LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1929, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The name of Jdhn Goodin, of Okato, was omitted from the list of primary school children who gained their proficiency certificates. The Taranaki Jockey Club’s Christmas meeting was taxed by the Government to the extent of £3113 Ils 9d, made up as follows: Totalisator duty £1057 18s 9d, dividend duty £1904 13s, stakes £l5l. To this total has to be added amusement tax.

With the completion of the Te KuitiBulls road it has been feared in some quarters that the main Auckland-Wel-lington traffic will take that route instead of proceeding via Waitara on account of tho great saving of time that it will mean. One who is familiar with both routes, however, considers that the cot stal route will retain its popularity because, he points out, there is a saving of only 30 miles in distance by using the Te Kuiti-Bulls route, the distance between those points being 196 miles as against 226 miles via Waitara. On the other hand, it is questionable if any time will be saved, owing to the number of corkscrew bends necessitating slow travelling on the Taumarunui-Wanganui section.

There was a narrow escape from drowning on tho Foxton beach on Boxing Day. Mr. S. Mitchell, of Shannon, was net fishing in a tricky tide, and Mr. Mitchell, who was at the deep end, was seen to be in difficulties. Jwo visitors made an attempt to rescue him and succeeded, but not without risk. Mr. Mitchell was unconscious and his rescuers were in a very exhausted state when they reached the land. Resuscitation work was immediately commenced on the unconscious man, while awaiting a medical officer, and after some time had elapsed Mr. Mitchell showed signs of reviving. He was conveyed to Foxton where he .was later reported to be progressing favourably- (

In districts near Mount Egmont the rain has interfered with the preparation of ground for swede sowing. However, it has had a beneficial effect on the milk supply, which is keeping up remarkably well.

The Law Practitioners' Amendment Act, passed by Parliament last session, will come, into operation on Wednesday next. The object of the legislation briefly is to establish a fidelity guarantee fund, built up by .annual contributions from solicitors for the purpose of reimbursing persons who may suffer pecuniary loss by reason of theft by a solicitor. Moneys in the fund not immediately required may bo invested in any manner in which the trustees are for the time being authorised to invest the fund.

A slip of the tongue on the part of Dr. Hugh .Douglas (formerly of Masterton) while speaking at the Hamilton High School break-up ceremony aroused great merriment. “People are continually passing the Cenotaph in Whitehall,” he said, “and as they pass, off comes every man’s head.” The remark was appreciated as the doctor had just finished speaking of the statue of Charles I gazing towards the scene of his execution.

“There’s no doubt about it that it’s the rate of interest that is helping to cripple this country,” said Mr. J. T. Hogan, M.P., chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board, at the last meeting, when the money market was being discussed. Mr. John Morrison said that there had been a hardening tendency on the London market for some time, and it was going to become still harder. Some of the banks thought it would be two years before relief came.

Preaching in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, the Rev. Father Valentin, administrator of the Eastern Pacific charge of the Roman Catholic missions, told an amusing story to illustrate the simplicity and ingenuity of the native mind. He had mentioned the Scriptural injunction that women should enter the House of God with their heads covered. Lo and behold, the next Sunday the first native woman to arrive was seen to be wearing a hat.. Once inside she threw it out of the window, and the next of the women waiting outside put it on before making her entrance. The process waS repeated time after time, and Father Valentin counted 40 women who had worn the same hat.

Under the devastating effect of. poisoned wheat, the pigeons of Wellington streets are being killed. On one evening last week a passer-by saw three pigeons fall dead on the pavement on the cornei of Brandon and Featherston streets. Whilst it may be necessary to get rid of tho pigeons, this person is of opinion that the poisoned wheat should not be scattered on the roofs until Saturday afternoon or Sunday, when there are few people about. As it was, one dying bird just missed falling on a passing lady The pigeons that were wont to haunt each “jutty frieze and coign of vantage” on the town hall have also been destroyed in this fashion.

A gentleman who was a spectator at the Woodville races tells a good story of how’ the crowd was “had.” As horses returned to the birdcage after flashing past the judge's box in the last race, the band impressively but softly played "tTwT onenins bars of an air strangely familiar. The solemnity of the music following the excitement of the race affected the crowded stand. Heads were quickly uncovered and the men and women stood for a moment or two in loyal silence. Then the musical ear of the race crowd detected something wroug with the National Anthem —the band was playing “Home, Sweet Home.”

“We have from time to time in the past heard references about the stall having a share in the management,” remarked tho general manager of Railways, Mr. EL H. Sterling, in addressing a reunion of railway officers recently. “If the suggestion is that the railways should be managed by democratic vote I am sure it only needs to be so stated for its impossibility •to be apprei hended. If, on the other hand, it means that every man should be .allowed to develop individuality in his job to the utmost extent possible, then I say without hesitation, that, so far as I am concerned at any rate, everybody from the lowest to the top has a share in the management. He has th© right to do his job well and that right carries with it a correlative responsibility.”

A reference in the Dunedin Star to tho wreck of the Tararua brought to mind a pathetic incident that was at the time passed over with bare mention. When the Prince Rupert’s boat brought to tho steamer Hawea the survivors whom tho ketch had rescued during, the night, the Star reporter commenced to ! gather their stories, and was closely i engaged with one man at the moment ' when a ship’s grating with a baby on it was fished out of the wreckage that was floating about. Tho passenger and tho reporter lifted the grating aboard the Hawea, carried it aft, and were covering the dead infant with a flag when the man recognised the poor mite as his own. Ho mastered his feeling and wished to go on with his narrative, but the position was too painful, and the pressman left him, pursuing his inquiries amongst tho others. The baby had been securely tide with string to the grating — the mother’s last desperate chance of saving the child when death was staring her in tho face.

Speaking to a Christchurch Star reporter Mr; Gilligan, captain of the M.C.C. team, said with a laugh: —“We were told that Nelson was the place where all the sunshine congregated, but wo found rain there. That’s not’ surprising, as we found rain in a desert in Australia where we were told -there had not been rain for six months. I’m beginning to think that we bring the rain with us. We had a patch of fine weather near Kaikoura,” said Mr. Gilligan, “and there we saw a sight that would gladden any eyes. The mountain ranges were covered with snow, and the coast H”e looked magnificent.” The members of the English team had little comment to offer on the play in the matches they had had so far, but their captain was loud in his praise of the captaincy of Lowry, of Wellington. “New Zealand was lucky to have him in England,” he said.

Every event in School life is worth a photograph. You will treasure them in years to come. Let Oakley’s make your next photograph. The studio in Kash Building (upstairs), Devon Street, New Plymouth. 32.

Life is full of pleasures if one knows where to find them. Enjoy yourself at McGruer’s fine new store, and at the same time save on every purchase*

Buy your surfing costume at the Melbourne, Ltd. Grand selection of all-wool garments in exquisite colourings and contrasting shades. Prices, 13/6 to 24/6. Smart rubber bathing caps, 6d, 9d, 1/-, up to 5/6. Famous “Jantzen” surfing costumes in stock. - •<