LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1930, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

While driving Mr. L. Hintz’s car from Waitara to Inglewood on Friday night Mr. P. Gudgeon noticed sparks through the floor board and immediately stopped. The car burst into flames and was practically destroyed. Shortly after ten o’clock on Monday evening Inglewood experienced something like a cloudburst. Terrific thunder and lightning, together with a heavy downpour of rain, continued for about half an hour, the total rainfall for the 24 hours being 1.53 inches. There is apparently a shortage of houses in Inglewood. During the week four people had made inquiries of him in this respect, said Mr. Gibbs at a meeting of the Inglewood Borough Council last night. Rangiatea Home entered very freely in the garden vegetable section at the New Plymouth winter show yesterday and with distinct success, scoring 12 first, seven second and eight third prizes, as well as other minor awards. This is a tribute to the fertility of the soil and the skill and energy of the veteran gardeners and the grounds manager, Mr. S. Adams.

The fact that mountain trips for the next month or two will be under winter conditions is stressed in the Taranaki Alpine Club’s third bulletin, which was issued yesterday. It states that winter equipment is absolutely necessary, particularly the carrying of warm extra clothing and the wearing of properly nailed boots.

Winter show visitors will find it to their advantage to spend a little time shopping at the Melbourne. Exceptional bargains are being offered in the ladies’ section, prices having been reduced all round and especially so on all the higher grade exclusive dresses and coats. Inspection cordially invited. No one pressed to buy.

“I am hero to administer the law and not to comment on its wisdom,” said Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday. “That is the job of the politicians.”

Aeroplanes are becoming an everyday commodity, says the Dominion. There 'is. exhibited in one show window in Wellington a two-seater biplane—which may be purchased for cash or on terms—just the same as a suite of furniture or a gas stove.

The Federation of Justices’ Associations of New Zealand intends to recommend to the Postmaster-General that provision be made for publication in telephone directories of the names of the Justices of the Peace for the district. The reason for this proposal is the difficulty people experience in locating a J.P. when they want one. “Feed for cattle is very scarce,” remarked Mr. G. V. Pearce, of Patea, to a Chronicle representative. “The long spell of dry weather was followed by cold weather and stopped the growth of the grass. The rain came too late. I am afraid that cattle generally will experience a ’’ard winter. I myself have arranged to rent some grass paddocks out at .Fordell, so as to help me out during the winter months.” At the annual meeting of the Fitzroy Progressive Association last night Mr. P. ,E. Stainton informed those present that in the sewerage scheme, tenders for which would be called in August, Fitzroy would be the first district to be. served. The work would proceed immediately the tender was accepted and the residents of Fitzroy could hope for competition of the system a year from that date.

A substance, like ambergris in many respects, yet not answering to the standard tests, has been picked up in fairly considerable quantities recently on Oreti beach and at the mouth of the Oreti River, in Southland. One man, who considered he had made a great “find,” picked up an irregular-shaped lv "p weighing about 151 b. He submitted a small sample to a man who has expert knowledge of the subject, and was informed that it did not correspond in many vital particulars to genuine ambergris.

The latest issue of “Peka,” humorous--ly described as the “unofficial” magazine of the Auckland Training College, is brightened by a number of pen and ink sketches from the students. One of them depicts the drill instructor taking a class in English folk dancing. “This one,” announces the instructor, “is called ‘Gathering in the peascods.’” A voice from the back rank greets the statement with the comment: “Ah! Bringing in that agricultural bias again!” On the greasy surface of Manukau Road, just near the Great South Road junction, there was a double collision on Monday morning, reports' the Auckland Star. A ' motor-cycle travelling down Great South Road at a fair pace, skidded on the slippery tram rails at the jupction, got into a bad slide, and crashed into a lorry which was moving towards Newmarket. The motorcycle cannoned off the front wheel of the lorry and crashed in the path of a sedan car. The rider was thrown clear, but the car hit the motor-cycle. Lorry and sedan pulled up, but before they could give assistance the casual motorcyclist picked his cycle up, and without a word, rode away, much to the amazement of those who saw the crash.