LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 4 January 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Lighting-up time —7.53 p.m. About 100 b cars and 4500 people used the New Plymouth-Te Kuiti road during the Christmas week. Opossums arc becoming very numerous in the Taranaki district’. On one property no fewer than 400 were trapped last season. Norman Marshall, aged 11, while riding a bicycle collided with a motor ear at Lower Hutt and died from injuries. In the Canterbury croquet championship Mrs Leech (Wellington) beat Mrs E. A. Smith (Christchurch) 26/25, 26/17. During Friday and Saturday burglars visited a two-storied house in Sumner, during the absence of the owner, and stole household furnishings valued at £lOB. Speaking to an “Age’ representative at the week-end the Hon. A. D.

In the Canterbury croquet championship Mrs Leech (Wellington) beat Mrs E. A. Smith (Christchurch) 26/25, 26/17.

Speaking to an “Age’ representative at the week-end the Hon. A. D. McLeod, (Minister of Lands),, stated that he expected a few of tho new Cabinet Ministers would bo announced in a few days and the remainder very soon after.

A fire at an early hour on Sunday morning gutted a fruit and confec tionery shop in Oamaru, occupied by Mrs. R. Huddleston, and owned by W. Clark. The stock was insured for £5OO, a pianola for £lOB5 and the building for £6OO.

Four boat crews were swamped at Akaroa during the regatta and had to be picked up by launches. A coxswain was nearly drowned, but recovered after treatment. The fifth trial at Lyttelton for the Sanders Cup was won by Secret and the sixth by Linnet.

Night swimming is gaining in popularity in Masterton, and on two of the three nights the baths were open last week, there was a good attendance of enthusiasts. Night bathing will be continued in future on Mon days, Wednesdays and Saturday. The swimming club, which has charge of the baths at night , has secured January 22 for a night carnival, and a meeting will be held at the baths tonight to make the necessary arrange- ‘ ments.

“Get Away witn tho Goods" when you can, If you don't other will, you bet! ’Tis a pleasant and excellent plan When the goods are “good goods'’ to get. “Get Away with the Goods" right away While there's colds and vile coughs to endure, Get away with the “good goods" today— Get Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

The contract has been let for a now Presbyterian Church at Danncvirke, to cost about £4500.

A larger area is being sown in mangolds in the Oamaru distris: this year, says the "Times," than ever before in the history of North Otago.

Platinum is found in Southland but only in small quantities; and at Puhipuhi, 28 miles north of Whangarei, there is quite a quantity of quicksilver.

A sudden drop in tne temperature on Friday night was responsible for a coating of snow capping the Tararua ranges on Saturday, a most unusual occurrence for this time of the year.

A new hospital at Balclutha cannot be opened because water is lacking. Antagonism between the respective controlling bodies prevented the hospital being joined to the borough supply, and now it is found that a well which was sunk has gone dry.

The large volume of tourist traffic, throughout Taranaki continues to flow, says the "Herald." Some of it flows into the motorists camp at the foot of Belt road, for the camp has been full each night, an average of about 15 motorists using the reserve. A resident of Ross, while woxdting in his garden on Wednesday, ex pericnced the unpleasant sensation of a flying bullet passing close to his left ear. The shooter explained _J.hat he was firing at t bottle on a heap of tailings, and the bullet must have glanced off, and entered the garden. According to the "Evening Post" there is likely to be a contest fur the position of workers representative on the Arbitration Court, the candidate being Mr A. Montielh, who was defeated as member Jor Wellington East in the House of Parliament, and Mr Hiram Hunter, the present assessor for the workers.

Holiday time brings with it a host of people with an aptitude for losing things, especially on the railways. At the Ashburton station outstanding ex hibits last week were a Christmas ham and a set of false teeth. The latter were hurriedly reclaimed by a young woman who waited until they were replaced before expressing her thanks.

A lofty pine tree overhangs one end of the stewards stand at the Tauherenikau racecourse, and on Saturday an occupant of the stand had little difficulty in catching a young opossum which had made his home in the tree. The animal was quite at home among the crowd, and after being shown all round to an interested group was liberated.

Lord Burnham, interviewed on his return to London from the Press Conference, said: “Though New Zealand is the most Home like of all the Dominions; Australia is not far behind. One cannot help thinking as the centuries roll on that it may well be that in Australia and New Zealand there will be carried on and carried forward the British type of civilisation under better conditions and more effectively than anywhere in the world."

