LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15887, 27 July 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Attention is drawn to a sale of high class furniture bv Air Parker on account of Mrs Durbin. It is understood that Messrs Riddifordl Bros, have let a contract to two young men to shoot 1000 deer on their coast property, says the Wairarapa Age.

Premises in Willis Street, . Wellington, and bearing the date 1876, are now undergoing internal and exteral alterationsWor the purpose of bringing them uiPro-date aft business premises.

“We are apt to-day to take our Rugby too seriously, and not to devote enough time to coaching the young idea,” remarked an exWairarapa rep at the Rugby Union dinner at Carrteton. Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. For Children’s Hacking Cough, Mother’s Help on Washing Day— Taniwha Soap.—Advt. I’m an “Alice in Wonderland” sort of girl With a wonderful lesson to learn, I’ve bobbed my hair, I’m “warming a chair” In the ruck of a Tivoli turn. I sing myself hoarse in the chorus, of course—’Tis a terrible strain to endure. Eefore an encore, while they’re yelling for moT-e. I take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

“They are going lo train boys in Britain for farmwork in New Zealand (says a northern exchange). One of the most eminent lawyers is to be engaged to teach them what a mortgage is.”

A Mount Victoria resident states that the clematis is in flower this year much earlier than ordinarily, and this, in accordance with Maori belief, fortells an indifferent summer. The rains, with at times mild weather, have caused young chrysanthemum shoots to t break into flower, which is very exceptional.

“The AVestingh nse brake is easily the greatest life-saving railway device” (writes Air J. E. Hickey in the Stratford Post;. It is safe to say that in New Zealand alone it has saved thousands of lives. This i know from, by own personal experiences, and I venture to say tliaT there are few engine drivers who could not relate what might have happened but for a AVesting house air brake.”

As another instance how the motor is competing with the railways, the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union found it cheaper by £lO to send its team to Wairarapa by car than by train (says the “Age”). The team returned by car on Sunday, morning. When the saving in hotel expenses, through not having to wait for Monday’s train is considered, the difference in the cost of the tour is a substantial one.

By ,a in chance New Zealand in the early days seems to have obtained only the seed of the almost useless eucalyptus globulus from Australia (says an exchange). Had we, by better luck, got niacrothurli or any of the many good varieties of eucalyptus, the Dominion would have been the richer t -day by many nrr’lJi ns sterling. Of the tens of thousands of bluegums planted throughout the Rang itikei, Manawatu, and Wanganui, districts, in the last 60 years, not one per cent, are valuable as hardwood.

There was an amusing incident at the Railway Department’s side of unclaimed luggage at Auckland last week, when a tied-up biscuit tin was knocked down for a small sum. ( The purchaser (relates an Auckland exchange) had the misfortune to drop the tin, 1 which was a misfortune for all in the room, because the contents consisted of eggs that had been laid over-long. The stench was soi intense that the auctioneer parted with a shilling to get the refuse removed

What impressed me most about welcome week,” said a country visitor to the Wellington carnival, “was the enormous size of the wharves. One needs a motor bike oi a horse to get round their four miles ; and then the new shed 450 feet long which cost many thousands While the number of sheep and lambs exported has decreased so much in the lasu year or two the charges on their shipment are thus being increased wholesale. Money that is so badly needed in the country districts is employing hundreds of artisans at high rates of pay within easy reach of the picture show and the tramcar terminus.”

For several years the dairying industry has been expanding steadily in Hawke’s Bay (states the Daily Telegraph), and many people are of opinion that there, is still room for greater activity in that direction. Three prominent farms of the Wairoa district recently made a tour of the chief butter-producing districts, and they have now returned with over 1-00 Jersey heifers, which were purchased at an average of £l4 apiece. These are to be used for extending the milk production of the Wairoa district, and in the near future it is hoped to start ®a modern butter or cheese factory near Mohaka.

It is very seldom that special trains the requisitioned by private individuals in New Zealand for making hasty journeys. A few nights ago, on the Arrival at Frankton of the Main Trunk express from Auckland, a male passenger hurriedly made his way to the office of the station-master, who conducted him to a side-line, where an engine with a carriage attached was already steaming. This had been ordered by telephone from Auckland, and the man immediately boarded her and the train dashed away on an urgent journey to Rotorua. Travelling by “special” is a somewhat expensive mode of getting about the country, and the journey from Frankton to Rotorua would cost the passenger something in the region of £SO. Specials (says the Waikato Times) are charged for on the basis of 12s 6d per mile for the first 30 miles and 9s 3d thereafter, with a minimum charge of £6 10s. Were this method of exclusive travelling to come into general use, there would be little fear of the railways not paying. I

The Wairarapa Age has a good story about a dairy factory manager who ro.-.utly visited Kuku, Ohau. He was informed by the chairman of the dairy eo.ana.iv that he would not

be supplying during the coming season. “How about your herd of Jerseys?” asked the visitor. “I have sold them,” was the reply. “I have ninety-nine acres which I have leased to Chinamen at £ls per acre. They are the best Jerseys I have vet seen.”

