GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 1 July 1924, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The debate on the Address-in-Reply will start in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The proverb “The early bird catches the worm,” was illustrated yesterday morning, when a local “daily dipper” was rewarded for his hardihood by finding on the sands a fine frost fish, sft Bin. in length.

At last night’s special meeting of the Timaru Borough Council it was decided to accept the tender of the Mt. Cook Motor Company for a Leyland truck, at £1405. The truck is intended for use at the municipal quarry.

At the meeting of the Mackenzie County' Council to be held on Monday next, it is proposed to strike the following general rates for the year : Albury and Opuha ridings -Jd in the £, and Fairlie and Tekapo ridings Id in the £.

A Press Association message from Auckland says that the late Mr William Wmstone bequeathed £SOU to the Methodist Orphan Home Mission, Auckland; £IOOO to the Methodist Orphan Home,-Mount Albert; £SOO to the Methodist Foreign Mission; £SOO to the l)oor of Hope, Auckland; £IOOO to the Jubilee institute for the Blind, Parnell. The estate has been sworn lor probate at £IOO,OOO.

The fire losses in the Auckland metropolitan area for the twelve months ended, June 30th, totalled £30,930. compared with £58,945 for the previous corresponding period. The total risk in the • buildings and contents was £844,53, compared with £296,277 for the previous year. Alarms numbered 283, an increase of sixty; fires numbered 129, compared with 126 for the previous year.—(Press Association).

The fortnightly meeting of the Juvenile Ancient Order of Foresters, was held last evening, Bro. A. Rodgers, C.R., presiding over a large attendance of members. The woodwards .reported that there were no members at present on the sick list. One candidate who was in attendance, was introduced and duly made a member of the Court. After business of a general nature was dealt with, the Court was closed by the C.R., and the members spent a happy hour at games.

A Press message from Wellington states that the members of the Mental Defectives Commission left' for the south last night. They' -are the Hen. W. H. Triggs, chairman), Dr Ada Paterson, General Sir Donald McGavin, Mr C. E. Matthews, and Mr J. Beck. On the way they intend visiting the Otelcaieke Mental School for boys. The Commission will hold sittings at Dunedin and 1 Invercargill, also visiting the Borstal Institution at the last named town. A sitting at hristchurch is to be held on the way back to \V ellmg* ton.

Arc the political opinions of persons recommended for appointment as Justices of the Peace taken into cfiusideiation? This question is being raised in the House of Representatives by Mr G D. Sullivan (Avon). “Cases ••in be supplied,” states Mr. Sullivan, *m which such reports of i nominees’ political opinions have been supplied. In each of these instances —one in the Avon electorate —one in the Lyttelton electorate —concerning whom report of nominees were thus .presented, no ap-, pointment’ to the Commission of the Peace was made.” The Post and Telegraph Appeal Board returned to Wellington from Christchurch on Sunday and re-opened its sittings in Wellington yesterday. The work to be done there will occupy about a week, after which the Board proceeds to Auckland. The number of appeals for the whole Dominion is about 2uU. The Board comprises Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M. (chairman), Mr R. B. Reynolds (postal officials’ representative), Mr R. H. Brown (telegraph officers’ representative), and Mr H. P. Donald (Chief Postmaster at Timaru, representing the Department. (Press Association.)

A meeting was held at the Waimate Council Chambers last night, when members of the South Canterbury Power Board, consisting of Messrs J. Kennedy (chairman), C. Dash (manager), and F. I. Fitch, addressed the gathering which consisted of about thirty ratepayers, in connection with the forthcoming poll in connection with the loan proposals. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. E. Evans) presided. Each of the speakers were given & most attentive hearing. At the conclusion of the addresses the Mayor moved a hearty vote of thanks to the.speakers for so clearlv stating their case. After the meeting’' a stroijg committee was set up to make a canvass of the town and to generally supervise matters for polling day.

Some idea of the number of rabbits which infest the lands of the Waikato may bo gauged from the statement made by the manager of a rabbit-skm firm at Frank ton that he had received no less than 224,000 rabbits since March Uth (says the Waikato “Times”). Had the last three months not been as wet as they were he would have expected close on half a million rabbits. The carcasses are sold to Auckland firms for food, and the skins are dried and despatched to England and America. Rabbit-skin coats were much prized by Americans, who do not show any reluctance to refer to them by their proper names as is the case in New Zealand. The prices for -veil made coats range up to 800 dollars. Coats made of rabbit skins sold in America under 57 names, the value being assessed according to the treatment and cutting of the skins.

In the chapel at Christ’s College, on Sunday evening, a memorial service to the late Mr J. R. Orford, head master of the Waihi School, Winchester, was held. The Rev. 0. W. Williams, chaplain to the college, conducted the service. The late Mr Orford was closely associated with the college, ( as, for the past seventeen years, ho had prepared pupils for it. The college choir sang “Crossing the Bar.” The headmaster (the Rev. E. C. Crosse) preached the sermon, and outlined the career of Mr Orford, speaking of distinctions gained by him at Cambridge, both as a scholar and an athletic. Mr Crosse said that Air Orford’s modesty led him to bury his talents, in a sense, in a preparatory school. The speaker drew a lesson from the life of Mr Orford. At the close of the service, Chopin’s “Funeral March,” was played.

At the recent Oamaru competitions several Timaru competitors were sue cessful. They are as follows:—Fancy Dance (open)—Rita Beck, Dunedin, 1; Mabel Sinclair, Timaru, 2; Ngairo Huston, Timaru, 3. Highland Reel 'l2 and under 16)—Mabel Sinclair, 2. Sword Dance (under 18) —Mabel Sinclair, 1. Irish Reel —Mabel Sinclair ] ; Connie Potts 2. Irish Jig (over 12) —Mabel Sinclair and May Thompson (Dunedin), equal 3. Highland Dance (own choice)—The judgo awarded the prizes to the three competitors who danced the Sean Triubliais, placing Connio Potts Ist. The remainder danced the Fling, Mabel Sinclair gain ing highest with 83 points. Highland Fling (under 12) —Connie Potts 1 ; Dorothy Hall 3. Irish Jig, Connio Potts 1, Dorothy Hall 3. Sword Dance —Connie Potts 1. Pianofn to duet —Connie Potts and Mabel Sin (lair. Character song —Cv 1. Recitation (9 and under 12)Coiinie Potts 2. ,