NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12008, 10 December 1924, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The shortage of residences is stated to 'be still acute at Waipukurau. Building is in progress, but the demand exceeds the supply. After the heavy rain clouds had cleared on Saturday Mt. Egmont displayed an unusually heavy covering of snow for this .time of the year; the fall extending down the slopes almost to the level cf the Pouokai ranges. Amongst the welcomes to be extended to the' new Governor-General. Sir Charles Fergusson, will he one from the Presbyterians of New Zealand. The 1 Moderator of the Presbytery i» coming to 'Wellington from Dunedin and will, with representatives of churches here, present an address to Sir Charles. The people of Woikokopu are very ahxious for some one to.take away the schooner War Lord which,, stranded well up the foreshore at that place, is becoming an eyesore to the inhabitants. It is Said that the vessel, although firmly, beached, is .quite undamaged. ' ■’ Two members of the Wanganui Police Force, who recently proceeded to Mangamahu to recover human I'eruiafis found on a 'bank of the Wangaehu river, had an arduous task. They had to strip and wade Waist, deep across a ford in the river, tho undertaking being a difficult one on account of a strong current, and many snags, The return journey with their burden, was even more difficult. The remains were found at a place that was regarded as almost inaccessible. I ‘■ ■ :■" . ■ . 5 To the boy who had not received prizes, the rector of St. Patrick’s College, tbe Very Rev. Father T.'A. Gilbert. S.M., M.A., had a word to Say at the breaking-lip ceremony yesterday. He was not to bd discouraged, said the rector, as it was. not only the hoy who won the prizes who succeeded :n after life; in many cases his failure to win prizes at school was but a guarantee of bigger prizes in the lists of after life. • A Wanganui motor-lorry driver had a narrow escape from injury while bringing a load of wool out from Waitof&ra Valley.' He was negotiating a treacherous bend- on the road when the rear axle of the lorry broke, causing the vehicle to. fall over on its side. Fortunately, it toppled away from the brink of a high bank, and- the driver was not injured'. The lorry was eventually repaired, ffnd’ the driver, little worse for biff experience and lengthy delay, brought the load of wool to Wanganui the following evening. When a county council receives a request from a baekhlocka Bottler it is usually in regard to either a load, or a bridge. That there are exceptions was proved at a meeting of the Waitotara County Council, when a settler made a request for a boat. It was explained that be paid. £BO a year in rates, was beyond reach, of any public road, and that a boat was necessary for crossing tiie Wanganui river at Koriniti," the past arrangement of seeking the loan of a canoe being by no means satisfactory. Under the special circumstances the council decided to vote £lO towards the cost of a boat. Visitors to Tongariro National Park, who hQTe arranged to camp at the Whakapapa Hut during the coming holidays,, will he -assured of a good deal more comfort than was the oase in the pioneering stages of development at this wonderful resort. There are now three huts at Whakapapa, one of which is reserved for women. The latest additions to the camp are two bathrooms, the lack of which has long been felt by oampers. The bathroome,. one for men and one for women, have been equipped with chip heaters, porcelain baths and hand basin, and a plentiful supply of water has been laid on.

The headmaster of a Wanganui school, in an address the other night, said that many people maintained that ; tho State should provide funds for I school prizes aud other such benefits for tho pupil, instead of the pupils themselves having to make special efforts to I raise the required funds. It was linI reasonable, he said, to expeot the State to contribute to these funds, in view of | the enormous sums which were expended by the Government last year on the | education of . 1 children. Brooeeding, Mr Bruoe said that the sum of £3,350,000 was spent last year on education in this country. This was equal to £2 16s per head for one year. At present there were 235,000 children at. tending schools, and apart from these about 6000 were provided for by the Government in restriction and • industrial homes. The cost of the maintenance of the latter was £200,000. each yea*.

Th National Bank of New Zealand is erecting new branch offices at Hawera. Tbe long vacation will he observed by the Supreme Court from December 20th to January 31st, The iHutt County Council decided yesterday to take steps to investigate the possibility of forming a separate drainage district in Wainui-o’-mata. About 100 applications have been received by the Hawke’s Bay Education Board for appointment as pupil teachers and probationers next year. The vacancies to be filled number 31. While Mr J. Kendall was working on a farm at Normanby a log fell upon him with the result that he received concussion and had to be removed to the Hawera Hospital. On the construction of the Opunake railway 261 men, were employed during October. On tho east end: of the Stratford railway there were 160 men at work, none being employed on the Stratford end. Tlie value of marram grass for the purpose of fixing sand wastes is apparent to visitors to Castlecliff (says the “Chronicle”), where systematic planting is being carried on with very satisfactory results. Yesterday the Hutt County Council decided to construct a footpath on Main road as requested by the Trentham Ratepayers’ Association. A man has been sent to the spot by the engineer to attend to the matter. The members of the by-laws committee under their cliaiman (Councillor M. F. Luckie) made an extensive tour of city and suburban areas yesterday afternoon, inspecting sections where permission for sub-divisions had been naked. ‘ 5 A truck of lime was set on fire through rain getting beneath the tarpaulin which coveted the vehicle while it was standing in the railway yard at Westport. The services of tho fire brigade were obtained to put the fire out. The property market in Wellington is brisk. It’s impossible to rent houses and the only thing to do is to buy. The question arises now to get a home of one’s own on a small salary or-small deposit. One" prominent estate agent has solved the matter. R. Leslie Jones will arrange to “deliver the goods” on deposits from fifty pounds upwards.— Advt.