GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18711, 29 October 1930, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

There was an influx of visitors to Timaru yesterday, the streets being well crowded by people from the country. The Timaru Show to-day may be regarded as the chief reason for this visitation.

Some time ago an advertisement appeared in “The Timaru Herald ” notifying that poison would be laid for rabbits on the Highfield links. “Punch,” commenting on. this advertisement, said: “This would soon depopulate some of our courses here.” (A rabbit is a name given to indifferent players.)

An inquest concerning the death of Lloyd Robert Bishop, aged 51 years, who was accidentally shot at the residence of his father, Mr L. Bishop, Esk Valley, on Monday, was opened at Timaru Hospital yesterday morning, before Mr C. R. Orr-Waiker. District Coroner. After evidence of identification had been given, the inquest was adjourned sine die.

The sheep losses in Hawke’s Bay this year, excluding lambs, will be 150,000. one farmer states. A dry autumn, and the worst winter in 40 years, have been followed by a drought, which is in direct contrast to the damp spring experienced in this district, with the result that there is a serious shortage of feed. The percentage of lambs is low, and with the fall in prices, the plight of farmers in Hawke’s Bay is a serious one. One farmer lost 1200 breeding ewes this year.

The Minister of Education has decided to abandon the proposed proficiency examination survey throughout New Zealand. The Education Department has notified the Board that the granting of proficiency and competency certificates should be carried out in the usual way this year. The proposal made by the Department was to synchronise the examination for proficiency an competency certificates throughout the Dominion.

In anticipation of the general election toward the end of next year, the machinery of the Labour Party in Auckland is being set in motion. Nominations of candidates are being called for the 10 seats comprising Auckland City and suburbs, the closing date for which is November 27. Where more than one nomination is received a selection ballot will be held to determine who shall be the Party’s official candidate. Four of the seats are now held by Labour.

The Scottish Society’s plain and fancy dress carnival on Monday evening attracted a very large attendance, and lovers of dancing were well catered for, the programme comprising old and new dances. To all who competed great credit was due, the variety of costumes displayed attracting considerable attention. The judge (Mr Greathead) had no light task in selecting the winners. as follows: — Fancy Dress, Miss Gilligan (Russian Lady); Mr Maslin (Chinaman). Most original—Miss Allan (Mexican Lady), Mr J. Irwin (parson); special prize Miss Speights (“Spring”).

The twenty-fifth annual meeting oi the Pacific-Starr Bowkett Building Society was held in Dunedin last evenling, when the chairman (Mr J. B Shacklock) presided over a large num-» ber of shareholders. In moving the adoption of the statement of account* for the past year, the chairman made special mention of the progress maintained by the Society, and said that the new group which had been recently opened, was filling rapidly. Special mention was made of the loss by death of Mr J. H. Hancock, who had been chairman of the Society since its inception in 1905. The retiring directors, Messrs R. Leyland and McHutcheon, were re-elected. A free ballof in No. 6 group was drawn by cluster No. 188, held by a Dunedin shareholder, and the sale in No. 7 group realised £37 per £IOO, and was bought by two Dunedin shareholders.

The third of a series of organ recitals by Mr Donald Parkin was given in Trinity Church last night. The recitals have been organised by Mr Parkin with the object of reducing the debt on the Church, and must be classed as financial and artistic successes. Mr Parkin rendered a carefully selected programme, which contained the following compositions:—(a) Andante in E Minor (Batiste); (b) “Choeur de Voix Humaines” (Guilmant); Minuet (Driffill); Andantino (Caesar Franck); Offertoire (LefebureWely); Andantino in D Flat (Lemare); “Canzonet” (Elliott); “Cantique” (Elgar) ; Prelude and Fugue on “Wittemburg” (arr. Fletcher). During the evening, an aria “Ruth’s Resolve.” which was specially composed by Mr Parkin for the occasion, was artistically rendered by Mrs Donald Parkin. Features of the programme were two ’cello solos by Mrs F. M. Drewitt, whose treatment of “Liebesled” (Kreisler) and “Elegie” (Massenet) was greatly appreciated.

Half a crown conscience money was enclosed in a letter from New Zealand recently received by the Corporation of Belfast, Ireland. The money, say§ a London newspaper, was to pay for a fish which the sender took from a pond in a public park many years ago. “I have been converted,” he wrote, “and am paying all such matters as this.” This item of news is published under the heading, “The Repentant Angler.”

More men than usual appear to be walking the roads at present in search of work. No fewer than 12 men, who had walked from Auckland, called at the Gisborne office of the Labour Department last week. The labour officer states that these men appeared to be of a good type and honestly in search of employment. They had spent about three weeks on the road from Auckland to Gisborne. When they found there was not immediate prospect of work, they set off on the road again for the southern districts of the North Island.

Exception to the statement in returns tabled in the House of Representatives on Monday that the Ex-Soldiers’ Rehabilitation Commission had cost the country £1053 was taken at a meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association executive. Mr F. Wise said the money had been provided by the Canteen Fund Board, which had contributed £SOO, and the War Funds Council, which had given £SOO, so that it had cost the country at the most £53. It was decided to bring the matter before the Minister of Finance.