LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, 23 August 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A dairy farm of 84 acres, near Levin, has just changed hands at £79 per acre.

A youth aged 21 years, residing at New 'Plymouth, was deprived of his civil rights for three years for failure to attend drill.

“A motorist has no right to take his hand off the wheel to wave to anybody,” remarked Mr. Hunt S.M. during the hearing of a motor collision case in Masterton recently.

•Nothing in New Zealand so typically marks the return of spring and the closing days of winter as the beautiful white clusters of native clematis (Puawananga), which in sunny spots is now in full bloom.

Plumbers, like mothers-in-law, twins, and bunions, are never properly appreciated (remarks the Wanganui Chronicle). “Take plumbers, for instance. I asked a plumber to put a new chimney on my copper,” said a local resident. “When I got the bill I thought he had put a new copper on the whole chimney.”

On Saturday last a young man w r as taken suddenly ill and removed to the Christchurch Hospital, where it was decided to operate immediately. It was evening when the patient recovered consciousness, and turning to the nurse ,he asked: “What was the result?” “The operation was successful,” replied the nurse reassuringly. “Oh. hang the operation, what I want to know is who won the football match?” demanded the young enthusiast.

Sharland’s “Moa Brand” Egg Preservative has a wonderful ie cord for absolutely reliability. Eggs have been kept sweet and without taint even after being preserved for over two years.—Advt. Sylvia Starch is made of pure rice. No starch like it!—Advt. “The Easiest Way” for relieving a Is easily learnt and as easily told, “The Easiest Way” is quite easy and When you take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. ’Tis easily taken and easily best For easing a cough, or a cold on chest. "The Easiest Way” lung relief to asTs ear”" Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

The indications are for Easterly j winds moderate to strong freshening | The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled with rain fol- j lowing. Barometer unsteady with a j falling tendency. Seas rough tides j good.

The scow Hero has just . completed unloading cast-iron pipes for the Borough Council. The pipes have been stacked in the railway yard at Grahamstown.

Owing to the absence of some two hundred pupils, and a . number of teachers also being indisposed, the Tauranga school was closed yesteiday and will not re-open until aftei the mid-winter holidays, about September lb-

It would appear (says the Oamaru Mail) that owing to the high price of seed and the difficulty experienced in working the land owing to its wet state, the area sown in potatoes in North Otago this yeai will fall much short of the average.

While searching on Riverton beach, a voting man found about £3OO worth of ambergris, which was in good condition, and quickly found a buyer, says an Invercargill corresoondent.

Overheard at a Labour meeting the other day: “I want to see an equal chance for those children horn with a silver spoon and those born with a pick and shovel in their mouths.”

Under the auspices of the Thames Literary Vagabonds, Rev. A. Ashcroft will deliver a lecture to-night at, 8 o'clock in the Mackay Street schoolroom. The subject of the address is “From One Generation to Another.” This is the last- lecture of the season, and everyone is invited. Admission free.

Fish is .reported by the local fishermen as being very scarce just now. The week before last less fish left Thames than has been reported for some years. Certain evidence has been placed before the Crown Proescntor in reference to trawling in the Hauraki Gulf and more is likely to be heard of the matter. It cannot be said that the Te Aroha people are not an honest lot (says the News). During last “Working Girl” advertised for £ 1 which she had lost, and three local residents each brought in a £1 note which they had picked up. Money must be plentiful in Te Aroha.

“You may be interested to hear, stated Dr. Clark at the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, “that a flour merchant told me that the orders for wholemeal uoiir in Howke’s Bay had increased 40-fold since last yeai. The head teacher of one of the largest schools told me that toothache amongst the children is almost a thing of the past. These facts are closely connected I think.”

Active measures are to be taken by the authorities to stamp out the practices of fortune-tellers and others who, by means of a “subtle craft” are reaping a rich harvest from! the weak-minded section of the community, and especially from women (says the Melbourne “Age”). Within the past few weeks several people w*ho have thus been trading on the credulity of simple-minded people have been fined and some of them heavily fined; but the Chief Secretary admitted recently that the facts already disclosed showed that a drastic “round-up” of bogus healers and fortune-tellers would have to be undertaken by the police. No new legislation was necessary. The law as it stood was quite strong enough to deal with the evil.