil.

A letter read at the Nelson Education Board meeting to-day gave authority for the establishment of a'secondary department at Murchison as from Ist February. 1929, subject to a minimum attendance of 18 pupils.

During the last school holidays, Ronald Davies, a son of Mr L. Davies, of Brook street, had his eye injured by the explosion of a cartridge shell, which he and his cousin had packed with gunpowder. As the result of the accident the boy's eye had to be removed to-day. This regrettable occurrence should serve as a warning to others who may be tempted to recharge empty .303 shells. Captain Bolt met with a slight mishap with Goodwin and Chichester's Avian biplane when landing on the outskirts of Napier. The machine struck a rather swampy patch and the pilot endeavoured to rise again to recover, and 'he machine left the ground safely, but unfortunately the top wires of a fence "ansrlit the under carriage and threw the head of the machine towards the ground, with the result that both blades of the propeller snapped off short, the undercarriage was badly damaged, and one wing slightly affected. Captain Bolt and one passenger were not injured.— Press Association.

Alfred Gould announces an auction sale of the freehold property, furniture and effects in the Estate of the late Emma White, on Tuesday, 20th Novemjcr, at 1 p.m.