LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 20 January 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Northern Advocate” reports that the Portland cement works at Whangarei are in full swing again.

Mr W. G. Lamb was granted a renewal of his land agents’ license by Mi S. L. P. Free, S.M., yesterday.

No fewer than five ex-soldiers have now abandoned their farms in the Puahue district, says the Waipa “Post.”

Up to the end of October last, £10,437,997 was paid in motor taxation in GreiU Britain. All of it had been handed over to the Road Fund.

An account was received by the Waikato Hospital Board recently from a local doctor for two dozen bottles of stout which lie had ordered for an invalid woman receiving charitable aid, “in order to carry her over a bad turn.” The Board refused to pay.

A man in Auckland gave a promissory not for to an employer, in order to prevent the latter from prosecuting a lad for theft. When the note became due, it was not paid, and proceedings were taken for the recovery of the amount involved. The Magistrate held that the money could not be recovered, and he gave judgment for the defendant, with costs.

“If there was no drainage system in the house, what did you do with the water you washed in?” asked a solicitor of a witness in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. “I used to take it clear of the house and throw it away,” was the reply. “But how did you manage on wet mornings?” persisted counsel. “Oh, I didn’t wash on wet mornings,” was the answer, and the Court smiled.. There was no appearance of counsel or the parties concerned when the case of J. D. B. Clifford v. A. Hoar and t T. Permain was called in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The action is a claim for £2O for an alleged breach of the Wellington Industrial District trades award in that, being an apprentice to the furniture trade, the claimant was wrongfully dismissed from the employ of defendants on November 2-5, J 921. His Worship (Mr S. L. P. Free, S.M.) adjourned the case until this morning. “The cost of living is coming down,” remarked counsel during the hearing of a debt case at Auckland. The witness very promptly countered with, “And so are wages.*’ Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., after hearing a lengthy explanat:on from a judgment debtor as to why he could not pay, refused to make an order on the evidence submitted, and remarked: “People all require to learn how to manage better these times. Putting a man in gaol and thus stopping him from earning does not help him to pay his debts.” A general meeting of shareholders of the No 1 Workers Mutual Benefit Building Society of Masterton, was held last evening. Mr R. Krahagen occupied the chair, and a fair number of shareholders were present The chairman announced that the meeting r^ b S e nL? lled for th< * allocation of £6OO (£3OO by ballot and £3OO by sale) The successful shareholder at the ballot was Mrs E. F. Eton, who, ™* dl ng two shares, was declared entitled to £3OO frqp of interest. As no tenders were received for the £3OO offered by sale, it was decided to pro-, ceed with the ballot, which resulted .in Mr M. G. Mackay drawing £3OO free of interest. Mr Krahagen in.ormed the shareholders present, that only ,2 shares had now to be satisfied in the society, and this should lie accomplished in two years, when the profits accumulated, would he distriouted.

Mr Harvey Phillips, formerly a newsboy in Chicago, and now a millionaire as the result of Mexican mining ventures, recently re-visited Chicago and created a sensation bv his methods of celebrating his return, from his hotel window he rained money down on the crowd below, and afterwards threw silver money right and left from the window of' a taaci cab Mr Phillips then gathered a party of bootblacks, and bpught for each boy a pair of 'expensive boots. no ; X e " ,Rln " he B ave a d:n “er to IUU Chicago newsboys, saving: “f want the boys to have the 'best there. is When I was a newsboy I was 'often cold and hungry, and I know, how it feels.” Mr Phillips is 30 years of age.

In a New Zealand egg-laying contest an Indian runner duck is stated to have laid 36G eggs in 365 days. The odd egg is supposed to have been a sighting shot.

The Wanganui Borough Council has decided to procure from the Masterton Borough Council, at a cost of £3, a pair of white swans, the intention being to place th© birds on Virginia Lake.

It is truly said: “Advertising is the education of the public a:s to who you are, what you are, and what you have to offer in way of skill, talent or commodity. The only man who should not advertise is the one who has nothing to offer in the way ot service, or who cannot make good.” The Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association is collecting information respecting the building by-laws of the various cities and boroughs in New Zealand with the object of securing reasonable uniformity in the qualities and sizes of timbers specified in such building by-laws. At the University Senate at Auckland a motion that Latin be a compulsory subject for the matriculation exam, for candidates for the B.A. degree was defeated by 14 to 9. The Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) opposed the motion, saying he was sorry the proposal should be brought up year after year.

It is a little over two months now since a one-armed prisoner named Plunket escaped from the Dunedin Gaol along with Alan Aitcheson (afterwards captured). Plunkett was seen in the vicinity of Burnside shortly after his dash for liberty. Since then all trace of him has been lost. He is supposed to have made inland. The census of the Maori population shows a substantial increase of 2975, as compared with the returns for 1916. The first census, taken in 1874, gave a Maori population of 45,470, while this year’s shows that there are 52,751 Maoris in the Dominion. In past years there was generally some doubt about the accuracy of the Maori census, though the figures for the last census (1921) show a substantial increase. This is to some extent probably due to the inclusion of returned soldiers. The manager of the Wanganui Bread Co. informs the “Chronicle” that the price of bread is to be reduced in March. He states that the contract fixing the price of bread will not be up till February 28, but he expects the Board of Trade will meet some time before then to fix the new price, which will come into force in March. It is expected that flour will be £4 to £5 a ton cheaper, so that the price of bread will be reduced Id to lid a two-pound loaf. Every 26s 8d reduction in the price of flour represents id per two pound loaf.

