LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Pukekura Park Board has received a contribution of £25 from an anonymous donor who has undertaken to give a similar amount on Juno 1 each year.

Considerable interest is taken in school football at Moturoa and when that school successfully held off West End yesterday afternoon, a collection inaugurated and made_ by enthusiastic spectators —mostly Maoris —resulted in 15s being added to the sports fund of the school.

The Taranaki Alpine Club lias secured several pairs of skis and sticks and outings will be held during the winter months. Mr. R. W. Larsen at a meeting last evening said that there were some great fields towards Dawson Falls. The first ski quting will be held, if possible, during The Dawson Falls trip on June 14 and 15 in conjunction with tire Egmont Alpine Club.

Of a total of £9OOO raised each year 'by way of rates by the Morrinsville Borough Council, £6OOO is absorbed in payment of interest and sinking fund charges on unpaid loans. Nearly half the balance of £3o'oo is used in the payment of fixed charges, such as the hospital levy. Last year £lBOO was available for the formation of streets and footpaths within the borough. A by-law- case in the Dunedin Police Court collapsed in a novel fashion when Senior-Sergeant Quarter-main asked for the withdrawal of certain information. Owing to a clerical error the name of the witness in the case had been substituted for that of defendant. The Magistrate (Mr; H. W. Bundle, S.M.) agreed to the withdrawal of the charge. 1

While returning from Stratford at about 7 o’clock on Thursday evening a car, driven by Mr. C. West, of Kaponga, with Mr. M. Malone, also of Kaponga, as passenger, went over a bank and capsized. The car had just passed over the bridge spanning the Waingongoro stream on the Eltham town boundary when it skidded on the frosty surface of the road. Neither of the occupants was hurt and the car was only slightly damaged, which was remarkable in the circumstances.

A case of five generations occupying the same farm is perhaps unique in the Dominion, says the Christchurch Times. Such, however, has happened on Batiks Peninsula. In 1840 the late Mr. Donald McKinnon came from Australia with his wife and family and settled at Island Bay, Wainui, where he engaged in whaling and farming. A daughter married the late Mr. Archibald McPhail and succeeded to the farm, which in turn was taken up by her son, Mr. Donald McPhail, and later on by the latter’s son, Mr. Kenneth McPhail, who has a young family and thus completes the five generations.

A forged £1 Bank of New Zealand note, was passed to a taxi-driver on a recent night. The note, a very poor specimen, has so far been the only one of its kind found, and the manager of the Christchurch branch of tho bank (Mr. J. Mac Gibbon) does not think that there are likely to be many, if any, more in circulation. It was dark, when the counterfeit ■ note was given to the taxi-driver,. a fact which the deception possible. According to Mr. Mac Gibbon, it would be hard to conceive of anyone being taken in by the note, if it could be seen properly.

According to an announcement -made a few weeks ago, last Saturday was to have marked the closing of the freezing season in Poverty Bay. The Kaiti works, however, will be kept open for a further fortnight in view of a number of sheep and lambs coming to hand next week, with a fair number of cattle available for the following week. The improved tone of the lamb market at Smithfield has been responsible for farmers offering some of their lambs for shipment on owners’ account, while the cattle to be slaughtered the week after next also will be sent on owners’ account.

■Applications for ‘renewal of drivers’ licenses -are still coming in to the Christchurch City Council thick and fast, states the Sun. Tho Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr. H. Macintosh) told a reporter that an unusually large number of applications were coming .through the post this year. “We welcome this.” he said, “as long as they give all tho information.” The note sent by one applicant was brief and to the point. Ho wrote: M I would be glad if you would post me my license. I have not the time to attend to it.”

Despite suggestions that the nation’s manhood is not what it used to bo in the good old days, there are apparently still some men who can preserve a calm dignity even in the face of the greatest emergency, remarks the Otago Daily Times. During the hearing of a motor collision ease in the Magistrate’s Court counsel for the plaintiff (Mr, Neill) asked a witness, who had been a passenger in the plaintiff’s car, if he had spoken to the defendant after the accident occurred. “Inwardly,” replied the witness, "1 was upset, but I did not show it outwardly. I simply said: It’s moments like these when you need minties.’ ” It is pleasing to note that the ■defendant (a laxly, by the way) was equally self-composed. Her rejoinder was: “Yes.”

Recent criticism of the Thames Velley Power Board by members of the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers’ Union for allegedly installing foreign electric motors in farmers’ milking sheds, was referred to by the chairman of the board, Mr. F. M. Strange, at the annual meeting of the board. He held that this complaint was quite unjustified as only in cases where British material was unprocurable had .the board .not given it preference when making purchases. “Between 70 and 80 per cent, of the motors installed by the board are British motors,” stated tho manager.

A bright programme to suit all tastes has been arranged for the New Plymouth Citizens’ Band recital at Pukekura Park to-morrow (Sunday) at 2.45 p.m.

Messrs. Webster 'Bros advertise in this issue a sale of fancy goods stock-in-trade under distress warrant.. The sale will be held in their rooms on Tuesday next commencing at 1 o’clock.

Attention is drawn to our stock auction columns, wherein Newton King, Ltd., advertise a sale to take place at Tariki on Thursday next ol a large catalogue, including the herd of 79 dairy cows. The large offering is entirely without reserve and the sale is advertised to commence at IL am. ;,/ ’