LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 10 May 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

D’Arcy Hadfield has decided to congest the Australian sculling title in June. It is expected that at least five men will go to the post.

Nominations for the South Wairarapa Trotting Club ’ s meeting close with the secretary (Mr A. L. Webster) at Greytown this evening. McDevitt, the sculler, has cabled Paddon asking him on what terms he would row on the northern Wairoa river for the world’s title.

On Saturday next, May 17, a new transmitting aerial will be erected by the Masterton Radio Club, marking another step forward in the progress of wireless in Masterton. Timber merchants have been advised of an advance in the prices of certain classes of timber. Dressing quality and clean heart rimu has advanced by 5/ per 100 feet, clean heart matai by a similar amount, and dressing quality of heart matai by 2/ per 100 ft. These kinds constitute about a tenth of the timber-stocked, and the other qualities are difficult to quit. No doubt, the cost of house-building will' now increase. .

A charge of having indecently as-, saulted a young single woman at Kaitawa was preferred against a young farm hand named Harry Biggar, at the Pahiatua Magistrate’s Court, Accused, represented by Mr G. Harold Smith, pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial at the. August sittings of the Supreme Courtat Palmerston North. Bail was allowed in self £lOO and one surety of £lOO. The cherry, the peach, and the plum were first grown in Persia.

A Pahiatua resident who has returned from Taupo reports that he enjoyed excellent sport with the trout during hi s visit.

There are no fewer than 4.3 waterside workers bearing the name of Smith employed on the Auckland wharves.

The work of removing the stones from the playing field at the Wairarapa High School and using them for building up the ground on the south side of the school is now well in hand.

Mr V.’. M. Page, the architect for the Wairarapa High School hostel, has provided the aerials for the School radio club. The Board yesterday accorded him a hearty vote of thanks.

Auckland had over 11 inches of rain during April, bringing the total for the current year over 23 inches, the highest since 1917, when 28.54 in. was recorded. Though the districts north of Auckland are steadily recovering from the effect of the floods of the last month, it will be some time before the damage caused to pastures, to fences, and to roads is retrieved. No. 1 playing field at the Wairarapa High School is now showing a good braird of grass though weak in patches where the clay appears to be near the surface. It should be a good playing area in the spring. 4 4 Men are not such good subjects for cross-examination as women are," said the Magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) at the Ashburton Court. He continued that women generally were more prone to tell direct lies than men, and to tell them better, too. The contract for laying the tennis courts at the Wairarapa High School has been completed. The executive committee of the Ground Improvement Fund, recently inaugurated, will erect the wire-netting around the courts.

At this week’s meeting of the Thames Harbour Board it was reported that the money representing the first portion of the harbour loan, to make a harbour at Thames at a cost of £60,000, was now practically in hand, and there was nothing to hinder the work being started. 1 ‘Unless we have a band worth while it is waste of money to go to contests. At the next contest wo will have about 20 bands competing against us instead of seven or eight," said Mr C. Pike, conductor of the Palmerston North Municipal Band, at the annual meeting. Since the end of the railway strike and the resumption of regular trains, the railway staff at Palmerston North hag been exceptionally busy in coping with the heavy congestion of goods consequent on the hold-up, and special goods train have been running at frequent intervals to relieve the situation. The Commissioner of Taxes dra#s attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day’s issue that returns of income must be furnished not later than the 2nd June. Forms of return may be obtained at any postal money-order office; they will not be sent to taxpayers from the office of the Commissioner of Taxes unless written application is made for them. The striking increase in the Importations of motor vehicles into New Zealand, recorded in 1923, will be totally eclipsed in 1924 if the gain for the first quarter of 1924 is a fair criterion. In J 923 three times as many motor vehicles; were Imported as in 1922. In the first quarter of 1924, almost twice as many were brought into the country as in the corresponding period of last year. A letter card from Palmerston North bore an unusual address (says the "Pahiatua Herald." The alert postal official, however, duty delivered it to the person ffom whom it was intended, Mr A. E. Carter, Mangahao, Pahiatua. The letter card bore the following inscription:—"Householder at finger post, Pahiatua-Ballance-Palmer-ston North, first post over bridge from Pahiatua. ’ ’ «<■ Two young girls, with brothers M escorts, recently rode tea miles to a dance at Wairoa (Hawkes Bay). During the ride one girl felt a tickling sensation on her neck. It persisted, and her brother struck a match tdfknd the cause, but nothing was visible. So she rode on, feeling just an occasional repetition of the irritation. Changing at a friend’s house, she discovered the cause when something dropped to the floor. It was a four-inch centipede. Small goodsman wanted. Reward offered for return of tobacco pouch. Mr T. Vaughan notifies that his property in Pine street has been withdrawn from sale. Applications are invited for the position of first assistant at St. Matthew’s Collegiate Girls’ School. A reminder is given by the Masterton Auctioneering Co. of the sale of furniture and effects which they are conducting on account of Mr C. A. Caigou at his residence, Te road, Lansdowne (opposite at. 1.30 to-day. The furniture has be?n well selected and is all in good condition, and the public are advised to attend this sale if they are in need of any household furnishings.