Apropos to the case of Albert Turner, who extracted £35 from three Wanganui residents per medium of bogus telegrams, a number of people are curious to learn how Turner knew to select these gentlemen as good marks (says the “Herald.”) The explanation is very simple, as Turner some time ago was employed as a taxi driver in Wanganui, and had driven the trio on various occasions.

A remarkable haul of schnapper was made by a party of sixteen that went out in the launch Lancia. Fishing off the Noisies, the islets that lie beyond Rakino, the party hooked no less than 500 fish, an average of nearly 40 per line. A good many doubles were caught, and very often there were three on at a time. At this season this fish are usually hard to get as they make for the very deep water, and this large catch by the party on the Lancia suggests that the summer will be an early one.

The L&in 'Co-operative Dairy Company has paid out 1/7 per lb for butterfat for the June-July period, as against 1/8 for the corresponding period of last year. For Kuku, which as a cheese factory, works on a different principle of payment, the prices are 1/3 and 1/- respectively. The following factories have also declared their payments for the month of June: —Shannon 1/7; New Zealand Farmers’ Dairy Union, Awahuri, Whakaronga, Newbury 1/6; Kairanga. Rongotea, 1/5; Tiakitahuna, Ravenwood, Manawatu-Reli-anee 1/3.

A pathetic story is told of two maiden ladies who, falling on evil times, reluctantly decided to sell a couple of pictures Avhich had been cherished by their family for a very long time. They knew nothing about art, but had heard a lot about “art finds,” and thought it just possible that the pictures might bring in £lO The auctioneers realising the value ■of the paintings on sight, readily agreed to sell, and suggested that a reserve figure be stated. But this the old ladies resolutely refused to do. The pictures were to be sold for what they would fetch —“for,’’ they said, “if the reserve price were not reached w'e should have to take them back and pay the auctioneers as, well, and that we cannot afford to do.” Both the pictures were Gainsborough’s. One sold for £7OOO and the other for £4500.

A Wanganui resident who is going to reside in the Auckland district decided to take a buggy with him (says an exchange). He went to the Railway Department and inquired the cost of railing the buggy there, and was informed that it would be £9. He thought this too high, so interviewed a local firm of shipping agents, and they agreed to land the buggy at Auckland for 38s. The people of Canterbury are looking forward to the opening of the Otira tunnel to get cheaper supplies of timber and coal, but if freights are in comparison with the instance above, it will pay the Southerners to get their supplies brought round by boat.

Last week Messers C. W. Harris, J. F. Mayn and T'. McLoughlin were in Wellington interviewing the Minister concerning matters affecting the Hauraki Plains County. The most important matter was * the speedy construction of the MaukoroWaitakaruru main canal, which is proceeding much too slowly the opinion of the settlers,. especially those on the upper portion of the plains, near Patetonga. Other matters affecting the district were the reclaying of the roads m 6 Patetonga riding before being . an ded over to the county, provision of a subsidy for metalling these roads, and also the completion ot the metalling of the balance of the roads in the area originally opened for selection.

Some good stories, dear to the heart of the Scot, were told at a on the ring held after the annual meeting of the Eltham Pipe Band (says the Argus). One was of an annv chaplain, who, having had little ; experience with horses, was informed that he must he mounted for the review of the company in the course of a few days. In order to acquaint himself with" the joys of riding he secured a charger and set off down the street in fine style. An urchin who espied the parson shrieked with laughter, and the good man, his ire roused at the ridicule, asked: “Have vou never seen a war horse before, sonny J” “Yea” replied the lad. “but p.-f. never seen a waur (worse) rider.”

Tlie indications are for southerly winds strong to gale but decreasing shortly. The weather will probably prove squally with heavy showers The night will probably be very cold. Expecet a. very high barometric pressure. Seas rough tides go-ad off shore.

“The good old toll gates!” was the remark of Cr. McGechie at a meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough •Council. “They used to call them antiquated, but I think we will have to come back to the toll gate system again.” The remark was occasioned during a discussion on roads and heavy motor traffic thereon.

The permanent ground committee of the Hauraki Plains A. and P. Society met on the showgrounds, Keiepeehi, on Saturday to inspect the ground and decide what drainage, fencing, and other permanent improvements should be suggested to the society at the annual meeting which will be held shortly.

There has just been landed in Gisborne a shipment of bridge steel, part of an order of 140 tons for the Public Works Department for use on the Gisborne-Napier railway line in the erection of a bridge. This is a repeat order, the first shipment having been lost in the Wiltshire. With the arrival of this steel, work which has been held up for some months will now be proceeded with.