The Manawatu “Times” say that the additional “portable” classroom that is being constructed for the accommodation of about 50 pupils of the College street school has proved a costly experiment, that is not likely to be repeated by the Education Department. The building, which in size is about equal to a large motor shed, will cost over £lOOO to erect. If the edifice is required later for use in another district, the expense of dismantling the sections, packing, transporting and re-erecting the schoolroom on a prepared foundation is going to be a considerable item, that will recur just as often as this tabernacle of learning is moved in the educational wilderness.

A peculiar complaint. something akin to colic, has been prevalent about Dunedin for some time past (states the “Otago Daily Times”), but though it has been fairly common the health authorities have not so far been able to find a common cause to which it might be attributed. The disease which is thought to be stomach influenza, is not a notifiable one, and the difficulty about making investigations is that complaints do not usually reach the authorities until after the patient is convalescent. The disease is accompanied by stomach pains and vomiting, but it appears to be mostly of a very mild nature, lasting only a few’hours, though some people have been ill with it several davs.

How a horse owner recovered his animal, which had strayed and was eventually impounded, without paying the County for its keep, was told at the Kairahga Countv Council meeting by Cr. S. R. Lancaster. It happened that Mr Lancaster had owned a mare which he sold to a local settler. Later he noticed the horse being driven around by a “bottle-’o.” Eventually the horse strayed to Mr Lancaster's property, and alter feeding it for about a week he turned it over to the poundkeeper. As the owner of tho animal could not be discovered it was eventually sold by auction and realised Is. It transpired that the purchaser was the "‘bottle-’o,” and hy so buying the horse he avoided paying feeding fees. Horse, gig and harness for sale. Shop with all conveniences to let. Equable girl wanted for general duties. Envelope off motor car hood lost between M'angaehu and Masterton. Messrs E. L. Holmwood and Co. re quire three sheep farms for cash buyers. A meeting of earners and contractors will be held in the Trade Hall tonight. The Egyptus Hair Treatment Depot gives advice free, and invite you to consult them. Services will be held at Kummerstein 11 a.m. and at Homewood at 3 p.m. on Sunday next. R. 8. Gerrand will sell mutton, lamb, prime ox beef and pork at Occidental Auction Mart to-day. A perservative as well as a deans* r aptly describes the plate polish made from the formula of R. H. Hill and Co. Its simplicity, cleanliness an :• economy in use and freedom from any injurious substance render it an ideal preparation for household use, while the price, 2s 6d per bottle, brings it within the reach-of all. • Motorists! Always have a "Presto” Fire Extinguisher in the car. Abrac f ready for instant use. Never in the way. Write Manning Co., 5 Bodford Bow, Christchurch. (3)

In connection with the complaint macle by Mr J. L. Heckler, in a letter to the Eketahuna County Council last Saturday, Mr Heckler states that he will attend the next meeting of the council and have the matter thoroughly ventilated. A specially-selected programme of music will he rendered by the Masterton Citizens’ Band in Queen street to-night. During the evening a collection will be taken up in aid of a distressed family, when it is hoped there will be a ready response. A light-weight (Cumberland style) wrestling contest has been added to the programme of the Anniversary Day Sports. The first prize will be a gold medal donated by Messrs Wyeth Bros. Entries can be made on the ground. The record price for •greasy wool at Sydney during the half-year (says the “Daily Telegraph’’) was 32|d. secured in the last series for the R. Fitzgerald/Wincfeor/N.S.W. clip. With the exception of last season, when 46}d was touched during the boom period, this is an outstanding price. In prewar days 19Jd was the record price, and stood for many years, whilst during the appraisement scheme the rec-ord crept up to 30|d. A despicable theft occurred this .week where the work is proceeding in connection with building the new gasholder for the Masterton Borough. Mr E. Bell, who is in charge, had a finely-equipped box of first-aid apparatus on the spot, in case of accident to any member of his staff. Yesterday it was discovered tnat the whole of the contents had been stolen. Mr Bell also had a £1 note taken frofn the pocket of his coat, which was hanging up in the vicinity. Ten hours a day, winter and summer, for carpentering was a claim which aroused very considerable discussion at a meeting of the Woodville County Council when it was realised that a carpenter in the employ of the council had been claiming on th s basis for months past. Cr. Elder said he had repeatedly questioned this time sheet at the meetings of the Finance Committee but had received no support. Sometim -s he had been told that the man was employed in making boxes for concrete in readiness for the next day’s wor! . It was the general opinion that the claim, during the winter months at any rate, was excessive and it was decided that the overseer’s attention be drawn to such lengthy time claims which in the case under discussion amounted to 22s 6d per day.