“Can you get men with stop watches to check the control traffic through the Gorge during the holiday period?" was a quesion addressed by Mr F. J. Nathan chairman of the Manawatu Gorge Board of Control, at a meeting, to the foreman.' "It would pay us to give them £1 a day, or even £2 to do so," added Mr Nathan. The foreman replied that probably the men could be secured, but that they were rather diffident of being the means of prosecuting those from whom they might be seeking employment when the improvement work was completed. It was decided that men be engaged at £1 per day.

"If the question of redistributing the population of the Empire, and of making use of the enormous possibilities for production in the Dominions, are taken advantage of at once (but it must be at once, for the sands are running out), there is no reason why the Empire as a whole, whether we have international Imperial preference or not, should not enjoy a state of prosperity givater than we have ever yet seen," stated General Sir Andrew Russell in an interview on his return to Hastings after a tour of Great Britain and the Continent.

“I agree. We want to keep the cradles full." This remark was made by the Director-General of Health, Dr. Valintine, in reply to a question at a meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board (reports the "Wanganui Chronicle.' ) "We have a shameful birthrate,'' he added. “It is too low for a country like this. The birthrate is omly about 19 per 1000. lam glad to sec that the country districts do not labour under that stigma, but in the towns the birthrate has got to be a very serious thing."

Some people carry’ out very faithfully the Scriptural injunction to be fruitful and multiply (says the Wanganui "Herald.'J While a local business man was travelling in the train recently he entered into conversation with a lady who looked about 60 years of ago. She modestly informed him that she had been married twice, and had two families of 21, making 12 in all, and they were all alive and doing well. The second husband smil ingly remarked to the business man that it was cheaper than importing them from other lands.

"The night was noisy with sneezes." —Plough. Annoyin g and persistent summer chills can be quickly remedied with Bazter's Lung Preserver. For 59 years "Baxter’s" has been New Zealand's sovereign antidote for all coughs, colds, and other bronchial affections. It is a rich, penetrative specific that gets to the root of all throat ahd chest troubles and gives quick relief. Also splendid tonic. At all chemists and stores. Gcner-dhr-sized bottle 2s. 6d. (1)

Only one bankruptcy occurred in Dannevirke and district last year (a farmer), against 7 in and 9 in 1925.

Travelling in England, Scotland Wales, and Ireland, Dr. Thacker had "New Zealand" printed in large bold letters on his luggage. He offers this idea to all New Zealanders abroad as he found that it never failed to assure civility and kindness.

Motorists who patronised the Wairarapa races on Friday and Saturday found the main road in very good condition especially the stretch between Carterton and Greytown which a few months ago was dubbed “a motorists ’ nightmare. ’'

The English University Delegation sailed yesterday on a debating tour of Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The delegation comprises Messrs. Ralph May (Birmingham), MacDonald (Edinburgh), Molson (Oxford Un ion), and Recd (London). The subjects for debate will include cue Protocol, the .Singapore Base, and Western civilisation.

The stately American yacht Kaimiloa, now lying at an anchorage in Auckland harbour, has been brilliantly illuminated each evening since Christmas Eve, and the striking picture she has presented has Ih en much admired, says the "Herald." Christmas is always a joyous festival with the Americans. Although far from his home port, the owner of the Kaimiloa, Mr M. R. Kellum, is keeping up the traditions of bls country.

The motor traffic along (he roads on rdee days is conducted in a very reckless manner, cars going along at any old pace they choose, worn 30 to 50 miles per hour, says the " Eltham Argus." It is really wonderful that there are not hundreds of accidents. The cars must be good and the drivers clever. Going through the towns the pace is sober enough, but once away from town boundaries the speed is made a cracker.

A motor accident occurred at Bongokokako, near Eketahuua, in which a new Chevrolet rar, owned by Miss H. Wood, of Wellington was practically destroyed. The car was being driven by Mr. C. Wood, who was accompanied by his brother, and when coming round the hili by the old quarry, it skidded, with the result that it went over the bank into the quarry, where it immediately caught alight and wan practically ruined. The two occupants v. era in the car when it went over, but escaped unhurt.